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Joey Patton
A talented director, choreographer and actor, Joey Patton began his professional career at six months old as a model for Heinz Baby Foods. At age four, Joey Patton played the role of “Harlan” in the play “Life with Father,” his first stage production. Discovered by television producer Bob Reed, Joey Patton performed live on screen with future TV and Broadway stars Donna Douglas and Elizabeth Ashley. He found continued success on stage afterward, acting in leading and featured roles as “John Henry” in “The Member of the Wedding,” as “The Boy” in “Waiting for Godot,” and as “Kipps” in a Toronto production of “Half a Sixpence.” David Fulford, the producer of Canal Fulton Summer Arena, hired Joey Patton for three musicals and later invited Mr. Patton to help establish the Carousel Dinner Theatre in Ohio, which became the largest dinner theatre in America. Pursuing his interest in directing, Joey Patton staged numerous beloved productions at the Carousel, including multiple productions of “Annie,” “Evita,” “The Sound of Music,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “Hello, Dolly!” In addition to directing and choreographing plays and musicals at theatres across America, Mr. Patton has staged productions in countries around the world. Joey Patton directed a number of musicals in Tokyo’s Ginza district and became the first American director to be invited to direct a production in Singapore, where he staged “West Side Story.” Currently, Mr. Patton is preparing the new musical play, “Noel Coward, On Stage and Off.”
Joseph Patton's Publications
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The former Cherry County Playhouse, Joey Patton
March, 2011
by Joey Patton
Founded in 1955 by radio actress Ruth Bailey in Traverse City, Michigan, the former Cherry County Playhouse was a professional theater dedicated to preserving and expanding this art form, and making a substantial contribution to the local cultural scene. The Cherry County Playhouse, which closed several years ago, presented a full season of musical entertainment drawn from classic and modern musicals.
Ms. Bailey sold the theater to noted celebrity Pat Paulsen and Hollywood writer and producer Neil Rosen in the mid-seventies. Their collaborative efforts brought many stars of stage and screen to The Cherry County Playhouse, enlivening and expanding the Michigan theater’s scope. In 1991, the Playhouse moved to the old Frauenthal Center on the shore of Lake Michigan in Muskegon. This large, historic venue, noted for its wonderful acoustics, enabled the theater to mount lavish and large-scale productions that attracted distinguished artists of all kinds, including performers, directors, choreographers, and musicians, producing musical theater that was richly rewarding to audiences. Completely and carefully renovated in 1998, the theater was returned to its original splendor and provided a suitable home for exceptional theater.
During its years in operation, The Cherry County Playhouse debuted several significant theatrical productions, including Butterflies are Free, a play that enjoyed great success on Broadway. The Playhouse also offered an intensive apprenticeship program for young people interested in theatrical careers both onstage and backstage. Distinguished director and choreographer Joseph Patton maintained involvement in numerous productions at The Cherry County Playhouse, including Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, and Cinderella.
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