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Depot Theatre Academy Announces 2025 Programs

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2025 Season Begins with Performance Opportunity for Experienced Student Artists

Westport, NY —The Depot Theatre is pleased to announce its 2025 Academy outreach and education programs, beginning with a main stage performance opportunity for experienced student artists.

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.

Following a successful inaugural program in 2024, the Depot Theatre Academy outreach and education program will once again open the theatre’s main stage season, this time with a production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, with four performances on the Depot Theatre stage during the weekend of June 12-14, 2025. 

This special opportunity is for young artists ages 13 and older enrolled in school, inclusive of home school and college. The program will feature the same process that professional artists experience on the main stage, with competitive auditions and demanding rehearsals, culminating in performances on the Depot Theatre main stage.

The program will be led by a team of experienced professional teaching artists. It will be directed by Gigi Mason, Depot Theatre’s Director of Outreach and Education, live musical direction and accompaniment will be provided by music and drama educator Kim Weems, choreography by Jackie Robertin, and assistance from theatre educator and actor Amy Fitts, and workshops by a number of visiting professional artists throughout the rehearsal period. 

Auditions for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE will be held at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall on Sunday, March 30, from 10am – 1pm. There is no cost for participation. Interested participants should contact Gigi Mason at gmason@depottheatre.org to access audition preparation information. 

2025 ACADEMY SUMMER PROGRAM

The Depot Academy will once again offer a three week Junior program for artists ages 8-18. The summer program will be held July 21-August 7, culminating in three performances of THE WIZARD OF OZ: YOUTH EDITION on August 8-10 at the Whallonsburg Grange.

For the second time, The Depot Academy will again offer a program for new younger performers this summer. Lovingly dubbed “Munchkin Camp,” this opportunity for 5-8 year olds new to theatre will be a two week experience from July 28-August 7th at the Whallonsburg Grange, culminating with students performing with the Junior program as Munchkins in THE WIZARD OF OZ: YOUTH EDITION on August 8-10.

Details and registration forms for both age groups for the summer program will be available online at the depot.polaredgedesigns.com/ beginning April 15th.

“We’re thrilled to offer these three programs again this year,” said Gigi Mason. “From ages 5 through college, our young artists will have access to professional expertise on stage, and there will also be workshop opportunities for those interested in learning about various off-stage careers in the arts, such as technical disciplines.”

Tickets for the Academy performances of DROWSY CHAPERONE will go on sale on May 15 and will be available online or by calling the box office at 518.962.4449. For more Depot Theatre programming information and news, visit depot.polaredgedesigns.com/.

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The Depot Theatre Academy program for experienced student artists, with performances of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, is sponsored by THE MILL.

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ABOUT THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

When a die-hard theatre fan plays his favorite cast album, the characters come to life in this hilarious Tony Award-winning musical farce.

Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is a loving send-up of the Golden Age musical, featuring one show-stopping song and dance number after another. Hailed by New York Magazine as “The Perfect Broadway Musical,” THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is a masterful meta-musical, poking fun at all the tropes that characterize the musical theatre genre.

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 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. depot.polaredgedesigns.com/

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Staged Play Reading: THE THANKSGIVING PLAY to be held on March 9

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WESTPORT, NY —The Depot Theatre and the Westport Wadhams Community Alliance are pleased to present a staged play reading of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY on March 9 at 3pm at the Westport Heritage House. The reading is produced by Saranac Lake-based Adirondack Stage Rats.

Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scramble to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month.

Larissa FastHorse (a member of the Sicangu Lakota tribe) is a playwright and choreographer based in Santa Monica, California. In 2023, she became the first known female Native American playwright produced on Broadway with THE THANKSGIVING PLAY at Second Stage’s Hayes Theater.

The staged reading is directed by Beth Glover and features Peter Corley, Laura Farrell,
Tyler Nye, and Tara Palen.

The event is free and open to the public. The Westport Heritage House is located at 6459 Main St, Westport, NY.

 

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About the Adirondack Stage Rats

ADIRONDACK STAGE RATS is a collective of theatre artists and devotees dedicated to creating theatre that inspires, enriches, and educates residents of, and visitors to, our region. Utilizing minimal lighting & set pieces ADIRONDACK STAGE RATS creates “small-batch” personal, intimate, thought-provoking productions for adventurous, discriminating audiences. adirondackstagerats.com

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.” depot.polaredgedesigns.com/

About the Westport Wadhams Community Alliance

The mission of The Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance is to nurture collaborations among public and private entities and support economic growth, cultural vitality, and environmental sustainability in the Westport-Wadhams community. gowestportny.com

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Whallonsburg Grange and Depot Theatre Academy to present A CHRISTMAS CAROL radio play

Whallonsburg, NY — The Whallonsburg Grange Hall and the Depot Theatre Academy are pleased to present a return to a holiday tradition with a performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A  RADIO PLAY, on December 22, 2024, with live music and refreshments beginning at 2pm and the reading performance at 3pm. 

Based upon the novel by Charles Dickens, this performance will be a radio play reading complete with live sound effects, featuring local artists and professional actors.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public, and donations will be gratefully accepted to benefit the BackPack Program.

“The region’s residents look forward to the annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Grange,” said Mary-Nell Bockman, Grange manager. “It’s a holiday tradition for all ages, and we’re delighted to again help raise funds for the BackPack Program in our local schools, the best kind of holiday spirit.”

“The Depot is pleased to return to the Whallonsburg Grange to add some theatrical magic to the season and to support a great cause,” said Kim Rielly, Depot Theatre executive director. “As the longtime home of our summer Academy outreach and education program, we’re thrilled to be part of this annual community gathering!” 

The BackPack Program currently serves nearly 4,700 students in 220 schools across 22 counties in New York. Administered locally by Essex County Adirondack Community Action Programs (ACAP), the BackPack Program helps alleviate child hunger by discreetly providing hungry children with backpacks full of nutritious and easy-to-prepare food on Friday afternoons so they have food to eat throughout the weekend.

For more information, visit the Whallonsburg Grange Hall website at www.thegrangehall.info or the Depot Theatre website at www.DepotTheatre.org. 

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Depot Theatre awarded 2025 NYSCA Funding

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Depot Theatre Academy students performing in SHREK JR, 2024.

A portion of NYSCA 2025 funding will support teaching artists for the Depot Theatre Academy outreach and education programs. (2024 performance of SHREK THE MUSICAL JR. Photo courtesy Betsy Bacot.)

Westport, N.Y. — The Depot Theatre in Westport, NY was awarded a $25,000 Support for Organizations grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The funding will support infrastructure and staffing for both the Depot’s main stage and Academy outreach and education programs for the 2025 fiscal year.

“We’re grateful for NYSCA’s continued support of the Depot Theatre and our mission,” said Kim Rielly, the Depot Theatre’s Executive Director. “As the Adirondacks’ only professional Equity theatre, this vital funding will support the artists and infrastructure that are necessary for us to continue to drive significant cultural and economic impact in our community and the greater region.”

Through New York State’s continued investment in arts and culture, NYSCA has awarded $82 million this year to 509 artists and 1,497 organizations across the state.

“As the unparalleled leader of arts and culture, New York’s creativity and innovation inspires the world,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investment in our dynamic creative sector will further boost tourism, strengthen our local economies, and continue New York’s success as a rich and vibrant place to live, work, and visit.”

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. The theatre’s upcoming main stage summer season and Academy opportunities will be announced in early 2025.

For more information about the Depot Theatre and its programs, visit depot.polaredgedesigns.com/.

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ABOUT THE NYS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award $162 million in FY2025, serving organizations and artists across all 10 of the state’s regions. The Council on the Arts further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources.

Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, on X @NYSCArts, and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.

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 2025 programming is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

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Staged Play Reading to be held at the Westport Heritage House

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WESTPORT, NY —The Depot Theatre and the Westport Wadhams Community Alliance are pleased to present a staged play reading of ADMISSIONS by Joshua Harmon on November 16 at 3pm at the Westport Heritage House. The reading is produced by Saranac Lake-based Adirondack Stage Rats.

ADMISSIONS is a new play in which main character Sherri Rosen-Mason is head of the admissions department at a New England prep school, fighting to diversify the student body. Alongside her husband, the school’s Headmaster, they’ve largely succeeded in bringing a stodgy institution into the twenty-first century. But when their only son sets his sights on an Ivy League university, personal ambition collides with progressive values, with convulsive results. A no-holds-barred look at privilege, power, and the perils of hypocrisy.

The staged reading is directed by Beth Glover and features Fran Yardley, Laura-Jean Swanson, Tyler Nye, Laura Menzie, and Peter Corley.

The event is free and open to the public. The Westport Heritage House is located at 6459 Main St, Westport, NY.

Meet the Cast


Peter Corley (Charlie Luther Mason) recently played Harrison in Analog & Vinyl at The Depot Theatre. In the last year he appeared in two Martin McDonagh plays, as Katurian in The Pillowman and Ray in Beauty Queen of Lenane, as well as George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, Billy in Stoppard’ s The Real Thing and Fred/Young Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, all in Northwest NJ. He’s a graduate of the musical theater program at New York’s Circle in the Square, where he played Konstantin in The Seagull, Cooper in Island Song, and as guest artist alum returned for productions of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and LaChiusa’s See What I Wanna See

Laura Menzie (Ginnie Peters) is thrilled to join the ADK Stage Rat’s for another reading. Previous acting credits with the Rats include Blackbird and Radiant Vermin. Laura has also worked with Pendragon Theatre, Saratoga Shakespeare, Titan Theatre Company, Stages Rep, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Franklin Stage, and others. She has also worked in Mexico with Icaro Teatro and in the UK with TCSquared Theatre Company. Laura currently teaches Acting and Voice and Speech at Skidmore College. For more information visit lauramenzie.com

Tyler Nye (Bill Mason) spent his summer in Westport performing Every Brilliant Thing at the Depot Theatre. Previously with the ADK Stage Rats: readings of None of the Above and Radiant Vermin. His credits at Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake include Our Town, Doubt, Deathtrap, Baskerville, and Shipwrecked!. Other regional favorites include The 39 Steps and See How They Run. Tyler grew up in the Adirondacks and appears as Uncle Drosselmeyer in the North Country’s Nutcracker. Off-Broadway: The Mystery of Irma Vep, Twelfth Night, The Glass Menagerie. Off stage: Associate General Manager at Lake Placid Center for the Arts. tylernye.com

Laura-Jean Swanson (Sherri Rosen-Mason) has several acting, directing, and choreography credits from NYC and Mpls, MN. She has been associated with over 30 Pendragon theatre productions and is a SUNY Plattsburgh Theatre Department professor. An improv specialist, she leads improv therapy sessions with Veterans and teen groups. LJ also does production work through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Fran Yardley (Roberta) is delighted to be involved with yet another marvelous Stage Rats Production with some of her fave fellow actors. Some past roles include Fanny in Painting Churches, Kimberly in Kimberly Akimbo, Sister Aloysius in Doubt, and Abby in Arsenic and Old Lace. Fran’s memoir/history, Finding True North, explores her fifty years in the Adirondacks woven with the history going back to the mid 1800s. Thanks to Karen and Beth for creating a generous space for us all to aspire to really terrific theatre.

Beth Glover, Director (she/her) Her passion for theatre began with a Southern upbringing that valued storytelling. Directing credits: Analog & Vinyl at Depot Theatre, Honky Tonk Angels at Pendragon Theatre, 9 to 5at SUNY Plattsburgh, Southern Comforts & Bakersfield Mist for Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts & Adirondack Stage Rats, Wicked City & Heroes for Depot Theatre, and more for Adirondack Stage Rats, co-founded with Karen Lewis. Selected acting credits: 6 Broadway National Tours, Off-Broadway, Goodspeed Opera House, Papermill Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Co. of DC, etc. Favorite roles: Blanche, A Streetcar Named Desire, Big&Lil Edie, Grey Gardens (BACC Award Best Actress). Complete credits: www.Beth-Glover.com

About the Adirondack Stage Rats

ADIRONDACK STAGE RATS is a collective of theatre artists and devotees dedicated to creating theatre that inspires, enriches, and educates residents of, and visitors to, our region. Utilizing minimal lighting & set pieces ADIRONDACK STAGE RATS creates “small-batch” personal, intimate, thought-provoking productions for adventurous, discriminating audiences. adirondackstagerats.com

 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.” depot.polaredgedesigns.com/

About the Westport Wadhams Community Alliance

The mission of The Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance is to nurture collaborations among public and private entities and support economic growth, cultural vitality, and environmental sustainability in the Westport-Wadhams community. gowestportny.com

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Depot Theatre’s country musical PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES serves up rollicking fun

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WESTPORT, NY — The Depot Theatre in Westport is pleased to announce the cast of PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, a crowd-pleasing, country-western musical tribute to life by the roadside.

The production features a talented multi-tasking cast of singers/musicians who portray Prudie and Rhetta Cupp, the generous gals from the Double Cupp Diner, and the guys from the gas station ‘cross the road. PUMP BOYS received unanimous raves on and off Broadway (including on the Depot Theatre stage in 1997!).  

Pulling double duty as music director and actor, Alexander LaPlante will be playing the part of L.M. LaPlate’s previous credits include Theatre West End PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES (L.M.), Orlando Shakes MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET (Jerry Lee U/S), The Athens Theater Young Frankenstein (Fredrick), and The Orlando Family Stage ALLIE KAZAN AND THE MAGIC MANOR (Eric).

Alexander Peck will be playing the part of Jackson and guitar. He has varied credits in stage, television, and film as an actor and musician – as well as in orchestras in his native Canada, England, and the US. Among his theater credits are a previous Jackson in PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES at the Boarshead – Michigan Public Theater; Yepihodov (guitar) in THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Caldwell Playhouse; and the Fiddler in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at the Alhambra Dinner Theater, Florida. Numerous summer stock appearances include MAN OF LA MANCHA (two times), BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (also twice) as the Narrator, and he can be seen playing violin in several movies and daytime tv shows as a strolling restaurant violinist.

Addison Schuh makes her Depot Theatre debut as Rhetta. A recent graduate from Oklahoma City University, she is an NYC-based singer and actress. Some recent credits include Cinderella (INTO THE WOODS), Leilani (LEGALLY BLONDE), Julie Jordan (CAROUSEL), and Countess Helene (SHERLOCK & DAUGHTER; The CW Network 2025).

Bill Stokes returns to the Depot in the part of Eddie, having been in the orchestra for this season’s production of ANALOG AND VINYL. Bill started on violin at age nine and has been involved with music ever since. His credits include three summer seasons with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, teaching music in public schools, directing band and chorus, and in recent years has written a one-act musical. 

Michael Toperzer is making his Depot Theatre debut as Jim. His regional credits include MOONSHINE AND MISTLETOE (Rev. Nathe/Dewey/Jarret U/S), PASS/OVER (Mister/Ossifer U/S; Studio Theater DC), ROMEO AND JULIET (Friar Lawrence; CSC), ALICE IN WONDERLAND (The White Rabbit; CSC), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Oberon/Theseus, CSC), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Fred, CSC). Off Off B’way: THE LAST POET ON MARS (The Attendant; Brooklyn Actors Troupe), Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHT (Malvolio; Monday Theater Co.), and ROMEO AND JULIET (Tybalt, Paris; Verona).

Tiara Whaley will be playing the role of Prudie. Audiences will remember Tiara Whaley for her outstanding role as Rodeo Girl earlier this summer in the Depot’s production of ANALOG AND VINYL. Tiara is a Philadelphia-based actress and holds a musical theatre degree from West Chester University. Her favorite roles include Ti Moune (ONCE ON THIS ISLAND), Emmie Thibedeaux (CAROLINE OR CHANGE, Helen Hayes Outstanding Supporting Actress), Dorothy Gale (WIZARD OF OZ), and Heather Chandler (HEATHERS).

The production is directed and choreographed by DJ Salisbury, who has directed and choreographed over 115 shows across the USA and in Colombia. Favorites include LES MISÉRABLES (LA’s Scenie Award – Best Musical), THE FULL MONTY, RAGTIME, and THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES (10 productions!), MAN OF LA MANCHA, WEST SIDE STORY, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. DJ directed Disney composer Alan Menken’s Lincoln Center concert, an Off-Broadway rock musical, and numerous readings/workshops of new musicals in NYC.

“The simple, earnest relationships reminiscent of those in Mayberry, R.F.D. along with a bushel of original hummable songs — rockabilly to blues to folk — serve to make PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES the comfort food of musicals,” said DJ Salisbury, director/choreographer. “It’s just plain old, good-time entertainment.”

PUMP BOYS will run from August 8-25. Tickets can be purchased online at depot.polaredgedesigns.com/ or by calling the box office at 518.962.4449.

More details, information about the Depot Theatre Academy, and news updates can be found online at depot.polaredgedesigns.com/.

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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 2024 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, with additional support from the Essex County Arts Council Cultural Assistance Program Grant supported by the Essex County Board of Supervisors.

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.

 

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EVERY BRILLIANT THING – A Review

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Tyler Nye is a force in the Depot Theatre’s one-person production, EVERY BRILLIANT THING.

 

Adults with stacks of academic degrees from prestigious institutions have trouble understanding suicidal tendencies, so what chance would a child have? You might be surprised.

That’s the starting point of the one-person play, Every Brilliant Thing, which opened this weekend at The Depot Theatre. In it, an unnamed man, played by Tyler Nye, recalled his time as a youngster confronted with his mother’s attempted suicide, when he reacted as a youngster might: by trying to cheer up mom, in this case with a list of things that bring him joy. No. 1 on his list is ice cream.

Nye brilliantly expresses two emotions at once, as a patina of mirth tries to tamp down the great fear and uncertainty we sense roiling just beneath the surface. His co-star is the list itself, which grows by hundreds, then thousands upon thousands of entries of little things in life that are joyful.

Many entries on the list are called out by audience members, who also make brief stand-in performances as important people in the man’s life. The house lights remain on throughout the show, further integrating the audience into the performance. It is Nye himself who scoots among audience members pre-play to arrange their roles, which further breaks down the wall of separation between actor and audience.

As the walls of depression close around his mother, so does the demand for levity, as a self-defense mechanism if nothing else.

His list of brilliant things continues to grow and become part of him, a tool for communication, entertainment, and perhaps self preservation. As it expands into the hundreds of thousands, the list takes on an organic life of its own, and we wonder if the man is keeping the lengthy document alive or if it’s the other way around.

As we have come to know, illnesses physical and mental are often hereditary, and many a child has looked at an afflicted parent and wondered if that’s what’s in store for them. And maybe what has clearly become this man’s obsession is a clue.

Yet keeping these small, everyday nuggets of happiness at the fore is, in this case, an effective foil. There is beauty all around us if that’s what we choose to focus upon.

Every Brilliant Thing, directed by Chan Harris, is deliberately and effectively minimalist, leaving nothing but a couple of folding metal chairs to distract from the onstage emotion. In his notes, Harris says care is taken in the play to treat mental illness with the gravity it deserves, and in this it succeeds.

Critics might note that mental health is not that simple, that the hackneyed “but you have so much to live for” entreaties fail to understand that a positive outlook is no antidote for clinical depression.

But Every Brilliant Thing supposes as much; responding to a suicide attempt with visions of ice cream is indeed a child’s attempt to make sense of something that has no easy explanation. As the man’s list of things that make life worth living grows toward its one-millionth entry we know that the list isn’t for his mother, it’s for him — and for all of us who have been blessed with the good fortune of being able to choose whether we are happy or not. It is the perfect message for today’s world.

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Tim Rowland contributed this review by the request of, and in collaboration with the Depot Theatre. Rowland is a journalist and New York Times bestselling author, whose humorous commentaries explore an eclectic variety of subject matter, from politics to history to the great outdoors. He and his wife Beth live on the Ausable River in Jay, N.Y.

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Depot Theatre brings EVERY BRILLIANT THING to the main stage

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Westport, NY — The Depot Theatre is pleased to announce the cast of its main stage production of EVERY BRILLIANT THING.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING is a feel-good show that ironically explores depression with the help of audience participation. It is a hilarious, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming play about the efforts of a young boy to will his chronically depressed mother to live by creating a list of all the best things in the world; everything worth living for.

Tyler Nye will play the role of the narrator in this transcendent one-man play. An Adirondack resident, Tyler is a familiar face with a long list of regional credits, including OUR TOWN, DOUBT, DEATHTRAP, AMADEUS, BASKERVILLE, and SHIPWRECKED! at Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, readings with ADK Stage Rats, including RADIANT VERMIN at the Westport Library, and THE 39 STEPS and SEE HOW THEY RUN at Saint Michael’s Playhouse. Off-Broadway credits include THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, TWELFTH NIGHT, THE GLASS MENAGERIE.

The play explores themes of depression and loss, but its central theme is the profound impact of seemingly small, beautiful things in our lives.

“We have done our best to approach this production with sensitivity and care, recognizing the delicate subject matter of mental health,” said Chan Harris, director. “It has been our aim to portray these themes with authenticity and respect, while also highlighting the play’s message of hope and resilience. Our wonderful Depot team has collaborated closely to ensure that every moment on stage is truthful and impactful.”

“When you experience EVERY BRILLIANT THING you’ll appreciate how anxious we were to find an actor who could win over an audience without acting; a relatable everyman who makes us feel safe, and makes us laugh about serious topics,” said Beth Glover, half of the Depot Theatre’s Artistic Production Management team along with Karen Lewis. “As much as Tyler is our guide, director Chan Harris — a Depot alumnus — has been equal parts his conductor and his pilot in this diamond of a theatrical balancing act. Together they’ve created a memorable performance you won’t forget.”

Performances will run from July 18 to August 4. A portion of opening weekend ticket sales will be donated to the Essex County Suicide Prevention Coalition. Tickets can be purchased online at depot.polaredgedesigns.com/ 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 depot.polaredgedesigns.com/.

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EVERY BRILLIANT THING
July 19 – August 4, with a $25 Preview on July 18
By Duncan Macmillan
With Jonny Donahoe

RATED: PG-13 (themes of mental health and suicide)
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Mountain Lake PBS 

“Every Brilliant Thing” is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint. (www.dramatists.com)

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 2024 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 Essex County Arts Council. The Depot Theatre 2024 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.

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ANALOG AND VINYL – A Review

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Tiara Whaley, Peter Corley, and Aja Downing in the Depot Theatre’s ANALOG AND VINYL.

A strength of the Depot is its perfect pitch for knowing when to poke smoldering social issues and when to let sleeping dogs lie. There are so many eye-averting troubles we must confront today at every turn that the luxury of escapism feels to be just what we needed.

Analog and Vinyl is a light and welcome beach-read of a musical that asks little of us, except that we sit back and enjoy an evening free of worldly encumbrances.

The scene of Analog and Vinyl is a vintage record shop operating out of a defunct convenience store, and from the get-go the set makes us happy — nostalgic posters of Steppenwolf and such, papering over walls that retain the garish 7-Eleven color scheme.

This is the lonely stamping grounds of the stressed Harrison, played by Peter Corley, whose lot in life is a blind devotion to the pressed albums of old that have lost out to the inferior but more convenient strains of the digital world.

Peter Corley

Corley aptly channels his inner Eeyore while still maintaining an appropriate hint of optimistic light (not an easy balancing act, but Corley pulls it off), by way of a stone cold assurance that one of these days the unwashed masses will see the error of their ways and come flocking to his store for LPs. (We in 2024 America know that, theoretically, he was right, and somehow this knowledge makes Harrison both more endearing and situationally valid.)

Helping Harrison in the shop, or trying to, is the air-headed Rodeo Girl (Tiara Whaley) who is a bubbly, amusingly difficult to explain presence. Though the plot of Analog and Vinyl is a bit uneven in spots, we’re all having fun so it can remain an article of faith that loose ends will eventually be tied and inconsistencies reconciled, at least close enough for a rom-com.

Tiara Whaley

Whaley skillfully takes a puzzling character and layers on complexities that grow as the show goes on, culminating in A&V’s best moment, Whaley’s rendition of “Vinyl Boy,” which brings down the house.

But the most delicious role of The Stranger is saved for the superb Aja Downing, who knows exactly what to do with a choice part. Of course you can’t spell “stranger” without s-a-t-a-n, and sure enough, the stranger has an offer that Harrison and Rodeo Girl can’t refuse. Or can they?

Aja Downing

As the two wrestle with their difficult decisions, more of their veneers crumble away and reveal tear-shedding vulnerabilities that make us feel far different about them than when they started out.

Director Beth Glover keeps the show hopping with levity until the plot can build momentum of its own. Also keeping toes tapping is a talented orchestra — Jane Boxall on drums, Bill Stokes on bass, and Andy Tompkins on guitar, with keyboards and music direction by Valerie Gebert — playing a lively score that is kind of essential to a show about a record shop.

THE ORCHESTRA –  (L-R) Valerie Gebert, musical director and keyboards; Andy Tompkins, guitar; Jane Boxall, drums; Bill Stokes, bass.

All told, the show leaves us far happier than when we came in, and not many diversions today can make that claim. Circumstances being what they are, the Depot’s Analog and Vinyl is a refreshing oasis from our cares in a day and age when, for a little carefree fun, we might even sell our souls.

 

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Tim Rowland contributed this review by the request of, and in collaboration with the Depot Theatre. Rowland is a journalist and New York Times bestselling author, whose humorous commentaries explore an eclectic variety of subject matter, from politics to history to the great outdoors. He and his wife Beth live on the Ausable River in Jay, N.Y.

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Depot Theatre’s ANALOG & VINYL opens 2024 main stage season

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WESTPORT, N.Y. — The Depot Theatre in Westport, New York, is pleased to announce the dynamic cast of ANALOG & VINYL, the first production in the theatre’s 46th season main stage lineup.

ANALOG & VINYL is a musical rom-com romp with a memorable score infused with the influences of Elvis Costello, the Beatles, and Brian Wilson. It’s a delicious, devilish tale of Harrison, a young record shop owner, Rodeo Girl, the seemingly spacey—yet weirdly wise—hipster obsessed with him, and a mysterious stranger who rocks their world with an offer they might not be able to refuse.

The part of Harrison is played by Peter Corley. This past year Peter appeared in two Martin McDonagh plays, as Katurian in THE PILLOWMAN and Ray in BEAUTY QUEEN OF LENANE, as well as George Bailey in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, Billy in Stoppard’s THE REAL THING, and Fred/Young Scrooge in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, all in Northwest NJ. He’s a graduate of the musical theater program at New York’s Circle in the Square, where he played Konstantin in THE SEAGULL, Cooper in ISLAND SONG, and as guest artist alum returned for productions of I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, and LaChiusa’s SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE.

Aja Downing plays the role of The Stranger. Downing graduated from The American Musical Arts Academy in 2016. Some of Aja’s previous roles were Annette in TJ LOVES SALLY 4 EVA, Lorrell in DREAMGIRLS, Jojo in CHERCHEZ LA FEMME, Cassandra in ALEX AND EUGENE, Christine Daè in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Aida in AIDA, and Ella Baker in BAYARD: A NEW MUSICAL.

Tiara Whaley will play the role of Rodeo Girl. She is a Philadelphia-based actress and holds a musical theatre degree from West Chester University. Her favorite roles include Ti Moune (ONCE ON THIS ISLAND), Emmie Thibedeaux (CAROLINE OR CHANGE, Helen Hayes Outstanding Supporting Actress), Dorothy Gale (WIZARD OF OZ), and Heather Chandler (HEATHERS).

“We saw so many amazing actors at our New York City auditions – any number of them could do a fine job in ANALOG & VINYL,” said Beth Glover, the show’s director and part of the Depot’s Artistic Production Management team. “But these three talents, Tiara, Peter, and Aja, not only knocked it out of the park, they knocked us out with their vocals and scene work. ANALOG & VINYL is dear to us and we love watching this joyful enthusiastic cast bring this funny, smart, heartfelt story to life, and we’re certain you’ll love it, too.”

The musical will be backed by a top-notch pit band led by Valerie Gebert, Director/Conductor/Keyboardist with National and International Tours of Broadway musicals including SIX, THE LION KING, WICKED, ANASTASIA, CINDERELLA, FINDING NEVERLAND, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, CABARET, JOSEPH……, SOUND OF MUSIC, WEST SIDE STORY, A CHORUS LINE and HELLO, DOLLY! Other members of the band are Jane Boxall (drums), Andy Tompkins (guitar), and Bill Stokes (bass).

ANALOG & VINYL will run from June 27 through July 14. Tickets can be purchased online at depot.polaredgedesigns.com/ 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 depot.polaredgedesigns.com/.

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Analog & Vinyl
June 28 – July 14, with a $25 Preview on June 27
Music and Lyrics by Paul Gordon
Book by Paul Gordon & Michael Berresse

RATED: PG-13 (Language)
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: The Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation

Analog and Vinyl is presented by special arrangement with Uproar Theatrics
www.UproarTheatrics.com

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 2024 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 Essex County Arts Council. The Depot Theatre 2024 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.

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Our Mission & Vision

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.

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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.

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