Church Hill Theatre

The Philadelphia Story at Church Hill Theatre

February 28, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Church Hill Theatre is delighted to bring The Philadelphia Story to new audiences as well as those who grew up with the play! Since so many on this part of the Eastern Shore hail from Pennsylvania, we wanted to revive what is often known only for the famous movie versions starring Katharine Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Directed by Christopher Wallace, the CHT production will run from March 20 through April 5.

The Philadelphia Story follows the wealthy Lord family as they prepare for daughter Tracy’s second marriage while trying to avert a scandal involving her father. Add Tracy’s first husband Dexter and a visiting team of journalists, stir well with eccentric Lord family members—and author Philip Barry creates a breezy, sophisticated comedy. Set at the end of the Depression, class and wealth differences add other ingredients to the mix.

Cast members of the Philadelphia Story, L-R, Minnie Maloney, John Haas, Peggy Chiras, Maya McGrory, Don Hargy, Christopher Wallace, Lyle Pinder, Pat Patterson, Sharon Herz (photo courtesy of Steve Atkinson)

Wallace has assembled a large cast that includes both veterans and talented newcomers to the CHT stage. Tracy Lord, the headstrong and vivacious bride, is played by Minnie Maloney. Her parents, Seth and Margaret, will be portrayed by Robert McGrory and Peggy Chiras. Charles Michael Moore and Maya McGrory are Tracy’s older brother Sandy and younger sister Dinah. Pat Patterson is her Uncle Willie. Lyle Pinder and Sharon Herz will play Mike and Liz, serious craftsmen forced by the economy to work for a gossip magazine. The director will play George Kittredge, a powerful coal company man—and Tracy’s fiancé. John Haas is her first husband, C.K. Dexter Haven, who just won’t get out of her life. Donald Hargy will play Thomas, the Lord’s patient butler, and Shane Moran, pastor of Church Hill United Methodist Church, takes on the cameo role of Parson Parsons.

Christopher Wallace is assisted by Stage Manager Michelle Christopher, Producer Sheila Austrian and Designer Shelagh Grasso. The Philadelphia Story, by Philip Barry, will open on Friday, March 20, and run through Sunday, April 5, with performances at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 pm on Sundays. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for members and $10 for students, with a special two-for-one price for the first performance on March 20. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at 410-556-6003 or online at www.churchhilltheatre.org

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The Church Hill Theatre Announces Green Room Gang Directors

February 20, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

The Church Hill Theatre, Inc (CHT) is pleased to announce the directors for their 2020 Green Room Gang (GRG) summer theatre camp program. Iz Clemens will be returning as the director of GRG Sr. for students entering grades 6 to 12. Returning for her fifteenth year, Becca VanAken will direct GRG Jr. for students entering grades 1 to 5. The GRG, Sr. camp will be on Mondays – Thursday 9:00-3:00 starting June 22 and the GRG, Jr. camp will meet Mondays-Thursdays 9:00-12:00 starting June 24.

CHT is currently looking for two college students to fill internship positions for the GRG camps. These positions are paid internships. Responsibilities include assisting the GRG Directors in all aspects of the theatrical experience including working with the children, coordinating props and costumes and Stage Management responsibilities for the run of the productions. Hours are 8:30-3:30 Monday thru Thursday starting June 22 and running until July 29. A generous stipend is included. These internships offer college students an opportunity to gain valuable theatrical experience in a friendly community theatre while also encouraging young people to enjoy the magic of live theatre. Further details and an application form may be obtained by contacting the Church Hill Theatre office at 410-556-6003.

Continuing this year, CHT is also offering volunteer apprenticeships for High School students. Applicants must be 16 years old, at least a rising junior in HS and have a basic understanding of technical theatre. Responsibilities will include working approximately 8-10 hours a week with the producer, directors and technical director in the capacity of instruction and technical apprentices. Applicants must be available to work on Fridays and to help run the productions, which are scheduled for July 23, 24, and 25, 2020.

Please contact Church Hill Theatre at 410-556-6003 during office hours, Tuesday thru Friday 11:00-4:00 for further information and an application forms.

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Something Else Entirely…

February 19, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Is exactly what Church Hill Theatre is offering this week, although some have told this relative newcomer to the Eastern Shore, that “Drag shows are kinda a staple on the Shore”, which I never would have expected. This Friday and Saturday, Marti Gould Cummings is returning home to present a drag show fundraiser to “the Eastern Shore’s best little theater.” This article reflection of a homegrown performer sharing their talents to provide entertainment and positivity by exposing people to people who aren’t like them in order to break from prejudices.

Known for an inventive blend of drag, comedy, and vocal performance, Marti entertains nightly at clubs in New York similarly as done in other cultures throughout time including Kabuki in Japan dating back to 1629. In Kabuki, costumes and makeup are specifically designed to depict culturally known characters, similarly, what is considered traditional blue for boys and pink for girls. Drag Queens provide entertainment which clashes against these cultural norms in their performances. Marti Gould Cumming’s art fulfills several categories in the performing arts and their voice can also be heard in LGBTQ activism reaching audiences of many ages and backgrounds. In fact, during a brunchtime performance in a restaurant in New Jersey last March, one interaction was memorialized when they joined in singing with a toddler to “Baby Shark.” As a highly skilled self-promotor they have many samples of their recent work on a variety of websites such as Inside Edition, Wikipedia, Facebook and Instagram. On one of their post feeds, Marti explained that they use the nongender specific pronouns them/them. You’ll notice that I’ve honored that wish in this article.

As director Sylvia Maloney recalls: “Marti Gould Cummings came to Church Hill Theatre when they auditioned for the Musical South Pacific in 2002. They were cast as a Seabee and were featured in songs such as Bloody Mary, There is Nothing Like a Dame, and Honey Bun as part of the men’s ensemble. That summer they were a member of CHT’s Green Room Gang and were cast as Harold Hill in The Music Man, Jr. They continued their community theater career the following year by playing Sir Lionel in CHT’s production of Camelot and they were a prominent member of that summer’s GRG show, Into the Woods Jr, portraying one of the Princes.”

This year, Into the Woods returns (directed by Sylvia Maloney) to Church Hill Theatre after some years break and just after The Philadelphia Story (Christopher Wallace, director) opening March 20. Other shows this season include, Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Bonnie Hill, director) and The Outgoing Tide (Shelagh Grasso, director) and the recently closed Other Dessert Cities (Michael Whitehill, director).

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Final Weekend of Other Desert Cities at Church Hill Theatre

January 25, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

The closing weekend of Jon Robin Baitz’s play Other Desert Cities will be January 31 through February 2, 2020. This serious comedy tackles the moral dilemmas of a political family coming to grips with long-held secrets. A finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize and nominated for five Tony Awards, Other Desert Cities has been a strong audience favorite for almost a decade.

The play which takes place during the Christmas holidays at the Wyeth family’s luxurious home in Palm Springs, California, near “other desert cities”, revolves around the family’s reaction to a book that is about to be published by the daughter, Brooke. She calls it a memoir and tells her perception of the tragic loss of her older brother, Henry in the midst of the Viet Nam conflict.

Peter Heck, in his review in the Chestertown Spy, gave the headline “ Brilliant Church Hill Theatre Cast Shines in Other Desert Cities.” Heck gives the following accolades to the performers: Christine Kinlock as the daughter, Brooke, “effectively conveys the character’s anxiety”….”displaying nervous energy that fills the stage. Kinlock succeeds admirably.”

The Wyeth Family hears the announcement from daughter Brooke, (Christine Kinlock) that she has copies of her manuscript for them to read.

Regarding the role of Polly, the mother, Heck states Colleen “Minahan portrays the character as initially cold….But as the arguments over the memoir build, the character’s depth emerges…in an excellent performance.” To Kathy Jones as Silda, Polly’s recovering alcoholic sister, Heck comments “Jones captures both sides of Silda’s character to deliver a rounded portrayal of a very real human being. Kudos for a strong performance.”

Brian McGunigle plays Lyman Wyeth, the father, a retired Hollywood actor who also served as an ambassador during the Reagan administration. Regarding his performance, Heck writes “McGunigle brings out the nuances of the father’s character,. …walks a fine line between his wife,….daughter and his own preference to let the past stay in a past. A fine job.”

For Matt Folker as the younger brother, Trip, a successful TV producer, Heck comments as “probably the most laid-back character in the play, he seconds Silda’s attempts of lower the level of tension…yet he too is affected. Very well done—as we’ve come to expect from this fine actor.”

With a set of true California living, designed and built by the director, Michael Whitehill and a perfect lighting design by Doug Kaufmann, and costumes by Debra Ebersole echoing the lifestyle of Palm Springs, Heck recommends “ anyone who enjoys good acting and strong drama with serious insights into human nature should make it a point to see this play.”

Other Desert Cities will run until February 2, 2020. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm. Reservations can be made on line at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling (410) 556-6003.

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Brilliant Church Hill Theatre Cast Shines in “Other Desert Cities”

January 22, 2020 by Peter Heck Leave a Comment

Christmas 2004 in the California desert, with a family reunion–and a family secret. That’s the setting for John Robert Baitz’s Other Desert Cities, currently playing at Church Hill Theatre. Directed by Michael Whitehill, the play is an unexpected gem with an exceptional cast.

Baitz’s play opened off-Broadway in 2011; after a limited run, it reopened on Broadway, with a cast including stage stars Stockard Channing, Judith Light, Stacy Keach, Thomas Sadoski, and Rachel Griffiths. It garnered five Tony nominations, and Light won Best Featured Actress for her portrayal of Silda, the alcoholic aunt. It was also a finalist for the Best Drama Pulitzer Prize.

The plot centers on Brooke Wyeth, who has built a career as a magazine writer in New York. As the play begins, she has returned home for Christmas, bringing along the manuscript of a new book that has been accepted for publication. Her parents, Lyman and Polly, made their fame and fortune in movies and in Republican politics under the Reagan administration. They used to lunch with Ron and Nancy! Now they are retired, living in upscale but rather isolated Palm Springs. Also there for Christmas are the younger brother Trip, the producer of a popular reality TV show and Aunt Silda, their mother’s sister, who is in rehab for alcoholism.

There’s friction from the beginning–Brooke and her parents are at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Polly snipes at her daughter’s liberal views. Things get really intense when they learn that Brooke’s book is a memoir focused on the family tragedy; the death—now many years ago—of the older brother. This death traumatized every family member, each in a different way, and has continued to mold family relationships over the years. Brooke was close to her idolized older brother and has never gotten over his loss. The parents—shocked and hurt—try to convince Brooke not to publish. They don’t want to re-open old wounds. Brooke, however, wants to tell her story to the world. It’s part therapy and part revenge.

Thus starts a serious and intense family drama as one side tries to discuss and possibly resolve, perhaps heal, old hurts while the other contends that it’s best to move on, leave the past behind, and just have a good visit and a happy Christmas. It takes an unexpected revelation before healing can start for this family.

It’s a serious play about people who clearly love each other but are ignoring and covering up serious trauma. There are also lighter moments along the way. While Brooke and her parents squabble and snipe, brother Trip and Aunt Silda try to keep the holiday spirit. They provide both comic relief and good doses of common sense. The audience laughed a lot on opening night when we saw the play.

This outstanding cast features Christine Kinlock in the role of Brooke Wyeth, the daughter. Kinlock, who most recently played Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, effectively conveys the character’s anxiety over her family’s reaction to the book, displaying a nervous energy that fills the stage. Kinlock succeeds admirably.

Colleen Minahan, who has local stage credits with Shore Shakespeare and Church Hill Theatre, plays Polly, the mother. Her character is brash and combative, seemingly caught up in the lifestyle of the country club set and the conservative political scene. Minahan portrays the character as initially cold toward her daughter and sister, rejecting their liberal values and different lifestyle choices. But as the arguments over the memoir build, the character’s depth emerges, bringing out both warmth and genuine concern for everyone. Minahan brings the character to life in an excellent performance.

Kathy Jones, one of the most versatile actors in the local theater scene, is well cast as Silda Grauman, Polly’s sister. Her character has most of the play’s best comic lines, but behind the stream of wisecracks is a tortured soul who draws on her own pain to give Brooke sage advice. And she has her own secret. Jones captures both sides of Silda’s character to deliver a rounded portrayal of a very real human being. Kudos for a strong performance.

The father, Lyman, is played by Brian McGunigle, previously seen as the vicar in The Importance of Being Earnest. His character is caught between the desire to give his daughter the support she wants while keeping hidden the troubling family secret that the memoir threatens to expose. He especially fears the probable repercussions of an upcoming article about the book in a national magazine. McGunigle brings out the nuances of the father’s character, who tries to walk a fine line between his wife and his daughter and his own preference to let the past stay in the past. A fine job.

CHT stalwart Matt Folker plays Trip, the younger Wyeth son. Probably the most laid-back character in the play, he seconds Silda’s attempts to lower the level of tension. He was only five so hardly remembers his older brother, yet he too has been affected. Very well done–as we’ve come to expect from this fine actor.

The set, designed and built by Whitehill, is a quintessential California living room, with open spaces and desert-like colors. In one scene, Polly wears a gorgeous kaftan with bright reds, golds and oranges almost exactly matching the furniture and decor—how Californian! In other scenes they wear their tennis whites while Trip sports a vivid Hawaiian shirt with palm trees.

Whitehill noted that this was one of the best and easiest casts to direct. Rehearsals went smoothly with all the drama on-stage, not back-stage!

Anyone who enjoys good acting and strong drama with serious insights into human nature should make it a point to see this play.

Other Desert Cities runs through Feb. 2, performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Call the theater at 410-556-6003 or visit the theater website – www.churchilltheatre.org – for reservations. Note that the script has adult language and situations that may be inappropriate for younger audiences.

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Marti Gould Cummings at Church Hill Theatre February 21 & 22

January 18, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Marti Gould-Cummings

A local lad who got his start at Church Hill Theatre, Marti Gould-Cummings moved to New York City at 17 to pursue a career in the performing arts. Known for an inventive blend of drag, comedy, and vocal performance, Marti entertains nightly at clubs in New York and often appears on “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen. An advocate for LGBTQ rights, Marti won the 2019 Glam “Entertainer of the Year” award. Marti has announced a bid to run for Manhattan’s District 7 City Council Seat in 2021.

This fabulous drag queen extraordinaire with unpredictable wit and lots of glitter, tours the world entertaining audiences. Marti returns to the Church Hill stage with an entourage of 4 saucy “Queens of New York”. Expect Selma Nilla, Kiki Ball-Change, Jacklynn Hyde and Chelsea Piers to raise the roof with music and irreverent comedy. Be prepared to laugh, frolic, and sing along with the Queens of NYC.

Drag attire is welcomed!

Tickets are $50.

This 2-night special event includes bubbly with plenty of glam and glitter and an After Party in the Theatre to meet Marti and the Queens of NYC!

Don’t drag your heels! Advance purchase advised; seating is limited and tickets will sell out quickly.

Marti Gould Cummings Broadway Drag Review: Two performances: Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 8 pm. Reservations can be made online at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling (410) 556-6003.

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A New Executive Manager at Church Hill Theatre

January 17, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Church Hill Theatre is delighted to announce that Ms. Carmen Renee has been engaged as its new Executive Manager, effective February 1, 2020. Ms. Renee, a resident of Queenstown, has an extensive background in the arts as a performer and educator. She also brings business management experience to the operations side of the theatre.

“Our Executive Manager keeps all the wheels turning at Church Hill,” said Board Chairman David J. Bowering. “We are very fortunate to have been able to attract someone with Ms. Renee’s background and experience in the arts, in education and in business. It is a winning combination for us. Ms. Renee started her professional career at the Summer Opera Theatre in Washington, D.C., so coming to Church Hill Theatre is coming home for her. We’re glad she found us.” he said.

Ms. Renee holds degrees in music from Birmingham-Southern College and Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory. Most recently, she has been Director of Music for Wye Conservatory and Parish, Wye Mills, and a music teacher with Queen Anne’s County Public Schools. She is also a professional musician and is the proprietor of a music teaching studio. She has performed with the Peabody Conservatory, Lancaster, PA, Opera Theatre, Baltimore Opera, Northern Virginia Opera, Washington Opera, Washington Chorale, Wolf Trap Opera, and Religious and Community Opera of Birmingham, AL. She has management experience in legal, real estate, and medical offices, in addition to performing arts organizations.

In 2020 Church Hill Theatre celebrates its 37^th anniversary as a non-profit community theatre. It has provided theatre-lovers on the Eastern Shore with unbroken seasons of top-quality theatrical productions, and educational programs that train and cultivate young talent with ambitions in the performing arts. The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a member of the QAC Historic Sites Consortium.

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Other Desert Cities Opens at Church Hill Theatre

January 5, 2020 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Family secrets? We all have them. But who “owns” them and can brutal honesty promote stronger familial bonds? Jon Robin Baitz’s searing comedy, Other Desert Cities, leaves us without a clear answer—and perhaps ready to dig into our own unexcavated memories. Opening on January 17, one of contemporary theater’s most thought-provoking dramas will lead off the 2020 season at Church Hill Theatre.

Christine Kinlock as Brooke, offers consolation to her father, Lyman, played by Brian McGunigle.

Lyman and Polly Wyeth are wealthy and respected from the movie industry, active in Republican politics, and comfortably retired in their beautiful Palm Springs home. The façade begins to crack as the family gathers for the Christmas holidays and daughter Brooke’s new book turns out to be a scathing memoir that blames her parents for the tragic loss of an older brother. Brooke’s younger brother Trip, a TV producer, tries to provide context and mediation but Polly’s sister Silda, a recovering (maybe) alcoholic, helps by stirring the pot. Like a dark cloud in the clear desert sky, the recently over Viet Nam War shades the family’s perceptions of reality.

Michael Whitehill directs an exceptional cast. Brian McGunigle, most recently seen in The Importance of Being Earnest, is Lyman Wyeth, a B-list movie star who served as an ambassador for President Reagan. A really nice guy, Lyman likes to keep the drama on the screen and not in his living room. Colleen Minihan, who played Sara in The Sisters Rosensweig, plays Polly, the brains and central force of the Wyeth family. Kathy Jones, last seen in 33 Variations, plays Polly’s sister Silda, who is just out of rehab. In earlier years, the sisters worked together as successful screenwriters. The Wyeth children, Brooke and Trip, are played by Christine Kinlock (The Importance of Being Earnest) and Matt Folker (Jesus Christ, Superstar). Brooke, an East Coast liberal, an established but emotionally fragile writer, hopes her cathartic memoir will clarify long festering secrets. Trip initially seems the family lightweight, but proves that normal is a good place to be. Their lost brother Henry still hovers in the wings, never talked about, but never forgotten.

Colleen Minahan as Polly, chastises her son Trip, played by Matt Folker.

A finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize and nominated for five Tony Awards, Other Desert Cities has been a strong audience favorite for almost a decade. “All family reunions should be this satisfying,” says the New York Times, “ adding that the Wyeth clan has “the power to nurture, delight and wound one another and, not incidentally, move to tears anyone who visits them.”

Michael Whitehill also designed the set, creating a mid-century modern hacienda on the Church Hill stage. He is assisted by Sylvia Maloney as producer and Steve Atkinson as stage manager. Lighting and sound design are by Doug Kaufmann with Debra Ebersole in charge of costumes.

Other Desert Cities will open on January 17, 2020, and runs through February 2. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm. Reservations can be made on line at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling (410) 556-6003. Special two-for-one tickets are available on opening night only by calling the office or at the box office.

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Auditions for The Philadelphia Story at Church Hill Theatre

December 26, 2019 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

Philip Barry’s hilarious comedy comes to the Church Hill Theatre stage this spring. Directed by Christopher Wallace, the play will run for three weekends from March 20 to April 5.

The set-up is simple, the wealthy Lord family are set to welcome the high society of Philadelphia to their home for the second wedding of the vibrant and headstrong Tracy Lord until the unwelcome addition of a writer and photographer from a gossip magazine throw off the perfect plans. Add in Tracy’s ex-husband, a philandering father, sparring over class boundaries, a couple love triangles and free-flowing champagne and you have The Philadelphia Story.

Auditions for The Philadelphia Story will be held at Church Hill Theatre on Monday, January 13th, and Wednesday, January 15th at 7 PM. Callbacks, as needed, will be on Thursday, January 16th. Please bring a list of conflicts for January through the performance dates. Auditions will consist primarily of cold readings from the script. Monologues of 1-2 minutes are encouraged but not required.

Rehearsals will be primarily Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm and Saturdays at 10:00 am until tech week when they will be daily. Additional rehearsals may be called depending on cast availability. Wallace most recently directed the wildly popular production of A Flea in Her Ear last spring.

Roles for The Philadelphia Story break down as follows:

Tracy Lord (Lead): Female, 24-35
C. K. Dexter Haven (Supporting): Male, 28-40
Mike Connor (Lead): Male, 28-40
Margaret Lord (Supporting): Female, 40-50
Uncle Willy (Supporting): Male, 50-65
Liz Imbrie (Supporting): Female, 25-35
Sandy Lord (Supporting): Male, 25-39
George Kittredge (Supporting): Male, 30-40
Seth Lord (Supporting): Male, 50-60
Thomas (Supporting): Male, 30-50
May (Supporting): Female, 18+
Dr. Parsons, Edward, Mac (Supporting): Male, 30-50
Dinah (Supporting): Female, 15-20

Contact the Church Hill Theatre at 410-556-6003 or office@churchhilltheatre.org with any questions about the play, the roles, or the audition schedule.

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