19th-Century Third Presbyterian Church on East Jersey Street in Elizabeth, New Jersey that became the Elizabeth Playhouse in 1993.
Star City Playhouse Origins
The Elizabeth Playhouse
The Star City Playhouse grew from the heart of a lovely little theater 11 miles out of Manhattan. Its beginnings were founded in a deserted 1851 church that the Fergusons renovated into a theater and thirteen apartments. The apartments supported the theater through the Fergusons donating the rents to the Playhouse. The community itself was overwhelmingly supportive of our efforts for a decade but alas taxes and the heavy burden of the cost of the renovation forced us to sell.
The Fergusons sought a suitable site for the new theater in Roanoke Virginia, packed the old theater into about ten tractor trailers, and began to renovating the old Pete Moore Warehouse into five apartments and two stores that will again support the theater.
Why We Chose Roanoke
Roanoke is Karon's hometown so it was an easy decision to make once they decided to move. She was also very homesick after reading Rick Bragg's All Over but the Shoutin' and knew it was time to move on! She has seven brothers and sisters in the area so it wasn't a difficult decision to come home.
Interior of Pete Moore Warehouse, in the first stages of renovation.
The Roanoke Valley has always been supportive of its theaters so it was a pretty easy decision to return after sixteen years' absence. The Fergusons both look forward to sharing their New York City experiences in teaching and forming an ensemble resident company.
We are grateful to our former company of actors who were like family and to the many kind dearhearts who supported our work and were brave enough to give us a chance. We look forward to meeting our new neighbors and training a new company of fine actors.
