Allenberry Playhouse: The First Fifty Years

Harrisburg Community Theatre members have, over the years, played a significant part in the history of the Allenberry Playhouse. During Richard North Gage’s four years as director of HCT, he assembled a widely recognized acting troupe. Those performers who subsequently appeared on the Allenberry stage included Lovinia Buckwalter, who was a two-time recipient of the Harrisburg Drama Critics Award; Arriminta Gully, who directed the York Little Theatre for five years and created the role of Mama in I Remember Mama in 1950; Mannie Lax, whose fine comedy timing made him an audience favorite; David Brubaker, Bob DeCost, Joe Gerdes, Jr. and Harlan Wilbert who all appeared in Allenberry’s first production, Life with Father. Other HCT members who appeared in numerous shows include A. Boyd Derr, Dodie Cunningham, Kitty Knox, Jack McCarrell, Ted McKay, Catherine Meikle, Kitty Schock Ellenberger and Jack Gwillim. Gage also enlisted Marj Green Brubaker as set designer and Elva Derr as Business Manager to open the Playhouse.

David Brubaker

From a Minister — the Reverend Lloyd on opening night on July 2, 1949, to an Indian — Sitting Bull in the 1997 production of Annie Get Your Gun — Dave Brubaker spans the years and epitomizes the heart of the Allenberry Playhouse.

Richard North Gage brought Brubaker and his wife, set designer Marj Green Brubaker, to the Playhouse in its inaugural year. Previously they had worked together at the Highway Theatre in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania and at the Harrisburg Community Theatre.

Dave, a Lancaster County native and graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, was an active member of the Dramatic Society Green Room Club and a featured player under the direction of Darrell Larsen. Brubaker and Larsen continued their collaboration in stock company productions in New Hampshire, Ohio, New York, and Florida.


The Old Maid, 1950 David Brubaker as James Ralston and Lovinia Buckwalter as Delia Lovell		On Golden Pond, 1991 David Brubaker as Norman Thayer Jr. with Nancy Linehan Charles as Ethel Thayer

Since 1949 Dave spent every summer on the Allenberry stage, barring a two year absence in the early fifties when he was recalled to active duty in Japan with the Navy. Upon his return, he took the role of Public Relations Director at the Playhouse.

In 1985 Professor Brubaker retired after a thirty year career at Dickinson College where he founded and led the growth of the drama department. His achievements included the design of the Mathers Theatre. At the time of his retirement, Dave was Chairman of the Drama Department, Director of the Mermaid Players and Coordinator of Studies in Theatre and Dramatic Literature.

Dave’s teaching, directing and administrative challenges were revitalized each summer with active, creative roles on the Allenberry stage. When Dave stepped down at Dickinson, he said he never set out to create actors. “What I wanted to get across,” he stated, “was a sense of the theatre and the arts. There’s a value in there for everyone.”

The Loud Red Patrick, 1957
L: David Brubaker
as Patrick Flannigan
R: John McMartin
as Finnegan

Minister to Indian —the Reverend Lloyd to Sitting Bull —with over one hundred and ninety roles connecting the two! Closest to Dave’s heart are his portrayals of Richard II in Lion in Winter, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman and, most recently, Norman Thayer Jr. in On Golden Pond in which he “captures completely the character of a forgetful but proud eighty year old gentleman.” (Connie Mull, News Chronicles 4/91).

Actor, Technical Director, Public Relations Director, Assistant to the Director, Professor, Mentor, Actor. Always returning to Actor.

Brubaker summed up his career and love of this profession by voicing his heart, “I just always liked being with actors.”

Reginald Rowland, Jr.

The Matchmaker, 1958

Reginald Rowland is the final member of the exclusive Allenberry Playhouse Century Club. Reg came to Allenberry in 1954. For fifteen seasons he appeared as both a resident and a guest artist creating a variety of comedic, dramatic and musical roles.

Early in his Allenberry career (1956) the role of Grant Kincaid in The Land Is Bright allowed Reg the challenge, delight and reward of growing old on stage. He aged from a young man in Act I, to celebrate his seventieth birthday in Act III. Such were the tasks that sparked Reg’s love of the stage and allowed him to develop a very stylish flair.

Memorable portrayals include his gangster bit in Kiss Me Kate, Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and J.B. Bigley in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Remember the District Attorney in the murder-mystery comedy Gazebo and his Howard Drake, one of the roaming husbands opposite Virginia Donaldson with her side kicks, Bettie Endrizzi and Liz Council in Cradle Snatchers. Reg’s one hundredth role was Doc in the 1966 staging of Mr. Roberts which also featured Dave Brubaker and Ed Aldridge.

At the close of the 1962 season, Reg left the Playhouse briefly to try his hand in the business world, but a guest appearance in the comedy Harold during his 1963 summer vacation at Allenberry convinced him that his place was indeed in the theatre. He resumed his full-time stage career and we, the audience, benefited from his versatile talent and charm.

In 1975 the Playhouse lost a true friend and a devoted performer but we have wonderful, lasting memories. Thank you, Reg.

Marj Green Brubaker

Known for her colorful and remarkably authentic sets, Marj Green Brubaker, wife of Dave Brubaker, pioneered in set design during the first years of the Allenberry Playhouse. Marj, a graduate of Syracuse University majoring in illustration and painting, came to Allenberry with Richard North Gage having served as his technical assistant at the Harrisburg Community Theatre.

O’ Mistress Mine, 1949

In an era of “drawing room” comedy and drama, Marj displayed creativity and imagination. Eleven different sets in as many weeks, each one unique to the show it enhanced. That was Marj’s legacy to early Allenberry theatre.