Kathleen Conry
A most versatile and talented artist, Kathleen Conry continues to make an enormous contribution to the history of the Allenberry Playhouse.
Kathleen came to Allenberry the summer of 1978 to play Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Since that time, audiences have been entertained and moved by her performances in comedy, dance, mystery, and musical. Kathleen acknowledged that her “real love and commitment to this business is the musical theatre.” It is through this medium that she has given her most sparkling and dynamic performances. Consider her brash but fearful Sally Bowles in Cabaret; her dynamic and endearing Charity in Sweet Charity and the sweet, sympathetic Marian in The Music Man.
As a choreographer, Kathleen has collaborated with three of Allenberry’s resident directors; with Nelson Sheeley in Merry Widow, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and The Student Prince; with Michael Rothhaar, Brigadoon and Guys and Dolls; and with Michael Haney, Nunsence II and Meet Me in St. Louis. It was Nelson who posed the possibility of directing The Sound of Music scheduled for the 1980 Season. With a year to prepare, Kathleen accepted the challenge of working with a group of children ages five through mid-teens. Happily the Heinze/Von Trapp children were thoroughly professional and the novice director received much support from Mary Rausch, David Barron, Graham Pollock, Christi Hatcher, and Dennis Kotecki. A most successful debut ensued. In fact, Kathleen was so good with the children that when Annie was scheduled in 1984, she got the director’s job — more children plus a dog!
“Annie is a charming offering for everyone at Allenberry. Conry has concentrated on the theatre’s greatest asset — its wealth of acting talent. The performances she has coaxed from performers of various levels of experience range from good to glorious.” Kathleen went on to direct Allenberry productions of Crazy for You, My Fat Friend, 42nd Street and London Suite.
Kathleen believes that in order to make the gift of performance, one has to have something to give. The actor draws from life experiences gaining further insight through performance. She acknowledges that a role may rule you, haunt you or empower you. Certainly Allenberry audiences have been enlivened and enlightened by this multi-talented and dedicated artist.
Richert Easley
Richert Easley joins Kathleen Conry as a veteran of over fifty Allenberry productions. Richert’s association with the Playhouse began in 1978 in Patrick Desmond’s No Time for Lovers, directed by Nelson Sheeley. Since that time we, the audience, have been entertained by a wonderful variety of characterizations including Victor in Private Lives, Hawkins in The Kingfisher, Warnock Waldgrove in The Nerd, Lenny in Rumors and Henry in My Fat Friend. Of this last mentioned performance, D’Arcy Charney, Sentinel Correspondent, wrote “The play really belongs to Richert Easley. It is his tour de force, as he rips through the script with obvious enjoyment.” Particular memories include Richert as “the very model of a modern major-general” in Pirates of Penzance. “As Major General Stanley, Richert Easley...continues his career of grand larceny as he steals every scene in which he appears.” Sharon Johnson, Harrisburg Evening News, 8/12/82.
Comedy is Richert’s forte and nowhere is this better demonstrated than in his portrayal of Arnold Crouch in Not Now Darling. He has played this character twice on our stage — in 1979 with Jim Anthony and in 1997 with Steve Brady. His rapid pace, wonderful timing, great facial expression, and bold acting kept the audience laughing throughout.
In 1984, Easley’s creative work as guest director of Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest was enhanced by his black and white set design and costuming. The 1996 production of The Unexpected Guest was Richert’s fiftieth show at the Allenberry Playhouse.
William McKereghan
Bill, a graduate of the University of Minnesota with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre arts, came to Allenberry in 1958 as an apprentice. He brought with him five years of summer stock experience. It did not take long for Richard North Gage or the Allenberry audiences to realize that an immensely gifted, multi-talented creator of character parts had joined the theatrical family. Bill proved his versatility with unforgettable vignette performances in such shows as Time Remembered and Dark of the Moon. During the 1960 season he played with Roy Scheider in Tall Story and Golden Fleecing — a combination of extraordinary talent easily recognized by our audiences.
Bill’s portrayal of the peppery Sheridan Whiteside in the 1961 production The Man Who Came to Dinner drew rave kudos from press, radio and TV. In eight seasons of resident work, Bill proved again and again that he was more than equal to every acting challenge. The phrase at the Playhouse became “Let Bill do it.”
McKereghan left Allenberry to join Center Stage in Baltimore but returned in 1969 and 1970 for the musical seasons. In 1977 he guest directed Twigs.
While working at the Playhouse, Bill met his wife Margot “Dougie” Rice, then a student at Dickinson College. They were married a year later. The summer of 1962 found them both employed at Allenberry: Bill, a fifth season resident and Dougie working as our lighting technician.
Christi Hatcher
“This is one of the few stock theatres left in the country where an actor has the opportunity to play a new character every three weeks and I value that.”
Over twelve seasons, from 1977 through 1988, Christi played more than sixty roles garnering a variety of artistic experience and delighting audiences with her many performances. As Mr. Gage would say “Actors must act.”
Christi made her Allenberry debut as Margo Channing in Applause. Some of her favorite roles included Eva in Absurd Person Singular, Lorraine in The Man Who Came to Dinner, and Faye in Chapter Two. After a ten year hiatus, Christi returned to Allenberry to close the 1997 season in London Suite. By so doing, Christi has played Neil Simon’s three ‘Suites’ on our stage; California in 1980, Plaza in 1983 and London in 1997.
Joe Whiteaker
Joe Whiteaker arrived at the Playhouse for the 1968 musical season, making his debut as Commander William Harbison, U.S.N. in South Pacific. In the next show, The Music Man, he quickly won audience acclaim with his resonant baritone voice singing ‘Lida Rose’ and ‘Goodnight Ladies.’ Joe stayed on for the fall. For the following five years, he was a member of the resident company averaging ten roles each season. Special memories include his hilarious portrayal of Father Drobney in Don’t Drink the Water and the 1970 season closer, I Do! I Do! with Henrietta Valor.