HCT Board of Directors

Jessica Brock – President
Corey VomWeg – Vice President
Berice Rosenberg – Treasurer
Ruth Nielsen – Secretary
Jesse Nielsen – Corresponding Secretary

HCT Board Members

Chuck Rosenberg – Past President
Bruce Batterson
Amanda Cargile
Patrick Crawford
Jake Elting
Morwenna Limper
Erik Nielsen
Colin Sandall
Kevin Kubo – New
Susan Hoff – New

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History of HCT

“The Show Must Go on” … And it has for 63 years at the Hastings Community Theatre. Over those years HCT has made audiences laugh, cry, sing, smile and think. 60 years is a long time for any organization to survive—especially an artistic, all volunteer group. The theatre has flourished for 60+ years on a completely volunteer basis—no one is paid—except by applause.

The theatre takes pride in being a valued part of the community. During the early years, the theatre had nowhere to call home and rehearsals, props and costumes were in a variety of locations around town. Performances were any place that had a stage or a space where a stage could be created. Some performance locations included the Masonic Temple, the city auditorium, KHAS auditorium, the old Hastings Junior High building, and Central Community College. In 1974 HCT collaborated with Hastings College Music Department and the Masonic Temple Theatre to present its first musical, “Hello Dolly.”

In 1979, HCT board member, Bill Sole, made arrangements with Good Samaritan Village for the theatre to have use of the old Spencer Park School. The building had been vacant for quite some time, needing a great deal of work. There was no heat in the building and ankle-deep water covered the floor in the auditorium space. HCT board members and friends were more than delighted and willing to work to have a home at last. In fact, most of the remodeling was conducted by volunteers. The late Paul Hohnstein, a valued board member and friend, spent hours constructing the auditorium which is still efficient today. After months of work, HCT presented the first show in the new theatre (“Life with Father”) in February of 1981. Improvements have been made in each season since and will continue with the support of our community. The most recent improvements include new seating, flooring, and a fully paved parking lot for patrons.

HCT does not just provide opportunities for adults. The HCT Kids program is proud to provide summer theatre experiences for grade school through high school students. We were absolutely thrilled to see the growth of HCT Kids this summer. We broke audition records with 70+ kids auditioning for Willy Wonka Jr. This presented a wonderful problem. What do we do with so many amazingly talented kids? The perfect solution involved dividing the kids by age groups and doing two separate productions. This allowed more kids to showcase their talent and build relationships with their peers.

We are committed our dream; to provide quality performing arts to our community. The dream to give adults and children alike an opportunity to be part of a nurturing community of performers, builders, innovators, technicians, musicians, and teachers. It could not be more fitting that our theme for the 2022-2023 season is Committed to the Dream.

Over the past 63 years hundreds of people have had the opportunity to gain experience in theatrical arts through the activities provided at HCT. Hastings Community Theatre has educated actors, directors, producers, light and sound crews, set construction crews…the list goes on and on. Those who have not actively participated on stage or behind the scenes have participated as audience members. HCT has presented hundreds of performances. Shows such as “On Golden Pond,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Harvey,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Mamma Mia” have provided audiences with the best live theatre in the area. We know that 63 years of live theatre could not have been possible without the many, many dedicated and talented community members who have been involved with Hastings Community Theatre. HCT is proud of its past and knows “The Show WILL Go On” for many years to come. ​

Mission of Hastings Community Theatre

Hastings Community Theatre is organized to conduct activities of a cultural and educational nature for the public benefit by providing opportunities for the community to participate in the study, practice and production of all phases of the theatrical arts.