Rock Valley College Starlight Theatre Informations

Starlight Theatre is now the only theatre operated by Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois; operations of Rock Valley College Studio Theatre, an indoor blackbox theatre, have been suspended.Starlight Theatre performs in the outdoor Bengt Sjostrom Theatre, an award-winning structure designed by Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects that features a unique, one-of-a-kind movable roof. Starlight has transformed itself into a popular destination for the Northern Illinois region. The theatre is situated on 217 acres that were purchased by the college in 1965 from Dr. J.J. Rogers.

In the fall of 1966 a group of Rock Valley College students approached Dean of Community Services Rueben Johnson about creating a theatre program. The following year, they performed an outdoor musical near the farm pond that had been purchased in 1965 from Dr. J.J. Rogers. Community members watched the first performance on lawn chairs. Starlight Theatre has performed more than 125 productions since its founding in 1967.

1967: Finian's Rainbow (Dir. Donald Meisenholder)

1968: Patience and Waiting for Godot (Dir. Donald Colucci)

1969: Oklahoma! (Dir. John Pearce)

1970: Man of LaMancha (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1971: Oliver and Fiddler on the Roof (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1972: 1776 and The King and I (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1973: My Fair Lady and Promises, Promises (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1974: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and No, No Nanette (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1975: Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar (Dir. Ted Bacino)

1976: Of Thee I Sing, A Little Night Music (Dir. Kirk Denmark and Once Upon a Mattress Dir. Jim Smith)

1977: The Sound of Music and The Music Man (Dir. Jim Crow)

1978: Camelot and Show Boat (Dir. Jim Crow)

1979: West Side Story and Hello, Dolly! (Dir. Jim Crow)

1980: Carnival and Funny Girl (Dir. Jim Crow)

1981: Wizard of Oz and HMS Pinafore (Dir. A. Neil Thackaberry)

1982: Grease (Dir. Dominic Messimi), Jacques Brel and South Pacific (Dir. A. Neil Thackaberry)

1983: Man of LaMancha (Dir Dominic Messimi), Pirates of Penzance and Guys and Dolls (Dir. A. Neil Thackaberry)

1984: Carosel (Dir. A. Neil Thackaberry), George M Dir. Victoria Bussert and My Fair Lady (Dir. A. Neil Thackaberry)

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