For 16 years, under the direction of Bill and Ellen Lilja, Flinn’s Living History Theater called the top floor of the historic Flinn Building home.

Last June, after some financial difficulties, the non-profit theater was forced to close.

Now a new group, known as Flinn’s Community Players, has formed to bring the history-based performances back to life.

Flinn’s has partnered with the Morningstar Grange in Millersburg to perform the plays written by Ellen Lilja, as well as expand productions to other mid-valley playwrights.

Still in its fledgling stages, the troupe’s arrangement with the grange is on a play-by-play basis, and the Flinn’s board is optimistic about its future there.

“We felt really comfortable when we first went to the grange,” said board member Carol Leder. “They are just nice people and had a lot of great ideas. They were just so welcoming.”

Since the theater’s closure last summer, the board has sought a viable performance space that would meet the needs of the group. Flinn’s is still non-profit and depends on ticket sales and financial donations to run. Many of the locations the board looked at were either too expensive or couldn’t meet Flynn’s needs.

The arrangement with the Morningstar Grange benefits the players and the grange financially, as they will split the proceeds. In addition, both groups will assist in promotion of the plays in order to increase advertising.

Whether Flinn’s will remain a dinner theater is still up in the air. However, they will serve dessert during their inaugural run of “Murder at Sixth and Ferry,” opening May 4.

Auditions for the play will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 5, in the community room at Ray’s Food Place in North Albany.

The Flinn players are looking to fill roles for both men and women, and for three children, appearing between the ages of 9 and 12.

For more information or to volunteer, call 704-8563.

By Heather Crabtree, Albany Democrat-Herald