Finding Aid for The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre Records, 1972-2023 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Thornton Miller, Claire Kittell, Anna Petrelli, Carol Berthold, and Nolan Vallier

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Boxes 13
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Boxes 1-6, 9-11
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Boxes 7-8, 12

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Collection Overview

Title: The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre Records, 1972-2023

ID: 12/11/51

Primary Creator: The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre (1972 -)

Extent: 9.75 cubic feet

Arrangement: Materials are arranged in three series: Series 1) Production Records, Series 2) Business Records, and Series 3) The Depot, Inc, C-U Community Theatre, and the Chrysalis Repertory Theatre Production Records. Series 1 is arranged into four sub-series by material type, following the original order in which they were received from the Company. These include: 1) Production Playbills, News Clippings, and Records, 2) Photographs and Slides, 3) Audio and Visual Recordings, and 4) Posters.

Date Acquired: 03/14/2023. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Theatre, Local History, Music theater, Peoria and Eastern Railway, Railroad History, Railroads, Theatre, Urbana, Illinois

Formats/Genres: Business Records

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of production and business records for The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre, a non-profit community theater in Urbana, IL. Also contains the production records of several other theatre companies that staged productions at the Station Theatre. Documents the rich history of community theatre and musical theatre productions in Central Illinois, including several premiere performances, rarely performed theatrical works, and early performances of major musicals.

Biographical Note

In 1972, Rick Orr founded The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre, a non-profit community theater, in an historic passenger-rail station in Urbana, IL. Originally constructed by the Big Four Railroad Co.—later called the Peoria and Eastern Railroad and New York Central—in 1889, the line discontinued passenger service to the building in 1957. Soon after, the structure was purchased by Esther B. Bean, a local resident who began renting the building in 1967. Her first tenants were The Depot, Inc., an experimental arts collective that was founded by University of Illinois English Professor Jim Hurt and his graduate assistant Tom Rickman. They called the building “The Depot” and used the space to print local magazines and present a summer festival that consisted of avant-garde concerts, musicals, and plays.

During its inaugural year, The Celebration Company became co-tenants with The Depot, Inc., collaborating on several theatrical productions. Rick Orr even became a member of The Depot, Inc.’s board of directors, serving as a leader in both organizations. In January 1974, Hurt left the University of Illinois to take a sabbatical in England and Orr took over as the director of the Depot, Inc. board. In early 1975, Esther Bean, fearful that she could not continue to maintain the property, sold the building to Orr and the Celebration Company for $35,000. Orr purchased the theatre without approval from The Depot, Inc’s board of directors and did not allow the other company to continue leasing the property. Despite Orr’s hostile take-over of the building, many of The Depot’s members joined The Celebration Company in the seasons that followed. The building reopened in April 1974. Despite renaming the facility “The Station Theatre,” both The Celebration Company and local newspapers continued to call the building “The Depot” throughout the mid-1970s.

In the decades that followed, the Celebration Company at the Station Theatre presented an average of eight productions during its Fall-Spring Season and an additional four or five productions during summer seasons with a volunteer cast, crew, and administration. Yet, the company still managed to produce original plays, including Karma Ibsen-Riley’s Nine Women and Douglas Anderson’s Mistakes I8ve Made. The company also competed at the Illinois State Community Theatre Association Annual Contest, earning first place in 1981 with their production of Shadow Box. In 1990, after years of failing to pay off their mortgage, the company approached Esther Bean for assistance. She bought the building back from Orr and paid off the mortgage. The Celebration Company at the Station Theatre continue to present high quality productions to this day.

Subject/Index Terms

Illinois Arts Council
Illinois Theatre
Local History
Music theater
Peoria and Eastern Railway
Railroad History
Railroads
Theatre
Urbana, Illinois

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: Audio and visual recordings in need of conservation were originally received from Pam Christman on March 14, 2023. The paper records of the organization, including the production and business records, as well as additional digital audio recordings were received on April 13, 2023.

Acquisition Source: Gift

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Production Records, 1972-2022],
[Series 2: Business Records, 1972-2020],
[Series 3: The Depot Inc, C-U Community Theatre, and Chrysalis Repertory Theatre Company Production Records, 1970-1976],
[All]

Series 2: Business Records, 1972-2020

Consists of grant applications, mortgage records, correspondence, financial records, and collected historical articles written about the Station Theatre. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Box 7

Folder 20: Audition Sheet, undated
Folder 21: Letter to the Illinois Arts Council, undated
Folder 22: Lists of Contributors and donation pamphlets, undated
Folder 23: Theater Directory, undated
Folder 24: Playbills and Fliers, 1972-1973
Folder 25: Event Fliers, Letters of Contribution Requests, and News Releases, 1973-2008
Folder 26: Loan Agreement, 1975
Folder 27: Newspaper Clippings about Rick Orr's Purchase of the Theater Building, 1975
Folder 28: Golf Tournament Charity Materials and Newspaper Clippings, 1975-1982
Folder 29: Illinois Arts Alliance Grant Materials, 1975-1982
Folder 30: Morgage Paperwork and Financial Correspondence, 1975-1990
Folder 31: Rick Orr Articles, photos and fliers, 1975-1992
Folder 32: Property Documentation and Landscaping news articles, 1976-2018
Folder 33: Illinois Theater Association Newsletter, Articles about the Station Theater and Student Journalism paper about the Station Theater, 1977-2011
Folder 34: Newspaper Clippings of Articles about Station Theater Actors, 1977-2011
Folder 35: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1977
Folder 36: Governor's Awards, 1978-1979
Folder 37: Directory and Illinois Community Theater Association Annual Play Festival, 1979
Folder 38: Business Correspondence, Tax Records, City of Urbana License and Real Estate Assessment, 1979-1980
Folder 39: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1979-1980
Folder 40: Income Expenses and Loan Paperwork, 1979-1980
Folder 41: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1980-1981
Folder 42: National Endowment for the Humanities Grant Materials, 1980-1982
Folder 43: Newspaper and Magazine Articles about Celebration Co., 1980-2016
Folder 44: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1981-1982
Folder 45: Income and Expenses, Nov 1981-Oct 1982
Folder 46: Celebration Co. Stationary and Correspondence, 1981-1983
Folder 47: Income and Expenses, Nov 1982-Oct 1983
Folder 48: Celebration Co. Grant Materials for Champaign County Arts, Humanities Council and Others, 1982-1984
Folder 49: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1983
Folder 50: Celebration Co. Seasonal Ticket Purchase Fliers, 1984
Folder 51: Budgets, Purchase Reports and Reciepts for Sheila Lehman, Evita, Crimes of Heart, and A Flea in Her Ear, 1984-1985
Folder 52: Play for Review - Health Club by John Morgan, 1984
Folder 53: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1984-1985
Folder 54: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1985
Folder 55: Expenses and Invoices, 1985
Folder 56: Illinois Arts Council and Theater Advisory Panel Letter, 1985
Folder 57: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1985-1986
Folder 58: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1986-1987
Folder 59: Celebration Co. Program Grant Application, 1986-1987
Folder 60: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1987-1988
Folder 61: Incomes and Expenses, 1987-1988
Folder 62: Poster Advertising Expenses, 1988
Folder 63: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Agency Grant Materials FY 89, 1988-1989

Box 8

Folder 1: Income, Expenses and Taxes, 1988-1989
Folder 2: Steven Packard resignation paperwork, 1989
Folder 3: Financial Reports, Loan Paperwork and Insurance Materials, 1989-1990
Folder 4: Loan Paperwork, Collateral Promissory Notes, 1989-1990
Folder 5: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials FY90, 1989-1990
Folder 6: Income and Expenses, 1989-1990
Folder 7: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials FY91, 1990-1991
Folder 8: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials FY92, 1991-1992
Folder 9: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1993-1994
Folder 10: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1994-1995
Folder 11: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1995-1996
Folder 12: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1996-1997
Folder 13: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1997-1998
Folder 14: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1998-1999
Folder 15: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 1999-2000
Folder 16: Station Work Records, 1999-2000
Folder 17: Illinois Arts Council Logo, c. 2000
Folder 18: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2000-2001
Folder 19: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2001-2002
Folder 20: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2002-2003
Folder 21: Best of Champaign Urbana Certificates, 2003
Folder 22: Insurance Records, 2003
Folder 23: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2003-2004
Folder 24: Electric and Lighting Improvements, 2004
Folder 25: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2004-2005
Folder 26: Annual Report for Illinois Secretary of State, 2005
Folder 27: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2005-2006
Folder 28: Illinois Arts Council Theatre Program Advisory Panel, 2006
Folder 29: Celebration Co. Board Minutes, 2006-2007
Folder 30: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2006-2007
Folder 31: Binder of Schedules, Agendas, Meetings Notes, emails, budgetrs and bylaw edits, 2006-2008
Folder 32: Station Work Records, 2006-2010
Folder 33: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2007-2008
Folder 34: Bylaws of the Celebration Company at the Station Theater, 2008
Folder 35: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2008-2009
Folder 36: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2009-2010

Box 9

Folder 1: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2010-2011
Folder 2: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2011-2012
Folder 3: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2012-2013
Folder 4: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2013-2014
Folder 5: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2014-2015
Folder 6: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2015-2016
Folder 7: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2017-2018
Folder 8: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2018-2019
Folder 9: Celebration Co. Illinois Arts Council Grant Materials, 2019-2020

Box 10

Folder 7: News-Gazette Photo, 1993