Anything in the arts that lasts fifty years is either a classic or is hallowed. A half-century of Allenberry Playhouse is a longer run than Vaudeville enjoyed.

To me, Allenberry is an ageless Brigadoon along the Yellow Breeches. It never seemed to have a helpless infancy nor tottering old age, but always magical youth.

Part of its glory is that the Heinze family founded the theater, extended it into a spring and fall schedule, and never abandoned their jewel. “Thirty weeks without a grant,” the late director Richard North Gage used to say. The late impresario Charles A.B. Heinze could add, “We’ll always be here.” Complete with a resort and restaurant business, the permanence of the enterprise constantly defied the worst odds anyone could get on Broadway or Wall Street.

But here is Allenberry Playhouse in its fiftieth season. It was only yesterday that it had such characters as Charlie Heinze, Dick Gage, Bettie Endrizzi, Reginald Rowland, Jim Lockhart and many others — including Dave Brubaker who was acting at its creation and can still Barrymore with the best. Some kids who broke in at Allenberry got their names on the big marquees — John Travolta, Eileen Brennan, John McMartin, Ruth Maynard, John Stratton, Roy Scheider and Shelley Berman are just a few of the notables.

Other theater goers might have multiple show favorites they’ve enjoyed at this rustic setting. My choice is The Most Happy Fella, a thirty-five-song, Frank Loesser classic few other playhouses dare attempt. Two of its marvelous numbers have titles worthy of past, present and future Allenberry pleasure: “How Beautiful the Days” and “Warm All Over.”