Countdown to our 2026 Professional Summer Season: just ONE WEEK to go!

Hey, there! Sam from Wagon Wheel here. As you probably guessed, lots to talk about. Much to yap about. Let’s jump right in, shall we?

People ask me all the time, “Sam! What musical are you most excited about this summer?” Easy. It’s Cats. 100%. This is a show you absolutely cannot miss. It’s magical, hilarious, heartfelt, visually stunning, and unlike anything we’ve produced at Wagon Wheel in a very long time. Every single rehearsal leaves me more excited than the last. I genuinely cannot believe what this creative team is building.

And here’s the funny thing: Cats isn’t nostalgic for me. I didn’t grow up obsessed with it. I came into this process with completely fresh eyes, and I’ve totally fallen in love with it. The music is gorgeous. The characters are unforgettable. The choreography is unreal. There’s a reason this musical became one of the most iconic shows in theatre history.

But more than anything? This production is FUN.

This is going to be the ultimate unplugged family night out. No phones. No distractions. Just two hours of imagination, laughter, music, spectacle, and pure child-like wonder. It’s whimsical in the best possible way, and I truly believe kids are going to be absolutely enchanted by it.

I’m also working on some extra-special surprises to make the experience even more magical for families and little ones attending the show. I’ll send a special Cats email next week with all the details, but I wanted to make sure you had this on your radar NOW because this is one of those productions people are going to be talking about all summer long.

Seriously. Bring your kids. Bring your grandkids. Bring someone who’s never seen live theatre before. This show is the perfect introduction not only to the magic of musical theatre, but the intimate theatre-in-the-round magic of Wagon Wheel.

The Jellicle Ball is waiting for YOU. 🐈‍⬛

⚠️ Protect yourself from ticket scalpers! ⚠️



As one of the coolest regional theaters in the entire world, Wagon Wheel tends to attract a lot of attention this time of year, especially as we kick off our highly anticipated summer season. Unfortunately, that also means ticket scalpers are officially on the hunt.

I don’t love having to talk about this in my Pen Pal newsletters, but this is your friendly reminder to protect yourself from fake ticket sellers online. They’re getting sneakier every year. They’ll create fake Facebook events. They’ll make websites that LOOK official. They’ll even pay to appear above us when you Google "Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts". It’s honestly kind of crazy. But don’t worry. I’ve got 3 easy ways to keep yourself (and your wallet) safe:

1. Don’t Google our theatre. Seriously! Instead, type our website directly into your browser: wagonwheelcenter.org. Try your best to memorize that exact URL. When you search for us online, scalper websites often fight to appear before our real website, and some of them look shockingly convincing.
2. Buy tickets directly through my emails or our social media. I hyperlink everything for you to make it as easy as possible. If it came from us directly, you’re safe.
3. Call our Box Office for your tickets! You will never, ever, EVER talk to a robot. Real humans answer our phones, because that’s part of the Wagon Wheel magic. ◡̈ (574) 267-8041

The ONLY place in the world to get official Wagon Wheel tickets at the best price is directly through us. Stay smart. Stay alert. Protect your wallets. But honestly… if you’re reading this newsletter, we’re already friends. And if we’re already friends, I KNOW you already have your summer tickets secured… right? 😉

🎭 Take a Conservatory workshop with me!

There’s still time to register for our Wagon Wheel Conservatory summer workshops, and trust me when I say this: there is no better way to spend your summer in Warsaw. Seriously. The energy inside the Conservatory right now is incredible.

Our newly renovated space is buzzing with creativity, imagination, music, dancing, and a whole lot of joy. And thanks to the generosity of our friends at K21 Health Foundation, we now have a brand new dance floor that has completely transformed the experience for our students. Watching kids, teens, and even adults get moving through the performing arts has been incredibly inspiring.

And selfishly? I’m especially excited because I’ll personally be teaching 3 out of our 4 summer workshops this year. ◡̈ Whether your child dreams of Broadway someday or just wants a fun, confidence-building summer experience with new friends, these workshops are genuinely special. They’re creative, welcoming, high-energy, and FULL of heart.

Plus… students won’t just be learning in a classroom. They’ll be learning inside a nationally recognized regional theater right next to working professionals. That’s a pretty magical thing.

If you’ve been thinking about registering, this is your sign to jump in before spots disappear! We would absolutely love to have your family spend part of the summer with us.

🎭 Theatre Workshop

Directed by me!

For students completing grades 5-7

June 8-13

In this five-day workshop, students will rehearse and perform a short play for family and friends right on the Wagon Wheel stage…on the set of Cats, which is objectively very cool.

🎭 Summer Play

Directed by me!

For students completing grades 3-4

June 22-26

Students will spend the week rehearsing and performing a short play for family and friends on the Wagon Wheel stage while performing on the set of Carousel.

🎭 Musical Theatre Workshop

🚨 DEADLINE TO REGISTER: June 1 🚨

Directed by Matthew Janisse and Carolyn Miller (very cool Wagon Wheel alumni who are also married, which feels important to mention because that’s just adorable!)

For students completing grades 8-12

July 1-11

In this 11-day workshop, students will experience the excitement of a real Wagon Wheel summer while rehearsing and performing a fully realized production of Into the Woods on the set of Footloose.

🎭 Summer Tykes

Directed by me!

For students completing grades 1-2

July 20-24

Our youngest performers will rehearse and perform a short play for family and friends on the Wagon Wheel stage while performing on the set of Dial M for Murder. Which is an extremely funny and dramatic title for 1st and 2nd graders to casually perform on.

🗣️ SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Alright, so much to talk about. If you weren’t able to join me at our Summer Launch Party this past Friday night (which, by the way, I REALLY hope you join us for next year), you missed a very special surprise announcement! And let me tell you… keeping this secret was TORTURE. I had to keep this from so many people. Even internally, only a handful of people knew this was happening.

Now, obviously, actor trading cards are returning this summer because the people demanded it. But this year, we’re taking things one step further. For only the second time ever, someone has officially been inducted into the Wagon Wheel Legacy Hall of Fame.

Our very first inductee was our legendary usher captain, Carol Heinold, who received her legacy card during our 2025 Christmas production. And now, we’re honoring another person whose impact on Wagon Wheel is impossible to measure: the one and only Jen Dow. ⭐

If you collect 5 actor autographs and present them to the Box Office, you’ll receive the Jennifer Dow Purple Legacy Card for free. ◡̈ And honestly? There could not be a more deserving person.

In case you didn’t know, this is the first summer since 1999 that Jen will not be performing on the Wagon Wheel stage. That sentence genuinely feels surreal to type. Of course, she’s still very much here, leading, creating wigs, designing makeup, mentoring artists, and making magic happen behind the scenes every single day. But there is absolutely going to be a void on that stage this summer.

Jen Dow IS Wagon Wheel. She’s part of the heartbeat of this theater, and generations of audiences have watched her shine. So it only felt right to honor her with something permanent. Something collectible. Something very special. 💜

💌 Why Wagon Wheel is Magic

Well…in case you missed it, we recently launched a $60,000 matching campaign to help make our professional summer season possible, and I’m still completely overwhelmed to tell you that together, we surpassed the goal! That’s incredible. Truly. There is SO much to celebrate!

But I also want to pull back the curtain for a moment and share something important with you, because this campaign is actually the perfect example of what it means to be a nonprofit theater. The work is never done.

There is no moment where Wagon Wheel suddenly becomes “set.” There is no magical finish line where we stop needing support. Every costume, every light, every orchestra rehearsal, every scholarship, every actor's living space, every set piece, every Conservatory class, every bit of magic you experience here exists because people choose to invest in it.

A ticket to a show alone will never ever keep the doors open. And truthfully? That can feel scary to say out loud sometimes. But it’s also beautiful. Why? Because that means Wagon Wheel belongs to the community. It belongs to people who believe live theatre matters. It belongs to donors who decide this place is worth protecting for the next generation. It belongs to audience members who understand that what happens here is bigger than entertainment.

Wagon Wheel changes lives. I’ve seen it happen over and over and over again. I’ve watched kids discover confidence for the first time on our stage. I’ve watched artists go from the Wagon Wheel stage to Tony-nominated Broadway leading roles. I’ve watched families make traditions here that span generations. I’ve watched complete strangers walk through our doors and leave feeling connected to something bigger than themselves.

That kind of magic doesn’t happen accidentally. That magic happens because people show up.

So while we are absolutely celebrating this incredible campaign success, I also want you to know this: Wagon Wheel still needs you. We will always need you.

We need people to buy tickets. We need people to bring friends. We need people to share our posts online. We need advocates. We need people who believe in the arts enough to financially support them. And if you’ve ever wondered whether your support actually matters here, let me answer that for you right now: It does. More than you know.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps keep Wagon Wheel alive and helps ensure that future generations get to experience the same joy, creativity, and wonder that so many of us found here.

So thank you. Thank you for believing in Wagon Wheel. Thank you for fighting for live theatre with us. And thank you for reminding me, every single day, that this community is capable of extraordinary things when we come together. ◡̈ And if you would like to make a donation right now, click the button below. YOU are the magic!

⭐ This is an alumni spotlight you absolutely do not want to miss.

I have a VERY special Wagon Wheel alumni to share with you today, and trust me when I say she has made us proud in more ways than I can possibly count. It’s our dear friend, 2009 alumna Carleigh Bettiol! ◡̈

You'll remember her from 2009 Wagon Wheel productions like High School Musical, Brigadoon, and A Chorus Line during her time here at Wagon Wheel. Even back then, there was something incredibly special about her. One of those performers you just knew was going places.

And wow…did she ever!

Now, I could sit here and tell you everything she’s accomplished since leaving The Wheel, but don’t want to spoil a single second of it. So instead, I’m going to let Carleigh tell her own story. Go watch the video she sent you below, and then come right back here after because we are ABSOLUTELY going to talk about it afterward. ◡̈

I’m sorry…I think she just said she was in the original cast of Hamilton. As in Lin-Manuel Miranda. As in Leslie Odom Jr.. As in Disney+ level, cultural phenomenon, history-making theatre. That’s kind of unbelievable.

And to think Carleigh’s journey started right here in Warsaw, Indiana, at Wagon Wheel.

What a beautiful full-circle story to witness. This is exactly what I mean when I say this place matters, this work matters, and when I say your support matters.

If you’ve ever made a donation to Wagon Wheel, you are directly part of stories like Carleigh's journey. You are helping launch dreams that quite literally go from our stage to the biggest stages in the world. That’s not an exaggeration. That’s real life. And it’s deeply, deeply special.

So now I can’t help but wonder...which future stars are stepping onto our stage this summer without even realizing what their story is going to become? Hmmm… ◡̈

Thanks for hanging out with me for a bit, Pen Pal! That's all from me for now.

Stay safe, stay kind, and I'll see you real soon, alright?

🎪 There's no place like Wagon Wheel,