The Barn Theatre’s Penelope Alex on the Past, the Present and the Future

Left: The Barn Theatre School in Augusta, Michigan. Right: Penelope Alex with actor and Barn Theatre alum Robert Newman. Richard Piet photos

Locals consider The Barn Theatre outside Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Michigan as a community gem. They enjoy an intense schedule of summer and fall shows, along with an end-of-season holiday show tradition.

Along with The Barn’s out-in-the-country, local flavor are much farther-reaching influences that have help shape the careers of actors whose names you know – some of whom keep coming back because they just love it.

Penelope Alex visits with TRPS about how they slogged through the pandemic closure, then rebounded in 2021 and 2022 to full schedules of comedies, musicals and thrillers – and how her family ended up in a movie.

Episode Resources

Barn Theatre School website

Raunch and Roll movie

Penelope Alex on IMDB

Famous Barnies

More Barn-related episodes:

From Genoa City to Kalamazoo: Robert Newman Returns to the Stage After Y&R
Guiding Light Reunion: Kim Zimmer and Robert Newman

The Richard Piet Show is a Livemic Communications podcast. 

Improv: It’s Not Just For Comedy Anymore

Improv: It’s Not Just For Comedy Anymore

Tara and Dann Sytsma with Improv Effects and Crawlspace Eviction Improv Comedy. Courtesy Improv Effects Ever been to an improv comedy show? it is amazing how an improv comedy group can work so cohesively that they can carry out a performance without a script. Even...

Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses

Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses

Author and Michigan tourism expert Dianna Stampfler returns on The Richard Piet Show, this time to discuss Michigan's Haunted Lighthouses - her book published in 2019. The awesome structures are fascinating in and of themselves, and harbor a rich history....

Detroit Auto Journalist Jeff Gilbert’s Top Picks for 2021

Detroit Auto Journalist Jeff Gilbert’s Top Picks for 2021

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Courtesy Stellantis. A new year is underway and maybe you're thinking about a new vehicle in your garage. Jeff Gilbert has been covering the auto industry in Detroit for WWJ-AM and CBS News for a number of years. Recently, we got...