The Murray Theater, also known as the Richmond Civic Theater, was built in 1909 by Omar G. Murray at a cost of $40,000 and originally named Murray Theatre. That name, in fact, can still be seen at the top of the building. It was originally used as a vaudeville house and featured the Marx Brothers in 1916. It closed in 1930 due to the depression but reopened a year later as the Indiana Theater, a movie house. In 1952 the building is leased by the Richmond Civic Theater and their programs begin showing productions at the "Indiana Theatre". It was eventually purchased by the Richmond Civic Theatre in 1966 for $42,000 and the venue was renamed the Norbert Silbiger Theater, after a founding member and driving force of the company. It was renamed again, back to the Murray Theatre, in 1984 in order to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since we are still in the middle of transcribing our Richmond Civic Theatre collection, this list is not complete. The below list includes all of the playbills in the collection but, unlike other venue pages, does not include information on productions not in our collection. The page for the company is currently being used as the hub of this project until everything can be sorted out. Please see that page for additional production information.
We are currently looking for volunteers to help us with the Richmond Civic Theatre project. Although the archive is in Los Angeles, California, volunteers can help from anywhere, including Richmond, Indiana.
As the Murray Theatre (1984-Present)
Opening | Play |
---|---|
Aug 16, 2013 | Les Miserables |
Jul 12, 2013 | The Little Mermaid |
May 10, 2013 | Guys and Dolls |
Apr 17, 2013 | The Hundred Dresses |
Apr 5, 2013 | Barefoot in the Park |
Mar 2, 2013 | Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka Junior |
Feb 8, 2013 | The Grapes of Wrath |
Dec 9, 2012 | Little Women, the Musical |
Nov 16, 2012 | Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type |
Nov 3, 2012 | Pocahontas |
Oct 12, 2012 | Wait Until Dark |
Aug 17, 2012 | Hairspray |
As the Norbert Silbiger Theater (1966-1984)
Opening | Play |
---|---|
Oct 1977 | Man of La Mancha |
Sep 23, 1976 | The Sound of Music |
Dec 9, 1975 | A Christmas Carol |
Sep 23, 1975 | The Wizard of Oz |
May 20, 1975 | Company |
Apr 9, 1975 | Sleuth |
Mar 5, 1975 | The Prisoner of Second Avenue |
Nov 20, 1974 | The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds |
Oct 3, 1974 | No, No, Nanette |
Mar 26, 1974 | Night Watch |
Jan 23, 1973 | Last of the Red Hot Lovers |
Dec 5, 1972 | The Country Girl |
Nov 5, 1972 | Forty Carats |
Mar 26, 1972 | Plaza Suite |
Feb 8, 1972 | All My Sons |
Nov 30, 1971 | The Silver Whistle |
Oct 26, 1971 | Detective Story |
Jul 18, 1969 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum |
May 9, 1967 | Guys & Dolls |
Apr 4, 1967 | The Glass Menagerie |
Feb 28, 1967 | The Ponder Heart |
Dec 6, 1966 | Any Wednesday |
Nov 1, 1966 | Absence of a Chello |
Sep 27, 1966 | Show Boat |
May 20, 1966 | The Boy Friend |
Mar 1, 1966 | Catch Me If You Can |
Jan 25, 1966 | Mary, Mary |
As the Indiana Theatre (1931-1966)
Date | Play |
---|---|
Nov 2, 1965 | Never Too Late |
Sep 28, 1965 | The Sound of Music |
May 11, 1965 | Damn Yankees |
Apr 6, 1965 | Ladies in Retirement |
Mar 2, 1965 | See How They Run |
Jan 26, 1965 | The Women |
Dec 10, 1963 | The Desk Set |
Dec 11, 1962 | Period of Adjustment |
Nov 6, 1962 | The Music Man |
Oct 2, 1962 | Once More, with Feeling |
May 8, 1962 | Harvey |
Jan 23, 1962 | The Andersonville Trial |
Dec 12, 1961 | A Majority of One |
Oct 3, 1961 | Oklahoma! |
Jan 24, 1961 | Look Homeward, Angel |
Dec 13, 1960 | Golden Fleecing |
Oct 4, 1960 | Kiss Me, Kate |
May 10, 1960 | Third Best Story |
Apr 5, 1960 | Tall Story |
Dec 8, 1959 | Say, Darling |
Nov 3, 1959 | Who Was That Lady I Saw Your With? |
Sep 29, 1959 | Annie Get Your Gun |
May 12, 1959 | The Tender Trap |
Apr 7, 1959 | Happiest Millionaire |
Jan 27, 1959 | Bad Seed |
Dec 9, 1958 | On Borrowed Time |
Nov 4, 1958 | The Hasty Heart |
Sep 30, 1958 | The King and I |
Mar 5, 1956 | Picnic |
Jan 30, 1956 | The Caine Mutiny Court Martial |
Dec 12, 1955 | King of Hearts |
Nov 14, 1955 | Dial M For Murder |
Oct 3, 1955 | The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker |
May 2, 1955 | Sabrina Fair |
Mar 28, 1955 | The Crucible |
Feb 21, 1955 | Time Out For Ginger |
Jan 17, 1955 | For Love or Money |
Dec 6,1954 | Hamlet |
Nov 1, 1954 | Come Back, Little Sheba |
Oct 4, 1954 | My 3 Angels |
May 3, 1954 | Our Town |
Mar 29, 1954 | The Male Animal |
Feb 22, 1954 | Guest in the House |
Nov 9, 1953 | Mister Roberts |
Oct 5, 1953 | Bell, Book and Candle |
Apr 27, 1953 | The Happy Time |
Mar 23, 1953 | Affairs of State |
Feb 16, 1953 | The Wingless Victory |
Nov 10, 1952 | Lo and Behold |
Oct 6, 1952 | Remains to be Seen |
As the Murray Theatre (1909-1930)
No listings for this era yet