Maples Repertory Theatre

Maples Repertory Theatre (MRT) is a regional professional theatre that produces a June-December season of 6-7 mainstage shows plus cabarets, concerts and youth theatre events. Remarkably, we’re in our 22st year of running a successful 501(c)(3)   non-profit theatre, serving patrons from a mostly rural 16-county area around Macon. We’re proud of this comment from a recent Missouri Arts Council grant reviewer: “A thriving, rural arts organization is a rare find in any Midwestern state. MRT is doing a great job in providing arts opportunities for the public to engage in.” Thank you in advance to the Community Foundation of Central Missouri and contributors to CoMOGives for helping to support our efforts to provide underserved Missourians with the experience of professional live theatre.

In addition to programming for adults and families, for several years MRT has run a robust theater educational program during the summer. This is directly in keeping with our mission to introduce live performance to more people and especially to youth who may or may not have the opportunity to attend main stage productions. These youth programs include workshops and day camps teaching performance and production skills as well as theatre camps where students produce their own shows. Our popular summer camps for children and teens ages 3-18 are held in Macon and other small towns in north-central Missouri. We attract participants from communities as far as 2 hours away, because high-quality performance instruction and opportunities for rural youth are uncommon.

Most MRT funding comes from direct ticket sales, annual fundraisers, local business sponsors, donations, and a modest level of support from the Missouri Arts Council. In recent years, grants from foundations and local corporations have supplemented this income, although our upstate, rural location generally precludes funding from the major arts foundations of St. Louis and Kansas City. Since 2023, MRT has proudly borne the distinction of being one of only 7 theater companies in Missouri receiving support from the prestigious Shubert Foundation.

Productions at MRT are 100% created here. MRT doesn’t host touring companies or shows that were designed elsewhere. So, although many titles may sound familiar, each show is cast, designed, and produced to create an experience that is unique to MRT. MRT operates under an Actors Equity Small Professional Theatre (Tier 6) Contract with 6-10 Equity actors and an Equity stage manager each season. Designers, directors, and choreographers are chosen based on their demonstrated artistic competence and experience in small theaters. Annually, our resident company of actors is selected in auditions held across the country. The MRT summer season is programmed in rotating repertory with two shows alternating performances. The fall season is performed in stock. Generally, about one-half of the company has worked with MRT before. Plays are chosen based on audience survey responses, a balance between classic and newer shows and optimal utilization of actors in multiple shows (list of shows from the 2004-2025 seasons: http://maplesrep.com/about/past-seasons/).