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 it has received a Central Appalachia Living Traditions (CALT): Folk and Traditional Arts Experiences Grant totaling $10,000. This inaugural grant provided by Mid Atlantic Arts is part of a multi-year project designed to promote the understanding and recognition of folk arts and culture in Central Appalachia. Its three program areas, Folk and Traditional Arts Experiences, Folk Arts and Culture Community Anchors Initiative, and Recognizing Folk Arts and Culture Champions, are intended to stabilize local venues, create greater connectivity among organization and community leaders, increase the visibility of folk arts and culture, and facilitate the transmission of artistic skills and cultural knowledge.

A total of 16 organizations and individual artists/practitioners in Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia were selected through a panel process to receive more than $136,000 in total funds. Traditions highlighted in the recipients’ funded projects include Appalachian blues, folk, and old-time music, basket making, instrument building, woodworking, quilting, weaving and spinning, gender-free square dancing, the expressive culture of Latinx communities in Southern Ohio, and diverse gardening and foodways traditions represented in the Appalachian region.

Peoples Bank Theatre will use its Central Appalachia Living Traditions (CALT): Folk and Traditional Arts Experiences Grant funds to cultivate programming to showcase Appalachian music, to be held at its Stage Door location at 224 Putnam Street in Marietta, with the assistance of Talent Buyer Todd Burge and other area musicians.

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 in 1985, the Peoples Bank Theatre was fully restored in 2016 and now puts on over 100 events for more than 30,000 patrons a year.

About Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is a private non-profit organization that is closely allied with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. It combines funding from state and federal resources with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to address needs in the arts from a regional, national, and international perspective. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts, its programs, and services, visit www.midatlanticarts.org.

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.

A note from our Executive Director:

Because of ticket scammers, we are back to traditional tickets!

Unfortunately, ticket scamming is still alive and well in the entertainment industry. There is nothing that disturbs us more than hearing about a ticket buyer that has been duped by an online ticket seller. We often hear of someone paying three times our regular price, and if that person is lucky, they actually do have a seat. Unfortunately, many others experience outright fraud, in which a seat is sold twice and is already occupied by the time a duped buyer arrives. It is doubly painful to hear that it was someone’s first time buying a ticket to our theatre and that they traveled a considerable distance to get here. Upon arrival, they find out they have been taken for over $600, and their evening is ruined.

In an effort to combat this problem, we are going back to all traditional tickets as we announce new shows, starting with Best of the Eagles on November 4 and Blue Öyster Cult on November 18. From now on, when you purchase tickets for our events, you will need to come into the box office to pick up traditional printed tickets. We realize this is an inconvenience for many of our patrons. But, when comparing this to the loss of hundreds of dollars and an entire evening out with family or friends, we hope everyone can be patient with us.

Please encourage everyone you know to make sure they purchase tickets only from our website, www.peoplesbanktheatre.com. Resist going to other websites you find from Google search results. Red flags raised by fraudulent sellers include high processing fees, the lack of a seat number (many fraudsters simply list the row), and the absence of our logo on any webpage. 

If you’re unsure whether you’ve ordered from our official website, or if something feels “off” about a ticket transaction, please alert our box office. Our staffers will be able to verify that your tickets are legitimate, or advise you if they are not. We want to ensure you have a fantastic evening at our venue without being disappointed by fraud.

Enjoy the show!

Hunt Brawley
Executive Director

  

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.

Please note that the Esbenshade Series’ Tesla String Quartet concert will take place at 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 13, at the First Congregational Church at 318 Front Street in Marietta. This free event will not require tickets for admission. Masks are mandatory to attend.

Follow the Esbenshade Series at Marietta College’s Facebook page for more updates.

“We haven’t been totally dormant during our extended covid closure. During our downtime, we were able to install new safety rails in the lower balcony. We have added a brand new stage floor covering, and we have new cooling units in the upper balcony which should make it so much more comfortable up there! We are also expanding our beer and wine selection in the Stage Door space.”

Hunt Brawley
Executive Director – Peoples Bank Theatre

Memorial Service, Alice Ely Chapman and Leroy Chapman

A public memorial service for Alice Ely Chapman, founder and director of the Ely Chapman Education Center of Marietta, and her husband Leroy Chapman, will be held at the Peoples Bank Theater, 1:00 PM, Saturday, July 31, 2021.

Alice passed away on December 30, 2020, at Marietta Memorial Hospital from COVID-19, six weeks after losing Leroy to heart disease. She was born on June 9, 1944, in New Haven, CT, to John Ingraham Ely and Harriet Jackson Ely. Alice grew up in New Haven and spent her summers at the family home on Long Island, NY. As a child, she was privileged to travel with her family to England and France, once sailing on the Queen Mary.

Alice attended an all-girls boarding school at Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT, before it was merged with Choate School for Boys in 1971. Following graduation, she attended Bryn Mawr College, near Philadelphia, PA, and graduated in 1966 as a music major with a specialty as a flutist. She later earned a Master’s in Communication Studies from the University of Oklahoma.

In 1962 she attended the Fontainebleau Schools of Music and Fine Arts, near Paris, where she studied under renowned music educator Juliette Nadia Boulanger, whose students also include Aaron Copland, Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach and hundreds of successful composers, conductors and musicians. She remained a devotee of classical music throughout her life.

It was in Fontainebleau that she met a young American soldier, Leroy Chapman, who was serving in the US Army Signal Corps. She attempted to impress him as a British girl with a passable English accent; Lee answered with a signature “Faith and b’glory, it’s a bloody limey” in his fake Irish accent, after which shins were kicked and true love was established. They married in Philadelphia on April 16, 1966.

While in Philadelphia, they raised their two sons, John and Ted, both active in the Boy Scouts. Alice settled in as a Den Mother and sponsored trips for local scouts to Cherokee, North Carolina and Disney World.

As her sons enrolled in the William Penn Charter School, Alice became a volunteer at the PTA store, where she managed school spirit merchandise while taking control of book and academic purchasing. As she was in line to become school Business Manager, she and Lee moved their family to Ohio in 1997.

Alice was an educator and traveler. She and Lee took their sons to all 50 states to underscore the breadth and diversity of the United States. Their travels also took them to Japan, Costa Rica, Canada, Alaska, France, Russia, Hong Kong, mainland China and the Great Wall.

Alice made a significant and sustainable contribution to the children of the Marietta area when she established the Ely Chapman Education Foundation in 1999. Upon moving to Marietta, she recognized a need for supplemental assistance, tutoring and mentorship of primary school students outside of normal school hours and during summer vacations. Working with various local and state agencies, school districts and philanthropic institutions, Alice crafted the structure for a working relationship with schools and local teachers, administrators and childcare providers that continues to this day. Originally working with the Marietta College McDonough Leadership Program, Alice organized annual free book giveaways that became a staple of the Ely Chapman experience.

Her commitment to education, especially to those with special needs, was underscored by her passion for giving children an encouraging environment for learning through after-class tutoring, book giveaways, arts programs and social experiences, including outings and field trips. She was an expert at giving hugs to children on tough days and high fives on good days.

Alice and Lee were local fixtures as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at Ely Chapman functions and throughout Marietta.

Although she did not seek recognition, she was known locally and throughout America as a selfless and generous advocate for the kind of child enrichment she enjoyed as a young girl. A true Renaissance woman and an example to children and adults alike, she was presented with the prestigious Richard Cornuelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship by the Manhattan Institute in 2014.  She was named the Gabe Zide Citizen of the Year by the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce in 2010.

Alice was a member of the Marietta Rotary Club, where she remained active in literacy and scholarship programs, eventually establishing the annual Ted Chapman Scholarships in honor of her late son.

Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband Leroy R. Chapman, on November 19, 2020, son George Edward (Ted) Chapman, on September 15, 2014, and brother Richard Ely. She is survived by her son John Martin Chapman (Julia Kay) of Seattle, WA, granddaughters Kyra and Autumn Kay Chapman, sisters Harriet Griesinger, Nancy Kales, Marry Brennan, Jane Pearce, and her brother Robert Moulton-Ely.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ely Chapman Education Foundation fund at the Marietta Community Foundation, 100 Putnam Street, PO Box 77, Marietta, OH 45750, or to the Marietta Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1138, Marietta, OH 45740.

Hello REO Speedwagon Fans!

As we write this, there are still VIP tickets left for REO Speedwagon, but you better hurry if you want them!

These VIP tickets do not show up on our webpage. You must call us to purchase them.

YOU CANNOT PURCHASE THESE ONLINE!!
YOU MUST CALL THE BOX OFFICE.
Number below.

VIP – WHEELS ARE TURNIN’ PACKAGE:

-One premium reserved ticket
-Specially designed REO Speedwagon raglan tour shirt (exclusive to packages only!)
-REO Speedwagon pin set
-REO Speedwagon USB lanyard
-REO Speedwagon collectible coin
-Commemorative tour laminate
-Commemorative ticket
-Limited availability (Limit 8 per order)

Pricing – Varied by Seat Location

$299

$279

$259

CALLING IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET VIP!

Please contact the box office to purchase VIP seating
740-371-5152
tickets@nullpeoplesbanktheatre.com

 

Thank you!

 

 


Dear Friends,It was always such a joy to experience live entertainment at the Peoples Bank Theatre, and we certainly miss you and everyone that has helped make the theatre such an exciting destination. Unfortunately, the impact of COVID-19 continues to extend our period of darkness.As you might know, we were successful at reaching our $100,000 goal during our 100 Days Campaign that ended August 1. We thought we’d be open by now, but now our nonprofit theatre is facing a challenge that is much more ominous, as this will take longer than we once thought.

We still have a total debt of $1 million in restoration and COVID-19 relief loans, as well as all the other expenses it takes to maintain a large facility. You might not realize—it takes $25,000 a month for us just to sit dark!

We have cut every cost we can, furloughed 90% of our staff, and have volunteers performing everything from building maintenance and patron communication to social media. These expenses are threatening the future of your theatre. We have an immediate need to raise 2 million dollars—and secure our future.

We understand that the coronavirus has made life difficult for everyone, but if you wish to secure the future, YOUR FUTURE AT THE THEATRE, and can help with a financial gift, we need your contribution NOW.

We sure miss seeing you at the Peoples Bank Theatre, and we are looking forward to the day when we can all gather again and experience the amazing live shows that we have rescheduled for you including: REO Speedwagon, Clint Black, Bill Engvall, Kansas, Mountain Stage, Esbenshade Series, Dancing with the Docs, and so much more. Remember: Save your tickets; we are saving your seat!

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Sincerely,
Hunt Brawley, J.D., Executive Director, Todd Burge, Talent Buyer, Dan Harrison, President, Dave Tenney, Treasurer, Tammy Cinalli, Secretary, Jerry Brock, Dan Bryant, Misty Crosby, Geoff Coward, Tatum Parmer, Jenny Powers, Jill Ruff, Brad Smith, Sarah Drake, Matt Evans, Jennifer Garrison, Stephen Hussey, LeeAnn Johnson, Christy Minard, Ken Morrison, Geoff Schenkel, LeeAndra White Smith, Jim Vuksic, Bernita Watson, Shelly Windeler, Paul Zecchi, Dan Stephan, Sr. emeritus

       

Choose the level of your tax-deductible contribution to the Ticket to Your Future Capital Campaign:

  • Distinguished Participant  – $100 – $999 Click here
  • Distinguished Supporter  – $1,000 – $4,999 Click here
  • Distinguished Booster  – $5,000 – $9,999 Click here
  • Legacy Patron (major theatre naming opportunities) $10,000 – $400,000 Click here
  • Other Gift $________________

By Phone: 740-373-0894

or

Mail your check to:
The Peoples Bank Theatre 224 Putnam Street, Marietta OH 45750
Make your check out to Peoples Bank Theatre

Thank you!

Donating online is fast, easy and secure!



Hello Valued Patrons!

All of our shows have been rescheduled to a later time when we are hoping it will once again be safe for us to gather. If you purchased a ticket to any show, it will still be good! Save your ticket and we will save your seats! Thank you.

Check and see when your favorite events will occur and remember, we are still selling tickets!

https://peoplesbanktheatre.com/events/

 

*As things are changing rapidly, please visit the website often for up-to-date information.

Contact the email below if you have questions.
Thanks again!
Peoples Bank Theatre Staff

 

This year, Manhattan Short received 1250 entries from 70 countries from which 10 finalists were selected. These 10 short films will screen more than 1000 times in over 400 cities on six continents! The judges of these films are you, the audience. On entry to each venue, you will be handed a ballot card that allows you to vote for the best short film and actor. Your vote will then be sent to Manhattan Short’s headquarters, and the winner will be announced at ManhattanShort.com on Monday, October 7 at 10 am EST.

 

NEFTA Football Club

Director: Yves Piat

Country: France

Running Time: 17:00

Synopsis: In Tunisia, two football-loving, young brothers find a donkey lost in the middle of the desert on the boarder with Algeria. But why is the animal wearing headphones over its ears?

 

Debris

Director: Julio Ramos

Country: USA

Running Time: 14:00

Synopsis: After a disastrous event on his construction site, Armando acts quickly to save his crew, but instead stumbles upon an unspeakable truth. Debris is an intense and visceral glimpse of the grim world of human labor trafficking.

 

Driving Lessons

Directed by: Marziyeh Riahi

Country: Iran

Time: 12:48

Synopsis: Local laws say Bahareh’s husband must accompany her to driving lessons so she and her instructor will not be alone, a task made more complicated when the two men don’t get along.

 

Tipped

Directed by: Alysse Leite-Rogers

Country: Canada

Time: 13:48

Synopsis: A waitress at an upscale restaurant reaches her tipping point with a table of difficult customers and concocts a special dish of revenge.

 

Sylvia

Directed by: Richard Prendergast

Country: United Kingdom

Time: 16:53

Synopsis: Our love affair with the automobile means that a car can feel like it is part of the family. Sometimes it’s more than that.

 

The Match

Directed by: Pia Andell

Country: Finland

Time: 15:38

Synopsis: Two middle-aged women turn a friendly game of tennis into an intense competition but stand united at the end of the match when they discover one thing in common.

 

This Time Away

Directed by: Magali Barbe

Country: United Kingdom

Time: 14:00

Synopsis: An elderly man lives as a recluse, haunted by his past and memory of the family he once had, until a non-human visitor arrives and disrupts his isolation.

 

Malou

Directed by: Adi Wojaczek

Country: Germany

Time: 14:00

Synopsis: Rejected by a famed dance school, Malou gets a chance to prove that she’s destined for a career as a dancer despite the odds seemingly stacked against her.

 

A Family Affair

Directed by: Florence Keith-Roach

Country: United Kingdom

Time: 13:08

Synopsis: When Annabelle wakes up alone in a stranger’s bedroom on her 30th birthday, she thinks the day cannot get any worse. But then Bernard walks in and he is not the man of her dreams.

 

At The End Of The World

Directed by: Fon Davis

Country: USA

Time: 13:08

Synopsis: In an apocalyptic future, a lonely government worker finds solace with a soldier during the last World War. But their future together is threatened when the soldier is sent back into battle.

 

Get your tickets now or check out ManhattanShort.com for more information.

David McCullough is one of us now. “The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West” was published in early May after years of anticipation in Marietta, where McCullough’s examination of the Revolutionary War veterans and other characters who settled what was then the U.S. frontier is centered.

The Hipp-Stage Production Company of Peoples Bank Theatre is no longer producing the Marietta Summer Theatre Festival; Shakespeare by the River (2014-2018), and the Summer Musical (Oklahoma, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls).  The Theatre Department of Marietta College has assumed the responsibility for providing the Marietta Community with Summer Theatre beginning in 2019.

The historic Peoples Bank Theatre announces its 2019 Summer-Fall Spotlight Series. This latest lineup of eight national touring artists comes just as the theatre celebrates its 100th Anniversary. From Grammy Award-winning musicians, to stand-up comedy and trapeze artists the Summer-Fall series continues the theatre’s century-long history of live entertainment.

This style guide for our 1919 Speakeasy Party on February 2 is a guest post from our friends at Teri Ann’s. The era of the roaring twenties personified women pushing boundaries through fashion and style. No longer were women willing to trade their mobility for the old stodgy customs of the Victorian era. Society was evolving and fashion changed along with it.