Publicity Photo for "Bus Stop" at Playhouse on the Green

This black-and-white photograph shows actors posed on the stage of Playhouse on the Green (POG) for a publicity photo for the production of "Bus Stop," which ran from June 20-22, 1957. One actor stands the counter of a diner on the set, her arms outstretched, while seven other actors stand and are seated around the set. The empty, checkered seats of the theater are visible behind them.

The POG was central Ohio’s first professional theater, and operated north of Worthington during summer from 1955 through 1972. The theater was managed by The Columbus Theatre Company, with a director and Equity actors from New York City supplemented by central Ohio actors.

This and other photos of POG are from the scrapbooks of Bernice Warner Letson, in the collection of the Worthington Historical Society. She is notable not only because of her revolutionary home-based business selling worm castings all over the world, but also because of her involvement with POG, often hosting actors at her home for the season.

The photographer, William H. Shupe, photographed numerous people and locations throughout central Ohio.