WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE OUT OF ASHES AGAIN

Article by Robin B. Fre

It is a challenge to take a slice of Woodstock history. For indeed, there are stories within stories. The Woodstock Playhouse is but one small piece. Now, we are celebrating the rising of the Playhouse out of the ashes of yesterday. My schooling asks, “What happened yesterday?” Our Playhouse stands at the entrance to this colony, where Route 375 meets 212. Our story begins way back in 1928 with the death of Aaron N. Riseley, the original owner of the property. After his death, the property was purchased by builder, Bob Elwyn and run by David O. Reasoner. This piece of prime property was bought as part of a bigger project that included a restaurant and golf course, but this was never to be. The opening of the Playhouse brought on a rivalry between two incredible theater productions. “Battle of the Theaters,” Alf Evers called it in his great book, Woodstock: History of an American Town. Theater, performances and concerts were very popular back in the edge of the Great Depression. Entertainment proved very important for distracting people from their problems. Broadway stars, rock stars, and city people came up from everywhere proved very entertaining to this town, as well as lucrative. “Woodstock Playhouse vs. Maverick,” the story goes, and the town benefitted. In 1929, Maverick’s season started with a performance of “The Dragon” by Lady Gregory with Helen Hayes, Edward G. Robinson, Norma Archer to name a few of the stars performing. The Playhouse, said to be the finest in its class in all the country, countered with Eugene O’Neill’s “Emperor,” starring Charles Gilpin (he also was playing the role on Broadway). Oh I wish I had been there!

March 31, 1931, FIRE! Tragedy came to the Playhouse; burning to its foundation with insurance no longer in force. David Reasoner took the blow courageously and vowed, “The Playhouse shall rise again!” In late June of 1938, the second Playhouse by Robert Elwyn opened with “Yes, My Darling Daughter” and continued to support the arts. “The Playhouse was a thriving Equity (professional actors union) Theatre, one of only four outside of New York City during the 50s and 60s,” says the current Playhouse director, Douglas Farrell. “This is also what we are rebuilding, the neglected near 50 years of theatre glory.”

May 26, 1988, Memorial Day, FIRE! Destroys the Playhouse and arson is suspected. Brian Hollander, town supervisor, concluded that the fire was set, finding accelerates in the rubble. Janine Mower, local history author, remembers, “Of course it looks like an insurance fire, but how do we know that vagrants weren't living in the old abandoned wooden structure? You could see the outline of the blaze from Bearsville flats where we live... we heard the plectron go off . . . the Woodstock Playhouse is on fire . . . I think everyone who possibly could jumped out of bed and went down town.” “Sort of fitting that it happened on Memorial Day,” said Andrea Barret Stern. “The town was walking around like at a funeral.”

Spring 2010, FORECLOSURE! The Playhouse falls behind in bank payments. Joan Roberts, board president said, “I’m hoping to get enough people, make a plan and get out of it.” Then, NY State Council of the Arts stopped their support of many years (to the tune of 2-3 thousand).

But then miracles do happen!

On behalf of a grateful town! We thank you, thank you!

November 24, 2010, A NEW BEGINING! “Catskill Watershed Corporation voted to make a $700,000 low-interest loan to the Hurley based Pan American Dance Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that has been doing business in Hurley for 25 years as the New York Conservatory for the Arts. The loan from the Catskill Fund will enable the Foundation, led by Executive Director Randy Conti and President Diane Stein, to purchase the property at 103 Mill Hill Road. They plan on enclosing the open air structure, building interior walls, installing stage lighting, and new comfortable seating.” – Woodstock Playhouse website

AND THERE’S MORE TO COME! “We plan on kicking off the season like a can of firecrackers in the night sky of Summer Stock with an opening season of three carefully selected musicals. The summer celebration on stage at the Playhouse will begin with ‘A Chorus Line,’ as a tribute to the musical theatre chorus members who share their heart and souls with us, and who will do the same during this new age at the Playhouse. Then ‘Anything Goes,’ second in line, will transport us back to the fun and folly that eased the on the scene. Finally, ‘Hair’ will bring to light the moment when a generation of freedom filled, love seeking souls of this earth directed the international spotlight onto the name that is WOODSTOCK. With a New York City based cast, this season is sure to be an exhilarating one.” - Douglas Farrell and Randy Conti, Playhouse Directors