Constructed as the Summit Public Library in 1891, architect Arthur Jennings designed a Richardsonian Romanesque style structure utilizing a variety of masonry materials, including slate, granite, and brick. The community quickly outgrew the building and abandoned it by 1911. In 1918, the building was rescued by the Playhouse Association, which formed as a relief organization during WWI, and remains one of the oldest amateur theaters in the country. The Association purchased the building in 1968 after having constructed a 120-seat auditorium addition in 1960. The theater today attracts 4-5,000 adult and child patrons annually. The Summit Playhouse is also recognized for its association with Marjorie Cranstoun Jefferson, one of the theater’s founders and its director for more than 50 years.

The funded work includes continue replacement of fixed wood window sashes in the basement and repointing of the 1891 portion of building.

For more information, visit: http://www.summitplayhouse.org/