A quick check of Wikipedia shows a very limited response to the query term, “Church Hill, Maryland.” In fact, with the exception of a summary of the 2010 census, which shows that about 500 people live in the town, and that Church Hill has four buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, there’s not much there.
But it does have one thing that very few places have, and that’s the beloved and successful Church Hill Theatre (CHT).
Built in the 1920s as the town’s community center, the building became the home of the Church Hill Theatre in 1982, some thirty-five years ago. That was reason enough for the Spy to want to know more about the CHT. It seemed rather remarkable that a community theatre company could survive that long in a town of 500 which rests some fifteen miles from the next town over.
But in talking to the Theatre’s executive manager Nina Sharp the other day, it turns out the CHT is not only surviving but actually thriving. With five major theatre productions a year, two youth educational programs, as well as ongoing partnerships with Chesapeake College, Gunston School, and the Home Educators of the Eastern Shore, Church Hill is very much alive and well.
That’s not to say CHT doesn’t have its challenges with owning a building that needs a great deal of love and care, but as Nina suggests in our chat, all signs look good for another thirty five years.
This video is approximately minutes in length. For more information about the Church Hill Theatre, please go here.
John Hudson says
Congratulations Nina,
Wonderful job on your interview with the SPY.
Mary wood says
Howard & Jan Burns, Suzanne & John Gutting,Howard & Mary Wood formed the committee to keep CHT from being demolished. We raised money ,scraped gum off floors,painted.
Got a grant to install handicapped entrance. Booked a chamber music quartet who said the room had perfect acoustics. The original fabric is still on the walls. We have had incredible community support and incredibly talented cast and crew.
Nina Sharp says
Hi Mary,
I mentioned your names in the original interview, but for time sake I’m sure they edited it down! We are so grateful to the Friends of the Church Hill Theatre for making our many years here possible!