Our History

Formed in 1953, the organization known today as the Rome Community Theater was once two separate performing bodies; The Rome Theater Guild, and the Rome Civic Theater. The Rome Theater Guild had been in existence for many years and were financially stable, but performed infrequently (1 or 2 shows each winter) due to a small volunteer base. The Rome Civic Theater was newer, and had a much larger group of people involved. Because of their volunteers, they could produce shows more aggressively (6 shows each winter, and 10 each summer).

The Rome Civic Theater however, was in trouble financially.

The two combined in 1953, to form the Rome Community Theater, melding the levelheadedness and financial stability of the Theater Guild with the exuberance and volunteer base of the Civic Theater to form the organization that still performs today.

One of their first acts as an organization was to fix up their schedule, finding the right balance between performance and burden. They decided to fix the regular season at 4 shows in the fall/winter/spring months, with a few variable events in the summer.

The first show performed by the Rome Community Theater was "Light up the Sky" by Moss Hart. Presented by The Kiwanis Club of Rome NY, at RFA Auditorium on Turin Road on October 13, 14 & 15, 1953, the show was directed by Lt. Eric J. Kromphold. The Cast included several notable Romans: Emily Hayes, George T. Bolton, and Ruth Fenster; Theresa Reed doing makeup; Mr. & Mrs. Ted Scott on stage setting; Murray Warner on lights; Virginia Kirshner on set construction; the first President Margaret Nero, and Dixie Bolton.