The Grand Island Little Theatre, also known as GILT, has a rich history that started in 1960 by a group of Grand Island residents who had a passion for theatre. Until 2004, it had been a total volunteer organization preparing and performing 4 to 6 productions each year. See the show list throughout the years.
Years later, it is still a viable and vibrant part of the Grand Island community. GILT continues to provide quality family entertainment to the community and surrounding areas at an affordable cost. For most of the first 50 years, GILT lacked a permanent place to call their home. Sets were built and painted in one or more locations and then moved to the show's site. Costumes and props were accumulated and then lugged into the show site. The “box office” was operated wherever they could find a location. Then, after the show's last performance, the set was dismantled, and what could be saved was saved wherever they could find a willing owner – maybe someone’s garage, basement, or storage shed. As soon as those things were in storage, they began the next production.
Always in the minds of the volunteers was, “Where will we hold our next performance? For many years, performances were held at the Old Walnut Junior High, then at the Liederkranz, and more recently at College Park. This was confusing and troublesome for the audience and the volunteers.
1998
In 1998, the GILT Board of Directors saw an opportunity to provide what they thought would be a permanent home for this acting group, and they purchased the former Piccadilly Dinner Theater in downtown GI. They began planning to renovate the building; they held one show in that location and started a capital campaign. Soon, they discovered that the building had asbestos and was not structurally sound. Thus, it was determined they could not hold performances there any longer. So the casts, crews, and all helping hands were back on the road.
The renovation plans needed a total overhaul, and when this happened, the capital campaign also hit a snag. But the faithful volunteers never lost sight of their goal to find a permanent home.
2004
In June 2004, there was an article in the Independent stating that the owners of the Grand Theater would entertain the idea of giving the theater to a non-profit organization. The Board of Directors knew that the theatre was in better condition than the building presently owned by GILT, so they began visiting with the owners and looking at the building on several occasions. They visited with contractors, the city building inspector, the fire marshal, and contractors, trying to determine if they could save the integrity of that beautiful building and make it work for GILT. In the end, as you know, it was determined that the Grand Theatre could not be renovated into a performing arts stage without an astronomical price tag and demolition of a beautiful historic building. The GILT board did something that every non-profit board is very reluctant to do, they said “no, thank you” to the gift because GILT would have had two buildings, and neither of them met their needs.
As time passed, the costs of renovating the building downtown continued to grow as the costs of materials grew. At about the same time, the GILT board began talks with the College Park Board of Directors to determine if there was a possibility that GILT and College Park could work together to mutually benefit each organization.
Following hours of discussion, GILT and College Park entered into an agreement whereby GILT would raise funds necessary to build an addition to the Hornady-Marshall Theater. Preliminary plans included building a green room, dressing rooms, and restrooms. Plans also included space for the storage of props and costumes. To facilitate multiple activities a scene shop to build sets, and a rehearsal area were also in the plans. With all that we would have a place to audition and rehearse without occupying the stage, allowing other groups to use it. The box office and administrative office would also be part of the master plan.
The GILT Board of Directors determined that the downtown facility must be sold. Fortunately, it sold within a few months, and GILT moved their belongings into another temporary facility on East Highway 30 until their permanent home was complete.
2010
In March 2010, the dream came true. We moved into our permanent home at College Park on Highway 34. Upon successful completion of the Capital Campaign (and collection of all pledges), we will be tenants of our own home—something we have sorely missed over the past five decades. It also means that College Park has become a true performing arts theater.
For the GI community and surrounding areas, it means GILT has been a good steward of our supporters’ and patrons’ gifts—we have helped improve a theatre that was not fully utilized before, but now it is. GILT didn’t need to recreate a stage, the seating, sound and lights, and all the amenities a theatre needs. Those things were already at College Park. Now, the Hornady-Marshall Theatre will be more fully utilized, and the cost to GILT was far less than the cost of renovating the downtown building or starting from scratch.