Who are we?

Janesville Little Theatre is Wisconsin’s oldest community theatre group, and one of the three oldest in the United States. Founded in 1929, the group staged its first major play in 1930 and has produced a series of plays each season, without interruption, ever since.  Janesville Little Theatre membership is open to anyone who is a lover of theatre and supporter of the arts.  Janesville Little Theatre is staffed by community volunteers and governed by a Board of Directors elected by its members.

What is a 'Little Theatre'?

The Little Theatre Movement began in the early 20th Century as a sort of backlash to the exaggerated melodramas that dominated Victorian theatre houses.  Little Theatres began to spring up all over the country to produce experimental or locally created works that dealt with social issues and had more realistic plot lines.  Little Theatres were among the first companies to produce the works of Ibsen, Shaw, and O'Neill.  You'll see a number of their works listed in the records our early years.  While they seem like old classics now, they were quite daring when first produced. As Melodrama became relegated to motion pictures and realism became the norm for drama, many Little Theatres either turned professional or died out due to competition.  Our area is fortunate to have two surviving Little Theatres: ourselves, and Beloit Civic Theatre.  You can still see the values of the Little Theatre movement in our Mission Statement.

Our Mission

Our mission today remains the same as it was laid down by our founders: "The Janesville Little Theatre is a community project founded with a fourfold purpose:  First, to give every member of the community an opportunity for self-expression in the art of acting or in creative work in the allied arts of the theatre, we welcome all who desire to participate in or encourage these activities; Second, to present to the community worthwhile dramas, classics, modern masterpieces, and original plays—and to provide distinct, unique, or experimental dramatic entertainment for and by its members, with the aim of contributing to the advancement of community theatre, so that drama as an art and an education may help fulfill the artistic needs of our community; Third, to create, enlarge, stimulate and educate a drama and theatre-loving public; Fourth, to encourage the writing and production of original plays by local authors."
​Board of Directors
                           Brett Grant, President                                                Steve Shaw, Vice President                                               Misty Lantz, Treasurer 
Board Members
Nancy Arnold
Gene Bostian
Dennis Dopkins
Jeff Kropp
Rick Kukouris
Amanda Langan
Alejandro Nieves
Allison Oliver
​Tina Schabacker 
Sommer Shipley
Linda Stevenson
Rhonda Suda
Jim Thomas
Rosemarie Titus
Rebecca & John Vanderheyden
Elsie Van Tassell
​Jeanene Welker