L-R Standing: Candy Wilson, Kathy Helms Arnold, Karen K. Temple, Brad Sandy, M. Susan Anthony, Madison King, and Cecily Girton.  Seated: Lita Sandy and Meghan Armitage.

Director: Brad Sandy

Meghan Armitage as Shelby

M. Susan Anthony as M’Lynn

Susan most recently appeared at PCPH as Irene Malloy in Hello, Dolly!  She also played Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. Susan is in the Theatre & Communications department at DePauw University. There she most recently directed The Women. Susan also directed DePauw’s nationally acclaimed production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

Karen K. Temple as Clairee

Karen K. Temple plays Ouiser. Her first PCPH production was 42nd Street in 1996.  She has since played many leading roles including Hannigan in Annie, Bloody Mary in South Pacific, and Berte in Pippin. Karen has a law office in Greencastle. She also breeds chihuahuas.

Kathy Helms Arnold as Ouiser.

Playing Ouiser is Kathy Helms Arnold. Kathy’s first PCPH show was You Can’t Take It With You, playing Essie, the ballet-dancing grand daughter. She was also in The Music Man, and she was John Baughman’s assistant director for The Foreigner.  Kathy and husband Gordon have one son. She is a former elementary school teacher at South Putnam. Kathy is currently a part time library assistant at Coatesville-Clay Township Public Library.

Lita Sandy as Truvy

Lita Sandy plays beauty shop owner Truvy. She has been working at Putnam County Playhouse since 1972, when she was Ernestina Simple in Hello, Dolly! directed by Vickie Parker. Lita has directed many shows herself including Grease (our all-time attendance champion), Cheaper By the Dozen, and Annie. She has also done choreography for many shows including 42nd Street, Kiss Me Kate, and Oklahoma! Lita has also appeared onstage in leading roles in shows such as Gypsy and Arsenic and Old Lace. She operates Dance Workshop with her daughter Tara Gardner. Lita returns to Steel Magnolias playing the role she also played in our first production in 1992.

Madison King as Annelle

Madison King is playing Annelle, the shy shop assistant. She played Ernestine in our 2011 production of . Madison has also been in our SHAKESPEARED Youth Theatre Workshop many times. She is a lifeguard at Splash Island. Madison attends South Putnam High School where she is active in theatre and plays the tuba!

Bill Cook as the Voice of KPPD.

Dustin Bond & Meghan Armitage in “Thoroughly Modern Millie”

Appearing in supporting roles are David Roberts as flower shop owner, Mr. Mushnik, and Jacob Peterman as Audrey’s boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, D.D.S.  Roberts and Peterman most recently appeared in Guys & Dolls.

L-R: Clarence Long, Dustin Bond, Scott Armitage, TJ Tincher, David Roberts, Jacob Peterman in “Luck Be a Lady Tonight.”  PHoto by Kayla Myer

L-R – Annie Weltz, Sarah Bond, Jim Poor.  Photo by Kayla Myer

Director-choreographer is Jack Randall Earles. Assistant director is Sandi Rossok, and Alison Howard is the production stage manager. Vocal direction is by Geoff Price, and the pit conductor-pianist is Marilyn Burdsall. Earles directed Angel Street last year with Rossok assisting. Price and Burdsall have both been involved in many musical productions at PCPH.

L-R: at rehearsal, Jacob Peterman, David Roberts, Scott Armitage, Chris Wurster, Geoff Price

The musical’s lyrics and music were written by Frank Loesser. The book is by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows and is based on the writings of Damon Runyon. Guys & Dolls won five Tony Awards when it opened on Broadway in 1951. The 1992 revival went on to win four Tony Awards.

The leading roles of Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown are being played by real-life married couple Dustin and Sarah Bond. They were both seen last year in The Drowsy Chaperone and Harvey.

Sarah Bond & Dustin Bond

Their comic counterparts, Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide, are played by Scott Armitage and Ashlee Anne Vitz. Both performers have been onstage at PCPH many times. Ashlee debuted in 2011 as Guenevere in Camelot, and Scott has most recently been seen in Don’t Drink the Water and Kiss Me Kate.

Ashlee Anne Vitz & Scott Armitage

Other roles are taken by Jim Poor (Arvide Abernathy), Eleanor Howard (General Matilda B. Cartwright), David Roberts (Nicely Nicely Johnson), Chris Wurster (Rusty Charlie), and Craig Armitage (Benny Southstreet). 

L-R: Jacob Peterman, Scott Armitage, Chris Wurster, Craig Armitage, Elijah Brattain, TJ Tincher. Kneeling is Clarence Long

Craig is playing the part that his father Scott played in the last PCPH production of Guys & Dolls in 1995.

Jim Poor has been associated with Putnam County Playhouse since 1963 and served on the Board of Directors for many years. He most recently directed The Sunshine Boys and played Sancho Panza in The Man of La Mancha.

Jim Poor as Arvide Abernathy

The cast also includes Elijah Brattain, Clarence Long, Dylan Bodnarick, TJ Tincher, and Jacob Peterman. The distaff side is represented by Annie Weltz, Elise Merrell, Michaela Semak, Jerica Bean, and Hannah Brattain. Hannah is playing roles that her mother, Kim, played in our 1995 production.

L-R: Jim Poor, Clarence Long, Eleanor Howard, Annie Weltz

Bryan Schroeder is technical director and lighting designer. Set design and special painting is by Linda Gjesvold.

L-R: Annie Weltz, Michaela Semak, Ashlee Anne Vitz, Jerica Bean, Elise Merrell, Hannah Brattain

Other musicians joining Burdsall in the pit are Michael McClaine, percussion; Drew Brattain, bass; and Marcia Boswell, flute.

L-R: Marcia Boswell, Michael McClaine, Marilyn Burdsall. Not pictured: Drew Brattain.

Stage crew for the production are Sydney Cassida and Alex Asbell.

Brenda McClaine will run the sound/light board with assistance from Meghan Armitage.

The Cast & Staff of “Guys & Dolls.”

Jack Randall Earles directing in the outdoor space, 1995.

One actor appearing in that production was Scott Armitage.  He played the character of Benny Southstreet.  In 2014, he is playing Nathan Detroit.

L-R: Bob Hedge, Scott Armitage, Marc R. Adams, 1995

This time around, Scott’s son, Craig is playing Benny Southstreet and his daughter Sarah is playing Sarah Brown.

L-R: Scott Armitage, Sarah Bond, Craig Armitage, 2014

Also in our earlier production, Kim [Hinkle] Brattain was in the ensemble and danced as one of the Hot Box Girls

L-R: Kim [Hinkle] Brattain, Peggy Tennis

Kim’s daughter, Hannah is filling the same roles in our current production.

Hannah Brattain

The 53rd season of Putnam County Playhouse will kick off with an Open House on Sunday, June 1. The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre

Season tickets for all four productions Guys & Dolls, Steel Magnolias, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Man Who Came to Dinner are still available and can be purchased that day.  A season ticket guarantees you a seat for every show!

Individual tickets for each production will also be on sale that day. Season tickets are still just $35, and individual tickets are $10 each.

We have made improvements to our facilities, and you can be among the first to see them on June 1.

PCPH board president Michael McClaine and other board members will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about our organization.

Also currently serving on the board are Bethany Bax, Sandra Rossok, Jim Rambo, Caroline Good, Shelly McFadden, Kathryn Dory, and Meghan Armitage.

Other board members are Jack Randall Earles, Ric McFadden, Brad Sandy, Mark Hammer, Linda Gjesvold, Drew Brattain, Dustin Bond, and TJ Tincher.

Throughout the afternoon, visitors will be entertained by musical numbers from our production of Guys & Dolls which opens on Thursday, June 5.

Refreshments will be available.  The Open House is free and open to the public.  Plan to spend some time with us this Sunday!

L -R: Annie Weltz, Michaela Semak, Ashlee Vitz, Elise Merrell, Jerica Bean

We’re making changes so that your evenings at the Putnam County Playhouse will be even more enjoyable!

Be sure to get your Season Tickets to be part of the fun!

Season tickets and single session tickets will be on sale at our Open House on Sunday, June 1, from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

The cast for the July production of Steel Magnolias has been selected.  

M’Lynn will be played by M. Susan Anthony. Her daughter Shelby will be played by Meghan Armitage.

Karen Temple will play Clairee, and Kathy Helms Arnold will play Ouiser.

Annelle will be played by Madison King, and Lita Sandy will play Truvy.

Steel Magnolias will be presented July 10-12 and July 16-19.

It is being sponsored by:

Click HERE to learn more about our sponsor.