The National Home of Plain and Fancy

May 29 - October 19
Book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman
Music by Albert Hague
Lyrics by Arnold B. Horwitt
PG - Parental Guidance Suggested
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

A New Yorker and his sophisticated girlfriend drive down to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, to sell a piece of property. Here they interact with the Amish community, whose convoluted English speech, clothes and habits have remained the same for centuries. It was the first Broadway show for both composer Albert Hague and author Joseph Stein who each went on to win Tony awards for Redhead and Fiddler On The Roof, respectively.

Amish Acres has become the national home of this 1955 Broadway hit. This 2013 production marks the 27th consecutive year that The Round Barn Theatre has produced Plain and Fancy.

 

Scenes & Musical Numbers Director Notes Cast Bios Production Staff Bios Theme Dinners Plain and Fancy Press Release Read a History of Plain and Fancy

 

A Note from the Director…

After I directed Plain and Fancy in 2009, I believed I was hanging up my Amish hat forever.  I walked out the lobby doors perfectly content with the contribution I had made to its unique and marvelous history.  How does one rekindle a romance that has lain dormant for so long?  The short answer is: stepping away from the show for a few years allowed me to gain an entirely new perspective on the world. Theatre is one of the only professions I can think of where just getting older benefits you. It is in my nature as an actor to absorb everything around me for later use on stage, and going back out into the world and experiencing life in many different places and on many levels was perhaps the best medicine I could have asked for.  I suddenly found myself ready to make a return journey to Bird-in-Hand with renewed enthusiasm for this charming love story and all of the lives it has touched.  My thanks to an excellent cast and crew for helping breathe new life into a once weary vision, and to you, our patrons, for continuing to support our “Little Show That Could” year after year.  Cheers!

Jeremy Littlejohn

 

A Note from the Music Director…

Welcome to Plain and Fancy!  It's hard to believe that this is my fourth year music directing the show.  How time flies!  I often wonder how many times some of our regular patrons have seen Plain and Fancy.  It has to be interesting for them to see how the show evolves each year into something new.  Whether it is because there is a new director or a new cast or even a new music director, there is always something fresh about the show even after 27 years.  Because I have music directed the show several times in the past, it can be easy for me to get set in my ways and allow the music to get stale.  But thankfully we are breathing some new life into the show this year, not only with a new cast but also with a new perspective from returning director Jeremy Littlejohn.  This new approach has helped to keep me on my toes and willing to try new things!  As always, thank you for supporting live theatre and the arts.  Enjoy the show!

Travis Smith

 

Plain and Fancy Cast
Dan King		Dan Baker
Ruth Winters		Sarah Philabaum
Katie Yoder		Angie Fisher
Papa Yoder		Don Hart
Isaac Miller		Timothy Leonard
Emma Miller		Pam Gunterman
Hilda Miller		Ruth Olson
Ezra Reber		Trenton Loggins
Peter Reber		Ryan Yoder

 

Plain and Fancy Staff
Executive Producer		Richard Pletcher
Associate Producer		George Bush
Artistic Director		Jeremy Littlejohn
Music Director		Travis Smith
Production Stage Manager/Props		Monica Gauer
Technical Director		Justin Detwiler
Company Manager		Timothy Leonard
Set Designer		Richard Pletcher
Lighting Designer		Jeremy Littlejohn
Dance Captain		Sarah Philabaum
Master Carpenter		Gary Balough
Box Office Manager		Jennifer Scheffer
Archive Videographer		Steve Jones

 

Scenes and Musical Numbers Act I
Scene 1 A Shell Station Outside of Lancaster
You Can't Miss It	Dan, Ruth, Company
Scene 2 The Road to Bird-in-Hand
It Wonders Me	Katie, Company
Scene 3 A Rest Stop Outside of Bird-in-Hand
Scene 4 The Yoder Yard
Plenty of Pennsylvania	Emma, Company
Young and Foolish	Peter
Scene 5 The Yoder Parlor
Why Not Katie?	Ezra, Isaac
Scene 6 The Yoder Yard
Young and Foolish (Reprise)	Katie, Peter
Scene 7 The Little Room Under the Stairs
It's A Helluva Way to Run a Love Affair	Ruth
This is All Very New to Me	Hilda
Scene 8 The Yoder Yard
Plain We Live	Papa, Company
Scene 9 The Yoder Yard
The Shunning (Plain We Live: Reprise)	Papa, Katie, Company

Act II
Scene 1 The River Farm
How Do You Raise a Barn?	Company
Follow Your Heart	Peter, Katie, Hilda
Scene 2 The Yoder Kitchen
City Mouse, Country Mouse	Emma, Isaac
Scene 3 The Yoder Parlor
Scene 4 The Little Room Under the Stairs
I'll Show Him	Hilda
Scene 5 The Reber Yard
Young and Foolish (Reprise)	Katie
Scene 6 The Yoder Yard
Finale (Plenty of Pennsylvania: Reprise)	Company

 

Cast Biographies

Dan Baker (Dan) is extremely excited to mark his return to The Round Barn Theatre stage with the role he started with in Plain and Fancy! Some of his favorite times on stage have been here including as Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye, Birdie!, Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, as well as many other roles! Currently, Dan is the Director of Choirs, Department Chair, Music Theory Instructor, and International Baccalaureate Music Coordinator at Northridge High School. His six choirs have earned success both at the regional, state, and national level. His show choirs have won grand championships a total of ten times in his five years there, earning awards for Best Vocals, Best Visual, Best Band, and Best Technical Crew. His concert choirs have also been named state finalists and been grand champions at choir competitions around the state. As a founder of Song in Motion: The Show Choir Magazine, Dan is the educational editor covering all aspects of show choir and performance from the US and around the world. You can subscribe at songinmotion.com or follow on Twitter @songinmotion. Dan holds a Bachelors in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Indiana Univeristy, and a Bachelors in Telecommunications from Ball State University.

 

Angie Fisher (Katie) is a recent graduate of the BFA Music Theatre program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.  She appeared in many productions there including Judy in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Joanne in Rent, Irene in Crazy for You and April in Company.  Professional credits include Kitty in The Drowsy Chaperone and Judy in A Chorus Line at McLeod Summer Playhouse.  She would like to thank her family and friends for the six and a half hour drive it takes to be here to see her!

 

 

 

Pam Gunterman (Emma) is happy to be back on the Round Barn Theatre stage and delighted to be part of Plain and Fancy.  She has previously been seen in RBT productions of Camelot, The Music Man, Steel Magnolias, Lost in Yonkers and Our Town.  Pam resides just down the road in Bremen, Indiana and would like to thank her husband Tony for his continued love and support; and God, for life and its endless opportunities.

 

 

 

Don Hart (Papa) is pleased to be back at the Round Barn Theatre, and for the opportunity to portray Papa Yoder!  Other RBT roles include Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance, Henry in The Fantasticks, Eddie in Pump Boys and Dinettes and Isaac in Plain and Fancy.  Don has also performed as John Denver in Almost Heaven at Pines Dinner Theatre in Allentown, PA, Johnny Cash in Ring of Fire at Derby Dinner Theatre in Clarksville, IN, and Gerald Drimmond in There Goes The Bride at Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora, CA.

Love ya, Crystal!

 

 

Timothy Leonard (Isaac / Company Manager) attended Florida School of the Arts for Musical Theatre before moving on to the National Tour of A Christmas Carol in 2008.  Since then he has performed in such shows as Oklahoma!, Smoke on the Mountain, and various children’s theatre projects.  In 2011, Timothy began performing here at the Round Barn Theatre where he has enjoyed playing a diverse assortment of roles including Judge Heppenstall in State Fair, Vinnie in The Odd Couple and Hank in Hank Williams: Lost Highway among others.  When asked about his continued work here at Amish Acres, he said: “We’re a family – the audience and community feel that way to me.  I recognize many faces each season, and do my utmost to give them an enjoyable experience every time they visit.”

 

Trenton Loggins (Ezra) hails from Morris, AL.  Trent recently graduated with a BFA from the University of Montevallo.  He loves good food and good times with friends.  Regional favorites: Ralph Malph in Happy Days in Ohio, Rev. Shermerhorn in Unto These Hills in NC, and most recently Pa Lincoln in Young Abe Lincoln in Alabama.

Thanks to Mom, Dad, Mason and Lindley for their endless love and support.  Roll Tide!

 

 

Ruth Olson (Hilda) is a native of Mishawaka and a 2011 graduate of Bethel College with a B.A. in Vocal Performance.  Since then, she has moved to (and from) Colorado Springs where she taught first grade and worked with Focus on the Family, and climbed her first “fourteener.”  When she is not on stage, she can be found at her “other” job as a physical therapy aide at Goshen Hospital.

I am deeply grateful to so many people for their love and support over the years – Mom, Courtney, Bob & Marilynn, Dan & Karen, Vicki G., my grandparents…and many more.  Most of all, my dear Friend and Lord, Jesus Christ.  May the glory be all yours.”

 

Sarah Philabaum (Ruth) is so happy to be returning to the Round Barn Theatre for her third season in a row!  You may remember her from last year’s productions of State Fair, Hank Williams: Lost Highway and Plain and Fancy.  Sarah earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and for the past few years has been traveling around the country performing for audiences both young and old.  She has really enjoyed touring with the National Theatre for Children as well as the National Tour of A Christmas Carol.  Sarah loves coming back to the Round Barn each year and would like to thank the many patrons who continually support live theatre.

Enjoy the show!

 

Ryan Yoder (Peter) hails from Shipshewana, IN and is a 2009 graduate of Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN.  He is glad to be reprising the role of Peter after first playing the part five years ago while still in college.  Other Amish Acres credits include Carousel and most recently Miracle on 34th Street.  Ryan would like to thank every audience member for coming today because "Without an audience, actors are just people running around in makeup pretending to be someone else." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff Biographies

George Bush (Associate Producer) is a Nappanee native and proud graduate of Northwood High School!  George began his work at Amish Acres as a trash collector at age 14 and spent much of his educational career (both high school and college) with Amish Acres as an intern, clerk in the hotel, Art Festival food runner and in retail.  George started a family in Muncie where he attended Ball State University and worked in the property development world for ten years.  He returned to Nappanee in 2011, where he was named Chief Operating Officer for Amish Acres and Associate Producer for the Round Barn Theatre.  He is extremely happy to have his family relocated back home and is looking forward to a wonderful 2013 season.

Justin Detwiler (Technical Director) is a life long resident of Nappanee who graduated from Northwood High School in 1995. Upon graduating from high school, Justin studied at Defiance College. After studying at college for 1 year, he decided to join the working class, and spent the next 15 years working as a carpenter in the construction field.  For 13 of those years, he was a job sight foreman. In 2010, Justin started his work for Amish Acres as a sub contractor.  Later that season, he was named Supervisor of Property and Grounds and in January of 2013, he was named Technical Director for the Round Barn Theatre. Justin has been happily married to his wife Stacey since 2001 and they have two daughters; 9 year old Haley and 7 year old Olivia.  Justin is very excited to be Technical Director for the 2013 season!

Monica Gauer (Production Stage Manager) had so much fun stage managing last year; she decided to stick around for another year!  Monica grew up in Laporte, Indiana (surrounded by friends and family), then graduated from the University of Southern Indiana (where she made new friends), after which she got married (turning her best friend into her family), and now she is helping to build a bigger Round Barn family (and she hopes you will become part of it).  When she isn’t busy around the Acres she loves to read, watch cartoons and listen to stories…and storytelling is what theater is all about!  So relax and enjoy a story that Monica and her Round Barn family are about to tell you.

Jeremy Littlejohn (Artistic Director) is a native Hoosier who is thrilled to be celebrating his fifth season as Artistic Director for the RBT.  Jeremy has worked at Amish Acres in three different decades both on the Joseph Stein Stage and in the Historic Area.  He is probably remembered for his performance credits, but is most proud of introducing straight plays to the Round Barn audience by way of the Second Stage.  He has logged nearly 800 performances of Plain and Fancy playing all of the male roles, and directed the show five times; including the 20th Anniversary season.  Some of his other directing projects include Nunsense, The Glass Menagerie, Bye Bye, Birdie, Miss Nelson is Missing, Driving Miss Daisy, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Lost in Yonkers, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Kiss Me Kate, Guys and Dolls (with Bethel College), and his Masterwork, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.  In addition to being an Actor / Director, Jeremy is also an accomplished Lighting Designer, Stage Manager and Teacher.

“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”  - G.K. Chesterton

Richard Pletcher (Executive Producer) founded Amish Acres with his father LaVern in 1968. The Amish farm was preserved and restored and is now listed in The National Register of Historic Places. Following a one year experiment in dinner-theatre with George Bledsoe in 1971, he added musical theatre to the interpretation of the historic farm by producing Plain and Fancy in the Locke Township Meeting House in 1986. It moved to The Round Barn Theatre in 1991. The play has been running for 26 consecutive years having surpassed 3,700 performances before audiences of over 355,000 people. Plain and Fancy’s Tony Award® winning author Joseph Stein and Tony Award® winning composer Albert Hague have attended Plain and Fancy at Amish Acres.

At Joseph Stein’s urging, Amish Acres became a regional musical repertory theatre in 1996 with the addition of five shows in rotation with Plain and Fancy each season. Amish Acres has now produced over one hundred Broadway musicals and The Round Barn Theatre stage is named for and dedicated to Joseph Stein. Seven of Mr. Stein’s musicals have been produced on his stage, including Plain and Fancy, Fiddler on the Roof, The Baker’s Wife, and Zorba, plus staged readings of Take Me Along, Rags and a second stage production of Enter Laughing.  

In October of 2006, Dick and his wife Susan were guests of Joseph and Elisa Stein in New York City for the York Theatre’s Mufti Series production of Plain and Fancy, the last in a month long, three show festival of Stein’s work that included Take Me Along and Carmelina. Artistic Director James Morgan recognized Amish Acres’ 20 year production of Plain and Fancy in the program and in his introductions from the stage. The Pletcher’s and Jeremy Littlejohn attended the York’s presentation of the Oscar Hammerstein Lifetime Achievement Award in Musical Theatre to Joseph Stein in November of 2007.  Stein was further inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in February of 2008. He passed away in 2010 and the Joseph Stein Memorial Fund was created to provide free season tickets for children.

Travis Smith (Music Director) is excited to be back at Amish Acres again this year after being active here as both an actor and music director since 2009.  Previous productions at Amish Acres include State Fair, Sisters of Swing, Smoke on the Mountain: Homecoming and Miracle on 34th Street.  He is also a composer and arranger currently working on a new production titled Steeple People about a southern gospel quartet.  Please visit his website www.travis-smith.com for more information.

Enjoy the show and thank you for supporting live theatre!

 

Plain and Fancy
Theme Dinner: May 31

Each Round Barn theatre Musical production calls for a Theme Dinner and Wine Bar, a joyous celebration with menus written with tongue-in-cheek show references and double entendres, often obscure and ridiculous. the responsibility for such frivolity rest solely with Richard Pletcher. The ensuing menus are lovingly prepared by chef Ruth Miller whose sense of humor make it into it kettle and skillet.

Theme Dinner reservations required. 
For reservations call (800) 800-4942.

Plenty of Pennsylvania