Stage Coach Players production of Spamalot. (Stage Coach Players photo)

Stage Coach Players in DeKalb has brought together participants and fans of theatre for more than seven decades.

Gloria Dennison, of DeKalb, a member of the volunteer community theatre group for more than 20 years, said the group offers opportunities for all kinds of people, even those who don’t want to appear on stage.

There are opportunities to work together to direct shows, create props, work on lighting and sound, and even take turns running the box office.

“And we think we do some pretty good theatre,” Dennison said.

As the community theatre group begins its 70^th season, members of the group are preparing for the season ahead, which includes performances of “My Fair Lady,” which runs June 2 through June 12 in DeKalb.

They are also reflecting back on old memories.

The group has come a long way since its original days selling tickets from a stage coach, said member Greg Anderson, of DeKalb.

The first group of “Stage Coachers” put on a performance of “Pure as the Driven Snow” in 1947 at the former Mason Lodge on Locust Street in DeKalb.

From there, they planned more shows and members of the community offered up a barn for the plays to be hosted in, and an old stage coach to be used as a box office, hence the Stage Coach name.

In 1953 the group moved into a building on Barber Greene Road, where Illinois Community Credit Union is now located. In 2001 they moved to their current building at 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb.

Anderson, who has been with the group for almost 30 years, said moving into the current building and completing all the remodeling work to get it ready was one of his most memorable experiences with the group.

It’s unusual for a community theatre group to be able to own its own building, Anderson said. Stage Coach Players is funded solely through ticket sales and donations.

“I think we are able to own [our own building] because we’ve always been very frugal,” Anderson said. “We recycle everything. Sets and costumes are ripped apart, rebuilt, ripped apart and rebuilt again.”

Stage Coach Players production of 12 Angry Men. (Stage Coach Players photo)

Dennison said people who stick with the group throughout the years have formed many friendships through their connections at Stage Coach.

Member Todd Toles, of Aurora, said a friend told him to audition in 1990 and he hasn’t looked back since.

“It’s something different than what you’re doing day to day; it’s definitely not your day job,” Toles said. “Being part of a performance and being able to take something off the page and bring it to life gives you a great sense of accomplishment.”

Toles said most members of Stage Coach do not have theatre degrees or formal experience, and he encourages the community to get involved. He said Stage Coach is a great way to test out your skills or meet people if you’re new to the community.

“[Stage Coach] has taught me about the ability to take a group of people with very different backgrounds and put them together,” Toles said. “We take people and offer ‘on the job training.’ We take people of all walks of life, all ages of life, and put on a show.”

For more information about Stage Coach Players visit StageCoachers.com or call 815-758-1940.