The Players is a clubhouse and theatre located at 3321 East Jefferson Avenue in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1985 and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1987.

History

The Players Club of Detroit was founded in 1910 by a group of local Detroit businessmen as an institution to encourage amateur theater.The Players Club Detroit
website From the beginning, it was a strictly male club. For the first 15 years of the club's existence, they were forced to perform in different venues each month, including the

Detroit Athletic Club The Detroit Athletic Club (often referred to as the DAC) is a private social club and athletic club located in the heart of Detroit's theater, sports, and entertainment district. It is located across the street from Detroit's historic Music Hall ...

, the University Club and the Twentieth Century Club. A number of the financial elite of early 20th century Detroit were members of the Players, including Henry Joy, Truman Newberry,

James Couzens James J. Couzens (August 26, 1872October 22, 1936) was an American businessman, politician and philanthropist. He served as mayor of Detroit (1919–1922) and U.S. Senator from Michigan (1922–1936). Prior to entering politics he served as vice ...

, and Lawrence Fisher. The club continued as a successful and popular gentleman's club until the 1970s, when membership began to drop. However, the club experienced a renaissance in the 1990s, and as of 2005 there were 174 members.

Architecture

In 1925, Players Club member William E. Kapp designed a building to permanently house the club. Kapp was with the firm

Smith, Hinchman & Grylls SmithGroup is an international architectural, engineering and planning firm. Established in Detroit in 1853 by architect Sheldon Smith, SmithGroup is the longest continually operating architecture and engineering firm in the United States that ...

. at a cost of $75,000. The building was two stories, elaborately decorated, and constructed of what was, at the time, a novel material: cinder blocks. The exterior of the club is designed in a Florentine Renaissance style. The roof is tile, and the façade boasts a triple round arch bay framed by a wrought iron balcony.Players, The
from the state of Michigan Ten sculpted gargoyles were created by Corrado Parducci for the façade. Below the west entrance pavilion the legend "The Players" is traced in limestone. The building includes a four-story high stage, as well as a kitchen, dressing rooms, basement storage and prop rooms, and a formal meeting room on the upper floor. The interior is notable for the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unit ...

murals. Six murals on the auditorium walls, painted by

Paul Honoré Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

, depict a traveling troupe of troubadours. Eight smaller banners represent skills and trades needed to stage a theatrical production.

Plays

Members of the Players put on three one-act plays each "Frolic." Frolics take place on the first Saturday evening of the month, October through April, with the following exceptions: November, where a full three-act play is presented, and January, where the frolic is replaced with an annual fund raising event such as a "Millionaire's Party." All roles, as well as direction, costuming, set construction, and the like, are taken by members. In the Shakespearean tradition, all roles on stage are played by men.

Site

The bed of Parents Creek lies underneath one corner of the building. Near this site on July 31, 1763, the

Battle of Bloody Run The Battle of Bloody Run was fought during Pontiac's War on July 31, 1763, on what now is the site of Elmwood Cemetery in the Eastside Historic Cemetery District of Detroit, Michigan. In an attempt to break Pontiac's siege of Fort Detroit ...

(so called because the creek ran red with blood) took place between Chief Pontiac and British forces.The Players Penthouse
from Detroit1701.org A state of Michigan historical marker commemorating this battle sits in front of this building.

References

External links

The Players Club Detroit
{{DEFAULTSORT:Players National Register of Historic Places in Detroit Theatres in Detroit Buildings and structures completed in 1925 1910 establishments in Michigan Michigan State Historic Sites Event venues established in 1925 Organizations based in Detroit Clubhouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan