THE FRAN GORE CHILDREN'S THEATER
Annually, since 1971 Sumter Players has presented a show for children of all ages. The first two
shows, The Girl Who Couldn't Pretend in 1971 and Harkee the Cat in 1972 were performed by adults.
But, beginning in 1973, at the suggestion of Fran Gore, children have been cast in all the performing
roles. Over the years children and youth through high school ages have assumed backstage tasks as
well - The Sword in the Stone in 2001 and James and the Giant Peach in 2002 were directed by youth
members of Sumter Players! Fran Gore was a force in all aspects of Sumter Players for nearly thirty years and the Children's
Theater was her baby. In real life she was an elementary school teacher, but the theater and Sumter
Players were her obsessions. The Children's Theater program was named in her honor following her
death. No admission is ever charged for any of these performances.
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THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T PRETEND ......................... DIRECTED BY JACKSON DAVIS
HARKEE THE CAT ......................... DIRECTED BY MARGARET HAWKINS
1973
ONCE UPON A CLOTHESLINE ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
THE TINDER BOX ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
LITTLE RED RIDING WOLF ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
WHO CAN FIX THE DRAGON'S WAGON ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
1978
HANSEL AND GRETEL ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
THE WIZARD OF OZ ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
LITTLE RED RIDING WOLF ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
PUSS IN BOOTS ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
1983
THE TROUBLE WITH MIDAS ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
IT'S A DUNGAREE WORLD ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
CINDERELLA ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
ANDROCLES AND THE LION ......................... DIRECTED BY MARGARET HAWKINS
1988
THE PALE PINK DRAGON ......................... DIRECTED BY SYLVIA FRYE
THE LITTLE MERMAID ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
DON COYOTE ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
PROFESSOR ZUCCINI'S TRAVELING TALES( March 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 1991 ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
HAPPILY EVER AFTER ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
1993
THE ARCHER AND THE PRINCESS (March 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 1993 ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN (March 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 1994) ......................... DIRECTED BY FRAN GORE
TOM SAWYER, DETECTIVE ......................... DIRECTED BY SYLVIA UNDERDOWN
TREASURE ISLAND ......................... DIRECTED BY BROOKS EVERETT
ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP (March 11, 12, 13, 14, 15M, 15 1997) ......................... DIRECTED BY DAVID MINICH AND BROOKS NETTUM
1998
THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE (March 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 1998) ......................... DIRECTED BY DAVID MINICH and BROOKS NETTUM
THE HOBBITT ......................... DIRECTED BY DAVID MINICH
THE LITTLE PRINCESS ......................... DIRECTED BY ROBIN BATES
THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER ......................... DIRECTED BY DAVID MINICH
THE SWORD IN THE STONE ......................... DIRECTED BY PATRICK TERRY* AND JOHN HENRY SPANN*
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2002
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (May 2002) ......................... DIRECTED BY PATRICK TERRY* AND JOHN HENRY SPANN*
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (May 2003) ......................... DIRECTED BY HANNAH HAMBY [See Copy Of Playbill]
NARNIA (June 2004) ......................... DIRECTED BY MANDY FULLER
THE ADVENTURES OF HARLEQUIN (June 2005) ......................... DIRECTED BY JEFF GREEN [See Copy Of Playbill]
* Youth Members