Audio Description for the Visually Impaired
Thanks to a gift from South-Central Agency for the Visually Impaired (SCAVI), Little Theatre is again able to offer our visually-impaired patrons an enhancement of their theater experience. For one performance of each show, an audio describer narrates the action via a within-the-building, low-power FM radio broadcast signal. The program has been very well-received by patrons whose enjoyment of the shows is enhanced as he or she is able to visualize the action on stage while listening to the dialogue.

The SCAVI gift enables the theatre to aquire the equipment necessary to the program and to compensate the persons describing the play for their effort and ability.

Little Theatre is one of several such houses in south-central Indiana offering the program. Typically the describer will preview a show, attending one or more of the performances, to become familiar with the action and dialogue. Then, on the night of narration, the describer quietly speaks into a silencing cone in which a small transmitter receives the words that are timed to mesh with the dialogue pauses. The signal is received by the patron via a small in-the-ear speaker.

Speaker sets can be reserved for patrons by contacting the box office a few days in advance of the described performance.


History
The story of Bedford Little Theater is filled with as much drama as many of the plays it has produced over the last three and half decades. Today's audiences may forget or not even know the remarkable story of the founding of Little Theatre, the tragedies of its past, or its amazing accomplishments.

Little Theatre started in 1960 as an idea from the Bedford Chamber of Commerce. Sensing deeply the need for more cultural activities in the area, the chamber approached several civic leaders to see what might be done.

Meetings were held and Little Theatre was born, with activity directed that first year by the organization's first officers. They were Ted Sell, president; Janet Jenner, vice-president; Anna Gaines, secretary; and Avahnelle Parham, treasurer. Members of the board of directors were Alice Houston, Dr. Paul Bagby, Morrell Turner, Edna Milleer, Jeanne Osborne, William E. Shirley, James Eckert, Lavonne Tosti, and Joe Myers.

Auditions for the first play were held in late summer 1960, with the first rehearsals held at St. John's Episcopal Church. The cast then moved to the Presbyterian Church to rehearse until the stage and set crews completed their work in the building donated by Indiana Limestone Company, just in time for a single dress rehearsal on stage before the play opened!

A member of the cast of that first play, Curious Savage, recalled the excitement of the play and its reception by the people of Bedford.

"We opened Thursday for a scheduled three performances, but the demand for tickets was so great we had to come back for yet one more performance—and we played that S.R.O. (Standing Room Only)."

Obviously, the people of Bedford were hungry for Little Theatre's offerings, and the theatre continued to feed them for the next thirteen years. Following the last production of the 12th season, tragedy struck.

On June 4, 1973, a young arsonist set fire to the theatre building, completely destroying it. Many wondered whether the organization would survive such a disaster. It would mean virtually starting all over, as all the sets and costumes were also consumed by flames.

However, Little Theatre was not dead yet. "The Show Must Go On" was a battle cry heard from members who sought to raise $25,000 from the community to build a new theatre facility. Through the help of city government and a grant from the Lilly Foundation, within two years the goal had been met and a new theater constructed. In the meantime, the group produced one season of shows (1973-74) at the Bedford High School auditorium and then did not have any shows for two seasons.

In December 1975 the new and present facility opened with a production of Finishing Touches. Since that time, more changes have taken place. In 1979, the first musical, The Pajama Game, was produced. In 1994, a fourth show in the summer was added to the regular season of shows. Recently Little Theatre of Bedford received another grant from the Lilly Foundation of nearly $100,000 for renovations to the theater. Construction of a new addition to the theater, including handicap accessible restrooms, new workroom and costume storage, and enlarged lobby and box area is nearing completion. The organization is still very strong and alive, working hard through the support of its volunteers to meet the needs of the next century.


2009/2010/2011 Season Highlights




Past Productions

1960-61 Curious Savage Nude with Violin Glass Menagerie 1961-62 Night of January the 16th Solid Gold Cadillac Father of the Bride 1962-63 Farewell, Farewell Eugene Someone Waiting You Can't Take It With You 1963-64 Blithe Spirit Craig's Wife Send Me No Flowers 1964-65 The Girls in 509 The Women Mr. Hobb's Vacation 1965-66 Come Blow Your Horn The Bat A Thousand Clowns 1966-67 Never Too Late The Potting Shed Deadwood Dick 1967-68 Absence of a Cello Another Part of the Forest The Odd Couple 1968-69 Barefoot in the Park Ten Little Indians Arsenic and Old Lace 1969-70 Third Best Sport Solid Gold Cadillac Mary, Mary 1970-71 Teahouse of August Moon Anniversary Waltz Cactus Flower 1971-72 Stalag 17 Star Spangled Girl Pure as the Driven Snow 1972-73 Plaza Suite All About Eve Here Lies Jeremy Troy 1973-74 No Productions 1974-75 No Productions 1975-76 Finishing Touches Harvey The Sunshine Boys 1976-77 The Cat and the Canary Spoon River Anthology Oh,Mama! No, Papa! 1977-78 Twigs Hay Fever Our Town 1978-79 Pajama Game Murdered Alive The Man Who Came to Dinner

1979-80 The Man in the Dog Suit The Best Man Bus Stop 1980-81 Anything Goes Homebodies How the Other Half Loves 1981-82 Fiddler on the Roof On Golden Pond Breath of Spring 1982-83 The King and I Witness for the Prosecution Fools 1983-84 What Did We Do Wrong? Born Yesterday The Drunkard 1984-85 Oliver! Prisoner of Second Avenue See How They Run 1985-86 Never Too Late Saving Grace Talley's Folly 1986-87 The Rainmaker Sx Rms, Riv Vu The Odd Couple 1987-88 Oklahoma Arsenic and Old Lace Crimes of the Heart 1988-89 Annie Get Your Gun Blithe Spirit The Foreigner 1989-90 Cinderella Steel Magnolias The Mousetrap 1990-91 The Sound of Music Wait Until Dark Move Over, Mrs. Markham 1991-92 Camelot Barefoot in the Park Greater Tuna 1992-93 My Fair Lady The Miracle Worker Don't Misunderstand Me 1993-94 Annie Swan Song Cemetery Club Driving Miss Daisy (summer 1994) 1994-95 Walking Happy Noises Off Of Mice and Men Father of the Bride (summer 1995) 1995-96 Nunsense Once Upon a Mattress The White House Murder at the Howard Johnson's (summer 1996)

1996-97 A Funny Thing/Forum The Nerd Lilies of the Field Lend Me a Tenor (summer 1997) 1997-98 Little Women Jesus Christ Superstar Kiss and Make Up The Importance of Being Earnest (summer 1998) 1998-99 The Music Man A Christmas Carol (special production) A Few Good Men Anne of Green Gables 1999-2000 Tuna Christmas Steel Magnolias Anne of Avonlea 2000-2001 Rumors A Christmas Carol (special production) Gideon Hello, Dolly Other People's Money (summer 2001) 2001-2002 Love Sex and the IRS Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Twelve Angry Men Glass Menagerie 2002-2003 It's a Wonderful Life The Secret Garden Getting Away With Murder Patsy Cline 2003-2004 Little Shop of Horrors Move Over, Mrs. Markham Laughter on the 23rd Floor Bat Boy: The Musical 2004-2005 Diary of Anne Frank Country Legends All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden 2005-2006 Girls of the Garden Club A Christmas Carol (special production) Good Vibrations Arsenic and Old Lace The Unexpected Guest (summer 2006) 2006-2007 A Christmas Story Cheaper by the Dozen Two by Two 2007-2008 Waiting in the Wings A Christmas Carol (special production) Deathtrap 1776 2008-2009 It's A Wonderful Life Faith County Quilters 2009-2010 The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (special production) Moon Over Buffalo Little Nashville Express & Forever Gold