FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The theater is small, even cozy with seats on three sides of the stage.

But no, it was not named for the number of seats.

“There’s a rumor somebody started,” said Jonne Thornton, the theater’s technical director. He explained that the theater was named for the road it is near, U.S. 98.

Theatre 98 will be celebrating its 50th year this season. To mark the occasion, the theater will reprise its very first production in October, “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll,” a story of two Australian Outback cane-cutters, the barmaids they take up with and the changes life brings.

Thornton will direct. He did not see the original production, but, “I’ve encountered more people who have seen that first show,” he said with a laugh.

“I think my wife, Becky, may have (seen the show),” he added. When asked if the performance would be different than the one audiences saw in 1961, he replied, “You betcha. I hope. I asked for a fresh take.”

In addition to the encore performance, Brenda Hedstrom, the co-president, added there will be a special performance with citations from government officials Oct. 9.

Plans are not complete, but if they miss it, the “gala performance” will be something people will wish they had attended, Hedstrom promises.

Although the theater is small, the cast, crew and administration of the company try to, “do the best shows possible,” according to Hilary Martin, the theater’s corresponding secretary.

While none of the three were among the original founding members of the company, Hedstrom jokes, “it feels like it.” All three say that many of the founding members have died or are no longer active in the theater.

“The idea is to create theater opportunities for the community,” said Thornton.

Martin added that Theatre 98 has, “a great group of volunteers, a great group of people.”

Plays, Thornton says, are selected by a “reading committee,” who evaluate plays available and then set the season’s line-up. Balancing comedy and drama is crucial.

“It (the season) should not be too fluffy,” added Thornton. “We do something with meat as well.”

It can be an overwhelming experience.

“The play has to work technically for us,” explained Hedstrom. The play has to be something Theatre 98 can do in their small theater — a former church. There are virtually no “wings” or space off the stage to store sets and for actors to assemble and dressing rooms are … basic. A curtain separates the male from female dressing rooms.

“We are crippled by space,” Thornton said. “There is no place to put an orchestra.”

The theater company is planning to build an outbuilding that will hold costumes and props which are stored “all over,” according to Martin. The new structure will also be used for building sets.

Despite the space problem, Baldwin County has embraced the theater group. Hedstrom says there are 653 “members” or season ticket-holders of Theatre 98.

Most of the performances are reserved for those season ticket-holders, but at least one performance is held open to the general public and ticket-holders are urged to pass their tickets on to others, or to let the box office know the seats are available.

The theater has been an incubator for talent. Anyone is welcome to be a part of the performances, and people with all ranges of experience have answered the call.

“We encourage people to audition,” said Thornton.