The oldest community theater in Southern Delaware, Possum Point Players is coming up on a 50th anniversary in 2023.
After adventurous, and sometimes challenging seasons in 2020 and 2021, Possums are once again comfortably situated indoors in their modern and comfortable theater in Georgetown.
A full mainstage season has already included productions of “12 Angry Jurors” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” and rehearsals for a June production of “Hay Fever” are underway. “Calendar Girls” will take the stage in September.
With Possums, volunteers perform most responsibilities of running a theater company — productions, fundraising and all fiscal records, property maintenance, public relations and membership building.
Two office staff aid the efforts, producing graphics and playbills, handling tickets, but set construction, concession inventory and operation, costume creation and management, and identification, installation and operation of technical equipment are all carried out by volunteers.
Positions in productions and on committees are open to volunteers. Auditions are open to the public. As stated in all publications and in actions, Possum Point Players value diversity in casting, as well as all other areas of the organization. Possums are pleased and proud to have talented actors of all ages from many Delaware communities and from surrounding states.
In addition to the mainstage season of five productions, Possum Point Players affiliates provide opportunities for many other theater experiences. Possum Juniors meet throughout the year and perform an annual summer production, sometimes one of their own design, often a musical or play that provides live entertainment for kids and families. PP Shakespeare Players, PPP Radio Theatre and Dreamers United are frequently asked to participate in community events. On the Edge provides exploration of lesser known or sometimes more controversial works.
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This year, excitement is growing and plans are in the works for 2023 50th Anniversary celebrations.
A $50 for Our 50th capital projects fundraiser started with the mainstage opening production and the donation temperature is rising on the symbolic thermometer in the theatre lobby. In October, a gala musical revue of songs from years of musicals at Possum Hall will raise the curtain on a year of anniversary happenings.
Five mainstage productions from the previous five decades of plays have been chosen and the onstage celebration begins this December with “White Christmas.”
In 2023, the season will reprise “Wait Until Dark,” “Big River,” “Social Security,” and “Ragtime.”
Auditions, rehearsals, meetings and readings go on at a nonstop pace in Possum Hall now, filling the calendar and spaces, but trustees on the executive committee and artistic committee still have to take a deep breath and reflect on 2020 and 2021. It wasn’t easy, but the group faced off the COVID pandemic and came out with less income, but healthy and active.
When many venues sadly closed their doors and ceased activities in spring of 2020, Possums paused, but never stopped thinking and talking theater to each other. With only one show of the regular season completed, directors were updated, some plays cancelled, most just put on hold and thinking literally went outside the box.
Dedicated to the oft-quoted adage of theater, the show must go on, Possum Point Players adjusted to the inconveniences and restrictions resulting from a pandemic as they figured out how to complete the 2020 season. They took the fall production of “Godspell” outside, and with masking requirements and socially distanced seating, finished the year indoors with an audience spaced out among stacks of holiday-wrapped gift boxes and ribbons and bows
Most Possum Point Players affiliates carried on with outdoor activities as weather allowed and then transitioned in 2021 to Zooms and virtual communications and participation.
Possum Juniors, PPP Radio Theatre, PP Shakespeare Players, Dreamers United and On the Edge remained active and are now welcome new members to join them back in the building.
Not to be deterred from producing full-scale live entertainment in 2021, even as COVID swelled, the Possums took it all outside and built a stage. The previously selected season was turned upside down, smaller productions with smaller casts and set requirements took its place.
Mainstage selections, Possum Juniors and On the Edge productions were performed under the sun and the stars from April through October 2021.
Yes, there were some very chilly evenings and, of course, a little rain. The shows went on.
A holiday production of “Elf The Musical” was back on the indoor stage in 2021 and all Possums are enjoying being under roof as 2022 moves along.
For more on the theater’s season, programs and anniversary plans, visit possumpointplayers.org
Rosanne Pack is a trustee and publicity chair for Possum Point Players.
