In 2013 it seemed to be the end of summer theatre in Ritter Park when Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT) announced it was closing.
Rather than allow the Ritter Park Amphitheatre to go dark, the Huntington Park Board decided to form its own theatre group, and it approached three Huntington theatre veterans - Clint McElroy and Mary and Tommy Smirl - and asked them to form a new theatre company based on the model of HOT.
So they created Huntington Area Regional Theatre in the Park (HART), and in the summer of 2014 the group started presenting shows in the park focusing on family-friendly fare, beginning with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Nunsense.
The next season featured Mary Poppins and Collis P! - which is an original musical created by Clint McElroy based on the life of the railroad magnate and founder of the town, Collis P. Huntington!
The group has staged a number of shows, including Wizard of Oz, Seussical the Musical, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Shrek the Musical and Disney's The Little Mermaid.
Each show has included a children's pre-show and an assortment of local performers, all presented under that stars at Ritter Park.
The group was shut down in 2020 by the COVID outbreak, but will return when possible - the next show planned is The Addams Family!
Next: The newest company in town!
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