DIRECTIONS

WCST performances and rehearsals are held at Windham Community Center/Town Hall on School Road, Windham (school road has only one building on it).

Heading south on Rt. 202, turn onto School Road to the right, 1/2 mile from the rotary; or if heading north on Rt. 202, take a left on Windham Center Road and then a right on the first road which is School Road.

HISTORY

The Beginning.

Windham Center Stage Theater came into being in 1974. Harry Gray was visiting Frank Brautigum and he was relating the history of a theatre group he led in Canada. Mr. Gray said he had been toying with the idea of such a group in Windham, and he said, "Do you think we could?

They put a notice of an organizational meeting in the paper and thirty people showed up. Mr. Brautigum was elected president and Mr. Gray served as treasurer. They drafted the first set of by-laws with the help of Leslie Clark. The first production was called Downeast Potpourri. It appears to be a variety show of sorts and they ran into $1500 dollars in debt. There is no record of this first production in the archive. The second president was Thomas Gerringer and he was followed by Harry L. Gray III (Mr. Gray's son).

The oldest program in the archives is for The Apple Tree. The play was performed at St. Joseph's College on February 28 and March 1, 1975 Tickets were only $2.50.

Saving The Community Center.

WCST's archives also contain the first official newsletter from July 1976 in which Harry Gray III is listed as president. This newsletter includes an urge to vote yes on a referendum to save the old Junior High School, which was to become the Community Center. Windham Center Stage Theater was very proactive in saving the building for use by the theater, as well as the many other community activities it could and does house.

A Grand Opening celebration was held on March 18, 1978 to commemorate Windham Community Theater's move into the Community Center. In 1985, WCST received the use of the space in the garage.