The Kalamazoo Civic Players, now known as the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, is a community theater company located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Venues The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre has three performance venues. Civic Auditorium Opened in 1931, the Civic Auditorium is located at 329 S. Park Street. The auditorium has a single balcony and seats about 500. Parish Theatre Opened in 1998, the Parish Theatre is located at 426 S. Park Street. A black box-style theater, seats 175. Carver Center Studio The studio is located on the second floor of the Carver Center Complex, at 426 S. Park Street. Renovated in 2017. History The Kalamazoo Civic Players was established in 1929 and first performed on the stage of the Lincoln School Auditorium. Founders of the theatre included Dorothy Dalton, Norman Carver Sr., Howard Chenery, Ruth Noble, Paul Fuller, Louise Carver, and Jean Huston. Timeline 1931 – The Players move into the Civic Auditorium on Park Street, a gift of W.E. Upjohn to the city. The theatre was state of the art for the time. In October of that year, their first show of the 1931-1932 season was a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's "The Constant Wife". 1933 – Founding member Norman Carver Sr. was instrumental in forming the Michigan Little Theatre Enclave, later to become the Community Theatre Association of Michigan. 1941 – The Civic was asked by the publishers of Stage Magazine to present a production of one of their plays on Broadway. 1945 – An intern program was created. It was the first of its kind in the nation. The first intern was Betty Ebert, who later married Jack Ragotzy. Together they founded The Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan. 1945 – In order to support the war effort, the Civic began touring productions to outlying communities. This outreach program was an important part of the Civic's mission during the war years. 1949 – The "Imaginary Invalid" was staged in an arena style setting. Audience members sat on the stage, surrounding the action. This venture gave a hint of what was to come with the Carver Center. 1950 – The Civic staged its 200th production "The Madwoman of Chaillot". 1952 – Norman Carver was elected as the inaugural president of the newly created National Organization of Community Theatres. 1953 – The Civic celebrated its 25th anniversary. 1956 – The tradition of opening the season with a musical began a tradition that continues