Just a typical Tuesday at Theatre Lawrence

Jamie Ulmer • October 21, 2025

Walking through the halls of Theatre Lawrence this time of year, you’re treated to a remarkable variety of programs in action.


Last week, our biennial production of “The Rocky Horror Show” was rocking out on stage, getting ready for tech week. Meanwhile, downstairs, auditions for “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” were already bringing a hint of the holiday season.


Earlier that same day, our young performers were singing and dancing as they prepared for their fall production next month. The Vintage Players, not to be outdone, took their show on the road for a performance at a local retirement community. And let’s not forget Suitcase Stories—our outreach program visiting area classrooms to collaborate with students on original short plays inspired by their ideas.


Just a normal Tuesday at Theatre Lawrence. Well… maybe not a normal Tuesday—but not an unusual one either.


Sometimes, when we’re in the midst of back-to-back committee meetings, reviewing financial summaries, or troubleshooting the latest HVAC issue, it’s easy to forget the incredible number of ways we’re impacting people’s lives.


Whether in a classroom, a rehearsal, or a performance, Theatre Lawrence is proud to connect with so many parts of our community. And somewhere between the competing melodies of “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me” and “Happy Holidays,” it’s good to pause, take a breath, and remember why we’re so busy.


Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

The Mountaintop a relevant reminder to raise our voice

By Jamie Ulmer • January 26, 2026
Why The Mountaintop matters now: a powerful look at Dr. King’s humanity, the voices of the civil rights movement, and a journey that shaped this production.

CAST LIST: The Cottage

January 23, 2026
A heartfelt thank you and bravo to everyone who auditioned! It was an utter joy to watch every single one of you, and extremely challenging to settle on just one cast from a pool of such tremendous talent. -Maeghan Bishop-Brienzo
Green historical marker on stone wall: Clayborn Temple.

Memphis Trip Series: Clayborn Temple

January 23, 2026
“THE MOUNTAINTOP” MEMPHIS TRIP SERIES: CLAYBORN TEMPLE Clayborn Temple, formerly Second Presbyterian Church, was a historic place in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 for local architectural significance. It was upgraded to national significance under Clayborn Temple in 2017 due to its role in the events of the Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968. On April 28, 2025, the church was destroyed in a fire, assumed to be intentionally set. Reflections from the cast: “The importance of Clayborn Temple to the Civil Rights movement in Memphis is undeniable. It was a cornerstone of community, culture, and religion. We were the only people at the temple when we arrived. A holy place, filled with such meaning, the souls, ghosts and stories of those who fought the good fight destroyed, burned down and seemingly forgotten. I can only hope that it can be restored to its former glory to honor the memory of everyone who called this place home and a safe place.” – Himee Kamatuka  “Clayborn Temple is historical, yet spiritually awakening. The experience embodies what it means to be on hollow ground. My immediate intrinsic thought was sadness — a cry for what was lost. Ironically, the resonance of the past seemed to be even louder, especially given the timbre of the country present. On our return to Clayborn Temple for a second time, and after our visit to the gravesite of Larry Payne, the sixteen-year-old boy whose life was lost at the hands of the police on the very site of the temple, I felt an eerie shift and a deep sense of loss — loss for Larry Payne, loss for Dr. King in his attempt to see the strike to success, and a loss for humanity’s fight for equality and peace.” – Tyson Williams
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