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Pioneer Playhouse

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Pioneer Playhouse
Pioneer Playhouse
Map
Address840 Stanford Rd
Danville, Kentucky
Coordinates37°38′20″N 84°45′24″W / 37.63889°N 84.75667°W / 37.63889; -84.75667
TypeSummerstock
Opened1950
Website
www.pioneerplayhouse.com

The Pioneer Playhouse, located in Danville, Kentucky, is the oldest outdoor theater in the state of Kentucky.

History

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19th Century Main Street village and museum

The Pioneer Playhouse was built by Col. Eben C. Henson, who established the outdoor theater in 1950. Notable alumni actors include John Travolta, Lee Majors, then known as Harvey Yeary, and Jim Varney.[1] In 1962, Pioneer Playhouse became the first theater in the nation to be accorded the legal status of State Theater by act of Legislation.

Since Henson's death in 2004, the theater had been run by Henson's widow, Charlotte, as producer, and her daughter, Holly, who served as artistic director until her death in 2012. Robby Henson, Charlotte's son, directs at least one play at the theater every summer.

After Holly's death, her siblings, Robby and Heather, returned to the Playhouse full-time to help their mother run the business. Robby took on the role of artistic director, and Heather assumed the duties of managing director. Charlotte, who always selected the plays for each season, died in February 2024, just a few months prior to the start of the Playhouse's 75th Anniversary season.[2]

Productions

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References

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  1. ^ Profile of Col. Henson. Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 1999 Archived 2005-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/charlotte-henson-obituary?id=54375141
  3. ^ "Pioneer Playhouse News" (pdf). Spring 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28. [dead link]
  4. ^ "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Spring 2006. Archived from the original (pdf) on January 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  5. ^ "Pioneer Playhouse News" (PDF). Fall–Winter 2004. Archived from the original (pdf) on May 8, 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Marjorie Tatum". Mandy Actors. Archived from the original on 2010-08-25. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  7. ^ "Robert Wedig". Mandy Actors. Archived from the original on 2008-03-27. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  8. ^ a b c "Annette Remter". Mandy Actors. Retrieved 2008-10-29.[dead link]
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