The 2021 Children’s Theatre Workshop is in operation this week. Creator-Director Caroline Good has gathered a talented group of instructors and interns to provide the participants with a great experience in “how theatre is created”.
The Workshop will present the fruits of its labors to an audience of family and friends at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 23, at 7 p.m.
Working with Good are Ashlee Anne Vitz [late of Pillow Talk] and Craig Robinson [who appeared in SHAKESPEARED! earlier this summer].
The interns include Bella Green, Rebecca Hebb, Ruby Sullivan, Avery H. Stockwell , Marigrace Girton , MJ Cooper ,and Gunner Roach . Working on the technical side are DePauw students Molly Murphy, Ivy Sedam, Josie Cox, and Grace Riley.
One of the plays on the bill will be “The Disappearing Porridge” written by Riley. The cast for this production features Lydia Grove, Josie Tincher, Blake Hambler, Charlotte Tomamichel, Abram Goss, and Mariah Hall. Appearing with them are Jackson Wells, Finley Burton, Gabby Robbins, Aleks Koulak, Lydia Wells, Sage Cummings, Addy Koulak, and Alex Gurnon.
Also being presented is “The Tiniest Queen” written by seventh grader Cooper. It features Hayley Roderick, Gabriel Whitman, Keyli Hamblet, Cecilia Wells, and Jessica Bogaerts. Also appearing will be Atlas Cora McAllister, Hillis Barcus, Lauren Wells, and Layla Koulak.
Director Dustin Bond has scheduled two sessions of auditions for You Can’t Take It With You. The Pulitzer-prize winning comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart will close the 60th season of Putnam County Playhouse with performances September 7-11 and September 14-18.
Auditions will be at the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre on Sunday, July 18 at 3 p.m. and again Monday, July 19, at 7 p.m.
Bond is looking for actors to portray a family of eccentrics – the Sycamores – who live by their own rules and the people who come into contact with them. There are roles for actors of all ability levels. The leading roles include Grandpa Vanderhoff, the head of the family; Penny, his daughter, who fancies herself a painter and/or a playwright; Alice, the grand daughter who is not sure of her place in the world; and Tony Kirby, who loves Alice in spite of her family.
Other roles include Penny’s daughter Essie and her husband Ed, the family servants Reba and her boyfriend, Donald: Tony’s disapproving parents, and many more. The full character list and their stage ages can be found here.
This is a great opportunity for actors who are looking to be onstage for the first time or who are returning to the stage after an absence. All those auditioning should be 16 years of age or older.
The 60th season continues in August with a production of the musical Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Sarah Armitage & TJ Tincher as Jan and Brad clash on their party line.
The second production of the 60th season of Putnam County Playhouse is set to take the stage! It is the comedy Pillow Talk directed by Andrew Ranck.
The show will open Tuesday, July 6. There will be ten performances at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre: July 6-10 & July 13-17. The box office will open at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 5. The number to call is 765-653-5880. All tickets are $10 and all performances begin at 8 p.m. The box office accepts cash or personal checks. We are unable to process credit/debit cards.
Based on the popular 1959 film that featured the first onscreen pairing of Rock Hudson and Doris Day – the fast moving plot details the hilarious consequences of sharing a telephone party line. Jan Morrow needs to get a call through and her party line nemesis Brad Allen will not get off the line!
Sarah Armitage as Jan Morrow & TJ Tincher as Brad Allen in rehearsal.
Starring in the leading roles are Sarah Armitage as Jan and TJ Tincher as Brad. Both of these performers have been in many shows at PCPH and bring strong comic timing and character development to the stage. Sarah was last seen in the drama Picnic. TJ directed Send Me No Flowers in 2019.
Director Ranck has also peopled his cast with stalwart comic supporting players. They include Ashlee Anne Vitz as Alma, Jan’s maid with a love for drink and Scott Armitage is Pierrot, Jan’s fussy boss at a swank decorating firm. Also featured is Sam Draper as Brad’s rival for Jan’s affections, the wealthy Jonathon Forbes.
Sarah Armitage in rehearsal as Jan Morrow
Making her PCPH debut is Tara Smith who plays a telephone inspector and four – count them FOUR – of Brad’s girlfriends. Also featured and fresh from a performance in June’s Hunchback of Notre Dame is Noah D. Pettit as Tony Walters, a lecherous young swain with designs on designer, Jan.
Scene stealing will be rampant with the popular Karen Temple playing multiple roles including Mrs. Walters and an annoying telephone operator. Joining her in displaying multiple personalities are Brad Sandy, Lita Sandy, and Mike Mitchell. Each of them is involved in a dazzling display of costume changes as they play a policeman, a beat poet, a maid, and clients of the design firm owned by Mr. Pierrot.
L-R: Sarah Armitage, Brad Sandy, Lita Sandy, TJ Tincher in rehearsal
Production stage manager of the production is Jessica Alltop. Her stage crew includes Cameron Wunderlich with assistance from cast members. Sarah Nowling is running the light board and the sound board is operated by Grant Pettit.
Scenic artist for Pillow Talk is Linda Gjesvold. Set design and set decoration is by Ranck. The set includes some original mid-century modern furnishings, electronics, and art work.
The set in progress. Sarah & Noah work on a “romantic” scene.
DePauw intern Ivy Sedam is the costume co-ordinator while her fellow intern Ja’el Thomas is working on various aspects of the production. Board liaison is Caroline Good.
Seating is limited to 80 audience members per performance as PCPH continues to follow the recommendations for social distancing.
The season continues in August with the musical Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and ends in September with the Pulitzer-prize winning comedy You Can’t Take It With You.
