Controversial Start
By Frank Ramirez
Special to the South Bend Tribune
Sunday, March 1, 1998
NAPPANEE--The third season of the repertory at the Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres began with a strange vote of confidence. Nappanee's 'Little Theatre That Could' has Chicago running scared.
The Round Barn had planned to open the season with Forever Plaid, the popular new musical which has just been released to regional theatre. The Round Barn obtained the rights from Music Theatre International last September, had cast the show, arranged for a director from the Chicago production and was set to open March 5.
Instead, according to Jerry O'Boyle, artistic director of the theatre, they learned that a representative from the Chicago production of the show was threatening to sue MTI and Amish Acres, afraid of the competition from the Round Barn.
"Their contract gave them exclusivity within a 100 mile radius," says O'Boyle. "We're more than one hundred miles from the theatre, but we're not one hundred miles from the southeastern edge of the city of Chicago." Although O'Boyle was certain they would have won the case both he and Round Barn producer Richard Pletcher felt it wasn't worth it. "It's a lovely show," says O'Boyle, "but (Forever Plaid) is a lightweight show that doesn't deserve to have a fight about it." I decided not to make two more lawyers rich," adds Pletcher.
But MTI did offer to give the Round Barn another show at half price if they agreed to put on something else. That something else will be Closer Than Ever, the most contemporary piece done by the Round Barn to date. They play opens on Thursday.
"This is the first time we've done anything set here and now," O'Boyle says, "We'll be dealing with the issues people are seeing on their television sets. Closer Than Ever is here and now. Last season the Round Barn called in a number of guest artists and directors to supplement their company. This year they plan to stick more closely to the ensemble they've assembled."I think the most exciting thing is that there are people out there who are learning about us. The most successful regional theatres are true ensembles, and that's what we're really developing with the number of people who are returning, and the ones who are hoping to make this place their home, rather than do a seven month job and move on," O'Boyle says.
There's a Broadway theme to this year's season as well. Both 1776 and The Sound of Music, which are playing on Broadway, will be playing at Amish Acres this season. In addition, this year's production of the perennial Plain and Fancy will be returned to its original setting in 1955. And there's more.
"I guess Big River is one of the most exciting shows for me," O'Boyle says, "because I've never done it. My take on the play" -- which is a retelling of the Huck Finn story -- "is going to be really fresh and unusual." The play has a Roger Miller score which won a Tony Award. "And Big River" features a cast that includes a lot of African Americans," Pletcher adds. "We're hopping to offer new opportunities to people in our area through this play." Every season features another Joseph Stein musical, and this year's is Zorba. "It's a wonderful show," O'Boyle says. "It has the most to say."
This year's season will run through December 20 and will include My Fair Lady, and the return of both Indiana Music On My Mind and Schoolhouse Rock Live.
"It's been a challenge," says Pletcher, "to take a market like ours, which is only used to summer stock, and re-educate our audience for a regional theatre that is now running ten months out of the year. "And we're trying to say to actors that if you have talent in Theatre you don't have to go to New York and live in a hovel and wait tables waiting for your turn. We know what talent is and what it takes."
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