The Barn Theatre in Augusta kicks off its landmark 80th anniversary season this Thursday with Escanaba in Da Moonlight, a beloved Michigan comedy by playwright and actor Jeff Daniels. Equity actor and director Patrick Hunter joins Cara Lieurance to preview the production and the full summer season ahead.
Hunter, a longtime Barn company member who stars as Ruben Soady in the opening show, explains that the comedy written by Daniels — founder of the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea — follows Reuben, who begins dismantling his family's time-honored rituals to break his losing streak, supernatural chaos ensues. "It's the story of a man who comes from a family that is steeped in their unique family traditions," Hunter explains, "and you have my character Reuben Soady , who is now about to become the oldest Soady in the history of Soadys to never get a buck."
Hunter emphasizes that beneath the physical comedy and low-brow humor lies genuine emotional resonance. "It's a play that has a lot of fun and interesting and compelling ideas and a lot of heart underneath all of the sort of sillier, high comedy moments," he says. The cast also features Luke Ragotzy, Charlie King, and Bruce Hammond — a Barn alumnus from the 1990s — alongside apprentice Mark Mumford, a current Western Michigan University theater student.
Escanaba runs Thursdays through Sundays (with 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. shows on Saturdays) through June 21. The new Thursday–Sunday format reflects audience demand, trading lower-attended midweek performances for an additional early Saturday show.
The season continues with Hunter directing the musical 1776 (June 25–July 5), timed perfectly for the nation's 250th anniversary; Disney's Frozen (July 9–19); Jonathan Larson's Rent, celebrating its 30th anniversary and carrying special meaning as Larson himself once served as the Barn's rehearsal shed pianist; Driving Miss Daisy; and Jesus Christ Superstar. Hunter notes that the Barn's apprentice program draws students nationally — from Yale, Arizona State, and beyond — calling the experience transformative. "They seek out the Barn because it is a unique program that has really produced a lot of very successful theater artists over the years, on stage and off."
Tickets and season packages are available at barntheatreschool.org. The capacity of the theater is 420 seats; early booking is advised, especially for Frozen.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
