National Players was founded in 1949 by Father Gilbert V. Hartke, OP, a prominent arts educator and head of the drama department at Catholic University of America. His mission—to stimulate young people’s higher thinking skills and imaginations by presenting classical plays in surprisingly accessible ways—is as urgent and vital today as it was seventy years ago.
Olney Theatre Center is proud to be the artistic home of National Players and to continue Father Hartke’s vision and commitment to provide young theatre artists with their first professional opportunities. Players’ alumni include actors, directors, and designers working on film, television, and hundreds of stages across America.
Tour 1
1949-50
Much Ado About Nothing
Tour 2
1950-51
Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, Arms and the Man
Tour 3
1951-52
Twelfth Night, School for Scandal
Tour 4
1952-53
Love's Labor's Lost
Tour 5
1953-54
Othello, The Miser
Tour 6
1954-55
Julius Caesar, The Would-be Gentleman
Tour 7
1955-56
King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing
Tour 8
1956-57
Henry IV, Charley's Aunt
Tour 9
1957-58
Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew
Tour 10
1958-59
Twelfth Night, Oedipus Rex
Tour 11
1959-60
Macbeth, Comedy of Errors
Tour 12
1960-61
The Merchant of Venice
Tour 13
1961-62
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard III
Tour 14
1962-63
Othello, The School for Wives
Tour 15
1963-64
The Taming of the Shrew, Oedipus Rex
Tour 16
1964-65
Hamlet, Twelfth Night
Tour 17
1965-66
Romeo and Juliet, The Miser
Tour 18
1966-67
The Merchant of Venice, The Birds
Tour 19
1967-68
Much Ado About Nothing, Lute Song
Tour 20
1968-69
A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Orestia
Tour 21
1969-70
King Lear, The Lady's Not for Burning
Tour 22
1970-71
Twelfth Night, Oedipus Rex, Arms and the Man
Tour 23
1971-72
The Taming of the Shrew, The Miser, The Trial
Tour 24
1972-73
As You Like It, The Birds, Tiger at the Gates
Tour 25
1973-74
Comedy of Errors, Tartuffe, Crime and Punishment
Tour 26
1974-75
Henry IV Part I, Charley's Aunt, The School for Wives
Tour 27
1975-76
Twelfth Night, Ah Wilderness, A Cavalcade of American Theatre
Tour 28
1976-77
Much Ado About Nothing, The Tavern
Tour 29
1977-78
Richard III, The Boys of Syracuse, The Miser
Tour 30
1978-79
Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Two Faces of Love
Tour 31
1979-80
Macbeth, Twelfth Night
Tour 32
1980-81
The Tempest, Charley's Aunt
Tour 33
1981-82
Much Ado About Nothing, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lord's A Wonder
Tour 34
1982-83
The Taming of the Shrew, The Miser
Tour 35
1983-84
Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Tour 36
1984-85
As You Like It, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Tour 37
1985-86
Twelfth Night, The School for Wives
Tour 38
1986-87
Romeo and Juliet, Amadeus
Tour 39
1987-88
Othello, Dracula
Tour 40
1988-89
Much Ado About Nothing, Animal Farm
Tour 41
1989-90
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Nicholas Nickelby
Tour 42
1990-91
The Taming of the Shrew, The Elephant Man
Tour 43
1991-92
Twelfth Night, The Miracle Worker
Tour 44
1992-93
As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath
Tour 45
1993-94
Romeo and Juliet, 1984
Tour 46
1994-95
The Tempest, Equus, The Way We Live Now
Tour 47
1995-96
Much Ado About Nothing, Frankenstein, The Normal Heart
Tour 48
1996-97
A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Way We Live Now
Tour 49
1997-98
The Taming of the Shrew, Of Mice and Men
Tour 50
1998-99
Twelfth Night, Cyrano de Bergerac
Tour 51
1999-00
Julius Caesar, A Few Good Men
Tour 52
2000-01
Comedy of Errors, The Scarlet Letter
Tour 53
2001-02
Much Ado About Nothing, Les Liasons Dangereuses
Tour 54
2002-03
As You Like It, Tartuffe
Tour 55
2003-04
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Our Town
Tour 56
2004-05
Romeo and Juliet, The Oedipus Cycle
Tour 57
2005-06
The Taming of the Shrew, Dracula
Tour 58
2006-07
Othello, The Importance of Being Earnest
Tour 59
2007-08
Twelfth Night, Call of the Wild
Tour 60
2008-09
As You Like It, 1984
Tour 61
2009-10
Much Ado About Nothing, Lord of the Flies
Tour 62
2010-11
A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Scarlet Letter
Tour 63
2011-12
The Taming of the Shrew, Of Mice and Men
Tour 64
2012-13
Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm
Tour 65
2013-14
The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, Odyssey
Tour 66
2014-15
The Tempest, As You Like It, To Kill a Mockingbird
Tour 67
2015-16
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Julius Caesar, A Tale of Two Cities
Tour 68
2016-17
Hamlet, The Grapes of Wrath, The Giver
Tour 69
2017-18
Othello, The Great Gatsby, Alice in Wonderland
Tour 70
2018-19
Around the World in 80 Days, The Crucible, Twelfth Night
Tour 71
2019-2020
As You Like It, Walk Two Moons, The Diary of Anne Frank
Tour 72
2021-2022
A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Raisin in the Sun
Tour 73
2022
Fences, Much Ado About Nothing
