History of Playcrafters

Playcrafters was born in 1949 and was based in Lansdale. In 1956, Dage Nilsson bought some land adjacent to his property in Skippack, the site of an old barn. His son-in-law, John Bitterman Barricks, was a member of Playcrafters and suggested that the barn could be spruced up and made into a theater. One year later, after a full year of blood and sweat, the Playcrafters organization finished the barn in time for the first show in the space - Harvey - in the summer of 1957.

Over the years, the organization has been an integral part of the Skippack community. The Barn itself has been remodeled numerous times, with the biggest recent remodel being completed in the early 2000s, adding a full addition to the building which now houses all of the dressing rooms for the actors and actresses.

Production History

Playcrafters has been performing multiple shows per year since 1949. A database of shows performed, along with the year and month of performance, has been kept by member Clark Van Hekken. To download the spreadsheet, please click the Excel icon below. If you have updates to the list, you can email Clark.

Playcrafters Production History

For information on our seasons in the "web" age, scroll through the production graphics below. You can click on many of the pictures for more information about the productions, including cast lists, production staff lists, and production photos where they are available.