There is something unmistakably different about live theatre when the stage sits beneath an open sky instead of a ceiling. This August, One Eleven Theatre Company is inviting the Grants Pass community to discover that experience firsthand as the local performing arts organization presents its first outdoor summer musical, transforming River Valley Redwood’s Outdoor Amphitheatre into an evening destination for music, storytelling and community gathering.
The production, Daddy Long Legs, will run for five performances between Aug. 21 and Aug. 29 at the amphitheater located on the River Valley Church Redwood Campus, 2193 Midway Ave. While audiences will certainly come to enjoy the performance itself, organizers hope each evening becomes something more. Gates will open at 6 p.m., well before the 7:30 p.m. curtain, allowing families, friends and couples time to spread out a picnic blanket, enjoy dinner together or visit the food trucks that will be available before the show begins.
For One Eleven Theatre Company, this production represents more than another title added to its season. It marks the company’s first venture into outdoor summer theatre, introducing a new setting that pairs live performance with one of Southern Oregon’s most enjoyable times of year. Rather than asking audiences to file into a traditional theatre, the company is taking advantage of the region’s summer evenings to create what it hopes becomes a memorable community tradition.
The choice of musical is equally intentional.
Based on Jean Webster’s enduring novel, Daddy Long Legs follows the remarkable journey of Jerusha Abbott, a bright and determined young woman whose future changes when an anonymous benefactor offers to pay for her college education. The arrangement comes with only one condition. She must write a monthly letter describing her life and experiences, even though she will never know who her benefactor is and should expect no reply.
Unable to put a name or face to the mysterious supporter, Jerusha affectionately invents one of her own: Daddy Long Legs.
As the story unfolds, the letters become more than simple correspondence. They chronicle a young woman’s education, personal growth and expanding view of the world while another important relationship quietly begins to shape her future. Jervis Pendleton, the uncle of one of Jerusha’s classmates, introduces her to new opportunities and experiences that gradually change the direction of her life. Unknown to Jerusha, however, a single truth remains hidden throughout her journey, one that ultimately ties every chapter of the story together.
The musical adaptation premiered in 2015 and features music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated composer Paul Gordon with a book by Tony Award-winning writer and director John Caird, whose work includes Les Misérables. Long before reaching the stage, the story had already earned generations of readers and inspired several film adaptations, including the 1955 motion picture starring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron.
Bringing the production to life in Grants Pass is a familiar team for local theatre audiences. Director Erica Bury and producer Tianna Eddy return after leading One Eleven Theatre Company’s recent production of Anastasia, joined by music director Katie Jarvis Shomler and a team of local designers, musicians and volunteers whose work will fill the outdoor venue with live music and theatrical storytelling.
Rachel Kostrna takes on the role of Jerusha Abbott after recent appearances in Oliver! with One Eleven Theatre Company and Twelfth Night with Rogue Valley Shakespeare Company. Opposite her is Josh Krull as Jervis Pendleton, returning to the local stage following performances in Anastasia and Barnstormers Theatre’s Every Christmas Story Ever Told.
The company says the outdoor setting was chosen with the community in mind, describing the production as “the perfect backdrop for a ‘family picnic,’ ‘romantic date night,’ or ‘girls night out!'” The amphitheater offers two seating options. Guests wishing to sit near the front are encouraged to bring a blanket or a low-profile chair, while the upper seating area includes traditional chairs, with visitors also welcome to bring their own.
River Valley Church’s Redwood Campus is serving as host for the production, making its outdoor amphitheater available for the performances. Organizers say food truck information will be announced through the theatre company’s website before opening night. Alcohol and other substances will not be permitted on the property.
General admission tickets are now available for $20, with opening night on Friday, Aug. 21 offered at a special $18 admission. Patrons who need easier access may also select a low-mobility seating location when purchasing tickets.
Whether longtime theatre supporters or first-time visitors, audiences will find something refreshingly different waiting this August. As daylight gives way to evening and the stage lights come alive beneath the Southern Oregon sky, One Eleven Theatre Company will introduce a new outdoor tradition that combines live performance with the simple pleasure of spending a summer night together in Grants Pass.