The Rehearsal Center at the Putnam County Playhouse is used for many things. Its primary use, of course, is for a rehearsal space. While the show next on the schedule is rehearsing on the mainstage, the show following it spends its time in the Rehearsal Center. Tape on the floor marks out the set design and folding chairs and “rehearsal” furniture are used to help the actors during blocking.

The rehearsal center is also used for auditions. There are also dressing rooms for the performers. During a performance, it is the Green Room – the place where actors who are not onstage wait until it’s time for them to go their “places” before making an entrance. Before we had the rehearsal center, the dressing rooms were in the small barn – there were many crossovers in the rain! Auditions and rehearsals were also held outdoors.

It was in 2006 that the decision was finally made – after many seasons of discussion – that fundraising for a rehearsal center would begin. We had a fundraising evening of entertainment and a special outreach was made to PCPH supporters. The result was gratifying, and ground was broken for the structure in the spring of 2007.

Construction was quick, and the structure was ready to use for the opening show of the season Cinderella.

This past season, the board elected to give the rehearsal center a name. While the efforts of many made the project happen, the board chose to name it after the person whose efforts at fund raising and attention to detail were paramount in making the rehearsal center a reality. From now on it will be known as:

The annual meeting for Putnam County Playhouse was held on Sunday, October 3, at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. Board members and guests Ashlee Anne Vitz and Bryan Schroeder convened to hear reports on the 2021 season.

Committee chairpersons gave their reports on their activity and a lively conversation about PCPH was enjoyed by all.

As provided in the By-Laws of PCPH, the nominating committee also put forth the names of those who were to be considered for the role of a member of the board. Four names of board members whose terms were expiring and who had expressed an interest in serving again were placed in nomination. They were Caroline Good, Brad Sandy, Sandi Rossok, and Shelly McFadden. Cameron Wunderlich was nominated to fulfill the final year of retiring board member Drew Brattain’s term. The roster was accepted by acclamation.

Jack Randall Earles was named the winner of the Upstage Award for his role as Louis XI in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

In the regular board meeting that followed, the nomination committee presented its prepared slate of officers who will serve for the coming season. They were President, Shelly McFadden; Vice-Presidents, Dustin Bond and Linda Gjesvold; Recording Secretary-Assistant Treasurer, Kathryn Dory; Corresponding Secretary, Jack Randall Earles; and Treasurer, Mark Hammer.

Congratulations to our new president Shelly McFadden and welcome to new board member Cameron Wunderlich!

This year the Annual Meeting of the Putnam County Playhouse, Inc., will be on Sunday, October 3, at 2 p.m.

The meeting will be in the Hazel Day Longden Theatre.Social distancing and masks will be followed. Because of protocols, refreshments will not be served this year.

This letter to you from our outgoing President Michael McClaine explains the details!

The prestigious HAMMY/UPSTAGE Award will also be presented at the meeting. Our nominees from our three productions this season are:

Jack Randall Earles as Louis XI in Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Ashlee Anne Vitz as Alma in Pillow Talk.

Jack Randall Earles as Wilbur C. Henderson in You Can’t Take It With You.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this unusual season a success. We are all looking forward to our 2022 season, and we hope you are, too!

As the 2021 60th Anniversary Season of Putnam County Playhouse comes to an end, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters for all they have done for us.

To our audiences – THANK YOU for attending our productions!

To those who contributed to our 2021 Fund Drive – THANK YOU!

To all of those who worked on our shows & workshops, THANK YOU!

To our sponsors for the season – THANK YOU!

See you 2022!

The final show of the 60th season at Putnam County Playhouse is now open! You can call the box office at 765-653-5880 after 5 p.m daily [except Sunday]. All performances begin at 8 p.m. and all tickets are $10. The Pulitzer-prize winning comedy You Can’t Take It With You will be presented September 7-11 and September 14-18. Limited seating is available.

The production is sponsored by:

To read about our sponsor click HERE.

The leading role of Martin Vanderhof, an iconoclastic grandfather bent on tilting windmills, is acted by Ric McFadden. The place is New York City and the time in 1938 or so. Vanderhof and his family including daughter Penny (Shelly McFadden), son-in-law Paul (Michael McClaine) and grand daughters Essie (Hannah Lafever) and Alice (Anna Harris) all live in worlds of their own making. His other son-in-law Ed (Bart Jones) plays the xylophone and sells candy on the side.

Also involved in the house are the servants Rheba (Morgan Asher) and Donald (Noah D. Pettit). Mr. De Pinna (Jim Rambo) helps Paul with creating fireworks and Boris Kolenkhov (Jack Randall Earles) visits regularly to help Essie with her dancing.

When daughter Alice falls in love with Anthony Kirby, Jr. (Cameron Wunderlich), the delicate imbalance of the household is thrown into a whirl. An invitation to dinner offered to the senior Kirbys (Holly Pritchett & Dustin Bond) begins a night of chaos that even the Vanderhof-Sycamores are unable to set right.

Can love survive? Will Tony and Alice finally get together?

Sometimes even a Mrs. Fix-It like Penny is unable to come up with a solution. And what about the visiting Russian Grand Duchess (Karen Temple), the G-Men (Ethan Lawler), and Gay Wellington (Sandi Rossok), an actress who enjoys her whiskey?

Directed by Dustin Bond who also did the lighting design. Linda Gjesvold did the set design. Ruby Sullivan is the light board operator.

Did we mention the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina, a cousin to the Czar of all the Russias?

Oh…..and Donald always brings the flies with him.

PHOTOS BY LINDA GJESVOLD.

In a spirit of optimism – members of the cast of the planned September production are continuing their rehearsals. The Pulitzer-Prize winning comedy You Can’t Take It With You will hopefully be presented September 7-11 and September 14-18. All performances will begin at 8 p.m. and all tickets are $10. The box office will open at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 6. At that time you can call 765-653-5880 for reservations. No calls will be taken until then. After September 6, the box office will be open daily at 5 p.m. [except Sunday, September 12].

The production is sponsored by:

The comedy is directed by Dustin Bond – who also designed the lighting. Ruby Sullivan will run the light board. The set was designed by Linda Gjesvold.

The cast includes Ric McFadden in the leading role of Martin Vanderhoff – a man who has gone his own way in life. Playing members of his eccentric family are Michael L. McClaine as son-in-law Paul who is married to free spirit Penny played by Shelly McFadden. His two granddaughters Essie an aspiring ballet dancer and Alice a secretary are played by Hannah Lefever and Anna Harris respectively. Essie’s husband, Ed, who plays the xylophone and sells home made candy is played by Bart Jones making his PCPH debut. Jim Rambo is Mr. DiPenna, who assists Paul in making fireworks.

The household domestic couple are played by Morgan Asher and Noah D. Pettit. Tony Kirby, a suitor to Alice, is played by Cameron Wunderlich. Jay Prewitt and Holly Pritchett are his parents, the stuffy Mr. and Mrs. Kirby.

Other visitors to the house include Mr. Kolenkhov, Essie’s dancing teacher played by Jack Randall Earles; an actress who Penny is trying to recruit to be in one of the plays she has written, Gay Wellington, played by Sandi Rossok; an IRS representative, Joshua Saul Bain; and a deposed Russian Duchess, Karen Temple. Bond, Bain, and Ethan Lawler are G-Men who pay a surprise visit to the household.

Wunderlich, Harris, and Pettit are also working backstage. This production will close the 60th anniversary season of Putnam County Playhouse.

Putnam County Playhouse has announced that its August production of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been canceled.  A member of the JOSEPH company tested positive for Covid-19 and the production was halted last week.

Refunds are available for those who have pre-purchased tickets for the show.  The box office at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre will be open August 9-14 and August 16-21.  Box office will be open from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. each of those days only.  Those wishing to receive a refund should bring their tickets to the box office on any of those days. Refunds will not be offered after August 21.

We thank you for your continued support.  The 60^th Season will end in September with a production of the Pulitzer-prize winning comedy You Can’t Take It With You.

NOTE: TICKETS FOR THIS 2021 PRODUCTION WILL NOT BE HONORED FOR ANY PLANNED PRODUCTION IN 2022.

The 2021 Children’s Theatre Workshop is in operation this week.  Creator-Director Caroline Good has gathered a talented group of instructors and interns to provide the participants with a great experience in “how theatre is created”.

The Workshop will present the fruits of its labors to an audience of family and friends at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 23, at 7 p.m.

Working with Good are Ashlee Anne Vitz [late of Pillow Talk] and Craig Robinson [who appeared in SHAKESPEARED! earlier this summer].

The interns include Bella Green, Rebecca Hebb, Ruby Sullivan, Avery H. Stockwell , Marigrace Girton , MJ Cooper ,and Gunner Roach . Working on the technical side are DePauw students Molly Murphy, Ivy Sedam, Josie Cox, and Grace Riley.

One of the plays on the bill will be “The Disappearing Porridge” written by Riley. The cast for this production features Lydia Grove, Josie Tincher, Blake Hambler, Charlotte Tomamichel, Abram Goss, and Mariah Hall. Appearing with them are Jackson Wells, Finley Burton, Gabby Robbins, Aleks Koulak, Lydia Wells, Sage Cummings, Addy Koulak, and Alex Gurnon.  

Also being presented is “The Tiniest Queen” written by seventh grader Cooper.  It features Hayley Roderick, Gabriel Whitman, Keyli Hamblet, Cecilia Wells, and Jessica Bogaerts. Also appearing will be Atlas Cora McAllister, Hillis Barcus, Lauren Wells, and Layla Koulak.

Director Dustin Bond has scheduled two sessions of auditions for You Can’t Take It With You. The Pulitzer-prize winning comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart will close the 60^th season of Putnam County Playhouse with performances September 7-11 and September 14-18.

Auditions will be at the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre on Sunday, July 18 at 3 p.m. and again Monday, July 19, at 7 p.m.

Download an audition sheet here.

The show is being sponsored by Shuee’s Great Buys Plus.

To read about our sponsor click here.

Bond is looking for actors to portray a family of eccentrics – the Sycamores –  who live by their own rules and the people who come into contact with them.  There are roles for actors of all ability levels.  The leading roles include Grandpa Vanderhoff, the head of the family; Penny, his daughter, who fancies herself a painter and/or a playwright; Alice, the grand daughter who is not sure of her place in the world; and Tony Kirby, who loves Alice in spite of her family. 

Other roles include Penny’s daughter Essie and her husband Ed, the family servants Reba and her boyfriend, Donald: Tony’s disapproving parents, and many more.  The full character list and their stage ages can be found here.

To read the play click here.

This is a great opportunity for actors who are looking to be onstage for the first time or who are returning to the stage after an absence.  All those auditioning should be 16 years of age or older.

The 60^th season continues in August with a production of the musical Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

You can read all about our 2021 Children’s Theatre Workshop

by clicking HERE.