Freeport Theatre Festival gears up for summer season

At the Freeport Theatre Festival, the show must go on — even more so as the pandemic has produced new hardships for so many.

“The arts are absolutely essential for the spirit of people,” said Marushka Steele, who owns and operates the theater with her husband of over 40 years, Rennick Steele.

The theater salvaged much of its season last summer, despite the pandemic. They had to scrap one show, but still hosted two others, with the audience limited to about 40% capacity.

The couple said the arts were simply too important to do without, even as the pandemic forced them to revamp operations and limit attendance.

“This is what people need in tough times,” Marushka Steele said. “It was even more important last year.”

After persevering through a difficult year last summer, the Steeles are eager for a more normal season now. They’re hosting two shows and a junior drama camp this summer.

“This is a reentry into life,” Marushka Steele said.

The pair said they never even considered closing, even as they saw other businesses shutter because of pandemic restrictions.

Rennick Steele’s family has owned the farm where they live and operate the theater for generations. The theater used to be a tractor barn, said Steele, who can trace his family ties in the area back to the 1770s, when relatives fought for the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

“It’s important to demonstrate the spirit must continue,” Marushka Steele said. “You never give up. You never give in.”

This year marks their 32nd season operating the community theater.

“It’s difficult enough to do a show, but to do it under covid conditions, it was difficult,” Rennick Steele said. “Now it’s fun. Theater is supposed to be fun.”

Their first show of the summer, “The Rainmaker,” is slated to run July 9-11, July 16-18 and July 23-25, with all performances beginning at 7 p.m.

The Steeles described the show as a “tale of love and hope,” which is set in a western state on a summer day during a drought. In the play, Starbuck — a self-proclaimed Rainmaker — promises he can bring the rain.

Their second show, slated for the last three weekends of August, is “Bertha & Bailey’s Circus,” which Rennick Steele wrote with Chloe Marin, a Chatham student he worked with during a summer camp at the university. Steele has penned 20 plays and a musical, many about local history.

“Bertha & Bailey’s Circus” is a screwball comedy about two clowns — one who’s funny and one who is not. It’s an interactive performance that engages the audience.

“This season is about comic relief,” Marushka Steele said.

Tickets for both performances cost $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military and $10 for students and children.

The venue will be open at full capacity.

In preparation for this season, the couple renovated the barn-turned-theater.

They installed air conditioning, along with a new ceiling and drywall.

“It was a real barn, but now it looks like a theater,” Marushka Steele said.

The theater will also host a junior drama camp, geared for children ages 8 to 12. The tuition for the camp is $200, though there are scholarships available.

The camp runs from June 21 through June 25.

Participants will engage in theater games throughout the week, which culminates in a performance for family and friends.

“It’s to show kids acting techniques and stage presence,” Rennick Steele, a former school teacher, said.

The camp will be run by Jennifer Bronder, a drama and language arts teacher at Knoch High School who has directed 32 shows at the school, and Tom Abbott, a retired teacher who has directed over three dozen high school productions and six productions at the Freeport Theatre Festival.

The Steeles said they’re eager to welcome the community for another season — though it’s hard for them to watch as theaters haven’t fully rebounded everywhere.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time and we grieve when other theaters close,” Rennick Steele said.

The Steeles said they’re grateful that their theater is still alive. It operates as a nonprofit, with nearly everyone involved, including actors, volunteering.

“It’s a passion,” Marushka Steele said. “It’s what we like to give back to the community. We can’t donate millions, but we can give people shows that lift their spirits.”

Laurie Lindsay, who has volunteered with the theater for more than five years and watched several family members perform on their stage, was helping to clean before the start of the season. Their first rehearsal for “The Rainmaker” was scheduled for Tuesday evening.

“This is just a wonderful community theater,” Lindsay said. “There isn’t anything like it around.”

Lindsay said the shows are always family-friendly and described it as a “wonderful summer evening” activity.

“It’s always so much fun,” she said.

The theater is looking for more volunteers — from lightboard operators to box office workers. Because the theater is designated as a nonprofit, students can earn community service hours volunteering there.