The History of Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska 1915-2005: From a Wilderness Tent to a Multi-Million Dollar Stage

263 Pages·2009·1.5 MB·English

by  Catherine J. Stadem

THE HISTORY OF THEATRE
IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 1915-2005
From a Wilderness Tent
to a Multi-Million Dollar Stage
Catherine J. Stadem
With a Preface by
John Strohmeyer
The Edwin Mellen Press
Lewiston •Queenston• Lampeter
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stadem, Catherine [J.]
The history of theatre in Anchorage, Alaska 1915-2005 :from a wilderness tent to a
multi-million dollar stage I Catherine J. Stadem; with a preface by John Strohmeyer ..
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index ..
ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-3882-8
ISBN-10: 0-7734-3882-3
1 .. Theater--Alaska--Anchorage--History--20th century. 2 .. Theater--Alaska--
Anchorage--History--21st century. L Title.
PN2277 .. A53S73 2009
792.09798'3 5--dc22
2009029302
hors serie.
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library ..
Front cover: Waitingfor Godot, January 200.3. Cyrano's Off Center Playhouse, Anchorage,
Alaska.. Private collection, Carl Johnson Photography Used by permission
Copyright © 2009 Catherine I. Stadem
All rights reserved. For information contact
The Edwin Mellen Press The Edwin Mellen Press
Box450 Box67
Lewiston, New York Queenston, Ontario
USA 14092-0450 CANADA LOS 1LO
The Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd.
Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales
UNITED KINGDOM SA48 8LT
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Preface by John Strohmeyer i
Acknowledgements v
Introduction 1
Chapter 1
The Early Years, 1915–1946:
Building the foundation of a cultural heritage 5
Chapter 2
Frank Brink, the “Father of Anchorage theatre:
Teacher, director, playwright and composer leaves lasting mark 13
Chapter 3
Anchorage Community Theatre:
A community of theatre for families endures 31
Chapter 4
Soldiers on Stage:
World War II brings talent to growing city 45
Chapter 5
Jack Wandell and the Anchorage Drama Lab:
Quality theatre versus the Red Scare 81
Chapter 6
Theatre Guild, 1970–1990:
Innovation’s heights and burnout 99
Chapter 7
University theatre:
Training artists for an uncertain future 111
Chapter 8
The Alaska Repertory Theatre:
A story of money and art 123
Chapter 9
Out North Theatre Company:
Out of the closet, into the spotlight 145
Chapter 10
Theatre for children:
Movement begins with parents 155
Chapter 11
Ups and downs:
1980–2000 and beyond in a boom-bust economy 167
Chapter 12
Cyrano’s, Eccentric Theatre Company and others look to 21st century:
The heirs of 1915 carry on 207
Epilogue 219
Bibliography 221
Index 223
List of Photographs

Cover
Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett, produced by Eccentric Theatre Company,
Cyrano’s Off Center Playhouse, directed by Dick Reichman, January 2003. From
left, Shane Mitchell (Vladimir), Jeff McCamish (Lucky), Wayne Mitchell
(Estragon), and in rear Jerry Harper (Pozzo).
Black and white
Photograph 1
View of tent city 1915, Ship Creek area, a settlement that became Anchorage,
Alaska. From the Marie Silverman Collection, Archives and Special Collections,
University of Alaska Anchorage.
Photograph 2
Shown in rehearsal is well-known motion picture and stage actor Charlton
Heston, who served in the Army at Fort Richardson, Alaska, during World War
II. Heston starred in The Male Animal, by James Thurber and Elliot Nugent,
produced by the Richardson Players, Fort Richardson Theatre, in February 1946.
The show was directed by Bruce Marcus, with a set designed by Lowell Brody.
Photograph 3
The cast of The Male Animal, by James Thurber and Elliot Nugent, produced by
the Richardson Players, Fort Richardson Theatre, featured Charlton Heston, and
the cast included Judy Bowers, Beulah Eli and Lt. Walter Heeb. February 1946.
Photograph 4
First meeting of Anchorage Little Theatre Group, 1946. The meeting took place at
the American Legion Log Cabin, a downtown venue sometimes used for stage
productions. By the time the group produced its second show, Thornton Wilder’s
Our Town, the Charter Members of Anchorage Little Theatre had grown to 58.
Photograph 5
Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, produced by Anchorage Little Theatre,
Anchorage High School Auditorium, directed by Frank Brink, June 1946.
Photograph 6
A scene from Detective Story, by Sidney Kingsley, produced by Anchorage
Community College Theater Workshop, Romig Hill Auditorium, directed by Jack
Wandell, January 1956. The first full-length play to be performed in the 2,000-
seat Romig Hill Auditorium (later West Anchorage High School Auditorium).
Photograph 7
A scene from Detective Story, by Sidney Kingsley, Anchorage Community
College Theater Workshop, Romig Hill Auditorium, directed by Jack Wandell,
January 1956. (See Photograph 6 for details.)
Photograph 8
The cast and crew of Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, produced by
Anchorage Community College Theater Workshop, Romig Hill Auditorium,
directed by Jack Wandell, April/May 1956.
Photograph 9
Journalist, actor, director and filmmaker Jack Wandell founded the Anchorage
Drama Lab and was active in the Anchorage theatre scene for a decade, beginning
in 1954.
Photograph 10
Arsenic and Old Lace, by Joseph Kesselring, produced by Anchorage Community
College Theater Workshop, Romig Hill Auditorium, directed by Frank Brink, set
designed by Betty Park, March 1957. Guest star Boris Karloff donated his fee to
support Anchorage theatre. Local cast included Ellen Maxon, Kay Garvine,
Robert Yates, William Trotman, Cecil Abbott and Donna Peterson.

Photograph 11
Look Homeward Angel, produced by Elmendorf Theatre Guild, McKinley
Theatre, Elmendorf Air Force Base, directed by Bryden Moon with set design by
Sol Gerstenfeld, February 1961. Cast included Martha Piper, James C. Hancock,
Bill Ferguson, Luis Howard, Gary Jackson, Bill Baker, Mary Lou Wilson,
Kathryn Hurley, Jo Downs, Bill Reguerira and Delores Hyskell.
Photograph 12
The most powerful recorded earthquake in U.S. and North American history
occurred in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 27, 1964. A banner advertising a
production of Our Town spanned Fourth Avenue, which was heavily damaged in
the magnitude 9.2 earthquake.
Photograph 13
After the Fall, by Arthur Miller, produced by The Guild of the Anchorage
Community College Theatre Division, Anchorage Community Theatre Quonset,
directed by F. Kenneth Freedman, February 1973.
Photograph 14
Hay Fever, by Noel Coward, produced by The Guild of the Anchorage
Community College Theatre Division, Sydney Laurence Auditorium, directed by
F. Kenneth Freedman, May 1973. Cast included Rick Goodfellow, Lily Ann
Nielsen, Luan Schooler, Paul Hindman, Janice Lee, Paul V. Brown, Jim Morrison
and Jewel Weien.
Photograph 15
Bulldog Drummond, by Gerald DuMaurier, produced by The Guild of the
Anchorage Community College Theatre Division, Anchorage Community Theatre
Quonset, directed by Steven Steenmeyer, November 1973. Cast included
F. Kenneth Freedman, Robbie Bangs, Jerry Tracy, Mike Liston, Jim Morrison and
Tom Keane.
Photograph 16
Hay Fever, by Noel Coward, produced by The Guild of the Anchorage
Community College Theatre Division, Sydney Laurence Auditorium, directed by
F. Kenneth Freedman, May 1973. Cast included Rick Goodfellow, Lily Ann
Nielsen, Luan Schooler, Paul Hindman, Janice Lee, Paul V. Brown, Jim Morrison
and Jewel Weien.
Photograph 17
My Blue Heaven, by Jane Chambers, produced by Arctic Moon for Out North
Theatre Company, ACTFEST 1985, Haines, Alaska, directed by Gene Dugan.
First produced in April 1985 by Out North at the Anchorage Museum of History
and Art, My Blue Heaven was the first known fully staged play in Anchorage with
a homosexual theme. After its successful Anchorage production, it was entered in
the Haines competition. Cast included Joyce Hollingsworth, Leslie Kleinfeld and
Michael G. Wilson.