In 1972, a group of Signal Mountain residents came together to start an outlet for youth with interests in the arts, and the Signal Mountain Playhouse raised its first curtain on a hillside behind St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. This week, the community pillar celebrates its 50th anniversary with a party as big as its milestone.
Today, the Signal Mountain Playhouse is nestled in a forested amphitheater sitting on the corner of Rolling Way and James Boulevard. The stage there has welcomed big-name shows, including “The King and I,” “Peter Pan,” “The Wizard of Oz” and many more over the years, according to a news release.
“I’ve been a part of the playhouse for 23 years now, and what I love so much about it is how the playhouse serves as a launching pad for our youth that have an inclination to the arts,” Tim Forsythe, vice president of the Signal Mountain Playhouse board and longtime actor in many of its shows, said in a phone call.
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Forsythe made his debut at the playhouse in 1999 in the group’s production of “The Music Man.”