Meet Rip and Bonnie Johnson of Beatniks on Conkey in Hammond

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rip and Bonnie Johnson.

We opened in January of 2008 after remodeling a vacant storefront. We will celebrate our 10th anniversary January 13, 2018. There are three theater companies who regularly perform at Beatniks, Hammond Community Theater, Variety Theater, and Beatniks Entertainment. We have a play every two months and two original variety comedy shows (The Beatnik Babes) at spring and Christmas. We also have occasional musical guests, or traveling troupes. We are a coffee house/ theater, “where Art meets Joe”

BEATNIKS was created by Rip and Bonnie Johnson as a place for creative minds to try out new material, for theater groups who need a place to perform, to offer the public a place to relax, have a cup of coffee, maybe a snack or two, and be entertained.

Beatniks has Plays, Variety Shows, and Musical acts perform throughout the year, on weekends. We also have Tap Classes and Improv classes

Has it been a smooth road?
As a storefront theater in an off the main drag residential sort of an area, we suffer from lack of visibility. Though over the years we have grown steadily. Our first plays had very low attendance, but we persevered and now sell out many of our performances. Our growth has also allowed us with the support of Hammond Community Theater to enhance our technical abilities. We have been recognized by the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theater Foundation for many of our plays and actors. Being a totally volunteer organization we live on a shoestring budget and are very thankful for all the help we have received throughout the years.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Beatniks on Conkey story. Tell us more about the business.
As a Community Theater, we place the emphasis on Community. Our theater is home to many fine actors, directors, and technical people. Our Beatnik family has come together to present over 60 plays and dozens of Original Variety shows to our audiences. We feel that everyone who walks through our doors has just become a Beatnik, with us. We are the type of a Theater where, we hope, people can come with an idea for a new show or wanting to begin on stage or behind the scenes and we will welcome them into our family and nurture them toward their goals. We have improv classes, tap and belly dancing classes. We want to be a living and vital part of the community.

Contact Info:

• Address: 420 Conkey Street, Hammond, Indiana
• Website: beatniksonconkey.com
• Phone: 219-852-0848
• Email: Beatniksonconkey@sbcglobal.net
• Facebook: Beatniks on Conkey

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