Red Barn Theatre Opens 58th Season with New Nightly Pre-Show Music, Three-Production Summer Lineup
The Red Barn Theatre a mile east of Frankfort on Kelly Road will open its 58th season on June 10, 2026, introducing nightly live pre-show music for all evening productions for the first time in its history. Red Barn this summer will present three productions — including a Broadway musical and a stage thriller — with talent drawn from a record pool of more than 500 actor audition submissions.
The theatre, founded in 1968 by Martin and Carol Ann Henderson, is one of only about four remaining summer stock barn theaters in Indiana, and its leaders say growing audience demand and new community residents are fueling fresh momentum heading into the summer.
“Our goal is for people to walk in with a smile,” said Andi Slipher, Master Landscaper and Outreach Coordinator. “I want them to walk out with a bigger one.”
A Packed Season Takes Shape
The 2026 lineup includes “The German Tropics” written by Michael Taylor, “Wait Until Dark” in a 2013 stage adaptation, and the musical comedy “Something Rotten.” Michael Taylor, artistic director for the non-profit organization, said show selection is intentional. “You don’t want to go to a buffet and it’s all green beans,” Taylor said.
Producing each show carries significant financial weight. Taylor said costs for a single production run between $20,000 and $30,000 or more before some of the most visible expenses are even factored in. “You’re putting money down before you’ve bought a costume or fed anyone,” he said.
The theater operates as a non-profit, relying on grants, ticket sales, and private donations to sustain operations. This season’s sponsors include Bailey Trucking as the season-wide sponsor, with Farmers Bank and Design Hub supporting opening weekend, Zachary Confections sponsoring the second production, and Encompass Credit Union sponsoring the third. “We are non-profit and we survive off of grants, ticket sales, and donations,” Slipher said. “I want to say thank you to everyone that thinks the barn is important.”
Live Music Added Nightly This Summer
Among the most visible changes this season is the addition of live pre-show music every evening — not just on opening nights, as has been the custom in past years. Presented by Heather’s Flowers and curated by Michael Clawson, the performances will run from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. ahead of the 7:30 p.m. curtain. A stage has been built specifically for the performers, and picnic tables and chairs will be available for audience members.
Auditions Drew 500-Plus Submissions
Slipher said interest in performing at the Red Barn has never been stronger. This year the theater received more than 500 audition submissions from actors across the country — and Michael Taylor watched every one personally. “If they’re gonna take the time to send it and do that work, I want to take the time to give them the respect,” he said.
Among those cast are actors from Florida and New York, as well as one performer whose parents are flying in from Utah to see the show. Once hired, cast members do far more than perform. Actors help build sets, seat patrons, park cars, and prepare the facility. Taylor described the experience as intentional. “When you leave here, I hope you learn something — and it may be that you learned something you want to carry on for the rest of your life, or you learn something that you say, ‘I never want to do that again,'” he said.
The tradition of community integration runs deep. Historically, actors have boarded with local families during the summer run. A house on South Clay Street still has writing on the attic walls from actors dating back to 1969. Slipher said that after eight weeks of working together, the ensemble becomes more than a cast. “After spending eight weeks together, it’s just like a family,” he said.
Rooted in Community, Reaching Beyond It
The Red Barn draws audiences from well outside Clinton County, with regulars traveling from Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, West Lafayette, and Kokomo. Out-of-state license plates are common in the parking lot on performance nights.
The founding family connection to the theater also continues. Joe and Erma Maish provided the original barn built in 1908 for the theater in 1968. His granddaughter has since moved back to Frankfort so her son can have the same experience she had growing up — and her parents traveled from Virginia to help prepare the barn for this season.
Russ Kaspar, owner of WILO radio/Kaspar Media Group and a member of local economic development boards, recalled performing in the theater’s first season as a ninth-grader in 1968, in a production of “Bury the Dead” under director Martin Henderson. The first season practiced and performed on the Frankfort High School Auditorium Stage. He said the theatre’s value extends well beyond entertainment. “The more you can crowd people with reasons to come to our area, work here, play here, live here, the better,” Kaspar said. Shan Sheridan noted that the Red Barn is a regular feature in economic development presentations alongside other community assets such as the downtown square, Camp Cullom, TPA Park, the Library, and the Hot Dog Festival and more.
WILO Party Line host Shan Sheridan also noted that the Lilly (LEAP) project — a reference to a major Eli Lilly expansion in the region — has brought new residents to Clinton County who are discovering the theater for the first time. “It’s part of the fabric of our community,” Kaspar said of the Red Barn.
Taylor echoed that sense of collective responsibility. “You have to jump in and be part of something,” he said. “Every little bit counts — every dollar.”
Tickets and additional information about the 2026 season are available through the Red Barn Theatre. Season opener performances begin June 10. Red Barn Summer Theatre can be reached at 765-659-1657. The Red Barn Website is: www.redbarntheatre.net
