AUDITIONS DATES SET FOR 2013!!!

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Are you interested in being onstage at Putnam County Playhouse this season?  It all begins with an audition. 
First up will be You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.  Director Brad Sandy will have two audition sessions.  The first will be Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m.  The second session will be Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m.
Next will be auditions for the mystery-thriller Angel Street aka Gaslight. The two audition dates for this show are Sunday, May 19, at 3 p.m.  And again Monday, May 20, at 7 p.m. The production is being directed by Jack Randall Earles.
Director Shelly McFadden will find her cast for The Drowsy Chaperone during two audition sessions in June.  The first session will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 16.  It will be followed by another round on Monday, June 17, at 7 p.m.
Your last opportunity to join us onstage will be when director Jim Rambo holds auditions for the comedy Harvey.  Those auditions will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 21, and Monday, July 22, at 7 p.m.
Additional information about all of the shows can be found by using the drop down menu at the top of the page. 

PCPH Receives Grant from Putnam County Foundation!

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President Michael McClaine is joined by PCPH
 Fundraising Committee Chairperson Drew Brattain


On Friday, December 7, PCPH President Michael McClaine and Finance and Fund Raising Committee Chairperson Drew Brattain attended a breakfast meeting held by the Putnam County Foundation. The event was to recognize those organizations that had been given grants by the PCF.  Putnam County Playhouse was given a $4000 grant to help defray the cost of a new sound/mixing board.


L-R: Brattain – Marilynn Sturgeon, PCF Grant Committee –
 Beth Flint, Old National Bank,  PCF Grant Committee.


President McClaine spoke to the group and said:

“This grant will greatly assist the Playhouse offset the cost of replacing the main sound board – the heart of our sound system.  The sound board controls the main speakers, cast microphones (we have a dozen wireless mics), the orchestra loft instruments for musicals, special sound effects, back stage monitors and our intercom system.  The existing sound board is at least 15 years old [the author remembers it being there as early as 1991], although no one is really sure of its age, as it was donated to the Playhouse.  Several channels no longer work, or they produce unwanted ‘noise’ due to age and use, and there is only one output channel that works.  When it goes, there will be no sound….

 “Last summer, I had the opportunity to run the sound board for See How 
They Run, the last show of our 2012 season.  I got first-hand experience with the board, and found that it is indeed worn out and a new one is desperately needed.

“In conclusion, we are extremely grateful to be a recipient of a Foundation grant and we pledge to put it good use as we continue our mission of providing a live community theatre experience….”  

2013 Fund Drive Now In Progress

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The 2013 Putnam County Playhouse Fund Drive is now underway.  If you are on our mailing list, you should receive your letter this week.
Please return it, with your check as soon as possible. Those contributing to our Fund Drive will be listed in the programs for all of our Main Stage shows in 2013.
As President Michael McClaine writes in his letter:
“….as we finalize plans for our 52nd season, we are reminded that the Playhouse would not be a success without you. Thank you for helping all the volunteers of PCPH who make a difference for the culture of Putnam and our surrounding counties.”
You can read about our exciting 2013 program in the article below. Make plans now to attend. Season ticket information will be mailed in the spring.
We appreciate your support by attending our shows, but a contribution to our Fund Drive helps us not only with our program, but with improvements and maintenance of our facility. Every dollar spent on a ticket or given in the Fund Drive goes directly to the Putnam County Playhouse. No one receives compensation for any work they do for PCPH, whether it is creative or administrative. We receive some monies from grants, but the bulk of our financing comes from individuals like you! Thank you for your continued support.
If you did not receive a Fund Drive Letter, you can click on the Contact Us tab above, and download the Fund Drive Form linked on that page.
If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring one of our Main Stage productions, please contact our Fund Raising Chairperson, Drew Brattain, at his email:
Thanks again! See you at The Barn!

A Season to Look Forward To – PCPH 2013!!!

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The 52nd season of Putnam County Playhouse will open in June with the musical comedy You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. The show will be produced June 6, 7, 8, and June 12, 13, 14, 15. Based on the popular comic strip by Charles M. Schultz, the musical includes all of the familiar characters – Charlie Brown, Lucy, Schroeder, Sally, and of course Snoopy! 
To read more about the show click HERE
The Youth Theatre Workshop will take place June 16-29th. The Shakespeared! production for this summer is A Comedy of Errors.
The July production will be the suspense thriller Angel Street, also known as Gaslight. The play by Patrick Hamilton was first produced in London in 1938, and then in 1941 it was produced on Broadway, where it became one of New York’s longest running plays. In New York, the stars were Vincent Price, Judith Evelyn, and Leo G. Carroll. A film version of the play titled “Gaslight” starred Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. Bergman won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the wife being driven mad by her husband. Angel Street will be presented on July 11, 12, 13, and July 17, 18, 19, 20.
To read more about the show click HERE.
A Children’s Theatre Workshop will be held in late July – dates TBA.
The August production will be the Tony-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone, a PCPH premiere. With a book by Bob Martin & Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison, the show opened on Broadway on May 1, 2006. It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards that year and won 5. The Drowsy Chaperone is a nod to musicals of the past with songs and dances of many styles. Your host for the evening is The Man In the Chair who explains arcane references and introduces the cast members as the evening rolls along. The musical will be produced August 8, 9. 10, and August 14, 15, 16, 17.
To read more about the show click HERE.
Our season will close with a production of Mary Chase’s classic comedy Harvey. Recently revived on Broadway, and familiar to our audiences, the play tells the story of Elwood P. Dowd and his closest friend, who just happens to be a six foot tall rabbit named Harvey. Only Dowd can see Harvey, and the situations with his family and friends present a merry evening of entertainment. Harvey will close our season with shows on September 12, 13, 14, and September 18, 19, 20, 21.
To read more about the play click HERE.
Directors and audition dates for all shows will be announced here in January.

TINCHER PREVAILS IN UPSTAGE AWARD CONTEST!

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Actor T.J. Tincher accepts the Upstage Award from PCPH President Michael McClaine

T.J. Tincher won the Hammy Award for 2012 for his performances in Thoroughly Modern Millie, directed by Shelly McFadden. The Award was presented on October 21, at the annual meeting of the Putnam County Playhouse.  Other nominees were Peggy McClaine for See How They Run directed by Larry Sutton, Kathryn Dory for The Curious Savage directed by Jack Randall Earles, and Marilyn Burdsall in Clue: The Musical directed by Ric McFadden.

In addition the members of the board, those in attendance included Peggy McClaine, Steve McMains, and Eleanor Howard. Light refreshments were served, and everybody had a good time.
At the regular board meeting held immediately after the Annual Meeting, a slate of officers for 2012-13 was put into place.  They include President, Michael McClaine; 1st Vice President, Jack Randall Earles; 2nd Vice President, Linda Gjesvold; Secretary, Kathryn Dory; and Treasurer, Mark Hammer.
Also elected to the board to serve two year terms were T.J. Tincher, Dustin Bond, and Meghan Armitage.
Shelly McFadden, Tincher, Jack Randall Earles
Most people were pleased with the outcome of the day. The board looks forward to 2013!

ANNUAL MEETING – OCTOBER 21st!!!

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The annual meeting of Putnam County Playhouse will be held on Sunday, October 21, at 4 p.m.  The event will be in the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.

All participants and persons interested in PCPH are invited to attend. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be served.

Committee chairpersons will present a report on their activity. Committees include Tickets, Promotions, Program, Finance, and others.

President Michael McClaine will also present his State of the Playhouse address.

Members of the board up for re-election will be nominated and voted on at this meeting as well.

A highlight of the meeting will be the presentation of the Upstage Award, also known as The Hammy.  For each mainstage production, the director nominates one person whose performance was most noticed by the audience or who – although had limited time onstage – made the most of that time.

FROM CLUE THE MUSICAL:

Marilyn Burdsall as The Piano Player

FROM THE CURIOUS SAVAGE:



Kathryn Dory as Lily Belle Savage

FROM THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE;
T.J. Tincher as Dexter

FROM SEE HOW THEY RUN:
Peggy McClaine as Ida

2012 SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE!!!

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Thanks to everyone who helped make the 2012 Season of Putnam County Playhouse such a great success!!
We opened in June with Clue: The Musical, followed by our Youth Theatre Workshop Shakespeared!

July brought us The Curious Savage and The Children’s Workshop.
Thoroughly Modern Millie took the stage in August, and we ended the season with See How They Run.

We offer a special thanks to our performers, musicians, and technicians.
And of course particular thanks to our corporate sponsors for the season:
Duke Energy Foundation
First National Bank
Rossok & Co. – Pekin Insurance
Shuee & Sons Appliances
But most of all we thank YOU, our supporters and audience members who continue to support the Putnam County Playhouse through your donations and attendance.
Please plan to join us for our 2013 season.  
Watch the mail for your Fund Drive Letter!  
And we hope to see you at our Annual Meeting on October 21st!

Second Week – Final 2012 Production – “See How They Run”

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Peggy McClaine, Jack Randall Earles, Eleanor Howard

See How They Run enters its second week at Putnam County Playhouse.  For an evening of fun and laughs, join the cast at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.  Help us close out the 51st season when we take the stage Wednesday-Saturday, September 19-22.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 765-653-5880 after 5 p.m. daily.  All tickets are $10, and all performances are at 8 p.m.

Come To See “How They Run”

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The 2012 season of Putnam County Playhouse closes with a production of the Philip King comedy See How They Run. Directed by Larry Sutton, the British farce will have performances September 13-15 and September 19-22.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 765-653-5880 after 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday. All tickets are $10 and all performances are at 8 p.m. at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre, Greencastle.

Corporate sponsor for the show is Shuee & Sons Appliances.

To read more about our sponsor click HERE.

See How They Run is not just the title of the show, it’s a description of the action. It has all the elements of the classic farce including mistaken identities, fast-paced chases, and missing apparel. What happened to the Vicar’s pants? Why is the Bishop in his nightclothes? What did the maid do with the Corporal’s uniform? All these answers and more are hilariously revealed by the end of the evening.

The plot is put into motion by Penelope Toop (Caroline Good), the wife the local Vicar (Jack Randall Earles). When she decides to have an evening out with an old friend (Brad Sandy), everything goes wrong.

Brad Sandy
Jack Randall Earles

Caroline Good

Good was most recently seen at PCPH as The Detective in Clue: The Musical. Earles was the director of The Curious Savage in July.  Brad Sandy performed last season in Camelot as Mordred.

Misunderstandings involving the local spinster (Eleanor Howard), the wise-cracking maid (Peggy McClaine), and a Bishop (Bill Wieland) are fast and furious. Add another Vicar (Jim Green), an escaped Russian spy (T.J. Tincher), and an army sergeant (Lita Sandy), and the fun is multiplied again.
Eleanor Howard
Bill Wieland



Peggy McClaine












Howard appeared earlier this season in Thoroughly Modern Millie, as did Tincher. Green has done technical work all season, and Lita Sandy directed last year’s Cheaper By the Dozen. McClaine is returning to the PCPH stage this year, but has been seen in such past successes as The Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Cemetery Club, and Guys & Dolls.


Jim Green

Lita Sandy





T.J. Tincher













Linda Gjesvold is assistant director and set designer for the production. Michael McClaine and Brenda McClaine are working on the technical side.

Director Sutton is a longtime PCPH participant. Most recently he directed The Glass Menagerie and appeared in All My Sons. Gjesvold has done set design for many productions at PCPH, including The Curious Savage and Thoroughly Modern Millie this year.