CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Without a permanent home for performances, the Ocoee Players theater troupe has been forced to disband after more than three decades.
"It's tough when there's no place to do your theater," Ocoee Players founding member Connie Gatlin said.
The demise of the Ocoee Players is a scene in a much longer-running drama on the absence of a permanent venue in Bradley County, said Melissa Woody, vice president of the local convention and visitors bureau.
"When people consider visiting or relocating to Bradley County, theater is one of the things they look for," she said. "Right now, I don't know what to tell them."
In an effort to unite theatrical arts in the county, supporters recently formed the Community Performing Arts Council, Mrs. Woody said. All the group has, however, is a piano, a couple of stage lights and its name, she said.
Because of the recession, people don't have the money to invest in theater like they may have before, Ocoee Players board member Maurine Olin said.
"Maybe there's no need for us right now," Ms. Olin said.
In January, Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland voiced support in his State of the City address for finding a home for local theater, Ms. Gatlin said.
"We want it accessible," she said. "When it is easy for artists and directors to use, then the community will come, but the space is key."
Mrs. Woody said that, though there's no shortage of skill, drama has never been Cleveland's focus.
"We have a lot of amazing talent in our churches, so how do you compete with that?" she said. "How do you spark an interest in community theater?"
Financial and personnel issues, coupled with a lack of venue, all spelled trouble for the Ocoee Players, she said.
"People start losing interest when you're not able to put on a production or secure a venue," she said.
If the community theater had a home, recruiting would be easy, she said.
"We've lost some talented people to Chattanooga productions," she said. "There's a real desire to perform; there's just nowhere to do it."