A Little History

Back in May 1948, Mort Klayman formed the Amherst Players. We rehearsed and performed at Smallwood Elementary School and were a part of the Adult Education Program. Over the years the Amherst Players became a staple of the community. But as time went on, like any community theater company, we had our ups and downs.
And in 2008 we took a year to review and regroup.

Since then, some things have changed. Christ United Methodist Church in Amherst is our new rehearsal space and we perform our stage productions at the Harlem Road Community Center. Our production genres now include dinner theaters at local restaurants and children’s theatrical works. Social activities and workshops have been added to the yearly calendar of events. And we’ve begun to reach further out into the community, participating in events like the Williamsville’s Old Home Days Parade and bringing after school theater programs to elementary school children. We are really growing.

A New Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a high-quality, educational and fun community theater experience for children and adults from throughout Western New York.   By presenting three productions a year, we give people the opportunity to experiment with all aspects of community theater, whether they are coming to the stage for the first time or with an extensive background in theater. We value what each individual brings to the theater,
and strive to utilize their talents on and off the stage.

Our Goals

To continue to bring in talented and dedicated crew members, directors and actors of all ages

To attract an ongoing flow of volunteers,
with or looking to gain experience in community theater productions

To build a solid following of audience members

To create an ongoing relationship with our business partners

To elect board members willing to share their time, creative ideas and talents

To reach out more into the community,
providing theater education at venues such as schools and community centers

To provide workshop opportunities as well as social events for our actors and crew members