Epilogue Players is a theater company based in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

. It was the first theater troupe for senior citizens founded in the United States and served as a model for the birth of the "senior theater" movement in the 1980s. In 1981, comedian

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...

attended the theater's annual banquet and gave the theater "five cigars," and crediting his "junior colleagues" for their talent. In 1990, Indiana Governor

Frank O'Bannon Frank Lewis O'Bannon (January 30, 1930 – September 13, 2003) was an American politician who served as the 47th governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003. As of October 2022, he remains the most recent United States Governor to ha ...

named visiting the theater among his favorite leisure activities. The company was founded by Bertha Starkus in 1976 with the backing of the Indiana Arts Commission, as an acting company focused on plays featuring older actors. Its first production took place at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Later, the group moved to the Command Playhouse at Ft. Harrison and then the Hedback Community Theatre.http://www.indytheatrehabit.com/2008/05/11/three-belles-of-eden-at-epilogue

References

Performing groups established in 1976 Community theatre Theatre companies in Indiana Theatres in Indiana Culture of Indianapolis Tourist attractions in Indianapolis Buildings and structures in Indianapolis 1976 establishments in Indiana {{US-theat-stub