Luke Wehner in the Depot Theatre’s production of CHESAPEAKE.
Long before this thing called woke, long before we had come to understand that all the world’s problems could be solved with pronouns, there existed a simpler time in which culture-war villains had real brick-and-mortar office buildings with actual staff and budgets funded by hard-working, god-fearing taxpayers. Read more
WESTPORT, N.Y. — The Depot Theatre in Westport, New York, is pleased to announce the cast of CHESAPEAKE, the second production in the theatre’s 45th season main stage lineup.
CHESAPEAKE features ONE wildly versatile actor, who brings alive a string of disparate characters who argue completely polar perspectives on the value of art, politics, and the mysterious connections between dogs and their humans. Hilarious and delightfully otherworldly, this show draws its title from the Chesapeake retriever targeted in a heist gone wrong.
In his Depot Theatre debut, Luke Wehner will be playing all of the characters. Luke recently returned from a West Coast run of HAND TO GOD at CVRep. Previously, for his performance in HAND TO GOD at Dobama Theatre, Luke received a Cleveland Critics Circle nomination and was included in Scene Magazine’s Best of Cleveland Theatre 2017. Together with Allison Wick, Luke co-founded Hunger Theatre Company. His theatre credits include THE CRUCIBLE and EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT at Hunger Theatre; JOHN, PETER AND THE STAR CATCHER at Dobama; A CLOCKWORK ORANGE at Hubris Theatre Company; and DOG SEES GOD at Inner Circle Creative.
“This is a role that demands a lot from an actor: someone who can create different characters (at one point four of them are in conversation at the same time), someone capable of dynamic storytelling, someone who can deliver the wild hilarity of the comedy in this piece, and someone who wins over our hearts with gentility and sincerity and heart,” said Michael Glavan, Depot Theatre’s Artistic Production Manager. “We are so lucky to have found Luke Wehner, who delivers all of that and more. His bold and imaginative creativity in collaboration with CHESAPEAKE veteran and our production’s director Craig Joseph make this piece a wild, exciting, fun, and touching piece of theatre!”
CHESAPEAKE will run from July 20 through August 6. Tickets can be purchased online at DepotTheatre.org or by calling 518.962.4449.
The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, NY, and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association.
For more information about the Depot Theatre’s main stage and Academy youth programs and for news updates visit DepotTheatre.org.
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Chesapeake
July 21 – August 6, with a $25 Preview on July 20
By Lee Blessing
RATED: PG-13
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Mountain Dog Restaurant & Pub
About the Depot Theatre
The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, N.Y., and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. In addition to its volunteer board of trustees, the theatre depends on the support and generosity of its loyal donors, volunteers, and community members. Committed to promoting and providing exposure to the performing arts in the Adirondacks, the Depot Theatre invites all to “Take a journey without leaving the station.” The Depot Theatre’s 2023 programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
This season is made possible, in part, by the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant supported by the Essex County Board of Supervisors.
The Depot Theatre 2023 Season is sponsored by the Rogers-Carroll Family Foundation.
The Depot Theatre Academy is a robust educational experience for area youth and a pathway for those interested in pursuing a profession in theatre—whether that’s backstage or on stage.
WESTPORT, N.Y. — The Depot Theatre in Westport, NY, is pleased to announce its 45th season lineup, which includes two hilarious and thought-provoking plays and a nod to the Depot’s anniversary with a classic musical from its very first season.
Lights go up on the main stage on June 29th with WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME. Upbeat and quick-witted, a middle-aged woman recounts traveling the country as a fifteen-year-old speech and debate champion. She takes the audience on a fascinating and gut-wrenching journey, ending each performance with a unique, live debate against a student on the subject of the U.S. Constitution. The show will run from June 29 through July 16.
The season continues with CHESAPEAKE by Lee Blessing, in which ONE wildly versatile actor brings alive a string of disparate characters who argue completely polar perspectives on the value of art, politics, and the mysterious connections between dogs and their humans. Hilarious and delightfully otherworldly, this one-man show draws its title from the Chesapeake retriever that plays an integral role in a heist gone wrong. Performances run from July 20 – August 6.
The season ends with the world’s longest-running Off-Broadway musical and one from the Depot Theatre’s very first season, THE FANTASTICKS! This show is a quintessential celebration of love, its enduring mysteries, its sweet simplicities, and all the foolish ways we tend to mess it up. Boasting a cherished score of classic tunes, including “Try to Remember” and “Soon it’s Gonna Rain,” the season’s finale runs from August 10-27.
“This season conveys a message collectively about meeting one another on a shared level and moving forward together,” said Michael Glavan, Depot Theatre Artistic Production Manager. “And as a bonus, each production tells a story with a solid dose of comedy!”
The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, NY, and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association.
2023 Season Passes will go on sale on April 15, 2023, and can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 518.962.4449. Individual tickets will be available beginning June 1. More details, information about the Depot Theatre Academy summer youth program, additional events, and news updates can be found online at DepotTheatre.org.
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ABOUT THE DEPOT THEATRE
The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, N.Y., and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. In addition to its volunteer board of trustees, the theatre depends on the support and generosity of its loyal donors, volunteers, and community members. Committed to promoting and providing exposure to the performing arts in the Adirondacks, the Depot Theatre invites all to “Take a journey without leaving the station.” The Depot Theatre’s 2023 programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by the Adirondack Foundation – Generous Acts Fund and the Essex County Arts Council. The Depot Theatre 2023 Season is sponsored by the Rogers-Carroll Family Foundation.
The Depot Theatre Academy is a robust educational experience for area youth and a pathway for those interested in pursuing a profession in theatre—whether that’s backstage or on stage.
What the Constitution Means to Me
June 30 – July 16, with a $25 Preview on June 29
By Heidi Schreck
RATED: PG-13 (discussion of domestic abuse and sexual assault)
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Mountain Lake PBS
“What the Constitution Means to Me” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com
Chesapeake
July 21 – August 6, with a $25 Preview on July 20
By Lee Blessing
RATED: PG-13
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Mountain Dog Restaurant & Pub
The Fantasticks
August 11 – August 27, with a $25 Preview on August 10
Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones
Music by Harvey Schmidt
RATED: PG
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Chazy Westport Communications
The Fantasticks is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are supplied by MTI.
www.mtishows.com
Mission: The Depot Theatre is to entertain, enrich, and educate through professional theatrical arts and related programs based in a historic train station.
Vision: The Depot Theatre will have a robust, regional, and year-round presence by creating the highest of quality programs, building strong partnerships, and enhancing community engagement while promoting diversity in all that we do.
Get the latest Depot Theatre News!
The Depot Theatre receives funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
With special thanks to the following for their support of the Depot’s ongoing strategic objectives: Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust, Cloudsplitter Foundation, J.M. McDonald Foundation, Inc., Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, Charles R. Wood Foundation, Adirondack Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Rogers Carroll Family Foundation, Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation.
