It All Began Over Lunch In 1889
It all began over lunch in 1889, when three young Indianapolis women imagined a club devoted to the stage. Their first matinee performance, Sweethearts by W. S. Gilbert, was staged in a member’s ballroom and followed by tea and sandwiches — the start of a tradition that quickly grew in popularity.
Within a year, the Matinee Club became the Dramatic Club with 149 members. Plays soon gave way to evenings that paired performances with dances, and the Club welcomed men and women alike into its casts and membership. Notable members such as Booth Tarkington helped shape its early years, and in 1950 the beloved Cotillion tradition began — a celebration that continues to this day.
More than a century later, members still rehearse in each other’s homes, bring productions to life with dedication and creativity, and uphold the community spirit that first inspired the Club.
The play is still the thing — and so is our community.
