Thank you to everyone who has donated to our 2024 Holiday Auction! Here you will find pictures of the auction items that will be available on Friday, November 22nd during our annual Holiday Auction. Remember, if you donate an auction item, you get 2 free tickets to attend the auction!

-The auction preview and cocktail hour will be gin at 6:30 p.m. on Peoples Bank Theatre’s Stage

-The auction will begin at 7:30 p.m.

-A reception with live music will be at 8:30 p.m.

-Food and drinks provided

“When you attend an Esbenshade performance, you will witness the work of masters.”- Todd Burge – Esbenshade Series Director

Marietta College has announced its highly anticipated 2024-25 Esbenshade Series, featuring a diverse array of acclaimed artists and performers. This season promises to deliver a mix of musical genres, poetry, and dance, including a performance by Grammy winner Loudon Wainwright III.

The popular series is made possible through funding by the Frederica G. Esbenshade Memorial Fund, which provides annual income for the purpose of bringing lectures, performing artists, and programs of diverse nature to the campus and community at large. The endowed fund was established in 1980 by Harry H. Esbenshade Sr., and Harry H. Esbenshade Jr., husband and son, respectively, of the late Mrs. Esbenshade of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Other acts this season include performances by Sunny War and Chris Pierce on September 19, the Narrative Quintet featuring Adam Larson on January 16, 2025, Marc Harshman, Poet Laureate of West Virginia (accompaniment by Bob Thompson) on February 6, 2025, and lastly, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company on April 9, 2025. All performances are free.

Kicking off the season is the performance by Contemporary Blues and Folk musicians Sunny War and Chris Pierce at 8:00 p.m. September 19 in Marietta College’s Gathering Place. The two distinct yet equally captivating artists bring their own unique styles to the music scene. War is known for her gritty folk and blues-infused sound. She combines powerful storytelling with raw, emotive vocals and skillful guitar work. Her music often reflects her personal experiences and offers social commentary. Pierce is celebrated for his soulful voice and smooth blend of R&B, soul, and Americana influences. His rich, heartfelt performances and lyrical depth resonate deeply with audiences. Both artists, through their individual talents, contribute significantly to the diverse tapestry of contemporary music. Tickets are free and first-come, first-served the evening of the event.

Loudon Wainwright III first gained public attention in 1972 with the Top 20 hit “Dead Skunk.” While studying acting at Carnegie Mellon University, he decided to take part in the Summer of Love in San Francisco and wrote his first song, “Edgar,” in 1968. Initially signed to Atlantic Records and later Columbia, Wainwright has released over 27 albums, including the Grammy-winning “High Wide & Handsome.” His songwriting has been praised by artists such as Bonnie Raitt and Johnny Cash. His 2022 album “Lifetime Achievement” demonstrates his evolving talent and blends diverse musical styles. In addition to his musical career, Wainwright has also excelled in theater, acting, and writing, contributing to projects such as “Surviving Twin” and films with Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton. 

The talented and prolific singer, songwriter and musician is scheduled to perform on Wednesday, October 23, in the Peoples Bank Theatre in downtown Marietta. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with the concert starting at 8:00 p.m. The free tickets can be reserved starting at 10:00 a.m. Monday, October 14th at The Peoples Bank Theatre’s Box Office, online at www.peoplesbanktheatre.com, or by calling (740) 371-5152. 

The Narrative Quintet featuring Adam Larson will perform in The Peoples Bank Theatre, with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. and the performance starting at 8:00 p.m. Free tickets will be available through Peoples Bank Theatre’s Box Office starting on Monday, January 6, at 10 a.m. online or by phone. 

Larson, an American saxophonist, composer, educator and author, holds degrees in jazz performance from The Manhattan School of Music and was part of the vibrant New York City jazz scene for 11 years before relocating to Kansas City. Larson has held positions at UMKC Conservatory, University of Kansas and The Kansas City Art Institute. Larson currently teaches Entrepreneurship at KCAI.  

Larson continues to perform in NYC with some of the greatest musicians in the genre.  

As a guest artist, Larson has been invited to present masterclasses on music business, improvisation and composition at more than one hundred universities across the globe.  

Adam has recorded eight albums as a leader and maintains an active touring and clinician schedule, playing and presenting his original music and educational materials. 

Marc Harshman, the Poet Laureate of West Virginia since 2012, is a distinguished poet and children’s author. His acclaimed children’s books include Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece and The Storm, which was recognized by the Smithsonian. His poetry collections, such as Woman in Red Anorak and Believe What You Can, have garnered prestigious awards like the Blue Lynx Prize and the Weatherford Award. His latest works include Dark Hills of Home and Following the Silence. In September 2023, Harshman was named the Appalachian Heritage Writer for 2024 by Shepherd University. He holds degrees from Bethany College, Yale, and the University of Pittsburgh. Beyond reading brief selections from his earlier poetry collections, as well as more extensively from his newest volume, Following the Silence, Harshman will take time to reflect upon what it has meant to be the poet laureate of West Virginia for over a decade. Additionally, he’ll offer a few observations upon the distinction of being both a children’s author, as well as a poet.  Time will be allowed for both formal and informal discussion following the reading. A portion of the evening will feature piano accompaniment by West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductee Bob Thompson. 

This event will be held in the Alma McDonough Auditorium in McDonough Hall on Marietta College’s campus. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance will start at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free and first-come, first-served the evening of the event.

Rounding out the season will be a performance by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, which has toured throughout the U.S. and globally on stages in Bermuda, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia and South Korea. The event will take place in Peoples Bank Theatre at 8:00 p.m. April 9, with doors open to the public starting at 7:00 p.m. 

Founded in 1968 to create performance opportunities for dancers of color, DCDC is now the 10th largest modern contemporary dance company in the nation and remains rooted in the African American experience and committed to the development of diverse movement artists on the global stage. A co-recipient of one of the dance world’s highest honors, the 2016 Bessie Award for Outstanding Revival, DCDC has been presented by American Dance Festival, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and supported by National Endowment for the Arts and New England Foundation for the Arts among others. The culturally diverse company is dedicated to exceptional performance and quality community engagement. 

Free tickets for this performance can be reserved starting at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 31st at The Peoples Bank Theatre’s Box Office, online at www.peoplesbanktheatre.com, or by calling (740) 371-5152.

Five talented and diverse performances are in store for the 2023-24 season as Marietta College resumes the Esbenshade Series in September.

“The Frederica G. Esbenshade Memorial Fund continues to bring an eclectic mix of high-quality programming to our region, and as always, the shows are free,” said Todd Burge, Director of the Esbenshade Series. “Experiencing live performances by a true master can be inspirational and often life-changing. You’ll always be in the room with an undeniable virtuoso when you attend an Esbenshade performance.”

Bruce Hornsby – September 14

As previously announced, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers kick off the season at 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 14, at Peoples Bank Theatre. Tickets can be reserved starting at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 28, at The Peoples Bank Theatre’s Box Office, online at www.peoplesbanktheatre.com, or by calling (740) 371-5152.

The Esbenshade Series urges patrons only to pick up tickets they are certain they will use. Please return unused tickets to the Peoples Bank Theatre’s Box Office so others can attend. All performances are free and will be conducted at Peoples Bank Theatre (unless otherwise noted).

Based out of Williamsburg, Virginia, Hornsby first rose to national prominence with “The Way It Is,” his 1986 Grammy-winning debut album with The Range. The title track became the most-played song on American radio in 1987, while Tupac Shakur’s timeless song “Changes” builds on “The Way It Is” and sets the stage for many subsequent versions of the track.

In 1991, Hornsby collaborated with Bonnie Raitt, playing on her iconic hit “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Additionally, Hornsby was a part-time member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 to March 1992, performing over 100 concerts in America and Europe.

The 13-time Grammy nominee has also solidified his status as a highly sought-after collaborator. Hornsby’s own 23 albums have sold over 11 million copies worldwide. He has appeared on over 100 records, including releases with Bob Dylan, Don Henley, the Grateful Dead, Stevie Nicks, Ricky Skaggs, Bob Seger, Chaka Khan, Bon Iver, Brandon Flowers, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Mavis Staples, Willie Nelson and more.

Hornsby’s most recent studio album, “’Flicted,” was released in May 2022.

Sarah Vowell – October 11

On Wednesday, October 11, Sarah Vowell, the New York Times bestselling author of seven nonfiction books on American history and culture, will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. Ticket reservations begin at 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 25.

By examining the connections between the American past and present, Vowell offers personal, often humorous accounts of American history as well as current events and politics. Her most recent book, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, explores both the ideas and the battles of the American Revolution, especially the patriot founders’ alliance with France as personified by the teenage volunteer in George Washington’s army, the Marquis de Lafayette.

Vowell’s previous book, Unfamiliar Fishes, is the intriguing history of our 50th state, Hawaii, annexed in 1898. Replete with a cast of beguiling and often tragic characters, including an overthrown Hawaiian queen, whalers, missionaries, sugar barons, Teddy Roosevelt, and assorted con men, Unfamiliar Fishes is another history lesson in Americana as only Vowell can tell it — with brainy wit and droll humor.

Her book, Assassination Vacation, is a haunting and surprisingly hilarious road trip to tourist sites devoted to the murders of presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Vowell examines what these acts of political violence reveal about our national character and our contemporary society.

Vowell was a contributing editor for the public radio show This American Life from 1996-2008, where she produced numerous commentaries and documentaries and toured the country in many of the program’s live shows.

Vowell has made numerous appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. She is the voice of teen superhero Violet Parr in Brad Bird’s Academy Award-winning The Incredibles, and its sequel, Incredibles 2, from Pixar Animation Studios.

BODYTRAFFIC – February 21

Led by Artistic Director Tina Finkelman Berkett, BODYTRAFFIC has conquered the contemporary dance world with its stunning performers, technical mastery, and commitment to the most challenging repertoire. Bursting with cutting-edge “vivid theatricality,” BODYTRAFFIC takes the stage with compelling works that embody the company’s energy, sophistication, and sheer joy in dancing.

The company opens the second half of the Esbenshade season by performing at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 21, at Peoples Bank Theatre. Tickets can be reserved starting at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 5.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “They’re the kind of people you could watch dance anything all night.”

Barbara Nissman – March 14

“Music to Love” with pianist Barbara Nissman is scheduled for 8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 14. Tickets for Nissman’s performance can be reserved starting at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 26. This will be an evening of great music and an informal chat as Nissman shares the music and stories of some of her favorite composers.

Hailed as “one of the last pianists in the grand Romantic tradition of Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Rubinstein,” Nissman continues the grand bravura tradition of romantic pianism.

Recognized as an authority on the music of Franz Liszt, her 2 DVD set, Franz Liszt: Portrait of the Man & his Masterwork- The Sonata in B minor with Michael York as the voice of Liszt and a stellar cast of his contemporaries has recently been released. Her recordings of Prokofiev, Bartók, and Ginastera are considered “definitive,” and she has garnered praise for her series of recordings of nineteenth-century composers: Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, and also Rachmaninoff. All these recordings are now available on Nissman’s new label, Three Oranges Recordings.

Nissman’s international career was personally launched by Eugene Ormandy, who had previously engaged her as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has performed with the leading orchestras of Europe and America. She has also worked with some of the major conductors of our time, including Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, and Leonard Slatkin.

Nissman was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2023.

Kellin Hanas – April 5 at The Gathering Place

After debuting her band at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, going on tour with the 11-time Grammy® Award-winning vocal group The Manhattan Transfer, and amassing over 200,000 followers on social media, 21-year-old trumpetist Kellin Hanas is considered “one of the best up and coming jazz musicians on the globe” (ITG Journal).

Hanas is the final performer of the season at The Gathering Place on April 5. Her performance begins at 8:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public without tickets. Join Kellin and her quintet as they use original compositions, arrangements, and a little bit of laughter to show us the joy in jazz.

Original article by Tom Perry here.

The Hippodrome/Colony Historical Theatre, operating as Peoples Bank Theatre, is excited to launch a substantial $5 million endowment campaign. This initiative aims to bolster facility maintenance, provide comprehensive program support, and ensure the nonprofit’s long-term sustainability.

“After navigating the challenges posed by COVID-19 and successfully establishing ourselves as a premier cultural hub, we are ready to press forward and secure the future of this historic venue,” stated Hunt Brawley, Executive Director of the Peoples Bank Theatre. “By building a healthy endowment, we can protect the theatre against unforeseen challenges and expand our endeavors to serve our community even better.”

The late Dan Stephan Sr., a founding member of the theatre and first Board President, took the organization’s first step toward sustainability in 2000 by setting up an endowment fund at Marietta Community Foundation. The theatre’s current Board now seeks to grow that fund to at least $5 million. 

Heather Allender, President and CEO of Marietta Community Foundation, expressed strong support for nonprofit endowments, remarking, “For many nonprofits, an endowment fund equals stability. They’re a tool that offers steady income, protects organizations long-term, and provides the flexibility needed for growth. I’m confident that nonprofits building their endowment now will be the ones thriving in 20, 50, or even 100 years.”

Aside from addressing maintenance needs and gaining perpetual operational support, Peoples Bank Theatre plans to use this additional funding to expand programming. Particular areas of focus include educational/youth programs, Broadway/theatrical programs, and film. 

“Many forget that we’re a nonprofit organization,” said Brawley. “Ticket sales only cover two-thirds of our annual operations. While we’re extremely thankful for the donors and sponsors who make up this difference, we hope this campaign will decrease our reliance on them to balance the budget and make positive investments in our future.”

Donations can be made online at https://peoplesbanktheatre.com/support/donate. Additionally, checks made payable to MCF can be mailed to Peoples Bank Theatre, C/O Marietta Community Foundation, 100 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750.  

For major gifts or sponsorships, contact Executive Director Hunt Brawley at 740-373-0894 or hbrawley@nullpeoplesbanktheatre.com.

Grammy winners, WV Music Hall of Fame Inductees, and regional heroes will join us this summer for this entertaining and informative new series made possible by Central Appalachia Living Traditions (CALT) and the Mid Atlantic Arts!

The artists will discuss how Appalachian traditional music and culture have influenced their contemporary works. All the artists will be performing and taking questions from attendees.

The series will take place inside The Stage Door at 224 Putnam Street in Marietta, in a close, intimate environment. The events will be free to the public, but you must have a ticket to attend. Tickets will be released online two days before each event.

Featured CALT Sessions guests include:

Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius

Wednesday, April 19 • 7:00 PM

Grammy winner and WV Music Hall of Fame inductee Tim O’Brien and his partner Jan Fabricius kick off the CALT sessions! Tickets will become available on Monday, April 17, at 10:00 am. Read more details on the event page.»

Bob Thompson & Lady D

Wednesday, May 17 • 7:00 PM

WV Music Hall of Fame inductee Bob Thompson will join WV’s First Lady of Soul, Lady D. Tickets will become available on Monday, May 15, at 10:00 am. Read more details on the event page.»

Hilarie Burhans

Wednesday, July 12 • 7:00 PM

Attend an informative session with award-winning Athens country banjo master Hilarie Burhans. Tickets will become available on Monday, July 10, at 10:00 am. Read more details on the event page.»

OYO

Wednesday, August 16 • 7:00 PM

These local Americana heroes will draw a straight line from their Appalachian roots to their latest album. Tickets will become available on Monday, August 14, at 10:00 am. Read more details on the event page.»

This project is made possible through the Central Appalachia Living Traditions Folk & Traditional Arts Experiences program of Mid Atlantic Arts. 

Peoples Bank Theatre is pleased to announce that they are receiving a grant of $10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support “First Friday Music Series.” This series will be free and held outdoors on Putnam Street every first Friday from May 2023 through October 2023. The theatre also plans to expand programming in the Stage Door Space as well by hosting a series of educational activities.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support organizations across the country, including Peoples Bank Theatre. The arts help communities to thrive,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD., chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Meaningful engagement with the arts can have many benefits, from contributing to collective healing and mutual understanding, to strengthening local economies.”

The grant will help implement a free outdoor music series on Putnam Street in front of the Peoples Bank Theatre as part of Marietta Main Street’s, “First Friday” events. Additionally, the number of activities in the Stage Door space will increase. As the headlining acts increase in financial scale and frequency, the theatre is finding it more difficult to fulfill the part of our mission to “develop cultural awareness through educational programs”. Peoples Bank Theatre would like to serve the community by providing educational or participatory programming and hope to use the “First Friday Series” and “Stage Door” space as a less formal and potentially more welcoming forum for both artists and audience members.

“The intent is to expand the access of artistic activities available to those communities of people who fall outside of the theatre’s typical demographic. We would like to make Putnam Street and our Stage Door space our ‘Front Porch’ to the theatre where less formal musical performances and educational outreach takes place,” said Hunt Brawley, JD, Executive Director of Peoples Bank Theatre.

The Peoples Bank Theatre is a 944 seat historic theatre located in downtown Marietta, Ohio. It was built as the Hippodrome in 1919 and renamed the Colony Theatre in 1949. Closed since 1985, the Peoples Bank Theatre was fully restored in 2016 and now puts on over 100 events to more than 30,000 patrons a year.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

The Peoples Bank Theatre in Marietta is planning a production of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate in June of this year. The rehearsals will start on May 30 and the performances would take place between June 24 and July 2. Until 2019, the Peoples Bank Theatre attended the Ohio Theatre Association’s January Audition Meeting to cast their summer productions but, again, this year it has been cancelled.

Although a concert version, the production will be fully staged, choreographed, and costumed. Auditions and callbacks will take place during the next two months, with a cast in place no later than April 1. The rehearsal period will be three weeks with two weekends of performances. There will be an expectation that all production personnel will be fully vaccinated by the beginning of the rehearsal. As the rehearsal period is short, there will be an anticipation that those cast as the four “lead” actors, eight dancers, and the three secondary actors will be available during the day and evening. For this, they will be compensated accordingly, plus accommodation if needed. The supporting cast members will receive gratuity commensurate with their time commitment.

Roles

Nearly every actor in the show plays two characters: a 1950s actor in a traveling theatre group and a Shakespearean character in a musical production of The Taming of the Shrew.

We are looking for actors, singers, dancers, singers who can dance, and dancers who can sing. This casting call is looking for the following four principal lead actors: Fred/Petruchio, Lilli/Kate, Lois Lane/Bianca, Bill Calhoun/Lucentio/lead dancer, eight dancers (four male and four female); the male dancers include the roles of Flynt/Gremio/lead dancer, Riley/Hortensio/lead dancer, Dance Captain/Gregory and Paul/lead (both primary dancers). The four secondary actors include 1st and 2nd Man (Gangsters who need to be character singers in one show-stopping song), Harry Trevor/Baptista, and Hatti (soloist for songs starting the first and second acts). 

The following supporting actors/ensemble are required:

• Pops (stage doorkeeper)
• Ralph (stage manager)
• Harrison Howell
• FIVE Female ensemble actors/singers
• THREE male ensemble actors/singers 

The style of this musical requires that Fred and Lilli have mature 1950s operatic/operetta singing voices and for the other roles to have strong musical theatre voices and a wide repertoire in dance. Bill Calhoun/Lucentio needs to be an exceptional dancer.

Auditions

If you are interested in auditioning for this production, the directorial team would like you to send an email to Geoffrey Coward (gcoward@nullpeoplesbanktheatre.com) with a YouTube, Google Drive, or other shareable online link to an audition video that features an accompanied song of your choosing demonstrating your ability in musical theatre and that identifies the role(s) for which you’d like to be considered. If you wish, you may also include a short monologue. Videos with reduced resolution are preferred. Initial audition videos can include any music, but period-appropriate songs would be appreciated. Music from Kiss Me, Kate is welcome.

If available, please attach your theatre resume and headshot to email; do not worry if you currently do not have these. Audition reviews open on February 18 and continue through March.

Callbacks

Callbacks will be remote, ongoing, and dealt with in the order in which are received. David Tadlock, the Musical Director, and Jill Ruff, the Choreographer, will send instructions, sheet music, and a recording that will likely be chosen from the show itself. Memorization is not necessary.

If you’d like to audition for a specific role, please feel free to express interest to the directors.

Ensemble rehearsals begin May 22. Lead and secondary actors will arrive, already knowing their parts, on May 30. 

If you have further questions or concerns, please email gcoward@nullpeoplesbanktheatre.com or call 917-640-3825.