History

Historic Baldwin Theatre

On Monday, July 8, 2013 the Royal Oak City Commission voted to designate the Baldwin Theatre a local historic district. The article from the Royal Oak Patch and the report from the Royal Oak web site are both included below.

» Royal Oak's Baldwin Theatre Earns Local Historic Designation

» Baldwin Theatre Complete History

Stagecrafters, The First Decade: 1956-1966

“It can become something of lasting benefit to the area.”

Our story begins on March 21, 1956 with an article in the Clawson-Troy times.

Clawson residents Robert Johnson, a sophomore at Michigan State University and Sally Bosz, a senior at Clawson High School, announced, “Enrollment Now Open for Summer Theater” stating, “It can become something of lasting benefit to the area.” Only eight people showed up.

On April 20, 1956 Robert Johnson and Sally Bosz announced another try with a meeting set for April 26 in the basement of Trinity Lutheran Church. They had given themselves a name, Thesbet Summer Theater and announced their plans to also direct and organize the amateur show for Clawson’s annual Fourth of July celebration.

Company of Ten

In 1983, Stagecrafters received international attention. We were selected to participate in an exchange with a theatre group in St. Albans, England under the auspices of the International Amateur Theatre Association - The Company of Ten.

To help pay the expenses of our participants we began a year of non-stop fundraising, including our first Las Vegas party. In March of 1984, Stagecrafters traveled to St. Albans, England, to present A Visit to a Small Planet on the stage of the Abbey Theatre. The friendships and ties started in St. Albans resulted in the establishment of a “Sister Theatre” commitment between the groups that continues today.

» History of the Company of Ten

Shows exchanged between the two theatres include:

Stagecrafters
1987 - Two By Two
2000 - Starting Here, Starting Now

Company of Ten
2003 – Habeas Corpus