Our Story
The Evergreen Players began in 1950 as a group of friends gathering in each other’s homes to read plays aloud. Today it is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization producing more than six main stage productions each year for the foothills community. Offerings range from classics to regional premieres, comedies to musicals to dramas. Annually the group involves professionals and amateur volunteers of all ages and walks of life, on stage and behind the scenes. The Evergreen Players’ mission is to create professional quality theater to inspire, engage, and entertain.
Although the core of our audience (and volunteers, on and off-stage) resides in the Evergreen area, we regularly draw from as far away as Boulder and Aurora. Our audience attendance has been growing in recent years, as has our season subscriber base. We have also benefited from the generous donations of many theater supporters. The home of the Evergreen Players is Center Stage in Evergreen, shared with Ovation West (formerly Evergreen Chorale) and the Evergreen Children’s Chorale.
A volunteer board of directors governs the organization. Paid staff consists of four part-time positions: Executive Director, Education Administration, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, and a Volunteer Coordinator.
Since 1998, the Evergreen Players have entered the Colorado Community Theater Coalition’s annual festival. Festival entrants are adjudicated by national theater experts, and winners go on to perform at regional and national festivals. For years, the Evergreen Players have ranked among the top companies in Colorado, and have won a variety of awards at state, regional and national levels, including a national acting award.
Since July 2000, the Players has sponsored a Youth Drama Camp for children ages 5-18. Over the years, over a thousand local children have attended the camp, learning leadership and teamwork skills that will last a lifetime. The Camp’s mission is to provide aspiring theater artists the opportunity to develop their skills and talents under the guidance of professionals from within a professional theatre environment. Participants attend workshops and perform in (and in some cases help create) original plays.
In 2015, our Education program was founded as an after school acting class program for students offering one middle school acting class and one elementary school acting class. Today, with the acquisition of our own studio space, the program has grown to include adult acting and improv classes, elementary and middle school improv and acting classes that conclude with a showcase for friends and family. This past year, our education programs served over 200 kids and adults in the mountain community!
The Evergreen Players is committed to sustaining a diverse, inclusive, and equitable space. One where every patron, artist, employee, volunteer, vendor, and student, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education, or disability, feels valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all areas of our organization. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and seek to ensure that all voices are valued and heard.