Message from the Providence Players Board President, Kevin Harnisch
Holiday Greetings!
Happy Holiday Season to all of you!
For me, celebrating Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, is a time to reflect and thank those who have been part of my life this past year – and that includes you! For those of you who recently joined us for a show or have been enjoying our performances over the past 26 years – thank you for the patronage. There is a lot going on, with so much to share together, as we ramp up for the extended Holiday Season and New Year!
There are spiritual and cultural celebrations—Hanukkah (December 25), Christmas (December 25), Kwanza (December 26) all come to mind. There’s Festivus (December 23) for the rest of us. There are some just plain weird ones: Candle Day (December 3), Bathtub Party Day (December 5), National Microwave Day (December 6) — and our Providence Players Holiday Party is on January 25, 2025!
The excitement and joy continue with our spring show, 2 Across by Jerry Mayer and directed by Barbara Gertzog.
Auditions are coming up in early January and the production will gear up soon after for a March opening. So, let’s make this holiday season special and enjoy all that the New Year offers!
All my best,
Kevin Harnisch
President, Board of Directors
Coming Attraction: 2 Across by Jerry Mayer. Directed by Barbara Gertzog
Two strangers, a man and a woman, board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. They’re alone in the car, and both are doing the New York Times crossword. She’s an organized, sensible psychologist. He’s a free-spirited, unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro. He always quits. When he tosses his puzzle away, she urges him not to give up, explaining that “Crosswords are a metaphor for life; those who finish, succeed, those who don’t, fail.” This starts an eighty-minute ride filled with hilarious, witty, and romantic banter. As the train ride ends, it’s obvious that each have solved more than a crossword puzzle together.
Auditions for 2 Across
Audition dates are scheduled for: January 14 & January 15, with callbacks on January 16; from 6:30 to 9:30 each night. The Director is looking for one male and one female actor to play characters who are in their late 40’s to mid 50’s. More details will be released in the future on the PPF website and on social media.
Auditions will be held at:
The James Lee Community Center
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
Note: Performance Dates and Times
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.
March 21 – April 5
Sunday Matinees 2:00 p.m.
March 23 & 30
In the Spotlight: Barbara Gertzog, Director of 2 Across
Barbara Jo did not study theater as a kid. Yes, she was always attracted to books, plays and movies, but she was way too shy in school for any of the performing arts. She actually became involved in theater when her children began to work on plays at Mantua Elementary School. The other motivation for stepping up was the passing of her father. He was charismatic, very outgoing, and she felt almost compelled to audition as a way to honor his memory. That’s when she discovered that she had a passion for live theater.
Working on Providence Players productions became a family activity. PPF provided her family, Gertzog parents and kids, the opportunity to learn and to be creative while together. Barbara loved acting, directing, set design and decoration, music and helping backstage. However, she happily handed over the technical aspects of her productions to her husband Chip and son Jimmy.
After years of dedication, and often intense activity on multiple PPF productions, Barbara knew she needed a break. She took a long hiatus from theater and focused on her family, a very challenging career, and her personal life. Like so many people, the pandemic provided her not only with more time to reflect but it also reenergized her interest in theater. As she describes it, “I took charge of my theatrical experiences. I took classes at Little Theatre of Alexandria and The Theater Lab in Washington, D.C. I broadened my knowledge and skills, expanded my contacts, auditioned and performed at other companies”.
As a result of all those experiences, she decided that she wanted to come back to PPF. “For me it still has a homey, family feel”. After performing in the recent PPF production of Surviving Grace, she is excited to be back this season to collaborate with her former husband Chip (yes – on the Tech), to work with one of her daughters in the booth, and to direct a delightful Rom-com, 2 Across for our company.
We are excited to welcome her back!
Save the Dates
Providence Players Holiday Party – January 25, 2025 – Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046 is the venue. Again, we invite our current members and donors to celebrate an upcoming New Year of fun and entertainment with new theater friends and old. Details to follow via Evite.
Production Schedule for 2 Across, by Jerry Mayer – Auditions: 1/14, 1/15, 16; Production Cycle (Stage Access): 3/6/24 to 4/27/24; Set Build: 3/9/24 and 3/10/24; Tech Weekend: 4/6, 4/7/24; click here to see the production dates; Strike 4/28/24.
Production Schedule for Shooting Star, b y Steven Dietz – Production Cycle (Stage Access): 5/2/24 to 6/23/24; Set Build: 5/4/24 and 5/5/24; Tech Weekend: 6/1, 6/2/24; click here to see the production dates; Strike: 6/23/24.
Blast from the Past – Parties!
Enjoy these photos from past member events!
Take the Arts Participation Survey!
The Fairfax County Arts Committee is seeking public input about arts and culture preferences through a survey that will help various organizations (such as ArtsFairfax) plan for and understand community needs better. The survey will take 5-8 minutes and will inform County arts policy, resourcing, and marketing efforts. Please click this link or on the banner below to participate. Thank you for helping to strengthen the arts in our community!!
Member Updates
- Another shout out to Han Nguyen – the Marshall High School student who played Karen in our production of The Beatle Club. She has not rested since being honored most recently as actor and playwright at the Virginia High School League Theater State Championships. This fall she tackled one of the lead characters in Marshall High’s production of Metamorphoses, based on the work of Greek playwright Ovid, updated by Tony Award-winning playwright Mary Zimmerman. We love Han’s dedication to theater!
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Cast and crew of Love Letters. One last shout out – and one last gathering – of the cast and crew of our first production of the season, Love Letters by A.R. Gurney. We gathered, with some family members, at the Italian Café for a nostalgic and very fun evening.
- Renewing members include: Robert Barham, Janice Crawford, Brenda Hornbeck & Bill Vander Clute.
- If your membership is lapsed and you wish to renew, you can click here.
Want to join in the fun? Here are two ways to let us know!
- Send an email directly to members@providenceplayers.org and we will pass along your interest to the Directors.
- Complete the Member Interest survey. To get started just click the link below, take 5 minutes, fill out the form and hit send! We will review your interests and reach out to you when opportunities present themselves.
Click here to fill out the volunteer form.
We look forward to working and playing with you!
Final Curtain?
(Have an update you would like to share with your fellow members? Please send an email to members@providenceplayers.org with the subject line “Member Update” and we will include it!)
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