By Bill Lockwood
Springfield Community Players have now postponed their production of “Marjorie Prime” that was set to open on May 15. The play has been cast, and the actors were ready to start rehearsals, and it would have opened the organization’s celebratory 100th anniversary season, but it now joins a number of other local community theater spring productions that are on hold because of the arrival of the pandemic. Players President John MacDonald said they are now “playing it by year” as to when this play will be re-scheduled, and all tickets will be honored, and cancelled reservations will be re-funded.
“We’re playing it day to day,” MacDonald said. “[This is] something you think, it’s not going to happen this year, but we have a positive attitude.” In line with their community connection the group signed on and provided hot meals for Springfield’s first responders on April 8.
“Marjory Prime” will likely be re-scheduled in the fall, according to MacDonald. As of now what would have been the second production, “The Drag,” remains in its previously scheduled slot and will open the season on July 10. MacDonald said the theater has already installed hand sanitizers at all entrances, and perhaps audiences will be limited in size and have to sit spread out, but whatever it takes, the company will do its milestone 100th anniversary season as soon as they can.
“The Drag” was written by the famous actress Mae West under the pen name Jane Mast. It opened in out of town tryouts in 1927 in New Jersey and Connecticut. But it was ahead of its time and was forced to close for its portrayal of homosexuality and crossdressing. The play never opened on Broadway as West had planned. It was again performed in June 2019 at Gay City, an LGBT community center in Seattle. The Springfield production is directed by Rebecca Skrypeck and the play has been cast, so it will start rehearsal as soon as the virus situation allows.
Also cast is the next play, “Clue on Stage,” by Sandy Rustin. It is based on the Paramount Pictures movie and Hasbro board game of the same name. It is described as “the beloved classic game of ‘who done it’ with multiple characters and amazing secret passages.” It will open Aug. 21 and be Todd Hutchinson’s directorial debut with the company.
On Sept. 19, the Players will formerly celebrate their standing as the oldest community theater in Vermont. They have produced an average of four plays a year since 1920. It will be a day of celebration with a band, chicken barbeque, and a display of classic cars from Green Mountain Classics. There will be tours of the group’s Studio Theater at 165 South St. in Springfield. The town manager, the governor, state representatives, and Congressman Peter Welsh have all been invited.
“People can enjoy the band and the barbecue, take a tour of our recently renovated facility, and see our new projector system that will present a video of our history,” MacDonald said. MacDonald himself is speaking on that history on Sept. 15 for a program at the Springfield Library.
That history began with their formation in the fall of 1920 as the Dramatic Society by the Community Club of Springfield. Their first production was “Nothing But the Truth,” presented at the town hall in January of 1921. A tradition of community involvement was started after the 1927 flood when $100. from the proceeds from “Adam and Eva” was donated to relief efforts in Cavendish. Through the years, many local organizations and causes have benefitted. 126 episodes of an original radio drama were presented by a group of the Players on station WNBX in 1932 and 1933. This group later did mystery dramatizations on radio. In 1954, Bob Spindler directed “Of Thee I Sing,” the group’s first musical. This started a tradition of presenting one musical each season. That has increased. Many musical and straight plays were presented in a number of venues over the years, Town Hall, Springfield High School, then in today’s Park Street School, Weston Playhouse, 1 Main St., and a barn on Paddock Road dubbed “the playhouse” by the group. Finally, in 1979, the former Southview School was leased from the town, and it is the group’s current Studio Theater and home. In recent years, through grants and major donations, they have made a number of upgrades to the facilities.
In October, longtime member Donald Gray, who started with them 1974 and is one of the few designated as lifetime members, will be putting together a musical review comprising a history of the plays they have done. He is trying to get many past members as well as current ones to perform.
“The Players have produced more than 70 musicals. As a result, we have a wealth of material to choose from, and plan to present a varied program of group numbers, solos, duets and trios featuring everything from old favorites to lesser known little gems,” Gray said. “I have been working with Cindy Hughes and Kay Burge on combing through our archives.”
The season will conclude with “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” opening Nov. 6 and directed by Matt LaClair. It is a musical centering on a fictional spelling bee set in a middle school. And, at some point, the re-scheduled “Marjory Prime” by Jordan Harrison and directed by John MacDonald will be presented.
For more information on their coming productions and events you may contact them at www.springfieldcommunityplayers.org.
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