By Melissa Arnold
When a playwright starts working on a new script, they carefully describe the setting, time period, and each character. They may provide information about a character’s intended gender, age, physicality and singing voice. These traits are meant to serve as guides for directors as they select actors for the show.
All this might sound simple on paper, but in reality, it means that an otherwise talented actor may not be a good fit for certain roles. This is especially true for older adults, where opportunities for people in their age group are unfortunately few and far between.
The Community Playhouse of Northport (CPN) works hard to create an atmosphere that’s welcoming to all kinds of actors, especially those with little to no experience. Each summer, they host a special “Bucket List Production” of a classic musical with a unique twist – all the lead actors are over 45, and all the ensemble members are over 30.
For people who have passed the age threshold for many theatrical roles, the accommodation is a dream come true.
The Bucket List shows began last summer, when a dedicated group of theater families formed the not-for-profit Community Playhouse of Northport. Their predecessor, the Northport Community Theater, was dissolved in 2021.
“Many of us were friends before CPN formed — some of us were previous performers or had kids who knew each other from community theater,” said Amy Schombs, who handles publicity for the group. “We thought it might be fun to create an opportunity for those of us who’d like to be onstage but are often not in the right age group, or maybe they’ve never had any theater experience before.”
This year’s Bucket List Production is Pippin, an energetic and surprising tale following the son of the historical King Charlemagne as he searches for fulfillment in young adulthood.
It’s also a show-within-a-show — the majority of the characters are part of a talented, sometimes zany group of performers who bring Pippin and Charlemagne’s story to life. This dynamic allows smaller ensemble roles to take center stage, which isn’t typical in a musical.
Schombs is also an ensemble performer for the show and admitted that getting onstage for the first time since high school was a big step out of her comfort zone.
“My mother took me to musicals all the time as a child and I grew up loving theater. I did some shows during high school and took a few acting classes in college, but that was it,” she recalled. “About 10 years ago, my then-teenage son decided to try out for his high school’s musical, and my whole family fell in love with theater.”
But it hasn’t been easy, she noted.
“At first it was really hard and intimidating, especially as someone who can’t read music and has no real experience. It’s been like speaking a foreign language at times,” Schombs said. “But it’s so much fun and I’m so glad I took a chance and decided to challenge myself.”
Scott Stevenson is in his early 70s, and thanks to Bucket List he’s making his theatrical debut as a comedic ensemble member.
“I’ve always enjoyed going to theater performances, and I’m comfortable onstage because I sing in a barbershop chorus based out of Five Towns College. I found myself going to shows and thinking, ‘You know, I bet I could do that,’” said Stevenson, who worked in the maritime industry prior to retirement. “My wife saw an advertisement for the Bucket List auditions in the paper and encouraged me to go for it.”
Stevenson showed up to audition and sang a few fast-paced bars of “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die” by Frank Sinatra. Not long after, he learned that he made the cast of Pippin.
“I’ve been so impressed with everyone in the group, and they’ve been so welcoming to me as a newcomer,” he said. “It feels wonderful to try something new. To anyone out there who has ever had the dream of performing, I would encourage them to get out there and do it. Don’t let the chance pass you by.”
Seizing the opportunity comes up often for the Bucket List cast, the majority of whom have day jobs, families and other responsibilities. Executive director Suzie Lustig couldn’t be happier to have them.
“It had always been a hope of mine to bring this [Bucket List] idea to the Playhouse,” said Lustig, who is also the organization’s CEO. “There’s a lot of incredible talent on Long Island, and it’s very competitive. It gets harder as you get older — someone who’s a novice at an older age may not have a shot at participating in some shows elsewhere.”
The cast includes teachers on summer vacation, an IT professional, stay-at-home parents, a psychologist and many more.
“This cast is phenomenally committed — everyone is so enthusiastic and brings so much heart because they really want to be there, even after working all day and sacrificing their summer nights and weekends to make it happen,” Lustig said. “They come from all walks of life, but the cast has become great friends through this production.”
Schombs hopes that visitors will take a chance on the unconventional performance, and maybe even consider auditioning in the future.
“I think there’s a bit of surprise for those who come to see us, because some people come in knowing we’re not experienced performers, but by the end we impress them with how hard we’ve worked and what we’ve been able to achieve,” she said. “Everyone should have items on their bucket list that push them and encourage them to try new things. I think the Playhouse provides an amazing way to do that.”
The Community Playhouse of Northport will present Pippin at 7:30 p.m. July 20 through July 22, with an additional 3 p.m. performance on July 22. Performances are held at the Harborfields High School Auditorium, 98 Taylor Ave, Greenlawn. Tickets are $15. To purchase or for more information about CPN and future Bucket List Productions, visit www.communityplayhousenorthport.org or call 631-683-8444.
