The ‘community’ in theater

A Woodstock Times story about Phoenicia's Shandaken Theatrical Society. The first STS production: The Spitfire Grill By James Valcq and Fred Alley. Directed by Glenn Lazlo Weiss. Musical direction by Andrew Goodsight. Performance Dates: May 25, 26, 27 June 1, 2, 3 June 8, 9,10.


The theater will be hopping this summer. Although no in-house production has been planned, the space will be rented out for several performances. Lutenist and guitarist Carver Blanchard performs Renaissance and 19th century American music. Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, with its big, whimsical puppets, will give a free performance of The City that Drinks the Mountain Sky, about the Ashokan Reservoir, sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension. And Phoenicia’s own rock star, Robert Burke Warren, a.k.a. Uncle Rock, is planning a concert.

The remainder of the season will include STS productions of A Thousand Clowns, Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys, The Lady with all the Answers: The Ann Landers Play, and the musical Working based on the Studs Terkel book. Weekly showings of classic movies continue, have switched from the last Friday of the month to the last Saturday — with showings bumped back if there’s play on. Check the theater website at for details of shows and films.