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THE SILVERTON COMMUNITY PLAYERS
THE BRUSH CREEK PLAYHOUSE.
The Early Years by Shannon Copeland.
Started in 1975 by Jay Dravich, Mike Brown, Matt Kaser, Sharon Jenson, Frank McNatt, Barbra Spenser, just to name a few of the original founding members.
The first play performed was "Bell Book and Candle", directed by Jay Dravich in 1975. It was followed by "The Fantastics", 1976, directed by Don Kelly, "Rain" 1977, directed by Mike Brown, "Rehearsal" 1977, directed by Bob Haviland, "Come Blow Your Horn" in 1978, directed by George Rowe.
There was Theater in the park, in the summers of 76, 77, and 78.
After performing in many venues around town; Eugene Field School, the Old Calvary Lutheran Church, the High School, and the park, The Silverton Community Players moved into their new home in 1979.
The former one room schoolhouse, "Brush Creek School", an 85 year old building at the time (1978) was donated to the Silverton Community Players by the Howell Prairie Farmers Association.
In 1895 a group of parents headed by R. J. Mount, decided that their area was populated enough to have their own school. The group met with the Evergreen School Board and divided the assets of the district, creating Brush Creek School District #19.
The newly formed board let out bids for the supplies and workers to build "One school house and two water
closets" (Those water closets were euphemisms in the real sense of the word (Students trekked to the back of the lot where two outhouses were erected - Currently we only have one chemical toilet, referred to in honor of its donor, "The Sally".)
These buildings were to be situated on an acre of land on the southwest corner of the John Beer farm purchased for the tidy sum of $60. Students began attendance in the new building, which cost the district's taxpayers slightly under $400 to complete.
Sallie Tuggle was the first teacher at Brush Creek and the old school rolls include names that are still on the Silverton scene, such as Kaser, Hatteberg, Tinglestad, Sather, Krug, Moe, and Dettwyler.
The school closed down and consolidated with Central Howell School in 1954 and a farming organization took over ownership of the property.
Other venues around the area we've performed in include Scotts Mills Fire Hall, the Grand Theater in Salem, Chemeketa Community Collage, Salem Towne Sr. Center, The Gordon House at The Oregon Garden, and at the Oktober Fest.
The Silverton Community Players, changed their name to the Brush Creek Players, in August of 1989. There were some who thought that we would have more of an appeal to the surrounding area if we changed our name to an area, instead of a particular town.
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