Who Was Cheyenne Legend Mary Godfrey?
If you've lived in the Cheyenne area, for any length of time, then you are likely familiar with the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players and the Mary Godfrey Playhouse.
So who was this woman and what did she have to do with the theater and why was a playhouse named after Mrs. Godfrey-Yeager? With any great establishment, there is usually always a great story as we have here in Cheyenne.
Mary Godfrey was born in 1906 in McCook, Nebraska. Her father, who worked for the Union Pacific, was transferred to Cheyenne in 1913. Both of her parents taught Mary and her siblings to be self-reliant, which is a hallmark of those living in Wyoming.
She attended grade school, which was located where McCormick Junior High School is now, until a new high school was built at the corner of House and 28th (Storey Gym). She also was with the First United Methodist Church, attending Sunday School as a child and was a part of Epworth League.
The Army Band from Fort D.A. Russell would often give their concerts in the park on a Sunday afternoon. She met her husband, Warren Yeager, at an Eastern Star meeting and were then married on April 25, 1935.
The Cheyenne Little Theatre Playhouse is named after this Cheyenne legend, where you can enjoy performances by the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players.