The story starts in 1884…
1884 – Keith Neville
Keith Neville was born in North Platte on Feb. 25, 1884. He attended school in Annapolis, Massachusetts and returned home after graduation to manage the family farm and ranch.
The Fox was opened!
1908 – Grand Opening
The Keith Theatre officially opened on the north side of North Platte in September 1908. According to the North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, the theater was “one of which North Platte may be proud.”
A new member of the family…
1908 – Keith was married
Keith Neville married Mary Virginia Neill in Charleston, West Virginia. The couple had four children: Mary Nelson, Frances Elizabeth, Virginia Neill and Irene Morell.
New leadership…
1917 – a new governor
Keith Neville was elected governor. He was only 33 years old and was often called the “boy governor.”
Welcome Fox Theatre!
1929 – Fox Theatre Opening
Keith Neville opened the Fox Theater in October of 1929. The building was designed by Omaha’s Frederick A. Henninger and completed by builder Alex Beck.
Initially, it was used for vaudeville productions and later as a full-time motion picture theater.
North Platte welcomes “Playhouse!”
1955 – Welcome NP Playhouse
The North Platte Community Playhouse was organized in 1955 at the home of Charlie and Rose Craig, who served bean sandwiches to members of the fledgling group.
“Harvey” is produced…
1956 – many successful productions…
“Harvey,” the first show produced by the newly-organized thespians, was presented ‘in the round’ in the Crystal Ballroom of the Pawnee Hotel in February, 1956.
In a program note, the playhouse board welcomed the audience with the wish that “Harvey” would be the first of many successful productions. The note also stated that the Playhouse’s future was in the hands of the people of the community, because actors, musicians, directors, stage helpers, and financial support were needed.
Support given…
1968 – Playhouse Auxiliary
In 1968, the Playhouse Auxiliary was organized to give support and to organize money-making projects.
A new theater…
Donation of the Fox Theater…
1980 – Gracious Donation
The four daughters of Keith Neville donated the Fox Theater to the North Platte Community Playhouse in December, 1980.
Playhouse cited for theater renovations…
1983 – Renovations
The theatre underwent renovations, thanks to a fund drive and the labor of volunteers. It was transformed into the Neville Center for the Performing Arts. The renovation earned the Playhouse a Governor’s Arts Award.
Playhouse gets new chairs and movies are back…
2017 – New Chairs and Movies are Back!!
The theatre got a makeover with 850 new seats and a state-of-the-art movie projection system as part of “The Show Must Go On” project.
1955-1956
Harvey
Night Must Fall
1956-1957
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Claudia
Born Yesterday
1957-1958
My Three Angels
Witness for the Prosecution
See How They Run
1958-1959
Bus Stop
Gaslight
The Tender Trap
1959-1960
Picnic
The Four Poster
Broken Dishes
1960-1961
Our Town
Mister Roberts
Sabrina Fair
1961-1962
Hasty Heart
Reluctant Deb
Three Blind Mice
1962-1963
Gazebo
Everybody Loves Opal
One Acts
Sorry, Wrong Number
1963-1964
Curious Savage
Hamlet
1964-1965
Blithe Spirit
1965-1966
Man in the Dog Suit
Deadwood Dick
1965-1966
Man in the Dog Suit
Deadwood Dick
1966-1969
The Chips Are Down
1967-1968
Come Blow Your Horn
The Drunkard
1969-1970
The Moon Is Blue
Dirty Work at the Crossroads
1970-1971
Harvey
Rainmaker
Pure as the Driven Snow
1971-1972
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Stalag 17
Never Too Late
1972-1973
Best Man
Barefoot in the Park
Annie, Get Your Gun
1973-1974
Last of the Red Hot Lovers
Bye, Bye, Birdie
Laura
1974-1975
Mary, Mary
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Catch Me if You Can
1975-1976
Two if by Sea
Sunshine Boys
The Girls in 509
1976-1977
You Cant Take It with You
Odd Couple
Sunday in New York
1977-1978
Mouse Trap
Play It Again, Sam
Gypsy
1978-1979
Arsenic and Old Lace
Wait Until Dark
Luv
1979-1980
The Music Man
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Spoon River Anthology
1980-1981
Come Blow Your Horn
Two by Two
Blithe Spirit
1981-1982
Vanities
Once Upon a Mattress
On Golden Pond
1982-1983
First Season in the Neville Center
Anything Goes
Life with Father
Snoopy
1983-1984
South Pacific
Cactus Flower
Death of a Salesman
1984-1985
No Sex Please, Were British
Robber Bridegroom
South Pacific
1985-1986
Oklahoma
Lo and Behold
Importance of Being Ernest
1986-1987
Enigma
Carousel
The Lady Cried Fox
1987-1988
Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
My Fair Lady
Canteen Reunion Over Here
Fantasticks
Noises Off
1988-1989
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Steele Magnolias
I Do, I Do
Deadwood Dick
1989-1999
Rehearsal for Murder
A Christmas Carol
Camelot
Squabbles
1990-1991
Fiddler on the Roof
All My Sons
Brigadoon
The Odd Couple
1991-1992
Paint Your Wagon
Alone Together
The Sound of Music
Love Letters
1992-1993
Arsenic and Old Lace
A Christmas Carol
Anything Goes
Harvey
1993-1994
Damn Yankees
Critics Choice
Guys and Dolls
Everybody Loves Opal
1994-1995
The King and I
Rumors
Run for Your Wife
Nunsense
1995-1996
Oliver
Greetings
Kismet
Opal Is a Diamond
1996-1997
Annie, Get Your Gun
Play On!
Annie
The Foreigner
1997-1998
Grease
Exit the Body
Man of LaMancha
Lend Me a Tenor
1998-1999
Nunsense II
Anybody Out There
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat
Blithe Spirit
1999-2000
The Wizard of Oz
Its a Wonderful Life
The Music Man
Moon Over Buffalo
2000-2001
A Grand Night for Singing
Miracle on 34th Street
Cinderella
You Cant Take It with You
2001-2002
The Cemetery Club
Nuncrackers
Meet Me In St. Louis
Father of the Bride
2002-2003
The Miracle Worker
Quilters
Once Upon a Mattress
Flaming Idiots
2003-2004
Lets Murder Marsha
Meshuggah Nuns
Mame
Over the River and through the Woods
2004-2005
Two by Two
Opals Million Dollar Duck
How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
Come Blow Your Horn
2005-2006
Steel Magnolias
I Remember Mama
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Who’s on First?
2006-2007
Little Shop of Horrors
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley
She Loves Me
Grace and Glorie
2007-2008
State Fair
A Christmas Story
Beauty and the Beast
On Golden Pond
2008-2009
Godspell
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Hello Dolly
Barefoot in the Park
2009-2010
The Odd Couple
The Pirates of Penzance
Gypsy
Exit Who
2010-2011
Seussical the Musical
Papa’s Angels
Urinetown
Dearly Departed
2011-2012
Mister Roberts
White Christmas
Arsenic & Old Lace
The Marvelous Wonderettes
2012-2013
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
A Tuna Christmas
Oliver!
Broadway Cabaret
2013-2014
Noises Off
Almost Maine
Jesus Christ Superstar
Annie
2014-2015
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Away in the Basement-A Church Basement Ladies Christmas
Monty Python’s SPAMALOT
Sherlock Holmes
2015-2016
It’s A Wonderful Life
Mary Poppins
Alter Boys
2016-2017
Christmas Carol the Musical
The Little Mermaid
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
2017-2018
Tuck Everlasting
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Faith County
2018-2019
Miracle on 34th Street
The Wizard of Oz
Gilligan’s Island
2019-2020
Into the Woods
Matilda
Mamma Mia
2020-2021
Closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021-2022
Fiddler on the Roof
Bus Stop
The Sound of Music
Clue
2022-2023
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Godspell
Drinking Habbits 2
Little Women
2023-2024
Cinderella
Steel Magnolias
Sister Act
Something Rotten!