Retiring and Current Board Members: CHT’s retiring and current Board Members: standing (left to right): Christopher Wallace, Sylvia Maloney, Robert Bryan, Michael Whitehill, Patrick Fee, Charles “Pat” Patterson, Thad Bench, Juanita Wieczoreck, John Haas, David Bowering, Rachel Goss. Seated (left to right): Becca Van Aken, Shelagh Grasso, Kendall Davis, Michelle Christopher, Julie Bedell.
At its annual meeting on June 20, members of Church Hill Theatre discussed results of the current season, elected a new board of directors, recognized significant volunteer contributions and made plans for the 2018 season.
CHT Executive Manager Nina Sharp presented a report on the past year’s successes and announced the theatre’s “Throw Us a Bone” fundraising campaign, the goal of which is to raise money to support the theatre’s exterior Stucco Restoration project. The $19,000 repair work will be partially funded by Preservation Maryland’s Heritage Fund. Chairman Charles “Pat” Patterson and volunteer coordinator Rachel Goss thanked retiring members Shelagh Grasso, Juanita Wieczoreck, John Beck, and Howard Mesick (in absentia) for their years of dedicated service as Board Members. Goss also presented the Volunteer of the Year Award to the Christopher family for their outstanding dedication to all volunteer aspects of CHT such as working backstage, Front of House, special events, and much more.
Retiring Board Members: CHT’s Executive Manager Nina Sharp (left) congratulates the retiring Board Members and thanks them for their “thyme.” (Board Members left to right): Juanita Wieczoreck, Shelagh Grasso, and John Haas. Not pictured: Howard Mesick.
Newly elected members Thad Bench, Robert Bryan, Jennifer Moore, Kendall Davis, and Julie Bedell will join the currently existing CHT Board of Directors: David Bowering, Patrick Fee, Michelle Christopher, Laura Van Wie McGrory, Rachel Goss, Sylvia Maloney, Charles “Pat” Patterson, Christopher Wallace, Becca Van Aken, and Michael Whitehill. At an organizational meeting following the election, the Board determined officers would remain the same: Patterson will continue as CHT Board Chairman, David Bowering as Vice Chairman, Sylvia Maloney as Treasurer and Becca Van Aken as Secretary.
During the meeting, Program Committee Chair John Haas shared the list of projected plays for CHT’s 2018 season. The committee has proposed a mix of plays and styles for next year, including Neil Simon’s unforgettable comedy Biloxi Blues; Earnest Thompson’s heartfelt On Golden Pond; the colorful musical Pippin with book by Roger O. Hirson Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Wendy Wasserstein’s comedy/drama The Sisters Rosensweig; and Brenden Behan’s black comedy The Hostage. In addition, Church Hill Theatre will produce its annual Green Room Gang summer musicals performed by GRG Juniors and Seniors, and the Education committee hopes to add a youth winter holiday production.
Volunteers of the Year: Rachel Goss (center) presents Michelle Emerson Christopher (left) Ron “Speedy” Christopher (right) and their two sons “Little Speedy” (top) and Connor (bottom) with the Volunteer(s) of the Year award for their endless contributions to Church Hill Theatre.
Coming up at Church Hill Theatre are the Green Room Gang final performances of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS and Seussical JR., which will play July 20th through 23rd, Thursday and Friday at 7:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Local playwright Earl Lewin’s production of his newest play Orlando Rising will open one week later, and will run two weekends: July 28th through August 6th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. In September, Director Michael Whitehill will bring John Patrick Shanley’s award-winning Doubt, a Parable to the CHT stage, which will play September 8th – 24th. The CHT 2017 season will close with a collaborative production of Carrie the Musical, based on the novel by Stephen King. This musical, directed by Chesapeake College’s Robert Thompson, will run October 27th – November 12th. The first weekend of performances will run at the Cadby Theatre at Chesapeake College, and then travel to the Church Hill Stage for the final two weekends.
For more information on the Church Hill Theatre, visit the theatre’s website, follow CHT on Facebook, or call the CHT Office at 410-556-6003.
Saint Georges Blues; A second chance at love collides with unlikely events to create a national music festival in a small country town.
John Norton, who recently starred in CHT’s Visit to a Small Planet, will direct The Game’s Afoot, or: Holmes for the Holidays at Church Hill Theatre, which is sponsored by the Queenstown Bank. Performances will run from November 4 through 20, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Auditions will be held on the Church Hill Theatre stage on:
Church Hill Theatre invites actors of all experience levels to audition for its September production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, one of the most important cultural statements of the mid-20th century. Auditions will be held at the theatre in Church Hill on Saturday, June 18th at 1 pm, Sunday, June 19th at 6:30 pm, and Wednesday, June 22nd at 6:30 pm. Actors should be prepared for cold readings from the script and to perform a surprise piece of poetry as a warm-up exercise.
