Pendragon Theatre

The official logo for the Pendragon Theatre

Photo courtesy of www.pendragontheatre.com

A large room is separated into two worlds; its only divider a single thick curtain.

On one side, a crowd of people bustle and chat under a ceiling of bright light. The rumble of footsteps, the rustling of paper, and the indecipherable conversations occasionally punctuated by a cough or sneeze, blend together into one unorganized chorus.

You are on the other side: the world that is enveloped in darkness. Though the sounds from the other world permeate your ears, you try to keep it from your focus. Inside your body is a concoction of excitement, anxiety, and joy.

Countless pinhole-sized light beams leak through the drapes, which dimly light the ground and guide your feet. Your destination is an “X” shaped mark of tape, already worn and tattered from previous use. Facing the curtain head-on, you take a few last deep breaths and clear your mind of any remaining distraction.

Suddenly, the other world grows silent. The lights fade as the once grumbling chorus slowly dies away.

You feel the silence cover you like a blanket. It is a comfortable and familiar feeling. In a few seconds you are about to join these two worlds, something you’ve done many times, but each is different and more exhilarating than the last. Anything can happen.

That’s exactly what Bob Pettee, co-founder of Saranac Lake’s Pendragon Theatre, loves about acting. When I asked him why he chose the theater over any other profession, he said because it’s “unpredictable”. Every performance is different from the one before it. Each time they build a new set, they are creating a new environment to learn and draw inspiration from, he explains.

Bob Pettee in a scene from Easter Monday

Bob Pettee in mid-performance of Easter Monday with a fellow co-star

Photo by Bordette Parks

Pettee and wife, Susan Neal, started to dream 23 years ago of sharing their theatrical aspirations with others by establishing a year-round theater group. Living amongst the teeming crowd of Manhattan at the time, they realized their first step towards making their dream a reality would be to relocate to a calmer, and less expensive, region of New York State. The small town of Saranac Lake seemed the best spot, as he puts it “it heralded magic for both of them”.

It was here that the roots of the not-yet-named Pendragon were planted. Pettee and Neal had a few ties to the area, with Pettee having already lived in northern New York. With a $100 plucked from their savings, they were able to use a local middle school’s auditorium for their first planned production in 1980, A Streetcar Named Desire. With a venue secured, they announced community auditions through the newspaper and word-of-mouth. “Actually, no one showed up for the first day of auditions,” recalled Pettee, with a hint of amusement. A cast was eventually assembled, and four performances of Streetcar went off without a hitch.

In 1981, during a production of Under Milkwood, one of the actors, who had been from Wales, mentioned the name of King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. The catchy last name stuck with them, and before long the name “Pendragon” was being designed into their official theater logo.

After leading a nomadic existence of going from one community stage to another, the Pendragon eventually settled at their current home in Saranac. Over the years, the group has received several awards, grants, and donations from the community. Much of their revenue comes from touring, such as putting on performances at local schools, as well as fundraisers.

Pettee says that even though he would like the Pendragon to grow and tour to more destinations, a permanent move is not on the list of future aspirations. “Moving is not a goal,” said Pettee. “We hope to attract more audiences and contribute to the overall quality of life of the area.”

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