 |
ABC Players WE MAKE THEATER MAGIC! |
|
ABC Players WE MAKE THEATER MAGIC! |
We perform in the historic Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, OH. Click here to see all of the shows we have produced since December 1992 (with pictures).
For TICKETSto our shows, please contact Stuart's Opera House.
Our 2025-2026 Season is sponsored by 
.
| Our Next Production: | |||
 |
Agatha Christie’s It’s Winter 1934 and an avalanche stops The Orient Express dead in its tracks. A murder. A train full of suspects. An impossible case. Trapped in the snow with a killer still on-board, can the world’s most famous detective, Hercule Poirot, crack the case before the train reaches its final destination? September 19 & 20 at 7:30 p.m. and September 21 at 2 p.m. – Cast list.
|
||
 |
A Christmas Story, the Musical Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul.
Book by Joseph Robinette. Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story. For Christmas, nine-year-old Ralphie Parker wants an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model BB gun. Ralphie hatches numerous plots to get his coveted BB gun, but his ideas are met with resoundingly negative responses at every turn. December 5 at 7:30 p.m., December 6 at 1 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., and December 7 at 2 p.m.
|
Sponsored by |
|
| Awaiting Logo | A play produced in collaboration with the Nelsonville-York Drama Club — March 20, 21, 22, 2026 |
Awaiting Sponsor |
|
 |
Nickelodeon™
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg
Book by Kyle Jarrow Original Songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I. And Songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley Additional Lyrics by Jonathan Coulton Additional Music by Tom Kitt Musical Production Conceived by Tina Landau ©2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Created by Stephen Hillenburg.
The SpongeBob Musical transports audiences to Bikini Bottom, where SpongeBob SquarePants faces a critical challenge: the threat of a volcanic eruption that endangers his home and community. Joined by his loyal friends Patrick and Sandy, SpongeBob embarks on a whimsical adventure to save the day. The story offers an entertaining and uplifting experience for audiences of all ages, underscoring the strength of friendship and community. May 8 & 9 at 7:30 p.m. and May 10 at 2 p.m.
|
Sponsored by  |
|
| Awaiting Artwork | Additionally, we expect to produce a staged reading of The Cemetery Club and also a sensory-friendly event for those who are troubled by loud noises and bright lights. Please stay tuned for further details on these productions! | Awaiting Sponsor |
AUDITIONS: Tips
Note: You don't have to be a member of ABC Players to audition, get a part, and perform in one of our productions. But, if you get a part in a second play, we'd like you to support the organization by becoming a member.
The next audition will be August 23 and 24th in #30 Public Square for A Christmas Story, the Musical. Click for a PDF or Word document that has everything about this audition!
ABOUT US: History of Athenian Berean Community Players
In the beginning was the Berean Community Players (BCP), incorporated in 1973. For years, BCP's productions under the direction of Spencer Steenrod and Tony Coleman were the cultural center of gravity in southeast Ohio. Musical directors Katy McCoy and Mary Jane McKinley, were recognized throughout Ohio for the quality of their work.
For several years, Joe Balding and Steve Haskins entertained the idea of forming a community theater group in the Athens area. In the summer of 1992, while working on an Ohio Valley Summer Theatre production of On Golden Pond, Joe outlined his dream to Spence Watson, who was also in the play. Spence and Beth Watson had previously formed an amateur theater company in another community. They shared their experiences at a meeting at the Athens Unitarian Fellowship Hall on August 3, 1992. The groundwork for Athenian Players Theatre (APT) was laid at that meeting.
APT's first production was The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, opening in the Athens Unitarian Fellowship Hall on December 10, 1992. Indeed, for our first five years, APT was a sort of nomad theatre, doing shows at such locations as the Unitarian Fellowship Hall, the Athens Middle School, the Senior Citizens Center, and the Friends’ Meeting House in Chauncey. But in March 1997, the historic Stuart’s Opera House reopened in Nelsonville. On October 3, 1997, APT presented I’ll Be Back Before Midnight in the newly restored Opera House and—except for a few special productions in other locations—APT jointly produced shows with BCP in Stuart’s Opera House.
On March 18, 2009, the membership of both organizations voted to merge into a single organization called the Athenian Berean Community Players.
Our normal season is three to five plays, performed either Thursday through Sunday in a single week or Friday through Sunday of two successive weeks. Sunday performances are matinees; all others are evening shows.
In most seasons, at least one of the productions is a musical. These have included The Sound of Music (Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II), Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Stephen Sondheim), and Funny Girl (Isobel Lennart, Jules Styne, Bob Merrill). Comedy and dramatic offerings have included such plays as Rumors (Neil Simon), Night of January 16th (Ayn Rand), Steel Magnolias (Richard Harling), Present Laughter (Noel Coward), and Flowers for Algernon (David Rogers).
For a complete list of our productions, illustrations of the show posters, and some stage photos, please click here.
For many years, we were active in the Ohio Community Theatre Association (OCTA). Our members served in various leadership roles in OCTA. When we presented excerpts of our plays at OCTA regional and state-wide festivals, we earned formal recognition of the excellence of our productions. We earned awards for acting, direction, sets, costumes, and for our newsletter: The Minotaur. Facing rising printing and postage costs and the general availability of the Internet, we stopped publishing The Minotaur in 2014. In 2018, the membership voted to end our membership in OCTA, while retaining membership in the national American Association of Community Theatre which publishes the bimonthly Spotlight magazine.
So, we have a core of talented, experienced members with demonstrated commitment and exceptional abilities. But all of us face competition for our time, and—as with all volunteer organizations—maintaining a strong, exciting program over the years is a challenge. We are taking steps to attract and empower new members, and we are particularly seeking young people who are interested in live theatre. Although we currently have more than 30 paid members, not all are able to be actively involved in productions. Also, since "time keeps on going into the future," we need to continue to attract new members to keep the organization fresh and flourishing. Becoming a member is easy.
We owe our continuing success to numerous supporters. A few have helped us over and over, and they are mentioned here:
Click here for our bylaws and production policy. We can be found on the Ohio Attorney General's database of charitable organizations by searching for “Athenian Berean Community Players”. The IRS’s Exempt Organizations Selection Checklist can also be used to verify our eligibility to receive tax-deductible contributions.
We're also on 
, 
, and 
.
Support ABC Players as You Shop
 |
| Here's how to do this. First, go to the Kroger website, and click the “Sign In” link where you'll be able to log on or create an account. Once you've signed in to your account, click your name in the upper-right corner and select “My Account” and then “Community Rewards.” There, you'll be able to tell Kroger to send a quarterly check to ABC Players based on your regular shopping at Krogers. We are listed as organization #BQ524, “Athenian Berean Community Players.” |
When scheduled, meetings are announced here.
MEMBERSHIP: To become a member of ABC Players, all you have to do is express an interest, be at least 14 years old, and pay $10 a year. Families may join for $20. The membership year runs from September 1 to August 31. Dues are not prorated. Click here to join or pay dues.
OFFICERS:The 2024-2025 officers are
Officers are elected annually and serve from September 1st through August 31st.
Athenian Berean Community Players
P.O. Box 283
Athens, Ohio 45701
Join our mailing list of people interested in community theater in southeast Ohio.
