History of the River City Community Players

The River City Community Players is an active Community Theatre based in Leavenworth, Kansas and was founded by Verneil Searles. We began operating under the Auspices of The Leavenworth Parks and Recreation Department in 1977 at the historic Hollywood Theatre. The Old Hollywood Theatre would then become known as The Leavenworth Performing Arts Center where our Community Theatre productions run to this day, with the RCCP having been the principal occupant of the theatre.

The RCCP provide the community in the Leavenworth area a unique theatrical experience in an early 20^th century Art Deco Theatre that has been modified for live theatrical productions. Currently, the RCCP shows four main stage productions a year with two being musicals and two being non-musical productions. There are also two youth shows produced throughout our seasons in addition to our annual Christmas Show. 

 

Past Seasons of the RCCP:

 

1977 - Our Inaugural Season

• June - Then, Now, and Wow (original) - Verneil Searles
• August - The Odd Couple - Verneil Searles
• November - The Music Man - Jeff Baxter

1978

• February - The Man Who Came to Dinner - Mary Ann Saunders
• April - You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown - Dorothy Renkoski & Donna Griffith
• June - Off Broadway, Way Off (original) - Verneil Searles
• August - Good News - Ted Adtkins
• November - Hello, Dolly! - Chuck Marsden

1979

• February - The Invisible People - Dorothy Renkoski
• June - The Wizard of Oz -Vivian Ross
• July - The Sunshine Boys - Verneil Searles
• November - Show Boat -Vivian Ross

1980

• February - Harvey - Dorothy Renkoski
• June - Gypsy - Greg Smith
• August - Butterflies Are Free - Dorothy Renkoski
• November - Then, Now, and Wow II (original) - Verneil Searles

1981 - Our Fifth Season

• February - The Lion In Winter - Irene Spiller
• May - South Pacific - Dawn and Greg Smith
• July - Silver Queen Saloon - Irene Spiller
• November - Irene - Greg Smith

1982

• February - Norman, Is That You? - Verneil Searles
• May - Oliver! - CJ Lamb
• August - The Great Western Melodrama - Verneil Searles
• November - Annie Get Your Gun - Dorothy Renkoski

1983

• February - Arsenic and Old Lace - Greg Smith
• May - From The Top (original) - Greg Smith & Dorothy Renkoski
• August - Deathtrap - Eric Van Horn
• November - Brigadoon - Dorothy Renkoski

1984

• February - Any Wednesday - Dorothy Renkoski
• May - The Unsinkable Molly Brown - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• August - Last of the Red Hot Lovers - Bob & June Stacy
• November - The Music Man - Joseph "Skip" Morrow

1985 

• February - Dracula, the Musical - Charles Brunner
• May - Anything Goes - Dorothy Renkoski
• August - The Diary of Anne Frank - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• November - Oklahoma! - Joseph "Skip" Morrow

1986 - Our 10^th Season 

• February - No Sex Please, We're British - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• May - The Sound of Music - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• August - Our Town - Donna Elmer
• November - 1776 - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson

1987 

• February - The Glass Menagerie - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• May - Li'l Abner -Eric Van Horn
• August - The Curious Savage - Dorothy Renkoski
• November - My Fair Lady - Joseph "Skip" Morrow

1988 

• February - Black Out Comedy - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• May - The Fantasticks - Richard Bayse
• August - Agnes of God (Cancelled) - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• November - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson

1989 

• February - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof -M. Faye Maslanik
• May - Man of La Mancha -Richard Bayse
• August - Play On - Phil Koerin and Tom Lauhon
• November - Bye, Bye Birdie -Donna Elmer

1990 

• February - Norman, Is That You? -Verneil Searles
• May - Shenandoah -Richard Bayse
• August - Catch Me If You Can -Lloyd Bolick
• November - Fiddler on the Roof -Donna Elmer

1991 - Our 15^th Season 

• February - The Miracle Worker - Joseph "Skip" Morrow
• May - Guys and Dolls -Dorothy Renkoski
• August - Fools - Lloyd Bolick
• November -Oliver! -Lloyd Bolick

1992 

• February -LuAnn Hampton Laverty Oberlander - Elizabeth Judd
• May - Barnum - Donna Elmer
• August - Beckett - Will Bowen
• November - Big River - Richard Bayse

1993 

• February - The Nerd - Verneil Searles
• May - Meet Me In St. Louis - Dorothy Renkoski
• August - Nunsense - Lester Dalton
• November - Paint Your Wagon - Donna Elmer

1994 

• February - Here Lies Jeremy Troy - Ryan Miller
• May - Something's Afoot - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• August - Last of the Red Hot Lovers - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• November - Camelot - Donna Elmer

1995 

• February - Plaza Suite - Tom Lauhon
• May - Damn Yankees - Dorothy Renkoski
• August - Nunsense II : The Second Coming - Lester Dalton
• November - It's a Wonderful Life - Donna Elmer

1996 - Our 20^th Anniversary Season 

• February - Diary of Anne Frank - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• May - Oklahoma! - Eric Van Horn
• August - No Sex Please, We're British - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• November- Fiddler on the Roof - Donna Elmer

 1997

• February - Bus Stop - Eric Van Horn
• May - Jesus Christ Superstar - Eric Van Horn
• August - Twelve Angry Men - Rachel Bowen
• November - The Secret Garden -Donna Elmer

1998 

• February - Noises Off - Eric Van Horn
• May - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - Eric Van Horn
• July - Same Time, Next Year - Larry Caffee
• August - Steel Magnolias - Bill Campsey

1999 

• February -Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Eric Van Horn
• May - The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial - Rumiko "Rumi" Dodson
• August - The King and I - Richard Bayse
• November - Blithe Spirit - Donna Elmer

2000 

• February - Mame - Sarah Van Horn
• May - Barefoot in the Park - Tom Lauhon
• August - West Side Story - Eric Van Horn
• November - Ten Little Indians - Donna Elmer 

2001 - Our 25^th Anniversary Season 

• February - Pippin - Eric Van Horn
• May - Moon Over Buffalo - Eric Van Horn
• August - State Fair - Vicki Wheeler
• November - Wait Until Dark - Richard Bayse

2002 

• February - Annie Get Your Gun - Richard Bayse
• May - Come Blow Your Horn - Tom Lauhon
• August - The Music Man - Eric Van Horn
• November - On Golden Pond - Eric Van Horn

2003 

• February - Guys and Dolls - Eric Van Horn
• May - Cheaper By The Dozen - Sarah Van Horn
• August - The Sound Of Music - Tammy Ruder
• November - Night Watch - Richard Bayse

2004 

• March - The Man of La Mancha - Eric Van Horn
• April - The Boys Next Door - Sarah Van Horn 
• August - The Wizard of Oz - Tammy Ruder
• November - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Trevin Gay 

2005 

• March - Nunsense - Joshua J. Shockey
• April - Born Yesterday - Tisha Johnson
• August - Kiss Me, Kate - Eric Van Horn 
• November - The Lion in Winter - Danielle Welch  

2006 -  Our 30^th Anniversary Season 

• March - Oliver! - Eric Van Horn 
• April - Harvey - Robert K. Chung
• August - South Pacific - Richard Bayse 
• October - Arsenic and Old Lace - Donna Elmer

2007 

• March - 1940's Radio Hour - Robert Chung 
• April - George Washington Slept Here - Danielle Welch 
• August - Grease - Leayn Losh 
• October - Alice in Wonderland - Tisha Johnson 

2008 

• March - Carousel - Richard Bayes
• May - The Foreigner - Eric Van Horn 
• July - Li'l Abner - Breanna Daneille Swatzell Welch
• October - Deathtrap - Tisha Johnson 

2009 

• March - Little Shop of Horrors - Eric Van Horn 
• May - I Hate Hamlet - Vanessa Campagna
• July - Hello, Dolly! - Donna Elmer
• October - Bell, Book and Candle - Kaci Forsythe

2010 

• March - Footloose - Vanessa Campagna
• May - Don't Dress for Dinner - Guy Gardner
• July - Annie - Joshua Shockey
• October - Little Women - Kaci Forsythe

2011 - Our 35^th Anniversary Season 

• February - The Wedding Singer - Eric Van Horn
• April - Mixed Nuts - Jonathan Wehmeyer
• August - Cinderella - Kaci Forsythe
• October - Dracula - Nino Cassisi

2012 

• February - Camelot - Tisha Entwistle
• April - The Laramie Project - Kaci Forsythe
• July - Happy Days - A New Musical - Nino Cassisi
• October - A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody ~ Jeff Adams

2013

• February - 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - MB Hurst
• April - The Night I Died At the Palace Theatre - Rich Bayse
• July - The Drowsy Chaperone - Tisha Entwistle
• October - All My Sons - Denny Dey

2014

• February - Young Frankenstein - Breanna Swatzell
• April - Beau Jest - Denny Dey
• July - Legally Blonde - Nino Cassisi
• October - Bus Stop - Rich Bayse

2015

• February - Meet Me in St. Louis - Denny Dey
• April - Belles - Rich Bayse
• July - Bye Bye Birdie - Tisha Entwistle
• October - Nana's Naughty Knickers - Jacob Nelson

2016

• February - The Red Velvet Cake War ~ Melanie Marcec
• July - You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown - Rich Bayse
• September - Miracle on South Division Street ~ Rumi Dodson
• October - The Addams Family the Musical ~ Nino Cassisi

2017

• February - 9 to 5: The Musical ~ Amanda Rhodes
• April - The Mousetrap ~ Denny Dey
• July - Monty Python's Spamalot ~ Nino Cassisi
• October - Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike ~ Rumi Dodson

2018

• February - It Shoulda Been You - Breanna Swatzell
• April - Moonlight and Magnolias - Nino Cassisi
• July - Oklahoma! - Nino Cassisi & Neil Long
• October - Lend Me A Tenor - Nino Cassisi

2019

• February - Gilligan’s Island: The Musical -  Laura LaCour
• April - Rex’s Exes  - Kevin Albee
• July - Mamma Mia! - Nino Cassisi
• October - Dial M for Murder - Amanda Tufano

2020

• February - Something's Afoot - Sara Barber
• April - Curtains (Cancelled)
• July - A Nice Family Gathering - Dalton Pittenger
• October - Wrong Window! - Kevin Albee

2021

• February - Morbid Curiosity - Clifford Hubbard
• April - Calendar Girls - Alan Hainkel
• July - All Shook Up - Ben Smith
• October - Disaster! - 

2022

• February - Little Women, the Musical
• April - Things My Mother Taught Me
• July - Bright Star
• October - Kitchen Witches

 

2023

• February - Curtains
• April - The Diary of Anne Frank
• July - Oliver
• October - Rumors

2024

• March - Into the Woods
• April - The Miss Firecracker Contest
• August - Seussical
• November - Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express