Barnstable Comedy Club
| Location | Barnstable Village, Massachusetts, United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Barnstable Comedy Club (non-profit) |
| Type | Community theater |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1922 |
| Website | |
| barnstablecomedyclub | |
The Barnstable Comedy Club (BCC) is a non-profit community theater located in Barnstable Village on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Founded in 1922, it is one of the oldest continuously operating community theaters in the United States.[1] It performs in the Barnstable Village Hall, a historic building it has owned since 1961.[1]
History
[edit]The Village Hall that houses the theater was built in 1912, funded and owned by the Barnstable Woman's Club, and intended as a venue for community events. In 1922 a theater group that had been meeting nearby at the Old Barnstable Inn presented Lady Windermere's Fan under the name "Barnstable Comedy Club" — the first time that name appeared on tickets. Reserved seats for the inaugural production cost 75 cents, including a federal war tax.[1]
The club purchased the Village Hall from the Barnstable Woman's Club in 1961. It incorporated after the purchase, and in 1975 was granted status as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. The building is still known as the Village Hall in honor of its original owners' wishes.[1]
In August 2022 the club celebrated its centennial with a community party, marking one hundred years and 284 productions.[2]
Notable productions and members
[edit]The club's repertoire has included productions of Our Town, Death of a Salesman, The King and I, Carousel, and Grease, among others.[1] The club has been associated with notable figures from the arts world. Author Kurt Vonnegut, who lived in Barnstable Village from 1951 to 1971,[3] was a member of the theater community. Russell Meriwether Hughes, known professionally as La Meri and described as "the leading American authority on ethnic dance," was also associated with the club.[1]
Venue
[edit]The club performs in the Barnstable Village Hall on Route 6A (Old King's Highway) in Barnstable Village. The BCC is an all-volunteer organization and holds open auditions for each production.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Our History". Barnstable Comedy Club. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
- ↑ Briana-Gartner, Joanne (2022-08-18). "Barnstable Comedy Club Celebrates 100 Years". The Enterprise / CapeNews.net. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
- ↑ Farrell, Susan E. (2009). Critical Companion to Kurt Vonnegut: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4381-0023-4.