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Potomac Playmakers

The Potomac Playmakers - America's Oldest Community Theater Groups.

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AACT Theatre Festival TODAY March 19 at Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center

The Maryland Community Theatre Festival Association (MCTFA)’s 2022 Festival will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 19, with awards presented on March 20.
MCTFA is the official state organization of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). The festival will be both a regular play festival and a celebration of original scripts. The plays and performances are adjudicated, with awards for performances, direction, technical aspects, and playwrighting. The winners are invited to compete in the Eastern States Theatre Association Festival in the spring of 2022. For more information go the MCTFA website at mctfa.org/cms/home
Tickets to see the performances are available here.

The schedule is:

3:00 pm Welcome and Opening Instructions

3:15-4:00 Performance #1 Rockville Little Theatre “Negotiable” by Dean Fiala

4:10-4:30 Adjudication

4:40-5:10 Performance #2 New Directions Community Theatre “Middle Ground” by Keith Mervine

5:20-5:40 Adjudication

5:45-7:45 Dinner Break

8:00-8:20 Performance #3 (Video Recorded) Thunderous Productions “Spare the Rod” by Richard Starkweather

8:30-8:50 Adjudication

9:00-9:50 Performance #4 Kensington Arts Theatre “The Last Nickel” by Jane Shepard

10:00-10:20 Adjudication

10:30-11:00 Showcase Presentation: scene by Potomac Playmakers

Reception Follows

Announcing the Cast of “Night Watch”

It is our pleasure to announce the cast of “Night Watch”, directed by Wanda Dittmann. This is a psychological thriller by the playwright Lucille Fletcher, and will be performed at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center on May 6-8 & 13-15, 2022.

Tod Williams, as John Wheeler

Barb McCormick, as Elaine Wheeler

Sheri Stewart, as Helga

Danielle Popp, as Blanche Cooke

Richie Dobson, as Vanelli

Jim Zuna, as Sam Hoke

Tom Semmes, as Curtis Appleby

Amy Fox, as Dr. Tracey Lake

Greg Berezuk, at Lt. Walker

 

Paulie Ward joins the Board of Potomac Playmakers

The Potomac Playmakers is pleased to announce that Paulie Ward has joined its Board. Paulie is well known in Washington County for his volunteerism with numerous non-profit organizations. He received the 2021 Peoples Choice Award from the Community Foundation for his enormous contributions to the community.
https://www.cfwcmd.org/news/paulie-ward-honored-with-peoples-choice-award-and-5000-endowment/

Auditions for “Night Watch” by Louise Fletcher

Our 95th Anniversary season comes to a close with the gripping thriller “Night Watch” directed by Wanda Dittmann. This production is presented with permission by Dramatists Play Service.
Auditions will be held March 14th and 15th from 7-9 pm at the theater (17303 W. Washington Street in Hagerstown). Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script and you must be 20 years of age or older to audition for this production. Performance dates for “Night Watch” are May 6-8 and 13-15.
**To audition or be involved with this production you must show proof of vaccination at the time of audition. Masks are also required at all times*
The Plot:
Unable to sleep, Elaine Wheeler paces the living room of her Manhattan townhouse, troubled by unsettling memories and vague fears. Her husband tries to comfort her, but when he steps away for a moment Elaine screams as she sees (or believes she sees) the body of a dead man in the window across the way. The police are called, but find nothing except an empty chair. Elaine’s terror grows as shortly thereafter she sees still another body—this time a woman’s—but by now the police are skeptical and pay no heed to her frantic pleas. Her husband, claiming that Elaine may be on the verge of a breakdown, calls in a lady psychiatrist, who agrees with his suggestion that Elaine should commit herself to a sanitarium for treatment. From this point on, the plot moves quickly and grippingly as those involved—Elaine’s old friend and house guest Blanche; the inquisitive and rather sinister man who lives next door; and the nosy German maid Helga—all contribute to the deepening suspense and mystery of the play as it draws towards its riveting and chilling climax.
Character Descriptions:
5 Men and 4 Women
Elaine Wheeler – Protagonist, 20-40s, emotionally unstable, feels betrayed
Blanche Cooke – Elaine’s best friend, 20-34s, nurse, efficient, tailored
Helga – Wheeler’s German maid, 30-60s, suspicious
Curtis Appleby – Busybody neighbor, 30’s-60s, amateur sleuth
Dr. Tracey Lake – Noted psychologist, 30’s-50s, professional
John Wheeler – Elaine’s husband, 30-40’s, stocks and bonds broker, all business
Lt. Walker – Homicide detective, 30-50’s, has no time for crazy women
Vanelli – Young 20’s, Italian Brooklyn patrolman, has an eye for art
Sam Hoke – Owner of local deli, 30-60’s working class, murder is hurting his business
If you would like to be involved off stage, this production is looking for someone interested in Assistant Directing/Stage Managing as well as someone to do props. If you are interested in either of these positions please e-mail the director Wanda at wandahollyhock@gmail.com.

MCTFA 2022 Play Festival date has been changed to March 19

The Maryland Community Theatre Festival Association (MCTFA)’s 2022 Festival will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 19, with awards presented on March 20. Due to issues with COVID, the festival was postponed from the earlier date of January 15.
MCTFA is the official state organization of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). The festival will be both a regular play festival and a celebration of original scripts. The plays and performances are adjudicated, with awards for performances, direction, technical aspects, and playwrighting. The winners are invited to compete in the Eastern States Theatre Association Festival in the spring of 2022. For more information go the MCTFA website at mctfa.org/cms/home
Tickets to see the performances are available here.

Auditions for “No Way Cabaret” December 15 @ 7pm

Do you love singing songs from roles in musicals that you could never get? Maybe it is because of age, gender, race, body type, but we all have songs we wish we could perform.
Now is your chance! Come out December 15th from 7-9pm, or submit a video audition by 7pm that day, and audition for your chance to be featured on the Al Gardner stage at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center for the 1st ever “No Way Cabaret”!
Please be prepared to sing 1-3 minutes of your number with a Karaoke track that you bring, and that’s it. Submitted videos should be emailed to Devin Taylor.
This one-night performance will be at 8pm on Saturday, January 8, 2022, with a dress rehearsal on January 7.
* You must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and be able to provide proof in order to audition and participate in this event.

Photo of showroom.

'Buy a Seat' Plaque Campaign

With the Potomac Playmakers "Buy a Seat"  campaign, you can name a perpetual seat in the Lee Stine Auditorium for only $125. A commemorative 1.5" x 3" brass plate will be placed on the back of one of the seats in the theatre. We cannot ensure the specific placement of each plaque location, but early donors will be placed in the frontmost rows. You are not purchasing the seat for your use during the season, and naming rights do not guarantee that you can sit in that seat when you come to a Playmakers' production. In addition to the permanent plaque you receive a 1-year membership in the Potomac Playmakers, which enables you to vote at the Annual Meeting in our election to the Board.

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