Step One: You Audition!!!!

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So you want to be onstage? The first thing you do is audition for a part in a show!  The audition dates for the Mainstage Productions at PCPH have been selected.

The musical 7 Brides for 7 Brothers directed by Shelly McFadden will hold its auditions on Sunday, March 29 at 3 p.m. and Monday, March 30 at 7 p.m. It will be produced June 4-6 and June 10-13.

Director Jack Randall Earles will audition performers for Bad Seed on Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m. and Monday May 18, at 7 p.m. The suspense play will be produced July 9-11 and July 15-18.

The auditions for the musical Into the Woods directed by Lee Reberger will be on Sunday, June 14 at 3 p.m. and Monday, June 15 at 7 p.m. It will be produced August 6-8 and August 12-15.

The Game’s Afoot directed by Dustin Bond will have auditions on Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. and Monday, July 20 at 7 p.m. It will close our season September 10-12 and September 16-19.

Auditions will be held in the Rehearsal Center or in the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.

More information and notes from the directors will be on the website in the next few weeks!  Stay tuned!




DIRECTORS CHOSEN FOR MAIN STAGE 2015!

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The directors for the main stage productions of the 2015 PCPH season have been chosen. 

The season opens in June with the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. It will be directed by Shelly McFadden. She has directed many productions at PCPH including The Music Man and The Drowsy Chaperone,  Shelly has also appeared onstage, most recently in The Man Who Came to Dinner as Harriet Stanley. She has also appeared at PCPH in The Odd Couple, Man of La Mancha, and Clue The Musical.

The season continues in July with the thriller Bad Seed. Helming this production will be Jack Randall Earles. Among his PCPH directing credits are last season’s Guys & Dolls and also The Curious Savage, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, and Angel Street. Jack Randall most recently appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner as Banjo and also has been in The Drowsy Chaperone, The Sunshine Boys, Arsenic and Old Lace, and The Music Man.


The August musical, Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, will be directed by Lee Reberger. He last appeared on the PCPH stage as Underling in The Drowsy Chaperone. Lee is the President of the Board of Directors of Community Theatre of Clay County. Lee has directed many plays and musicals at the Lark Theatre, home of CCTC in Brazil, Indiana. This will be his first directing assignment at PCPH, and we welcome him!

The 2015 season will close with the mystery-comedy The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays. The director of this production will be Dustin Bond.  He has been in many productions at PCPH, most recently appearing as Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors in 2014. Dustin has worked on the technical side of many productions. He has also appeared in Don’t Drink the Water, The Drowsy Chaperone, and The Music Man among other productions. This will be his directorial debut at PCPH. He most recently directed A Christmas Carol at CCTC.

Audition dates and other show information will be available here on the website in early 2015!




DORY PREVAILS IN SWEATER COMPETITION!

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L-R: Michael McClaine, Katherine Dory. Photo by Shelly McFadden

The December meeting of the Board of Directors of Putnam County Playhouse was held December 7, 2014, at the home of President Michael McClaine and wife Brenda.  Members of the board assembled for food and lively conversation.


An ugly Christmas sweater competition was included!  Most of those attending participated.  By a show of hands, the two winners were chosen.  Runner-up was McClaine in a multi-Santa bedecked crew neck sweater with ribbed cuffs and waistband.  The winner was Kathryn Dory in deckle edged Christmas cardigan with a miasma of holiday knitted appliques – and shoulder pads.

Business was discussed, but attention was divided between Dory’s garish garb and the wonderful food that was provided.  

Something for Everyone in 2015!!

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The 2015 season of shows for Putnam County Playhouse promises fun, chills, music, and laughter.  Plan to be a part of it – onstage or in the audience!

The 2015 Fund Drive letters will soon be in the mail.  Be a part of our new season from the very beginning!  Your donations help us put on the best shows and keep improving our facility!  The work on the floor in the lobby and the theatre will be finished in time for our June Open House!  See your name in every program!  Watch for your Fund Drive letter later this month!



Our season opens with the musical 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.  Based on the popular MGM musical the show has a book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay. Music is by Gene dePaul, Al Kasha, and Joel Hirschhorn, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Kasha and Hirschhorn. Songs include “Bless Yore Beautiful Hide”, “Sobbin’ Women”, “Wonderful Wonderful Day”, and “Goin’ Courtin'”.  After Adam Pontipee finds a bride for himself, his six brothers decide to do the same. Full of bright tunes and lively dancing,
7 Brides for 7 Brothers gives you a fun evening of entertainment.

This show will be produced June 4-6 and June 10-13.

SHAKESPEARED! the annual Youth Theatre Workshop will be held June 15-26, with a performance on June 27.

July brings Maxwell Anderson’s The Bad Seed.  Based on the best-selling novel by William March, this thriller is a PCPH premiere. What is most important in raising a child?  Can environment overcome heredity? When a mother comes to realize the true nature of her daughter, lives are changed. Is there really such a thing as a bad seed? You can decide for yourself when you see The Bad Seed  on July 9-11 and July 15-18.

A Children’s Theatre Workshop will be held July 20-24.

Composer Stephen Sondheim returns to the PCPH stage in August when we present Into the Woods. The Tony-winning musical with a book by James Lapine, is one of his most popular shows. A new Disney film version will be released in December, 2014.

Familiar fairy tales are given a new slant when they collide in unfamiliar ways.  We learn that not everything ends “happily ever after”.  Join us and go Into the Woods when it hits the stage 
August 6-8 and August 12-15.

Our season ends with Ken Ludwig’s mystery-farce The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays.  

It is December 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, it’s up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. 

Recently produced to great acclaim at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, you can see The Game’s Afoot at PCPH 
September 10-12 and September 16-19.

Plan to join us for all of the fun in 2015! Information about directors and auditions will be available here in January!








THEATRE CALENDAR!!!

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On this calendar, we will let you know about productions that PCPH’ers are working on off-season!  

2015

April 16-19
Director Caroline Good will present her production of Antigone featuring Jack Randall Earles as Tiresias.
Read details HERE .

ANNUAL MEETING REPORT!!!!

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The annual meeting of Putnam County Playhouse was held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 19. Members of the Board of Directors and guests enjoyed light refreshments and conversation before the business of the day began. Among those in attendance were Eleanor & Brian Howard, Shelly McFadden, and Linda Gjesvold.

President Michael McClaine was in charge of making the coffee.

Secretary Kathryn Dory was ready at her table to take notes and hand out copies of reports and minutes.

Among those in attendance were Kathy Helms Arnold. Ric McFadden,  and Sandi Rossok.

Others attending included Linda Ford, Dustin Bond, Drew Brattain, and Meghan Armitage.
The meeting ended with the presentation of the Upstage Award for 2014.  It was awarded to Jack Randall Earles by Mark Hammer.






Putnam County Playhouse Receives Grant!

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Putnam County Playhouse was recently awarded a grant from Arts Illiana and the Indiana Arts Council. It was presented during a ceremony in Terre Haute on October 17.

PCPH Board President Michael McClaine and his wife Brenda attended the event to represent us.  Michael accepted the check and spoke to the group about Putnam County Playhouse.

L-R: Sherri Wright, Arts Illiana Regional Services Coordinator; Paige Sharp, IAC  Program Director; Michael McClaine, PCPH Board President
A slide show of all the recipients included information about Putnam County Playhouse.

Congratulations to everyone on a job well done this season.  A special tip of the hat to Drew Brattain, chairperson of our Grants Committee who works hard to make these things happen.


RENOVATION CONTINUES!

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The annual meeting of Putnam County Playhouse is Sunday, October 19, at 3 p.m. Please plan to attend the event which will be held in the Rehearsal Center. Light refreshments will be served. The board will discuss the season, and the committee chairs will present their reports.  Audience members will also have the opportunity to speak about the season.  

Also discussed will be the renovations and changes already made and planned for the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.
The barn renovation is continuing. Thanks to the donations from our audience members and our successful season, we are able to finish the floors in the remaining three areas of the barn.  The lobby floor has been prepped, but adding the epoxy will have to wait for warmer weather.

The theatre area will also receive the same finishing. The renovation will carry the floor work from the restrooms and hallway into the main public areas of the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. The floors will be more even and easier to walk on and clean.

The box office/refreshment area floor will also be improved.  All three areas have been prepped.  This is the first improvement to floors that has been made since the barn opened in 1983.

All photos by Michael McClaine.  Thanks for sharing.



And the Nominees Are……

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The nominees for the 2014 Upstage Award have been chosen. One of these performers will receive the prestigious trophy at the Annual Meeting of the Putnam County Playhouse on Sunday, October 19.

In order of appearance the nominees are:

Eleanor Howard for her portrayal of General Mathilda B. Cartwright in Guys & Dolls, directed by Jack Randall Earles.


Kathy Helms Arnold for her portrayal of Ouiser Boudreaux in
 Steel Magnolias, directed by Brad Sandy.

Cameron Callan for his portrayal of multiple roles in Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Bryan Schroeder.


Jack Randall Earles for his portrayal of Banjo in The Man Who Came to Dinner directed by Ric McFadden.