Albany Civic Theater – Albany, OR

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Albany Civic Theater • Albany, OR

Now in our 74th season

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Barefoot in the Park

by Neil Simon

Directed by: Becky Roth

Auditions: September 22, 23, 24 (callbacks) 7:00pm

Audition Information

Performances: December 5, 6, 7(m), 12, 13, 14(m), 18, 19, 20, 2025

Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find – too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring, and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous. Running “barefoot in the park” would be a start…

Directors

This is Becky’s directorial debut. Her first show at ACT was The Rocky Horror Show as crew, since then she has been assistant director, stage manager, light master, sound master, costume designer, hair designer, props designer, and an actor. Becky is currently ACT’s bio manager. She is an in-home caregiver for Visiting Angels and lives in Albany with her fiancé Justin, son Sebastian, dad Ken, and cats Mr. Dribbles, Katerina, and Ifrit. Her hobbies are crochet, embroidery, puzzles, reading, and video games.

Director’s email: becky.roth@albanycivic.org

Cast of Characters

Corie Bratter: A young, energetic, and optimistic newlywed who thrives on spontaneity and excitement.
Paul Bratter: A young lawyer who is more serious and practical than his wife. He is devoted to Corie but often finds himself at odds with her impulsive behavior.
Mrs. Ethel Banks: Corie’s mother, a widow, who is portrayed as more conservative and traditional than her daughter. She is loving but sometimes clashes with Corie’s free spirit.
Victor Velasco: The Bratters’ eccentric and flamboyant neighbor, who lives in the attic of their apartment building.
Telephone Man: A telephone repair man.
Delivery Man: A delivery man.

84, Charing Cross Road (Special Event)

By Helene Hanff, James Roose-Evans

Directed by: Charlotte Headrick 

Performance: Oct. 18, 2025

This wonderful show is a dramatization of business letters between a young struggling writer in New York and an antiquarian book store in London. In a sense, these are also love letters. They are about the love of good literature. The play takes place over a twenty year period, beginning in 1949 when Helene Hanff first writes Marks & Co. and ends up corresponding with Frank Doel, the delightfully dusty supplier of many old volumes to Helen. She in turn shows her gratitude through the years by sending “care packages” to the staff of Marks & Co.

Director

Charlotte J. Headrick is a Professor Emerita of Theatre Arts at Oregon State University. A past president of the American Conference for Irish Studies, West, she has directed numerous premieres and productions of Irish plays all over the United States, particularly those written by women. She is widely published in the field of Irish drama. A former Moore Visiting Fellow at the National University of Ireland, Galway, she is co-editor with Eileen Kearney of Irish Women Dramatists 1908-2001 (2014, 2016 Syracuse University Press). She is the recipient of the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival Medallion for service to that organization. She is also a Distinguished Professor for Undergraduate Teaching at Oregon State. As an actress, favorite roles include Madam Baptista in The Taming of the Shrew, Kate in All My Sons, Rima in Frank McGuiness’s Dolly West’s Kitchen, Countess Roussillon in All’s Well That Ends Well, Duke Senior in As You Like It (directed by her former student Seattle director Sheila Daniles). She is a member of Actor’s Equity Association. In November of 2024, she portrayed Grace in Grace & Glorie in a reading at ACT.

Director’s email: cheadrick@oregonstate.edu

Cast of Characters

Helene Hanff: Harriet Nixon
Frank Doel: Rick Wallace

Evil Dead The Musical (Special Event), 2025

Book and Lyrics by: George Reinblatt

Music by: Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris, George Reinblatt

Directed by: Johanna Spencer

Performances: Oct. 24, 25, 31(midnight) Nov. 1, 2(m), 6, 7, 8, 2025

After a riotous success in 2024, ACT is proud to perform an encore of Evil Dead The Musical for our anniversary season.

Evil Dead The Musical takes all the elements of the cult classic films The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 and combines them for one of the craziest, funniest, and bloodiest theatrical experiences of all time.

Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee, turned demon-killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons tell bad jokes… and all to music. The songs in the show are completely off the wall as well. Titles like All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Kandarian Demons and What the F**k was That? have had audiences rolling in their seats, and screaming for more and more blood.

You don’t need to be a fan of Evil Dead to love this show. You don’t need to be a fan of horror to love this show. You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. As long as you like having fun, this show is for you. Is it scary? No! Is it gory? No. This is a pure comedy start to finish. It has fun with the horror genre, and in doing so appeals to a wider audience than you could ever imagine. Plus it’s the only show with a “Splatter Zone”—a section of the audience that gets covered in fake blood. And with this combination of blood, jokes, cheesy effects, and really awesome musical numbers, Evil Dead The Musical is unlike any live show you’ve ever seen.

Note: Evil Dead The Musical contains violence & gore, adult language & profanity, and sexual themes & content.

Director

Johanna Spencer first directed Nickel and Dimed at Albany Civic Theater in July 2008. She has directed and appeared in many other productions at Albany Civic Theater in addition to adapting a couple of radio plays for ACT during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been acting and directing in the mid-valley since 1982 and is a graduate of the Oregon State University theater program. She resides in Albany with her spouse, Rus Roberts, and is semi-retired after 35 years with the federal government.

Director’s email: johanna.spencer@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Ash: James Murray V
Linda: Carissa Halloran
Cheryl: Abigail Hobson
Annie/Shelly: Jessica “Indigo” Moyer
Ed: Harrison Schmit
Jake/Scott: Maximilian Corneliusen
Fake Shemp: Hunter O’Guinn Briggs
Demons/Blood Dogs: Luke Bowden, Kaelynn Carroll, Tate Haywood, and Cole Crauder

Blithe Spirit

by Noël Coward

Directed by: Shauna Kiefiuk

Performances: September 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28; October 2, 3, 4, 2025

A smash comedy hit in London and New York, this much-revived classic from the playwright of Private Lives concerns fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, who has remarried but finds himself haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, Elvira. Clever, insistent and well aware of Charles’ shortcomings, Elvira is called up by a visiting “happy medium,” the eccentric and flighty Madame Arcati. As everyone’s personalities clash, Charles’ current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed. She “passes over” and joins Elvira, allowing the two “blithe spirits” to haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity. (Concord Theatricals). 

Directors

Shauna Kiefiuk has been involved with ACT since 2002. Previously, she has directed Charley’s Aunt, The Dinner Party, The Unexpected Guest, Rabbit Hole, The Butler Did It, The Odd Couple and Independence. Shauna has been onstage in several shows as well as musicals. She was the assistant director for Fat Pig, Hay Fever, The Game’s Afoot and A Little Piece of Heaven. Shauna is also the Properties Manager.

Director’s email: shauna.kiefiuk@albanycivic.org

Cast of Characters

Ruth Condomine: Katie Mihelarakis
Charles Condomine: Josiah Barnett
Elvira Condomine: Holly Mitchell
Edith: Grace Sanchez
Dr. George Bradman: Shaun Hearn
Mrs. Violet Bradman: Jennifer Moody
Madame Arcati: Christy Anderson

Big Night Under the Sea

October 19, 2024

Photographs taken at Big Night 2024, commemorating the volunteers and moments that made the 73rd season of Albany Civic Theater such a resounding success. Thanks to everyone who participated and attended.

Hosted by JJ and Kim Halchishick
Photography by Richard O’Dell

Shrek the Musical Jr. - ACT Summer Camp (Special Event)

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the Book by William Steig
Book and Lyrics by: David Lindsay-Abaire
Music by: Jeanine Tesori

Directed by: Rebecca Douglas

Camp Dates: July. 28 – August 22, 2025 (9am – 4 pm, Monday-Friday)

Performances: August 15, 16 (mat. and eve.), 22, 23 (mat. and eve.), 2025

Purchase in-person tickets for Shrek the Musical Jr. HERE

Purchase streaming tickets for Shrek the Musical Jr. HERE

Tuition Cost: $200

Age Range: 8-18 years

Originally produced on Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions
Original Production Directed by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford.
“I’m a Believer” by Neil Diamond

Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in Shrek The Musical JR., based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical.  It’s a “big bright beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.  Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.

Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek.  One day, Shrek finds his swamp invaded by banished fairytale misfits who have been cast off by Lord Farquaad, a tiny terror with big ambitions. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he’s handed a task — if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn’t be complete without a few twists and turns along the way.

Director

Rebecca Douglas has been involved in community theater for thirty years! Some of her local credits include: ACT’s All Together Now!, Annie as Grace Ferrell, Big Fish as Josephine, Shrek as the Witch, Avenue Q as Lucy and Mrs. T., Thoroughly Modern Millie as Alice, Meet Me in St. Louis as Anna Smith, The Music Man as Eulalie Shinn, and Hello, Dolly! as Ernestina Money.  She also directed Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr., Disney’s My Son Pinocchio Jr, Seussical Jr., Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr., The Wizard of Oz, Once on This Island Jr. and At First Sight, co-directed Matilda, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and served as vocal director for The Wizard of Oz, Man of La Mancha, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, as assistant director for Treasure Island and Excalibur! The Story of Young King Arthur and as administrative director/stage manager for Shakespeare for Kids. She also performed in On the Verge and Annie Get Your Gun at CCT, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein with Pipe Dream Theatre, Majestic Eight and The Little Mermaid with the Majestic Theatre.  She has also directed a number of shows for CCT and Majestic Education. She is the General Music Teacher at Albany Christian School. She is also the Music Director for the Adventures in Acting Camp at the Majestic Theatre.

Director’s email: rbbailey@hotmail.com

Details

Camp costs $200. There will be two tuition pay days in July. We will announce those dates once we have a cast. Contact the director Rebecca Douglas at rbbailey@hotmail.com for information on scholarships and sibling discounts!

If you are a parent or family member wanting to volunteer, please contact director Rebecca Douglas at rbbailey@hotmail.com.

Cast of Characters

Storytellers – Damaris Morales, Landon Vega, Lorelei Lunger, Mila Sturgill
 
Shrek – Miles Warren
 
Fiona – Emily Clark
 
Young Fiona – Alanna Milne
 
Teen Fiona – Teagan Hearn
 
Lord Farquaad – Atlas Coreson
 
Donkey – Jesse Leffler
 
Dragon – Hadlie Rowton
 
Mama Ogre – Phoebe Douglas
 
Papa Ogre – Brody Clark
 
Little Ogre – Jax Willard
 
Pinocchio – Lyla Sells
 
Three Little Pigs – Caitlin Bigford, Georgia Milne, Sophia Andrew
 
Ugly Duckling – Ava Hawkinson
 
Three Bears – Noah Salazar, Maia Ervin, Clara Albers
 
Wicked Witch – Keira Barksdale
 
Big Bad Wolf – Ember Martinez
 
Gingy – Liberty Preston
 
Peter Pan – Kaylee Gigstad
 
Captain of the Guard – Anah Lumpkin
 
Knights – Sabina Berglund, Phoebe Douglas, Brody Clark, Noah Salazar, Zoey Bixler, Sophia Andrew
 
Bishop – Allayna Reed
 
Dwarf – Logan Coreson
 
Pied Piper – Soumya Sehdev
 
Rats (who will also be Citizens of Duloc) – Ellie Hall, Mila Sturgill, Alexandria Sells, Olivia Rasmussen, Jemyni Clark, Abby Harvey
 
Citizens of Duloc – Jax Willard, Addy Landes
 
Ensemble – Alexandria Sells, Ava Hawkinson, Bryce Crane, Carter Forty, Edie Winters, Taytum Warren, Zoey Bixler
 
Crew – Kai Neely, Brenna Hearn, Regulus Martinez, Mariah Ely, Aiden Conn, Maddison Kish, Lief Patterson, Winter Tominey, Jace Hall

Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

by Edward Albee

Directed by: Sarah Roth 

Performances: July 18, 19, 20(m), 24, 25, 26, 2025

Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a play that explores the complex and dysfunctional relationship between a middle-aged couple, George and Martha. They invite a younger couple, Nick and Honey, over for drinks, and as the night progresses, the interactions between the characters reveal deep-seated resentments, secrets, and illusions, leading to emotional and psychological turmoil. The play delves into themes of illusion versus reality, the breakdown of communication, and the destructive nature of societal expectations.

Content warning: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? contains intense and explicit language, as well as themes of emotional manipulation, verbal abuse, and psychological distress. The play explores complex, often disturbing aspects of relationships, including marital conflict, disillusionment, and deep personal trauma. Viewers should be prepared for heavy emotional content and challenging interactions between characters.

Director

Sarah Roth made her directorial debut in 2023 with Moonglow. She started her ACT career costuming The Rocky Horror
Show in 2005, and has since had many roles including the Cook in Clue, Sylvia in Sylvia, Sister Rita in The Runner Stumbles, ensemble in Pippin, Bet in Oliver!, and Tweedle Dee in Alice in Wonderland. She was Assistant Director for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, stage managed Fly Babies and Dracula, and was lead costumer for Mamma Mia, Annie, and many other shows. Sarah is also the current costume room manager for ACT. She lives in Albany with her childhood best friend. Sarah works in accounting for Power Auto Inc. Her hobbies include theater, hanging out with her sister and nephew, and playing Animal Crossing.

Director’s email: waovw2025@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

George : Robert Henry

Martha: Diane Cooper

Nick: Nathan Greensweight

Honey: Gray Galaway

 

Dial 'M' for Murder

by Frederick Knott

Directed by: Dan Bushong, Josh Mitchell and Christi E. Sears

Performances: June 13, 14, 20, 21, 22(m), 26, 27, 28, 2025

A psychological thriller that unravels an elegant mystery about an ex-tennis star who plots to kill his wealthy wife. Tony Wendice, who married his wife Margot for her money, now plans to murder her for the same reason. Tony arranges the perfect murder: He hires a scoundrel he once knew into strangling Margot, and arranges a brilliant alibi for himself. The night of the planned attack, in a thrilling surprise twist, the plan goes awry (Concord Theatricals). 

Directors

This is Dan Bushong’s directorial debut at ACT. Dan was recently on ACT’s stage as Hugh ‘Bullshot’ Crummond in Bullshot Crummond, Bill Slank in Peter and the Starcatcher, Paul in Moon Over Buffalo, Andre Bouville in The Dinner Party and the dead Boddy in Clue, he was Assistant Director for Assistant Director for The Prom, stage managed Moonglow, and was stage crew for She Kills Monsters. He is also the director for Mousetrap at Majestic Theater. He is a voice actor in training. Dan lives in Albany. His hobbies are hiking, working out, video games, and volunteering.

Director’s email: bushong.danny@yahoo.com

Josh Mitchell appeared in ACT’s All Together Now! as a vocalist,
Christmas Carol as Christmas Future and Fred, Too Good to Say Goodbye as Dutch Van Dyke, The Three Musketeers as Porthos, Shrek as Fourth Knight and Mad Hatter, The Wizard of Oz in several roles, Avenue Q as Trekkie Monster and the Newcomer, It’s a Wonderful Life as George Bailey and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as Injun Joe. A real estate broker and toy store operator, he lives in Albany with his wife Holly and sons Quentin, Hudson, and Lincoln. He enjoys music, art, cooking, home remodeling, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

Director’s email: joshmitchell.srr@gmail.com

Christi E. Sears has a string of hit musicals and plays to her credit, including: The Prom, Something Rotten!, Clue, Altogether Now (Special Event), The Secret of Chimneys: ACT Radio Play, Mamma Mia, The Addams Family, Annie, Big Fish, Shrek, Young Frankenstein, Avenue Q, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Curtains, Steel Magnolias, The Producers, The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!, The Rocky Horror Show, Pirates of Penzance, Into the Woods, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Bell, Book and Candle, Auntie Mame, and Greater Tuna at ACT. Christi also directed at CCT: Cinderella, Damn Yankees, and Little Shop of Horrors. A long-time administrative member at ACT, Christi has served four terms as president and two terms as treasurer. She currently serves on the ACT Board as Production Manager. Christi resides in Albany and has worked for over 30 years as the Accounting/Payroll Manager at Palm Harbor Homes.

Director’s email: cirsey@comcast.net

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Cast of Characters

Tony Wendice: Nathan Burroughs
Margot Wendice:  Susan Jones
Max Halliday: JJ Halchishick
Inspector Hubbard: Charles Skinner
Captain Lesgate: John Michael Murphy

And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

Directed by: Ken Long 

Performances: May 9, 10, 16, 17, 18(m), 22, 23, 24, 2025

Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. As the weather turns and the group is cut off from the mainland, the bloodbath begins and one by one they are brutally murdered in accordance with the lines of a sinister nursery rhyme.

NOTE: And Then There Were None contains violence, smoking or alcohol use, depictions of self harm, use of stage weapons, loud sound effects.

Director

Ken Long previously Directed or Co-Directed ACT’s Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Sweeny Todd, Singin’ in the Rain, Young Frankenstein, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Game Show, and Meet Me in St. Louis. He has been an assistant director for many shows at ACT, the Majestic Theatre, and Corvallis Community Theatre. Some of his accomplishments include The Mousetrap, Curtains, The Producers, Chicago, and Little Women. He also assisted with the technical aspects of more than ten other shows at ACT and within the surrounding community. He works as the Classroom Support/Media Manager at Linn-Benton Community College and lives in Jefferson with his wife Patty.

Director’s email: makeitimpact@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Vera Claythorne: Aja Cook
Philip Lombard: Brennan Shetler
Sir Lawrence Wargrave: Patrick Moser
Rogers: Casper Oliver
Mrs. Rogers: Kellie McMahan
Anthony Marston/Fred Narracott: Jacobi Rossman
William Blore: Robert (Butch) Beall
General John MacKenzie: Douglas Hambley
Emily Brent: Lexie Macedo
Dr. Edward Armstrong: Davin Dahlgren

The Big Five-Oh

by Brian Mitchell

Directed by: Scott Harvey 

Performances: April 4, 5, 6(m), 11, 12, 13(m), 17, 18, 19, 2025

Tickets for Streaming available here!

Special 50th Birthday Offer:

Turning 50 between April 4th and April 19th? Present your ID at the Box Office for a free ticket to the The Big Five-Oh!

Whoever said life is better after fifty had better be right! George Thomas is turning fifty on Saturday, and it has been a terrible week. His dog is sick, his son is a slacker, and his daughter wants to marry a Republican. With a neurotic wife and a widowed neighbor providing more challenges than even George can overcome, this may be the worst week of his life. Through these trying days, George will discover the wonders of family, the responsibilities of parenthood, and the results of his latest physical. The Big Five-Oh is a hilarious, sometimes touching account of a grown man coming to terms with his age, his relationship with his son, and his future. It is the story of a middle-aged man finally growing up.

Director

Scott Harvey got started with ACT in 2001 and made his directorial debut at ACT with The Trouble With Cats. He has since then directed No Body Like Jimmy and The Savannah Sipping Society. He has been involved in almost every aspect of the theater productions, from assistant director (Singin’ in the Rain, Waiting for Godot) to acting (Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, It’s a Wonderful Life, Man of La Mancha, Looking for Normal) to behind the scene duties (Treasure Island, The Game’s Afoot, The Mousetrap).

Director’s email: pengserv1@yahoo.com

Cast of Characters

Marie Thomas: Jennifer Moody
George Thomas: Robert Henry
Julie Thomas: Jessica “Indigo” Moyer
Eric Thomas: Carter Imbrecht
Douglas: Chuck Skinner
Kathy Walters: Pat Jansen
Sara Donavan: Abigail Hobson