Plays Produced at the Barn Swallow Theatre
1985
Spoon River Anthology: Directed by Ada Barr and Karen Current

1986
Once Upon a Shoe and Charlotte’s Web: Directed by Ada Barr and Barbara Weeks
Charley’s Aunt: Directed by Ann Baldinger and Betsy Labar
Mame: Directed by Karen Current

1987
Mary Mary: Directed by Ann Baldinger
Velveteen Rabbit: Directed by Mary Germinder
Lil’ Abner: Directed by Ada Barr and Karen Currant

1988
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Directed by Pam Boepple and janet Stanage
Noises Off: Directed by JoAnn Boepple
45 Minutes from Broadway: Directed by Ann Baldinger

1989
Cinderella: Directed by Dianna Todd
Boeing, Boeing: Directed by JoAnn Boepple
Once Upon a Mattress: Directed by Ann Baldinger

1990
Tom Sawyer: Directed by Dianne Todd
Quilters: Directed by Ann Baldinger
Cabaret: Directed by Ada Barr

1991
Godspell: Directed by Bruce Vogel
Hansel and Gretel: Directed by Dianne Todd
Cole: Directed by Ann Baldinger

1992
Arsenic and Old Lace: Directed by Ashley Wagel
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Directed by Rob Babler
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: Directed by Pam Boepple

1993
Steel Magnolias: Directed by Pam Boepple
Dorothy, Meet Alice: Directed by Sally Westrate and Julie Hamilton
Ask Any Girl: Directed by Ann Baldinger

1994
Beauty and the Beast: Directed by Dianne Todd
The Music Man: Directed by JoAnn Boepple
You Can’t Take It With You: Directed by Tim Payne

1995
The Hobbit: Directed by Ann Barber
Anybody Out There?: Directed by Seyhan Kilic, Marge Rea and Ann Baldinger
Spoon River Anthology: Directed by Ada Barr and Barbara Weeks

1996
Ten Little Indians: Directed by Pam Boepple
Adventures of Beatrix Potter: Directed by Beverly Smith
Annie: Directed by JoAnn Boepple

1997
A Grand Night for Singing: Directed by Ada Barr
Once Upon a Shoe: Directed by Laura Maddox
The 1940’s Radio Hour: Directed by JoAnn Boepple

1998
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Directed by Ada Barr
The Monster Who Stomped Cassopolis: Directed by Beverly Smith
Orphan’s Revenge: Directed by Scott Johnson

1999
Love, Sex and the IRS: Directed by JoAnn Boepple
Rumpelstiltskin: Directed by Laura Maddox
Sweet Charity: Directed by Ada Barr and Pam Boepple

2000
Really Rosie: Directed by Laura Maddox
Barn Swallow Jamboree I: Directed by Beverly Smith

2001
Cabaret: Directed by Ada Barr, Karl Crisler, and Laura Maddox
Barn Swallow Jamboree II: Directed by Beverly Smith and Pam Boepple
Cheaper by the Dozen: Directed by JoAnn Boepple
Squabbles: Directed by Jim Keech

2002
Nunsense: Directed by Pam Boepple
Come Blow Your Horn: Directed by Marty Lukaszewski
How to Eat Like a Child: Directed by Kristin Bosler and Beverly Smith
Barn Swallow Jamboree III: Directed by Laura Maddox

2003
The Odd Couple (female version): Directed by Jim Keech
The Trial of Goldilocks: Directed by Laura Maddox
Damn Yankees: Directed by Ada Barr
Barn Swallow Jamboree IV: Directed by Beverly Smith


2004
Rough Bark: Directed by Ruth Andrews and Beverly Smith (July)
Radio Gals: Directed by Pam Boepple and Janice Merrill (August)
Barn Swallow Jamboree V: Directed by Beverly Smith (September)

2005
Waiting for the Parade: Directed by Ada Barr (June)
Unsung Holidays: Directed by JoAnn Boepple (July)
Seussical the Musical: Directed by James Jones (August)

2006
The Brave Little Rooster: Directed by Ruth Andrews and Bev Smith (July)
Once Upon a Mattress: Directed by Pody Gherardi and Laura Maddox (August)

2007
The Last Ten Years of Broadway: Directed by Aanika Jaggi and James Jones (June)
The Real Story of Little Red Riding Hood: Directed by Aanika Jaggi and James Jones (July)
Little Women the Musical: Directed by James Jones and Debbie Keller (August)

2008
Ladies of the Mop and I'm Herbert: Directed by James Jones (May)
You Can't Get There From Here: Directed by Alan Sawyer (June)
Zebra Swallowtail: Directed by Ruth Andrews (July)
The Pajama Game: Directed by James Jones (August)
Barn Swallow Jamboree VI: Directed by Bev Smith (September)

2009
An Evening with Jack Mathis: Directed by Brendon McCullin (May)
It's Murder in the Wings: Directed by Alan Sawyer (June)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Directed by Aanika Jaggi and James Jones (July)
Into the Woods: Directed by James Jones and Debbie Keller (August)
Barn Swallow Jamboree VII: Directed by Bev Smith (September)

2010
Fools: Directed by Alan Sawyer (June)
Willy Wonka Jr.: Directed by Bev Smith (July)
The Taffetas: Directed by Brendon McCullin (August)
Barn Swallow Jamboree VIII: Directed by TBA (September)

What began as a conversation between friends regarding a community theatre culminated in Barn Swallow Theatre in 1985.

One morning, at an after-church coffee, Ada Barr and Marjorie Federowski were talking and wondering if a community theatre could be established in Cass County.

A couple of months later Ada and Marj, along with Marge and Johnny Rodebush and Rachel Federowski, attended a performance at Enchanted Hills Playhouse in Syracuse, Indiana.  On the way home, the idea of a local theatre was again discussed.

Johnny Rodebush, who was a Cass County Commissioner, said, "What about those two old barns behind the county services building on Hospital Street?"

On Jume 12, 1983, Marj Federowski, who was on the Cass County Board of Social Services, presented the idea to the board, and Johnny presented it to the Cass County Board of Commissioners.

In July of 1983, the articles of incorporation were drawn up by Robert Craig, a local attorney.  There was a gathering of local people, and Carrie LaPorte was elected the first president.

After the articles of incorporation, the first Board of Governors was created in 1985.  They were:  Johnny Rodebush, John Gore, Pam Boepple, Armindo Mesko, Dr. Tom Rea, Marj Federowski, and Ada Barr, a local Ross Beatty High School English and Theatre teacher.

In 1988, two more governors were added: Karen Current and Barbara Weeks.

The first lease for the barn was written by Margeret Chiara, the Cass County Prosecuting Attorney at the time.  Our most ardent supporter was Marian Ritter, who encouraged, cajoled, and helped expedite our process.

Our first production was "A Spoon River Anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters, adapted by Charles Aidman.  It was directed by Ada Barr and Karen Current.

The show was performed "in the round," on the barn floor with four bales of hay placed by the four large posts marking the perimeter of the stage area.

It was a large cast of Cass County people, with some from Elkhart, Niles, and South Bend.  In performing "Spoon River," which is about the residents of a small community, we discovered the miracle of "community."  We felt that we WERE "Spoon River," with all of it's small-town triumphs, tragedies, and humor.

We also discovered that the old barn was full of magic.  Train whistles, the chirping of crickets and moonlight filtering in through the siding of the barn added to the ambiance and created the spell that was Barn Swallow.

We accommodated the many barn swallows (birds) in the basement of the barn, and one time we worked around a busy barn swallow mother bird, who twittered and screeched at us.  She and her babies left and we tried to bird-proof the upstairs of the barn.

Other little critters, mice, a rat here and there, cats, and raccoons were sometimes visitors and left their calling cards.

We had purchased the chairs from a church in Niles, and before the play took place, knee high dirty hay, a dead fox, and many spider webs and old bird nests were cleared out and the barn was washed down.

Community people of all trades and talents worked side by side to clean, install seats, electricity and to build dressing rooms in the old grain bins.  Ralph Labar, in particular, contributed much to the electrification of the barn.

Sid Ritter, Gene Montgomery, Dick Beckwith and others helped build staircases to the loft and decks on the back and side of the barn.

But this was only the beginning.  Much followed...
A History of the Barn Swallow Theatre (by Ada Barr)