The Concord Community Players exists to foster not only participation in the theater but also a genuine love and unbridled passion for the arts.
The group's members have shared this passion with their loved ones throughout the years, creating a bridge to connect generations. This shared experience has resulted in a number of theatrical dynasties within the players.
Phyllis Stuart of Concord found her love of the theater by pure chance and at the whim of her late husband, Robert Stuart. The couple became involved with the players in 1948 when Robert, who taught theater at Bishop Brady High School for 19 years, convinced Phyllis to join. She quickly found an outlet for her own creativity when she became involved with costume and prop design. The couple passed on this love of the theater to their two sons, Greg and Glen, who remain involved with the players.
Glen's first role was in a rendition of “The King and I” at age 7. He now teaches theater at New England College and regularly assists the group. Greg is also still actively involved with the group as a makeup artist. Phyllis remains involved too. She's the official historian, a position held by her late husband. Nowadays, a life without theater seems unbearable to her.
“I can't imagine not having theater; it's a wonderful outlet for people. The people who choose not to experience the performing arts, they miss out on witnessing what people are capable of doing and bringing it to life,” she said.
Theater, Stuart said, is something to be cherished.
“It's the love of people, of seeing the show come alive on stage,” she said. “It's a wonderful set of people from all walks of life, and you get to know them and you enjoy them. You work closely, and do it for love.”
Family ties also drew Craig Walker to the players. Craig, whose parents became involved with the group when the family moved to Concord in 1980, needed a way to kill some down time, and the theater sounded like fun.
He joined in 1985, working backstage designing sets, painting backgrounds and operating the lights. About this time he met his wife Mary, a Bishop Brady alum who also happened to study theater under Robert Stuart. Mary moved back to Concord after college in 1984 and auditioned for a part in “The Music Man.”
The couple soon became friends and married in 1988. Their daughter Christina was briefly involved with the group as a young girl but no longer participates. Craig believes theater is a special experience that not only brings families together and bridges generations, but also it helps create new bonds that can only be described as family.
“You're put into a situation, where instead of being forced to work with people, you're able to get to know people; the interaction involves no pressure to be someone you're not,” Craig said. “You're going through the experience together, and as you progress you get to know each other. By the time you're done you're a family, and sometimes it's a dysfunctional family.”
