The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance photograph by Neuse Little Theatre
Bathed in low light, a man in rugged Western attire leans against the wall of an old log cabin and speaks of outlaws and the frontier in the late 19th century. The actor, starring in a production of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, blends into the setting, a historic cabin on Smithfield’s Front Street. The venue — with its dark wood and spacious stone fireplace — has provided a backdrop for countless performances over the past decades.
This 1930s Works Progress Administration-built cabin, perched on a bluff that overlooks the Neuse River, was created as an American Legion Hut, a type of government-funded meeting place that was popular after the Great Depression. It then served as a multipurpose community space — hosting homecoming dances and part of Smithfield’s Ham and Yam Festival — before becoming a theater.
Although there’s an actual stage in front of the 104 seats in the theater, actors often incorporate the hearth or use the cabin’s doors to enter and exit scenes. photograph by Charles Harris
Neuse Little Theatre, a nonprofit community organization that brings arts programs to Johnston and surrounding counties, made “The Hut” its home soon after the group formed in 1974. Before settling there, they had performed in classrooms, lunchrooms, and gymnasiums. “We didn’t have a place to call home,” says Joyce Kilpatrick-Jordan, Neuse Little Theatre’s business manager whose first performance was in 1976.
Since moving in, the group has transformed the structure into a working theater while preserving its architectural charm. Some directors incorporate the venue’s distinctive features into their shows: Scenes are staged in front of the hearth, and actors waltz down the aisles, making their entrances and exits through the many doors off the porch.
“People love the comfort, atmosphere, and intimacy of the space,” Kilpatrick-Jordan says. With a capacity of 104 in the cozy cabin, there’s not a bad seat in the house. The group offers five mainstage shows each season, along with summer camps that encourage involvement from new and experienced actors of all ages. “We love where we are,” Kilpatrick-Jordan says. “It’s been a second home now for many years.” Later this year, the group will celebrate its 50th season in the old log hut on the banks of the Neuse River.
Neuse Little Theatre
104 South Front Street
Smithfield, NC 27577
(919) 934-1873
neuselittletheatre.org
Neuse Little Theatre concludes its 49th season with an exciting lineup of spring shows: The Lion in Winter, a comedy about a family power struggle and the uncertain fate of a kingdom, running from February 16 to 24. Celebrate April Fools’ Day with the comedy Unnecessary Farce from April 5 to 13. And, Angel Street, a murder mystery full of suspense, runs from May 24 to June 1.
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