Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 2017
A Christmas Story, 2018
Board of Directors
Les Miserables, 2014
The Sauk's mission is to enrich our community through shared theatrical experiences that inspire, nurture, challenge and educate artists and audiences.
The Secret Garden, 2022
Our Mission
The Sauk would like to acknowledge and thank the following organizations for their support of our organization and our programming:
Belles (Performed Live Online), 2020
Many Thanks...
Lord of the Flies, 2019
President - Tim Ambrose (2026)
Vice President - Gianna Green (2027)
Secretary - Mandee Leigh Howard (2027)
Treasurer - Angie VanBuskirk (2026)
Trustees:
Cyndi Baldermann (2026)
Meaghan Bryant (2025)
Allison Cleveland (2027)
Bruce Crews (2027)
Kristi Gautsche (2025)
Josh Lightner (2026)
Aaron Guest (2026)
Tracy McCullough (2025)
Tiffany Thatcher (2025)
Executive Director: Trinity Bird
The Sauk Board of Directors will meet the following dates in 2024 at 7 p.m. at the Sauk Theatre, 240 E. Chicago St. in Jonesville.
- Wednesday, December 18
- Wednesday, January 15
Each year, The Sauk awards one long-time volunteer with the Clint Johnson Award in recognition of outstanding contribution to the organization. Those awarded are:
2024 - David Trippett
2023 - Janet Dunham, Susan Nawrot
2022 - Travis Blatchley
2021 - Gay Shaw
2020 - Kay Linebrink
2019 - Jody VanderYacht and Ron Jones
2018 - Kristin Hood
2017 - Joan Van Arsdalen
2016 - Kathi Boyle
2015 - Deb Smith
2014 - Peggy Youngs
2013 - Rickie Freeman
2012 - Michele Harmon
2011 - Trinity Bird
2010 - Jan Mackie
2004 - Mary Jean Dulmage
2003 - Luanne Bremer
2002 - Ron Boyle
2001 - Helen Gallup
2000 - Harland Wood
1999 - Walt Schray
1998 - Patrice Hudson
1997 - Beth Rials
1996 - Dave Rickard
1995 - Kristi Gautsche
1994 - Monty Powers
1993 - William Rials
1992 - Robert Webber
1991 - Scott Baker
1990 - Robert D. Fox
1989 - David Holcomb
1988 - H. Paul Carter
1987 - Fran Tipton
1986 - Russ Holcomb
1985 - Gloria Vear
1984 - David Griffiths
1983 - Dr. Charles "Bud" Vear
1982 - Doug Spike
Escanaba in Da Moonlight, 2018
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, 2023
The Sauk established the Bud Vear Scholarship in 2019 to honor local students who have made theatre a vital part of their lives. The recipients are:
2024 - Meaghan Bryant
2024 - Evalyn Gray
2024 - Stephen Peterson
2023 - Emmalynn Ambrose
2023 - Melissa Nichols
2022 - Maria Birzer
2022 - Madison Osbourne
2022 - Isabella Smith
2021 - Morgan Blonde
2021 - Emily Crews
2020 - McKenna Dietz
2020 - Kaylee McCoy
2019 - Gretchen Birzer
2019 - Lauren Routledge
For information about the Bud Vear Scholarship, please contact the Hillsdale County Community Foundation.
Big Fish, 2016
The Fantasticks, 2009
The Sound of Music, 2023
The Giver, 2021
Clint Johnson Award Winners
Sweet Charity, 2012
Mainstage
My Fair Lady - January/February
Oklahoma! - June
Jesus Christ Superstar - August
The Outsiders - October
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - December
SaukSeconds
Small Mouth Sounds - March
Sauk Shorts - April
Girls' Weekend - September
Summer Family Fun Production
Winnie The Pooh - July
Special Events
Michigan AACTFest: Mockingbird - February/March
The 24-Hour Theatre Project - May
Plays-in-Development - July
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: Richard III - November
Mainstage
Criminal Mischief (AACT NewPlayFest) - February
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - July/August
Anastasia: The Musical - October
SaukSeconds
Icarus/Pandora and the Sickle Moon - June
The Lifespan of a Fact - August
Summer Family Fun Production
Special Events
Teen Theatre Project: Mockingbird - April
The 24-Hour Theatre Project - April
Plays-in-Development: Nothing Gold - September
Plays-in-Development: Holiday & Sweet Life - September
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing - November
Our 2023 Season
Mainstage
The Play That Goes Wrong - February
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express - May
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - July/August
SaukSeconds
Summer Family Fun Production
Special Events
Plays-in-Development: The House & The Lost Recording - April
Plays-in-Development: The Lion in the Snow Globe & With Regards to Marty McFly - April
The 24-Hour Theatre Project - September
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: Measure for Measure - November
Staged Reading: Criminal Mischief - November
A Night of Improv Comedy - November
Mainstage
Cheaper By The Dozen - February
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella - August
Steel Magnolias - October (rescheduled from February 2021)
SaukSeconds
Tony N' Tina's Wedding - March/April (rescheduled from March 2020)
Desert Song (world premiere) - September
Summer Family Fun Production
Special Events
The 24-Hour Theatre Project - May
A Night of Improv Comedy - May
Plays-in-Development: Living & The Challenge/A Shore of Abundance - July
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor - November
Special Projects
Mainstage
Peter and the Starcatcher - August
Anne of Green Gables - December
SaukSeconds
Summer Family Fun Production
Special Events
A Night of Improv Comedy - May
24-Hour Theatre Project - June
Plays-in-Development: Their Great Magic - June
Plays-in-Development: Dessert Song & Pre-Existing Condition - June
The Cure (at Hillsdale County Fairgrounds) - September
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: Shakespeare 101 - November
Special Projects
Mainstage
On Pine Knoll Street (world premiere) - February
Charlotte's Web - September (at Hillsdale County Fairgrounds)
Love, Loss and What I Wore - October (at Woman's Congress Building)
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus: A Radio Play - December (online production)
SaukSeconds
Belles - June (online production)
Sauk Shorts - July (at Slayton Arboretum)/November (online production)
Weekend Comedy - August (at Slayton Arboretum)
Special Events
Living Room Monologues - March/April (online monologues)
Plays-in-Development - May (presented online)
Special Projects
2019
Mainstage
Nana's Naughty Knickers - February
Disney's Beauty and the Beast - June
Mamma Mia! - August
Lord of the Flies - October
A Christmas Carol - December
Second Stage
The Laramie Project - March
Sauk Shorts - April
The 39 Steps - September
Special Events
Michigan AACTFest: The Flower Girls (Act One) - March
A Night of Improv Comedy - May
Plays-in-Development: On Pine Knoll Street - July
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare: Twelfth Night - November
2018
Mainstage
Escanaba in Da Moonlight - February
Annie - June
Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - August
Anatomy of a Murder - October
A Christmas Story - December
Second Stage
Marvin's Room - April
Sauk Shorts - May
The Flower Girls (world premiere) - September
Special Events
A Night of Improv Comedy with GoProv - May
Plays-In-Development - June
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company: As You Like It - November
2017
Mainstage
The Beverly Hillbillies - February
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - June
The Full Monty - August
The Sunshine Boys - October
It's A Wonderful Life - November/December
Second Stage
Doubt, A Parable - March/April
Sauk Shorts - May
Does This Show Make My Butt Look Fat? - September
Special Events
A Night of Improv Comedy with GoProv - May
Plays-In-Development: On Art, Trees, The Flower Girls & Twelve Wild Swans - July
Pigeon Creek Shakespare Company: King Lear - November
2016
Mainstage
M*A*S*H (at Phillips Auditorium)
Tarzan (at Markel Auditorium)
Big Fish
Holes
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Second Stage
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten (at Phillips Auditorium)
A Festival of One-Acts (at Phillips Auditorium)
The Guys
Special Events
GoProv (at Phillips Auditorium)
Plays-in-Development: Ember & Zombie Apocalypse: A Love Story
The Sauk Gala: An Evening with Bud Vear
2015
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
A Festival of One-Acts
GoProv
Titanic - The Musical
Plays-In-Development: Ephemera & The Inheritance
The Addams Family
The Mousetrap
The Homecoming
2014
Lost in Yonkers
A Festival of One-Acts
GoProv
Les Miserables
Godspell
The War of the Worlds
A Charlie Brown Christmas
2013
Shrek - The Musical (regional premiere)
The Apple Tree
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Miracle on 34th Street
2012
Sweet Charity
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Proof
Fiddler on the Roof
It's A Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play
2011 - 50th Anniversary Season
The King & I
The Drowsy Chaperone (regional premiere)
Twelve Angry Jurors
Frankenstein
Scrooge - The Musical
2010
Two By Two (co-produced with Branch County Community Theatre)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Bye Bye Birdie
Dracula
Narnia the Musical
The Lion in Winter (co-produced with Homer Community Theatre)
2009
Plays in May
The Fantasticks
The Sound of Music
Dial "M" for Murder
2008
Disney's High School Musical
Oliver!
Escanaba in Da Moonlight
On Golden Pond
2007
You Can't Take It With You
Barefoot in the Park
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (revised)
2006
Belles
West Side Story
A Little Princess
2005
Steel Magnolias
The Odd Couple
South Pacific
Cinderella
2004
Greater Tuna
Plays in May
Pippin
Our Town
The Music Man
2003
Talent Showcase
Plays in May
Footloose
Alice in Wonderland
Fall Funnies
2002
The Diary of Anne Frank
Plays in May 3.0
The Boyfriend
Damn Yankees
2001
The Miracle Worker
More Plays in May
I Do! I Do!
Grease
Fall Follies
2000
Seven Plays in May
Oklahoma!
Web of Murder
Beats Settin' Home (special concert)
1999
Jake's Women
The Sound of Music
Little Shop of Horrors
Beats Settin' Home (special concert)
1998
Noises Off
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Beats Settin' Home (special concert)
1997
A Thousand Clowns
Nunsense II
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Harvey
The Homecoming
1996
Arsenic and Old Lace
Babes in Arms
Nunsense
A Christmas Carol
1995
Patchwork/How to Eat Like a Child
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
The Music Man
Wait Until Dark
Christmas Crisis at Mistletoe Mesa
1994
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Foriegner
Oliver!
Crimes of the Heart
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
1993
Cheaper By the Dozen
Finian's Rainbow
Faith County
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
1992
Annie
Jeemie (original musical)
Brigadoon (co-produced with Coldwater Community Theatre)
A Christmas Carol
1991
My Son is Crazy - But Promising
The Lottery (original play)
Camelot
Same Time, Next Year
The Ransom of Red Chief
1990
Hello Dolly
Steel Magnolias
How to Eat Like a Child
1776 (co-produced with Coldwater Community Theatre)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
1989
The City Manager (original musical)
The Curious Savage
Carousel
1988
Annie Get Your Gun
Arsenic and Old Lace
Leader of the Pack
The Odd Couple (female version)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
1987
Godspell
On Golden Pond
Where's Charley?
Some Enchanted Evening
Babes in Toyland
1986
Grease
Anything Goes
The Last of the Red Hot Lovers
Scrooge's Christmas
1985
Ten Little Indians
California Suite
Bye Bye Birdie
Death on the Nile
The Music Man
Dinner Theatre Revue: Crème de la Crème
1984
The Wizard of Oz
The Importance of Being Ernest
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Something's Afoot
Falling Moons (world premiere)
The Sound of Music
Dinner Theatre Revue
Scrooge's Christmas
1983
The Hobbit
Barefoot in the Park
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Oliver!
Oklahoma!
I Do! I Do!
1982
Butterflies are Free
A Shakespeare Celebration
Kalamazoo Ballet in Concert
Harvey
My Fair Lady
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Sauk Theatre Showcase
Plaza Suite
1981 - Back at The Sauk
Spring Sauk Showcase
Kalamazoo Ballet
Little Mary Sunshine - first production back at The Sauk
The Good Witch of Boston
Brigadoon
Fall Sauk Showcase
The House on the Cliff
1980
Two By Two (at Woman's Congress Building)
Rodgers and Hart: A Musical Celebration (at Woman's Congress Building)
You Can't Take It With You (at Woman's Congress Building)
1979 - Fire closes the Sauk Theatre
Man of La Mancha (co-produced with Hillsdale College)
1978
6 Rms Riv Vu
The Change of Life (world premiere)
Fiddler on the Roof (co-produced with Hillsdale College)
The Mousetrap
1977
The Sunshine Boys
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Sauk Theatre Review
Guys and Dolls
The Prime of Miss Jean Brody
Peter Pan
Ten Little Indians
1976
The Moon is Blue
1776
America the Musical (world premiere)
Don Juan in Hell
1975
Come Blow Your Horn
Belles on Their Toes
Sleuth
South Pacific
Godspell
The King and I
Alice in Wonderland
Four In One
Fall Sauk Review
1974
The Odd Couple
Oliver!
The Wizard of Oz
Oklahoma!
The Fantasticks
Never Too Late
The Pajama Game
1973
Cactus Flower
A Thousand Clown
The Music Man
The Man Who Came to Dinner
1972 - First year at The Sauk in Jonesville!
The Fantasticks
110 in The Shade
Carousel
The Owl and The Pussycat
1971 - Final year at the Fairgrounds.
The Fantasticks
Once Upon a Mattress
1970
No productions.
1969
No productions.
1968
The Odd Couple
Barefoot in the Park
1967
Blithe Spirit
Never Too Late
Goodbye Charlie
1966
Bell, Book and Candle
Guest Cottage
Send Me No Flowers
1965
Come Blow Your Horn
The Sound of Murder
Ring Around Elizabeth
A Christmas Carol
1964
The Man in the Dog Suit
The Night of January 16th
Everybody Loves Opal
1963
The Curious Savage
Four Faces of Comedy
See How They Run
1962
Joan of Lorraine
The Moon is Blue
The Girls of 509
1961 - Our First Season!
Dirty Work at the Crossroads
Pursuit of Happiness