Sixty-five years ago, some parents in Lexington wanted a variety of productive activities for their children. What began as the Lexington County Recreation Committee, where kids could participate in theater and sports, soon morphed into the Lexington County Arts Association, focused solely on live theater in various venues, including the old Lexington Elementary School.

Now called Village Square Theatre, the local arts hub has its home at 105 Caughman Rd. The Arts Association bought the former movie theater in 1987 so that the theater could have a home base. Prior to their permanent location, plays, fall festivals and revues were held at a variety of outlets.

“We started in schools and spaces,” said Village Square Theatre’s Artistic Director David LaTorre, who came on board as the theater’s artistic director this year. 

LaTorre listed people from the beginning through today who have influenced the theater and made it what it is today.

“They were all passionate about the arts and want to see it thrive in Lexington,” he said. 

For one, George Boozer was prominent in the 1970s and 1980s and LaTorre said he helped put the theater on the map. LaTorre said Boozer “had a passion for what he did and he did the decade revues and wrote many plays” in addition to a plethora of other roles he played in the community. The Chronicle published a profile on Boozer earlier this year.

Referencing an old Lexington Chronicle article, LaTorre said that Boozer wrote the words to Lexington’s town song.

There are so many people LaTorre said were influential in building up the theater. Not all played huge roles, but they all had a passion for theater. He mentioned Barbara Bise and Nancy Huffins, who ran the costume shop for decades. The theater’s costume shop is filled with history, with racks and racks of clothing from decades past.

“It’s a safe place for people to pass on costumes from their loved ones,” LaTorre said. “Pieces predate the 60s when the theater was chartered.”

Prior to LaTorre, Debra Leopard was artistic director of the theater. It was Leopard who created the summer workshop. 

The theater also offers a scholarship every year in honor of Shari Smith who was involved with the theater. Smith was a Lexington High School student who went missing and eventually died in 1985. The theater honors her memory by presenting a scholarship to a student pursuing music education, music or a related field.

While the aforementioned people, plus many others unmentioned, played great parts in the theater’s history, it was all because of the four charter members in 1960 who had a dream for children in Lexington. 

According to the theater’s website, Mrs. Henry Taylor, Mrs. R.H. Caughman, Mrs. T.R. Sessions and W.B. Redd Jr. chartered the Lexington Recreation Committee, which would eventually separate sports and theater and lead the way to the Lexington County Arts Association years later. 

As LaTorre mentioned above, they would go out anywhere putting on performances, including the former Lexington Elementary School, the community gym on North Lake Drive and St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. Not only were there performances and festivals, but sports teams were formed as well.

Families came together because of the theater, and LaTorre says generations keep showing up.

“A lot of family members get involved,” he said, whether that involvement be acting or behind-the-scenes help. 

“We want to try to keep theater alive as much as we can,” LaTorre said. “There’s a sense of belonging that welcomes creativity.” 

Currently, the theater is in its 2025–26 season, having just wrapped up “Freaky Friday.” The next shows are: “The Odd Couple,” “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” “12 Angry Jurors,” “School of Rock” and “Sweeney Todd.”