A Message from the Desk of Robb Hunt

January 3, 2022

Happy New Year to all of you!

As we approach opening night of Songs for a New World, I am looking forward to all the exciting things that come with the opening of a show on our stages. It has been a long time since we have brought together every aspect of a fully produced musical to our stage and I am grateful to the artists, staff, and theatre makers at Village Theatre who are bringing all their amazing talents back to our rehearsal hall, shops, and stages.

A few things I wanted to share:

“Welcome Home” and Back to Village Theatre!

Get a glimpse into our special Holiday Concert.

“Home is where I find peace and stillness. It’s the place where I can be free and not worry about all the things I need to be when I’m away from home.” Aaron Norman

“For me, home is where you feel like your most authentic self. Where you feel the most comfortable in your skin. And that’s why for me home is divided between these two places: the cozy townhouse I share with my spouse and child, and the rehearsal room.” Cy Paolontonio

“There’s no place like home for the holidays”

You’ve probably already heard that this year Village Theatre will ring in the holidays with a special event! Welcome Home: A Holiday Concert will feature heartwarming classics and fun holiday songs performed by a talented cast of five amazing performers, alongside a live band.

Village Theatre’s Staff is Growing

As Village Theatre begins to pick up steam and prepare for the 2022 Welcome Back Season, we are excited to welcome new staff members to our team! Learn more about our new team members and what they are looking forward to experiencing at Village Theatre.

A Message from the Desk of Robb Hunt

September 30, 2021

When the other founders of Village Theatre and I took our first steps toward the creation and establishment of this organization, we had dreams of what it could be and what our hard work would bring to the stage and our community. As Executive Producer, I have had the privilege to lead this incredible theatre into the future and I wanted to take this opportunity to share with all of you that, after 43 years, I will be retiring this season.

A Message from the Desk of Robb Hunt

Village Theatre’s Executive Producer brings you an update.

July 12, 2021

First. I want to say a very happy opening to our Summer Independent production of The Spitfire Grill. I also can’t wait for our upcoming Summer Independent productions of Jasper in Deadland and Urinetown coming soon to our stages. Our students continue to amaze me with their adaptability and the way they have continued to come together to make theatre whether it has been digitally or now on our stages. It has been so wonderful to hear the sounds of theatre being made on our stages again. 

A Message from the Desk of Robb Hunt and Jerry Dixon – Welcome Back Season

Village Theatre’s Executive Producer and Artistic Director bring you an update on our 2021/22 season.

June 2, 2021

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement over the last year.  We believe theatre represents the things we have not been able to enjoy in these long months and while we aren’t quite there yet, we are excited to be sharing the plans for our anticipated Welcome Back season with you. 

Based on the constantly changing reopening guidelines, the need for continued social distancing, and the safety protocols required by the unions representing our artists, we took a look at how to achieve success in the coming year. This means we have had to make changes. The original season plans we made and shows we chose have had to be put on hold. We hope to bring these productions to our stages in the future, but in the meantime, the possibilities and our return to the theatre we love is exciting. 

Holiday Show Memories to Warm Your Heart

The holiday season is looking a little different this year, and one of the things we miss most is gathering with friends and family to experience the gift of theatre. To remind us of magical moments past, here are some of our favorite photos from previous wintertime Mainstage, Village Originals, and KIDSTAGE productions.

Annie (Mainstage 2003)
Photo by Jay Koh

Hauntingly Good Halloween Costume Inspiration

Are you still looking for the perfect Halloween costume? Why not draw inspiration from the theatrical canon, and turn your monster mash into a musical theatre smash! From classic spooky staples to modern musical icons, here are some outfit ideas inspired by our favorite Village Theatre productions.

The cast of The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes: “Don’t throw away your shot” at finding the best costume! The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes is a treasure trove of Musical Theatre-themed Halloween costume inspiration from beginning to end.
Costume design by Rose Pederson, photo by Tracy Martin

From the Desk of Jerry Dixon

In the first of a series of monthly check-ins, Village Theatre’s Artistic Director offers an update on the theatre.

September 14, 2020

First, I have to thank our patrons, donors, and fans for providing support over the last few months. This continues to be a challenging time for so many people and we are lucky to have a community that inspires us each day and brings us hope for the future.

I am fortunate to work with some really amazing collaborators at Village Theatre and this hiatus in our performances has given us an opportunity to reflect on our practices, move forward with vision, lead with intention, and remain ever-aware of the impact of the musicals and plays we bring to our stages. We are listening, gaining new insights, building ways to work differently in our new environments and forging ahead with knowledge, skills, and passion for what we do to embrace new possibilities. We know there are fresh ideas, gifted collaborators, and engaging projects out there for Village Theatre and one of our first steps is to be open to them with a welcoming environment for everyone.

Happy Hour with the Dreams: Black Women in Theatre

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

James Baldwin, Black artist and activist

Racism is perpetuated by the stories we tell and the lack of equitable representation of Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC) on stages, behind the scenes, on boards, and in administrative offices. Confronting our own complacency, and thereby complicity, is required if we’re to make meaningful and impactful progress towards becoming anti-racist.

Several weeks ago we had planned to host a June 10 Virtual Happy Hour with the Dreams: Angela Birchett, Lauren Du Pree, Alexandria Henderson, and Joell Weil, in celebration of Village Theatre’s 2017 production of Dreamgirls. In light of recent events, these talented artists instead suggested a conversation about what it means to be a Black woman in theatre today.

What resulted was a roundtable discussion on their experiences as Black women in the American Theatre, and specifically at Village Theatre. We took this as a chance to listen and reflect and invite you to do the same.