By Bob Abelman
This is the fifth article in a series about community theaters located throughout and bordering on Rhode Island.
One of the defining features of community theaters – what with their grassroots operations, limited budgets, and non-profit status – is that they typically perform out of nondescript found spaces such as church basements, town halls, or school auditoriums. But for the Little Theatre of Fall River, MA (LTFR), it’s their unique found space – the old Quequechan No.1 firehouse, now referred to as The Firebarn – that has come to define this community theater.
Until 1862, half of Fall River was in Rhode Island. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to move the state border between RI and Massachusetts south after debates that dated back to Colonial times, it placed the entire city in Massachusetts. In exchange, two-thirds of Seekonk (now eastern Pawtucket and East Providence) was awarded to Rhode Island.
At the time, Fall River housed 43 factories, and 14,000 of the city’s 16,000 wage earners were employed in the textile mills. In 1874, the deadliest fire in the city’s history occurred in one of the buildings at the Granite Mill, which was destroyed. Given the potential for more industrial fires, the Quequechan No.1 fire station was built shortly thereafter and remained in operation for nearly a century.
During the early years of the LTFR, from the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s, a small, enthusiastic group of thespians rented space from the Women’s Club and five other local sites “under less-than-ideal conditions,” recalls Jared Robinson, the company’s publicity chairperson, and a frequent production director.
In 1975, the company arranged to lease and refurbish Quequechan No.1 and, in 1984, purchased the venue and renamed it The Firebarn. The High Victorian Gothic-style architecture, with its heavy brick structure, decorative masonry, and iconic red doors, now accommodates a 90-seat theater, a large workshop, lobby, and the Peg Panos Rehearsal Room. Every spare inch, of which there are few, is used for storage.
The Firebarn “is more than just bricks and mortar,” adds Robinson. “It’s a bridge that connects the community’s storied past to its vibrant present and a symbol of continued service to the community.” The LTFR has conducted children’s workshops and food drives, engaged in a backpack and school supply campaign, supported Forever Paws, The Salvation Army, The American Red Cross, and the Department of Children and Families, and annually awards a scholarship to students majoring in the performing arts. Members of the Board work on projects with the Preservation Society, the Fall River Garden Club, and the Fall River Historical Society.
The first production on the Firebarn stage consisted of two one-acters, Elaine May’s disturbing Adaptation and Terrence McNally’s dark comedy Next. To date, the LTFR has staged more than 340 productions. “We’ve never shied away from popular blockbusters,” notes Robinson, referencing the recent production of Anastasia. “But I think what makes us special is our willingness to present more experimental, avant-garde, and obscure productions,” including The Normal Heart, Fun Home, and Gruesome Playground Injuries.
“The intimate design of our theater really lends itself to immersing the audience in the production,” adds Erin Cote, who has served on the board as Playbill Chair, President, and currently, Fundraising Chair. “I think the history of the building just adds to the allure of LTFR. It’s a city staple, which seems fitting for a group of local storytellers.”
And they do fine work. Last year, in celebration of its 90th season, the LTFR partnered with the Narrows Center for the Arts – one of the premiere venues for live music in New England, just down the road from the Firebarn – with a concert staging of Jesus Christ Superstar. The Herald News theater critic Kristina Fontes called it a “sold-out success,” and noted that this year’s production of All My Sons was “another stellar production.”
Up next: Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage from July 10 – 20. It’s a savagely comedic play about conflict, the complexities of marriage, and projectile vomiting. “We love hearing, ‘You can’t do THAT show at the Firebarn,’” says Robinson. “It’s a great motivator.”
Bob Abelman is an award-winning theater critic who also writes for The Boston Globe. Connect with him on Facebook.
