HISTORY OF CHELAN VALLEY PLAYERS
Chelan Valley Players originated in the 1980's when a local group combined efforts to produce variety shows featuring material from the WWII years called "Canteens". During the late 1980's several children's theatre productions were performed as well as Fiddler On The Roof but by 1990 the group had become inactive.
In 1991 the Chelan High School/Middle School built the Chelan Performing Arts Center which gave CVP a new venue. In the summer of 1992 the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace was performed. This show was a financial success, making possible a succession of plays to follow.
Initially, CVP set out to do one show each summer: Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit in 1993 and Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap in 1994. During these years Allied Arts Council in Chelan was producing musical comedies each Autumn: Anything Goes in 1991, Mame in 1992, The Pajama Game in 1993, and Nunsense in 1994. This organization disbanded in 1995, donating their treasury to CVP with the agreement that CVP would continue to produce a musical each Fall.
With the loss of the Arts Council, Chelan Valley Players decided during 1994 to expand their offerings to a full season of three shows each year, one in the winter/spring period, one in the summer and the musical in the Fall. Since that time this has remained the goal although in some years it has not been possible to find production staff sufficient to present three shows. In 1995 Michael Payne directed The Diary of Anne Frank, Greg Nord directed Play On! and Leah Sluis directed CVP's first musical, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. This three play season was repeated in 1996 with Twelve Angry Jurors, Ten Little Indians and Nunsense II: The Second Coming.
For the holiday season in 1996, CVP produced A Christmas Carol. Ken Ludwig's Lend Me A Tenor was performed during that summer and the Fall musical was A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, directed by Judy Johnston. In 1998 the group retained the three play season format with The Far End Of The Earth, (an original script by Keith MacGregor), No Sex, Please, We're British! and the musical Sugar, a comedy based on the movie Some Like It Hot.
In 1999 the winter/spring slot was filled with a comedy, That's The Spirit, and the debut of director Bruce Keene. That June the organization suffered a great loss when long-time President Leah Sluis passed away suddenly. The summer show, The Curious Savage went forward but since Ms. Sluis had been slated to direct the musical Nunsense III, the group opted to produce a memorial show in her honor instead. Although the loss of someone of such influence could have meant the collapse of the organization, the Board regrouped and has succeeded in presenting a major musical every Fall season with one or two other offerings each year. The list of shows that followed are below. In addition, children's workshops have been presented in the summer several times and training continues to be a focus.
Musicals (since 2000):
The Melody Lingers On,The Songs of Irving Berlin 2000, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Roberta Giffin;
Annie Get Your Gun 2001, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Cal Vaughn;
My Fair Lady 2002, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Cal Vaughn;
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 2003, Director Bruce Keene, Producer Vita Monteleone;
South Pacific 2004, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Cal Vaughn;
Nunsense A-Men Spring 2005, Director Vita Monteleone, Producers Carolyn and Crystal Keene;
Fiddler On The Roof Fall 2005, Director Judy Johnston, Producers Cal Vaughn and Dave Rider;
Some Enchanted Evening Summer 2006, Director CherylAnn Ellingson, Producer Dave Rider
Little Shop of Horrors Fall 2006 Director John Ryan, Producers Dave Rider and Brett Pittsinger;
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 2007 Director Dave Moore, Producer Chris Czerniak;
Menopause the Musical, Spring 2008, Director Serena Fiacco, Producers Cal Vaughn and Judy Johnston
Guys and Dolls Fall 2008, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Terri Emery.
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Summer 2009, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Sheryl Smith
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Fall 2009, Director Jane Lloyd, Producers Cal Vaughn, Laura Freeman
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, summer tour 2010 to Omak, Wenatchee, Twisp & Chelan
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Fall 2010, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Ellen Picton
White Christmas, 2012, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Ellen Picton
Plays:
My Son Is Crazy But Promising, 2000, Director Bruce Keene
You Can't Take It With You, 2001, Director Bruce Keene
Moon Over Buffalo 2002, Director Bruce Keene, Producer Jim McCord
The Laramie Project, 2007, Director CherylAnn Ellingson, Producer Danni Lovell
Crimes of the Heart, 2009, Director Laura Leon Freeman, Producers Cal Vaughn, Colleen Shanley-Penfield
A Christmas Story, 2011, Director Doug Leese
The Dixie Swim Club, 2012, Director Judy Johnston, Producer Ellen Picton
Love Letters, 2013, Director Judy Johnston, Producers Juli Straub, Ellen Picton
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