1925 to 1928 – Led by Grant Wood, Marvin Cone, and a small group of theatre enthusiasts, Cardboard Moon is produced at Wood’s Studio at 5 Turner Alley. The “Little Theatre Movement” is born in Cedar Rapids.
1929 to 1940 – “The Community Players” offer 3-4 show seasons, delighting audiences (with Grant Wood and Marvin Cone publicly painting sets!) at the Turner Alley, Killian’s Tea Room, the YWCA, and Coe College.
1940 – Live theatre paused during WWII.
1948 – The group returned to live theatre after the war, renamed “The Footlighters.”
1954 – By 1954, patronage grew from 500 to nearly 2,500 per show.
1955 – “The Cedar Rapids Community Theatre (CRCT)” is launched and performs out of the Strand Theatre, a 221 seat house in the NewBo District for 20+ years.
1983 – “Theatre Cedar Rapids (TCR)” is born as the company moves from the Strand to the Iowa Theatre Building, donated by the Linge Family. Decades of growth follow.
2008 – The Iowa Theatre Building takes on 54 feet of water. The theatre kept producing as the facility went through transformative restoration.
2010 – TCR returns downtown, opening with The Producers.
2020 – TCR responds to a global pandemic and produces an all-virtual season with additional innovative digital offerings, including fully online summer camps.
2021 – TCR launches Out-of-Doors at Brucemore, delighting audiences with theatre for young audiences and signature musical theatre.
2022 – TCR celebrates its highest attended and highest grossing production in its history with Mamma Mia! All education programs now offered on a “pay-what-you-can” model.
Today: TCR is preparing for its second century with bold vision for our Iowa Theatre Building home and broadening theatrical impact. We can’t wait for you to join us!
