Entering into the first "Summer of Musicals," Little was fresh out of graduate school in New York where he had been studying and doing work in the professional theater.
In the year 2000, the theater purchased another building that was used for rehearsal space, a dance studio, and apartments that would house the actors during their stay.
A digital archive of Little Theatre production photos and programs is available in Eastern Illinois University's online repository, The Keep.
The theater began an educational outreach program in 1997, in response to a request from the City of Sullivan Civic Center.
), the current Future Stars Program provides educational opportunities in the Arts for people ages three through adult.
The website is http://danceanddrama.org/home In 2004, after the theater had finished renovations it began a program called "Adopt a Seat."
It is a program for theater patrons that allows them to have their name, or the name of someone they want to honor, placed on the seating chart plaque that is located in the lobby.
As of now, over one hundred patrons have agreed to participate in the Adopt-A-Seat program and the money has helped The Little Theatre with the cost of renovations and putting on shows.
Guy Little, Jr. would choose his cast members, both Equity and non-Equity, from auditions in New York and Chicago during the off seasons.
A few of the bigger-name stars that have been seen on stage are Alan Alda, Ruth Warrick, Rosemary Prinz, Margaret Hamilton, Eddie Bracken, Joe E. Brown, Margaret Truman, Ann B. Davis, Annamary Dickey, Don Hastings, John Carradine, Dennis Weaver, Robert Reed, Cesar Romero, Betty Ann Grove, Patricia Morrison, Ron Ely, Betty Grable, Virginia Graham, Bill Hayes, Ann Miller, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Mickey Rooney, Kathryn Crosby, Kitty Carlisle, Robert Newman, and many more.
Jonathan Frid, the resident vampire Barnabas Collins on the gothic daytime drama Dark Shadows, drew sold-out crowds when he portrayed Tony Wendice in Dial M for Murder in 1969.
In recent years, a number of performers and artist who have appeared at The Little Theatre been featured on Broadway and in the West End (London) including Marisha Wallace (Aladdin, Something Rotten, Dreamgirls), J. Michael Zygo (Once, School Of Rock) and Alysha Deslorieux, (Hamilton, Once On This Island).
The final musical for the season, Guys and Dolls, sold out and was the first one to force the balcony seats to open.
As of 2023, the summer season includes 6 musicals, 1 play and 3 TYA (theatre for Young Audience shows.