After working 15 years at a truck stop, Martin Hubbard said he wanted to give people a nightlife option besides going to the bar, which is why he decided to create the Rosebud Theatre, located in Effingham at 1325 Outer Belt West.

“The theater gave me the opportunity to serve the area, and it’s not just an Effingham project, its area-wide,” said Hubbard, president of the Rosebud Theatre. “We want to make Effingham a place to drive to, not just through.”

Being very active with theater in high school, Hubbard remained active throughout his life, and is currently a member of the Fine Arts County of Effingham.

He said the only real surprise with creating the theater is the performers’ deciding the ticket prices.

“The stars and performers set all the prices and dictate how much the tickets will be sold at,” he said. “If you can meet the requirements they have, they’ll come.”

Hubbard said people enjoy the fine arts because they leave in a better mood than when they came in.

“We’ll sell you the whole seat, but you’re only going to need the edge,” Hubbard said.

After months of thought and suggestions, Hubbard and his wife, Maria, came up with ‘Rosebud’ after their children.

Rose is their daughter’s middle name and Bud is their son’s nickname.

Kelly Willenborg is an employee at the Rosebud Theatre. She traveled all over the United States with her husband to see concerts and different venues.

She took a career placement test before college and music business seemed to be the best fit.

Willenborg was offered the opportunity to work at the Rosebud Theatre in Effingham in April, and knew the theater was something she wanted to be apart of.

“Music is a universal language. I wanted to be a part of a brand new facility and promote this beautiful universal language,” Willenborg said.

Recently, there was a job hiring for 110 positions to be filled for full-time, part-time and volunteer positions.

Willenborg said she was overwhelmed with the amount of interested people.

“Many people came willing to take a pay cut or volunteer their time just to be a part of the atmosphere,” she said. “As a native, it excites me to be a part of a project that can have such an impact on the community.”

Creators, Martin and Maria Hubbard, both have a theatrical background, and the theater idea was just the icing on the cake, Willenborg said.

“It started with something as straightforward as a restaurant with a dinner theater included,” she said. “But after help from a primary investor, it eventually blossomed into a full-scale, live performing arts theater.”

With a plethora of concerts booked, Willenborg said she has taken pride being a part of the brand new faculty and looks forward to the upcoming concerts.

“When sitting in a full house for B.B. King and knowing that I’ve helped contribute a small part to the making of this theater, it may well be an emotional moment,” she said.

Willenborg said the majority of the venues she’s attended are older and remodeled.

“It is the No. 1 entertainment spot within a 75-mile radius,” she said. “It’s an intimate venue with 1,564 seats and the fact that it is a brand new facility offering high-end artists right in your backyard makes it unique. I’ve been to numerous theaters, and from what I’ve witnessed, many are small and remodeled from the turn of the century.”