Totem Pole Playhouse

Totem Pole Playhouse has strong connections to national entertainment industry

written by LINDA HARKCOM

From its humble beginnings in a small converted auto shop in 1950, the Totem Pole Playhouse in Southcentral Pennsylvania has grown to become a nationally prominent theater with connections from Broadway to Hollywood.

The 343-seat theater located within Caledonia State Park in Fayetteville, Pa., had strong ties to the national entertainment industry from its origin. Those connections grew over its 70-year history and established Totem Pole Playhouse as one of the best-known and highly respected summer stock theaters in the country.

“Like any business, the key to a long, successful life is to consistently deliver to the market a high-quality product and experience that customers will come back time and time again for,” said Totem Pole Playhouse Board of Directors Chairman Kevin Schoenberger. “The Totem Pole Playhouse has accomplished that goal for seven decades. This can only be accomplished by a long heritage of dedicated people – staff, actors, donors, board members, volunteers and, most importantly, customers. The theater is a business that people participate (in) out of love and passion for the arts, not money.”

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 2016. Submitted photo.

The playhouse was founded 70 years ago by Karl Genus and his wife, Muriel Benson. Genus, a pioneer in the early days of television, became one of the founding members of the Directors Guild of America. He served on the board of directors of the DGA for 27 years, many of those as vice president, until his death in 2003.

In 1953, William H. “Bill” Putch, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, was hired as Totem Pole’s artistic director. During his tenure, Putch directed more than 300 productions, many starring his wife, Emmy Award-winning actress Jean Stapleton from the classic TV series “All in the Family.” It was during that time period that the playhouse achieved national prominence.

On Nov. 12, 1969, the original building was destroyed by a fire. Just a little more than eight months later, on July 18, 1970, the playhouse opened its summer season in a new building in a new location, on the site of the old campground at Caledonia State Park, where the organization still performs today.

Putch ran the playhouse for 30 years, until his death in November 1983. His daughter, Pamela Putch, with the help of then-resident actors Carl Schurr and Wil Love, led the playhouse during its 1984 summer season. After that, Pamela Putch left Totem Pole Playhouse. She went on to serve as the senior vice president of production for NBC Universal.

Schurr and Love continued running the theater as producing artistic director and associate artistic director, respectively, until 2008. In addition to producing the summer seasons at the playhouse, they staged productions that moved to Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Together they produced, directed and acted in more than 100 productions. During their 25-year tenure, Totem Pole became the summer home to many talented actors, including Tony-Award winners such as Jayne Houdyshell and Julie White. It was also during that time the playhouse became a not-for-profit corporation.

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Other notables that picked up the mantle of artistic director during the theater’s long history include: • Ray Ficca, a professional actor and resident company member who went on to serve as the president of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Washington, D.C. • Rowan Joseph, a professional actor who has appeared on television in “VEEP” and in several films, including: "The

Campaign,” “The Princess Diaries 2,” “Raising Helen,” and

“Grudge Match,” to name a few. He also directed and produced the feature film, “Johnny Got His Gun.”

For the past two and a half years, James R. Nadeau has been the Totem Pole Playhouse’s associate producer. Like his predecessors, Nadeau came to the theater with a lofty résumé. He came to Totem Pole after completing a 10-year contract with Stiletto Entertainment in Los Angeles as a casting director. An Equity actor, he also worked with the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s team performing in “Music of the Night,” as well as with Cameron Mackintosh in “Hey, Mr. Producer!” Some of his favorite Equity roles include Bud Frump in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”; Hannah in “La Cage Aux Folles”; Freddie in "My Fair Lady”; and Billy Lawlor in “42nd Street.”

A 2017 production of Driving Miss Daisy featured performances by Michael Learned and Lance Nichols. Submitted photo.

Attracting talented actors

Nadeau said the playhouse is a professional Equity theater that attracts many talented actors, including film and television stars such as Michael Learned from “The Waltons,” Loretta Swit from “MASH” and Melissa Gilbert, best known for “Little House on the Prairie.”

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The full cast of A Christmas Carol fills the stage in the annual favorite in 2017. Submitted photo.

“We also hold auditions in New York City, as well as several universities in our area,” Nadeau said, noting that the theater produces a mixture of plays and musicals each year.

“We usually have five shows in the summer, and then have our own production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Gettysburg (Pa.) College‘s Majestic Theater in December. Each year, that show is attended by the public and approximately 2,500 students at special student matinees. There is something magical about watching young people, some of whom have never seen live theater before, watch this production,” said Rose Tripi, former board of directors chairwoman.

Tripi said people come from everywhere to see productions at the playhouse.

“It’s not uncommon to have folks from neighboring states, as well as bus groups from all over the East Coast join us for shows,” she said.

Over the past several years, Tripi said audiences at the playhouse have grown considerably.

“We launched a campaign to raise money to repurpose our current facilities to accommodate this increase by providing additional restrooms, a gift shop/snack bar. We renovated our office space to streamline our operations, and our rehearsal hall now mirrors the actual size of the stage,” Tripi said.

In addition to producing live professional productions at affordable prices, Tripi said arts education is an important part of the organization’s mission statement.

“We have had youth summer theater camps for years, and present the Totem Pole Awards annually to recognize outstanding achievement in musical theater production and performances by high school students in Adams, Franklin and Fulton counties,” Tripi said. COVID-19 challenges

Throughout its 70 years, the organization has faced many challenges, but nothing like those it is facing now due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all nonessential businesses and organizations to close their doors on March 16, which included all theaters across the state. As the pandemic unfolded, the shutdown order was extended, leading the organization to make a hard decision. On April 15, the board of directors announced it would postpone the 70th-anniversary gala scheduled for May 16, as well as the entire 2020 summer subscription series, which was rescheduled for the summer of 2021.

As state restrictions on public gatherings continue – combined with health and safety concerns for actors expressed by the Actors’ Equity Association – Totem Pole, like many other theaters, had to extend cancellations of productions through the end of the year. That included canceling the theater’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol” for the first time in almost 15 years.

Nadeau said the shows that were scheduled for the 2020 season - “Always … Patsy Cline,” “The Sound of Music,”

Mamma Mia 2018. Submitted photo. “Beehive, The ‘60s Musical,” “West Side Story” and the play “Love, Sex, and the I.R.S.” were postponed until the 2021 season.

“Most small summer theaters do not survive the challenges of staying afloat for 70 years. I believe we have survived because the community, board and staff will do whatever they need to do to keep this theater alive. Their dedication and devotion to this theater in the woods is unparalleled,” Tripi said.

Not being able to produce shows and having limited fundraising capabilities have put a financial strain on the organization.

“Like the rest of the world, no one saw the pandemic coming. We were in the middle of planning a huge celebratory season for our 70th anniversary, only to be blindsided by the pandemic and the necessity to postpone the 2020 season,” Schoenberger said. “To make matters worse, we were just at the final stages of completing a major facilities upgrade, expanding a much-needed women’s bathroom, gift shop and rehearsal hall. The lost revenue from a postponed season was not part of the plan to finance the project. Like most organizations, we’ve had to take on unwanted debt to bridge us to the 2021 season, adding strain to our financial position, which is normally, at best, break-even.” Supporting the theater

With the generosity of a longtime supporter of the theater, Schoenberger said the organization was able to do a successful “mini” fundraising drive, which ran through May and June.

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“This helped give us the much-needed funds to support the operating expenses that just can’t be ‘turned off’ with the postponement of the season. Our next major fundraising efforts will be our annual fund drive this November/December and participation in the Adams County Community Foundation Giving Spree on Nov. 5,” Schoenberger said. For those who want to see the organization make it through this difficult time, Schoenberger said there are several ways to help.

“I’ll start with the simplest thing first: Make plans to visit the theater in 2021,” he said. “More importantly, share the experience with friends. If you belong to a group or organization, consider contacting the theater about our special group rates. If you’re capable, consider financially supporting the theater as a patron through our annual fund drive. If you’re a business owner, consider underwriting a production as a show sponsor, and receive special recognition as a supporter of the theater and the community. If you’re familiar with any organizations or foundations that support the arts through grants, please bring them to our attention. If you’d like to volunteer your services to the theater, we’d love to have you. The opportunities to support the Totem Pole Playhouse are endless, and every little bit helps.”

When interviewed in mid-September, Nadeau said the organization had not yet set a date for 2021 tickets to go on sale. But the playhouse does have gift certificates available by calling the box office at 888-805-7056, ext. 1, or going to totempoleplayhouse.org.

“Over the past 70 years, the Totem Pole Playhouse, like the country, has survived many trials and tribulations … a fire that destroyed the original theater, deep recessions, wars, the great financial crisis, near bankruptcy, etc.,” Schoenberger said. “We’re confident that, with the support of our wonderful community, our patrons, dedicated staff and the committed love for the Totem Pole Playhouse, we will add the pandemic of 2020 to that list.” — Places