Monday, December 9, 2013

Here Are The Directors For Our 2014 Season!


Directors have been chosen for all four of the mainstage productions for the 2014 season of Putnam County Playhouse.

First up, director Jack Randall Earles will helm Guys & Dolls. It will be produced June 5-7 and June 11-14.  Auditions will be April 6 and April 7.

Steel Magnolias will be directed by Brad Sandy. Auditions will be held May 18 and May 19.  The show will be produced July 10-12 and July 16-19.

Bryan Schroeder will direct Little Shop of Horrors. It will be presented August 7-9 and August 13-16. Auditions for this musical will be June 15 and June 16.

The final show of the season, the comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner will be directed by Ric McFadden. After auditions on July 20 and July 21, it will be presented September 11-13 and September 17-20.

More information about the shows and the auditions will be available on the website after January 1.




Sunday, November 17, 2013

2014 Fund Drive Underway!




The letters for the 2014 Fund/Membership Drive are now in the mail.  Please return your donation card as soon as possible!

If you haven't received your letter, or if you are not on our mailing list, and would like to contribute please click on the "Contact Us" tab at the top of the page, and then click on the 2014 Fund Drive Form link.

Directors and audition dates for our 2014 season will be announced soon!  Keep watching the website!  Thank you for your continued support.


 


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

McFadden Prevails In Close Upstage Award Contest!

Actor Ric McFadden was the winner of the 2013 Upstage Award.  He won for his performance as "The Superintendent" in the August production of the musical The Drowsy Chaperone.


McFadden as The Superintendent

The Award was presented to McFadden by PCPH Treasurer Mark Hammer at the October 27th Annual Meeting.

Mark Hammer (left) & McFadden at the ceremony.



McFadden has previously won the award for performances in I'll Be Back Before Midnight and Don't Drink the Water.





Monday, October 28, 2013

2014 Season Update


The Tams-Witmark Library which controls the amateur productions rights for My Fair Lady informed us last week they are unable to release the title to us for our 2014 season. A professional touring production of the show is scheduled to be in our area.

For this reason, our 2014 season will open instead with a production of the musical Guys & Dolls.




Guys & Dolls with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows first opened on Broadway on November 24, 1950. It ran for 1200 performances and won Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Leading Actor (Robert Alda as Sky Masterson), Best Featured Actress (Isabel Bigley as Sarah Brown), Best Choreography (Michael Kidd) and Best Direction of a Musical (George S. Kaufman).

Popular songs from the score include "Luck Be A Lady Tonight", "Adelaide's Lament", and "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat."

"Guys & Dolls" was revived on Broadway in 1976, 1992, and 2009. 

Click HERE to read more about the show.

 






Wednesday, October 16, 2013

THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON YOU!!!



Putnam County Playhouse will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, October 27. at 3 p.m. The event will be in the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre in Greencastle.

The business to be conducted includes the annual reports from each committee chairperson and a discussion of the 2013 season. President of the PCPH board, Michael McClaine will chair the meeting.  

All board members will be present to hear from the public and PCPH participants about their experience during the year. This is your opportunity to let the board know what you think!!!

The presentation of the 2013 Upstage Award will also take place. Nominated this year are Ivan Glotzbach for You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Ashlee Ann Vitz for Angel Street, Ric McFadden for The Drowsy Chaperone, and Jerica Bean for Harvey.

Nominations for members of the board will be taken. The public is invited. The event is free, and light refreshments will be served.

Officers of the board are McClaine, president; Jack Randall Earles, 1st vice president; Linda Gjesvold, 2nd vice president; Mark Hammer, treasurer; and Kathryn Dory, secretary. PCPH board members include Caroline Good, Brad Sandy, Jim Rambo, Sandi Rossok, Bethany Bax, Drew Brattain, Jim Green, Ric McFadden, Shelly McFadden, Meghan Armitage, Dustin Bond, TJ Tincher, and Andrew Hayes.




Tuesday, October 8, 2013

ANNUAL MEETING & UPSTAGE AWARDS COMING RIGHT UP!!!

The 2013 Annual Meeting of Putnam County Playhouse will be on Sunday, October 27. at 3 p.m. It will be held in the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. The public is invited.

We will recap the season, and the committee chairs will present their annual reports. This is also the time for you to give your suggestions on how to keep PCPH growing as we enter our 53rd season.

The Annual Upstage Award Winner will also be announced. The UA nominees are named by the directors of our shows. The award is presented to that person who is most successful in creating a memorable small role in a production.

This year the nominees are:


Ivan Glotzbach as a featured dancer in "Beethoven Day" in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.



Ashlee Ann Vitz for her portrayal of the devious maid Nancy in Angel Street.



Ric McFadden as The Superintendent in The Drowsy Chaperone.

Jerica Bean as Myrtle Mae Simmons in Harvey.

The Annual Meeting is a free event and the public is invited. Light refreshments will be served.






Wednesday, September 25, 2013

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR 2014 SEASON!!!!!





The 53rd Season of Putnam County Playhouse has been confirmed.  Some of our most popular shows will be returning to the stage.


PLEASE SEE THE ARTICLE AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO READ ABOUT A CHANGE IN OUR SEASON!!!!!


July brings comedy and tears with Steel Magnolias.


This comedy-drama by Robert Harling tells the story of the bond between a group of Southern women who meet regularly in a local beauty shop.  Harling wrote the play based on his real life experience with the death of his sister.  The play ran Off-Broadway for more than 1100 performances after opening on March 28, 1987.

The steel magnolias of the title include Truvy, owner of the shop; M'Lynn and her daughter Shelby; Clairee and Ouiser, two friends; and Annelle, the shop assistant.  There are no men's roles in the play.

A film version of the play was released in 1989.

Look out, Look out, LOOK OUT! Audrey Two will be loose in August!


Little Shop of Horrors is a musical with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken. It began as a low-budget 1960 film directed by Roger Corman. It first ran Off-Broadway in 1987 and was revived on Broadway in 2003.

The film and musical tell the story of Seymour, who finds an unusual plant that turns out to have a plan for world domination. Other roles in the show include his girlfriend, Audrey; her boyfriend, a dentist, Orin; a trio of girl singers who act as a Greek chorus for the story; and an ensemble of performers who play many roles.

Songs include the title tune,  "Suddenly Seymour" and "Somewhere That's Green."

Little Shop of Horrors was also made as a musical film by director Frank Oz in 1986.

An unwanted guest shows up in September.


A classic comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart is about a celebrated writer who has to spend a few weeks with a Midwestern family when he breaks his leg in a fall from their front step. It opened on Broadway on October 16, 1939.  It enjoyed a long run and then played on tour for many seasons. The Man Who Came to Dinner has been revived on Broadway many times. Its latest version starring Nathan Lane was taped for PBS in 2000.

Sheridan Whiteside invades the home of the Stanley family and turns their lives upside down. There are many local characters and a love triangle involving his secretary, Maggie; a local newspaperman, Bert; and a flashy Broadway actress Lorraine.

The Man Who Came to Dinner was made into a film in 1942 starring Monty Wooley and Bette Davis as Whiteside and Maggie.
.
Directors and audition dates for all productions will be announced after the first of the year.

If you or your organization are interested in becoming a sponsor for a production in 2014, please contact Drew Brattain at DBrattain@putnamcountyplayhouse.com for details.

Thanks to all of our 2013 participants and donors for a successful season!  




Tuesday, September 17, 2013

"HARVEY" CONTINUES FOR A SECOND WEEK!!!





HARVEY ENDED ITS RUN ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 21!!


Harvey & Elwood want to see you at the Playhouse this weekend! Only 4 performances remain.


Wednesday - Saturday, September 18-21




Tuesday, September 3, 2013

"Harvey" Will Close the 52nd Season!!!

Veta Louise (Kathi Elliott) is aghast as Mrs. Chauvanet (Karen Temple) is introduced to
Harvey by Elwood (Michael McClaine).

HARVEY ENDED ITS RUN ON SEPT. 21.


The Putnam County Playhouse 52nd season will close with a production of Harvey by Mary Chase. The comedy won the Pulitzer Prize in its first season on Broadway in 1944. It was made into a popular film starring James Stewart in 1950. Stewart had replaced the original Elwood P. Dowd (Frank Fay) on Broadway during the summers of 1947 and 1948. He also later appeared in a Broadway revival of the play and also starred in a London production. Stewart and Helen Hayes were in a 1972 television production of the show as well. 


The play is being directed by Jim Rambo. He last appeared onstage in The Curious Savage and directed Don't Drink the Water in 2011. Serving as assistant and technical director is Bryan Schroeder. Schroeder has appeared onstage in Death By Chocolate and also designed the set for Angel Street this season. He is also running the sound board for Harvey.  Set design and painting is by Linda Gjesvold who most recently designed the set for The Drowsy Chaperone.  Production stage manager is Eva Huang who is working at PCPH for the first time.

Harvey and Elwood (Michael McClaine)

Michael McClaine has the leading role of Elwood P. Dowd. He believes he has a best friend in a six-foot tall rabbit he has named Harvey. His friend is visible to him, but invisible to everyone else. His sister Veta Louise Simmons (Kathi Elliott, making her PCPH debut) and her daughter Myrtle Mae (Jerica Bean) are both appalled at Elwood's insistance that Harvey share their home.

Kathi Elliott plays Veta Louise Simmons.

Veta is convinced by family friend Judge Omar Gaffney (Jim Elliott, making his PCPH debut) that Elwood should be put away. She chooses the sanitarium run by Dr. Chumley (Don Collins), who has his own problems with his assistant Dr. Sanderson (Dustin Bond) and his nurse Miss Kelly (Sarah Bond). Collins has appeared in many productions including The Sunshine Boys, Barefoot in the Park, and Don't Drink the Water. The Bonds most recently appeared in The Drowsy Chaperone.

Don Collins plays Dr. William B. Chumley

Playing other characters in the play are Karen Temple, David Roberts, Sandi Rossok, Cheyanne Elliott (PCPH debut), and Alan Zerkel (PCPH debut). Shelly McFadden and Marilyn Burdsall are heard as featured performers at a party in the first scene.

Karen Temple plays Mrs. Ethel Chauvanet

Temple has appeared in many productions including Annie, I Remember Mama, and Pippin. Roberts appeared earlier this season in The Drowsy Chaperone. Rossok appeared in The Curious Savage and was assistant director for Angel Street earlier this season.

Sandi Rossok plays Mrs. Chumley
Also working on the production side of Harvey are Brenda McClaine, Diana Van Middlesworth, and Ruth Poor.

Harvey is being sponsored by Duke Energy.


Click HERE to learn more about our sponsor.





Thursday, August 29, 2013

Sunday, August 18, 2013

"HARVEY" UP NEXT AT PCPH!


The Drowsy Chaperone has ended its run.  

Next up on the mainstage will be the comedy Harvey. It will be presented September 12-14 and 18-21.

Tickets will go on sale at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 9!!

Harvey is sponsored by:

Click HERE to learn more about our sponsor.






Monday, August 12, 2013

"THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" Continues For Second Week

Jack Randall Earles as Man In The Chair. Photo by Julie Watson


THE DROWSY CHAPERONE HAS ENDED ITS RUN


The musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone continues its second week of performances. It will be presented August 14-17.  All shows are at 8 p.m. All tickets are reserved. 


The Drowsy Chaperone is being sponsored by:



Click HERE to learn more about this sponsor.

AND



Click HERE to learn more about this sponsor.



Monday, August 5, 2013

See "The Drowsy Chaperone" First, So You Can Tell Your Friends!!!



The 52nd season of Putnam County Playhouse continues with the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone.”  It will be on stage August 8-10 and August 14-17.  All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 765-653-5880 during its regular hours 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. beginning Monday, August 5th. All seats are reserved and all seats are $10.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” book is by Bob Martin & Don McKellar with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison.  It was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards in 2006, and won five.
The production is sponsored by First National Bank and Shuee’s Furniture and Mattress.



                                                                          

Click HERE to learn about this sponsor.



Click HERE to learn more about this sponsor.

This production is being directed by Shelly McFadden. Shelly directed “The Music Man” in 2011 and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” last season. Vocal director is Ric McFadden (who also appears in the show briefly). Ric has appeared in many shows at PCPH including “Camelot” (twice) and “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight.”   Marilyn Burdsall is music director and pianist for the show.  Marilyn has been the musical director or pianist for many shows including “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”, “Man of La Mancha”, “Clue The Musical”, and “The Music Man.” The band includes Michael McClaine, percussion; Drew Brattain, bass; and Geoff Price, keyboards. Choreography is by Deb Grammel, who is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at DePauw where she teaches dance and movement.


Shelly McFadden, the director.

At the top of the show, the Man in the Chair (Jack Randall Earles) tells us about his favorite musical, the 1928 production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” As he plays the record, the musical comes to life in his living room. Earles last appeared onstage at PCPH in “See How They Run”. He also directed “Angel Street” earlier this season. Characters in the show include the bride-to-be Janet (Meghan Armitage) and her love struck groom Robert (Brad Sandy).  Sandy and Armitage appeared in leading roles together in “Bye Bye Birdie.” Handed the task of keeping them apart until the wedding are the best man George (Cameron Callan) and the Drowsy Chaperone (Julia Kapke). Callan played the title role in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” this season and has also appeared in “Camelot” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Kapke is making her PCPH debut with “The Drowsy Chaperone.”


Meghan Armitage & Brad Sandy. 

The wedding is to be held at the estate of the wealthy Mrs. Tottendale (Tammy Hunter) who is having trouble with her butler, Underling (Lee Reberger).  Hunter was in “The Curious Savage” last season and earlier played a major role in “Don’t Drink the Water”. Reberger is making his PCPH debut in this production although he is well known to Brazil audiences for his work at Community Theater of Clay County.  Other guests include a Broadway producer, Mr. Feldzig (David Roberts); his chorine girlfriend, Kitty (Sarah Bond); and the King of Romance,  Aldolpho  (TJ Tincher). Roberts is making his PCPH debut. Sarah appeared in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and five other musicals at PCPH. Tincher appeared as Jack Manningham in “Angel Street” earlier this season.


Tammy Hunter & Lee Reberger


The proceedings are further interrupted by a pair of Broadway gangsters (Troy Pierce and Dustin Bond) and a high-flying aviatrix (Ashlee Vitz). Pierce and Bond appeared together at PCPH in “The Music Man.” Dustin has also appeared in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “The Music Man.” Vitz was Guenevere in the 2011 production of “Camelot.”



Troy Pierce, Sarah Bond, Dustin Bond

The ensemble includes Jacob Peterman, Chris Wurster, Abby Cheek, Hannah Brattain, Lori Briones, and Joe Lippard. Wurster, Brattain, Briones, and Lippard have all been onstage at PCPH.  Peterman and Cheek are making their PCPH debuts.


Julia Kapke as Beatrice Stockwell as Hamlet



Scenic designer is Linda Gjesvold. Technical design is by Bryan Kent.  Costumer is Diana Van Middlesworth with new costume construction by Pat Armitage. Brenda McClaine is running the light board, and the sound board is being controlled by Craig Armitage.  Vitz is the production stage manager and assistant director. She is being assisted by Jessica Masner on the stage crew. Elijah Brattain and Ciara Lippard are the spotlight operators.


Sunday, August 4, 2013

Who Is Who in "The Drowsy Chaperone" Part Six

Brad Sandy.  Photo by Julie Watson

ROBERT MARTIN - He is engaged to marry Janet, but the whole situation becomes a mess when he puts on a blindfold and kisses a French girl named Mimi!


Tickets on sale Monday, August 5th!


Friday, August 2, 2013

Who Is Who in "The Drowsy Chaperone" Part Five


The Man in the Chair (Jack Randall Earles) is pleased to meet the some of the cast of his favorite show, the 1928 musical The Drowsy Chaperone. He would like to introduce them to you!

Tickets on sale August 5th!





Thursday, August 1, 2013

Who Is Who in "The Drowsy Chaperone" Part Four

David Roberts.  Photo by Julie Watson

VICTOR FELDZIG - producer of Feldzig's Follies. He has to find a way to stop the wedding of his star Janet so she won't quit show business!

Tickets on sale August 5th.

 


Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Who Is Who in "The Drowsy Chaperone" Part Three

Julia Kapke. Photo by Julie Watson

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - Her job is to keep bride-to-be Janet away from the groom Robert until the wedding. She has a hard time doing that after opening her flask, then having a martini, and then downing a Gibson (with an olive instead of an onion)!

Tickets on sale August 5th!!


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Who Is Who In "The Drowsy Chaperone" Part Two

Troy Pierce, Sarah Bond, Dustin Bond.  Photo by Julie Watson

KITTY & THE TALL BROTHERS - She wants to be a Broadway Star, and they are pretending to be pastry chefs instead of the gangsters that they really are!

Tickets on sale August 5th.


Monday, July 29, 2013

Who Is Who in "The Drowsy Chaperone"

Meghan Armitage.  Photo by Julie Watson


JANET VAN de GRAAF - A Broadway star who is giving up the stage for love!!!!


TICKETS ON SALE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 5th.



Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Who's Who in "Harvey"


Director Jim Rambo has cast our September production of the Mary Chase comedy "Harvey."

Click HERE to see the cast list!


"Harvey" is sponsored in part by:



Click HERE to learn more about our sponsor.

Children’s Theatre Workshop 2013 – “Stories OnStage”


The Children’s Theatre Workshop is now underway!  The workshop for children grades 2nd-5th is being held this week daily 10:00-11:30am with a culminating “work in progress” performance on Friday evening, July 26th  at 7:00 pm in the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.  Admission to the performance is free.

This year’s program includes two original comedic renderings of classic tales by Susanna Howard.  The first entitled “The Unknown Number of Dancing Princesses” will be directed by Caroline Good and Susanna Howard, and assisted by Chloe Maginity and Lucas Eckrich.  “The Gingerbread Kid” will be directed by TJ Tincher and Ashlee Vitz and assisted by Hannah Gellman.  The children will also perform creative stagings of poems by Shel Silverstein, applying techniques they have learned during the week.

Appearing in "The Unknown Number of Dancing Princesses" are Harris Weltz, Bijou Champagne, Olivia Headley, Fiona Good, Lillian Lane, Alice Howard, Iris MacKenzie, Eleanor MacKenzie, Javen Brown, Marleah Muncie, Chloe Gardner.  Also in the cast are Brenigan Warren, Luca Comichisto, Cam Bendix, Ian Barger, Hunter Miller, and Brandon Lane.

"The Gingerbread Kid" features Anna Norris, Will Roberts, Mia Warmoth, Evvie Timberman, Zethor Peterson, Logan Warren, Ella Hirt, Zoe Weltz, Sam White, Hope Roberts, Katie White, Gabby Roberts, and Charlie Good.



The mission of the Children’s Theatre Workshop is bringing to young people the love of theatre, providing them a venue to explore their creativity, and allowing them to collaborate and express themselves on stage.

 In addition to learning basic theatre skills and vocabulary, the kids will be given instruction in basic acting technique, movement and voice for the stage, character development, and how to work with an ensemble.   The kids will then apply these skills through theatre games and as they rehearse a short play.

Corporate sponsor for the event is Shuee's Furniture & Mattress.



Click HERE to learn more about our sponsor!