About Us
Market House Theatre has a rich history, from a little theatre group in 1963 to a modern day leader in community arts programs and theatrical enrichment.
OUR HISTORY
Market House Theatre has a rich history dating back to 1963 when a group of eight individuals met to form a little theatre group in Paducah, Kentucky.
OUR PEOPLE
Market House Theatre is a volunteer organization supported by professional staff. Meet the team that helps keep Market House Theatre operating.
OUR SPACES
Market House Theatre is based out of 11 historical facilities in downtown Paducah, embracing unique history while creating useful spaces for today.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Need information about our ticket policy? Have questions on if you can get a refund for a class registration? Read our current policies and general information to learn more about Market House Theatre.
GET INVOLVED
Whether on stage or making magic happen offstage, there’s a part for everyone. Play an active role in bringing exceptional productions to life for your community.
CONTACT US
We’ve tried to anticipate any questions you may have and answered them on these pages, but if there’s anything you still need to know, please feel free to get in touch!
BOX OFFICE
132 Market House Square
Paducah, KY 42001
270.444.6828
info@mhtplay.org
Tuesday-Friday
10 am–5 pm
DIRECTORY
OUR HISTORY
On October 14th, 1963, a group of eight interested people met to form a "little theatre group" in Paducah, Kentucky.
The first play presented by the Market House Players was The Male Animal at the IBEW Union Hall while negotiations were under way to use the Market House Building as a permanent home. The second play was produced in the Market House Building and the group has called it home ever since. The first year ended with three plays produced for a total of twelve performances.
In 1968, a fire nearly destroyed the building and a renovation was started to improve the facility.
The 1970′s saw a growth in the annual budgets from $2,500 to $50,000. The number of plays increased from four to six per season and the number of performances grew to thirty per year with audiences increasing to 8,000.
The 1980′s saw the hiring of full time staff and an increase in budgets from $65,000 to $125,000. Market House Theatre became a non-profit organization. In 1985, the Footlights program for children was developed and regular classes were added. Audiences continued to increase and by 1990 were reaching 15,000 plus.
From 1990 to 2000, the theatre saw phenomenal growth. It become a regional theatre drawing audiences from Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois, Southeastern Missouri and Western Tennessee. Market House Theatre has won national recognition with awards at every state competition it has entered.
Located in the historic Market House Building, the theatre has also been a centerpiece of historic restoration in downtown Paducah. With the acquisition of three additional buildings in 1996, the theatre became a community symbol of the drive to improve the historic Market House Square.
In 2010 the theatre began laying the ground work for the Next Stage Project to develop classrooms for Theatre, Dance, and Music. Organizational studies, facility needs studies, and business plans were developed. In 2014 the theatre quietly began fundraising and acquiring buildings. As of 2018 Market House Theatre now operates out of 11 historic buildings (10 of which the theatre owns). The theatre has ended its fiscal year in the black for the past 5 years while continuing to grow and now has educational programming in 4 states, in 14 counties, over 41 schools with almost 1300 classes and workshops and over 53,000 student interactions. In addition the theatre’s productions have grown to over 20 a year with Signature Series, Family Series, Playtime, Murder Mystery Dinner theatres, Touring Children’s productions and more.
