It's Tim and Caroline Good who are featured in July's Blithe Spirit!
We recently sat down with Tim and Caroline Good during a break in rehearsals for Blithe Spirit to find out a little more about them.
PCPH: Hi, Caroline. Can you tell us how you first became involved with Putnam County Playhouse?
CG: In 2004, Deb Grammel, the chairperson of the Children's Workshop Committee, asked us to help with their program. I had created a program I called "Shakespearience" that she was interested in where kids would rehearse a condensed version of a Shakespeare play while participating in interactive presentations about various aspects of Shakespeare's history, theatre, and daily life by costumed leaders. So, that first year, Beth [Girton] Bax directed the elementary grades in The Tempest and Tim directed the junior high in Twelfth Night, while I organized the programming. Then I had the opportunity to play my first role at the playhouse, the Baroness in The Sound of Music [directed by Ernie Ford in 2006] after which I was invited to join the board -- and I've been involved ever since.
PCPH: Which brings us to Tim, so you started together?
TG: We moved to Greencastle in the summer of 2002, and in the summer of
’03 I had the opportunity to do a youth workshop at the Playhouse. We
did my adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, then the next summer did
Caroline’s adaptation of Twelfth Night, and we were off to the races.
PCPH: So have you always enjoyed working together?
TG: I think the first time was in high school when she was in The Mikado and I played my trumpet in the pit. That would have been 1981 or so, at
Ottawa High School in northern Illinois. Our first time onstage
together was probably Carousel at our summer youth theater in the same
town.
CG: Well we talk shop all the time! Tim and I were in swing choir together in high school, did Grease together (Tim was Kenicke and I was Sandy when I actually gave Patty a black eye -- and 3 stitches), Carousel (chorus - Tim especially "liked" the clambake song), Music Man (Harold and Marion), and he has directed me in Redhead, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Little Women. We've done six Youth Theatre Workshops together, too. I'd have to say Music Man was my favorite - Tim used the words from "Till There Was You" when he proposed -- 17 years later. Though we must admit is especially fun playing Charles and Elvira's bantering [in Blithe Spirit].
PCPH: Tim you wear both the acting hat and the directing hat - which do you enjoy more?
TG: Not acting. I have degrees in directing and experimental theater,
earned a living for many years in scenery and lighting, I adapt
stories, novels, and memoirs into scripts, and I started two improv
troupes, but acting in a scripted play has never been one of my
primary interests. I do it from time to time because I think it’s
good for me as a theater artist and teacher.
PCPH: Would you tell us a bit about your jobs at DePauw University?
CG: I've been teaching acting and first-year seminar courses on theatrical topics since 2004. Now, I also teach voice and movement classes that I truly love. Watching my students find a myriad of ways of expressing themselves through their voices and their bodies with confidence and creativity is very amazing! I stepped into the part-time costumer position in addition to my teaching in 2005 and now have quite a buzzing costume shop under the Moore stage. We build many of the costumes for the four mainstage shows and coordinate the opera each year. As a bonus, I get to costume each show Tim directs - it's a good thing we get along so well!
TG: I get to work with active and stimulating colleagues and students
every day, which is obviously a great blessing. I teach in the
Department of Communication and Theater, and my varied assignments
keep my brain sharp. For instance, last year I was able to teach
beginning acting, research methods, advanced design, and African
Atlantic theater. This fall I am directing a script that I adapted
from the memoir Holocaust survivor Gerda Nothmann Luner, for which I
am also designing scenery and lighting. I am working on a new project
with the Putnam County Museum, along with a grant from Arts Illiana
and Beth Bax’s GHS Theater classes, to collectively create a new play
by, for, and about people of Putnam County, to be presented this
coming November.
PCPH: That sounds like a most ambitious and worthwhile project, Tim, and we certainly wish you the best with it.
Caroline, returning to Putnam County Playhouse for a moment, what has been your favorite role you have played here?
CG: Easy - Aldonza [in Man of La Mancha directed by Jack Randall Earles 2009]. She had great songs and a fierce spirit that softened throughout the play. It was a huge challenge and stretched me musically and acting-wise trying to find all the right notes and the moments that tied her story together. Thank you, Jack, for the opportunity to explore her. [BLUSH - you did the role beautifully]. Although, I would have to say that Elvira [in Blithe Spirit] is probably a very close second. She's fun and naughty, mysterious and elusive - I hope I can pin her down soon! [I have every confidence that you can!]
PCPH: Tim, you work in all aspects of theatre it seems, do you have a preference for plays or musicals?
TG: Musicals are such an enormously difficult undertaking that I’m a bit
amazed than anyone ever does them. They are one of the unique
American artistic creations though. If you have the proper personnel
and time commitments, musicals are very rewarding. Straight plays
have rhythm and music in a different way, and it is up to the artists
to work with the playwright to realize the ideals therein. The
rhythms and tempo of the words is especially important in a play like Blithe Spirit.
PCPH: Caroline, how is working in community theatre at PCPH different than working in theatre at a college level?
CG: It's similar in that the expectations are in line with the resources available. Although we have high expectations, we don't push the students to do the impossible and are able to create art that is entertaining without having to keep our eye constantly on the box office receipts. It's also similar in that each play, or musical, brings a new community together to make a story come alive. It's different in that, at DePauw, we mainly choose productions that will stretch the students artistically, those that are participating and those in the audience. It's more educational, training and technique-on-the-job so to speak. We try to expose them to pivotal plays in theatrical history as well as more edgy plays that have a strong message. They often have the opportunity to work on an original play as well.
PCPH: Tim, what would be your dream show as a director?
TG: The Greencastle Service Theater is a dream that I would like to see
grow. This is part of what I am doing with the Putnam County Museum
this fall, using artistic techniques to address concerns of our
specific community. I would like to see this grow into a company of
local volunteers who would train ourselves in basic techniques of
theater, studio art, music, dance, and creative writing (perhaps film,
video too? there would be no artistic limitation). Then we could
respond to requests for workshops, assistance in creating new plays or
other works of art, and/or creating new works ourselves based on
requests from local groups. This would be similar to the work of
Meredith Brickell’s recent Putnam County Empty Bowls project, and I am
interested in teaming with other like-minded people to establish an
ongoing center for such work in Putnam County.
PCPH: It sounds fantastic! And how about you, Caroline, as an actor - is there a dream role in your future?
CG: Hamlet - but I'm a girl so it's rather unlikely. "Realistically," Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream - cool language and way cool costume! I am fortunate enough to be invited to Mrs. Funk's 8th grade class each year to talk about acting Shakespeare when they study the play and I always love to throw in a little Titania for them. "Out of these woods do not desire to go..."
TG: [I look forward to playing] Grandfather. I’ll spoil my grandkids rotten someday. But in the theater, there are a few roles that will get my attention, such as The
Baker in Into the Woods, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Arvide in Guys and Dolls, any of the Shakespearean fools, such as Feste in Twelfth Night. I would love to do one of the great couples roles with
Caroline someday, such as Music Man or King and I or On Golden Pond,
or the Albertsons (the “Lunts of Blaine”) in a stage version of Waiting for Guffman.
PCPH: LOL - I’m afraid I know what part I would be cast in for that show! Caroline, tell us about your family.
CG: We have five very creative and crazy children. Keri, our oldest, is heading to Wittenberg University in the fall to study health sciences - she hopes to be a physician's assistant She's been onstage in several PCPH shows and workshops and sang the national anthem at many a sporting event. Our son Jon is 16, dying to drive, and is a great asset in the sound and lights department. He most recently designed the lights and some of the sound for Twelve Nights in the Caribbean [2010 PCPH Youth Theatre Workshop] and even helped with the lights for Blithe Spirit. Lauren, the quiet one, likes to be onstage and has been in several shows and workshops at school and PCPH. She plays guitar and piano and has a beautiful soprano voice like her older sister. Our smaller set, Charlie and Fiona, are "onstage" most of the time. Fiona just debuted in Twelve Nights as Young Viola and Charlie hopes to take the stage during the Children's Workshop - his dream role is to play a frog.
PCPH: Thanks, Tim & Caroline Good for sharing some time with us! I know audiences will enjoy seeing you together in
Blithe Spirit.
Break a leg!
ADAM CHANDLER
Adam Chandler who played many roles at PCPH, is now a working New York actor. In early 2010, he returned to Indiana to appear in two musicals at Beef & Boards Dinner Theater. He was in Footloose and Hello, Dolly!
While at PCPH he appeared in musicals such as West Side Story and Once Upon a Mattress;. He also had the leading role of Jack in Into the Woods.
Here is a blog interview with Adam from Aoril, 2010.
Adam Chandler is one of the dancing waiters greeting Dolly (Iris Lieberman) in "Hello, Dolly!" at Beef & Boards Theater now through May 2. (Photos courtesy of Beef & Boards)
Adam Chandler says he knew when he was 7 years old and growing up in Stilesville that he wanted to be an actor, knowing even then it would a difficult but rewarding career. "I knew at a very young age I wanted to be in the spotlight," he admitted.
And now, at the age of 29, he is.
He is now based in New York, but at present he is "home in Indiana" appearing in "Hello, Dolly" at Beef & Boards, through May 2. He just completed their run of "Footloose", during which friends from out here went to see him. While he is at Beef & Boards, he will have earned his Actors Equity card, which will open more professional doors for him.
"You have to work toward it, and I'm grateful to earn it where I got my professional start, Beef & Boards," he said. "It is a wise choice for an actor if they are ready. You cannot work on a Broadway stage unless you are Equity."
Even without that important card, however, Adam has been doing pretty well in his field, and without really knowing it, many of us may have seen him at work.
"I work normally at the Duplex Piano and Cabaret Bar in the West Village in New York as a singing bartender," he said. "I have been seen on 'Gossip Girl', 'Law and Order', 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent', and MTV. The highlight of 2009 for me was dancing in Times Square for the Broadway on Broadway Concert, to the tune of 'We Can't Stop the Beat' from 'Hairspray' for Buick."
Some of his roles have been big, some small, some leading man, and some non-speaking, "and more dancing chorus boy roles than I can count", he pointed out, "but all have built my resume and character."
The son of Jerry and Vyann Chandler of Stilesville, Adam graduated from Cascade High School in 1999. While at Cascade, he appeared in "Babes in Arms", "Sound of Music", "Once Upon a Mattress", "Wizard of Oz" and "Bye, Bye Birdie". Also, he appeared in several productions at the Civic here.
He graduated from Ball State University in 2004, and lived in Indianapolis for four years before "moving to NYC to pursue my dreams and aspirations. Leaving behind my family and a special someone was the hardest, yet one of the most enriching, experiences of my life," he said.
Like many other aspiring young actors, he has had to do "survival jobs." He's been a barista, waiter, singing bartender, administrative assistant, temp, and others. "The most embarrassing had to be promotional work dressed as a giant lobster," he added. "Don't ask.."
But as noted, he does get acting jobs, and finds that "meeting and working with many famous film, TV and Broadway stars is humbling. It also drives me to work further towards my own goals of reaching the Broadway stage."
As an Equity actor, his professional name will be--Adam Chandler. Which is pretty perfect, although if you look up "Adam Chandler" on the web, the most likely reference will be to a character in the soap opera, "All My Children". I had to ask if that ever created a problem for him.
It has been, he said, both a blessing and a curse. "I've met many people from 'All My Children' who always make a joke about it. It's been an ice-breaker that opens many doors at auditions and work-related functions," he said.
"Having been raised on a farm has provided a bigger stage that even some of Broadway's best," he said. "My amazing family as always supported my talents and enriched my growth through 4-H, Boy Scouts, and good old hard work.
"Being an actor isn't about the fame and fortune," he went on, "but about sharing the human experience. In this ever-changing world, bad economy and unsure daily situations, I am blessed because I get to play for a living! Helping others escape the reality of life and enjoy what entertainment, especially theater, can provide is very inspiring."
For a complete show schedule and times, you can go to www.beefandboards.com. Dolly Levi and the Waiters!
VICKIE PARKER
Not many people can claim to have been associated with Putnam County Playhouse in each of the five decades since its inception, but Vickie Parker is one of them. Vickie recently retired as a teacher at Greencastle High School. Among her many honors, the auditorium in McAnally Center at the High School has been named Parker Auditorium. On receiving the honor, Vickie noted that her first PCPH show as a director - :"My Fair Lady", 1972 - had been presented in McAnally Center.
But before she took on directing chores, Vickie was a performer on the PCPH stage. Her first role was as the title character in Jim Poor's production of "Snow White" in 1967.
In 1969, Vickie and Dug Summers had appeared together in "110 In the Shade". They performed the musical number "Little Red Hat" in the County Fair Talent contest and won first place!
Working with directors such as Poor and Jeff Mont convinced Vickie that she wanted to direct her own musicals. Since doing "My Fair Lady" - she has directed 21 major musical productions for PCPH. She has introduced many people to the stage at PCPH and many of her onstage crew have followed in her footsteps to direct at PCPH including, Brad Sandy, Jack Randall Earles, Lita Sandy, Ernie Ford, and Ric McFadden
Vickie didn't give up performing entirely. She was one of the dancing Board Members at the 1990 Patron's Thank You Dinner.
Among her great successes have been "Annie", "How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying", "Hello Dolly!", two productions of "South Pacific", and "Oklahoma."
Here she directs the rock and roll musical "Little Shop of Horrors" in 1994.
Vickie's production of "42nd Street" sold out every performance.
One of her most popular shows was Lerner & Lowe's "Camelot" in 1993.
She also directed her SECOND production of "The King and I" in 2000.
Vickie most recently appeared in a leading role in "On Golden Pond" directed by Peggy McClaine Tennis in 1995. Her most recent directing assignment was "State Fair" in 2004.
Vickie served for many years on the Board of Directors of PCPH and was our President for many terms.
We at PCPH congratulate Vickie Parker on her many accomplishments and are proud be among those she has spent time with. PCPH rests on the hard work of people like Vickie who have donated time and talent over the years for "the love of the theatre."
THANKS, VICKIE!!!
Zach Spicer
Zachary Spicer who appeared in productions of Fiddler
on the Roof and most recently as young Tom in Director Larry Sutton’s production of The
Glass Menagerie,
is studying acting in New York City at the Circle in the Square. He also appears in professional
productions, including The Irish Play which was recently written about in this
copyrighted story from The New York Times as follows:
Two Guys Drunk on Ireland, and the Party’s Just
Begun
By RACHEL SALTZ
Published: June 27, 2007
“The general
atmosphere reeks of talk,” a character in “The Irish Play” says, speaking of
the Dublin apartment shared by a would-be playwright and a would-be terrorist
who rant and argue about race memory, blood, poetry, ambition, middle-class
platitudes and what it means to be Irish.
Jonathan P.
Judge-Russo, left, Alicia M. Fitzgerald and Zachary Spicer.
It is 1975. Liam,
the not-quite terrorist, is the kind of angry, word-churning Irishman who
inflames the imagination of the playwright, Cian, a Yank from Boston. Drunk on
the soulful Irishness of Yeats, O’Casey and Joyce, Cian soaks up Liam’s banter
and outbursts, typing them straight into his own “Irish Play.”
Liam is drunk on
Irishness, too, but his is the self-lacerating kind, handed down by what he
calls “the Irish Free State Ministry of Pain, Suffering and Catholicism.”
Together the two try on and discard attitudes and personas while the
20-something insults fly: “Poser!” “Hypocrite!”
This is the
promising set-up of Tim McGillicuddy’s “Irish Play,” a production of the Hamm
& Clov Stage Company that has been showing to enthusiastic audiences at the
Irish Arts Center. But as the plot swings into action — Cian’s girlfriend
is pregnant, and he wants to take her away to London; Liam, an orphan, finds
out that he’s not Irish by blood, compromising his plans to go to Belfast to
foment revolution with his girlfriend — the play becomes more
conventional, its characters’ choices and motives less organic.
Directed by Theodore
Mann, “The Irish Play” is billed as a romantic comedy. It is. The sparks,
though, come not from the two couples but from the friendship between the
roommates, and if it’s a triangle of desire, the third point is Ireland.
Zachary Spicer’s
Cian is an impassioned if callow idealist. The excellent Jonathan P.
Judge-Russo makes Liam his perfect foil: a charmer and a lout, and the play’s
charismatic driving force
.
The girlfriends
(Alicia M. Fitzgerald and Elizabeth Stephensen) are not as vividly imagined,
and the two couples seem notional. As a result, the about-faces and
life-changing decisions Cian and Liam make in the second act don’t ring true.
This is comedy, so
Mr. McGillicuddy, a first-time playwright, provides a happy ending. But it’s
hard to imagine the Cian and Liam of Act I being happy with how their creator
has arranged their fates in Act II.
NICHA FLICK
Nicha Flick did many shows while she was with PCPH. Among her first shows were Annie Getyour Gun (directed by Jim Poor) when she played Dolly and The 1940's Radio Hour (directed by Jack Randall Earles).
Nicha served two terms on our Board of Directors. Her husband Dave also helped with many projects for PCPH. She appeared in 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (directed by Earles).
Nicha played the leading role of Peggy Sawyer in our production of 42nd Street, directed by Vickie Parker and choreographed by Lita Sandy.
Nicha's other shows at PCPH include major roles in The Foreigner (directed by Brad Sandy) and Once Upon a Mattress (directed by Earles). She was also the co-choreographer for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (directed by Ernie Ford).
Nicha's job with Cinergy Corp. drew her to Cincinnati where she and husband Dave now live. She is still active in local community theatre. Nicha wears many hats including performer, producer, and choreographer. She choreographs a tap number for the annual fundraiser for the Guardian Angel Church titled The Angel Follies. She served on the Board of Directors for Beechmont Players where she has appeared in Cinderella and Moon Over Buffalo.
Nicha recently appeared in the ensemble of 42nd Street at Cincinnati Music Theatre. We always welcome a visit from Nicha & Dave. Congratulations to another PCPH Alumnus who keeps its stage traditions alive in new and exciting venues!
JIM FORD
Jim Ford first worked at PCPH as the Light/Sound Operator for The Nerd directed by Peggy McClaine Tennis in 1992. He next appeared in the 1993 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat directed by Jack Randall Earles with musical direction by Debby Lambert.
(Jim at a Joseph rehearsal)
Jim graduated from NYU and was one of the founding members of the comedy troupe Six Characters. The group is very active in the NYC Fringe entertainment scene.
Six Characters received a rave review in the June 13, 2005, edition of The New York Times.
To read more about the troupe check out their WEBSITE here.
An Interview with Jim Rambo...
We recently talked to Jim Rambo who was Stanley Banks in Father of the Bride.
Jim, what was your first show at PCP, and how did you become involved?
My first was Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, in 1991. Our son got the idea of trying out for the play, so I brought him out to the barn one Sunday afternoon. (He was not cast because he was too young, but he did end up working on the stage crew.) After everyone had read for parts Jim Poor, the director, asked if there was anyone else, and my son said, "Go on, Dad!" I had never been in a play before, even in high school, but on a whim I volunteered, read the parts Jim asked me to, and was surprised when he called and asked me to take the role of Deputy Governor Danforth. "Well...how big is the role?" I asked. "Don’t worry," Jim assured me, "Danforth doesn’t even come on until the second act." (It’s a two-act drama.) So I accepted, and when I got the script discovered to my horror that Danforth seems to have half the lines in the second act! I was panicked, but managed to learn the role and thus was introduced to the stage decades later than most people are. After that, no role has seemed as formidable to me.
You have done musicals and plays - do you have a preference?
Actually I’ve only been in three musicals, and only in one, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1999), did I sing a solo, and that was a very brief one. (In Camelot [1993] I only sang in choral work, and in South Pacific [2003] I had a non-singing role.) So I guess that by default I’ve preferred non-musicals, but only because the most obvious roles for me have been in straight plays--that is, fathers and grandfathers! (And what a coincidence! They all have gray beards and a tendency to be a little large around the middle.)
What is your favorite role you have played at PCP? Why?
This is a difficult question for me, as I suspect it is for a lot of people. I’ve been involved in eleven productions at PCP, but my favorite is always the one I’m doing currently, so Stanley Banks in Father of the Bride has to be it right now. The one most unlike my own personality was as the sleazy Marcus Lycus in Forum, so that was a lot of fun. On the other hand, Grandpa Vanderhof in You Can’t Take It with You (2000) was the most like me--a little cynical, but basically good-natured. The role of Gramps in On Borrowed Time (2002) required more of a range of emotions. Doing accents as Sir Francis Chesney in Charley’s Aunt (2003), as Doc Gibbs in Our Town (2001), and as Murray the Cop in The Odd Couple (2001) was also a lot of fun, since I’m a linguist myself and love to wrap my tongue around different sounds. Of course I still have a soft spot for Danforth (the role, not the person!) as the one that started it all. As you can see, it’s actually hard to choose, because it’s all been great fun. It’s particularly fun, of course, when you work with talented people whom you like a lot, both as directors and as fellow cast members. The camaraderie with a cast and crew when you’re working on a theater production is always something very special. I would particularly like to single out Ernie Ford and Jack Randall Earles as directors with whom I have worked repeatedly, because I like how they handle casts and they’ve had faith in my ability to do a role. And it’s always great to be in a cast with people like Keith Bodnarick or Karen Temple, because you never know what variation or interpretation they’re going to come up with next!
What do you do away from PCP?
I’m a professor at DePauw. I teach Spanish and occasionally Portuguese, and I’m the chair of the Modern Languages department--now the "old guy" in our department! A major activity of mine over the past 25 years has been taking students on volunteer service projects during DePauw’s January term ("Winter Term"). I’ve done about 15 of those, usually to rural areas in Central or South America. The past couple of years I’ve been in two DePauw theater productions, most recently as Robert the deranged math professor in Proof, this past spring. I’m sure that I would never have done theater at DePauw if I hadn’t started at PCP.
Would you encourage others to become involved with PCP?
Absolutely! It’s been a terrifically liberating experience for me, and I’m tremendously grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here at the Playhouse. I would particularly like to encourage DePauw faculty and staff, since it’s a way to get you outside the DePauw "bubble," as we call it, and more out into the community. There have been quite a few DePauw people active at PCP in the past, and in recent years Larry Sutton, Deb Grammel, Chris Wurster, Francoise Coulont-Henderson and Noah Lemos have all been in plays, directed them, or served on the Board of Directors, but I’d like to see more of my current or future colleagues get involved. PCP has proven itself to be one of the most successful community theater operations in the state, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been a part of it.
Thanks, Jim! We appreciate the time you took to answer our questions, and we look forward to seeing you again onstage at PCP!
An Interview with Bob Hedge...
We talked with Bob just prior to the Sunday afternoon matinee of State Fair on June 5, 2004.
Hello, Bob, thanks for talking with us today.
You’re welcome.
How long have you been involved with PCP, and what was your first show?
Oh, I don’t want to answer the first question. (laughs) Well, I started in 1969 [the Playhouse was founded in 1962] and my first show was 110 in the Shade. And I have been involved fairly regularly ever since, taking a few years off now and then.
What is your favorite show you have been in at PCP?
I think that would be 42nd Street. I got the honor of doing the part of Julian Marsh. [This is the leading role. The show was directed by Vickie Parker in 1996].
Bob, you are currently the musical director (and co-director) of State Fair, what was your greatest challenge in working on this show?
I would say dealing with so many different age groups.
You have been onstage [Damn Yankees, Joseph, etc], worked as a Musical Director [Little Shop of Horrors, etc], and have directed shows [Harvey, etc] - which is your favorite thing to do?
Hmmm, probably be onstage, though I have cut way back on my stage appearances [Bob appears as one of the Fair barkers in State Fair]. I really enjoy playing bass guitar in the orchestra. But if the right part came along, I probably would be back onstage!
Bob and wife Sherry played the leading roles in Annie Get Your Gun in 1992. Bob was Frank Butler and Sherry was Annie Oakley.
Bob, tell us what you do away from PCP?
I am the High School and Middle School Band director at Greencastle.
Bob has three college age children, Becky, Bill, and Dara. Bob and wife Sherry live in Greencastle with daughter, Katie.
Anything else you would like to say about PCP - past, present, or future?
I just recently left the board of directors after close to 30 years of serving [he held the offices President and Vice President of PCP during his tenure and headed many committees]. I certainly enjoyed it and plan to stay active in PCP!
We certainly hope so! And thanks for talking with us today, Bob!
...Joe Cook...
September 6th, 2001
...Joe Cook is currently the director of PCP's closing production of its 40th anniversary season, "The Odd Couple." Thank you, Joe, for taking the time to answer our questions. We appreciate it.
PCP Website: How did you first discover Putnam County Playhouse?
Joe Cooke:I really can't remember. I've been coming to PCP for years. I first performed here when HCT brought the Fantasticks for performance on the outdoor stage.
PCP Website: What has been your favorite role here?
Joe Cooke:"Senex" in 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.' I've wanted to be in Forum for years but never thought it would happen.
PCP Website: What do you do away from theatre?
Joe Cooke:I don't know. I'm never away long enough. I am President of H.C. Retired Teachers and like to travel.
PCP Website: What other theatre activities do you participate in?
Joe Cooke:I'm currently involved with Spotlight Players and next will do Daddy in "Daddy's Dyin' - Who's Got the Will?" And, of course, Shakespeare.
PCP Website: Tell us about your Summer Shakespeare Festival.
Joe Cooke:I've wanted to do Shakespeare for years and have found there is little opportunity. So, in 1999, I started a festival in Danville. We do 2 Shakespeare plays each year in June. In 2002 it will be "Taming of the Shrew" and "Twelfth Night."
...Melodie Taylor...
August 5th, 2001
...Melodie is currently portraying The Narrator in PCP's 3rd show of its 40th anniversary season, 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.' Thank you, Melodie, for taking the time to be interviewed for the PCP website. It is most appreciated.
PCP Website: What was your first show at Putnam County Playhouse?
Melodie Taylor: Myfirst show with Putnam County Playhouse was in Speech Hall on the corner of Seminary and College. It was 1966. I played the littlest blind girl in 'The Miracle Worker.' Later that summer I was a Munchkin in the Lullaby League in 'The Wizard of Oz.'
PCP Website: You were in 'Blue Denim' - what do you remember about the controversy surrounding that show?
Melodie Taylor: 'Blue Denim' was considered controversial because it dealt with teenage pregnancy. The year was 1974. I, being 15 at the time, only remember working hard to deliver a believable performance. Upon reflection, I can only say that the masks of the theatre show two faces. This play wasn't fluff. It explored serious issues.
PCP Website: What do you do away from PCP?
Melodie Taylor: Away from PCP, I teach and I learn anything and everything I can.
PCP Website: What has been your favorite role here at PCP?
Melodie Taylor: My favorite role was Maria in 'The Sound of Music' in 1982 but the most fun I ever had was probably in 1973. We did 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' at McAnally Center with Vickie Parker directing. I was in the chorus. We pulled more pranks and had more fun doing that show than any I can remember. It was a hoot! I can still see the signs going up in the men's lavatory scene and I still remember the friends I made.
PCP Website: How is your role as the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat different than other roles you've played?
Melodie Taylor: The role as narrator is the largest role I've had since college. It gives me a chance to use all that technique I learned 20 years ago. I love musical acting. Making sure the audience understands is a thrill. Sharing a great story makes it a boon.
PCP Website: What is the greatest change you have seen in PCP since your first role?
Melodie Taylor: The greatest change, beside the obvious facility differences, is a stronger move toward audience approval and fewer child-centered main stage productions (I'd been in 12 shows before I turned 16. That opportunity isn't as available to young people today). I take pride in being involved in our theatre where the process is as important as the product. It is a great way to build a strong community.
...Keith Bodnarick...
July 11th, 2001
...Keith is currently portraying Joe Stoddard in PCP's second show of its 40th anniversary season, 'Our Town.' Thank you, Keith, for allowing us to interview you for the PCP website. We appreciate it.
PCP Website: What do you do outside the Playhouse?
Keith Bodnarick: I teach and coach at North Putnam Middle/High School. I've always felt that teaching requires you to be something of a performer on a daily basis...and hey, you can even pay your bills (barely). My wife Ginger and I have three children: Dylan, who's 4, and Chloe and Emma, who are 2 1/2. I really appreciate Ginger's willingness to allow me to spend so much time here during the summer. It's a big sacrifice for the spouses and families of PCP participants, and I think their support should be noted.
PCP Website: What was your first PCP show, and how did you become interested in us?
Keith Bodnarick: My first show was 'The King and I.' During one of our many conversations about art and theatre, my friend and co-worker Linda Gjesvold told me that Vickie Parker needed some help with her production. Vickie was gracious enough to allow me to join her cast, and the rest, they say, is history.
PCP Website: What theatre experience do you have outside PCP?
Keith Bodnarick: I've performed the roles of Henry Higgins in 'My Fair Lady', and George Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music' with The South Newton Production company under the direction of Morris Cornell, who I credit as my mentor in the theatre. I've appeared in several one-act plays, and performed the roles of The Narrator in 'Ten Nights in a Bar Room' with The Purdue University Experimental Theatre. I also appeared, albeit briefly, in the film 'Stop Making Sense', with David Byrne, John Goodman, and Swoosie Kurtz. What, you didn't catch that one? Well, you're not alone.
PCP Website: What has been your favorite role at PCP?
Keith Bodnarick: That's a tough one. It's hard to pick a favorite because each role brings with it a unique set of challenges and rewards. I try to learn from each of my characters, and my enjoyment comes from that learning experience. I will take this alloted space, however, to credit some outstanding individuals here at PCP. In no particul order, they are: Vickie Parker, for taking a chance on me, and for her constant praise and support; Jack Randall Earles for his wealth of knowledge, his humor, and for his uncompromising quest for excellence here at PCP; Lita Sandy, for having faith in me as a performer, and for overlooking my negligible dance skills (tall and gangly I am, Tommy Tune I am not); Ernie Ford, for his down-to-earth approach, and for his willingness to listen; Linda Gjesvold, for her friendship, for the roses, and for her countless hours of behind-the-scenes work bringing the visual aspects of PCP productions to life; and finally, to all the friends I have made in my short time here at PCP.
PCP Website: Do you prefer musical roles or dramatic roles?
Keith Bodnarick: I think both types of roles are enjoyable. Musical roles allow you to be larger than life, and dramatic roles allow you to share a slice of life with your audience, and hopefully make them feel as if they are experiencing something with you, be it joy, pain, hope, catharsis, etc.
PCP Website: What shows would you like to see produced at PCP?
Keith Bodnarick: While I fully support the mission of the Playhouse in bringing quality family entertainment to the people of Putnam County, I would love to see us produce shows from more contemporary playwrights such as David Mamet and Sam Shepard, and also pay due homage to the timeless genius of such American playwrights as Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. With the wealth of talent we have here at the Playhouse, I also think we shouldn't overlook the possibility of tackling some of Shakespeare's more accessible works.
... Lita Sandy ...
May 31st, 2001
...Lita is currently the director for PCP's 40th season-opening production of Oklahoma! Our thanks to her for taking the time to be interviewed for the PCP website. It is most appreciated.
PCP Website: What was your first show at PCP?
Lita Sandy: "Hello Dolly" at McAnally Center in 1971. [Lita played Ernestina Money. Her directors were Jeff Mont and Vickie Parker]
PCP Website: What is your favorite show you have seen at PCP?
Lita Sandy: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I had never seen Joseph and it was lots of fun to watch. Wish I had auditioned!
PCP Website: You direct, act, and choregraph - which do you like best?
Lita Sandy: Actually, I like all 3. I loved my part of "Maggie" in 42nd Street.
I really loved directing "Grease." I had a great cast. And, of course, I also love doing choreography. Piecing the numbers together and seeing the finished product...it's exciting!
PCP Website: What has changed most about PCP since you started?
Lita Sandy: Our facility! When March rolls around, I start getting "itchy." I can't wait!
PCP Website: What is your favorite show you have worked on?
Lita Sandy: Grease - I love the show and the music! [Produced by PCP in 2000, 'Grease' played 9 sold out performances. Lita was its director & choreographer.]
PCP Website: What do you see for the future of PCP?
Lita Sandy: I would like to see more people audition. We have several families who audition and work on shows together. It's a great time for families to just be involved together.
Also, there are other shows that I feel should be considered, even though PCP is "Family." Shows like 'Gypsy' and 'Cats' can be done with taste. Putnam County has so much talent...let's use it!
I would like to see a children's show every season. The Workshop is not enough! Our children are our future at PCP...where else will they learn?
PCP Website: Any parting thoughts?
Lita Sandy: Once you set foot on or behind the stage, you are hooked. If you have auditioned and didn't get a part, please come audition again! We welcome new friends! [Auditions for 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' are June 24 and 25 and for 'The Odd Couple', July 1 and 2.
