Roseville's Rosetown Playhouse - A Community Treasure

When you are active in Community Theater, the holidays start early. 

It’s the time of year when theater groups across the nation – and maybe the world – are preparing their holiday shows.  The Rosetown Playhouse is no exception.

We are a theater family. The kids and I perform in shows with the Rosetown Playhouse Community Theater, while my wife participates behind-the-scenes in a number of tasks, including serving on their board of directors.

With auditions before Halloween, and rehearsals three times a week, Rosetown’s premier production of The Ultimate Santa (an original holiday musical by local playwright C.S. McNerlin) has my family thinking about the upcoming holidays and Santa Claus all the time.

It wasn’t always this way.  I’m a late bloomer when it comes to theater, making my stage debut at age 47. 

Prior to performing in Rosetown’s 2009 production of The Music Man, I had never been in a musical or play – ever!  I made it through high school on the “jock” side of the fence.  It pains me now to admit, but I never even attended our school’s productions back in my student days.

Like many new experiences one finds later in life, my introduction to theater was the result of my kids’ participation.  After driving them to a number of rehearsals for shows (Rosetown and others), it hit me:  I could do that!  No, I wasn’t cut out for a starring role, but I could certain sing (some), and dance (I thought) in the chorus – those large crowd scenes so important to many musicals.  

When we saw a postcard announcing auditions for The Music Man in 2009 – and “family auditions” no less, I said, “Let’s do it.”

Now I’m making up for lost time.  Since The Music Man, I’ve performed in two other summer shows – Oliver! and The Wizard of Oz, along with last year’s Christmas Carol. 

I love Community Theater for a number of reasons.  Rather than merely chauffeuring my kids around to the shows, we are participating together.  It’s a wonderful shared experience, something that’s hard to replicate in other activities. 

Community Theater is a great inter-generational activity.  Unlike other activities that are age or gender specific, theater provides the chance for 6-year-olds to act, sing, and dance alongside 60-year-olds. We all learn from each other. 

Community Theater is also a great way to meet new friends, or get to know old friends in new ways. Who knew that mild-manner parent of your child’s classmate could sing and dance like that!  In the end, it’s a true community building activity.

I know I’ll never make it to Broadway – but that’s only because I made my stage debut at age 47. One thing I do know: I expect many more Rosetown productions in the future. 

Come see us in action.  The Ultimate Santa will be showing at Roseville Area Middle School (RAMS) on December 2, 3, 9 & 10 at 7:30 p.m., and December 4 & 11 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, $8 students, and $5 for children under age five.  For more information, visit Rosetown Playhouse.