Hey y’all,
If you’re a local to Forsyth like me then I’m sure you’re familiar with the Rose Theater. This historic theater has brought joy to our town for as long as anyone can remember. Housed within this building are the Backlot Players who are a non-profit community theater group. They have brought exceptional performances to life for Monroe County since ‘95. Now, I got somethin’ really special for y’all. Recently, my good friend Gilda Stanbery, the director of the City of Forsyth Convention & Visitors Bureau, sat down with the president of the Backlot Players, Rachel Hunter, on her radio show to learn more about the resilience of the group and their story. I tuned into their conversation so let me share with ya what I learned.
The Rose Theater’s History
Rachel Hunter shared an interestin’ tidbit about the history of the Rose, somethin’ that even I didn’t know. Though the building dates to 1904, it wasn’t always in the hands of the Backlot Players, nor even a theater! It was a warehouse and grocery store until the 40s when it was first used as a movie theater! My Nana used to tell me stories about seein’ movies at the Rose, so that much I knew, but I’ll tell ya something I didn’t know…before it came into the keeping of the Backlot Players, it was a topless bar. Oh, get your minds outta the gutter, that was just a nickname on account of the roof being missin’. You see, in the 80s, about thirteen years before Dr. and Mrs. Cummings gifted the theater to the Players in ‘99, the Rose’s roof caved in! It was only brick walls then and someone had the bright idea to use it as an amphitheater and bar. That’s right y’all! The Backlot Players had to install a firewall between the theater and the Grits Cafe, a roof, plush seating, the stage, lighting and pretty much everything else in a series of renovations.
The Backlot Players
Now that I’ve shared a bit of the backstory, let’s get into the history behind the Backlot Players. The group was formed back in ‘95 by a group of locals who wanted to bring a community theater group to Forsyth and Monroe County. Y’all will get a kick out of this but Ms. Rachel’s own mama was one of the foundin’ members! Ms. Rachel shared that her mother, Judy Hunter, would take her and her four sisters to her mama’s auditions while they were growin’ up. The first production that the group put together was Scrooge, The Stingiest Man in Town. It was a retellin’ of the iconic A Christmas Carol and it was a HIT! The group bounced around for a few years, travelin’ to put on performances at places like Tift College’s Roberts Chapel, Board of Education Auditorium, Old Schoolhouse in Culloden, and the old Opera House on East Main Street. They eventually settled into the Rose Theater in 2004 (there were renovations to be made after the acquisition if y’all recall) for their permanent home.
A Testament to Resilience
Well, I’ve got some not-so-great news to share with y’all. Recently, the Branded Starr Boutique (the Rose Theater’s neighbor, with a connecting wall) caught on fire in a tragic incident. The fire caused damage to the historic theater building as well as the boutique. With the smoke and water damage, the Backlot Players are unsure as to when they’ll be able to go back into the theater to fix it up. With the current production season in progress, this tragic incident has caused a delay which is just awful. Luckily, our people here in Forsyth take care of one another. The local Board of Education will allow for the current production to take place in their auditorium. Ms. Rachel couldn’t have said it better, “Something happens and people step up and say, okay what can we do to help?”
Celebrating 30 Years
With the current production season takin’ place in the Board of Education Auditorium, plans for the next production are in progress! The fact that this group is continuin’ to look to the future shows how resilient they are! Ms. Rachel shared that the 30th anniversary show will be Scrooge, The Stingiest Man in Town to pay homage to their beginnings. If you’re lookin’ for ways to support their 30th season, the group is hostin’ a 30 for 30 fundraising campaign. If you donate $30, you’ll get to be a season sponsor which really helps the group’s costs. Donations go towards purchasin’ the rights, building sets, making the costumes and other costs that go into puttin’ together an outstanding performance. You can always donate to help the Players rebuild the Rose Theater from the fire damage too!
If y’all would like to read the radio transcript for yourselves, I’ve added a link to it below! If there’s one thing y’all take away today, I hope it’s that the Rose Theater has been a historic institution within Forsyth for generations. Plus, the Backlot Players have been essential in bringin’ the joy and wonder of the performing arts to our community. The show will go on!
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‘Til Next Time,
Your Storyteller
