Registration is now open for Shakespeared! Youth Theatre Workshop 2021

Workshop Dates:  Mondays-Fridays June 14-26

Performances:  Friday & Saturday, June 25 & 26 at 7:00pm

This year’s annual two-week-long Shakespeared! Workshop at the Putnam County Playhouse centers around A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The middle school group will perform a more traditional version and the high school group will present its off-beat comedic version, complete with a lively soundtrack, chase, and pop-culture references. 

Sign up by clicking HERE.

Both groups meet in the afternoons daily during the two weeks. Activities include theatre games, learning voice, stage movement, and acting techniques, and, of course, rehearsing the play.  The middle school group meets Monday-Friday 12:30-2:30pm, and the high school workshop meets Monday-Friday 3:00-5:30pm with performances Friday and Saturday, June 26-27 at 7:00pm, when each group presents their own very different versions of the play.

We will plan on adhering strictly to the updated CDC protocols for Covid-19 at the time of the workshop. Last year, all participants wore masks during sessions, we created physical distanced staging, and we kept air flowing throughout the playhouse, or worked outside.  Props and set pieces were wiped down frequently, and we provided hand sanitizer.  We’re hoping for the best, but are prepared to implement these protocols again and consider moving the performances to the park, if necessary.

The scripts will be available soon on the playhouse website’s Youth Theatre Workshop page. So, feel free to read it before our first day. We will read through the play on day one, and the players will have a chance to note their role preferences. The roles will be cast that evening, and rehearsals will begin on day two!

THERE ARE PARTS FOR EVERYONE!

Shakespeared! is tailored to provide young players with an opportunity to engage with Shakespeare’s text in a fun way and to see the potential interpretations that lie within the text.  For more information click here.

Details and sign up information for our annual July Children’s Theatre Workshop will be posted soon.

As we move ahead with our plans for our 60th Anniversary Season, we hope that we will be able to produce the four shows that we have announced for the summer 0f 2021.

We are still watching details about the Pandemic and will follow all protocols as prescribed by county, state, and Federal authorities. The board is planning a meeting in early March to discuss changes we may have to make to our season. Any and all of those decisions will be posted here, so keep watching the Website.

Until then, if you are interested in participating in a production this summer, you can find all the information you need at the links below. Stay safe and we hope to see you at the barn!

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Show Information.

Director’s Note.

Cast Information.

Pillow Talk

Show Information.

Director’s Note.

Cast Information.

Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor© Dreamcoat

Show Information.

Director’s Note.

Cast Information.

You Can’t Take It With You

Show Information.

Director’s Note.

Cast Information.

We sincerely hope that we can be onstage this summer and that you will be able to join us. Please know that all dates in this post are TENTATIVE and depend entirely on the protocols that will be in place in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued support.

Planning a production and putting together all of the pieces can’t wait until the last minute! So director Shelly McFadden decided to go ahead with work on The Hunchback of Notre Dame – our first planned production for 2021.

Left to right: Noah Pettit, Dustin Bond, Ric McFadden, Connor George, Cadence McFadden

“One of the advantages of directing the first show is that you get to have the main stage for your entire rehearsal process,” said Shelly. “I love the Rehearsal Center, but it is fun to have the Barn to yourself for a few weeks.”

Director Shelly McFadden dropped her mask briefly to take a selfie with the crew.

The second production Pillow Talk with director Andrew Ranck will begin its process in the Rehearsal Center early in June.

Shelly and husband Ric – who is the set designer & construction captain for the show – got their crew together earlier this week for some preliminary stage work. Also on hand were Dustin Bond, Connor George, Noah Pettit, and Caydence McFadden.

Noah Pettit

Dustin Bond

Board members are watching the news and following the Pandemic News and Restrictions closely as spring approaches. Final decisions about auditions, performances, and tickets will be announced as they are made in accordance with state guidelines.

You can read about the scheduled audition dates for Hunchback of Notre Dame HERE.

Additional show information and Director’s Notes for all productions will be posted in February!!