If you have been involved in any sort of theatre in Shreveport for the last 60+ years, then you have heard of Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. MLP, a jewel on the campus of Centenary College, has been setting the benchmark for local theatre since 1956.

According to Centenary College's website:

A significant contributor to the Shreveport-Bossier arts community for over fifty years, the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse features state-of-the-art theatre equipment (light, sound, and stage), a greenroom, dressing rooms, courtyard, and space for workshops. The Playhouse also features an expansive stage, 317 seats, and a box office.

But who was Marjorie Lyons?

Marjorie Lyons (born March 27, 1895) was the wife of Shreveport lawyer and oilman, Charlton Lyons (September 3, 1894 – August 8, 1973). Charlton met Marjorie in college and immediately hit it off. The former Marjorie Gladys Hall, who graduated from Newcomb College, was an aspiring actress and loved the theatre. They were married on August 28, 1917.

Charlton Lyons established the Marjorie Lyons Theater at Centenary College in Shreveport in memory of his wife and her theater interests in 1956.

Mrs. Lyons remained active in the community until her death on July 11, 1971.

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