The South Street Players have come full circle as they celebrate 25 years of theater production.
The group was formerly known at the St. Rose Players. Its first production was N. Richard Nash’s “The Rainmaker,” a play about a rainmaker’s arrival in a drought-stricken western town and the promise to bring rain while he changes the lives of the townsfolk. “The Rainmaker” was performed in the St. Rose of Lima School gym on South Street in Freehold Borough in October 1982.
Now, 25 years later, “The Rainmaker” will be performed again to mark the company’s 25th anniversary season and will be directed by Robert J. Lamb, the play’s director 25 years ago.
“I never imagined that the South Street Players would exist 25 year later,” said Lamb, the company’s founder and the chairman of its board of directors. “The lifespan of most theater companies averages around nine or 10 years.”
While this year’s production of “The Rainmaker” will remain true to the script, there will be differences, said Lamb, a resident of Freehold Township.
“Our present stage is smaller and there will be no formal set as elaborate as the one at St. Rose,” he said. “Also, the actors will be more age appropriate and in tune with the ages they represent.”
Lamb said the company’s first play was selected randomly.
“We had six males and one female as actors, and that’s what ‘The Rainmaker’ required,” he said, adding that many of the cast members and the production crew of the first production of “The Rainmaker” have been contacted and invited to attend this year’s play.
The Playbill will be filled with photos of the 1982 production, said Lamb.
The first production of the St. Rose Players, which was renamed the South Street Players in 1986, he said, began with a loan of $700 and the hard work of 18 founding members who volunteered time, talent and money and joined Lamb in a venture to establish a communitybased theater company.
“Our mission is to form a partnership between the actors and the community,” said Lamb, who has acted in off-Broadway shows. “The actors have a place to practice and grow in their art and the community learns about theater and enjoys theater productions at affordable prices.”
Since 1982 the South Street Players have produced more than 70 theater productions that range from an original play, “Firehouse” by Ed Shakespeare, a former English teacher at Freehold High School, to classic Neil Simon comedies and dramatic plays by playwrights such as Edward Albee and Tennessee Williams. Also, there was a children’s theater production of “Treasure Island” and even a musical production about New Jersey called “JERZ.”
“In 1999 the company received a grant from Union County to revive an original play about the state of New Jersey, written by Sid Frank, a playwright from Springfield,” said Lamb. “In 2000 we added an original first act to ‘JERZ’ and performed our only musical at the Clarksburg Inn in Millstone Township, called ‘Jumping Into JERZ.’ ”
He said “JERZ” was performed by the South Street Players in nine schools in Union County as well as in temples, senior citizen complexes, shopping malls and political events throughout the area. Also, he said the company has performed benefit productions for causes such as breast cancer awareness.
Throughout the past 25 years, the South Street Players have performed in numerous venues, including dinner theater at the Clarksburg Inn, the Battleground Country Club, Manalapan, the Conover Road Firehouse, Colts Neck, and the Mansion on the Plaza, Brick Township. Also, the company entertained audiences as a dessert theater at the Center Playhouse, Freehold.
Since 2006 the South Street Players has performed as a dessert theater at the Priedaine, Route 33, Howell, a facility owned by the New Jersey Latvian Society.
Lamb said the South Street Players have about 25 active members with other members volunteering as time permits. As a sign of appreciation he instituted the Aggie Awards, named in memory of his aunt, Agnes Mahar, who worked tirelessly to promote the company. The award honors members who have worked 10 consecutive years in the productions. Forty members have received Aggie Awards since 2001.
In addition to “The Rainmaker,” Lamb said this anniversary season is slated to include Michael Hollinger’s “Incorruptible,” a comedy set in a medieval monastery, and John Steinbeck’s classic “Of Mice and Men.” Special events are also being planned.
“To help us celebrate our 25th anniversary we are planning an unique spaghetti dinner theater and attendance at a Lakewood BlueClaws game,” he said. “Through these events that are in the works we invite the public to get to know us, join us and to celebrate with us.”
To celebrate immediately, performances of “The Rainmaker” will be held at the Priedaine of the New Jersey Latvian Society, 1017 Route 33 East, Howell, Nov. 23, 24, 30 and Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 24, 25 and Dec.1 and 2 at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the play and dessert are $25 with discounts for seniors and groups. For reservations call 1-866-700-7797. For more information about the South Street Players, click on www.southstreetplayers.org.