playbill vip

In 1944, the year that the first nuclear reactor started operation at Hanford, the Richland Village Players was created out of a community meeting held in the Grange Hall. On May 27 of that year, less than three months after the Grange Hall meeting, the Players staged their first production “Dixie Jubilee” before a full house in the auditorium of the newly built high school.

The vision that created the Richland Players in 1944 to bring music and laughter to an isolated community, and opportunities for local citizens to directly participate, continues today. As the community has evolved in the demographics of age and culture, so too has the Theater evolved its repertoire and vision for new productions.

Our 75th season of plays will celebrate and reflect the history of the Richland Players as well as its place in the Hanford and Tri Cities community. To this end, we have chosen a season of retrospect: six plays that were performed by the Players representing each decade from the '40s to the '00s, with a seventh “new” play that has never been performed at the Players before. 

Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1947, the Richland Players Theater has offered a full season of live performances annually and without interruption for 74 years. Making it the oldest continuously running community theatre in Washington State. In 1971 the Players purchased and moved into the former Richland Movie Theater – the very same theater in Richland that opened in their first year of existence! Running this old building is costly, if you'd like to help visit richlandplayers.org/donate for more information on your tax-deductible donation.