About the Chatham Theatre Company

 

 

The company was formed as a professional production company in March of 1982.  Janet Foote is the owner, her husband, Rod, is the business manager.  The company is named for the street on which she and her husband, Rod, live in Rome, NY.

 

The first years (late 70s) before the company organized, Rod & Janet produced and appeared in theatrical productions in various parts of the state including Rochester, Rome and The Thousand Islands.  The company was organized and registered as a professional production company of March, 1982.

 

The first two (1982-84) years the company produced its plays at The Beeches Restaurant in Rome, producing several plays.  Plays produced at the Beeches included Same Time Next Year, Vanities, Mary Mary, Butterflies Are Free and others.

 

The company moved to Beck's Grove in Rome in the fall of 1984 due to scheduling conflicts at the Beeches. (No hard feelings, we remained good friends and have often produced individual shows at The Beeches and Savoy  since then.) 

 

Following the retirement of Beck's Grove owner Linda Dunn and the subsequent closing of Beck's Grove in April of 2009, The company, after a 25 year residency at Beck's Grove, moved back to The Beeches and began full scale operations there in October of 2009.   

 

All actors and crew are salaried employees.  All company revenue is derived only from ticket sales.  The company is a tax paying business.  The company receives no grants or government assistance.

 

Virtually all of the company's esoteric or specialty costumes are original creations designed and constructed by Janet Foote, Wendy Hess  and Darlene Dixon.  The company has over 1000 costumes in stock.

 

The company has its own scene shop and rents over 3500 square feet of storage space for its sets, scenery and set furnishings.  Rod Foote is in charge of set design, construction, and technical design (lights, sound, special effects) and operation.  Janet Foote is in charge of set decoration, costumes and props.  Both share writing, producing and directing duties.

 

While at Beck's Grove, the company drew (as of Mar. 31, 2009) 249,156 in 2689 performances for a show average of 92.6 per show.

Beck's Grove seated 160 for dinner theatre.

 

Now at The Beeches, the company operates on a 32' wide fully curtained proscenium stage complemented by 32 channels of computerized lighting, 16 channels of sound for the stage and individual wireless mikes and multiple sequenced slide projection capability.

 

In years previous, the company also produced a touring Children's Theatre production every January and February for 5 years during the 90s.  These fully staged shows were presented in elementary schools all over New York State.  The company  last produced a Children's Theatre production for Rome Canal Fest Days in August, 2003.

 

In addition to its own productions, The company has worked on other shows.  It has twice designed and operated the lighting and sound for the Pat Boone Show, constructed a set for Beatlemania, and staged and lit several industrial shows.  Most recently we produced a special Air Force revue for veterans of Sampson AFB at their annual reunion and a performance of our original historical musical, "15 (More) Miles on the Erie Canal" for the veterans reunion of the aircraft carrier Oriskany.

 

Acting talent for Chatham productions is drawn from both local auditions and auditions held in New York City before every production.  The company maintains an apartment and car for out of town actors.

 

The company has been extremely fortunate over the years in retaining top quality talent for extended periods.  Several of the Chatham alumni have several hundred performances to their credit on the Chatham/Beck's Grove stage.  Two of the Chatham actors have over 1600 performances each with several more in the 300-500 range.

 

Of the more than 140 musicals, comedies, dramas and revues thus far produced by the company, 120 have been original scripts written either by Janet or Rod Foote.  Both have also composed several songs for the companies original revues and musicals.

 

Of the more than 100 actors who have been employed by Chatham, 58 made their professional debut with the company.  Many have since gone on, appearing on well known sitcoms as well as national and regional commercials.  Other alumni are often seen in national tours and film.

 

90% of the audience is drawn from tour groups from all over the US and Canada.  The local audience is mostly from the Oneida/Syracuse and Utica metro area.

 

Productions produced by the Chatham Theatre Company

Bold=Original scripts

 

A Little Traveling Music-04, 05

All This & World War, Too-87,89,92

Always, Patsy Cline-99

Any Wednesday-89

Around the World in 7 Fables-90

Autumn in New York-97

Barefoot in the Park-85, 88

Blithe Spirit-89

Branigan's Bar-02

Branigan's Blarney-04

Brother, Can You Spare a Song?-91

Butterflies Are Free-82, 86

Christmas at  Stage Door Canteen-93, 99

Christmas Fantasia-02, 09

Christmas Glories,  Christmas Stories-96

Christmas in Killarney-06

Christmas In Our Hometown-01

Christmas of '41-91

Christmas of '45-95

Christmas Star-05

Christmas Wonder, Christmas Joy-00

Come Blow Your Horn-91

Corpse-92

Cruisin' Through Bookland-94

Dining Room, The-88

Easter Parades & Serenades-96

Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal-06-07-08

Finnerty's Follies-00

Flanagan's Shenanigans-98

FolkTale Follies-93

Forty Shades of Green-05

Fourposter, The-84, 85

Golden Age, The-93

Grandma's House for Christmas-04

Grandpa was an Irishman-06

Great Day For the Irish, A-97

Harvey-86

Hat Full of Fables-89

Here We Come A-Caroling-03

Holy Smoke-91

Home For The Holidays-97

Honeymoon at the Hoerner Hotel-01

Hot Wars, Cold Wars and Good Times, Too-02  

I Do, I Do-87, 98

Importance of Being Earnest-87

Irish Folks & Follies-96-09

Irish Spring-03

It Had To Be You-85, 90, 95

I Ought To Be In Pictures-90, 97

I Want To Be Happy-86,90,99

Keep Your Sunnyside Up-91

Last of the Red Hot Lovers-83, 84, 90,95-08

Less Miserable-02

Little Mary Sunshine-87

Many Happy Returns-95

Marry-Go-Round-03

Mary, Mary-82, 92

Merry Little Christmas, A-98

Murder at the Howard Johnson's-89

Musical Memory Show I-97

Musical Memory Show II-97

Music Hall in Donegal, The-99

My Favorite Christmas-08

New Year's Eve Revues-85-present

Odd Couple, The-83, 85,93

Oktoberfest 96-96

Oktoberfest 97-97

Once Upon a Bookshelf-93

On Golden Pond-87

Owl & The Pussycat, The-82, 88,96

PartySho-90

Plaza Suite-88, 93

Samantha's Song-98

Same Time, Next Year-82, 83, 85

Sing of a Merry Christmas-94

Sleuth-85, 00

Song of Autumn-96

Spirit From a Christmas Past-92

Spring Forth!-98

Springtime Serenade-94

Star Spangled Girl-91,96

Sunshine Boys, The-86

Sweet, Short & Sassy-01

Sweet Sue-99

Thanks For The Memories-93

That Old Time Religion-97

Those Smilin' Irish Eyes-01-09

Tumbling Tumbleweeds-94

Two Times Two-00

Vanities-82

Wally's Café-94

Wee Bit 'O the Irish,-95

Weekend Comedy-98