Susan Farrell, Florence Bristol, and Delta Spencer founded the Art Theatre Players in 1925 and presented their first production in 1926 with a cast that included future culinary expert James Beard. In 1929, several other groups merged with the Art Theatre Players to create the Portland Civic Theatre (PCT), which went on to become one of the largest community theater companies in the nation, with two theatres, a Junior Civic Theatre, the Portland Civic Theatre Academy, and a Summer Repertory Onstage (SRO). The PCT mounted the inaugural production at the new downtown Portland Center for the Performing Arts in 1983. The PCT's own theatre opened at 1530 SW Yamhill Street in 1942, after the company had staged its productions at various locations, including the Reed College Bowl and in rented space on Northwest Burnside Street. In 1936, the PCT opened the Blue Room for touring shows and smaller productions and added a Junior Civic Theatre after it moved to its new quarters on Yamhill in 1942. The PCT Academy started as the PCT Theatre School in 1934, with Doris Smith as dean. The PCT Guild as founded in 1958 by Mary Brant as an independent support group. PCT directors included Donald Mayre, Jim Cameron, Bill Dobson, and Isabella Chappell. In June 1990, PCT ended its run and sold its theatre, which was demolished in 1993. However, the PCT Academy continued to produce Junior Civic Theatre shows after PCT's demise.
From the description of Portland Civic Theatre Photographs Collection [graphic], 1925-1994. (Oregon Historical Society Research Library). WorldCat record id: 62149800
