SPRINGFIELD—The Springfield Community Players, Vermont’s oldest continuously operating amateur theater group, urgently need funding to replace the roof of their South Street studio.
While the nonprofit theater group is hopeful the 35-year-old roof will withstand the upcoming winter, the threat of leakage looms large. Water and mold could damage the group’s vast collection of costumes and props.
The Players have saved about a quarter of the $130,000 roof estimate and are asking the community for support through a GoFundMe donation campaign.
Without a reliable roof, the Springfield Community Players will need to rehome their costumes and props and find new spaces for rehearsal and performance, all of which would incur additional costs and constrain future productions.
Diverting funds from their production budget also means limiting the organization’s ability to provide local and affordable performance opportunities. The Players’ faithful audience includes many older area residents, many of whom may not otherwise be able to access live theater.
For over a century, the Players have welcomed new and returning actors to the stage, nurtured aspiring directors, and provided a sandbox for area writers to workshop new projects. Their recently wrapped 2024 season included Agatha Christie’s “The Unexpected Guest,” the musical “Godspell,” and Neil Simon’s “Rumors.”
Springfield Community Players have called the South Street building home since the 1980s. Originally built as a cafeteria to feed wartime factory workers, it served as a neighborhood elementary school before the Players assumed ownership and retrofitted the space for performances. Recent updates focused on improved accessibility, such as a removable row of seating to accommodate patrons who use wheelchairs.
To donate to The Springfield Community Players’ roof replacement campaign, please visit: https://gofund.me/b900ebf8. For more information, contact the Springfield Community Players at: Springfieldcommunityplayers@gmail.com.
