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!

The 2024 Fund Drive letters are on the way!

If you aren’t on our mailing list OR you want to download a Fund Drive Form, you can do that by clicking here!

See you in 2024!!

Filming is on in the county for a PBS version of author Nichole Etcheson’s book A Generation At War. Last Saturday filming was conducted at the Harvest Barn Wedding & Event Venue. Check out the photos see how many familiar faces you can find.

The book is about some of the history of Indiana and its residents during the Civil War.

PCPH President Shelly McFadden is the Production Manager & Costumer for the production.

Everyone had a good time and we look forward to seeing A Generation At War on our local PBS stations next year.

The 2023 Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors was convened at the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center on Sunday, October 8.

In addition to the board members, many guests were welcomed with conversation and refreshments!

The meeting was led by PCPH President Shelly McFadden and Secretary Kathryn Dory who began by reading the complicated minutes from last year’s annual meeting.

Among the guests were Vickie Parker and Marc Adams (who most recently appeared together in Morning’s At Seven), Brandon Wunderlich (tech & crew), Ase Lafever (The Play That Goes Wrong), Ashton Kirton (Grease & Anything Goes), Chris Wurster (Anything Goes), Lita Sandy (director of Grease), and Bart Jones (tech & crew for this season).

Committee Reports were given by each of the chairs and much information was discussed about the 2023 season.

Board members enjoyed the refreshments provided by President McFadden and refreshments including coffee “on the house” committee.

At the October Board meting following the Annual Meeting, the 2024 season was discussed and committees were formed for the “good of the order” and a slate of officers were elected.

Youth Theatre Workshop Director Caroline Good was urging Ric McFadden to get the meeting started shortly before 2 p.m.

Appreciation was expressed for the great support that PCPH receives from its donors and audiences and participants.

The highlight of the meeting as always, was the presentation of the Upstage/Hammy Award. All four nominees were present. There were Dustin Bond (Morning’s At 7), Amaya Jones (Anything Goes), Hannah Lafever (The Play That Goes Wrong), and John Reach (Grease). Lafever prevailed and handed the award.

A good time was had by all……well……for the most part.

Not pictured but present for the festivities were Jack Randall Earles who was walking around all day with his camera, Lita Sandy who got out of the barn before Jack Randall could take her picture and Ase Lafever who always had someone standing in front of him.

At 11:40 p.m. on Saturday, September 23, the set for our final production of 2023 Morning’s At Seven was struck. Our 62nd season came to a close.

During the season, the Putnam County Playhouse enthusiastically entertained audiences and provided opportunities for our community to display its talent both backstage and in the spotlight. We produced two well-received musicals, a new comedy, and a classic comedy. During June and July we also presented the Youth Theatre Workshop SHAKESPEARED and the Children’s Theatre Workshop.

Each year according to our by-Laws, the PCPH Board of Directors hosts an annual meeting for those who provide financial support to the organization. At that meeting those financial stakeholders will vote for candidates for available board openings and hear reports from the Committee chairs. This year’s Annual Meeting will be hold on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at 2 p.m. in the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center. Refreshments will be provided.

During the meeting the prestigious Upstage Award (aka The Hammy) will be presented to the performer who made the most of a supporting role in a production.

The 2023 Nominees [as chosen by the directors of each production] are:

John Reach as Sonny in Grease.

Hannah LaFever as Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong.

Amaya Jones as Erma in Anything Goes.

Dustin Bond as Homer in Morning’s At Seven.

We thank you for your support of PCPH and the theatrical arts in Putnam County, and we look forward to 2024 and our 63rd season!

The Paul Osborn comedy Morning’s At Seven begins its second week of performances on Wednesday, September 20. Additional performances are Thursday-Saturday, September 21-23. All performances begin at 8 p.m. All tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling the box office after 5 p.m. at 653-5880. Tickets will also be available at the door.

The production is sponsored by:

To learn more about our sponsor click HERE.

Join us for our final production of our 62nd season. We appreciate your support! Thank you for making it possible for us to do what we love to do.

The Putnam County Playhouse 62^nd season comes to a close with a production of Paul Osborn’s comedy Morning’s At Seven. It will be onstage September 14-16 and September 20-23. Tickets are on sale at the box office only and can be reserved by calling 653-5880 Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. All tickets are $15 and curtain time is 8 p.m. each evening.

The production is sponsored by:

REMEMBER THE BARN GETS VERY COOL AFTER THE SUN GOES DOWN – SO BRING A SWEATER OR A JACKET IF YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED IT!

Jack Randall Earles is the director. He is assisted by Sandi Rossok. They worked together on last season’s Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Both are long time members of the board of directors of PCPH, and Jack Randall appeared earlier this season as Perkins in The Play That Goes Wrong.

Click HERE to watch an interview with the director.

Appearing in the play are Vickie Parker, Shelly McFadden, Kathy Arnold, and Kathi Elliott as four strong-willed sisters who live in a small Midwestern town in 1923. Rivalries and secrets all come forward during one weekend. Three of the sisters are married. Playing the husbands are Jim Elliott, Marc Adams, and Ric McFadden.

The grown son of one couple is visiting for the weekend with his girlfriend. They have been engaged for twelve years and this might be the weekend the wedding is finally decided upon. Playing the son are Dustin Bond and his intended is played by Kate Baughman, making her PCPH debut.

Stage manager for the production is Brandon Wunderlich.

The set was designed by Linda Gjesvold with assistance from Cameron Wunderlich (who also did the props and works on the stage crew), and Anna Harris. Lighting design was by C. Wunderlich and Bond, who also did the sound design. Ben South is the sound technician. Shelby Merrill is running the sound board and Bart Jones is running the light board. Also working on the stage crew is Jennifer Wunderlich. Costumes are by Shelly McFadden.

Article photographs by Linda Gjesvold.

What does it take to go from this:

To this:

A lot of THIS:

When the last Anything Goes bow was taken at about 10:40 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, Director Brad Sandy and his cast, crew, and staff immediately began the “striking” of the set of the S.S. American. They worked hard taking the set down and storing the reusable portions, getting costumes repacked to return to Costumers, Inc. (those belonging to PCPH were set aside for washing or dry cleaning), the theatre, dressing rooms, restrooms, rehearsal center, and lobby were all swept and polished. The job was finally completed at 2 a.m.

Less than 12 hours later, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 27 – the staff and crew of the September production, Morning’s At Seven met onstage to begin building its set. Designer Linda Gjesvold supervised the crew that included Morning’s cast members and most of the crew from Anything Goes who are also working on this show.

The set consists of two houses that share a common backyard. Designer Gjesvold and her associates Anna Harris & Cameron Wunderlich along with director Jack Randall Earles decided on a representational design scheme.

Work continued until 4:30 p.m. With painting and details to be added – the set was ready to be used for rehearsal the next day.

Morning’s At Seven opens on September 14.

Tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 11.

The August production at the Putnam County Playhouse will be Cole Porter’s musical Anything Goes. It will be onstage August 17-19 and August 23-26. All performances begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are available at the box office by calling 765-653-5880 after 5 p.m. daily Monday-Saturday. Tickets are priced at $15 each and are not available online.

The production is sponsored by:

Director/choreographer of the musical is Brad Sandy. Musical director and pit conductor is Kathryn Dory. Playing in the pit are pianist Brice LeBlanc and percussionist Dedee Schwomeyer.  Tap choreographer is Tara Gardner of the Dance Workshop.

Playing leading roles are Sarah Armitage as singer Reno Sweeney and Joshua Saul Bain as Billy Crocker.  When he falls in love with Hope Harcourt played by Rachel Holland, Billy has to stowaway on the S.S. American as it sails to England.  Debby Lambert plays Hope’s mother Evangeline who wants her daughter to marry well and replenish the failing family fortune. With Mrs. Harcourt is her dog Cheeky [played by Temple’s key Largo Bacall].

Chris Wurster is Lord Evelyn Oakley and Dylan Arnold plays Billy’s boss, Elisha Whitney.

Amaya Jones is Erma the girlfriend of Moonface Martin, a former gangster who finds himself on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Phil Huestis who is returning to the PCPH stage after a long absence is playing Moonface. [Huestis played the same role in the 1985 PCPH production of Anything Goes].

The crew on the ship includes Ric McFadden as the Captain, Scott Armitage as the purser, and sailors played by Noah D. Pettit, Trenton Bright, Pete Grajewski, and Brian Cook.

Featured roles are played by Chloe Gardner, Hope Evans, Hallie Rice, as Reno’s singing and dancing trio. Suzanne Funk, Ashton Kirton,  Shelby Merrill, Samantha Funk, Amanda Standers, Hannah Newlin, Reilly Anderson, Jessica Walter, and Savanna Mattox Taylor.

Songs in the popular score include “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”, “I Get A Kick Out of You”, “It’s De-Lovely”, “You’re The Top”, and the title tune.

Stage manager is Brandon Wunderlich and assistant stage manager is Cameron Wunderlich who both also play FBI agents in the show. Costumes are by Shelly McFadden with light and sound design by Dustin Bond. Working the sound board are Joe Fields and Ben South. Jakob Seger is running the lights.

The stage crew includes Johnny Stogsdill, Jennifer Wunderlich, Bart Jones, and Silvan Grove. Costume alterations were made by Sarah Armitage and Pat Armitage.

Welcome aboard and enjoy the trip!