Pioneer Playhouse

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

Pioneer Playhouse
Pioneer Playhouse
Address840 Stanford Rd
Danville, Kentucky
Coordinates37.63889°N 84.75667°W / 37.63889; -84.75667
TypeSummerstock
Opened1950
Website
www.pioneerplayhouse.com

History
19th Century Main Street village and museum

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.[1] 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 has been run by Henson's widow, Charlotte. Her daughter Holly served as artistic director until her death in 2012. Robby Henson, her son, directs at least one play at the theater every summer.

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
  • 2013
  • 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
  • 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
  • 2008
  • 2007[2]
  • 2006[3]
  • 2005[4]
  • 2004
  • 2003
  • 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
  • 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
  1. Profile of Col. Henson. Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 1999 Archived 2005-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (pdf). Spring 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  3. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Spring 2006. Archived from the original (pdf) on January 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  4. "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Fall–Winter 2004. Archived from the original (pdf) on May 8, 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  5. "Marjorie Tatum". Mandy Actors. Archived from the original on 2010-08-25. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  6. "Robert Wedig". Mandy Actors. Archived from the original on 2008-03-27. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  7. "Annette Remter". Mandy Actors. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
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