Closed nearly a year after a fire, this historic Forsyth theater makes a comeback

Perhaps it’s fitting that a performance of “Cinderella” is what will ring in the return of the Rose Theater in Forsyth — similar to Cinderella’s dream scenario ending when the clock struck midnight, the historical theater got devastating news in an overnight phone call in August.

A late-night call delivered the news that a fire next door to the venue had caused lasting damage that shut the facility down for nearly a year. But the Rose Theater’s return is planned for Thursday with a grand opening at 7 p.m.

The Backlot Players will bring Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” to the theater starting July 18.

The grand reopening Thursday will begin with a ribbon cutting outside the theater. Following the ribbon cutting, there will be guided tours by the Backlot Players to showcase the new renovations and celebrate the return of the theater. There will also be teasers to the theater’s upcoming season. Refreshments will be provided.

In the wake of the fire that caused the Backlot Players to cancel the remainder of their 30th anniversary 2024-2025 season, the building has gone through extensive renovations to repair and expand the Rose.

Aside from “Cinderella,” there will be three other shows inside the newly renovated Rose Theater for the revised 30th anniversary season: “Scrooge, The Stingiest Man in Town,” “A Talent for Murder,” and “Drinking Habits.”

The Backlot Players, a local nonprofit organization, saw the fire as an opportunity to not only repair the damage, but to also expand and refurbish with new exciting renovations.

Smoke and water damage caused anything that was fabric to absorb the smoke smell, which meant all that material had to go. They even had to paint the walls again. The bathrooms had to be completely redone, and all costumes were moved out and cleaned, said Connie Copelan, the vice president of marketing and advertising of the Backlot Players.

The theater decided to make additional updates, including a brand new sound booth and stage floor, a grand lobby with a new ceiling and a ticket booth, and remodeled the green room, which was designed by a member of the Backlot guild for the actors and actresses to come onstage.

Before the green room development, the actors had to sneak onstage during shows from offices across the street or from a place they call the dungeon, which is used as a storage room for the Rose.

Another big change was the color scheme. After much deliberation, the Backlot Players gave the Rose a rosy, maroon makeover, matching its namesake and changing out what once was an emerald green themed interior.

“We wanted everything to be rose,” Copelan said.

This is not the first time the theater has had to rebuild after a fire. The first incident was when another next-door neighbor, The Grits Cafe, went ablaze in March 2012. All restorations to the Rose have always been a community effort. Since 1999, when Ann and Bill Cummings donated the historic movie house to the Backlot Players, who were a budding group of local thespians that started up in 1995 looking for a permanent home, the building has been frequently renovated.

The Rose once carried out entertainment at the theater as an “under the stars entertainment emporium” because the building didn’t have a roof — it caved in in 1986, Copelan said.

The roof was eventually replaced thanks to fundraising efforts led by the Backlot Players.

Volunteers and members of the Backlot Players guild helped paint, clean, unload boxes, plan, and design the latest renovations and expansions to the Rose.

“We’re here to develop and teach young people and adults of all ages what it’s like to stand up and be in front of a crowd and perform. It builds confidence, trust, and it’s just fulfilling. And every community needs a theater,” Copelan said.

Visit the Backlot players website to learn about purchasing season tickets or making a donation.

This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 9:41 AM.