Pioneer Playhouse facts for kids
Pioneer Playhouse
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| Address | 840 Stanford Rd Danville, Kentucky |
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| Coordinates | 37°38′20″N 84°45′24″W / 37.63889°N 84.75667°W |
| Type | Summerstock |
| Opened | 1950 |
| Website | |
| www.pioneerplayhouse.com | |
The Pioneer Playhouse is a special outdoor theater located in Danville, Kentucky. It's the oldest outdoor theater in the entire state of Kentucky! Imagine watching a play under the stars – that's what people have been doing here for many years.
History of the Playhouse
The Pioneer Playhouse was built by a person named Col. Eben C. Henson. He started this outdoor theater way back in 1950. Many famous actors have performed here when they were just starting out. Some of these actors include John Travolta, Lee Majors, and Jim Varney.
In 1962, the Pioneer Playhouse became the first theater in the whole country to be officially named a "State Theater" by a special law. This means it's recognized as very important to the state.
After Col. Henson passed away in 2004, his family continued to run the theater. His wife, Charlotte, was the producer, and their daughter, Holly, was the artistic director until she passed away in 2012. Their son, Robby Henson, directs at least one play at the theater every summer.
After Holly's death, her siblings, Robby and Heather, came back to help their mother run the Playhouse full-time. Robby became the artistic director, and Heather took on the role of managing director. Charlotte, who always picked the plays for each season, passed away in February 2024. This was just a few months before the Playhouse's 75th anniversary season began.
Plays and Productions
The Pioneer Playhouse has put on many different plays over the years. They often feature a variety of shows each season, from comedies to mysteries. Here are some of the plays they have performed in recent years:
- 2020 (The season was shorter because of the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Maybe Baby, It's You by Charlie Shanian and Shari Simpson
- 2019
- Kong's Night Out by Jack Neary
- Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders by Jeffrey Hatcher
- Breaking Up With Elvis by Robby Henson
- Not Now Darling by Ray Cooney and John Chapman
- Red, White and Tuna by Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jason Williams
The Playhouse has a long history of putting on many different and exciting shows for its audience every year.
