ACP Chronology

• 1952 – Most prominently, Will Cole was the driving force behind this new little theater group in Aiken. Their first play, George Washington Slept Here, was directed by Mr. Cole and performed in October. Over the years, he directed many plays. For the first few years, all productions were performed at the Aiken Municipal Auditorium.
• 1958 – Performances moved to Aiken Junior High School (now Trinity Lutheran Home).
• 1959 – The first musical was performed, H.M.S. Pinafore.
• 1965 (approx) – Aiken Playhouse Chorus began (now Aiken Choral Society).
• 1973 – New theater home opened behind Odell Weeks Center. Parker Deans and others served on the Founders Committee.
• 1978 – Garden Theater began in the summers and was active for 13 years. It would be revived in 2005 with the Youth Wing’s production of Winnie the Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood.
• 1984 – Cabaret was performed as Aiken Community Theater’s 100th performance. It was directed by Will Cole.
• 1988 – Studio Two experimental theater was active for many years. It would be revived as Black Box theater in 2003.
• 1993 – ACP Youth Wing became a permanent and official division of Aiken Community Playhouse.
• 1999 – Capital campaign began to raise funds for building new theater home in downtown Aiken.
• 2002 – Washington Center for the Performing Arts, ACP’s new home, opened on Newberry Street. The Fiftieth Anniversary was celebrated this year.
• 2005/06 – Winner of the South Carolina Theater Association festival with the short play When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet At the regional conference in Florida this same entry won an acting award.
• 2006/07 – ACP produced seven main stage plays; three Black Box productions, held three Coffee House sessions plus other educational workshops
• 2007/08 – ACP produced seven main stage plays; three Black Box productions, held three Coffee House sessions, introduced the Children’s Summer Camp, had a Youth Wing Garden Theater, and the First Summer Season
• 2008/09 – This year saw 7 main stage shows, a very successful second summer season, Youth Wing productions and two fund raisers including the dinner theater “I Do! I Do!”
• 2009/10 – a special Master production of “The Foursome” was provided, and Washington Center For The Performing Arts name was changed to URS Center For The Performing Arts
• 2010/11 – ACP had the honor of producing the CSRA premiere of RENT and the SC premiere of Frankenstein – A New Musical

Past Presidents