The Rock Valley College Studio Theatre was an indoor community theater located on the Rock Valley College campus in Rockford, Illinois; its operational status has been put on hold indefinitely, a casualty of the Illinois Budget crisis (see: Bruce Rauner#Governor of Illinois). It is often conflated with the Rock Valley College Starlight Theatre, which operates in the nearby Bengt Sjostrom Theatre, an award-winning outdoor complex known as Starlight Theatre by local residents. Confusion exists as both theatres are operated by the RVC Theatre Department and stand in close proximity to one another.
The 172-seat, three-quarter thrust theatre is housed in a converted barn, along with the RVC Theatre Department offices and costume storage facilities. The building and its accompanying 217 acres were purchased by the college in 1965 from Dr. J.J. Rogers. The structure has undergone several renovations and served multiple purposes since its initial purchase, at certain times housing the college cafeteria, library and admissions offices. As the campus grew, new buildings were assigned to serve these purposes. By 1985, an unnamed student theatre group had taken up residence in the building. This group would eventually be folded into the existing RVC Theatre Department. Plans to move from "the barn" to a new Arts Instructional Center with modern amenities has been tabled by the college's board of Trustees.
According to local newspaper records, more than 130 productions have taken place in Studio Theatre.
1985: Ah! Wilderness1985: Christmas with the Conroys1986: Ladyhouse Blues1986: Wings1986: End of the World1986: Christmas with the Conroys1987: Same Time Next Year1987: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda1987: Prometheus Bound1987: Hoosier Lore1988: Two Gentlemen of Verona1988: Dr. Franken's Consuming Obsession1988: Death of a 2nd Husband1988: Christmas with the Conroys1989: The Tempest1989: Smile of the Buddha1989: Your Plays or Mine1989: Christmas at Wits End1990: Measure for Measure1990: Danger:Memory1990: King Lear1990: Godspell1991: Midsummer Nights Dream1991: Verdict1991: Richard III1991: Fantasticks1992: Wild Oats1992: Runner Stumbles1992: Macbeth1992: Cotton Patch Gospel1993: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead1993: Ten Little Indians1993: Henry IV I1993: She Loves Me1994: Lend Me a Tenor1994: Witness for the Prosecution1994: Romeo & Juliet1994: American Rock1995: Kites Book1995: The Hollow1995: Hamlet1995: 1940's Radio Hour1996: Bad Manners1996: Black Coffee1996: Winter's Tale1996: They're Playing Our Song1997: Star Rover1997: Towards Zero1997: Much Ado About Nothing1997: Nunsense1998: Three Women Embracing1998: Spider's Web1998: Twelfth Night1998: Dames at Sea1999: Royal Hunt of the Sun1999: The Mousetrap1999: Julius Caesar1999: Company2000: Confused in Blimey2000: Unexpected Guest2000: As You Like It2000: King Henry V2000: Midsummer Nights Dream2000: Titus Andronicus2000: Nunsense2001: The Lake2001: Murder at the Vicarage2001: Comedy of Errors2001: Macbeth2001: Richard II2001: The Christmas Schooner2002: Crossing Bridges2002: Murder on the Nile2002: Henry IV, Part II2002: Taming of the Shrew2002: Troilus & Cressida2002: Cabaret2003: Emily's Shadow2003: Cards on the Table2003: Othello2003: Loves Labours Lost2003: Into the Woods2004: Pearl's Jam2004: Alibi2004: Merchant of Venice2004: Timon of Athens2004: Queen Margaret2004: Victor/Victoria2005: Scapino!2005: Love From a Stranger2005: Romeo & Juliet (also performed at the Bengt Sjostrom Theatre)2005: The Christmas Schooner2006: The Mayor of West Belvidere2006: Appointment with Death2006: Antony & Cleopatra2006: All's Well that Ends Well2006: Lent2007: You Can't Take it With You2007: A Murder is Announced2007: Merry Wives of Windsor2007: Pericles2007: Faculty Lounge2008: Last Easter2008: A Daughter's A Daughter2008: King John2008: Cymbeline2008: Caroline or Change2009: American Buffalo2009: Peril at End House2009: Hamlet2009: Coriolanus2009: Christmas with the Conroys2010: Cotton Patch Gospel2010: And Then There Were None2010: The Tempest2010: King Henry VIII2010: Hoosier Lore2011: Grey Gardens2011: Go Back for Murder2011: King Lear2011: A Christmas Carol2012: Rocky Horror Show2012: Murder is Easy2012: A Midsummer Night's Dream2012: Rocky Horror Show (Reprise)2013: Avenue Q2013: Fiddler's Three2013: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat2013: The Wizard of OzSince before its official formation, Studio Theatre has performed original plays by local playwrights.
The Northwest Suburban Penny Ante Poker Club & Suicide League by T. Zack, 1983Lazaretti or the Saber-Toothed Tiger by F. Hockwalder, 1984–85Christmas with the Conroys by T. Zack, 1985–86Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda by M. Swan, 1986–87Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound (translated by the cast), 1987–88Hoosier Lore by T. Zack, 1987–88Dr. Franken's Consuming Obsession by G. Freek, 1987–88Death of a Second Husband by R. Cline, 1988–89The Smile of the Buddha by G. Freek, 1988–89Your Plays or Mine by B. Wine, 1989–90Christmas at Wits End by T. Zack, 1989–90American Rock by J.E. Murray & R. Pauly, 1994–95Kite's Book by R. Caisley, 1994–95Bad Manners by R. Caisley, 1994–95The Star Rover by M.P. Webb, 1996–97Three Women Embracing by R. Caisley, 1997–98Confused in Blimey by T. Hunter, 1999–2000World Premiere of The Lake by R. Caisley, 2000–01Crossing Bridges by C. Blatcher-Martin, 2001–02Emily's Shadow by G. Quirk, 2002–03Pearl's Jam by Tom Hunter, 2003–04Shakespeare's Queen Margaret (adapted by R. Potter - Midwest Premiere), 2004–05The Mayor of West Belvidere by T. Hunter, 2005–06