Director Jack Randall Earles will hold two sessions of auditions for the musical ‘Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’. The first will be Sunday, June 12, at 3 p.m. The second will be Monday, June 13, at 7 p.m. Both will be at the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center at the Putnam County Playhouse.
The leading roles include Joseph, the dreamer; the Narrator, who tells the story; Joseph’s eleven brothers and their mothers. Other roles are an Elvis-like Pharoah, Potiphar and his wife, and Jacob the “founder of the nation.” More details about the story and the characters can be found HERE.
The actresses playing the Mothers are also part of a lively ensemble that is included in most of the songs and dances.
Everyone should prepare 32 measures of a song for the audition. Morgan Asher, the musical director of the production will be on hand to provide accompaniment. The song can be from the show or another ‘Broadway’ type number. Those auditioning for the role of the Pharaoh should prepare an ‘Elvis’ type song.
After the singing, there will be a dance audition for all. Since the show is “sung-through” there are no scenes to read. Be prepared to shine in both the singing and dancing portions of the audition. And be prepared to have fun!
In addition to Asher, the production team includes Sandi Rossok as the assistant director, Kathryn Dory as the vocal director, and Cameron Wunderlich as production stage manager.
You can listen to the 1991 London Palladium Cast CD HERE.
The musical Oliver! continues its run as the 61st season opener at Putnam County Playhouse. There are four performances left June 8-11. There are some tickets left for each performance – but most are very close to being sold out. To check on ticket availability – you must telephone the box office after 5 p.m. at 765-653-5880.
[Ticket information, reservations, exchange requests MUST be handled through the Box Office. If you leave a message on Facebook or on the website, your answer will only be delayed. We are a 100% volunteer organization, and those working on the website & Facebook pages to NOT have access to ticket information.]
With both lively and poignant songs, Oliver! is a delightful evening out for everyone. Rollicking comic characters and touching family drama combine to make every moment enjoyable.
Oliver! is directed by Caroline Good. Musical director is Amy Tharp. Kathryn Dory is the vocal director.
The title character is played by Ella Tischer. Other leading roles are played by Alex Gurnon, Grace Buehler, David Johnson, and TJ Tincher.
The orphans just want some more “Food, Glorious Food!” Featuring in the top row L-R: Hannah McLaughlin, Karen Temple, Tim Good and Clay Glessner.
The Tony-winning musical “Oliver!” will be onstage at the Putnam County Playhouse June 2-4 and June 8-11. All performances begin at 8 p.m. All tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling the box office at 765-653-5880 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily beginning Monday, May 30. The box office is open Monday-Saturday during performance weeks only. Tickets cannot be reserved online at the website OR on our Facebook pages.
The production is directed by Caroline Good, who also supervised the costumes for the show. Caroline directed Annie in 2018. She is also the creator and director of our annual SHAKESPEARED! Youth Theatre Workshop [this season’s production will be TheScottish Play]. She directs and teaches in the theatre department at DePauw University. Caroline has appeared in leading roles at PCPH in shows including Blithe Spirit,Angel Street, and The Sound of Music. She was also the special guest actress at Wabash University playing Amanda in their production of The Glass Menagerie.
Amy Tharp is musical director and pianist. She worked on Little Women The Musical at PCPH. Kathryn Dory is the vocal director. Kathryn will be the vocal director on August’s production of Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The orchestra includes Morgan Asher, keyboard; Dedee Schwomeyer, percussion, Kaitlyn Kissel, flute/piccolo; and Ty Ishikawa, trumpet.
Choreography was set by Sarah Armitage and Joshua Saul Bain who also choreographed last season’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Set design is by Linda Gjesvold. Dramaturg and dialect coach is Eleanor Howard.
The entire production is sponsored by Shuees Great Buys Plus.
Based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, the musical features Ella Tischer in the title role. Other leading roles include Alex Gurnon as the Artful Dodger, TJ Tincher as Fagin, Grace Buehler as Nancy, and David Johnson as Bill Sikes. Tischer, Gurnon, Buehler, and Johnson are making their PCPH main stage debuts in this show. Tincher was seen in last season’s Pillow Talk.
Leading the way in comic roles are Ashlee Ann Vitz and Andrew Ranck as Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry and Karen Temple as Widow Corney. Chris Wurster is Mr. Brownlow and Tim Good plays Mr. Bumble. All are veterans on the PCPH stage.
L-R: Andrew Ranck, Ella Tischer, and Ashlee Ann Vitz
Playing multiple roles are John Tischer and Bart Jones. Tischer played Gaston in the PCPH production of Beauty and the Beast and Jones appeared last season in You Can’tTake It With You.
L-R: John Tischer, Ella Tischer, Bart Jones, Jim Elliott
Supporting roles are taken by Hannah McLaughlin, Clay Glessner, Cyrus Gurnon, Emily Gray, Jim Elliott, Kathi Elliott, Barb Boese, and Sandi Rossok.
L-R: Grace Buehler, Ella Tischer, David Johnson
Also appearing are Joey Draper, Josie Tischer, Ashley Hugues, Molly Murphy. Children appearing in the show are Josephine Glessner, Josie Cox, Clara Everett, Michael Henry, Sage Cummings, Marley Jedele, Jasmine Cummings, Josie Tischer. and Penny Cummings.
L-R: Sage Cummings, TJ Tincher, Michael Henry
Production stage manager is Noah Pettit. Assistant stage manager is Cameron Wunderlich with Rebecca Hebb and Craig Robinson on the stage crew. Dana Henry is the sound technician and Shelby Merrill is running the light board.
The 61st season of Putnam County Playhouse will begin with an Open House on Sunday, May 29, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre in Greencastle. The public is invited.
The event will include rehearsals of numbers from the season opener the musical Oliver! Light refreshments will be served.
Board members will be on hand to answer questions. Season tickets and individual tickets for all shows will be on sale at that time. We hope to see you there!
The season includes – in addition to Oliver! – Clue: Onstage in July, Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat in August, and TheMiracle Worker in September.
This year’s annual two-week-long “Shakespeared!” Workshop at the Putnam County Playhouse centers around Macbeth, with the middle school group performing a more traditional version and the high school group presenting their off-beat comedic version, complete with a lively soundtrack, chase, and pop-culture references. Both versions embody Shakespeare’s original text, but in short condensed adaptations.
Both groups meet in the afternoons daily during the two weeks, playing theatre games, learning voice, stage movement, and acting techniques, and, of course, rehearsing the play. The middle school (entering grades 6th-8th) group meets Monday-Friday 12:30-2:30pm, and the high school (entering 9th+) workshop meets Monday-Friday 3:00-5:30pm with performances Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25 at 7:00pm, when each group presents their own very different versions of the play: the middle school group performing on Friday and the high school group performing on Saturday.
We plan to adhere to guidance provided by the CDC for Covid-19 at the time of the workshop. Last year, we were able to relax a little, but participants still had the option to wear masks during sessions, we created physical distanced staging, and we kept air flowing throughout the playhouse, or worked outside. The kids did have the option to perform without masks, as well. We’re hoping for the best, but are prepared to implement whatever protocols seem appropriate at the time.
The scripts will be available soon on the playhouse at the Youth Theatre Workshop page using the drop down menu. 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.
The registration link for the 2022 workshop will be available on February 1st! PLEASE DON’T USE THE 2021 FORM!!!
During the plague, Shakespeare and his actors went out on the road to perform in the countryside. In that spirit during our own similar situation, a troupe of actors from the Putnam County Playhouse venture to the park to perform his work as a way of providing continuity in our mission to community theatre in this “goode yeare” of 2020.
To that end, our Shakespearean guru Caroline Good and dogsbody Shelly Green McFadden will endeavor to present a production of the rollicking comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the band shell in Robe-Ann Park. It will be presented at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26.
Putnam County Playhouse Park Project: SHAKESPEARE al frescois being sponsored by:
