Summer Tree
1984 · Triopia High School (the production also traveled to perform in Pittsfield)
Summertree — the published play by Ron Cowen — was staged at Triopia High School under Ken Bradbury's direction. Mounted in the round with the musicians seated in a pit in the middle of the stage, it is remembered as a bittersweet, ensemble-driven show.
Cast
- Paul Greenwald
- Greg Floyd
- Carey Coffman
- Dan Schone
- Troy Easley
- Christine Coffman (recalled by Tammy Guthrie as "Christina")
Tim Greene named the ensemble of "Summertree boys" — Paul Greenwald, Greg Floyd, Carey Coffman, and Dan Schone, plus Troy Easley.
Production Notes
- Written by: Ron Cowen
- Directed by: Ken Bradbury
- Presented by: Triopia High School
- Staging: a play in the round, with the musicians in a pit in the middle of the stage
Cast member Christine Coffman had been diagnosed with cancer. Refusing to miss her final play, she went onstage to do her part, then came offstage and collapsed — night after night. She died that summer, after school let out.
The cast once raced from a boys' track meet in Waverly across country to perform the show in Pittsfield; Gary Greene (Tim's dad) drove some of them, while others rode in Ken Bradbury's car.
Years later — in a February 11, 2015 email thread, as Ken was assembling a Lincoln Land play about the creation of Triopia — he asked Tim Greene to confirm who had been in the Summertree group. Tim recalled he had a scrapbook with a newspaper photo of the cast. Ken floated two further possible cast members, a "very blond kid... Sills?" and a "David," but neither was confirmed.