Priscilla Beach Theatre
Encyclopedia
Priscilla Beach Theatre located in the Manomet
section of Plymouth at Priscilla Beach
, was one of the original (and oldest) "barn" theatres in America. It was founded in 1937 by Dr. Franklin Trask. His wife, Agnes, became PBT's first artistic director. In addition to the 200-seat barn theatre, the original complex included several cottages, residences, dormitories, a mansion, carriage house and athletic field. The unique "learn-by-doing" training at PBT offered thousands of young acting students the opportunity to learn nearly every aspect of theatre training from fencing, dance and directing to make-up, lighting and set design.
During the 1940s and 1950s, PBT featured well-known guest stars in student productions. These luminaries included Edward Everett Horton
, Veronica Lake
, Charlie Ruggles and Gloria Swanson
. During this era, as many as 150 actors and actresses were in residence, usually performing in one play during the evening, while rehearsing another play during the day. Also, many famous students grew from a rising crop of young talent, including Paul Newman
, Robert MacNeil
, Estelle Parsons
, Pat Carroll
, Sandy Dennis
, Mike Todd, Jr.
, Dan Blocker
, Jean Seberg
, poet Daisy Aldan and Jan Scott, Emmy Award-winning art director.
During the 1960s, James Lonigro (stage name Geronimo Sands), replaced Mrs. Trask, becoming PBT's new artistic director, a position he still holds today. During his tenure, a new breed of talent emerged from the rigorous summer-stock training ground at the famous theatre school. This group includes Rob Reiner
, Al Brooks, Andre Bishop (founder of Playwrights Horizons
and Artistic Director of Theatres at Lincoln Center), news legend Andy Lack (former president of NBC News
, producer of "60 Minutes
", former CEO of Sony BMG and current CEO of the Bloomberg LP multimedia group), Curtis Sliwa
(founder of the Guardian Angels
), Jennifer Coolidge
, Kitty Winn
and Corey Carrier
. During the 1970s, PBT was leased to Tufts University and, under the direction of Tony Award-winning producer Mitch Maxwell, saw Peter Gallagher
on the barn stage.
Author and composer Rick Besoyan
wrote "Little Mary Sunshine
" while at PBT. Entertainer Mickey Rooney
has cites PBT as being the inspiration for the story and motion picture of "Babes in Arms
", in which he starred alongside Judy Garland
. Robert MacNeil praises Priscilla Beach Theatre on the popular PBS program, "Do You Speak American?
" for helping him manage his Canadian accent.
PBT alumni have won (at least): four Academy Awards
(Oscars), nine Tony Awards, three SAG Awards, four Golden Globes, six Golden Laurel Awards
, a People's Choice Award, three New York Film Critics' Circle Awards, two Cannes Film Festival
Awards, 15 Emmy Awards and, is represented by five stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
The barn theatre at PBT is no longer used, as major renovations and repairs are necessary to bring it into operable condition. In the large main house, what was once the actor's dining hall has been converted into a small black box theatre. It is in this space where the tradition of stagecraft training continues to this day. For several years, PBT has focused it's educational drive toward an even younger group of acting students, including children. In addition to on-site workshops and events, Priscilla Beach Theatre often brings directors, educators, performances and performers to several off-site facilities such as local schools and art centers.
Priscilla Beach Theatre is a non-profit school of drama.
Manomet, Massachusetts
Manomet is a seaside village of Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. It is named for the Manomet Native American sub-group of the Wampanoag whose settlement was located atop the dominant hill in the region when European settlers arrived in Plymouth in 1620. Manomet has a Post Office in the...
section of Plymouth at Priscilla Beach
Priscilla Beach, Massachusetts
Priscilla Beach is a village of Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. It consists of a private beach on Cape Cod Bay in the Manomet section of Plymouth, located between Pilgrim Station and White Horse Beach. The Priscilla Beach Association was formed on July 17, 1937, to promote and foster the...
, was one of the original (and oldest) "barn" theatres in America. It was founded in 1937 by Dr. Franklin Trask. His wife, Agnes, became PBT's first artistic director. In addition to the 200-seat barn theatre, the original complex included several cottages, residences, dormitories, a mansion, carriage house and athletic field. The unique "learn-by-doing" training at PBT offered thousands of young acting students the opportunity to learn nearly every aspect of theatre training from fencing, dance and directing to make-up, lighting and set design.
During the 1940s and 1950s, PBT featured well-known guest stars in student productions. These luminaries included Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons. He is especially known for his work in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.-Early life:Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Isabella...
, Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake was an American film actress and pin-up model. She received both popular and critical acclaim, most notably for her role in Sullivan's Travels and her femme fatale roles in film noir with Alan Ladd during the 1940s, and was well-known for her peek-a-boo hairstyle...
, Charlie Ruggles and Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
. During this era, as many as 150 actors and actresses were in residence, usually performing in one play during the evening, while rehearsing another play during the day. Also, many famous students grew from a rising crop of young talent, including Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil
Robert Breckenridge Ware MacNeil, OC, known sometimes as Robin MacNeil, , is currently a novelist and formerly was a television news anchor and journalist who had paired with Jim Lehrer to create The MacNeil/Lehrer Report in 1975.-Early life:MacNeil was born in Montreal, the son of Margaret...
, Estelle Parsons
Estelle Parsons
Estelle Margaret Parsons is an American theatre, film and television actress and occasional theatrical director.After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program Today and made her stage debut in 1961...
, Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll may refer to:*Pat Carroll *Pat Carroll *Pat Carroll *Pat Carroll *Pat Carroll *Pat Carroll...
, Sandy Dennis
Sandy Dennis
Sandra Dale “Sandy” Dennis was an American theater and film actress. In 1966, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.-Early life:...
, Mike Todd, Jr.
Mike Todd, Jr.
Michael Todd Jr. was the son of movie producer and cinema pioneer Mike Todd and his first wife, Bertha Freshman Todd. He also a stepson of Elizabeth Taylor eventhough he was older than his famous stepmother through his father's third marriage. Todd Jr...
, Dan Blocker
Dan Blocker
Dan Blocker was an American actor best remembered for his role as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright in the NBC western television series Bonanza.-Early life:...
, Jean Seberg
Jean Seberg
Jean Dorothy Seberg was an American actress. She starred in 37 films in Hollywood and in France, including Breathless , the musical Paint Your Wagon and the disaster film Airport ....
, poet Daisy Aldan and Jan Scott, Emmy Award-winning art director.
During the 1960s, James Lonigro (stage name Geronimo Sands), replaced Mrs. Trask, becoming PBT's new artistic director, a position he still holds today. During his tenure, a new breed of talent emerged from the rigorous summer-stock training ground at the famous theatre school. This group includes Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner
Robert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
, Al Brooks, Andre Bishop (founder of Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work....
and Artistic Director of Theatres at Lincoln Center), news legend Andy Lack (former president of NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
, producer of "60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
", former CEO of Sony BMG and current CEO of the Bloomberg LP multimedia group), Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa is an American anti-crime activist, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and radio talk show host and media personality.-Guardian Angels:...
(founder of the Guardian Angels
Guardian Angels
The Guardian Angels is a non-profit international volunteer organization of unarmed citizen crime patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded February 13, 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa and has chapters in 15 countries and 144 cities around the world.Sliwa originally created the...
), Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
, Kitty Winn
Kitty Winn
Kitty Winn is an award-winning American actress.- Early life and career :Winn was born in Washington, D.C. She spent much of her childhood time traveling to China, India and Japan....
and Corey Carrier
Corey Carrier
Corey Thomas Carrier is an American former child actor. He is also known as just "Core".Carrier was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts to Thomas and Carleen. He has a younger sister named Bethany. He attended an acting school at The Priscilla Beach Children's Theatre Workshop...
. During the 1970s, PBT was leased to Tufts University and, under the direction of Tony Award-winning producer Mitch Maxwell, saw Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher
Peter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
on the barn stage.
Author and composer Rick Besoyan
Rick Besoyan
Richard Besoyan was a singer, actor, playwright, composer and director especially of operetta and musicals. He is best remembered for writing the successful satirical musical Little Mary Sunshine.-Life and career:...
wrote "Little Mary Sunshine
Little Mary Sunshine
Little Mary Sunshine is a musical that parodies old-fashioned operettas and musicals. The book, music, and lyrics are by Rick Besoyan. The musical should not be confused with the 1916 silent film of the same name ....
" while at PBT. Entertainer Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
has cites PBT as being the inspiration for the story and motion picture of "Babes in Arms
Babes in Arms
Babes in Arms is a 1937 musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a teen-age boy who puts on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm.- Production history:...
", in which he starred alongside Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
. Robert MacNeil praises Priscilla Beach Theatre on the popular PBS program, "Do You Speak American?
Do You Speak American?
Do You Speak American? is a documentary film and accompanying book about journalist Robert MacNeil's investigation into how different people throughout the United States of America speak. The book and documentary look at the evolution of America's way of speaking from the English language to...
" for helping him manage his Canadian accent.
PBT alumni have won (at least): four Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
(Oscars), nine Tony Awards, three SAG Awards, four Golden Globes, six Golden Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
The Laurel Awards were cinema awards to honor pictures, actors, actresses, directors and composers. This award was created by Motion Picture Exhibitor magazine, and ran from 1958 to 1968, then 1970 and 1971....
, a People's Choice Award, three New York Film Critics' Circle Awards, two Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
Awards, 15 Emmy Awards and, is represented by five stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
The barn theatre at PBT is no longer used, as major renovations and repairs are necessary to bring it into operable condition. In the large main house, what was once the actor's dining hall has been converted into a small black box theatre. It is in this space where the tradition of stagecraft training continues to this day. For several years, PBT has focused it's educational drive toward an even younger group of acting students, including children. In addition to on-site workshops and events, Priscilla Beach Theatre often brings directors, educators, performances and performers to several off-site facilities such as local schools and art centers.
Priscilla Beach Theatre is a non-profit school of drama.