History of the Renegade Garage PlayersIn 1993, two long-time friends from suburban Cincinnati, Mark Griffin and Joe Link, were lamenting the fact that they had never gotten involved in drama in high school. Having just produced a string of low-budget, poor-quality movies, the pair decided to produce a play in the community. Recruiting Joe’s old buddy, Kirk Westendorf, from St. Xavier High School, the trio developed the name, “Renegade Garage Players,” to describe a theater group which would be non-competitive and would rehearse in a garage. Several area students – Diana Pray, Adrienne Barile, and Kelly Croissant – from Wyoming High School soon joined the group for its first production, A Doll’s House. These students had the actual acting experience that Mark, Joe and Kirk lacked. An acquaintance of Joe’s who happened to be visually impaired agreed to join the cast as well. Most of the members of the group had little previous experience interacting with people with disabilities, but they committed to making the production work and to including everyone. Despite the variety of acting abilities of the participants, the production of A Doll’s House went smoothly. The non-competitive and inclusive philosophy of the group had proven successful, and so a core group of volunteers carried on the group’s work from year to year. From 1993 to 1999, the Renegade Garage Players remained an unincorporated theater group producing one or two plays each summer. Significant efforts were made to recruit actors with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities from the Cincinnati community. The Clovernook Center for the Blind, Stepping Stones Center, and LADD were three social service agencies that were especially helpful to the Renegade Garage Players. The group performed at various locations including the Northern Hills Unitarian Church, the College Hill Town Hall, Winton Woods Middle School, and Joe’s parents’ garage. In 1999, the organization moved towards incorporation and formed a Board of Directors. The Renegade Garage Players expanded their programming to include other artistic and educational events which would bring people with and without disabilities together. During the year 2000, the Renegade Garage Players hosted a weekend theater camp, community service projects, a sightseeing trip to Northern Ohio, and a variety show. In 2001, the group expanded its operations further by producing three summer-time plays. In 2002, the Renegade Garage Players set up offices at the Pendleton Heritage Center in the East End. In 2003, the group added numerous service and education programs to its calendar and has continued these diverse program offerings through today. The group currently operates on an eight-month schedule, from January through August, and plans to produce five theatrical shows at the Cincinnati Museum Center in the Queensgate. The Renegade Garage Players currently uses Judson Village Retirement Community as a space for some its meetings and programs. The Renegade Garage Players have been recognized with articles in the Cincinnati Enquirer and a report by WCPO Channel 9 labelling them "Hometown Heroes". Two RGP actresses have been finalists for WKRC Channel 12’s Golden Galaxy Awards for outstanding high school actors. Most recently, the group was the 2004 recipient of the Inclusion Network's Kaplan Foundation/August A. Rendigs Foundation Inclusion Leadership Award. In March of 2006, the Renegade Garage Players hosted its first annual Ides of March Dinner at the Cincinnati Art Museum. |
|
||||
