No, the Little Theatre on the Square isn’t little. In fact, it’s quite big,
and in its heyday it had quite a few big names in show biz performing there.
That includes both Broadway and Hollywood stars: Eve Arden, Alan Alda, Leonard
Nimoy, Dennis Weaver, Betty Grable, Kitty Carlisle, and Mickey Rooney all worked
the Little stage. It’s still central Illinois’ only professional summer-stock
theater and has been since Guy S. Little Jr. opened the doors in 1957. This
summer the little theater that could stages Oklahoma!, The Pirates
of Penzance, Grease, and other musicals, including children’s productions
of Charlotte’s Web, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin’s Lamp.
The Little Theatre on the Square is in Sullivan, which is southeast of
Decatur on Illinois Route 121. You can get there in about an hour or so from
Springfield. Call the ticket office at 728-7375, or use the toll-free line and
save a dime (or two) at 1-888-261-9675. You can also consult the Web site (www.thelittletheatre.org)
for show times, schedules, and other information.
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2003.
