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As if this Independence Day weren’t hampered enough with conflicted feelings comes the sad news from New Lebanon, NY that The Theatre Barn is halting its season two shows in, pressing the pause button and suspending operations for the rest of the year after the Sunday 7/3 performance of “Fiddlers Three.” The family run, 38-year-old non-Equity professional theater cited poor ticket sales and a grim forecast of futures sales in its return to full production after the canceled and curtailed seasons of the past two years. Abe and Joan Phelps founded the theater in 1984, their son Allen was named Producing Artistic Director before the 2020 Covid canceled season.
The Theater Barn started the summer with only a third of its subscribers and very small houses for its first two productions, “Boston Marriage” by David Mamet and “Fiddlers Three” by Agatha Christie. Christie has been a reliable money maker for the theater for decades but even her name has failed to draw the crowds necessary, and the difficult decision was made to halt production before the more expensive musicals started rehearsing. Canceled from this summer’s season were “Murder Ballad, “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Forever Plaid” and the one-woman Willy Russell play “Shirley Valentine” featuring last year’s Berkshire Theatre Critics Association Best Actress winner, Kathleen Carey.
My first trip to the Barn was in 2007 to see Rebecca Gilman’s trenchant “Boy Gets Girl.” It was a different kind of thriller, no butlers, poison or village snoops but a contemporary, completely realistic script bringing you inside the mind of a young woman being stalked by someone she dated briefly. I made one stage appearance at the Barn in Agatha Christie’s “The Hollow” and was shot dead before intermission. My cousins who attended mimicked disgruntled diners in their reactions to my performance “The food was lousy…and such small portions.” Now, I’ll let others speak of their attachment to this very special place.
“I have so many memories of The Theater Barn where I first auditioned thirty years ago and landed roles in ‘The Foreigner’ and the annual Agatha Christie mystery (in which I played the Inspector for the first of many times.) I’ll tell you about just a few.
“There was the time, in one of my many stints in a Christie, when the very talented Rob Dalton uncharacteristically confused the starting time of a matinee. This was in the days before cell phones and the SM was unable to reach him. With curtain time just seconds away, the director (I think it may have been Michael Marotta) donned Rob’s Ill-fitting butler’s costume and rushed to the wings to open the show. Just then, Rob arrived at the stage door for what he thought was his one-hour call. Following the fastest swapping of a costume ever, the show went on.
“Then there was the time I was directing a production of ‘The 39 Steps.’ If you know that show, you know that there are hundreds of light and sound cues without which the show simply can’t work. We had everything carefully choreographed and the show was ready to go for final dress/preview. We were using the Q-Lab computer program to run the show and as curtain time rapidly approached, the board suddenly crashed. We had no tech, so we had no show. We repaired to Joan and Abe’s house for nervous drinks and snacks, leaving the problem in the hands of computer whiz Jon Earl who, as usual, solved the problem.
“And there was the time, a few years ago, we were a couple of days away from opening my second go at ‘Moon Over Buffalo.’ Having played George Hay about ten years previously, this time I was directing. Joan called me early in the morning, just before I was due to leave for rehearsal. Our George had taken ill late the night before. It was serious enough that he would miss the run, so I had to try to remember my own direction (including an energetic sword fight sequence) and re-learn lines I hadn’t spoken in ten years! Thanks to a marvelously supportive cast, the show went on.
“Through illnesses and injuries and the thunderous sound of storms pelting the metal roof, the show always went on. Until now. Until now. – Phil Rice
“I met my wife Kate at the Barn in 1986 – my first season, her second in the musical, ‘Is There Life After High School?’ Joan was the matchmaker and hosted our wedding rehearsal dinner in her home 4 years later. I believe there were other couples that met at the TB and later married. And for additional ‘on stage’ context, between us, Kate and I performed in over 20 productions in the first half of the TB’s illustrious history. More recently, I had the pleasure to come back and direct a couple of shows.” –Christopher Briante
“I did my first ever two-hander at Theater Barn in 2010, “It Had to Be You,” with Jerielle Morwitz. Still one of my favorite shows I’ve had to opportunity to be in.”-Rich Lounello
“I have MANY fond memories of Theater Barn. I performed in 3 productions there, 2 comedies (“Don’t Dress for Dinner” and “Moon Over Buffalo”) and a Christie (“A Murder is Announced”) I have many fond memories of ‘coming up’ in the theater: having to cram so much into a summer stock schedule while also doing things like actor side work (sweeping popcorn from the house aisles!). I always enjoyed Joan and Abe’s multitudes of kindness from Abe checking in that the house was comfortable, that we had enough firewood for our bonfires, cookouts in their yard, to opening night cast parties featuring Joan’s spinach dip and her great NYC stories peppered with curse words.
“Another story of T-Barn I will never forget happened during a performance of “A Murder is Announced.” A massive rainstorm started up during one of the performances and it got louder and louder on that tin roof. All of us actors were yelling lines over the din. Finally, there came a big reveal in a scene where a door upstage center slowly opened…. only this time instead of the suspect, out stepped little Joan, interrupting the performance to announce that we would take a break for the weather to clear. She may deny being an actor, but the woman has timing! We all laughed so hard!!”-Alyssa H. Chase
“The second time I did The Full Monty was at the Barn. I hadn’t auditioned but was approached by the director having worked with him many times before. The barn was/is extremely inviting and a healthy workspace. The room was full of young and eager (me being one of them) performers looking to make a go at the life of being an actor and was a great venue to work on the craft. The barn has been, and I hope will continue to be a place where professional and semi-professionals can enjoy an inviting and challenging atmosphere to better their abilities as actors, designers and directors.”-Brian Sheldon
“Providing my theater home away from home for a decade of summers, my experience at The Theater Barn will forever be one of my most treasured memories. I was lucky enough to find my way to this family run theatre with one of my favorite roles and in one of my favorite shows – ‘Urinetown, the Musical’ one fortuitous summer. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting headed to a barn to do summer stock, but I had been dying to be in that show for years and this was my chance! I was at once impressed with several of the artistic and production staff I was privileged to work with and immediately felt welcomed into the Phelps family. Thankfully they liked me too and this would be only the start of a long and rewarding Theater Barn career full of opportunities to do wacky/unique shows that most other theatres weren’t bold enough to do. I was able to spread my wings as a performer in ways I hadn’t ever fully imagined for myself. As if immersing yourself in nothing but putting up a show in 10 days wasn’t enough awesomeness (and insanely great training for learning shows with longer rehearsal timelines)- the bonfires and good times at the cast house were just a bonus for this gal who never had an actual summer camp experience! And to top it off – I’ve made lifelong friends that feel more like family! I do hope this is just a wee bump in the road during this never-ending Pandemic and look forward to hearing about more seasons to come!” –Jerielle Morwitz
“I am forever thankful to the Theater Barn for providing me with a couple of ‘firsts.’ I was very grateful when Joan and Peter Flynn cast me in my first leading role (Dick in ‘Dames at Sea’). And years later, Joan gave me another first when she hired me back, this time to direct ‘Chapter Two,’ which set me on a directing path. In fact, I was working at the Barn when I heard that I had been hired at Cortland Rep as the Producing Artistic Director, and Joan told me ‘You don’t know what you’re getting into, kid!’ She was right! But I learned from her – her determination, her drive and her amazing ability to get such talented people, on stage and off, for such a small theater. I always thought of the Barn as ‘the little theater that could.’ Joan was tough but kind, and with Abe’s creative set designs, did some amazing productions in their small space. I always admired her desire to do ‘off the beaten path’ shows that no other summer theater would dare take on. Ultimately, I sincerely hope they can regroup and come back.”-Kerby Thompson
“It’s hard to distill fifteen years of memories into one moment…the thrill and joy (and sometimes sheer terror) of putting up a play in two weeks; the intense cast & crew bonding created in that shared experience; the lifelong friendships created along the way; praying for no rain on the tin roof on show days; the two-show Saturday’s and cast dinner outside in between; opening night and Joan’s famous spinach dip (which has its own Facebook page); adding more notches on the proverbial Christie bedpost over the years; the heartache of saying goodbye to out-of-town castmates at the end. The Theatre Barn, which IS Joan & Abe, welcomed me with open arms in 2007. I found in them kindred spirits and they, along with Allen, became family to me. The Barn is my home, I am utterly heartbroken. I will say three shows of the many I have done there stand out. ‘Boy Gets Girl,’ not just because it was my first, but because it was so intense and my first foray into summer stock. Also, the first time I was paid for my craft. Next, ‘Veronica’s Room.’ Again, intense, but this cast & crew bond was beautiful and insane! Finally, ‘Good People,’ last year. Postponed from 2020, my first show after my father passed and first time on the boards since the fucking pandemic, lots of emotions. Lots of room to bring that emotion to the role, to Margie, who I became for those couple of hours. I will never forget it.” –Kathleen Carey
“Choosing one favorite memory from my Theater Barn years is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. My first memory has always been a standout: Peter Flynn asked me to step in and direct the first play of the 1999 season ‘Run for Your Wife.’ He’d chosen it and cast it, but another gig came along and at the 11th hour, he recommended me as his replacement. Joan picked me up at the train station in Albany, Abe gave me the nickel tour and walked me through the set, they showed me to my room in their home and Joan said, ‘there’s a lasagna in the oven, we’re going away for the weekend. Make yourself at home.’!! Just like that. I thought it was pretty bold to leave a lasagna for an Italian, but the level of trust made me feel more than welcomed, I was home. I returned to replace the last director of the season for ‘A Tuna Christmas’ and based on those 2 shows, they offered me the Artistic Director position. I’ll skip ahead 10 years to my swansong ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,’ definitely a favorite memory and career highlight! A big production, a great score and talented cast of singers and comedians, I had a ball and so did the audiences. The Albany Times Union (which never covered us,) said ‘with loads of laughs and lots of heart, this is better than the national tour in every way.’ I’ll always remember that. In between those 2 favorite memories, I made dozens of others, formed ‘too many to count’ lasting friendships (and bid adieu to a few), threw parties, hosted friends, stocked the shop with inherited drapes, designed sets, programs and posters, made curtain speeches and sold raffles, ate my share of Joan’s spinach dips and Abe’s sliced pepperoni, smoked cigarettes with Dots in the box office between calls, attended Meisner’s Auctions every Saturday and gazed at more stars than I ever thought possible. Those doors may be closing but the memories linger on. Thanks, Joan and Abe.-Michael Marotta
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the casting room, or the rehearsal space and my race took my performance away from me. It’s an old story and my experiences will only sound like tired tropes, but it’s true. I’ve had to hide behind or work through my Asian body; rarely with it. Except for The Theatre Barn, and especially Allen. He has always trusted me, beyond what I looked like, to the core of my abilities. I remember working with him on a Christie and, after rehearsal, I told him that people wouldn’t believe me. They wouldn’t buy anything English coming from my face.
“He didn’t bat an eye. He just put a hand on my shoulder and said “Fu** ‘em, just do the work.” And then encouraged me to find a dark corner in the back of the barn and rehearse. As long as I needed. I’ve rarely had another director, another producer…another friend trust me so much, and instill so much faith in me. It’s been the most encouraging place to grow, and I hope to anyone that will hear me that the Barn doesn’t go away. Theatre needs to grow, now more than ever.”-Ben Katagiri
The good news is that the stage won’t be completely dark. There are two play readings scheduled by HRC Showcase Theatre in the coming months: “Touch the Moon” on 7/30 and “The Springvale Armadillo” on 9/10, more information at www.hrctheatre.com. In his curtain speech Saturday night Allen Phelps vowed that “The theater will be back next year” which immediately got a huge ovation from the dozens in attendance.
Patrick White is a Capital Region actor, director and teacher who attends hundreds of plays and musicals a year throughout New York and New England. He is profoundly grateful to live in Albany which has such a thriving theater scene and lies in close proximity to some of the finest world class theater. He teaches a private acting class Saturday morning at Albany Barn and his next directing project is the Capital Region premiere of "Andy and the Orphans" by Lindsey Ferrentino, presented by Harbinger Theatre at Albany Barn 9/22-10/1.
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