THIS MONTH IN PLAYHOUSE HISTORY

NOVEMBER
By Hedges MacDonald

1961 "The Desk Set" Director: Camilla Damoose

1962 "The Little Foxes" the only Playhouse show directed by longtime Northwestern Michigan
College theater instructor Harry Oliver.

1965 "The Miracle Worker" Director: Sue Crampton

1966 "All Because of Agatha" Director: Sue Crampton

1967 "Barefoot in the Park" Director: Sue Crampton

1968 "Halfway up the Tree" Director: Ruth Mahaney Barnes

1969 "Catch Me If You Can" Director: Doug Hills

1970 "You The Jury" Dave Campbell's OTP directing debut

1971 "A Thousand Clowns" Director: Helen Carroll

1972 "Deadwood Dick" Directors: Ted Beausoliel, Helen Carroll

1973 "On Borrowed Time" Director: Greg Kelsch.

1974 "Curious Savage" Director: Kasey Kilpatrick

1975 "A Lion in Winter" Director: Fred Tank

1976 "Wait Until Dark" Director: Bill Gravlin

1977 "I Never Sang For My Father" Phil Murphy debuts as OTP Director

1980 "Pinter Festival" in the Studio Director: Phil Murphy

1981 "Bad Habits" in the Studio Directing debuts of Bryan Crough (directing
the "Ravenswood" segment) and Pauline Zitting (Tyer) directing the "Dunelawn"
segment, which had nurses named Benson and Hedges and an actor named Hedges
(Macdonald) playing an alcoholic.

1982 "The Mousetrap" Director: Denny Bechtelheimer. Jeff Curtis's 1st QTP
audition (he lost out to Doug Rutherford), female lead Patty Murphy.

1982 "American Buffalo" in the Studio Director: Mel Mrochinski, who also played a
lead role, with Martin Wolf as *Teach*. Prop chair Hedges Macdonald supplied
the show with old Chicago Sun-Times newspapers, courtesy of NMC's library.

1983 "I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on The Road" (Studio) Carlene
Saints (Peregrine) directed and performed the lead role opposite Denny Bechtelheimer.

1984 "The Woolgatherer" (Studio) Robert Roush's OTP directing debut featured
Kathy Kocevar and Gil Anderson. The first Playhouse show to compete at CTAM (did not
place in competition).

1984 "U.T.B.U." directed by Arnie Webster, who took over the lead role from an ailing
Johnny Williams after opening night. Kristin Fralick's debut. Hedges Macdonald was
incongruously cast as a black teenage pianist (He was a youthful 40).

1985 "A Little Night Music" directed by Sylvia Bechtelheimer (Denny's sister).
Eric Simon returned after several years' absence. Delphine Welch, Don Garret, and Tom
Schill had leading roles, Steve Stafford and Michael Blashill appeared in one scene as
live statues.

1986 "Oliver" (first production) directed by Nancy Sundstrom. Steve Morse was Fagin,
Jan (Campbell) Fisher was Nancy, Bette Wilette was Old Sally, Russell Scram and
Mary Bos played the Sowerberrys, and Doug Schroeder Jr. was the Artful Dodger (His
parents ran the popcorn concession for years.) Holly Heffron's debut in the chorus.

1987 "Anything Goes" directed by Bev Attwood. Among the leads were Michael
Blashill, Gary Nault, and Diana Morgan. Many OTP debuts, including Pat Easterday,
Kris Hains, Judy Sines, Frank Herta, Nicolle Girard, Rob Rountree, and Lisa Walter.

1988 "Annie" (1st production) directed by Nancy Sundstrom. Gary Nault was memorable as
Daddy Warbucks, Suzanne Hains (Sines) debuted among the children.

1989 "Brigadoon" directed by Don Kuehlhorn. Dave Elliott was vocal director in
his final OTP show. Debuts of Michelle Rountree, Suzanne Rajala, and Shelley Strobel.
Brian Wayne Dungjen had the lead. Margaret Schaal was in the chorus.

1990 "Once Upon a Mattress" Director: Jill Beauchamp

1991 "Kiss Me, Kate" directed by Jacquie Guernsey. Teen Suzy Hains and
adult James Russell were oddly cast opposite each other as two of the leads.
Tom Olkonnen and Bart Ingraham told us to "Brush Up Your Shake-speare". Diana
Morgan was a specialty dancer. Nan Worthington played Lilli. Nancy Briggs
was in the chorus. This was the first OTP musical performed without a live
orchestra.

1993 "Steambath" (Studio) Directed by Don Kuehlhorn. OTP veteran Chris
Smith made a return appearance after studying abroad.

1993 "The Sound of Music" Directed by Guy Molnar. Kris Hains, was the
oldest Von Trapp daughter. Her father, Larry Hains and Mary Scott O'Connor had
major roles.

1994 "10 November" (Studio) Director, Tom Olkkonen.

1994 "A Christmas Carol" Director: Matthew Locricchio. Katie Tibaldi had a chorus
role; she would later play the Ghost of Christmas Past in the children's theater
presentation of the story. Gillian Bell debuted. There was some controversy about
importing a paid director from New York.

1995 "The King and I" Directed by Joseph Bertucci. Matt Archibald and Susan Littlefield
(Dungjen) played lovers Lun Tha and Tuptim. The wives of the king included Gillian Bell,
Danielle Corelle, Jessica Stoltz, Betsy Tholen. Harrison Beeby was a child of the king. Grace
Brauer did the choreography. Terry Lawrence was stage manager, with Cindy Leo assisting.

1996 "Camelot" Mike Kelly and Dick Dawson had major roles.

1997 "Oliver" (2nd production) Nancy Sundstrom again directed, with
Harrison Beeby playing Oliver and Mike Norton as Mr. Brownlow. H.T.
Snowday did a change of pace from his usual nice guy roles as Bill Sikes.
German exchange student Florian Siebel debuted as Dr. Grimwig.

1998 "My Fair Lady", directed by Margaret Schaal. Steve Morse and Tom Olkkonen returned
from the first production, as did musician Mike Nunn, but Nunn's innkeeper role was played
this time around by Hedges Macdonald. T.O. announced that this would be his last show,
which he did with his daughter, Dana. Performed at St. Francis's auditorium.

1999: "Annie" (2nd production), with Nancy Sundstrom again directing. This revival coincides
with the 75th anniversary of the comic strip and the 20th anniversary of Leonard Starr's doing
the feature. Golden retriever Michael, who was Helen Keller's dog, "Belle" in "The Miracle
Worker" returns, this time being Annie's dog, Sandy.

OTP ACTORS, DANCERS, PLAYWRIGHTS, ALUMNAE AT NMC

Northwestern Michigan College played host to several current and former Playhouse
veterans in October.

Tricia Ann Smith, who was Sandy in the first production of "Grease", and did several
other shows at OTP and the New NMC Players ("Scapan", "Three Sisters") returned to
Traverse City to appear in "Dear Esther", a drama about the Holocaust, performed by the Jewish
Ensemble Theatre of Detroit. Tricia played the title character at age 18, while Evelyn Orbach
played her as an adult. Affectionately called "Squish" by her old Playhouse friends,
Tricia has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Michigan University and has appeared in other
plays for JET and at the Purple Rose Theatre. She currently resides in Dearborn.

Alicia Benghauser (Daughter of Benzie, sister of Hans, who are both in Annie), a
veteran with her other family members of "My Fair Lady", performed, along with other Ballet
Etc. students in accompaniment to a recent concert by Song of the Lakes at Milliken Auditorium.

Judy Harrison ("Cassie" in "A Chorus Line"), in addition to staging a benefit for
Pat Easterday at the State Theatre, performed the numbers, "Put on a Happy Face"
and "Embraceable You" at the Encore Society of Music's Big Apple Concert at the Milliken
Auditorium, a part of the Society's Tenth Anniversary "Millenium Series".

OTP regular Denni Don Hunting had her original children's theater adaptation of "The
Pied Piper" performed by the NMC Players in room 217 of the Science building for 4 shows.
Director Jill Beauchamp worked with a cast of mostly newcomers to bring the script to life, and
the young audiences were appreciative.

We welcome former OTP volunteer Leanna Lehr ("The Dining Room",
"A Midsummer Night's Dream", and "West Side Story") back to the area, along
with her husband and baby. Leanna's volunteer time is currently directed
to the Father Fred Foundation.