Pioneer Playhouse

Pioneer Playhouse

Pioneer Playhouse
Address	840 Stanford Rd Danville, Kentucky
Coordinates	37°38′20″N 84°45′24″W / 37.63889°N 84.75667°W
Type	Summerstock
Opened	1950
Website
www.pioneerplayhouse.com

The Pioneer Playhouse, located in Danville, Kentucky, is the oldest outdoor theater in the state of Kentucky.

History

19th Century Main Street village and museum

The Pioneer Playhouse was built by Col. Eben C. Henson who established the outdoor theater in 1950. Notable alumni actors include John Travolta, Lee Majors, then known as Harvey Yeary, and Jim Varney.^[1] In 1962, Pioneer Playhouse became the first theater in the nation to be accorded the legal status of State Theater by act of Legislation.

Since Henson's death in 2004 the theater has been run by Henson's widow, Charlotte. Her daughter Holly served as artistic director until her death in 2012. Robby Henson, her son, directs at least one play at the theater every summer.

Productions

• 2014
  • Whodunnit, Darling? by Charles Edward Pogue and Larry Drake
  • Is He Dead? by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives
  • The Wonder Team by Robby Henson
  • Walking Across Egypt by Catherine Bush (adapted from the novel by Clyde Edgerton)
  • A Visit from Scarface by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
• 2013
  • Deathtrap by Ira Levin
  • Tamed by Holly Hepp-Galvan, adapted from Taming of the Shrew
  • The Search for Tinker Doyle by Elizabeth Orndorff
  • Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig
  • Cockeyed by Samuel French
• 2012
  • Dracula Bites! by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
  • Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin
  • Bottoms Up! by Gregg Kreutz
  • High Strangeness by Elizabeth Orndorff
  • Tuna Does Vegas by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
• 2011
  • The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow
  • Tartuffe: The Southern Version adapted from Moliere
  • That Madcap Moon by Janet Henson Dow
  • Don't Cry for Me, Margaret Mitchell by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
  • Kosher Lutherans by William Missouri Downs
• 2010
  • A Nice Family Gathering by Phil Olson
  • Miranda: The Catch of the Day (Adapted from Miranda, by Peter Blackmore)
  • The Dillinger Dilemma (World Premiere by Elizabeth Orndorff)
  • For Better by Eric Coble The production was directed by Katherine M. Carter
  • Run for Your Wife by Ray Cooney The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher
• 2009
  • M is for Million by Jack Sharkey
  • The Infamous Ephraim by Holly Henson
  • Lend Me a Tenor by Ken Ludwig
  • Girl Crazy by Guy Bolton & John McGowan
  • Be My Baby by Ken Ludwig
• 2008
  • Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig
  • Mornings at Seven by Paul Osborn.
  • Death by Darkness by Elizabeth Orndorff. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
  • Love, Sex and the IRS by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore. The production was directed by Synge Maher.
  • Cookin' with Gus by Jim Brochu. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
• 2007^[2]
  • Babe, The Sheep Pig by David Wood. The production was directed by Robby Henson.
  • The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
  • The Odd Couple by Neil Simon. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
  • A Jarful of Fireflies by Catherine Bush. The production was directed by Robby Henson.
  • Greater Tuna by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, & Ed Howard
• 2006^[3]
  • My Sister Eileen by Joseph A. Fields & Jerome Chodorov
  • Rumors by Neil Simon
  • Shakespeare in Hollywood by Ken Ludwig
  • Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott
  • Social Security by Andrew Bergman
• 2005^[4]
  • On the Razzle by Tom Stoppard
  • Squabbles by Marshall Karp
  • The Man Who Came to Dinner by Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman
  • The Last of Jane Austen by Shirl Hendryx
  • Death by Golf by Gregg Kreutz
• 2004
  • Cactus Flower by Abe Burrows^[5]
  • Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood by Mark Saltzman^[5]
  • Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon^[6]
• 2003
  • Impossible Marriage by Beth Henley^[5]
  • Proposals by Neil Simon^[5]
  • Sylvia by A.R. Gurney^[5]
• 1995
  • Tom Jones^[7]
  • Harvey by Mary Chase^[7]
  • My Fat Friend by Charles Laurence^[7]

References

1. Profile of Col. Henson. Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 1999
2. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (pdf). Spring 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
3. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Spring 2006. Archived from the original (pdf) on January 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
4. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Fall–Winter 2004. Archived from the original (pdf) on May 8, 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
5. "Marjorie Tatum". Casting Call Pro. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
6. "Robert Wedig". Casting Call Pro. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
7. "Annette Remter". Casting Call Pro. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

External links

• The Pioneer Playhouse official web site