At the beginning of our 62nd season [and our 40th season inside the Hazel Day Longden Theatre] we decided we would have to replace the air conditioning units that keep YOU cooler when you’re attending our shows!
During rehearsals of our season opener GREASE! the units arrived! Because of supply chain issues, the units ordered in March had been briefly delayed. They were expertly put into place and are now hard at work. The cast rehearsing Anything Goes [with our new pianist] is having a great time getting ready for YOU. Tickets for the show go on sale at 5 p.m. Monday, August 14 at the box office only.
The Putnam County annual Children’s Theatre Workshop will display the fruits of its labors on Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. on the stage of the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. The public is invited to the event – and admission is free to all.
The Workshop is made possible by a grant from Arts Illiana.
Click HERE to watch an interview with Caroline Good! No matterwhat I say – admission to the workshop is FREE for all!
Director of the program Caroline Good has assembled a mighty team volunteers who work only one week to make the show possible. In addition to Good and Kathi Elliott who give instruction in acting, there is Sarah Armitage for dance/movement, and Eleanor Howard for voice and diction. Instructors also include Ruby Sullivan and Alice Howard.
Their work is coordinated with that of the interns (all of them alumni of the program) Rebecca Hebb, Catherine Ryan-Shager, MJ Cooper, Ella Tischer, Josie Tischer, Gabby Robbins, Charlotte Tomamichel, and Savannah Wolfe.
Audiences will see the World Premieres of two plays by the resident playwrights of the program. They are Andthe Winner Is… by Sullivan, and The Almost Heist by Ellen Blackledge and Joslyn Cash.
Appearing in Sullivan’s play are Tinzlee Coulson, Ben Wolfe, Maryn Huber, Hollis Barcus, and Hadley Roderick. Also taking on roles in this spoof of children’s beauty pageants are Henry Wolfe, Cece Wells, Cheyanne Johnson, and Nancy Napier. Completing the cast will be Zoey Bond, Nora Napier, Levi Watkins, and Delilah Plot.
In the play by Blackledge and Cash, audiences will see Hannah Jernagan, Elijah Neeley, Gloria Jones, Tatum Wilson, Millie Jones, and Keyli Hamblet. Also featured are Wyatt Schutter, Caydee Johnson, Greene Henry, Quinn Dory, and Lauren Wells. Rounding out the cast are Liza Tischer, Jeriden Vaughn, and Alton Henry.
Putnam County Playhouse extends its thanks to the families of the participants who participate in our Youth Programs!
Taking a cue from Emily Dickinson, director Jack Randall Earles and his assistant director Sandi Rossok have scheduled two days of auditions for their production of the Paul Osborn play Morning’s At Seven. The first session will be Sunday, July 23 at 3 p.m. followed by a second session on Monday, July 24, at 7 p.m. The events will be held at the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center in the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.
To watch an interview with Jack Randall about the auditions – click HERE. [Note – I messed up the husbands & wives. Ida is married to Carl, Cora is married to Thor, and Esther is married to David. JRE]
Production dates for the show which will close the 62nd season of Putnam County Playhouse are September 14-16 & September 20-23.
Stage manager for the production is Brandon Wunderlich. Technical director is Dustin Bond. Set designers are Linda Gjesvold and Cameron Wunderlich and Anna Harris.
There are nine roles in the production. They include four sisters in their late 50’s/early 60’s (stage ages) Esther, Ida, Cora, and Aaronetta. Three of the sisters are married to men of the same ages – these roles are Theodore (Thor), David, and Carl. Visiting on a particular weekend are Ida and Carl’s son Homer and his intended bride, Myrtle – both of whom are in their late 30’s/early 40’s (stage age).
Director Dustin Bond’s production of the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong will continue the 62nd season of Putnam County Playhouse. It will be onstage July 13-15 and July 19-22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are available only at the box office by calling 765-653-5880 after 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday beginning July 10 until closing night July 22. Tickets are not available online OR on Facebook. All tickets are $15 and all shows begin at 8 p.m.
The Play That Goes Wrong is an award-winning play that was as popular Off-Broadway as it was when it was first presented by its creators in London. It has also toured the U.S.
Hear what director Dustin Bond has to say about the production in an interview on Conversations With Jack HERE.
Jack Randall Earles & Dustin Bond
[Still working with new technology – turn your sound up and listen closely. It’s the video that goes wrong.]
Things go wrong from the moment the lights go up as the Cornley Drama Society struggles to present Murder At Haversham Manor. In fact even before the show starts, the actors and crew on are onstage making some last minute frantic preparations. It seems that everything is working against them. Where is Winston the Dog? What happened to the sound man’s Beatles CD Box Set? Can anyone help the stage manager with the mantelpiece?
The Cast & Staff
Members of the Society include Grant Craig as Director Chris Bean who also plays Inspector Carter and the leading man of the troupe Robert Grove is played by Andrew Ranck who plays Thomas Colleymore. Others involved in the onstage chaos are Anna Harris as Sandra Wilkinson and Florence. Ase Lafevre is Max Bennett and dual roles in Murder At Haversham Manor – Cecil Haversham & Arthur the Gardner.
L-R: Andrew Ranck, Grant Craig, Jack Randall Earles, Cameron Wunderlich
Also featured are Cameron Wunderlich as Jonathan Harris also known as Charles Haversham, the murder victim in the play within a play and Jack Randall Earles as Dennis Tyde who plays the butler Perkins – who may or may not have done it. And if this sounds confusing now – just wait until you see what happens in Act Two!
L-R: Ase Lafever & Anna Harris
Hannah Lafevre is Annie, the stage manager who finds herself onstage, and Jay Prewitt is Trevor the harried technical director who for some reason dons a wig and hits the stage when one of the actors is indisposed. Other members of the stage crew who are pressed into service are Ashley Hugues as Phyllis and Parker Helmer as…..Parker.
L-R: Jack Randall Earles & Hannah Lafever
Vickie Parker is the assistant director. The true production stage manager is Ruby Sullivan. Light board operator is Ric McFadden. The set was designed by Bond and lighting design is by Wunderlich. Sound operator is Ben South. Costumes are by Shelly McFadden.
Kate Snyder, Torie Smith, and Rebecca Hebb are on the stage crew. And our thoughts and prayers are with them.
