PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE PROGRAMS COLLECTION Processed by Joan Cannon Memphis and Shelby County Room Memphis Public library and Information Center 2008 PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE PROGRAMS COLLECTION The Playhouse on the Square Programs Collection was donated to the Memphis Public Library and information Centers by several individuals over many years. The programs were then gathered together to create this collection. Playhouse on the Square was formed when $30,000 from Overton Square was provided for renovation of the 2121 Madison building along with increased funding from the Memphis Arts Council. A production of Godspell was performed at the grand opening on November 12, 1975. Memphis now had a professional theatre after a seven-year hiatus. Beverly Baxter, John Dunavant, Michael Jeter and Larry Riley were among the fine actors who performed during the first season. They later worked in Hollywood and New York. In 1981 Playhouse initiated the intern program. They assist in all phases of production. By 1985 the 2121 Madison building was becoming inadequate. Seating was limited and Overton Square was sold. The old Memphian Theatre, located on Cooper near Union, was available to lease. Instead of leasing, the Theatre was purchased. Money was raised to renovate the building. The opening celebration was held on November 13, 1985 with a production of Gypsy. It was also the inauguration of the newly renovated theatre. In 1990 Playhouse instituted the City’s first independent theatre school. The Theatre was the recipient of the 1990 Governors Award in the Arts. Customers interested in the development of theater in Memphis may also wish to consult the Theatre Memphis Programs Collection, Circuit Playhouse Programs Collection, Memphis Open Air Theater Collection and the Ethel Taylor Maxwell Collection. PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE PROGRAMS COLLECTION Folder 1 Items 3 1975-1976 Season A SHOT IN THE DARK. By Marcel Achard. Adapted by Harry Kurnitz from the play L’IDIOTE. Director: Stephen Mauer. Cast: John Dunavent, Larry D. Riley, Mike Jeter, Beverly Baxter, Ellen Tolleson, Leigh Walden, Mike Darling. December 17, 1975- January 18, 1976. THE FANTASTICKS (A Parable About Love). Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones. Music by Harvey L. Schmidt. (Suggested by a play called LES ROMANESQUES by Edmund Rostand). Director and Choreographer: Kimberley Dobbs. Musical Direction: Beverly Mask. Cast: Clyde Williams, Cindy Howell Walker, John Cygan, Rick Moore, Gene Katz, Mike Darling, John Dunavent, Beverly Baxter, Beverly Mask, Ann Hughes, Joshua Anzaroot. February 25- March 28, 1976. BUS STOP (A Three-Act Romance). By William Inge. Director: Stephen Mauer. Cast: Beverly Baxter, Teena Hicks, Ben Downing, Lisa Wilson, Michael Darling, John Dunavent, Mark Johnson, John Cygan, Mike Mallott. March 31-May 2, 1976. Folder 2 Items 7 1976-1977 Season A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. By Tennessee Williams. Director: Stephen Mauer. Cast: Darryl Smith, Maureen Burns, John Dunavent, Ellen Tolleson, Al Culpepper, Ken Miller, Donna Neuwirth, Lee Petrone, Christopher Nunnally, Debbi Harrison, Bob Hutchens, Patrick Doyle. September 10-October 10, 1976. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WANDA JUNE. By Kurt Vonnegut. Director: Gene Wilkins. Cast: Donna Neuwirth, John Malloy, Robert Hutchens, Mark Johnson, Mark Compton, Ken Miller, Cindy Moore, John Dunavant, Maureen Burns. October 15-November 14, 1976. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. By William Shakespeare. Adapted by John Guare and Mel Shapiro. Music by Galt MacDermot. Director and Choreographer: Christopher Cox. Musical Director: Joe Mulherin. Cast: Craig Graeler, Steven White, Darryl Smith, Toney Walsh, Le Roi Henderson, Lee Petrone, Angee Cockroft, Ken Miller, Florence Roach, Harold Gentry, Dianne Collins, Florence Roach, Steven White, Phyllis Gray. November 19-December 19, 1976. HAY FEVER. By Noel Coward. Director: Gene Wilkins. Cast: Debbi Harrison, Robert Hutchens, Donna Neuwirth, Michael O’Brien, Byron Lloyd, Maureen Burns, Kenneth L. Miller, Angee Cockroft. December 29, 1976-January 23, 1977. A THURBER CARNIVAL. By James Thurber. Director: Kenneth L. Miller. Music Director: John Page. Cast: Michael Boyle, Robert Hutchens, Gene Wilkins, Maureen Burns, Angee Cockroft, Donna Neuwirth. n.d. THE MOLIERE. By Moliere. Director: Gene Wilkins. Cast: Michael Boyle, Stefan Cotner, Ken Miller, Donna Neuwirth, Ann Marie Hall, Maureen Burns, Marc Martinez, Bret Busang, Larry Gable, Ben Downing, Tom Martin. March 4-April 3, 1977. THE THREEPENNY OPERA. By Bertolt Brecht. Music by Kurt Weil. Music Director: Bob Westbrook and Gene Wilkins. Choreographer: Janet Luciano. Cast: Michael Boyle, David Durett, Maureen Burns, John Cygan, Jim Ostrander, Teena Hicks, Brett Busang, March Martinez, Tom Martin, Ken Miller, Stefan Cotner, Mary Charbonnet, Susan Capozzi, Donna Neuwirth, Ann Marie Hall, Nicholas Bergner. April 8- May 8, 1977. Folder 3 Items 3 1977-1978 Season TWELFTH NIGHT. By William Shakespeare. Directed by Lester Malizia. Choreographer: Susan Hollis. Cast: Ellen Tolleson, Tom Martin, Stan Wyner, Grant Elliott, Gary Phillips, Terry Mitchell, Lee Petrone, Edgar Lehr, Maureen Burns, James Viront, Jerry Bradley, Cathryn Ann Fleuchaus, Stephen Foster, Thomas Hammond, Dale Daley, Stefan Cotner. January 27-February 25, 1978. SUMMER AND SMOKE. By Tennessee Williams. Director: Ron Lagomarsino. Cast: Laurie Smith, John Hanks, James Viront, Gloria Dorson, Jerry Bradley, Cathryn Ann Fleuchaus, Janie Paris, Jane Wallace, Stefan Cotner, Tom Hammnd, Maureen Burns, Tom Martin, Ellen Tolleson, Lee Petrone, Stan Wyner. March 3-April 1, 1978. MARAT SADE (The Persecution and Assassination of Jean Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of The Marquis De Sade). By Peter Weiss. Director: Lester Malizia. Musical Director: Beverly Mask. Cast: Stephen Foster, Howard McMaster, Ellen Tolleson, Gary Phillips, Craig Graeler, Tom Hammond, Maureen Burns, Lee Petrone, Tom Lawson, Cathryn Fleuchaus, Tom Dybek, Leila A. Boyd, Richard Roberts, Jane Wallace, Cathy Colton, Tom Martin, James Logan, Dusty Walsh, Annie Hutkin, Bradley Phipps, Beverly Mask, Joshua Anzaroot. May 12-June 11, 1978. Folder 4 Items 2 1978-1979 Season LIGHT UP THE SKY. By Moss Hart. Director: Phillip Price. Cast: Jane Wallace, Stephen Foster, Irene Crist, Michael Darling, Beti Trauth, Tom Martin, Tupper Cullum, R. Charles Otte, Jane Jones, Ridge Johnson, Carl House. December 8, 1978-January 6, 1979. DAMES AT SEA. Book and Lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller. Music by Jim Wise. Director: Lester Malizia. Music Director: Maria DeBacco Turner. Choreographers: Craig Graeler and Pat Hutchison. Cast: Irene Crist, Angee Cockroft, Stephen Foster, Jane Wallace, Jeff Preston, Craig Graeler, Stephen Foster, Teresa Blackburn, Lynn Deitrich, Tommy Diggs, Debbie Howard, Jeff Huffman, Connie Solmson. April 27-May 26, 1979. Folder 5 Items 1 1979-1980 Season COMPANY. Book by George Furth. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Director and Choreographer: Richard Roberts. Music Director: Diana Stein. Cast: Otho Boggs, Rusty Broxterman, Maureen Burns, Irene Crist, Debbi Harrison, Melissa Hatfield, Susan Hollis, Ervin Johnson, Tom Lawson, Celia McRee, Teresa Pate, Blaine Pickett, Jane Wallace, Gene Wilkins. May 23-June 28, 1980. HOTEL BALTIMORE. By Lanford Wilson. Director: Gene Wilkins. Cast: Mark Johnson, Martine Collier, Jean Bowden, Betty Mae Collins, Dodie Quist, Allen Mullikin, Ellen Tolleson, Nick Hyrka, Stan Wyner, Susan Mitchell, Vincent Astor, Eric Bethancourt, Patty Mayer, John Larkin, George Tunnison. n.d. Folder 6 Items 2 1980-1981 Season A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. By Bert Shrevelove and Larry Gelbart. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Director: William Roudebush. Music Director: Stephen Kean & Mimye Goode. Choreographer: J. Karen Thomas. Cast: Gene Katz, Allen Mullikin, Linda Childress, Stephen Kean, Mimi Hall, Barry Fuller, Stephen I. Lebovitz, Harry Murphy, Jim Ostrander, Lynn Sutter, Donna Schwaiger, Rhonda Barkow, Sheri Silberman, J. Karen Thomas, Maggie Murphy, Terry Mitchell. January 16-February 21, 1981. ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. By Joseph Kesselring. Director: Brad Ford. Cast: Jean Jackson, Ron Wachholtz, Rob Arnett, Kurt Bernhardt, Alvin Walker, Betty May Collins, Maggie Murphy, Tom Parkhill, Richard Buckley, Mark Chambers, Allen Mullikin, George Naylor, Claud Hathorn. December 4, 1980-January 9, 1981. Folder 7 Items 1 1981-1982 Season GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER. By Kurt Vonnegut. Book and Lyrics by Dennis Green. Director: Ronald Wachholtz. Musical Director: Mimmye Goode. Choreographer: Rhonda Adams. Cast: Alvin Walker, George Naylor, Mark Chambers, Maggie Murphy, Rob Arnett, Allen Mullikin, Kurt Bernhardt, Maribeth Graham, Richard Buckley, Katrina Hall Kelley, Stan Wyner, Thomas Parkhill, Rick Moore. October 23- November 28, 1981. There are no programs for the 1982-1983 Season. Folder 8 Items 1 1983-1984 Season THE PIRATES OF THE PENZANCE (or SLAVE OF DUTY). Book by W. S. Gilbert. Music by Arthur Sullivan. Director: Cathey Crowell Sawyer. Music Director: Marvin Pittman. Cast: Cullen Holliman, Jeff Bailey, Stephen Wilkerson, Bradley Kroeker, Linda Brinkerhoff, Camille Harrison, Sandy Morrow, Martha Hester, Peggy Rumble Nelson, Nita L. Koon, Jay Kinney, Robert Reynolds, John Gibson, Barclay Frazier. n.d. Folder 9 Items 1 1984-1985 Season THE DINING ROOM. Play by A. R. Gurney, Jr. Director: Cathey Crowell Sawyer. Cast: James Owen, Steve Forsyth, Catherine Coscarelly, Pat Boggan, Mark Guinn, Suzye Lomenick, Ken Ross. June 7-July 13, 1985. Folder 10 Items