The Mountaineers Players not only rehearse and perform shows at the beautiful Kitsap Forest Theater, they care for the property with volunteer labor and support from skilled helpers. The forest and weather is not easy on wood structures, and it takes time and money to keep the buildings around the property functioning.

At the theater we had roofs on dressing rooms that were 30 - 40 years old and had taken beatings with fallen branches and trees - as well as the weather. We have been working on replacing the roofs at the theater for the last year or so, and this fall we have replaced the roof on Harriet's (the men's dressing room) and are working on replacing the walls and roof of one end of the "long building" that had collapsed this summer.

Thanks to the expertise of Steve Bozorth and Vince Valin, Harriet's is covered with TPO (Thermoplastic polyolefin single-ply roofing membrane) that should protect Harriet's for many, many years. We still need to paint the eaves and the edges of the building - so there is lots of opportunities for more volunteer help. Let us know if you are interested.

We also had a collapsed roof this year at the end of the "long building" that also houses the women's dressing rooms and other storage. Steve and Vince have been working on this roof after volunteers helped tear down the rotten part of the structure. Steve put new studs on the walls and he and Vince are in the process of rebuilding the roof rafter structure. It was a much bigger project that originally thought.

Thanks to Steve and Vince and the many volunteers who have made this project move forward. And thanks to the Bremerton Rotary and the Keta Foundation for grant money to help fund this project. The actors next spring and summer will appreciate the dry spaces.

Please see our photo-gallery for more pictures from these projects.

The Mountaineers Players have been performing at the Kitsap Forest Theater since the 1920's. There is a long history of volunteers who have loved and cared for the theater and the property "up top" where the historic Kitsap Cabin sits. Read our history to learn some of what started this wonderful and long tradition. The Players spend many weekends on the Kitsap property rehearsing and performing shows, putting on summer camps - and caring for the property. Many Players live in tents or in the dorm during rehearsal and show weekends. We eat meals prepared by volunteer cooks in Kitsap Cabin, and we socialize, sing around the campfire, hike to Big Tree, and enjoy being in the forest environment.

To keep this place functioning takes many volunteers taking on many tasks. It's wonderful how some who audition for shows later become important volunteers who help with the maintenance of the property. We would like to highlight some of our many faithful volunteers.

Erik Lam was a performer in this spring's Fiddler on the Roof. His mother and sister were in last spring's Oklahoma! Erik decided to do his Eagle Scout project on the Kitsap property and asked where he could be the most useful. We decided that a great project would be clearing out part of a theater building where the roof collapsed this spring. In addition to falling trees and branches, the roofs at the theater take quite a beating with the weather - and this roof was over 30 years old. His crew worked two full days and hauled away over 3 tons of rotten wood and other debris. They also took 890 pounds of old metal to metal recycling. They accomplished in two days what would have taken us months to do. Erik and his uncle also built beautiful new benches for the Kitsap Cabin deck. The Mountaineers Players and the Kitsap Forest Theater thank Erik and his family for their incredible work on behalf of the theater. To see more pictures from this successful work party, please visit our photo gallery.

Joe Markovich auditioned with his family for Fiddler on the Roof this spring, and if you saw our show, he was one of the bottle dancers extraordinaire. He would practice by walking down the theater trail with his bottle on his head (and no - they were not attached). Joe is also an arborist, and he immediately saw that he could be very helpful on the property. Joe has spent quite a few volunteer hours cutting down dead trees that were threatening buildings (or people) and climbing high into trees to cut off dead branches. He brought a friend, Chris, several weeks ago to continue his work. Joe and Chris, we so appreciate you taking care of this amazing property.

We have many other long-time volunteers who have spent untold hours building, repairing and taking care of this property. We could always use more help and expertise. Please contact us to volunteer your time and resources.

This summer and fall we will be putting a finish on the yurt decks and doors, cleaning and painting a building on the property, and rebuilding the roof and rafters of the building at the theater. Come be part of a decades old Mountaineers tradition and volunteer your time and efforts to keep this theater alive for future generations!

Footloose, the Musical opened last weekend and has three more weekends to go. Michael Moore of the Kitsap Sun quoted director Ken Michels in his recent preview of the show: ". . . the strengths of Footloose are its heart and its balance of music and dance with drama and comedy." "It's got everything," he said. "It's a great show, and it adds to the experience of coming to this special place." You can read the entire preview here.

We have some excellent talent in this show and a nice combination of new and returning Players. Don't miss out on a great summer adventure - get your tickets here.

Here is a perspective from new Player Carol Stanley about her experiences being involved for the first time in a Mountaineers Players show:

"When I first decided to audition for Footloose I thought I was crazy to be driving all over Seattle just for a show. However after the first weekend at the theater I instantly knew why so many people come back year after year. The theater is so beautiful and it is amazing to be a part of such a great history of shows."

"What I have enjoyed most about Footloose is the talented and dedicated cast. Most weekends after a long rehearsal we all agree to put in extra hours [practicing] in the yurt. We practice until the late hours without any complaint. We are all invested deeply in the show. I know I've only known these people for a few months but I feel I have made some amazing friends. I guess it takes living, working, and most importantly playing with others that makes for an amazing cast. I can't wait to share all of our hard work with the rest of the world."

Leave your comments and let us know how you enjoyed the show and the "forest experience."