About Us

In 1971 the Lamp-Lite Players were born under the direction and inspiration of Sarah McMullan after she moved to Nacogdoches from her native Mississippi, where Sarah received a BA in theatre from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Before her death in 2022, Sarah directed over 300 productions or Lamp-Lite Theatre, including the 1986 Texas Sesquicentennial play, Nacogdoches: Gateway to Texas. She conducted acting workshops for interested children at Lamp-Lite Theatre and visited area schools with her fellow Players to introduce theatre to more students. In addition to serving as artistic director, Sarah also served as managing director, overseeing all business aspects of Lamp-Lite.

Occasionally, Sarah returned to her first love, acting. She appeared in the annual production of A Christmas Carol and the Lamp-Lite Players’ productions of The Elephant Man, The Cocktail Party, Inspecting Carol, The Chalk Garden, Lettice and Lovage, Once Upon a Mattress, and The Exact Center of the Universe. However, she also loved constantly inviting members of the community to join the Lamp-Lite Players, bringing out new talent as well as working with “old pros.”