Gunner, his wife Peg and son Jack; A family.

Gunner, beginning to lose touch with reality, his wife worried about their future together and son Jack whose married life has collapsed and left him adrift.

In a series of flashbacks we see Gunner’s hurtful jokes harassing young Jack for being “too soft”; Peg who never followed through with her acceptance into college; and Jack who has always wanted to be a chef and to own a restaurant but never the courage to follow through.

As Gunner in a rare moment of lucidity, ecstatically delivers news of a plan to allow for his family’s financial security and his own peace of mind……he however wants his wife and son’s blessing.  Peg and Jack struggle with the proposition and their own definitions of what it means to truly love someone.

Join us and watch as they all learn how to accept each other for who they are and to forgive.

Tickets and reservations by phone at 410 556 6003 or by checking online at CHURCHHILLTHEATRE.org.

Church Hill Theatre’s production of Clybourne Park opened on September 9 and will run weekends through September 25.  Although inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s classic A Raisin in the Sun, Clybourne Park is most definitely a play about NOW. It is a biting and sometimes funny punch in the gut that deserved and won both the Pulitzer and Tony awards for Best Play.

In Act 1, which takes place in 1959 before A Raisin in the Sun, a white couple leaving their middle-class Chicago neighborhood for personal reasons has accepted an offer from a Black family, the Youngers (the protagonists in Hansberry’s play).  Worried white neighbors intervene, concerned about integration and property values.  The audience is left wondering just how great a neighborhood Clybourne Park really is, as prejudices and misconceptions threaten the status quo.

Fifty years later, in Act 2, Clybourne Park is solidly Black but changing again, as gentrification has made the location newly desirable. When a white couple is thwarted from razing the Younger house to build a mini-mansion, cordial discussions rapidly turn to racial and sexist invective. The old prejudices and misconceptions have not really disappeared with time.

The excellent cast deals comfortably with truly uncomfortable themes, saying out loud what usually stays politely unsaid. Since the play bridges the past and present, most actors play two roles. Jon Hodgson portrays Russ and Dan; Christine Kinlock is Bev and Kathy; Simone Collins plays Francine and Lena; Gary Tucker is Albert and Kevin; Matt Folker plays Karl and Steve; Cynthia Bayne portrays Betsy and Lindsay, and Anthony Daly plays Kenneth and Eddie Vance is Jim.

Clybourne Park is directed by Michael Whitehill, assisted by Kathy Jones, Steve Atkinson, Sylvia Maloney, Debra Ebersole, Rachel Gwin, Doug Kaufmann and Tom Rhodes.

Performances are at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for members, and $10 for students. Reservations may be made on the CHT website: https://www.churchhilltheatre.org or by phone at 410-556-6003.  Audiences are reminded that the play contains strong language.

Church Hill Theatre announces the cast and crew for the upcoming production of The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham. The play, directed by Shelagh Grasso features three members of a family; Gunner to be played by Gil Rambach, his wife Peg, Colleen Minahan and their adult son Jack, Christopher Wallace. They are faced with difficult life decisions and must come to a final understanding. “…..this drama bring s sensitive observation and minor key humor to painful situations that many of us will recognize from our own families…. its poignant conclusion will have resonance for many in the audience” ___The New York Times.

In addition to the cast and Director abo ve, the play is produced by Sally Borghardt with Michelle Christopher as Stage Manager Set construction is by Carmen Grasso, Lighting by Nic Carter and Costumes by Connie Fallon.

The play will be performed on three consecutive weekends, Friday evening, Saturday evening and a Sunday matinee beginning November 4

Along with new seating, a new marquee in progress, and other physical improvements, Church Hill Theatre is delighted that Juanita (Nita) Wieczoreck has joined the team as our new Business Manager. With a full range of programs once again possible, Nita looks forward to meeting old friends and welcoming new audiences to our jewel-box Art Deco theater in the village of Church Hill, Maryland.

Juanita Wieczoreck has a distinguished acting and back-stage record at CHT, so she already knows key personnel, has a well-honed institutional memory, and is familiar with our aged and quirky building. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, she has extensive management experience, strong computer skills, and a proven ability to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities.

Nita graduated from Frostburg State University and studied at the Walnut Street Theatre School and the Philadelphia Area Repertory Theatre. With experience ranging from musical comedy to Shakespeare across Delmarva, she has appeared in more than 50 productions. Behind the scenes, she is a master costume designer. For many years, Nita’s “day job’ was as Executive Director of the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization in Delaware, where she had wide-ranging planning, supervisory, and financial responsibilities.

In her new position at CHT, Juanita’s goals include recruiting and training volunteers, updating the website and social media platforms, improving communication with the public, and facilitating the fundraising activities that allow the shows to go on.

The Church Hill Theatre business office will be open to the public from 11 am – 4pm, Tuesday through Friday but messages can be left at 410-556-6003 or by email at [email protected]. Church Hill Theatre’s next show is Clybourne Park, an important modern drama, running from September 9 to 25. Reservations can also be made online at www.churchhilltheatre.org.

Do you remember Lorraine Hansberry’s searing A Raisin in the Sun, the now classic 1959 play about racial integration and “white flight” in Chicago? Have attitudes and realities really changed over the last sixty-plus years? How does an ethical person deal with the political, economic and moral baggage of our shared American experience?

Bruce Norris helps us explore the dilemma in his prize-winning 2010 drama Clybourne Park. The first act takes us back to the 1950s, where Hansberry’s characters (and some new ones) find that middle-class suburbia may not be the American dream they hoped for. Fifty years later, Clybourne Park is changing again, as young professionals begin to gentrify the established African-American community. Clybourne Park was awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play.

Michael Whitehill, who brings his expected flair and innovative staging to the production, directs Church Hill Theatre’s revival. With identity politics, the Black Lives Matter movement, and other social issues dividing our country, Whitehill believes that while Clybourne Park’s themes may sometimes be painful, the play is a powerful nudge to reflection and constructive dialogue.

Intentionally linking the past and the now, Bruce Norris has the actors play different roles in each act. The cast comprises Cynthia Bayne (Betsy/Lindsay), Simone Collins (Francine/Lena), Anthony Daly (Kenneth), John Hodgson (Russ/Dan), Christine Kinlock (Bev/Kathy), Gary Tucker (Albert/Kevin), Eddie Vance (Jim/Tom), and Frank Wirmusky (Karl/Steve).

The production team includes Kathy Jones, Assistant Director; Steve Atkinson, Stage Manager and photographer; Sylvia Maloney, Producer; Debra Ebersole, Costumes; Rachel Gwin, Make-up and Hair; Doug Kaufmann, Light Design; and Tom Rhodes, Set Construction.

Clybourne Park opens on September 9 and runs through September 25, with performances at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for members, and $10 for students. Please note that the subject matter may be difficult for younger audience members. Reservations may be made on the CHT website: https://www.churchhilltheatre.org or by phone at 410-556-6003.

Church Hill Theatre and Foam Works LLC proudly sponsor Storytellers, a unique musical evening on Thursday, September 1, 2022. Three of Maryland’s finest performers will share their songs and stories in a 21+ event featuring Jimi Haha, J. Coursey Willis and Justin Singleton.

Jimi Haha, the popular frontman of Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, has chart, radio and MTV success with “High” and “Do Right.” J Coursey Willis, a Queen Anne’s County native, performs with The Stone Authors and Defrayal. And don’t miss Justin Singleton, a newcomer who pushes the boundaries of modern country music. All three will play favorites as well as new songs, engaging with the audience as they describe their own musical journeys.

CHT’s newly renovated performance space is the perfect venue for great music and audience participation. Doors open at 6:30 pm, with merch and refreshments available before the show starts. The theater has a capacity limit, so advance reservations are strongly advised. Please note this event is limited to adults (21+), with IDs checked at the box office. General admission tickets are only $20.

Church Hill Theatre is located at 103 Walnut Street, in the heart of the Town of Church Hill.

Make your reservations online at www.churchhilltheatre.org or by phone at 410-556-6003.

Contact: Juanita Wieczoreck at [email protected]
Phone: Church Hill Theatre Office 410-556-6003
Website: https://www.churchhilltheatre.org

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 Church Hill Theatre hosted the first Annual Meeting of its membership in two years. Following an opening reception, Board Chairman Tom Rhodes opened the meeting with a welcome speech that introduced the newly renovated interior of the theatre building. Following were reports from all the committee chairs, including the Treasurer and Fundraising.

As part of the Programming report, chair Shelagh Grasso announced the CHT 2023 season.  Summertree by Ron Cowan, Harvey by Mary Chase, Mamma Mia will be the June musical, God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and to end the season Kate Hamill’s adaptation for the stage of Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. CHT will also hold a full Green Room Gang camp this summer, and will produce Honk, Jr. under the direction of Kevin Thomas and Becca VanAken. Continuing a tradition started during the Covid darkness, the radio play A Christmas Carol will be produced via Zoom in December. All members are looking forward to a busy, exciting season, live and on the stage!

Five new members of the Board of Directors were introduced. Two new members, Rohry Flood and Colleen Minahan began serving in 2021, and three new members, Sheila Austrian, Connie Fallon and Sarah Wright were voted onto the Board by the membership at the meeting. Vice Chair Shelagh Grasso gave a tribute to two long term Board members, Bonnie Hill and Sylvia Maloney, who have contributed greatly to the success of CHT over the years

The anxiously awaited Volunteer of the Year award was given by Volunteer Chair Kathy Jones to the Building and Grounds crew. This team worked tirelessly through the Covid intermission to lead the renovation of the theatre’s interior.  Congratulations to Tom Rhodes, Carmelo Grasso, and Jim Johnson.

At a meeting following the general meeting the new CHT Board elected Kathy Jones to serve as Chairman of the Board and Michelle Christopher to replace  Sylvia Maloney as Treasurer. Continuing to serve are Shelagh Grasso as Vice Chair, Becca Van Aken as Secretary and Jennifer Moore as Board Member at Large.

The CHT 2022 season will continue with Green Room Gang which ends with a live performance of Honk Jr on July 21-22 at 7pm and July 23 at 2 pm. Our season resumes in the fall with Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris, directed by Michael Whitehillin September, and The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham, directed by Shelagh Grasso in November. The final production of the year will be a live radio performance of A Christmas Carol. Please visit us at www.churchhilltheatre.org for updated information and activities.

Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods will give its final three performances at Church Hill Theatre on June 24 to June 26 2022. Directed by Sylvia Maloney, the musical weaves several Grimm Brothers’ cautionary stories together—with unexpected consequences. The show opened with rave reviews on Broadway in 1987, has enjoyed many successful revivals, and reached a worldwide audience in the 2014 film adaptation. Just as classic fairy tales never grow old, Sondheim’s incomparable music grows richer when we hear it again.

This production features a live orchestra, comprised of Ursula Encarnacion, cello; Frank Gerber, percussion; Grace Wheatley, piano; Ron Demby and Courtney Adams, reeds; and David James, trumpet and directed by music director Kevin Thomas.

The outstanding cast has Mark Wiening as the Baker and Becca Van Aken is the Baker’s Wife. Heather Joyce-Byers takes on the Witch, Noelle Wheeler is Cinderella and J.W. Ruth appears as her Prince. The Narrator is Jeff Daly, who also appears as the Mysterious Man.  Caleb Ford plays Jack; his Mother is Erin Bradley and Maria Boone is his cow, Milky White. The Stepmother is Chelsea Clough, abetted by Florinda and Lucinda, played by Abigail Gilbert and Kelly Ostazeski. Little Red (Ridinghood) is Mackenzie Carroll, the Wolf is Ian Stotts, who also is the Steward, and the Grandmother is Thea Daly, who also appears as Cinderella’s Mother and Snow White. Rapunzel is Jessie Duggan and her Prince is Zack Schlag. Christina Johnson plays the Giant and K.T. Pagano is Sleeping Beauty.

Church Hill Theatre’s revival of Into the Woods features choreography by Cavin Moore, and stage management by Steve Atkinson and Jim Johnson. Tom Rhodes and Michael Whitehill designed the set, which was constructed by Tom Rhodes, Carmen Grasso, Jim Johnson, Ken Collins and Barry Dirkin.  Pam Rhodes is responsible for the art design, assisted by set painters John Crook, Carmen Grasso, Bruce Jones, Kathy Jones, Colleen Minahan, Wendy Sardo and Carrie York. A large cast needs many costumes and special props, devised by Tina Johnson, Erma Johnson, Debra Ebersole and Connie Fallon.  Doug Kaufmann is the Sound Engineer and the Lighting Designer while Colleen Minahan serves as lighting operator.

Into The Woods last performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and on Sunday at 2 pm on June 24, 25 and 26. Call the box office at 410-556-6003 or visit the website www.churchhilltheatre.org for details and reservations, which are strongly advised for this show.

The Church Hill Theatre proudly announces auditions for the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play Clybourne Park. – Michael C. Whitehill Director.

This somewhat dark comedy explores human nature, inherent biases, unhealed pain of loss, and property as playwright Bruce Norris bookends the classic- A Raisin in the Sun with a before and after look at once and future owners of the house at 406 Clybourne Street in Chicago’s Southside. Bared hypocrisies and entrenched but generational behaviors pour offstage, with some tiny bit of guilty self-recognition that will carry the audience off to their cars after the curtain falls.  This Is what live theater Is supposed to do!

Auditions will be held at Church Hill Theatre on Saturday, June 25th at 1:00 pm, Monday, June 27th and Wednesday, June 29th at 6 pm.

The principal and supporting roles are as follows:

Russ/Dan                  White             late 40s-mid 50s

Bev/Kathy                 White             40s

Francine/Lena          Black              30s

Jim/Tom/Kenneth   White             late 20s

Albert/Kevin              Black              30s

Karl/Steve                 White             30s

Betsy/Lindsey          White             late 20s

Auditioners should be prepared to read from the script and be prepared to play multiple parts.  All actors (regardless of experience) are encouraged to audition. Just get off the couch and do it.  Scratch this one off your bucket list!  Director Whitehill will offer light direction and, of course, throw in a few challenges you least expect. Technicians are always needed and are encouraged to attend auditions…. the Director treats you with the nobility you deserve!

Remember…..”Punctuality Is the Politeness of Kings”

Clybourne Park performance dates runs weekends September 9-25, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2pm. For more information, call Michael Whitehill at (443) 988-1947.

Church Hill Theatre is delighted to share Stephen Sondheim’s enchanting Into the Woods with Delmarva audiences this June. Beginning on June 10 and running for three weekends, the musical weaves several Grimm Brothers’ cautionary stories together—with unexpected consequences.

Into the Woods begins with familiar and comfortable friends: Cinderella will surely find her prince, Jack will climb the beanstalk and confront the Giant, the wolf won’t eat Little Red Ridinghood, and Rapunzel will escape her tower. But then we meet the Baker and his Wife (with problems of their own) and a Witch with a diabolical solution. Things develop much as we expect and Act One closes with the cast happily singing “Ever After.” But the show can’t be over yet? And the characters just don’t seem to notice that another beanstalk is sprouting. Sondheim stretches our brains and our hearts in Act Two, when “Once Upon a Time… Later,” starts us to question the very possibility of happily ever after. Our storybook favorites encounter moral dilemmas, real-world challenges and difficult family relationships.

This production features a live orchestra, an outstanding cast, great costumes and appropriate special effects. Mark Wiening plays the Baker and Becca Van Aken is the Baker’s Wife. Heather Joyce-Byers takes on the Witch, Noelle Wheeler is Cinderella and J.W. Ruth appears as her Prince. The Narrator is Jeff Daly, who also appears as the Mysterious Man. Caleb Ford plays Jack; his Mother is Erin Bradley and Maria Boone is his cow, Milky White. The Stepmother is Chelsea Clough, abetted by Florinda and Lucinda, played by Abigail Gilbert and Kelly Ostazeski. Little Red (Ridinghood) is Mackenzie Carroll, the Wolf is Ian Stotts, who also is the Steward, and the Grandmother is Thea Daly, who also appears as Cinderella’s Mother and Snow White. Rapunzel is Jessie Duggan and her Prince is Zack Schlag. Christina Johnson plays the Giant and K.T. Pagano is Sleeping Beauty.

Church Hill Theatre’s revival of Into the Woods is directed by Sylvia Maloney, with musical direction by Kevin Thomas, choreography by Cavin Moore, and stage management by Steve Atkinson and Jim Johnson. Church Hill Theatre is supported in part by grants for the Maryland State Arts Council and the Maryland Heritage Area of the Maryland Historical Trust.

The show opens on June 10 and runs through June 26, 2022, with performances at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. Reservations and credit card payment can be made by calling the Church Hill Theatre office at (410) 556-6003 or online at churchhilltheatre.org. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for members and $10 for students. Although the musical is based on fairy tales, very young children (and some adults, too) might find the second act distressing. Patrons are urged to make reservations well in advance. CHT currently is not requiring Covid vaccination or masks but asks ticket purchasers to check the website for any updates to this policy.