The performing arts are also a staple in Walla Walla culture, and with many performances occurring daily, there is a lot to be seen and not much to be missed. Throughout the year, and especially in May, marks a busy month for the performing arts. During the school year, consider catching a play at the Harper Joy Theater or listen to a concert or a famous public speaker at the impressive Cordiner Hall auditorium, both on the Whitman College Campus.
The Little Theatre of Walla Walla has been entertaining the community since 1944. It is one of the few organizations that is still run completely by volunteers – from the board of directors to performers and set decorators. With 65 seasons behind them, they offer the community a showcase of comedies, dramas, murder mysteries and even musicals by local performers.
Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater features the best of theatre under the stars during the cool summer Walla Walla nights. Ground was broken in 1974 at the neighboring Fort Walla Walla Park for the 1,500 outdoor-theatre. In 1976 the first performance was Trails West, a locally written and produced summer musical production that was a tribute to the pioneer and Native American heritage of the Walla Walla area. It was a huge success with over one hundred participants with daily summer shows from July 1976 and ended in September 1977. In 1981, the Walla Walla Community College Foundation started sponsorship of the Outdoor Summer Musical program. It is produced by the WWCC Theatre Arts Program and has made the stage come alive with popular musicals such as Oklahoma, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease and the most recent, Footloose.