Letter From The President of the United States of America

Can you spell i-r-r-e-s-i-s-t-i-b-l-e?

TLP CLOSES SEASON WITH A BUZZ in

The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Mount Carroll, IL--Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), northwestern Illinois’ non-profit professional summer theatre, announces the final production of the 2010 season, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The new musical will feature some of TLP’s favorite talents and have the opportunity to let locals shine with guest spellers chosen from the audience. This H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S show runs August 12^th through 22^nd.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee explores six over-achieving spellers as they battle for the championship of the local spelling competition. This Tony Award-winning show is structured as an actual spelling bee in real time, where four volunteer spellers from the audience are invited to interact with the characters on stage as participants in the bee. Enjoy the suspense as the competition unfolds…root for your favorite character…brush up on your spelling…and see for yourself how six endearing “spelling geeks” make use of their individuality, talents and strengths to each become winners of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

At TLP, audience members will have the opportunity to be on stage with favorite alum including Samantha Dubina (All Shook Up, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Church Basement Ladies), Chris Froseth (Buddy in last season’s Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), Dan Riley (Ain’t Misbehavin,’ The Full Monty, Ragtime), Sharriese Hamilton (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), as well as former Artistic Director Brad Lyons. Rounding out the cast with their TLP debut performances will also be Chicago actors C.J. Langdon and Dana Tretta.

Guest Director Lili-Anne Brown returns to direct this audience favorite. Brown staged last year’s stunning Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. She has worked with companies such as Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare and was recently seen in “The Beast” starring Patrick Swayze.

Laughter continues to invade the woods!

The peaceful serenity of night sounds in the woods is interrupted nightly by thunderous laughter. TLP's Love, Sex and the IRS demonstrates how a tower of little white lies can, in moments, crumble in hopeless mayhem. The best laid plans of two desperate bachelors are the catalyst for a fun filled night at the theater. We (my husband and I) found our evening of Love one of the best de-stressers, yet. Only three performances remain for you to get your laughter therapy this week! Seats are still available for remaining shows -
Thursday 22nd at 7:30pm
Friday 23rd at 8pm
Saturday 24th 8pm

Coming next is the hilarious backstage-murder-mystery, Curtains, appearing on stage July 29^th through August 8^th. This brand new musical comedy, with references that will make theatre-goers cackle in their seats, is by John Kander & Fred Ebb, the team who gave us such exciting musicals as Chicago and Cabaret.TLP Alum Samantha Dubina returns to be part of the laughs and thrills of this show. Money-hungry producers (TLP Residents Philip Black and Samantha Barboza), flamboyant director (Artistic Director James Beaudry), divorced song writing team, and battling ingénues fight for control of the show. It is up to a police detective with little theatrical experience of his own (TLP Guest Braxton Molinaro who last appeared as Jud in TLP’s Oklahoma!) to save the show, solve the case and maybe even find love before the show reopens, without getting killed himself. Chris Froseth (Buddy in TLP’s 2009 hit The Buddy Holly Story) will make a guest appearance in this production.

Megan Thacher and her lovely box office staff are waiting to answer your calls. Place your reservations for Love, Sex, and the IRS, Curtains, and Spelling Bee, all in one call to 815-244-2035.

Romance Blooms at TLP

Many of you know there are two girls working in the box office this summer that are planning their wedding days. One was even proposed to on the stage here at TLP on VIP night last month. Well, there is another unassuming gal in the box office celebrating the romance in her life today—me!

Between answering phone calls, my friend for nearly four decades and my husband for 35 years today, sneaked into the box office to surprise and delight me with a bouquet of 35 beautiful pink roses—the kind of flower I carried on our wedding day. What a guy! He sure got it right this year…very right.

Thanks Jeff, for making my day, my week, my life. I love you!

Saddle Up and Toe Tap Your Way to "Oklahoma"

I didn't remember the dark side of Oklahoma! until I saw Thursday's performance at TLP. A bit of warning: Mommas, hang on tight to your daughters. Jud Fry (played by Braxton Molinaro) sent chills up my spine with his dark thoughts. The tension grew throughout Act I and even reached us in the last row. Fortunately, Laurey's (Lauren Omelson) beautiful silky voice veiled the harsh realities of prairie life with optimism, hope and a hefty dose of youthful pride. Other highlights included a rousing, rhythmic, dance number by the talented "farmers", and riveting vocals by a determined and sensitive Curly McClain (Jay Ellis). What a delight!
The show was just over two and a half hours including intermission, but except for the complaints of my joints, I would never have known that so much time had passed. If I were still homeschooling my kids, Oklahoma would be on the to do list of "living history field trips" this summer.

Got To Love Mother Nature

Hello everyone!!! Can you believe that June is almost over?! That means that Steel Magnolias is wrapping up and Oklahoma is right around the corner.

Thanks to everyone for coming out for Steel Magnolias and for sticking with us through all the crazy weather we have been having. We even had to cancel last Friday night's performance because the power was out! However, we thank you for being patient with both us and mother nature and for continuing to support the theater. We appreciate it!

Oklahoma tickets are selling fast so hopefully you have all been calling us to book your seats. It's going to be a great show and it starts July 1st and runs through July 11th.

We are also pleased to announce that we will be having a performance on July 4th in the afternoon at 2pm. What better way to celebrate the holiday than to spend the afternoon at TLP? And of course after the show you can always head on down to Mt. Carroll and enjoy the parade as well as the amazing fireworks put on by the Mt. Carroll Fire Department. The fireworks are FREE.....and I'll be there!!!!

It'll "Steel" You Away!

What do a hairless dog, red velvet armadillo cake, and non-stop gunfire have in common?
Truvy's!
Last night "Steel Magnolias" opened at TLP and the audience was treated to a refreshing and candid tale of the highs and lows of those who regularly gather at their neighborhood salon. These 1980's women reflect an eclectic blend of traditional and modern attitudes towards love, marriage, and family. The men in their lives, though always off stage, add surprising levity with their wild antics.
Together these six southern women find strength and hope in each others' genuine concern, which is sometimes accessorized with scathing insults. This is the essence of real life. This is the essence of great theater.