• Source: Pioneer Playhouse

The Pioneer Playhouse, located in Danville, Kentucky, is the oldest outdoor theater in the state of Kentucky.




History



The Pioneer Playhouse was built by Col. Eben C. Henson, who established the outdoor theater in 1950. Notable alumni actors include John Travolta, Lee Majors, then known as Harvey Yeary, and Jim Varney. In 1962, Pioneer Playhouse became the first theater in the nation to be accorded the legal status of State Theater by act of Legislation.
Since Henson's death in 2004, the theater had been run by Henson's widow, Charlotte, as producer, and her daughter, Holly, who served as artistic director until her death in 2012. Robby Henson, Charlotte's son, directs at least one play at the theater every summer.
After Holly's death, her siblings, Robby and Heather, returned to the Playhouse full-time to help their mother run the business. Robby took on the role of artistic director, and Heather assumed the duties of managing director. Charlotte, who always selected the plays for each season, died in February 2024, just a few months prior to the start of the Playhouse's 75th Anniversary season.




Productions


2020 (season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Maybe Baby, It's You by Charlie Shanian and Shari Simpson
2019
Kong's Night Out by Jack Neary
Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders by Jeffrey Hatcher, based on the novel by Larry Millett
Breaking Up With Elvis by Robby Henson
Not Now Darling by Ray Cooney and John Chapman
Red, White and Tuna by Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jason Williams
2018
The Return of Tinker Doyle (sequel to 2013's Search for Tinker Doyle) by Elizabeth Orndorff
Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act by Tom Smith
Granted (sequel to Grounded and Guarded) by Holly Hepp-Galván and Robby Henson (adapted from the novel by Angela Correll)
Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith
Living on Love by Joe DiPietro
2017
Death by Darkness by Elizabeth Orndorff. The production was directed by Anthony Haigh.
Drinking Habits by Tom Smith
Guarded (sequel to 2015's Grounded) by Holly Hepp-Galván and Robby Henson (adapted from the novel by Angela Correll)
Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Ken Ludwig
Elvis Has Left the Building by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
2016
One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean
Mom's Gift by Phil Olson
Good Blues Tonight by Robby Henson
The Tell-Tale Farce by Don Zolidis
The Murder Room by Jack Sharkey
2015
One Slight Hitch by Lewis Black
La Bete (The Beast) by David Herson
Grounded by Chelsea Marcantel (adapted from the novel by Angela Correll)
Sherlock's Secret Life by Will Severin, Ed Lange
Boeing, Boeing! by Marc Camoletti, Beverley Cross, Francis Evans
2014
Whodunnit, Darling? by Charles Edward Pogue and Larry Drake
Is He Dead? by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives
The Wonder Team by Robby Henson
Walking Across Egypt by Catherine Bush (adapted from the novel by Clyde Edgerton)
A Visit from Scarface by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
2013
Deathtrap by Ira Levin
Tamed by Holly Hepp-Galvan, adapted from Taming of the Shrew
The Search for Tinker Doyle by Elizabeth Orndorff
Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig
Cockeyed by Samuel French
2012
Dracula Bites! by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin
Bottoms Up! by Gregg Kreutz
High Strangeness by Elizabeth Orndorff
Tuna Does Vegas by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
2011
The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow
Tartuffe: The Southern Version adapted from Moliere
That Madcap Moon by Janet Henson Dow
Don't Cry for Me, Margaret Mitchell by V. Cate and Duke Ernsberger
Kosher Lutherans by William Missouri Downs
2010
A Nice Family Gathering by Phil Olson
Miranda: The Catch of the Day (Adapted from Miranda, by Peter Blackmore)
The Dillinger Dilemma (World Premiere by Elizabeth Orndorff)
For Better by Eric Coble The production was directed by Katherine M. Carter
Run for Your Wife by Ray Cooney The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher
2009
M is for Million by Jack Sharkey
The Infamous Ephraim by Holly Henson
Lend Me a Tenor by Ken Ludwig
Girl Crazy by Guy Bolton & John McGowan
Be My Baby by Ken Ludwig
2008
Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig
Mornings at Seven by Paul Osborn.
Death by Darkness by Elizabeth Orndorff. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
Love, Sex and the IRS by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore. The production was directed by Synge Maher.
Cookin' with Gus by Jim Brochu. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
2007
Babe, The Sheep Pig by David Wood. The production was directed by Robby Henson.
The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
The Odd Couple by Neil Simon. The production was directed by Lawrence Lesher.
A Jarful of Fireflies by Catherine Bush. The production was directed by Robby Henson.
Greater Tuna by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, & Ed Howard
2006
My Sister Eileen by Joseph A. Fields & Jerome Chodorov
Rumors by Neil Simon
Shakespeare in Hollywood by Ken Ludwig
Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott
Social Security by Andrew Bergman
2005
On the Razzle by Tom Stoppard
Squabbles by Marshall Karp
The Man Who Came to Dinner by Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman
The Last of Jane Austen by Shirl Hendryx
Death by Golf by Gregg Kreutz
2004
Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood by Mark Saltzman
Cactus Flower by Abe Burrows
The Village Wooing by George Bernard Shaw
Sherlock's Secret Life by Will Severin, Ed Lange
Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon
2003
Impossible Marriage by Beth Henley
A Little Family Business by Jay Presson Allen
Fiddler on the Roof
Proposals by Neil Simon
Sylvia by A.R. Gurney
1997
Moon Over Buffalo
The Liar
Summer and Smoke
A Flea in Her Ear
Cookin' with Gus
1996
King of Hearts
That Madcap Moon
Sylvia
Spider's Web
Crossing Delancey
1995
The Nerd
Tom Jones
Any Given Day
Harvey by Mary Chase
My Fat Friend by Charles Laurence
1994
Boy Meets Girl
Look Howard, Angel
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Scapino!
Social Security
1993
Lend Me A Tenor
Murder on the Nile
The Traveling Lady
Arsenic and Old Lace
Beau Jest
1992
The Matchmaker
Will Heal This Land
Born Yesterday
And A Nightingale Sang
I Hate Hamlet
1991
Noises Off
The Front Page
My Three Angels
Postmortem
Alone Together




References






External links



The Pioneer Playhouse official web site

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Stana Katic
• East Village, Manhattan
• Pioneer Playhouse
• Bo Hopkins
• Lee Majors
• Jim Varney
• List of theaters in Kentucky
• Robby Henson
• List of American Pickers episodes
• Liverpool Playhouse
• Danville, Kentucky
• Karen Ludwig (actress)