About The Off-Monroe Players
OMP's mission is to foster regional interest in the Gilbert & Sullivan legacy and encourage participation in the performing arts through acting, direction, stagecraft and musical performance. — Mission Statement
For a group that only does the work of two artists whose work can seem extremely out-dated, newcomers are always amazed at the success of OMP. Often times, we are amazed at our success as well.
The Off-Monroe Players' goal has always been to have fun — to bring these silly, these old-fashioned, these wonderful pieces to life. It doesn't matter all that much if we have an audience to see them or if we make any money (as long as we can pay our bills!); the point for us is to get up there and to lose our cares and worries. Thankfully, our audiences have discovered our little secret, and we have been able to continue our fun for thirty years.
We have been doing the same 13 (plus) shows over and over for more than 30 years, accepting any and all who wish to join. But instead of getting tired of a show, we keep coming back to this little extended family. Certainly the art of Gilbert & Sullivan have something to do with that. But there is also OMP itself — the opportunity to have some laughs and sing a few songs with old friends and new ones. These are people you come to care about, and who will be there for you. And even romance can be found: over 12 marriages have been created and nurtured by OMP!
And to a lot of people's surprise, when other theatre groups are starving for audiences, OMP thrives. Two main productions a year (and sometimes a third!), with five shows per production and 250+ audience members per show. A loyal patron system providing adequate cash flow. A family of cast and crew that comes back time and again — if not to perform or to lend a hand, then to enjoy the production. And enough community support to welcome new performers every season. Not bad at all.
Donations from our audience, occasional grants, and the generous support of our Patrons have made the continued success of OMP possible. If you would like to participate in the future, on stage or off, we would be pleased to hear from you. You can Contact Us, indicating in what capacity you would like to participate, or just show up at auditions. We welcome new and seasoned performers, and don't worry — auditions are only required for lead roles. Information on auditions will be announced in the local media, in the OMP newsletter, the OMP Information line at (585) 232-5570, and on this web site.