Little Theater of Wonders

The itinerant thespians of Princeton Summer Theater return.

See related story:
All the Park’s a Stage
By: Pat Summers
   Summer comes with such seasonal conventions as ice cream al fresco, outdoor concerts, plein air painting for fair-weather artists, and summer theater series.
   On the Princeton University campus, summer signals a changing of the theater guard as Theatre Intime denizens decamp from Murray Dodge’s Hamilton Murray Theater and Princeton Summer Theater takes over the site for its summer season.
   Considering all that goes on in Murray Dodge during that two-month span — the activity, productivity and creativity, not to mention three squares a day — it wouldn’t be surprising to see steam rising from the building, or to hear the whir of generators. It’s very nearly a self-contained hub of performing artistry.
   The PST company, comprised largely of university students and alumni, with a few community participants, will produce four shows, including one musical, and two children’s shows between June 15 and Aug. 13. This ambitious agenda means that at least two productions are in rehearsal at any given time, and there’s no shortage of other jobs to be done, as well.
   All of which is exactly as it’s intended to be, for according to its Web site, Princeton’s summer repertory theater company is dedicated to training the up-and-coming leaders of the theater world by offering to students and young professionals "experience working in every area of theater production, from performance to design to marketing…"
   The organization was founded in 1968 by three students who wanted to continue theater activities during the summer. In the years since, Hamilton Murray Theater was air conditioned, "Summer Intime" became "PST" and major building renovations kept the shows from going on during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. In 2001, summer theater picked up where it had left off.
   Advising the students involved, Princeton Summer Theater Inc., a board of "theater- and community-savvy trustees," includes Geoff Peterson, a founding member of Summer Intime, as well as Michael Cadden, chairman of the university’s program in theater and dance, and Jeff Woodward, managing director of McCarter Theater.
   Those hired for the summer stock theater company are guaranteed room and board — which is where the building’s basement kitchen comes in. It shares surprising subterranean space with the troupe’s business office, costume and prop space and a tech shop, where sets for each show are built.
   As for the housing part, company members who are also university undergrads will move a few times this summer: from their academic year-rooms to temporary quarters they’ll occupy until Reunions week, and then to summer-season rooming. For PST, "itinerant thespians" need apply.
   Earlier this month, wrapping up her sophomore year at the university, Cate Adams took a break from writing papers to talk about PST, for which she serves as publicity director. Already a veteran actor and director with Princeton University Players, with costuming experience as well, she was selected earlier this year for PST’s executive board. She serves with Ben Mains, executive director, and Alex Limpaecher, business manager.
   PST’s managing board includes Nick Benacerraf, technical director, and William Ellerbe, assistant tech director. As production-stage manager, Elizabeth Malta coordinates all in-rehearsal time, while company manager Jackie Bello coordinates all out-of-rehearsal time.
   Two days of acting and singing auditions and a half day of call-backs netted five actors: William Busbee, actor/musician; Rob Grant; Andy Hoover, actor/director; Jon Ryan; and Amy Widdowson, actor/graphic designer. Although actors typically get one show off a season, that really only frees them up to do other PST-related things.
   Board members read numerous plays before determining which shows to propose to the PST board — the "veterans, who provide lots of suggestions and much welcome help," as Ms. Adams puts it. A true support system, this group’s members help out with questions, community contacts and various production issues that arise.
   The last PST performance is Aug. 13. Summer housing ends the following Friday, and on Aug. 19, California-born Cate Adams heads home to Nashville, Tenn., and her first visit to her family since Christmas ’05. By then, she’ll be able to look back on a summer season that will have included the following productions:
Frederick Knott’s classic suspense thriller, Wait Until Dark will open the season with Thurs.-Sun. performances June 15-25. Often remembered as the 1967 movie starring Audrey Hepburn, PST’s version will feature returning actors Amy Widdowson and Ben Mains, with direction by Greg Taubman.
Peter Shaffer’s farce Black Comedy will run June 29-July 2 and July 6-9. With set design by Nick Benacerraf, Alex Limpaecher will direct this show, which deals with goings on after the lights go out. Brindsley Miller’s plan to impress a wealthy art critic and his fiancée’s military father is thrown off course by a fuse that blows.
Little Shop of Horrors, complete with Audrey II, the person-eating plant, and music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, will wind up July with July 13-16 and July 27-30 performances. Directed by Ben Mains, Virginia Pourakis and Liz Fleming, this play will deal with Audrey’s pleas to "Feed Me!"
Betrayal by Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter will close up the season Aug. 3-6 and Aug. 10-13. Described as "a backwards love story," it tells (in reverse) how an affair affects the lives of three friends. Rob Grant and veteran Amy Widdowson will perform; Andy Hoover directs.
Not content with four productions in two months, PST will also present two "family-oriented" shows. Stuart Little, based on E. B. White’s story about a mouse in the family, will run July 6-8 and July 13-15; and Aurand Harris’s Androcles and the Lion, a tale of kindness rewarded, will run July 27-29 and Aug. 3-5.
Princeton Summer Theater performs at the Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University campus. Tickets cost $14 Thurs.-Fri, $16 Sat.-Sun., seniors $11-$14, students $10-$11. Performance times: Fri. 8 p.m.; Sat. 2, 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. For information, call (609) 258-7062. Princeton Summer Theater on the Web: www.princetonsummertheater.org