Sunrise Players began in the fall of 2007 with the very well-received debut

performance of “Godspell”. We began with no budget, no experience, no staff,

but only a few passionate folks who felt called to this type of ministry. We held

our breaths as we advertised open auditions. We were blessed with a great

turnout! We had a cast of twenty and a wealth of blood, sweat, tears, and hysterical

good times. Our production crew, especially the cast, developed a very tight knit

community with a strong family feeling. We dreamed big with 6 shows over two

weekends. We discovered there is a niche for family-friendly musical productions

on the north end of Colorado Springs.

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The following spring of 2008, we embarked on a more mature production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”. We received great media attention as a church willing to present a potentially challenging production that was not written to create harmony and happiness between the church and non-believers. However, there is more Scriptural truth in that script and real-deal scenarios that really encourage one to consider what they believe and why. Again, we were well-received by our community. We performed with a larger cast, crew and orchestra that incorporated members from the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony for a memorable rendition of this very difficult production.

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In the Fall of 2008, we completed our production of the musical version of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. With a cast of 32 and almost that many in the crew, orchestra and tech, we had a terrific time creating magic on stage with guardian angels on high, Zuzu and her missing petals, and an amazing set and tech!

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                                         Sunrise Players grew and changed throughout the years, mounting wonderful and                                                       unforgettable productions such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Children of                                             Eden, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, White Christmas, The Wizard of                                             Oz, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Peter Pan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Rodgers and                                                 Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Perhaps one of the best loved productions–A Charlie Brown                                               Christmas–allowed the Players to interact with the Sunrise UMC Choir and Orchestra for

                                         a fantastic Christmas event.

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In 2019, we produced the award-winning Mamma Mia! and moved on to our 2020 spring production of Annie Get Your Gun. Sadly, just before our tech week, we had to close the show because of the COVID-19 shutdown. After a year and a half of being dark, Sunrise Players is ready to return with the rollicking classic, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!

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After that they went on to produce a hilarious and heartwarming story about a family that's not your typical American family - "The Addams Family".  After this production, several of the founding members decided it was time to move on and enjoy their retirement of Sunrise Players from the audience. 

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As we began to rebuild our production team, we now welcome a variety of

directors, musical directors, stage managers, and choreographers. This

allows each and ever one of our musicals to have a unique creative style

based on the team. Since then we’ve had the joy of producing

unforgettable classics like The Sound of Music, the heartwarming holiday

favorite White Christmas, the magical journey of The Wizard of Oz, and

the high-energy celebration of

freedom and faith in Footloose.

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In the summer of 2025, Sunrise Players launched our very first Youth Theater Camp — a vibrant, hands-on experience designed to inspire and equip the next generation of performers. Over the course of the camp, students dive into acting, singing, dancing, and backstage skills, all in a fun, faith-filled environment. The camp culminates in a fully staged production, giving every participant the chance to shine and share their hard work. It’s more than just a show — it’s a celebration of growth, creativity, and community.

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Each production reflects our commitment to creating meaningful, family-friendly theater that uplifts audiences and honors the gifts God has given our cast and crew. We can't wait to continue sharing our talents with you!