Victorian Players persist amid many challenges

By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The Victorian Players Repertory Theater was founded in 1992 by Jean McClure Kelty, a retired Youngstown State University English professor with a Ph.D. in Victorian and children's literature. Her husband, Perc, founded Animal Charities.
Originally, the group wanted to focus only on British plays written during the reign of Queen Victoria, 1832-1901, but that became too confining. It expanded to American plays that keep Victorian values, including new plays written by locals. But it stresses that it will always be family oriented and avoid plays that contain obscenity or violence.
"Jean claimed she had no visual imagination and saw herself as director," said Dr. Thomas Copeland, also retired from YSU and technical director for Victorian Players. "She also felt she was not the controller and that everyone had a say.
Theatrical journey
"Our first play opened June 20, 1993. It was 'The Drunkard' and was performed at the old Oakland Theater on Fifth Avenue, a former temple. They were very kind to us and let us use their props and set. We also did some rehearsing at Pig Iron Press.
"'The Drunkard' was horrible trash, but it made for good theater," Copeland continued. "It had the longest run of any play in history. People love it. After we performed it at the Oakland, it played at the Cortland Opera House, which was built in the 1880s but never had an opera performed there. From there we went to the Calvin Center in Youngstown, which was used for banquets and receptions, and had a more-than-adequate stage. We were there for two years. It was the only place we ever had where we could hide stuff offstage."
It was then that the troupe moved to its current home. Kelty bought a church built in 1890 that seats about 125 people.
"This is our least-hospitable home as a theater," Copeland said. "There is no backstage, and everything has to stay in place."
But that doesn't seem to be a hindrance, because Copeland has designed a stage with a fake backstage. The set is built away from the wall, so actors may cross over from one side to the other.
There is also a room behind that for costume changes, with a door on both sides, although at one point actors crawled through a window.
The set itself is even more amazing. The current production of "Private Lives" takes place in both an apartment and on a hotel terrace. Copeland had to be creative to make the set, which is made of panels that are painted on both sides, and flip to change the scenery.
Family's investment
"Jean poured a lot of her own money into this theater," Copeland said.
Her husband has contributed in a variety of ways as well. "Perc was the official photographer for Youngstown Sheet and Tube. He would do work like going inside a smokestack to photograph it. He was also a photographer in World War II and has had his works displayed at The Butler. He took all the cast photos."
Kelty died on opening night of her crew's November 2003 play. Perc now owns the building and rents it to the players for $1 a year, plus pays the taxes and some other expenses.
"He supports and encourages us, and makes it possible for us to continue," said Marilyn Higgins, director of "Private Lives."
"Without his generosity, we would not be here," she said.
"Perc is also a Youngstown city fire marshal," Copeland said. "So we have fire extinguishers everywhere and barrels of kitty litter."
Financial challenges
"We are financially pathetic," said Pat Schauweker, one of the early members of the group and costumer for "Private Lives." She put up $1,000 as an interest-free loan to get this play going, because it only had $100 to start with. And she has donated the royalty fees for "Angel Street," which will end the season. Copeland reuses what is available to create the sets but uses his own money to buy what is needed.
Most of what they have has been donated or created by members of the company. They found a Victorian couch at St. Vincent DePaul for $6. Rosa Dalbec, another set designer, created the shields that hang on the pews. Betsy Ford has done all the artwork for the programs and posters.
And they do what they must to continue.
Lisa Smallwood held a yard sale of old junk from the basement. Profits came in by the pennies.
The group keeps a box out for donations from the audience, holds a 50/50 raffle, and Anita Chambers donated a needlepoint, framed Thomas Kinkade to be raffled off during "Private Lives."
The group serves free refreshments but accepts donations. And Copeland makes cassettes and CDs of noncopyrighted recordings on 78s. The group has said it is willing to rent out the building to others.
Close-knit group
"We are a close-knit group," said Higgins. "When we lose a member, we really miss them." This hit home when Joan Hamilton, who was to be the leading lady in "Private Lives," last season became too ill to continue, and the play was canceled.
"She was broken up that she could not do this play," Higgins said. "Her first love was the stage. Up there all her problems disappeared. You have to do this out of love for the theater. We have done performances for as few as four people."
In addition to their financial problems and difficulty attracting attention to draw audiences, the building itself presents many problems. The Players are trying to get it registered as a historical building to be eligible for funds, but another problem is accessibility for people with disabilities. Because of its position on the street and close quarters inside, they can't find a way to build a ramp outside, or access to the restrooms in the basement.