"DON'T MISS THIS SHOW...Best Summer Place show ever" - Arlene H. 

"Positively fantastic! Everyone on the stage commanded their role. Job well done!" -Tarisse T.

"A phenomenal cast. It's a must see"- Yvette H.

"This is a great cast, did a fatastic job." -Connie H. 

"Absolutely Awesome!!! A must see performance. Singing, Dancing, the acting, the live music OOO la la" -Paula S.

"It was a WOW. Amazing cast and production. Love love love it. Blown away by the talent -Lutong B.

"amazing show. I can't wait to see it again and again!" -Tracy B.

"Bravo! Amazing performances and wonderful opening! So many shining stars on that stage. Fabulous harmonies and dancing" -Holly L.

"It was an amazing show! Such talent! Everyone we went with loved it." -Libby H.

"Incredible show last night!" -Melissa C.

"Spectacular" - Gloria H.

"I was blown away! Incredible! So much talent! -Amy K.

"The cast was fabulous, and the show probably had some of the best athletic dancing I've seen in a local production." Keith K.

"What an amazing show!!! Do yourselves a favor and see Newsies!!!" -Brian L.

A union strike at a pajama factory generates plenty of steam heat in this toe-tapping, comedic love story.

EVERY SHOW A STANDING OVATION! "I've seen several versions and this is the BEST Sound of Music I've seen." The hills are alive with the sound of music! The perennial favorite Broadway Musical is now a wonderful memory! Learn more about the show, the cast, the production team, and the lovely reviews.

"Katherine Damisch deftly navigates Maria's emotional journey of self discovery. She convincingly wears the many hats required. Vocally, she makes the tough role seem effortless. Matt Whalen as Captain von Trap brought a depth of emotion I had previously not seen in the role. I felt his struggle to stand true to his principles while faced with impossible choices. Sadie Wynne also deserves some special recognition for her "Climb Every Mountain." I was invested in all of her scenes. The large cast put on a memorable version of "The Sound of Music. The show  contains all the fun and nostalgia required and a bit more for those looking to swim in deeper waters."

We went last night and it was wonderful! The voices were superb- "Sue M."

I attended last Saturday evening's performance of The Sound of Music. I truly encourage anyone who would like to see a beautiful story and hear gorgeous music to buy a ticket and go... at least once! I went twice and was so glad I did! it was a joy to watch this wonderful company of actors and to hear the beautiful voices. Now go get your tickets!  It will be one of the highlights of your summer. -Betty H.

"I'm not ordinarily musical theatre fan but their adaptation of the "The Sound of Music" was very entertaining and captivating. We will definitely be going to their future performances." -Don M.

Our 2020 Summer Season is big, momentous, timely, and ... expensive! So we're doing a fundraiser, as only we can do. It’s an original spring musical revue, but with a twist...

We thoroughly enjoyed opening night! Fun show, talented cast, cozy venue and music of ABBA...what's not to love! Don't miss this one friends! -John R. 

Absolutely wonderful!! We so enjoyed ourselves!! -Lisa D. 

The international megahit. 54 million people worldwide have laughed and danced with joy to this unforgettable jukebox musical, and now it’s coming to Naperville’s Community Theatre!

The great songs of ABBA weave together a tale of love, marriage, family and finding where you belong.

Teenaged Ren leaves his life in Chicago to settle in a farming town with his mom. But the new town has a strict ban on Ren’s favorite pasttime: dancing. Ren has no choice but to rebel.

For a recap and photos from the show, click the Read More button.

To escape gangster Spats Palazzo, Joe and Jerry hitch a ride to Florida disguised as members of a band--a female band.

For a recap and photos, click the Read More button.

It's root, root, root for the home team, and die-hard Chicago Cubs fans are making wagers. Unfortunately, baseball is about all they have in common. Things may get hilarious.

For dates, times and other info, click the Read More button.

All 2018 shows have to do with Illinois since it's our 200th Birthday, and we start the season with a musical revue conceived and directed by our own Cynthia Lauren-Grant.

For dates, times and other info, click the Read More button.

July 28 - August 6 The Cole Porter classic and a favorite of musical theatre enthusiasts everywhere. Anything Goes is a love story, a crime drama, a statement about celebrity and above all one wild comedy ride! Coming to Summer Place Theatre for two weekends to cap our summer season.

July 7-9 This very funny comedy began as a novel by Edward Streeter and became a film starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. Steve Martin and Diane Keaton did a reboot of the story, but we're performing the original in all its nostalgic glory to show how simple weddings once were!

June 16-25 Award-winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee invites audience members to participate in the hallowed middle school tradition of spelling complicated words while trying to suppress thoughts of cute classmates, family drama, and self-doubt. Rated PG-13.

This is a musical review of some of our favorite tunes from the works of Stephen Sondheim and Stephen Schwartz. Come join us as we celebrate the works of two theatrical geniuses! 

Schwartz music you might have heard: Godspell, Pippin, Wicked, Enchanted, and others.
Sondheim music you might know: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and more.

An oddball romantic musical comedy set in Damon Runyons mythical New York City where a gambler is challenged to take a cold female missionary to Havana, but they fall for each other, and the bet has a hidden motive to finance a crap game.

A slapstick comedy about a drama critic who learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family.

A touching musical tale of young Mary, orphaned in India and sent to live with an eternally grieving uncle and his crippled son in their 1906 Victorian mansion. She bravely brings new life to abhidden, neglected garden and to her new family.

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR...
"Into the Woods, it's time and so I must begin my journey...."

The Brothers Grimm set their collection of fairytales "In olden times, when wishing still helped." Wishing does still help. But the trick is not making the wish; it's knowing what to do with it. This is a difficult thing to learn.

The first act opens with the individual "wishes" sung by Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Ridinghood, and the Baker and his Wife. They must venture into the woods to fulfill their "wishes" and eventually learn responsibility to others. It is in the woods that the characters also learn that often the most frightening thing of all is when wishes actually do come true, and so wishing must be done with great care.

Later, all the characters must deal with what happens AFTER the "happily ever after." A genuine threat to the existence of their community causes them to realize that they can no longer operate in isolation. Stephen Sondheim has commented that the song "No One Is Alone" does not refer to loneliness, but to each individual's responsibility to those around them. Fairytales are parables about the steps towards maturity. The final step is when you become responsible for the people around you, when you feel connected to the rest of the world.

In the end, "Into the Woods" focuses on hope. Hope about the future, about the human race, and about cooperative responsibility. In the last moment of the show, Cinderella sings, "I wish." It is only when we start accepting each other's faults and acknowledging each other's strengths, that we can join together to combat the giants who cast their shadows over our own society. I sincerely hope that Cinderella's final wish will someday come true.

What a sheer pleasure it has been taking this journey into the woods with Ted Waltmire. From the start, our love for Sondheim and passion for this show really made this a very special experience for me. A very special thank you to our talented cast, crew and designers for their enthusiasm and commitment to this project. Most importantly, a huge thank you to producer Tim Ray for his all-encompassing work and dedication. Enjoy!

-- Kevin Long, Director

"SPILLING THE BEANS":
Notes from the Musical Director......

Don't worry. Reading these notes will not spoil the fun in store for you if this is your first venture "Into the Woods". Look at this as a guidepost for the journey. Hansel and Gretel do not play a part in our story but composer/lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, has sprinkled plenty of breadcrumbs along the way. Sondheim has a penchant for games and puzzles and there are many puns in his lyrics, too, so listen closely.

Certain musical themes pop up time and again in new guises and really do form a link between the characters. Much of the score centers on the five note "bean theme". You'll first hear it as underscore when the Witch makes her entrance. Then it's clearly stated as The Baker trades his beans for Jack's cow. The theme becomes the basis for many other pieces including Jack's short farewell song to his cow, Rapunzel's lyrical song from her tower, and the Witch's plaintive lament, "Stay With Me". Listen closely to both versions of "Agony" and it springs up again. Later in the second Act, the fast and furious, "Your Fault" has the bean theme as its root. During "No One is Alone" the bean theme is used as a countermelody, o

Director’s Note

Invariably, a question asked by those who have seen, or read, 1776 is “is it true, did it really happen that way?” The answer is “yes.” Many elements of this remarkable work are taken directly from historical fact. The weather in Philadelphia was unusually hot and humid, resulting in a bumper crop of horseflies. John Adams was indeed “obnoxious and disliked” the description was his own. Rodney’s skin cancer, Franklin’s gout, Chase’s fetish for food are all true. Rutledge, the youngest member of Congress, was the leading proponent of individual states rights. Washington’s dispatches came into Congress via courier and were for a long time ignored by most Congressmen. Of course, bits were deleted and the action has sometimes been re-arranged to create a more dramatic progression. However, the action portrayed is fact.

Is it not remarkable that the event which assures us of our very existence is so poorly understood? Sherman Edwards, an ex-history teacher, was in love with this period and the people who inhabited it. Happily, he also wrote dozens of top ten songs including Wonderful, Wonderful, See You in September, and Brokenhearted Melody. His partnership with renowned director Peter Stone led to the winning of the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1969, a time when patriotism was at a low ebb in America.

It has been my privilege to work with these talented and dedicated artists for the last two months. It is my hope that whatever questions you may still have at the end of this evening one of the most troublesome will be, “Why didn’t I know this?” Without an intimate knowledge of our past, how can we hope to carry our country into a new millennium?

Whether you came for the history lesson or for the entertainment, I think you will not be disappointed. 1776 is a rare opportunity to combine these two worlds. Thank you to The Summer Place Theatre for having the trust and the courage to bring this wonderful material to us.

Have a memorable Fourth of July!!!

Jan Mahlstedt, 2001

The Rainmaker
Feb. 12-14 & 19-21
A gentle comedy about a ranch family's test of love
when a con man drifts into their lives promising rain,
but bringing tenderness and affection in a hot, dry season.

Director’s Note

Our memories of childhood were filled with laughter, tears, and questions--with some answers coming the hard way, but they all became a bridge to adulthood. We dreamed, we lived, we learned. As you sit back and remember your own personal memories of growing up, whether you are a Catholic or a Public, a “Late Bloomer” or one of the “Little Fat Girls,” I know that we can all agree... “Thank God we will never be that young again!”

AnnaMarie Ahonen, 1998