The Playhouse hosted auditions in mid-June, and about 20 people showed up to read for six roles. Stolle auditioned and will reprise his role as Vanya, which he had played in Richmond. All the other actors, however, are novices.
Sometimes in community theater, actors and staff recruit other talent: For example, the play’ s director, John Elmore, convinced a physical trainer at the local YMCA to audition for a part that required a trim physique.“ He did a fantastic reading,” Elmore said. Elmore, an Indiana University graduate who formerly worked at the Playhouse in the 1980s, retired from the entertainment industry and worked on commercials, TV shows, and blockbuster movies, including as assistant director on Spider-Man, starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. He also has worked with Hollywood royalty, including Gene Hackman and Faye Dunaway.
Elmore said that when he returned to Brown County and attended shows at the Playhouse he struck up conversations with Stolle and Hannah Estabrook, the venue’ s executive director, and offered his services as director.
In mid-June, Stolle, Elmore, and Estabrook were still looking for community members to get involved with costume design, make-up, set decoration, and other offstage duties.
“ You can’ t have a production if those people don’ t show up,” Stolle said.
And while Stolle promised that rehearsals for the actors would be fun, he and the board still want to put on good shows.
“ We want to build a reputation that the Brown County Playhouse puts on quality productions,” he said.
Courtesy photo of Mark Stolle in the Vanya role.
Frensemeier and Estabrook said diversifying the venue’ s entertainment offerings makes sense for many reasons, including community involvement and financial stability.
Frensemeier said that audiences consist primarily of tourists, but Playhouse officials envision the venue more as the community’ s living room.
And, she said, it’ s called the Playhouse, so that should mean it hosts plays.
Frensemeier, Estabrook, and Stolle said the plays also will add another revenue stream. The nonprofit over the last decade has incurred some small losses, but the venue also has stayed in the black some years. About 40 % of the nonprofit’ s revenues come from ticket sales, with 60 % coming from grants and donations.
Estabrook said bringing in touring artists costs a lot of money, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars. Putting on local plays costs a lot less, and while they may draw fewer spectators, the lower overhead can make them solidly profitable.
But Estabrook said bringing back community theater is about more than finances.
Community theater likely will get more local people involved in the Playhouse, including people who otherwise would have little to no connection to the venue.
Continued on 58
July / August 2021 • Our Brown County 51