Riverside City History
Theatre

The David Theatre is one of Riverside's most dramatic sagas both figuratively and literally. In 1987, the David Theatre had been operated by the "Bell Road Barn Players" for more than three decades. Jenkin and Barbara David started the summer theatre in 1954. Owners of a farm in Parkville, they utilized a barn as a community theatre for some 32 years.

As head of the drama department at Park University for 25 years, David began the theater as a way for his students to experience a summer workshop and participate in acting, directing, set and costume design. After Jenkin's death in 1984, Barbara realized that she could not continue with the care of the farm and subsequently decided to sell the home place. This caused the Bell Road Players to seek a new location, but their budget and space needs were a difficult combination. Not surprisingly to anyone familiar with Riverside, E.H. Young read about the plight of the Bell Road Players and came to their rescue. He offered the use of another, perhaps even more historic barn located in Riverside – a barn once used by the Riverside Downs Jockey Club horse race track.

The barn restoration efforts began in early 1987. It took nine months. Young, the David family, the Bell Road Barn Board of Directors and many volunteers spent hours developing the new David Theatre in Riverside and moving all of their material to the new facility. Finally, after months of work, the Bell Road Barn began their 33rd season on June 18, 1987 at its new location, 4200 NW Riverside Street. For just over five years, the players, their facility and Riverside were ready to "break a leg." Unfortunately, the year of 1993 brought down the curtain on this successful endeavor. The Great Flood of that year inundated the theater and much of Riverside with it. Unfortunately for the theater, not only was the building a total loss, but much of the contents, including sets, costumes and other equipment and supplies. When the floodwaters receded, the Bell Road Barn was forced to look for a new facility. New quarters were eventually found once again at Park University and the relationship with Park was again forged.

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