(Not that we ever went away)

From The Stampede Troupe

Greeley’s longest continuously operating community theatre company has changed its name to The Stampede Troupe, according to Board President Noel Johnston. Founded in 1974 by Jim DeMersseman, Kent Smith, and the late Harold Hamler, the group was originally called The Greeley Independence Stampede Troupe, a reflection of its summer musical productions; in 2002, the name was changed to Greeley Community Theatre Troupe.  Johnston stated that the new name “will help us connect better to our 35 year history, and, we hope, will be more easily recognized by local theatre going citizens, many of whom seemed to think that we had disappeared six years ago when we first changed our name.”

Virtually everyone connected with the company “had been referring to it as ‘The Stampede Troupe’ anyway,” Johnston said. “The term ‘stampede’ is also strongly identifiable with Greeley,” he continued, “and we’re proud of our place in the arts community of this city.” Johnston indicated that The Troupe will continue to offer high quality, varied theatre opportunities for performers, technicians, and audiences of all ages.  With a revitalized board of 13 members, The Stampede Troupe will be offering the musical “1776” in September, “Miracle on 34^th Street” in December, and “I Hate Hamlet” in March. Plans for a new playwrights’ festival, and a children’s theatre academy are also in the developmental stages, Johnston said.