Crowd Gathered Around Concessions Stand at Playhouse on the Green

This undated, black-and-white photograph shows a crowd of people waiting in line at the concessions tent at Playhouse on the Green (POG). The photo was likely taken circa 1955-57. In the foreground are lines supporting the theater tent, anchored to the grass surrounding the graveled concession area, and lines with pennant flags wave in the breeze. In the middle ground, a line of people waits at the concession stand, while other groups stand chatting or sitting in checkered chairs nearby. In the background is a parking lot with cars, and fields and trees in the distance beyond that. A trashcan with an advertisement for All detergent is visible near the concessions area; All detergent was born in Columbus, Ohio.

POG was central Ohio’s first professional theater, and operated north of Worthington during summer from 1955 through 1972. The theater was managed by The Columbus Theatre Company, with a director and Equity actors from New York City supplemented by central Ohio actors.

This and other photos of POG are from the scrapbooks of Bernice Warner Letson, in the collection of the Worthington Historical Society. She is notable not only because of her revolutionary home-based business selling worm castings all over the world, but also because of her involvement with POG, often hosting actors at her home for the season.