In order to enhance the turn-of-the-19th-century nature of the City of Mantorville, in 1972 a group of citizens formed a corporation to provide theatre in the local Opera House. They targeted the melodramatic format because it was the popular style of theatre around the end of the 19th century.
The Corporation was and is named Mantorville Theatre Company.
Per the Articles of Incorporation: The purpose of this corporation shall
be to establish and maintain a community theatre group and provide
civic entertainment in the area of theatre, i.e. melodrama, musical
plays, children’s plays and other related theater activities to provide
facilities for meetings of members and to lease, rent or own real
property and borrow money thereon by mortgage or otherwise and to sell
such real estate in whole or in part. This corporation shall not afford
pecuniary gain, incidentally or otherwise to its members.
Near the beginning of a new century, the City of Mantorville sold the Opera House to the Mantorville Restoration Association, who approached the Mantorville Theatre Company about expanding the summer melodrama schedule to something that would make use of this outstanding property year round – – and we jumped right in! The MTC now produces a wide variety of theatrical genres from October – April, while continuing our traditional melodramas in the summer.
