This month in Playhouse History
SEPTEMBER
1963 "The Women". Director: Bill Morey.
1980 The first full fledged Studio Theatre season is launched with "12 Angry men" directed by Phil Murpby. Rick Korndorfer makes his 0TP debut as one of the jurors.
1981 "Tennessee Williams Pestival", directed by Mike Nunn, in the Studio. Michelle Breaugh makes her debut in "Portrait of Madonna" .
1982 "Uncommon Women and Others", directed by Diane Hubert, in the Studio. OTP debuts of Jill Beauchamp and Anne Marie Oomen (who was then married to musician Andy Roberts and used the hyphenated name,0omen-Roberts.). The Record-Eagle's Loraine Anderson made her only OTP acting appearance in this show.
1983 Our second main stage production of "You can't Take It With you" launched our first 6 show season. Steve Stafford made as directing debut. Neal Breaugh was Grandpa, son Todd was a servant originally written as black. Wife Emily Breaugh joined the cast the second day of the run after an actress playing a small role of a drunk showed up actually drunk on opening night and was dismissed from the show. The original prop candy in the play was made from mashed potatoes and cocoa and was so unpopular with the cast that Neal Breaugh brought his own. Prop chair, Hedges Macdonald, enjoyed both kinds at the end of the run.
1984 The musical "Working" was presented on the mainstage, directed by Dave Elliott(who directed both musicals that season), Nick Demos made his OTP debut. Eleventh grader MaryScott O'Connor was Memorable as a hooker. Susan Littlefield was the waitress; Henry Schneidewind, the stone Mason; Sylvia Bechtelheimer the factory worker. Husband And wife Steve and Sam Clark did sound.
1985 Gary Garrison's original script, "Three Steps under the Rainbow" Presented on the mainstage directed by Jeanette Mason and Steve Stafford among others.Bob Bosier Made his final OTP Performance. Other cast members were Anne Marie Oomens, MaryScott O'Connor and Patrick Blashill, Betty willette (then Mrs. Paul Groesser) worked backstage.
1988 "Canterbury Tales" on the mainstage, directed by Anne Marie OomeN.
1987 "Crimes of the Heart" on the mainstage, Original director Thom (brother of Catherine) Wagner was injured in a car accident and replaced by Pauline Tyer, who made many changes. Sisters Leah and Mimi Spaulding played sisters Meg and Babe.
1988 Dave E1liott's last OTP directing assignment was "Our Town" on the mainstage.
1989 "Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" on
the mainstage, directed by Pauline Tyer. Brad Lerschen
was James Dean, Michael Blashill played the woman who had been a man.
Hedges Macdonald moved to Chicago.
1990 "The Three Musketeers" on the mainstage,, directed by Anne Marie Oomen.
1991 "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" on the mainstage, directed bv Nancy Sundstrom. Kristi Geischen a minister"s wife, played Maggie the Cat. Matt McCormick was Brick.
1995 "I Hate Hamlet" on the mainstage, Director: Marguerite Cotto-Nelson.
1996 "Barefoot in the Park" on the mainstage, Mike Kelly made his OTP debut.
1997 Hedges Macdonald moved back to Traverse city and the playhouse.
1998 "Road to Mecca", directed by Betty willette for the Studio, became the first Show relocated because of the fire marshall's order, playing in NMC's little theater in the science building.
1999 Brian Dungjen makes his mainstage directing debut this month with "Nunsense". OTP veteran Diana Morgan (a.k.a.Diana Jean) returns to our stage after a long absense.
"ANNIE" ANECDOTES
Comicdom's "Little OrPbAn Annie" has appeared on movie
'screens 3 times
In 1932 RKO RADIO pictures released the first adaptation.. featuringBraod way legend
Mitzi Green (better remembered today for shows like Rodgers and BArt's "Babes in
Arms") as Annie and "Slow burn" comic Edgar Kennedy as Daddy Warbacks. In
this version Daddy loses his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash and, leaving Annie
home alone, goes gold mining in the west. She befriends an orphan boy helps him get
adopted, mimicks the Marx Brothers, and is eventually re-united with Warbucks, who has
regained his wealth. The picture itself did not,
In 1938 Paramount east Ann Gillis (no relation-to Anne Marie Gillis of Interlochen and OTP in the early 80's) in the role. This time Annie is a runaway who befriends a young boxer and experiences all the usual cliche 30's boxing movie plot devices. Like its predecessors it went down for the count.
In 1982 Columbia Pictures released their feature version of the Braodway Version "Annie" with Aileen Quinn in the title role, Albert Finney as Daddy Wartbucks, plus Carol Burnette and Bernadette Peters. It received mixed reviews, but has remained popular with home video and occasional cable tv showings.
There was one other "Little Orphan Annie* movie in 1919 starring Colleen Moore and based on the James Whitcomb Riley poem of the same name that served as Harold Gray's inspiration for the strip.
A STANDING OVATION
For Harrison Beeby, Margaret Parsons, and all the local youngsters who took part in Missoula Children's Theatre's production of "Wis of the West" at the State Theater. A special thanks to assistant directors Maling Swiatek(daughter of Edith and Ed Haswell) and Elise Curtis (daughter of Kelly and Jeff Curtis), pianist Paulette Parsons, and the other volunteers who helped make the show a fun time for all.
For Bob Allen, Interlochen Public Radio's senior reporter, winner of the Ben East award for Broadcast journalism by Michigan United Oonservation Clubs for his series on causes of forest fragmentation, Allen will be remembered for the title roles in "Romeo and Juliet" and "Macbeth".
For Frank Sisson ("Macbeth", "On Golden Pond", and the recent "Rumors" in Elk Rapids) who hosted the live call-in show, "Building 50; What to do?" broadcast of TC TV 2.
For Cat Widdifield ("A Chorus Line",) who attended the New York City Dance Alliance's Summer Dance Intensive in the big apple. This group is that city's premiere dance education organization.
for Susen Littlefield- Dungjen, who expanded her TC public school sponsored summer theater program from one class to two this year. These classes stress the use of voice, body, and facial expression to communicate on stage.
Hedges MacDonald, 9,'99