Plaza Suite

 

Written by Neil Simon
Directed by Lynn Whalen

 

"Set the town laughing." The New York Times

 

Hilarity abounds at the Old Theater on May 3, 4 & 5 in this portrait of two couples successively occupying Suite 719 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

 

Visitor from Hollywood, is about a movie producer who calls a childhood sweetheart, now a suburban housewife, for a little "diversion." Over the years she has idolized him from afar and is now more than the match he bargained for!

 

Starring ... Ben Gaskill (as Jesse Kiplinger) and Nelda Coats (as Muriel Tate), with Dick Nelson who appears as the waiter in both scenes.

 

Visitor from Forest Hills, revolves around a married couple on their daughter's wedding day. In a rush of nervousness, "Mimsey" has locked herself in the suite's bathroom and refuses to come out. This is the most comic of the acts, filled with increasingly outrageous slapstick moments depicting her parents' frantic attempts to cajole her into attending her wedding while the gathered guests await the trio's arrival downstairs!

 

Starring ... Roberta Zawasky & Bill Sage (as Norma & Roy Hubley), Adam Christiansen & Mary Clyde Dunn (as Mr. & Mrs. Eisler), Will Wheeler (as Borden Isler) and Caroline James (as Mimsey Hubley).

 

Also Appearing ... Mary Clyde Dunn (our pianist) and Russ Stephenson (our bellhop).

 

THE SLIDE SHOW ...

 

Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

 

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

THE BIG GUNS: Or Whose Little Lily Is She?

Presented by

The Old Theater Corporation
 

 

November 9 & 10, 2012

The Old Theater Corporation proudly presents its 2nd radio show, THE BIG GUNS: Or Whose Little Lily Is She? for your listening and viewing enjoyment. Set in a 1940s radio station, this show will be performed by actors in costume with sound effects and singing radio commercials.

With songs and smoking six-shooters, we’re here to tell the adventures and misadventures of two cattle barons and, most especially, of a beautiful young lady in search of … well, not the usual kind of gold in them thar hills. Is this a musical? Nope. But somewhat like Cat Ballou, Paint Your Wagon and a lot of John Ford westerns, it has music that made its way west. And what’s a rousing, sometimes rowdy western without a saloon gal? A saucy little filly known as Lily. A comic valentine to the cowboy and cowgirl heroes of bygone screen, radio and television—Gene, Roy, Hoppy, Coop, The Duke—with a tip of the Stetson to Calamity, Annie O, Belle Starr and Cat Ballou. A story of the Old West, but a different sort of a story. A tale with a twist. A rootin’, tootin’, six-shootin’ wing-ding of a western.

Join our “studio audience” as we step back in time for an old fashioned adventure!

THE CHARACTERS ...

Ellyn Speciale (Charlene Pratt, Dutch Masters & Foley Artist)
Bill Wheeler (Raymond Collins)
Woody Fuller (Louie, Deacon Adderlie, Reggie & Voices)
Nancy Hiller (Janette & Little Lily)
Will Wheeler (Shorty, Clerk, Maguey & Schemer Scroggins)
Rich Tuttle (Sheriff Broker Baker)
Bill Sage (Big John)
Peter Freeman (Ready John)
Russ Stevenson (Joe & Jess Courtland)
Emma Wheeler (Abigail Crump)
Elaine Hills (Olivia Crump)
Sam Alitto (Bentnose Bascomb & MacIntosh)

(Back Row)
Bill Sage, Elaine Hills, Peter Freeman, Bill Wheeler, Ellyn Speciale, Woody Fuller
(Front Row)
Will Wheeler, Emma Wheeler, Rich Tuttle, Russ Stevenson
(Not Shown)
Sam Alitto

THE COMMERCIALS & INSTRUMENTALS ...

(Back Row)
Peggy Moseley, Charles Moseley &
Nancy Hiller-Commercials Director
(Front Row)
Kelly Russo, Eliz Valassis, Emma Wheeler, Will Wheeler &
Mary Clyde Dunn-Pianist
(Not Shown)
Carol Small & Ellyn Speciale

 

 

THE SLIDE SHOW ...

 

Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

 

Produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing.

All proceeds of this event go to benefit the Old Theater, a non-profit organization.

Back of the Mike (complete version) - 1939

Hot Dames, Hot Lead

Presented by 

The Old Theater Corporation
 Stage Director 

Lynn Whalen
Music Director & Keyboardist
Mary Clyde Dunn 

November 4~6, 2011

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to “see” what an old time radio show broadcast was like? Well wonder no more! 

The Old Theater in Oriental is presenting Hot Dames, Hot Lead for your listening and viewing enjoyment! This vintage 1930s “radio show” is performed by actors in costume and sound effects created in front of you. Listen to the latest episode of Catfish King (Per Erichsen) and enjoy the “Buttercups” as they provide singing commercials of yesteryear.

We open with the entrance of Lola LaRue (Kate Tuttle) who is the secretary of Senator Bullfrog “bring home the bacon” Bodiene (Bill Sage). The beloved Senator is bringing a much needed, but thought to be useless, dam project to Sunshine Valley to provide needed jobs. Lola knows something isn’t quite right when Big Bill Mullin (Joe Lane) is found to be in cahoots with the local Cosa Nostra. 

Listen and watch while Catfish follows a trail of colorful characters including Raccoon Montgomery (Rick Smith), Jimmy the Shinebox & Big Tuna (Woody Fuller), Sadie Deal (Nelda Coats), Crashin’ Annie Burne (Cindy Ista), Professor Nobodski (Russ Stevenson) and the German Ambassador & Mayor (Rich Tuttle). Gangster voices (Nancy Hiller) and a Messenger (Rainy Bilicki) add to the intrigue while, between episodes, you’ll be entertained by singing commercials featuring the “Buttercups” ... Rainy Bilicki, Care Gerdeman, Nancy Hiller, Kelly Russo and Carol Small. Art Whalen and Care Gerdeman provide on-stage sound effects.

Director Lynn Whalen is thrilled to see so many “new” faces on the Oriental stage. She said it has taken over 30 people to put this production together and over two thirds of them are new to the Old Theater.

So come enjoy in the fun and step back to the 1930s for an old fashioned family adventure!

THE CHARACTERS ...
Rainy Bilicki (as the Messenger)
Nelda Coats (as Sadie Deal & the Kid)
Per Erichsen (as Catfish King)
Woody Fuller (as Jimmy the Shinebox & Big Tuna)
Nancy Hiller (as the Gangster & Voices)
Cindy Ista (as Crashin' Annie Burne)
Joe Lane (as Big Bull Mullen)
Bill Sage (as Bullfrog Bodeine)
Rick Smith (as Raccoon Montgomery)
Russ Stevenson (as Professor Nobodsky & Leroy)
Kate Tuttle (as Lola)
Rich Tuttle (as the Mayor & German Ambassador)

THE ANNOUNCER ...Peter Freeman
THE COMMERCIAL VOCALISTS ...
Rainy Bilicki, Care Gerdeman, Nancy Hiller,
Kelly Russo, Carol Small & Kate Tuttle
THE FOLEY ARTISTS ...Care Gerdeman & Art Whalen

SNEAK PEEKS ...



Lola & Catfish King

Sadie Deal & Crashin' Annie Burne

The Ambassador, Bullfrog, Big Bill, Raccoon & the Professor

Jimmy the Shinebox & Our Announcer

"The Buttercups"
Carol, Care, Kelly
Rainy & Nancy

Art & Care, Our Foley Artists

Mary Clyde, Our Music Director & Keyboardist

Photo Courtesy of TownDock.net

Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

BRAVO! THANKS FOR A GREAT PERFORMANCE!

Produced by special arrangement with Heuer Publishing.

All proceeds of this special event benefit The Old Theater.

Mother Truckers

A comedy by
Judith Sapperstein and Gary Murway
Performed by
The Oriental Repertory Company
Under the Direction of
Craig Elliott

September 16 & 17, 2011

Maxine's husband dies on the road while delivering a shipment in his "Big Rig." With no money and a Peterbilt truck, what else is she supposed to do? She'll pick up where he left off and her sister, Charlotte, goes along to keep her company.

Get off the road, 'cause here come the Mother Truckers!
 

STARRING ...

Suzy Alitto (as Maxine)
Ellyn Speciale (as Charlotte)

Mary Clyne Dunn (as Mary Ellen)

Sam Alitto (as Roy McCoy)

Meagan McLain (as Trixie)

Craig Elliott (as Sugar Daddy)

Photo by Charlie Hall/Sun Journal

Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

Represented and Licensed by J&G UNLIMITED, LLC.

There's A Burglar In My Bed

Written by

Michael Parker

Performed by

The Oriental Repertory Company

Under the Direction of

Craig Elliott

April 8 & 9, 2011

William Worthington III and his wife both say they are going away for the weekend from their 200-acre Massachusetts estate with its 26-bedroom mansion: William to Delaware to shoot ducks with the Duponts and Ashley Worthington to visit her mother in Boston. Both have, in fact, arranged trysts with their respective lovers in the estate’s beach cottage.

Inevitably their paths cross and divorce is in the air. But neither is willing to give up the world famous Worthington necklace, so each devises a plan to steal it.

True to the laws of farce, both simulated burglaries are scheduled for the same night. Fun and chaos ensues — mistaken identities, unlikely romantic liaisons, a bumbling private detective, a fake necklace, one very determined nymphomaniac and two pseudo nuns sharing a single skirt.

Who has the real necklace? Who has the fake? There is a surprise ending!

STARRING ... 



Sam Alitto as William Davis

Rainy Bilicki as Lorraine DuVal  

Craig Elliott as Edward Brookstone

Per Erichsen as William Worthington

Lisanne Erickson as Deborah DuVal

Georgette Rush as Ashley Worthington

Ellyn Speciale as Marianne Van Kleef

 Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

Simply Divided

Written by
Jeff Lovett
Performed by
The Oriental Repertory Company
Under the Direction of
Craig Elliott

September 17 & 18, 2010

Times are hard in Simply, Alabama … The men have packed up and moved to work at a nearby truck plant and the women in the town are alarmed … especially the ones who spend their days at the Simply Delicious Diner. When a handsome new stranger moves to Simply, the women begin to compete for his attention.

With plenty of verbal jousting, plot twists and a sprinkling of quirky supporting characters, Simply Divided feels like spending an evening with old friends.

STARRING ... 

Suzy Alitto as Sissy Mae

Sam Alitto as Ray

Nelda Coats as Sarah Beth

Mary Clyde Dunn as D'Ellen

Per Erichsen the Radio Announcer

Libby Ferdinandsen as Carlotta

Nancy Hiller as Trish Ann

Ellyn Speciale as Charity

Darrell Wiard as Earl

Gary Williams as Gabe

SNEAK PEEKS
Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.

Photo by Charlie Hall/Sun Journal

Photo by Charlie Hall/Sun Journal

Photo by Charlie Hall/Sun Journal

Photo by Keith Smith/www.TownDock.net

 

The Amorous Ambassador

Written by
Michael Parker

Performed by
The Oriental Repertory Company

Under the direction of
Craig Elliott




March 26 & 27, 2010

The Amorous Ambassador is another hormonal comedy by the author of Sex Please We’re Sixty! When the new American Ambassador to Great Britain, tells his wife and daughter he’s going away for a golf weekend, they announce plans of their own. Each leaves and secretly returns for a romantic rendezvous in what they assume is an empty house. Their escapades will leave you laughing for days!

STARRING ...
Michele Bessette (as Faye)
Joe Bliss (as Perkins)
Jake Croom (as Joe)
Lisanne Erickson (as Marian)
Ashley Gody (as Debbie)
Rich Wertin (as Captain South)
Gary Williams (as Harry)
Roberta Zawasky (as Louis)

Click HERE to see a slide show of this performance.