Harbor Playhouse's Centennial Celebration - The Bend Magazine

Harbor Playhouse’s Centennial Celebration

For 100 years, characters have been treading the boards at Harbor Playhouse.

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Man of LaMancha (1974) | Photo provided by Harbor Playhouse

As the oldest continuously operating community theatre in Texas, Harbor Playhouse has worn many costumes over the past 100 years. “Harbor Playhouse initially began as a group known as the Corpus Christi Players in 1925,” said Jessica Hill, the theatre’s marketing specialist.

That year, the Corpus Christi Players performed Booth Tarkington’s Seventeen at the old high school on Carancahua. The troupe became the Corpus Christi Little Theatre in 1935, officially incorporated in 1948 and took up residence in a permanent theatre space on Alameda in 1950.

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Les Miserables (2014) | Photo provided by Harbor Playhouse

“In 1976, we moved into our current building in the Plaza Bayfront and were renamed as the Harbor Playhouse Company,” Hill said, adding that the expanded offerings included “educational programs and workshops to bring the arts to more people in the Coastal Bend.”

The home of the nonprofit playhouse for the past 48 years is part of the Sports, Entertainment and Arts (SEA) District. In 1985, the Whataburger Foundation helped sponsor the addition of a black-box theatre studio and costume shop.

Though decades have passed, some traditions remain the same, such as the annual melodrama — “a traditional play that fosters audience engagement and exposure to classic plays,” Hill explained. “We have worked with local playwrights to produce and perform their own original shows, giving them a chance to put their work in the spotlight,” further integrating Harbor Playhouse into the Coastal Bend community beyond cast and crew.

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SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical (2023) | Photo provided by Harbor Playhouse

More than 700 volunteers, actors, technicians and support staff give 100,000 hours to the community theatre each season. The theatre also offers year-round training in stage skills, courtesy of Harbor’s voice, acting and dance coaches.

One memorable moment in its more recent past involved the pandemic, when Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat had just opened on the Harbor stage.

“Then the world completely shut down,” Hill recounted. “During that time, we decided to leave the set in place and, as is theater tradition, left the ghost light on in the dark theater until almost a year later, when we reopened the theater by completing the run of Joseph that had paused a year before.”

Four on a Garden-last at S Alameda location
Advertisement for Harbor Playhouse, formerly known as Little Theatre Corpus Christi (1976)

Looking forward to the future, the community can expect a 2025 season of eight full-length shows, including musicals Oklahoma! and 9 to 5. “We want to continue offering high-quality shows to our wonderful community while also offering more educational opportunities for people to learn and grow their love for the performing arts,” Hill shared.

From its humble beginnings 100 years ago to its evolution into a thriving hub for theatrical arts, the playhouse has both entertained and inspired generations. As it embarks on its next chapter, Harbor Playhouse remains steadfast in its mission to bring the transformative power of theater to all.

Contact: 1802 North Chaparral St. | harborplayhouse.com 

Interested in learning more about arts and culture history in the Coastal Bend? Check out our story on the  Second Side of the Sun.