Way back in 1963, that’s an incredible 61 years ago, friends Don & Sylvia Heepke and Bill & Pat Johnson had an idea and they ran with it.  Both couples loved the community theater performances they saw together around town and decided to start their own group.  With determination, talent and chutzpah, they produced their first musicals at Aiken High School with “Fiorello,” “Anything Goes”, “Little Me” and “Take Me Along” to a fun, satisfying success, and The Footlighters inc. was born.

 

Like many other community troupes, the newly formed Footlighters wandered from venue to venue putting on our shows, eventually settling in Westwood Town Hall in the late 1970’s and The College of Mt. St. Joseph.

 

Over the years The Footlighters received numerous awards for our talented productions.  One of the highlights was performing our award-winning version of “What’s a Nice Country Like Us, Doing in a State Like This”, for Princess Grace and Prince Rainier in Monaco, after winning the FAACT competition in 1977.  Achieving this prestigious award gave us the opportunity to perform our production at The Playhouse in the Park’s Shelter House for a six week run, including two shows a day on the weekends!  We were the first community theater group ever given this privilege and no one has been invited since.

 

When opportunity came knocking in 1987, The Footlighters inc., along with the help of a few dedicated members, seized the moment and purchased the Salem Methodist Church on York Street and became Newport’s first community theater.

 

Designed by Samuel B. Hannaford in 1882, the building was designated a Kentucky Landmark in 1979, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.  It’s conversion into a Performing Arts Center preserved the church’s stained glass windows, aptly christening the space, The Stained Glass Theatre.

 

And bringing us up to date, besides putting on our own productions, The Footlighters also collaborates with other area non-profits for outreach programming, promoting all areas of the arts.  We are a member in good standing with ACT Cincinnati, OCTA, and AACT.

 

I’m sure Don, Sylvia, Bill and Pat are incredibly proud of their “idea” as we celebrate our momentous 60th anniversary 2023-2024 season.

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-- Freida Houck

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