About Us

Founding Members
John Sherrick, Christine E. Rock, Karen Padden, Rob Padden, Paul Winarski, Dawn Winarski, Kelly Clisham, Paul Clisham

About The Bracken Theatre Company
The Bracken Theatre Company was founded in 1997 by a group of local theatre veterans who wanted to chart new artistic waters. Their first production of The Diary of Anne Frank was featured at the Jewish Community Center in Wilkes-Barre, and set the course for their eclectic talents. As they near their 11th anniversary, they are proud to look back on their achievements.

About Bracken
Lord Jonas Bracken was an actor in the late 17th century with the Blackfriar's theatre company in London. He became notorious for his salty language and his oft inebriated rehearsals. It is popularly believed among underground literary circles that it wasn't Bacon that secretly wrote Shakespeare's plays, but Jonas Bracken. Well, him and a roomful of monkeys. Lord Bracken was a true renaissance man. He discovered the inert gas, Xenon, introduced the word "gadfly" into the English language, invented a steam powered toe-nail clipper and convinced people to settle in New Jersey.

When the founding members of The Bracken Theatre Company incorporated as a non-profit theatre in 1997, they wanted to channel the spirit of Jonas Bracken and his subversive character. Plus, no one would let them say F**K onstage. Thus, with their first show, The Diary of Anne Frank, a show with nary a f**k in it, The Bracken Theatre Company set out to perform little or rarely performed works that focus on the complexity of language and characterization. Bracken's bold choices have marked them as fearless champions of the first amendment, artistic freedom, and wild theatrical abandon. (not to mention heavy drinkers).

While they do not currently have a physical "home", the company is still alive & trying to raise some children without damaging them too terribly much. Look for them in the future once they get riled up after a few more offensive emails. (If you have a basement, garage or condemnded building that would be suitable for performance space, please contact them. If you need entertainment for a child's party, senior citizens center or church function . . . well, maybe not.)

Click here to view a full listing of our previous shows, or return to our main page to read about our current shows.

© 2008 Bracken Theatre Company