The Clockwork Repertory Theatre was founded in 1977 by Harold and Susan Pantely. Its first three years of operation was from the Thomaston Opera House as a summer stock musical theatre.
Wishing that the theatre company was more of a playhouse, Harold and Susan moved their company to its present location at 133 Main St in Oakville, CT. in the fall of 1981. The building is an Art Deco neighborhood movie house from the 1930's. Originally, the building was built by volunteers from the Scovill Manufacturing Company as a recreation center for the workers in town. Called the "Community", it featured a basketball court and a duck pin bowling alley in the basement. In the 1930's the basketball court was converted into a public movie house and continued so until the early 1960's. It then went through a myriad of lives as a rental hall, karate studio and a small community theatre.
Harold and Susan leased the facility in 1981, and with the help of famed designer and friend Gerry Rojo, the space was converted into an intimate 172 seat three-quarter round theatre, reminiscent of what you might find in most Off-Broadway theatres. Unique for the area, the theatre has open viewing of the stage from any angle, no poles and each row is elevated above the next for optimal viewing.
Since the first season in 1981, the theatre has featured the best of published plays, including new releases and old favorites. However, in later years it began to feature plays of a dynamic nature that were not necessarily "famously" known. That trend continues to today, and is one of the reasons for the theatres great success. Over and over, comments are made as to how entertaining the plays are, especially since "I never heard of it before."
