by Lorie Lewis Ham
Covering local theatre has always been an important part of what KRL does and we love uncovering something new. Recently, we had the chance to interview Cheryl Carlson, who is the founder and Artistic Director for one of the newer theatre companies in the area, The Village Barn Playhouse in Kingsburg.
KRL: How and when did this company come to be?
Cheryl: As soon as we moved into our home my husband and I knew the barn was the perfect place to start a theatre company, a longtime dream of mine. It was in the spring of 2020 that I connected with a friend who was also crazy enough to think we could do it! In December of 2020 we staged our inaugural production of Rajiv Joseph’s Animals Out of Paper, and just this year we officially became a 501C(3).
Cheryl Carlson at the Swedish Festival
KRL: Who else is a part of running the company?
Cheryl: The co-founders Liz and Tommy Statler now live out of state working at Oregon Shakespeare Festival but are still very supportive in many aspects of the business, along with our board of directors, and family friends who come from near and far to keep theatre alive in our dusty little corner of Kingsburg.
KRL: What is your background in theatre and the arts?
Cheryl: I have a BFA in Acting from Cal State Fullerton, lived and performed in Los Angeles after college until we moved back to the Central Valley. My goal has always been to run a small theatre company, so after training to be on stage, I’m learning the ropes of every aspect behind the curtain.
Their inaugural production “Animal’s Out of Paper” in 2020
KRL: What is your day job?
Cheryl: I have the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom to three amazing boys!
KRL: Are you from Kingsburg? If not, how did you end up there?
Cheryl: I grew up in Fresno, my husband is from Kingsburg. We connected while we were both at university down south and knew we wanted to make the move closer to family.
KRL: Why do you feel theatre is important?
Cheryl: I believe we as humans are all inherent storytellers. And anytime you’re telling a story or listening to a story there is one goal: connection. We have been doing it since the beginning of time. Whether reading a novel, teaching a lesson, making an old family recipe, singing a song, chatting around a campfire, or putting up a play in a barn, we are all constantly telling a story.
The Barn’s production of “Barefoot in the Park”
The unique quality live theatre has to offer is that no one show is the same. We are entering a space with the unspoken agreement to share an experience with the performers and audience members in the space with us. We may laugh together, make believe together, cry together, question all things minute and miraculous together, or simply just breathe together, and it’s that form of storytelling that just happens to be my absolute favorite.
KRL: Where do the shows take place?
Cheryl: Our barn is located in Kingsburg on road 36 south of Ave. 400.
The Barn
KRL: How many shows do you do a year? Do you plan to do more in the future?
Cheryl: We currently hold one production a year, our goal is to continue to expand – ideally having a 4-show season, and some summer enrichment programs.
KRL: Do you hold open auditions?
Cheryl: We have had invited auditions in the past, but plan to continue to cast more locally when we can accommodate larger cast sizes. If anyone would like to join our list they can email us at villagebarnplayhouse@gmail[dot]com and let us know! Our actors have come from all over to perform with us. Last year, our Kathy for The Last Five Years, flew out from New York to be at the barn, and our director had just flown back from NY after her directorial off-Broadway debut.
The Barn’s production of “The Last 5 Years”
KRL: Is there any particular type of show you hope to focus on?
Cheryl: We have performed drama, comedies, musicals and everything in between. We currently aim for shows with smaller casts, simply because of our production capacity, but as our team and resources continue to grow we hope to add on some larger scale musicals and classical theatre as well. I am a big fan of Shakespeare and hope to do more outdoor Shakespeare in the future.
KRL: When will your next show take place?
Cheryl: Our next show runs for one weekend only! October 25 – 27.
KRL: What is your next show?
Cheryl: The Rainbow Fish Musical, based on the book by Marcus Pfister. Perfect for ages TK-2nd grade. This is our first production for child audiences, and we are excited to welcome them!
KRL: Where can people find you online?
Cheryl: Our website is: thevillagebarnplayhouse.com And you can follow us on social media: @villagebarnplayhouse Instagram, or search for The Village Barn Playhouse on Facebook.
KRL: Anything you would like to add?
Cheryl: My vision for the barn is to create a special place for community and fellowship through storytelling. I strive to put up quality productions, have housed both union and non-union performers, and continue to set the bar high for our small theatre! If anyone is interested in being a part of what we are building, please reach out, as our goal is to continue to grow and make magic in our dusty little corner of town. We can’t wait to have you at the barn!
All photos provided by The Village Barn Playhouse.
Check out more local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. And don’t miss out on Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast where we feature mystery stories read by local actors!
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