“FLOWERS” OPENS SECOND WEEK

L-R: Corben Kirton, Courtney Slough, Dustin Bond

Flowers For Algernon the final production of the 63rd season of Putnam County Playhouse will be onstage Wednesday-Saturday, September 18-21. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 each and can be reserved by telephone the box office from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Tickets are also available at the door. There are no online sales.

If you are a season ticket holder and are not able to use your tickets, please pass them along to a friend or neighbor.

Thanks to everyone for your support this season.

This production is sponsored by:

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

“Flowers” Opens AT PCPH

Rick McFadden, Bart Jones, Anna Harris

The 63rd season of the Putnam County Playhouse will come to a close with a production of Flowers For Algernon. It will be presented September 12-14 and 18-21. All performances are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved only at the box office by calling 765-653-5880 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday–Saturday.

To learn more about our sponsor click HERE.

The play is being sponsored by Watchman Roofing.

The play is directed by Jack Randall Earles.  Assistant director is Sandi Rossok.

Corben Kirton & Dustin Bond

Dustin Bond plays the leading role of Charlie Gordon, a special needs adult who is chosen to be the subject of a scientific experiment. During the course of the experiment, he befriends a young teacher Alice Kinnian (Anna Harris).

Dustin Boothby, Ally Taylor, Cameron Wunderlich, Karen K. Temple

The experiment is conducted by Dr. Strauss (Bart Jones) and Professor Nemur (Ric McFadden) who each has his own motives for its success. They are aided by a lab technician Burt (Corben Kirton).

Dustin Bond and Bart Jones

Charlie’s estranged family includes his mother Rose (Natalee Hessler), his father Matt (Dale Grove), and his sister, Norma (Courtney Slough).

Dustin Bone and Joey Draper

Charlie at times also remembers his own life and imagines himself at younger ages – Little Charlie (Colton Hessler) and teen Charlie (Joey Draper).

Natalee Hessler, Colton Hessler, Dale Grove

The memories also include his sister Norma at a young age (Hannah Jernagan).

Hannah Jernagan, Dale Grove

Karen K. Temple plays the owner of the bakery where Charlie works and his New York City landlady. His co-workers are played by Cameron Wunderlich, Ally Taylor, Shyanne Scott, and Dustin Boothby. Grace Buehler also appears in two supporting roles.

Dustin Bond and Anna Harris

Many of the actors also play several roles in the play.

Courtney Slough & Dustin Bond

Set design and painting are by Harris and Linda Gjesvold. Lighting design is by Bond. Sound design is by Earles with EQ by Ben South. Costumes are by Shelly McFadden.

Corben Kirton, Dustin Bond, Shyanne Scott, Grace Buehler, Ally Taylor, Ric McFadden, Bart Jones

Stage managers are Cameron Wunderlich and Brandon Wunderlich.  Lydia Grove is on the stage crew.

Cast & Staff

Sound board operator is Buehler and the light board operators are Tucker Elmore and Jakob Segar.

‘Something Rotten’ – It’s a Title Not A Description! Musical Opens At PCPH!

The Tony-award winning musical comedy ‘Something Rotten’ is onstage at the Putnam County Playhouse August 15-17 and August 21-24. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling the box office at 653-5880 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  There are no online sales.  Performances begin at 8 p.m. This production is rated PG-13.

The production is directed by Vickie Parker. Assistant director and vocal director is Kathi Elliott. Music director and pit conductor is Morgan Asher. Choreography is by Deb Grammel (tap) and Karen Sutherlin.

Sponsors are Bittles & Hirt and Hopkins-Rector.

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.
To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

Dylan Arnold and TJ Tincher play brothers Nick and Nigel the directors of a theatre group in Elizabethan London circa 1590. They are desperate to write a better play and outshine the current king of the stage William Shakespeare (Andrew Ranck). Natalie King is Nick’s wife, Bea who pines for a life beyond the kitchen and Andrea Young is Portia who is in love with Nigel.

Her father the puritanical Brother Jeremiah (Lee Reberger) is opposed to the match and does all he can to keep them apart.

To watch a video interview with director Vickie Parker click HERE.

With the help of Nostradamus (Marc Adams), the brothers discover a new kind of theatre and their troupe hopes to take the city by storm.

The troupe is played by Cameron Wunderlich, Tucker Elmore, John Reach, Matty King, and Aiden Ridenour.

Others involved in the antics are Dustin Bond, Noah D. Pettit, Trenton Bright, Jay Prewitt, Sam Brown, and Jim Elliott.

Ensemble members are Kate Baughman, Suzanne Funk, Emily Gray, Ashton Kirton, and Hallie Rice.

Also onstage are Dianna Baysinger, Grace Buehler, Rachel Holland, Samantha Funk, Amanda Standers, Karen Temple, and Jessica Walter.

The tap dancing ensemble includes Grammel, Sherry Hedge, Sarah Ryan, Sutherlin, and Heather Wright.

Playing in the orchestra are Asher, Kathryn Dory, Addison Hughes, Tobey Benedix, Rudy Hagen, and Gregory Steffey,

Costumers are Dianna VanMiddlesworth and Denise Sigworth. Stage manager is Brandon Wunderlich who is assisted by Jennifer Wunderlich. Set design is by Linda Gjesvold.

Sound operator is Ben South. Light operator is Jakob Segar.

‘Something Rotten’ is a musical evening that will leave you laughing. It has music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick and a book by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell.

2024 Children’s Theatre Workshop Is Happening!

The annual Children’s Theatre Workshop is happening at Putnam County Playhouse this week, July 22-27. Creator-Director Caroline Good has assembled her staff and there are about 30 participants involved.

 

The Workshop will conclude with a presentation of three original plays on Saturday, July 27, at 7 p.m.  Admission is free thanks to a grant from Arts Illiana. 

To read about Arts Illiana, click HERE.

The plays are The Three Pigateers written MJ Cooper and directed by Cooper and Kathi Elliot. It features Alex Yuhas, Ella Haltom, Aliana Wilson, Gloria Jones, Jeriden Vaughn, Caydee Johnson, Garrett Lamb-Young, Hannah Jernagan, and Liza Tischer. 

The next play is The Summer of Elves & Shoes written by Ellen Blackledge and directed by Craig Robinson.  It features performances by Avalyn Templeton, Quinn Dory, Tatum Wilson, Wyatt Schutter, Gibson Robbins, Elijah Neeley, Clark Squires, Noah Neeley, and Colton Hessler. 

The third play is I Hate Jury Duty written and directed by Ruby Sullivan.  Performers in this production are Cheyanne Newlin, Carson Squires, Silas Glessner, Levi Watkins, Ella Yuhas, Zoey Bond, Millie Jones, Lauren Wells, Keyli Hamblet, and Elliot Wright.

 

In addition to our playwrights and directors the CTW staff includes includes: Sarah Armitage, Kathi Elliott,  Rebecca Hebb, along with our super helpful and enthusiastic interns (all CTW and YTW alumni):  Catherine Ryan-Shager, Josie Cox, MJ Cooper, Ella Tischer, Josie Tischer, and Charlotte Tomamichel. 

Join us at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre on July 27 at 7 p.m. We’ll be looking for you!

“FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON” AUDITIONS!

Director Jack Randall Earles will hold two sessions of auditions for the play “Flowers For Algernon”, the final production of the 63rd season of the Putnam County Playhouse. The first will be Sunday, July 21, at 3 p.m. and the second will be Monday, July 22, at 7 p.m. Both will be at the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.

The play will be produced September 12-14 and September 18-21. Assistant director is Sandi Rossok and stage manager is Bart Jones. Set design is by Anna Harris and Linda Gjesvold.

To download an audition form and audition sides click here.

The production is being sponsored by:

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

Leading roles available include Charlie Gordon, a special needs man who has his IQ increased by a scientific process. The play tells the story of his struggle and the struggles of those around him to adjust to his new life. Other roles include Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur, the originators of the process; Charlie’s friend, Alice Kinian; his Mother and Father, sister Norma at age 8 and as a grown up, and co-workers Frank, Joe, Gina, and Mrs. Donner, Charlie’s landlady. and party guests at a teen get together and adults at a fete for Charlie at a local college. These are the adult roles male and female that will be double cast. The cast totals about 15+ performers.

Read more about the cast here.

Three younger younger performers are also needed. A girl, stage age 8, a boy stage age 8-10, and a teen age boy to play Charlie at those ages.

Read the director’s thoughts about the play HERE.

The 63rd season continues this week with performances of The Pink Panther Strikes again on July 17-20, the Children’s Workshop July 22-26, and the PG-Rated musical Something Rotten on August 15-17 & August 21-24.

THINK “PINK”!!

Dan Hankee as Inspector Clouseau & Brad Sandy as Dreyfuss

The 63rd season at Putnam County Playhouse continues with director Shelly McFadden’s production of “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”. It will be onstage July 11-13 and July 17-20. All tickets are $15 and all performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 653-5880 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily Monday-Saturday. There are no online sales.

The show is being sponsored by Greene Realty.

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

Following the plot of the same-named movie closely, Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Dan Hankee) is being stalked by his nemesis former Inspector Dreyfuss (Brad Sandy).

Bart Jones as Cato & Dan Hankee as Inspector Clouseau

When the inventor of the Doomsday Machine Dr. Fassbender (Sam Draper) and his daughter Margot (Ruby Sullivan) are kidnapped, Clouseau is assigned to the case – and the chase is on all over Europe.  He is joined by the sultry Olga (Fawn McFadden Helmer) whose loyalty comes into question.

Dan Hankee as Inspector Clouseau & Fawn McFadden Helmer as Olga

Major supporting roles are taken by Bart Jones, Joshua Saul Bain, Brian Cox, Alan Zerkel, William Dory, Ric McFadden, and Cameron Wunderlich.

Sam Draper as Fassbender, Brad Sandy as Dreyfuss, Ruby Sullivan as Margot, and Cameron Wunderlich as Henchman Harry.

The large cast has many performers who play multiple roles including Kathy Arnold, Tara Smith, Jack Randall Earles, Anna Harris, and Brandon Wunderlich. Also appearing are Kathryn Dory and Jennifer Wunderlich.

The Pink Panthers are Joey Draper, Joe Fields, and cast members K. Dory, A. Harris, R. Sullivan and all three Wunderlichs!

To watch an interview with director Shelly McFadden click HERE.

Anna Harris is also the assistant director. Light and sound design is by Dustin Bond.  Set design is by Fawn McFadden Helmer. The light board operator is Emma (McFadden) Bousman and the sound board operators Ally (McFadden) Taylor and Jake Miller. Stage Manager is B. Wunderlich and the stage crew are The Pink Panthers and Corben Kirton.

Costumes are by Harris, S. McFadden, and Linda Gjesvold.

The cast, staff, and crew!

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Everybody Wants To See The Bard!

The annual young students’ production of SHAKESPEARED! is this week at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. Two groups will present differently inspired adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  The middle school production will be Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m. The high school production will be Saturday, June 29, at 7 p.m.  Tickets for both productions are available only at the door for $3 each. Children twelve years of age and younger are admitted free.

Click HERE to read about Arts Illiana.

PCPH thanks Arts Illiana for its continued support.

First up on Friday will be the Young Bards in a highly physical eclectic version of the play directed by Eleanor Howard who will also play Egeus. It features Alex Gurnon as Bottom and Millie Larsen as Puck.

Others in the forest include Kate Larsen, Michael Henry, Evelyn Ryan-Shager, Hadley Roderick, Henry Wolfe, and Hollis Barcus.

Featured roles are taken by Alice Howard, Keyli Jefferson, Charlotte Jones, Savannah Wolfe, Olivia Reeves, Mairyn Huber, Tinzlee Coulson, Charlotte Jones, and Caleb Watkins.

On Saturday the Old Bards will take to the stage in a production directed by Caroline Good who is assisted by David Johnson (who also assisted with the Young Bards’ version). This ‘Dream’ is set in the 1950’s. Many of the performers play multiple roles.

It features Ellen Blackledge, Max Isaacs-Bailey, Josie Cox, Liel Watkins, and Catherine Ryan-Shrager. Other roles are taken by Ingrid Norris, Kendra Arruda, and Rhian Gillum.

Also appearing in this version are Adrianna Gillum, Ella Tischer, Nicolette Blackledge, Katie Funk.  The cast includes Marigrace Girton, Joslyn Cash, MJ Cooper and Cagney Huffman.

Costume coordinators are Josie Tischer and Miranda Brown. Viola Reeves is assisting Linda Gjesvold with the set.

OKLAHOMA! WEEK TWO! THE FARMER & THE COWMAN SHOULD BE FRIENDS!

You can still see Oklahoma! at the Putnam County Playhouse. There are performances Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (June 12-15). All performances begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased ONLY by contacting the Box Office between 5 and 7 p.m. You can do so by telephone at 765-653-5880 or in person. Some performances are close to selling out. There are no online or Facebook ticket sales.

OK!

“Something Rotten” Auditions June 9 & 10

Auditions for the second musical of our 63rd season are this weekend. Director Vickie Parker will have two sessions of auditions for Something Rotten. The first will be Sunday, June 9, at 3 p.m. followed by a second session on Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m. Both will be at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre, home of the Putnam County Playhouse. The musical will be onstage August 15-17 & August 21-24.

It is being sponsored by:


To read more about our sponsor click HERE.
To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

Those auditioning are asked to sing 16 bars of a song. An accompanist will be provided. There will be reading from the script and a short dance session.

To read about the show and the roles available click here.

To read the director’s note click here.

To download an audition form and read audition sides click here.

Watch an interview with director Parker HERE.

OKLAHOMA! OPENS AT PCPH

The 63rd season at Putnam County Playhouse will open with a production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Oklahoma!  It will be produced June 6-8 and June 11-15. Tickets are on sale at the box office in person or by telephoning 765-653-5880 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily except Sunday.

Single tickets are $15 and can be reserved by credit card during regular box office hours only. There are no online sales. Volunteers are only available to sell tickets during regular box office hours. Seats are available for all performances, but especially for the added performance, Tuesday, June 11.

The production is sponsored by First National Bank.

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

Director for Oklahoma! is Joshua S. Bain. Vocal and musical direction is by Kathryn Dory who is also the assistant director. Choreography is by Sarah Armitage and Jack Randall Earles. Lynne Tweedie is the production pianist. She is joined in the pit by Anita Newlin on keyboard, Dede Schwomeyer on percussion, Marcia Boswell on flute, Rebecca Terry on trumpet, and Neva Verbik on clarinet. Rehearsal pianist is Morgan Asher.

To watch an interview with director Bain, click HERE.

The cast will be headed by Grace Buehler as Laury Williams and Dustin Bond as Curly McClain. The comedy leads are played by Rachel Holland as Ado Annie and Ross Hanson (making his PCPH debut) as Will Parker.  Lacey Ring-Verbik plays Aunt Eller and Cameron Wunderlich is featured as Jud Fry. Buehler last appeared at PCPH as Nancy in Oliver, Bond was last seen as Homer in Morning’s At Seven. Holland was Hope Hampton in last season’s Anything Goes and Wunderlich was featured in The Play That Goes Wrong. Hanson is making his PCPH debut. Ring-Verbik is returning to the PCPH stage after a few seasons. She was featured in productions of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Once Upon A Mattress.

Grace Buehler & Dustin Bond

Dylan Arnold is the peddler man, Ali Hakim; Kate Baughman is Gertie Cummins; Scott Armitage is Andrew Carnes, and Chris Wurster is Cord Elam.

Dylan Arnold & Lacey Ring-Verbik

The farmers and cowmen include Noah D. Pettit, Clay Glessner, Trenton Bright, Miles Jernagan, Corben Kirton, and Aiden Woods.

The cast of ladies includes Ashton Kirton, Suzanne Funk, Hannah Newlin, Hallie Rice, Emily Gray, Hannah McLaughlin, Catherine Ryan-Shrager, Samantha Funk, Cheyanne Newlin, Payton Kumpf, Clara Everett, and Josie Cox.

Joining ensemble members in the dream ballet with Kumpf, Glessner, and Cameron Wunderlich in leading roles are Jocelyn Gardner, Chloe Gardner, and Raylee O’Connor.

Costumes are by Pat Armitage.

Dylan Arnold & Scott Armitage

Stage manager for the show is Brandon Wunderlich assisted by Jennifer Wunderlich who is also the props manager. Stage crew includes Johnny Stogsdill. Set design was by Bain and C. Wunderlich. Set construction was by Cameron, Brandon, Jennifer & Mark Wunderlich, Bond, Ashton & Corben Kirton, and Linda Gjesvold.

Technical director is Bond. The sound board will be operated by Shelby Merrill and the light board operator is M.J. Cooper.

The cast rehearses a musical number.