Second oldest Children's Theatre in America
Founded in 1951, Davenport Junior Theatre is the second oldest children's theatre in America maintaining the mission of "Theatre for Kids, by Kids." Co-founders Leone Bredbeck and Mary Fluhrer Nighswander developed the idea of theatre instruction and performance for Quad-City Area youth. From these ideas, Davenport Junior Theatre was born. Because of the work of its founders, Junior Theatre has been able to spend the past six decades giving area youth the opportunity to learn to speak clearly, confidently and creatively in any social setting.
Originally known as the "Gypsy camp," Junior Theatre rehearsed and performed in various parks, theatres, and churches. The dream of a permanent home came true in 1976 when the City of Davenport bought the Annie Wittenmyer Complex and designated three cottages and the chapel for the program. Over the next four years, Junior Theatre, Inc. invested approximately $750,000 and countless volunteer hours toward its renovation.
The cottages have become offices, technical and rehearsal spaces, while the chapel has become Junior Theatre's very own Nighswander Theatre, named for our founder (Mary Fluhrer Nighswander). In this space, Junior Theatre is flourishing, and now includes many acting, musical theatre and technical theatre classes, as well as Junior Theatre's Mainstage Acting Company. In the summer, we offer Performing Arts Camps at the complex.
Junior Theatre also recently began offering dance classes. This new branch of programming will allow students the opportunity to immerse themselves futher in the performing arts.
Despite all of its recent changes, Junior Theatre is proud to recognize its strong historical roots. Its mascot, Showtime Pal, which was developed in 1955 with the help of Leone Bredbeck, continues to teach children about theatre, as well as entertain. Junior Theatre also has an active and ongoing commitment to engage our alumni, who are always more than willing to return and contribute their skills or swing by and say hello.
In 2011, we proudly started our DJT Dance Program. Our dance offers affordable (and hopefully accessible) dance for many families. We are a non-competitive studio focused on the joy of learning. We hope to engage and empower every student to express themselves fully in any situations and wherever life takes them.
In the last few years, our facility has seen many new changes. Most recently we have had a full theatre renovation (new seats, lobby, bathrooms, paint, ADA upgrades and more), upgraded our lighting systems in 2020, expanded into a new sceneshop area on campus, added Cottage 7 as our Mainstage production cottage and continue to strive towards excellence in all we do.
These improvements would not be possible if it were not for the healthy collaboration between Davenport Parks and Recreation and Junior Theatre, Inc. All involved at Junior Theatre are grateful for the hard work of both organizations.
With a powerful history and strong community-wide support, Davenport Junior Theatre is looking ahead to its bright future of successful theatre, dance and arts programming for all youth in the greater Quad Cities area.
Our Founder - Mary Fluhrer Nighswander
Davenport Junior Theatre was first the dream of Mary Fluhrer Nighswander. She held on to that dream through many years, fighting for it, living it, and always working to make it better.
When we think of Mary today, we tend to remember her August years. We see the determined woman with a spark in her eyes and high expectations for everyone around her, but do we know much about her life before Junior Theatre?
Mary's parents were missionaries in Korea when she was born in 1907, and she lived there through much of her childhood. She evaded cholera and survived diptheria and the influenza pandemic. Later, her family fled Korea in the wake of the Japanese occupation, arriving in the United States just after Mary's twelfth birthday.
She had a love of acting from early childhood, leading her to Maryville College in Tennessee. After graduation, she went to New York to pursue a career on stage, and studied for another year at the prestigious American Academy. Mary didn't tell anyone about her degree because "college kids always thought they knew more than experienced actors."
At the age of twenty-two, she was hired to work on a repertory circuit in upstate New York. That's where she met George Fluhrer, a veteran of World War I and an actor on the circuit. He proposed on stage, under his breath, in front of a live audience that had no idea what was happening.
They were married and continued on the circuit. After the birth of their three children, George landed a more permanent job in Davenport. Tragically, however, George died of a ruptured appendix shortly after they arrived in Iowa. Suddenly, Mary was a single mother: "I had exactly 25 cents to my name and three kids to spend it on."
Her dreams were shattered, but Mary picked up the pieces and built something new. Working with Leone Bredbeck of Daveport Parks and Recreation, she created Junior Theatre. For thirty years, they rehearsed and performed in donated space, moving from unheated offices to pool locker rooms before finally finding a home at the Annie Wittenmyer complex, where Junior Theatre resides today. “People ask me why I don’t retire or stop or slow down or something. They can’t seem to understand it. It’s just the strangest thing. Why would I want to? This is what I do. It’s what I do, it keeps me going. Why would I want to stop doing it? It’s not some dreary exercise routine, honey. It’s life. I wouldn’t trade mine for anyone else’s in the world. Why should I? God will let me know when it’s time for me to quit. I’m perfectly content to let Him decide that.” — Mary Fluhrer Nighswander MARY : A Biography written by Michael Ashcraft, Junior Theatre alumnus Mary was also one of the founding members of the Broadway Theatre League in 1962, bringing touring Broadway productions to the Adler Theatre in downtown Davenport. In 1989, Mary received her Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from St. Ambrose University for her lifetime of work. The theatre at Junior Theatre today is dedicated in her memory. Additional honors and awards were Region IV governor for the American Children's Theatre Association, Marijane Morgan medallion winner for service to the region, first recipient of the Isabel Bloom Award for Fine Arts in the Quad-Cities and listing in "Who's Who of American Women."
Her biography, Mary: A Biography, written by Kansas City journalist and former Junior Theatre student Michael Ashcraft, was published in 1990. Former students and other friends honored her at a reception in 1990, and she was presented with a proclamation and key to the city by Davenport Mayor Thom Hart.
Mary passed away in July, 1991.
Thanks to Mary, tens-of-thousands of students have participated in the program, having valuable experiences that have forever changed their lives. As we move into the future, we always keep our founder in our hearts and minds.
Showtime Pal
Showtime Pal was developed from a need to communicate and have fun with the audience between shows. Davenport Junior Theatre started as a repertory company in the parks, and this often left dead space. To entertain during these transitions, Showtime Pal was born.
“We sat around and decided the kind of person we wanted to have do that, and that’s how we came up with Showtime Pal,” said Junior Theatre founder Mary Fluhrer Nighswander. “We needed somebody to welcome kids, tell them a little bit about the show they were going to see, and teach them the etiquette of the theatre.”
The original Showtime Pal was Ms. Leone Bredbeck. As Showtime Pal, Leone spent the next fifty years delighting audiences with her games, songs and tidbits about the theatre.
"Omaha had its Storybook Lady, Cedar Rapids had its Playtime Poppy dressed as an ear of corn," said Ms. Bredback. "It was decided a red and white polka-dotted clown was best for Junior Theatre."
And why is the Showtime Pal costume so large? The first time Leone performed as Showtime Pal she was quite far along in her pregnancy. To this day, the larger than life costume and energy of Showtime Pal live on with each new generation.
Hundreds have had the joy of playing Showtime Pal and becoming a part of this tradition, which is unique to Davenport Junior Theatre, the second-oldest children’s theatre in the country.