Sunset Players, Inc.

History of the Sunset Players

The Sunset Players was founded in 1979 and produced their first show, The Mousetrap, in October, 1980. Tim Perrino, at the time on staff at the Dunham Recreation complex, was charged with putting together a resident theater group for the complex's theater. Mr. Perrino, not long out of college called upon his high school theater friends (together with the nucleus of the then defunct West Side players who to used to perform at Dunham) to form the Sunset Players.

One of the founding members, who also happened to be Mr. Perrino's former high school English teacher, wanted to name the group Guerley Shows rather than Sunset Players (both names of streets on which the complex sits). But since Guerley is pronounced "Girly" - Sunset it was.

 In the next 25 years the Sunset players mounted almost 90 productions.

In 1989 the Sunset Players produced their 1^st musical ever. Little Shop of Horrors. At the Southwest Ohio Octafest one of the judges happened to be President of AACT. The Sunset Players were a winner with Little Shop and moved on to state. The AACT president attended the state Octafest and at the end announced that AACT was asking the Sunset Players to represent the USA at an international theatre festival in New Delhi India.

The Sunset Players accepted that challenge mounting fund raising productions all over the state of Ohio, and were poised to go when the 1^st Gulf War broke out, canceling the competition.

SSP has striven hard to maintain that level of quality ever since, performing productions that are technically challenging such as Mr. Roberts, Amadeus, Miss Firecracker Contest, - or simply unusual such as Greetings which also won the regional Octafest and won an unusual award - Excellence in Innovative Play Selection.

The Sunset Players has become an integral part of the Dunham Recreation complex. They are sponsored by the Advisory Board as the official resident theatre group at Dunham. Members of Sunset not only volunteer to serve on the Advisory Board itself, but The Sunset Player membership as over the last 25 years become the nucleus of the volunteers who work the fund raising events for the Dunham Advisory board.

All theater groups attempt to carve out a niche for themselves. Some do only dramas, some just musicals, while some attempt only the avant-garde. The Sunset Player's mission is to - bring a smile. They will do a comedy, a farce, a dramatic comedy, a musical comedy - as long as there is some "comedy" in there somewhere. The Sunset Players feel that there is enough sadness and drama in daily life!  While we love making an audience feel and think - we will only do a show as long as we can also - make ‘em laugh!”