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…

1969 – A new start…

In 1969, the old State Theater was purchased and subsequently renovated. It was used until the Neville sisters donated the Fox Theatre to the Playhouse in 1980.

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
She Stoops to Conquer
It’s A Wonderful Life
Mary Poppins
Alter Boys
2016-2017
The Mousetrap
Christmas Carol the Musical
The Little Mermaid
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

 

2017-2018
Peter and the Starcatcher
Tuck Everlasting
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Faith County

 

2018-2019
Seussical the Musical
Miracle on 34th Street
The Wizard of Oz
Gilligan’s Island
2019-2020
Drinking Habits
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!