It was then that the group finally consented -- reluctantly -- to do Papa Is All; the rest is history. No play had ever had a run of more than nine nights up to that time. Papa Is All ran for 38, from Groundhog Day to St. Patrick's Day -- and two seasons later, it was revived for 28 more nights!

Evelyn Brong (Mrs. Willard Hawk) directed this hit of hits and was one of the few, the very few, who had faith in the play -- although no one ever dreamed it would be the success it turned out to be.

At this point John says, "That's enough of that. This is supposed to be a history of the CLT -- not about me," but I do want to add that it was at this time that the entire scheme of the organization was changed.

The dramatic club idea gave way to a community-wide organization, as it is today, providing opportunity for anyone to engage in the many activities which little theatres afford.

Employed Paid Director

Well, Papa Is All gave the group not only a tremendous boost in its treasury, but also in attendance, so that the subscribing members reached the unprecedented total of 1300, all of which prompted the employment of a paid director, a policy that has prevailed ever since.

But then, suddenly, the blow fell and the group was again out on the street by reason of the sale of the property.

The high school proved a temporary haven, but the big auditorium discouraged attendance no matter how excellent the productions; then the Muhlenberg College Science auditorium, where, again, something of the intimate atmosphere so integrally a part of the little theatre idea was recaptured.

Muhlenberg was to be a temporary home, as it was very obvious to all that the activities of the college, plus the desire for more production nights, would not allow the arrangements to continue for long. During the Muhlenberg period, great turmoil was going on within the Board of Directors, who were constantly in search of a new home.

The advent of Television hit all theatre and show business extremely hard, and it was not long before financial difficulties became most serious. A great deal of barrel scraping and penny pinching pulled us through that era, and the search again began for our own home.

Suddenly we were overjoyed to find that a theatre had been offered to us, and happily prepared to make use of our new home, the Towne, at Sixth and Gordon Streets. Happiness gave way to despair, however, as methodical, careful study of the building proved that it simply would never be suitable as a community theatre. Probably the darkest day in CLT's history took place when the Board had to return, with extreme regret, the finest gift in its history.

The shock and disappointment of this decision called for a temporary halt in the search for a home, as CLT'ers worked on better and better plays, building an audience, and restocking their enthusiasm for another search.

After much soul searching and planning, plans were laid to provide solid guidance and help for the group, and the highly successful Board of Governors was established. Negotiations for the lease of the Sofranscy Barn were completed with the city of Allentown, and again CLT'ers went out with hopes high to ask the public to support its need for a home of its own.

A great deal of money was collected and pledged, and CLT bounced with enthusiasm, once again to have them dashed when the bids received for the conversion were so high that the plan was doomed to failure. Just as things assumed their blackest look, the Board of Governors began its negotiations for the 19th Street Theatre. Moving with breathtaking speed, the Governors negotiated a deal, and a stunned, surprised and ecstatic Board of Directors was hastily called on a Saturday afternoon in the summer, to receive the news that their efforts of so many years had surprisingly borne fruit. CLT had a home.

Having a home, and moving into it, are two different things. A million and one details and major changes had to be made; many of them are still not completed. The Theatre that we sit in tonight is far from completed. Changes will be made and improvements added as time and money allow.

Typically, the Civic Little Theatre is opening its first production, its Theatre School, and Children's Theatre in an absolute frenzy of activities, everyone wondering, "Why do I do it?" and particularly, "Will we ever be calm and fully organized?"

We probably never will be calm. Theatre is not a calm business, and we never will be fully organized, because the hundreds of community efforts that we can become a part of literally scream for introduction. CLT has never lacked for two things, however, that spell out its success and its future: