ME & MY GIRL at LTOTS 1991 With me as Sir Jasper, with Whit Reichert, Phil Johnson and Anne Kanengeiser. Directed by M. Seth Reines
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL “Broadway in the Cornfields” 1957 – 2018+ was a star vehicle summer stock theater from 57′ to 86′. In 1987 it became a not for profit entity. and has continued producing continually since then on an AEA SPT contract. Founded by Guy Little Jr., it was the only AEA theatre between Chicago & St Louis and current Broadway stars Sierra Boggess and Josh Rhodes worked there in recent years while still students at Millikin University in nearby Decatur,IL. I was offered my AEA card by Artistic Director M. Seth Reines (who I had worked for at Wilson St East Dinner Playhouse in Madison, WIS) to play onstage in Little Me and Mystery of Edwin DROOD. My first appearance on stage as an Equity actor was in drag as Mrs. Eggleston. I also wrote the 3 TYA scripts for that Season’s TYA Series, musical versions of GOLDILOCKS & the THREE BEARS, The EMPEROR’s NEW CLOTHES, and a DROOD inspired murder mystery for children, WHO PUSHED HUMPTY DUMPTY?
Over the years, from 1988 to 2007, I would appear on stage countless times, appear twice as Scrooge in 1996 and 2007, direct mainstage, TYA, dinner theatre, and off season, and develop scripts for the TYA series.
The 2007 season when Artistic Director Seth Reines retired from LTOTS, was my last appearing in HAIRSPRAY, MY FAIR LADY, CRAZY for YOU, SOUND of MUSIC and LA CAGE au FOLLES, and directing my own versions of both WIZARD of OZ and CHARLIE & the CHOCOLATE FACTORY for the TYA series. Returning for CHRISTMAS CAROL in Nov 2007 to play Scrooge once again in the Sheldon Harnick / Michelle LeGrand version was my last visit to Sullivan and LTOTS.
Some Review Clips Over 20 Years….
NOISES OFF “Patrick McCarthy, a favorite at the Little Theatre in recent years, finally gets to do what he does best … He’s hilarious as a staggering drunkard portraying a two-bit burglar … With a fluid face like his, a straight man he’s not.” 1993
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL Theresa Churchill – DECATUR HERALD
MEET ME IN ST LOUIS “As Grandpa, showing a gift for playing kindly, mischievous old men without overdoing it.” 1993
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan,IL Carl Lebovitz – JOURNAL GAZETTE
GRAND HOTEL “Colonel Otternschlag, played admirably by Patrick McCarthy … the character McCarthy creates is always interesting with substantial nuance” 2003
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan,IL David Golden – The Herald & Review, Decatur
WHERE’s CHARLEY? Barry Anderson as Charley “teams up beautifully in a delicious cat & mouse game with Patrick McCarthy (Mr. Spettigue) as the fortune hunting suitor. Their timing is impeccable, they work hard, (and show it) and have a ball (and show it) And they stop the show” 2004
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan,IL Carl Lebovitz – JOURNAL GAZETTE
WHERE’s CHARLEY? “McCarthy as the twitchy, greedy ‘Mr. Spettigue’ … knows how to please a crowd” 2004
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan,IL Dan Hagan – The ADVANCE
THE BOYFRIEND “Patrick McCarthy, almost walking off with the show, as the leering, lecherous, liquor-loving lord.” (Brockhurst) 2004
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan,IL Carl Lebovitz – JOURNAL GAZETTE
DO PATENT LEATHER SHOES REALLY REFLECT UP? “Patrick McCarthy nails Fr. O’Reilly whacking heads affectionately and dancing in that eye-catching, eerie, angular way of his, like some unholy cross between Christopher Lloyd and Gene Kelly.” 2006
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL Dan Hagen – News Progress – Sullivan, IL
HAIRSPRAY “The two stars of the show, in my opinion, were Glory Kissel and Patrick McCarthy as the Female and Male Authority Figure … Patrick McCarthy made the usually small Male Authority Figure role into an extremely fun and memorable character! As Mr. Spritzer, he mumbled to himself and made the character look like someone who had no clue why they were there or what they were doing. His Mr. Pinky and Principal were just as funny; his personality with those characters had the audience laughing hysterically. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed his performance!” Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL 2007
broadwayworld.com Candleshoe2 blog post
CHRISTMAS CAROL Sheldon Harnick/Michel LeGrand musical version “this story always stands or falls with its Scrooge, and the Little Theatre has selected a man equal to the task – Patrick McCarthy … his delicious vicious wit at the beginning, and his wrenching, wounded plea for help for a second chance at the end. McCarthy knows how to make the former just false enough to be fun , and the latter just real enough to tug at your jaded heart.”
Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL Dan Hagen – THE ADVANCE – Sullivan, IL
Max in CABARET 1993 Summer Season at Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan, IL “Broadway in the cornfields” Directed by M. Seth Reines
PHOTO: Bobbie Best
LITTLE ME at LTOTS 1989 With Jack Milo as my son Junior Egleston. My first appearance on stage as an Equity actor was as Mrs. Eggleston. However, I also played Bernie Bauxbaum, The General and The Preacher in LITTLE ME.
BELOW: As Grandpa in MEET ME In St LOUIS 1993 at LTOTS
BELOW: Christmas Carol 1996 at Little Theatre on the Square as Scrooge, Marie Jagger Taylor as Christmas Past, Johnny Pruitt as Tiny Tim, Thom Cook as Jacob Marley
LTOTS 2003 GRAND HOTEL as Doctor Colonel
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