History of The Green Room

The Green Room Community Theatre was originated in 1986 as a non-profit organization known as "The Green Room" by Thom Hutchens and other dedicated individuals. The purpose was to bring increased opportunity to experience live theatre as a participant or audience member to people in Catawba and surrounding counties.

The group's first production, SCROOGE, was staged in the old Newton Elementary School auditorium in the fall of 1986. In June of 1987, the organization was incorporated as The Green Room, Inc. with nine initial members on the Board of Directors. The IRS subsequently recognized The Green Room, Inc. as a tax exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In 1992, The Green Room was designated as a funded affiliate of the Catawba County Council for the Arts.

From 1987 through 1993 The Green Room mounted two or three productions per season at the auditorium of the former Newton-Conover High School on North Ashe Avenue in Newton, including such favorites as ANNIE, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EVITA and GREASE. A complete renovation of the facility took place in 1993 and 1994 and it reopened as the Newton-Conover Auditorium (now the Newton-Conover Civic and Performance Place). In the fall of 1993, while the renovation was in progress, The Green Room produced INHERIT THE WIND at the 1924 Courthouse in downtown Newton, followed by HOW TO EAT LIKE A CHILD at Grace Reformed United Church of Christ in Newton in Spring 1994.

After the auditorium renovation was completed, The Green Room employed well known local musician John Coffey to direct THE SOUND OF MUSIC in the fall of 1994. The show was a smash success and enabled the organization to establish a solid artistic and financial foundation which it has maintained ever since.

While it is still commonly referred to as The Green Room, the legal name of the organization was changed from "The Green Room, Inc." to "The Green Room Community Theatre, Inc" in 1998.