While there are conflicting ideas of which year was the first year of Resident Summer Stock at the Historic Elitch Theatre, some consider 1893 to be the first year because the Frank Norcross company was engaged for the entire season and served as the resident cast from June to September. However, most consider 1897 to be the first year of Summer Stock theatre because an entirely new resident company was hired — not a touring company that had been established for other engagements.
Whichever year is considered to be the first, the Historic Elitch Theatre was the first Summer Stock Theatre in the country.
Theatre Staff:
- Frank Norcross, Manager
- W. A. Marean, Treasurer
- Adolph Bernard, Stage Manager
The First Season of Stock — The Company:
- Jennie Kennark
- Lillian Daily
- Marion Earle
- Jeanette Lowrie
- Bernice Norcross
- Jennie Lothian
- Weevie Vivian
- Frank Norcross
- James Neill
- Adolph Bernard
- Hudson Liston
- Alfred Hampton
- Carl St. Aubyn
- Charles Lothian
Productions:
- Week of June 10: Nancy and Company, by Augustin Daly
- Week of June 19: Our Regiment, adapted by H. Hamilton (1888).
- Week of June 26: A Hoop of Gold, by J. M. Murdock (1883).
- Week of July 3: Teddy, the Swell (withdrawn; four members of the company ill; Nancy and Company repeated beginning July 5.)
- Week of July 10: School, by T. M. Robertson.
- Week of July 17: Our Boys, by Henry J. Byron (1875).
- Week of July 24: Snowball, by Sidney Grundy (1879).
- ‘Week of July 31: Ours, by T. M. Robertson (1867).
- Week of Aug. 7: The Lord in Livery, by S. Theyre Smith; The Bed of Roses, by L. S. Beazley; and The Rough Diamond by John R. Buckstone (one-act plays).
- Week of Aug. 14: Uncle, by Henry J. Byron.
- Week of Aug. 21: Caste, by T. M. Robertson (1867).
- Week of Aug. 28: A Scrap of Paper, by Victorian Serdou (1879).
- Week of Sept. 4: A Husband in Clover, by H. C. Merivale; Sunset, by Jerome K. Jerome; and Nan-the-Good-for-Nothing (one-act plays).
- Week of Sept. 11: Snowball and B.B., or Mistaken Identity (one-act play).
- Week of Sept. 18: Home, by T. M. Robertson (1870).
