OFFICERS

Pamela Lambert (President)
Vicki Janis (Vice-President)
Francis Gambino (Treasurer)
Carolyn Duncan (Secretary)

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Tushar Oza
Joe Rossi
Susan Ullrich
Katharine Buffy Henshaw

1945

Footlighters Begins
In 1945, four visionary friends – Mary Armstrong, Lucille Crews Marsh, Ruth Welch, and Mary Ann Finley – dreamed of establishing a permanent community theatre company in Redlands.  Their hard work and dedication paid off with the first production in 1946, kicking off a volunteer-led theatre company that has been operating continuously since that time. 

1946

First Production
The fledgling company produced several one-act shows in their first few years. In 1946, the first 3-act production, Mr. & Mrs. North, directed by Bernie Craven, was performed at the Clock Auditorium, Redlands High School. From 1946 – 1952, the Redlands Footlighters produced a three-show season and performed at other local auditoriums (including the Redlands Bowl) around Redlands. In 1951, Footlighters production teams began experimenting with “center staging,” a concept that proved very successful with audiences.

1952

Move to Grove Theater
By 1952, Footlighters members sought a more permanent location. Dr. Ellsworth Miller is credited with suggesting that the company consider the Grove Motion Picture Theater 9Also known as the Rainbow Movie Theater) on Vine Street in downtown Redlands, at the time owned by the Fox West Coast Company of Los Angeles. Under the leadership of Robert Sherrod, Joe Camp, and Howard Avery, Footlighters members and volunteers renovated the location. moved to the Grove Theatre in downtown Redlands.

Newspaper clippings and advertisements from the Footlighters archive describe the renovations at the Grove that featured their newly innovated “center stage” plan and seating for 300. They christened the location with a production of John Patrick’s “The Curious Savage,” a new play that had a short run on Broadway in the fall of 1950. A theatre review in the Redlands News rousingly endorsed the opening of the play in October of 1952 noting, “You can believe what you’re hearing… It’s good. Really good.”

In the same year, Dr. Ellsworth Miller and Footlighters President Joe Camp endorsed a contract for ticket sales and promotions. The Redlands Optimists Club agreed to manage ticket sales for a percentage of the box office profits, dedicated to projects to support area youth. The partnership continued for many years and is credited for the theatre company’s solvency and longevity.

1955

Incorporation
In June of 1955, Redlands Footlighters, Incorporated was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

1969

Barton Road
In an initiative spearheaded by members Merl and Peggy Williams and Joe Camp, Footlighters purchased 4.99 acres of land on Barton Road, next to the historic Asistencia Mission, as a location for a permanent theatre, designed and built by the theatre company. An additional triangle-shaped portion of land was donated to help “square off” the property lines.

1979

Time for Change
In 1979, current Grove Theatre owners terminated the Footlighter’s long-standing lease. This abrupt change provided the motivation needed to build a new location on the Barton Road property. A building and design committee, led by Joe Camp, Nick Salpas, Joe Dilugo, and Carol Steele, modeled the new theatre layout on the “center-stage” concept that was so successful at the Grove over the previous decades.

1980

New Location Opens
Funded by ten $10,000 loans from members and patrons, the new location opened in October 1980 with a reprise of “The Curious Savage.”

1996

Expansion
New additions added a scene shop and storage spaces for furniture and props.

2000

Lobby Addition
A new expanded lobby was added, featuring stained glass windows designed by local artist Larry Dierdoff.

2014

Patio Updates
Designed by Lifetime Member Bob Bresny, the covered porch area was built in 2014 and dedicated to Joe Camp and Carol Steele. The extended brick-lined patio addition was built in honor of actor, president, and board member, Robert H. Sherrod.