History:
The Montgomery Playhouse was formed in 1989 through a joint effort of the Board of Directors of both The Kensington/Garret Players and The Montgomery Players. The oldest community theatre in Maryland, The Montgomery Players have been in existence since 1929, where they performed regularly in the Chevy Chase area at Leland Junior High and the Landon School. In 1962 the group relocated to Inverness Playhouse in N. Bethesda, near Democracy Boulevard and Seven Locks Road. Goldie Hawn, the Oscar winning actress, appeared there in "A Shot In The Dark". George Grizzard, a regular on Broadway today and a 1996 Tony Award winner, was also a member of the playhouse during this time. In 1972 The Montgomery Players took up residence at 1201 Quince Orchard Boulevard in Gaitherburg, Maryland. This group produced 60 continuous seasons of community theatre.
The Garret Park Players originated in 1949. In their early years they performed on rented stages in local schools and recreation centers throughout Montgomery County. In 1960 they merged with the Kensington Players (who had been performing for several years at Kensington Junior High School). This combined group was known as the Kensington/Garret Players (K-G Players). In 1966 the group moved to a permanent residence at the Kensington Armory. When the State of Maryland closed down the Armory in 1974, the group moved to Quince Orchard Boulevard.
From 1974 until 1982 The Montgomery Players shared the playhouse facilities with the K-G Players. Each group had their own Board of Directors and operating budgets. The Montgomery Players staged six shows per season, while the K-G Players staged four.
With the joint venture in 1982, the two groups agreed to consolidate their advertising expenses and share their resources. The also realigned their schedules so that each group performed four shows per season. Finally, in 1989 the two groups officially merged to become The Montgomery Playhouse. Also, that same year the members celebrated 100 years of combined community theatre. The State of Maryland officially recognized this achievement with the presentation of a plaque.
In late 1999, the facility at 1201 Quince Orchard Boulevard was sold to a church organization and in January of 2000, Montgomery Playhouse staged its last production "Our Town" in that location. For the next year, determined to continue providing theater to the local community, the Playhouse went "on the road", presenting several shows in the Shady Grove Middle School. Our patrons followed, and we survived.
Our good friends and long time supporters at Asbury Methodist Village approached the Playhouse board of directors in early 2000 and suggested that the Playhouse continue their productions in Asbury's new cultural arts center. An agreement was struck and in April of 2001, the Montgomery Playhouse presented "The Diary of Anne Frank" in their new location, the Rosborough Cultural Arts and Wellness Center at Asbury Methodist Village.
We are very pleased to continue our efforts in providing quality community theater in the Gaithersburg Maryland area. We hope you'll attend a performance soon and become a regular patron!
