Country Dinner Playhouse - Programs and Photos from 1970 - 2007
The Country Dinner Playhouse, affectionately referred to as the "barn," staged almost 200 productions, from 1970 - 2007. Located just southeast of I-25 and Arapahoe Road south of Denver, the 470-seat dinner theater was a regular favorite of many in the area with its cafeteria styled buffet and its happy cast of Barnstormers (an entertaining pre-show song and dance troupe that were also the wait staff). The professionally produced musicals and comedy/mysteries helped to usher along the careers of some famous faces including moviestar, Amy Adams and Broadway stars, Annaleigh Ashford, Beth Malone and Rachel Kasper deBenedet. Mary Jo Catlett (who appeared in dozens of TV programs) and Ann B. Davis (best known as the housekeeper on the TV show the "Brady Bunch") also hit the boards at CDP, as well as TV star and Englewood High School graduate, Lee Horsley (starring as private investigator Matt Houston in the 1980s). And, more recently, Melissa Benoist, the current star of TV's "Supergirl" who appeared on the CDP stage as a child performer. Bill McHale (affectionately referred to as "Papa" Bill) was the venerable, lengendary director of CDP's productions for 30 years. An actor/singer himself, McHale performed in a handful of shows at the barn in addition to being the director. He retired in 2000, 7 years prior to the theatre's closure, after directing 142 productions.
