Production History

National Players was founded in 1949 by Father Gilbert V. Hartke, OP, a prominent arts educator and head of the drama department at Catholic University of America. His mission—to stimulate young people’s higher thinking skills and imaginations by presenting classical plays in surprisingly accessible ways—is as urgent and vital today as it was seventy years ago.

Olney Theatre Center is proud to be the artistic home of National Players and to continue Father Hartke’s vision and commitment to provide young theatre artists with their first professional opportunities. Players’ alumni include actors, directors, and designers working on film, television, and hundreds of stages across America.​

 

Tour 1

1949-50

Much Ado About Nothing

 

Tour 2

1950-51

Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, Arms and the Man

 

Tour 3

1951-52

Twelfth Night, School for Scandal

 

Tour 4

1952-53

Love's Labor's Lost

 

Tour 5

1953-54

Othello, The Miser

 

Tour 6

1954-55

Julius Caesar, The Would-be Gentleman

 

Tour 7

1955-56

King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing

 

Tour 8

1956-57

Henry IV, Charley's Aunt

 

Tour 9

1957-58

Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew

 

Tour 10

1958-59

Twelfth Night, Oedipus Rex

 

Tour 11

1959-60

Macbeth, Comedy of Errors

 

Tour 12

1960-61

The Merchant of Venice

 

Tour 13

1961-62

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard III

 

Tour 14

1962-63

Othello, The School for Wives

 

Tour 15

1963-64

The Taming of the Shrew, Oedipus Rex

 

Tour 16

1964-65

Hamlet, Twelfth Night

 

Tour 17

1965-66

Romeo and Juliet, The Miser

 

Tour 18

1966-67

The Merchant of Venice, The Birds

 

Tour 19

1967-68

Much Ado About Nothing, Lute Song

 

Tour 20

1968-69

A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Orestia

 

Tour 21

1969-70

King Lear, The Lady's Not for Burning

 

Tour 22

1970-71

Twelfth Night, Oedipus Rex, Arms and the Man

 

Tour 23

1971-72

The Taming of the Shrew, The Miser, The Trial

 

Tour 24

1972-73

As You Like It, The Birds, Tiger at the Gates

 

Tour 25

1973-74

Comedy of Errors, Tartuffe, Crime and Punishment

 

Tour 26

1974-75

Henry IV Part I, Charley's Aunt, The School for Wives

 

Tour 27

1975-76

Twelfth Night, Ah Wilderness, A Cavalcade of American Theatre

 

Tour 28

1976-77

Much Ado About Nothing, The Tavern

 

Tour 29

1977-78

Richard III, The Boys of Syracuse, The Miser

 

Tour 30

1978-79

Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Two Faces of Love

 

Tour 31

1979-80

Macbeth, Twelfth Night

 

Tour 32

1980-81

The Tempest, Charley's Aunt

 

Tour 33

1981-82

Much Ado About Nothing, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lord's A Wonder

 

Tour 34

1982-83

The Taming of the Shrew, The Miser

 

Tour 35

1983-84

Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream

 

Tour 36

1984-85

As You Like It, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

 

Tour 37

1985-86

Twelfth Night, The School for Wives

 

Tour 38

1986-87

Romeo and Juliet, Amadeus

 

Tour 39

1987-88

Othello, Dracula

 

Tour 40

1988-89

Much Ado About Nothing, Animal Farm

 

Tour 41

1989-90

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Nicholas Nickelby

 

Tour 42

1990-91

The Taming of the Shrew, The Elephant Man

 

Tour 43

1991-92

Twelfth Night, The Miracle Worker

 

Tour 44

1992-93

As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath

 

Tour 45

1993-94

Romeo and Juliet, 1984

 

Tour 46

1994-95

The Tempest, Equus, The Way We Live Now

 

Tour 47

1995-96

Much Ado About Nothing, Frankenstein, The Normal Heart

 

Tour 48

1996-97

A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Way We Live Now

 

Tour 49

1997-98

The Taming of the Shrew, Of Mice and Men

 

Tour 50

1998-99

Twelfth Night, Cyrano de Bergerac

 

Tour 51

1999-00

Julius Caesar, A Few Good Men

 

Tour 52

2000-01

Comedy of Errors, The Scarlet Letter

 

Tour 53

2001-02

Much Ado About Nothing, Les Liasons Dangereuses

 

Tour 54

2002-03

As You Like It, Tartuffe

 

Tour 55

2003-04

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Our Town

 

Tour 56

2004-05

Romeo and Juliet, The Oedipus Cycle

 

Tour 57

2005-06

The Taming of the Shrew, Dracula

 

Tour 58

2006-07

Othello, The Importance of Being Earnest

 

Tour 59

2007-08

Twelfth Night, Call of the Wild

 

Tour 60

2008-09

As You Like It, 1984

 

Tour 61

2009-10

Much Ado About Nothing, Lord of the Flies

 

Tour 62

2010-11

A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Scarlet Letter

 

Tour 63

2011-12

The Taming of the Shrew, Of Mice and Men

 

Tour 64

2012-13

Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm

 

Tour 65

2013-14

The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, Odyssey

 

Tour 66

2014-15

The Tempest, As You Like It, To Kill a Mockingbird

 

Tour 67

2015-16

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Julius Caesar, A Tale of Two Cities

 

Tour 68

2016-17

Hamlet, The Grapes of Wrath, The Giver

 

Tour 69

2017-18

Othello, The Great Gatsby, Alice in Wonderland

 

Tour 70

2018-19

Around the World in 80 Days, The Crucible, Twelfth Night