The 63^rd season of Putnam County Playhouse will kick off with an Open House at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre on Sunday, June 2, at 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served. The event will continue until 4 p.m.

Musical numbers from the season opening musical Oklahoma! will be onstage throughout the afternoon. The popular musical will be onstage June 6-8 and June 11-15. Tickets will be on sale for all performances. Season tickets and individual tickets for all productions will be on sale during the open house.

The 2024 season also includes the comedy The Pink Panther Strikes Again in July, the Tony-Award winning musical Something Rotten in August, and the play Flowers For Algernon in September.

Board members will be on hand to answer questions.  See you at the barn!

If you are signed up for this season’s Youth Theatre Workshop – SHAKESPEARED! you can now download the script for A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the YTW page HERE. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the link!

Auditions for the July production at Putnam County Playhouse will be this weekend. Director Shelly McFadden will hold two sessions to find her cast. The first will be Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. followed by the second session on Monday, May 6, at 7 p.m.  Both will be held at the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center.

To read about the show and download an audition form, click HERE.

‘The Pink Panther Strikes Again’ will be produced July 11-13 and July 17-20.

The show is sponsored by Greene Realty.

The characters include Inspector Jacques Clouseau, Dreyfuss, Dr. Fassbender, Cato, Olga, and many others.  Many of those chosen for the cast will play multiple roles. Those who participate as members of the stage crew will be called Pink Panthers have specifically choreographed moves when making the scene changes.

To see a list of characters click HERE.

Director McFadden asks that all of those auditioning be at least 18 years of age.

To read what Shelly thinks about the show, click HERE.

To watch an interview that Shelly gave to The Man In The Chair click HERE.

Linda Gjesvold, Shop Steward, will hold a Scene Workshop on Saturday, April 13, at 1 p.m. at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.

Subjects covered include designing, building, and painting sets specifically for Putnam County Playhouse.

If you are interested in joining our team for the 2024 season, please attend and find out what it’s all about! No sign up is necessary.

See you there!

And don’t forget our second session of auditions for our season opener Oklahoma! that will be Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m.

Director Joshua Saul Bain will hold two sessions of auditions for the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! The first will be Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. The second will be Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. It will be produced June 6-8 and June 12-15 – opening the 63rd season of Putnam County Playhouse.

Watch an interview with Josh talking about the show HERE.

The show is sponsored by:

Read about our sponsor HERE.

Read about the show HERE. You can also download an audition sheet there. Read the list of characters and the story of the musical HERE.

Read what director Bain has to say about the show HERE. Individual tickets will go on sale at the annual PCPH Open House on Sunday, June 2, at 2 p.m.

Our Season Ticket Brochures will be mailed out to current Season Ticket Holders on March 18! Return your brochure as soon as possible so you can be guaranteed your place in the audience for our four mainstage shows! Brochures will be mailed to the rest of our mailing list on April 1!

We are working on a couple of projects that will make our productions more exciting. First is removing the side walls of the stage. This will give more room on each side of the stage for entrances and exits. It will also give us more options for set design and building.

We are also adding space on the east side of the barn for storage. It will also let performers go from one side of the stage to the other backstage without going outside!

Work we must! See you at the barn for Oklahoma!, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Something Rotten, and Flowers For Algernon! And don’t forget SHAKESPEARED! in June and the Children’s Theatre Workshop in July!

Registration for our annual “Shakespeared!” Workshop is now open. You can find the registration form HERE.

Last season’s Shakespeare productions were based on The Tempest.

This year’s two-week long June workshop centers around A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.   The FREE workshop provides young players with an opportunity to engage with Shakespeare’s plays in a fun way and to see the potential interpretations that lie within the text.

This workshop meets in the afternoons Monday-Friday June 17-28 with a performances Friday and Saturday evening, June 28^th [middle school] and 29th [high school] at 7:00pm when each group will present its version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.    

The scripts will be available soon on the playhouse website at the Youth Theatre Workshop page at the drop down menu. So, feel free to read it before our first day. June 17th. 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 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. 

“So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.”

Puck – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The shows and dates and directors are all confirmed. Take a look at what we’re doing for our 63rd season of Putnam County Playhouse. There are a lot of opportunities for folks onstage and offstage. Check out the details!

We open our season in June with the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! Read about the production dates and audition dates HERE. Read what director Joshua Saul Bain has to say HERE. Read a character list and more about the show HERE.

Next up in July is the stage version of the movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Read about production and audition dates HERE. Read what director Shelly McFadden has to say about the show HERE. To read a cast list and more about the show click HERE.

Director Vickie Parker returns to direct – a Tony-Award winning musical in August. Read about production and audition dates HERE. Read what director Parker has to say about the show HERE. Read a cast list and more about the show HERE.

The season will end in September with a production of the play Flowers for Algernon. To find out production and audition dates click HERE. Read what director Jack Randall Earles is planning for the show HERE. Read a cast list and more about the show HERE.

Information about SHAKESPEARED! The Youth Theatre Workshop (June 17-29) and the Children’s Theatre Workshop (Jully 22-26) will be on the website in February & March.

See you at the barn!

Thirty-one years ago in December, 1992, the Putnam County Playhouse presented a special production of A Christmas Carol. It was produced in the DePauw Student Union Ballroom.

It was directed by Jim Poor who also played the ghost of Jacob Marley. Ebenezer Scrooge was played by Jack Randall Earles. Mark Bertram was Bob Cratchit and Michael Lemon was Tiny Tim. Many Greencastle friends were featured in the cast and worked on the crew.

Members of the board took care of tickets sales in the lobby and there was a dessert table for the after show.

I hope these photos are a sweet reminder to all of those who participated. You can read the program HERE.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of PCPH, we wish you and your families a happy a safe holiday season. See you at the barn!

The 2024 Season of Putnam County Playhouse at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre will open with the Rodgers & Hammerstein evergreen musical Oklahoma! It will be onstage June 6-8 and June 12-15. Auditions for the show are Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. and Monday, April 8 at 7 p.m. Director for the show is Joshua Saul Bain. Oklahoma! was produced on the outdoor stage in 1981 (directed by Vickie Parker) and in the barn in 2001 (directed by Lita Sandy).

Hopping onto the stage in July is the stage version of the popular movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Poor Inspector Clouseau is charged with saving the world. The Panther takes the stage July 11-13 and July 17-20. Auditions for the comedy will be Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. and Monday, May 6 at 7 p.m. The director is Shelly McFadden. This is a PCPH premiere.

August brings another PCPH premiere – the rollicking musical Something Rotten. Nick and Nigel Bottom are struggling theatre owners who are trying to compete with fellow Englishman William Shakespeare in late 16th century London. Will they succeed? Filled with wonderful songs that pay homage to show business, Something Rotten will be produced August 15-17 and August 21-24. Auditions will be Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. and Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. Director for the show is Vickie Parker.

The 2024 season will close with the play Flowers For Algernon. When a scientific experiment increases his intelligence, Charlie Gordon faces an uncertain future. The play will take the stage September 12-14 and September 18-21. Auditions will be Sunday, July 21 at 3 p.m. and Monday, July 22 at 7 p.m. Flowers for Algernon was last produced at PCPH in 1983, our first season inside the barn (directed by David Gjesvold). This production will be directed by Jack Randall Earles.

The directors were chosen at the December 3 meeting of the PCPH Board of Directors.

In addition to our Mainstage shows, Caroline Good will conduct her popular SHAKESPEARED! Youth Theatre Workshop June 17-29. The Children’s Workshop will be July 22-26.

More information will be available under the Current Season tab in January! See you at the barn!