When you do 4+ shows in a season for 39 years in the barn, you end up with quite a few properties and furniture pieces. And just like at home, you don’t need something until you throw it away – so we don’t throw anything away! We’ve accumulated quite a collection of this, that, and the other.

The Props Loft Committee including Sandi Rossok, Cameron Wunderlich, and Anna Harris with help from Tech Committee Chair Dustin Bond decided to “get things organized” upstairs following the 2022 season. The loft itself is located on the second floor of the shop just behind the pit.

Designer and carpenter Wunderlich worked with Harris and Bond to build a special Prop Room that includes a locked cabinet for those one of a kind props and items that need special handling.

The crew has also been working on a computer inventory of ALL props. [Cameron has declared that we have too many cereal/soup bowls.] This will make filling directors’ requests more efficient. It will also eliminate the possibility that props that are sometimes borrowed have been forgotten and are not returned.

We wish a Happy New Year to all of our members and participants and hope to see you at the barn in 2023!!

And special thanks to Anna, Cameron, Dustin, and Sandi for their hard work!

It’s that time of year again!

Putnam County Playhouse was invited by Endeavor Communications to entertain at its employee Holiday Party earlier this month. PCPH playwright Caroline Good crafted a version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that included the names of Endeavor employees and circumstances of the organization.

Good also directed the troupe which included Dustin Bond, Shelly McFadden, Josh Bain, Anna Harris, Kathryn Dory, Ric McFadden, Karen Temple and Good.

The happy event was held at Owl Ridge.

Here’s a letter from PCPH President Shelly McFadden…..watch your mailbox! Our 2023 Fund Drive is on its way!

If you didn’t receive your letter OR you are not on our mailing list, you can download a copy of the Donation Form HERE.

We will also be celebrating our 40th season inside the Hazel Day Longden Theatre!

A few board members and PCPH friends got together last week to keep Putnam County Playhouse in the spotlight.

Director and Narrator Caroline Good organized a short version of our 2017 mainstage production Curtains.

The occasion was the Greencastle Arts Council’s Bonne Soi’ree Fundraiser at Tiger Point.

A good time was had by all!

Actress Tatum Boswell won the 2022 Upstage Award and was presented the trophy at the Putnam County Playhouse Annual meeting on Sunday, October 16. The event was held in the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center of the Hazel Day Longden Theatre, home of the group.

Members and officers of the Board of Directors welcomed guests.

Annual reports were given by the chairpersons of each committee.

The meeting was conducted by President Shelly McFadden while Secretary Kathryn Dory took the minutes.

Refreshments were served before and after the meeting and much discussion of the 2022 season was shared by all in attendance.

Board members were competitive in making motions and seconds to all the reports and laughter was abundant as the afternoon progressed.

The other nominees for the 2022 Upstage Award were Ashlee Anne Vitz for Oliver!, Dale Grove for Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Sarah Ryan for The Miracle Worker.

Thanks to everyone who helped make our 61st season so successful. Thanks for your continued support. We hope to see you at the barn for our 62nd season in 2023! Watch your mailbox for your Fall Fund Drive Letter!

The most anticipated event in Putnam County will happen on Sunday, October 16, at 2 p.m. Well…..maybe not the MOST anticipated….except by at least four performers from last season’s productions at Putnam County Playhouse.

Details below:

Competition is fierce……one of these four will be the winner:

Director Caroline Good says: “I chose Ashlee because of her utter commitment to the role, her comedic creativity, and, as the Hammy criteria requires, she played a smaller role and she made the very most of every moment on stage.”

Director Shelly McFadden says: “Tatum had very few lines onstage, but as a corpse, she stole the show. Whether she was falling out of a refrigerator, being dropped onto the floor from the couch, or being handled as a prop in a party scene, Tatum is the essence of the ‘Hammy’ creed.”

Director Jack Randall Earles says: “The cast of ‘Joseph’ handed me an embarrassment of riches in choices for the Hammy Award. I chose Dale because of the immediate and overwhelming audience response to his performance. I think they were as stunned as I was.”

Director Ric McFadden says: “From the start of rehearsals to the performance, Sarah kept adding to her character as Viney, always taking direction when necessary, and always displaying a great attitude at rehearsals.”

Our season has ended!

We would like to say thanks to our contributors and all of you who attended performances. Our four main stage shows all had enthusiastic audiences. Your support is what makes it happen!

Our Children’s Theatre Workshop and SHAKESPEARED! Youth Theatre Workshop had wonderful participants and enthusiastic audiences. Thanks to the volunteers who worked with Caroline Good to make these events happen.

Thanks to everyone who participated onstage, backstage, and in the tech loft and up in the pit! Without you, we couldn’t have done it.

Special thanks to our sponsors Bittles & Hurt & Hopkins-Rector, First National Bank, and Shuee’s Best Buys Plus.

Please plan to attend our season wrap up at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, October 16, at 2 p.m. in the Michael McClaine Rehearsal Center!

Director Ric McFadden’s production of William Gibson’s drama The Miracle Worker opens on Thursday, September 8 at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Performances are scheduled September 8-10 and September 14-17. All tickets are $10. Tickets requests or questions cannot be answered on Facebook OR the Putnam County Playhouse website. You MUST call the box office at 765-653-5880.

The Miracle Worker is sponsored by:

The cast is lead by Anna Harris as teacher Annie Sullivan. Josie Tischer co-stars as the young Helen Keller whose family is struggling to deal with disabilities. Helen’s parents, Captain Keller and his wife Kate are played Tim Good and Caroline Good.

Other members of the household and friends and servants are played by John Reach, Eleanor Howard, Samantha Funk, Elijah Helmer, and Sarah Ryan.

Playing supporting roles are Suzanne Funk, Kathi Elliott, Jay Prewitt, John Tischer, and Dustin Bond. Featured roles are Chloey Barnett, Anna Norris, Ingrid Norris, Ellen Blackledge, Nicolette Blackledge, Catherine Ryan-Shrager, and Alex Gurnon.

Shelly McFadden, who also did the costumes, is the stage manager with assistance from Bart Jones. Assistant director is Ruby Sullivan who is also running the light board. Ben South is the sound designer-technician and also running the sound board. Brandon Wunderlich is on the stage crew. Lighting design is by Bond and Cameron Wunderlich. Director McFadden designed and built the set.

The 61^st season of Putnam County Playhouse will close with director Ric McFadden’s production of William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker. It will be produced on the main stage September 8-10 and September 14-17.  All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets will go on sale in the box office at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 5. Tickets cannot be reserved on Facebook or at the website.

The production is sponsored by:

Shelly McFadden is the costumer and stage manager. Assistant director is Ruby Sullivan, who will also run the light board. Bart Jones is the assistant stage manager. Lighting design is by Dustin Bond and Cameron Wunderlich. Ben South is the sound designer and he will also run the sound board. Director McFadden also designed the set.

Anna Harris is playing the leading role of Annie Sullivan and Josie Tischer will play the role of Helen Keller. The parents of Helen, Captain Keller and his wife Kate are played by Tim Good and Caroline Good. Annie’s brother Jimmy is played by Alex Gurnon.

Also in the household are son James played by John Reach and the family servant Viney played by Sarah Ryan. The visiting Aunt Ev is played by Eleanor Howard.

Also in the cast are Samantha Funk, Elijah Helmer, Jay Prewitt, Dustin Bond, Suzanne Funk, and Kathi Elliott.

Featured players include John Tischer, Chloey Barnett, Anna Norris, Ingrid Norris, Ellen Blackledge, Nicolette Blackledge, and Catherine Ryan-Shager. 

The 61^st season of the Putnam County Playhouse continues with a production of the musical Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It will be onstage at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre August 11-13 and August 17-20. Curtain time is 8 p.m. each night.  All tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling the box office at 765-653-5880 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday beginning August 8. The box office is only open during those times. Tickets are not available online or on Facebook.

The production is sponsored by First National Bank.

The musical is directed by Jack Randall Earles.  Assistant director is Sandi Rossok who also did the costume direction. Vocal direction is by Kathryn Dory and musical direction is by Morgan Asher, who is also the pit conductor/pianist. Percussionist Dedee Schwomeyer is also playing.

The title role of Joseph is played by Dylan Arnold. Telling the story is the Narrator sung by Molly Murphy. The story is also helped along by solo songs from three of the brothers played by Jay Prewitt, Josh Bain, and Dustin Bond. The other brothers include David Johnson (who also plays the Butler), Cameron Wunderlich, William Dory, Joe Fields, Dorian Dowd, Ruby Sullivan, Jakob Seger, and Devin Huff.

Jacob is sung by Andrew Ranck. His four wives are played by Hannah Newlin, Kathryn Dory, Ellie Emmert (who also plays the Baker), and Amanda Standers. Suzanne Funk and Shelby Merrill appear in supporting roles.

Dale Grove is featured as the Pharaoh. Brad Sandy and Sarah Armitage play the Potiphars. Chloe Gardner is a featured dancer.

Set design and painting is by Linda Gjesvold. Cameron and Brandon Wunderlich are production stage managers. The stage crew duties are handled by Tucker Elmore and Bart Jones. Shelly McFadden and Jerry T. Scott handle the lights and sound – directed by Bond.