Village Players of Hatboro   Dawn Marshall   401 Jefferson Avenue   Hatboro, PA 19040   215-734-9891   Business@thevillageplayers.com   http://www.thevillageplayers.com The Village Players of Hatboro were born out of the success of a play that was put on as a fundraiser for the Junior Neighbors, a local womens club. Shortly after, a member of the womens club, Helen Cornell, suggested that they start a theater group and in April of 1947, The Village Players were created. With the backing of the local American Legion, their official debut was in May 1947 with the production, The Late Christopher Bean. The theater group consisted of women from the club, their husbands, and their family and friends. Originally, the productions were held in the Hatboro High School auditorium, while the rehearsals were held wherever space allowed; often the Fulmor Heights Administration building. Edward Ott directed many of the plays during the first few seasons. Props and costumes were borrowed from each members house. In August of 1950, the Hatboro High School merged with the Horsham High School. Crowded conditions resulted and the Village Players were denied use of the high school auditorium. The news was unexpected, but as the saying goes, the show must go on. Director of the next show, Helen Cornell, along with Alice Gibson, suggested the use of the large two-story town hall building that the Ivyland Fire Company owned. A conversation with the head of the fire company, Mr. George Hobensack, Sr. was had, and a short while later the players were given use of the building. A total of eight years were spent in Ivyland. In 1957, our barn was then owned by The Union Club of Philadelphia. However, the barn itself dates back to 1918, when Christian and Sarah Tanner owned the dairy on that piece of land. Often mistaken for an old schoolhouse, the playhouse was one of the two cow barns that were on the property.