You're gonna be on a Turkey farm. It's fun and quirky and not a bad location. Marshall is a nice little town. Housing isn't too bad. They've added more rooms to do bigger shows, but the kitchen is kinda small. The MD was also living with us, and sometimes, it was a weird experience. Very kind AD, and has made the place better. The performing venue itself is quite small, it seats over 100 people but the stage is quite small. All in all, not a bad experience.

I have done one show here so far and my experience wasn’t terrible. There’s definitely problems, but out of the contracts I’ve worked, it wasn’t too bad. HOUSING: This is maybe the biggest issue with working here. The cast house is old and not very comfortable. It also is just not enough space, even after renovation, for many actors to be in there at once. The housing is very convenient for performances though, as it is only steps away from the theatre. PAY: Mediocre. Pretty standard for Non-Equity houses, unfortunately. I got paid $350 a week while I was there then when I was offered to come back, but couldn’t, I was offered $375 a week. CREATIVE TEAM: The AD seemed very kind when I was there, though I don’t discount any experiences others had with him. The SM was fine, though I truthfully just did not have too many interactions with her. When there was a problem in the cast, it was dealt with in a pretty solid way by the AD. (Again though, if people have had issues with this Creative Team, I am not defending them at all. This was just my experience.) Altogether, it was okay! I would probably come back for the right show/role. I think it’s a fine job for early career professionals and is definitely a better place to work for small shows, thanks to the housing situation. Not too bad, but certainly not glamorous! Good luck with your job search, friends. 👏🏻

My experience was extremely negative. I ended up leaving the position due to treatment by the AD (who is mentioned by name in other reviews) and the SM (Who is also mentioned in other reviews). There is so much I could say bout this place of employment. The SM is also the Scenic Designer, The AD is also the HR. When I worked there, there were only 4 core members of the design team. Only the two mentioned above remain. I was put in charge of two to three separate design areas at one time. When I expressed my concerns to the AD, I was brushed off. The AD and SM will say one thing to your face and then turn around and say something completely different, so having a paper trail IS A MUST. They also would tell the creative team one thing and the actors a completely separate thing to avoid implicating themselves. The AD di not believe I could do my job, and constantly went around myself and the other member who left to override us if we didn't do something the way he believed it should be done, even if we had to go right back to the way we originally did it because the way the AD suggested did not work. The AD pressured actors to go onstage clearly unwell, leading to the music director having to sing in place of the actor for the second act as his voice gave out completely. We then had to cancel multiple performances. The SM constantly did not want to do work. I constantly had to pick up their slack. I also got blamed for any mistakes they made. The SM got paint all over the tile floor of the theatre and the AD yelled at me for it. They let the paint area completely trashed. I constantly had to clean up for them. they tried to blame me for the set not being done because they didn't want to paint. I was told I was in charge of certain budgets, but then the AD and the SM would make purchases and not tell me, leading me to go over budget. I had to design and build their current sound booth, because the SM / Designer didn't want to do it. I had to do that on top of building the show, of which I was the only builder because my other carpenter ran the sound during shows. I then designed the mural that is painted on it as a joke, between the crew, but then they wanted to paint it backstage. I agreed as it was backstage, but then it got move to the sound booth. They then wanted to use it for promos, at which point I told them I would need compensated for that as they would be making money with it. There was no tracking for budgets other than when the AD occasionally sent out emails with updates. The scene shop is below the theatre with the only way to get pieces into the theatre is through a standard doorway that lead to the escape stairs that are held together with Drywall screws and is extremely unsafe. This is point I Brought up multiple times, but was ignored. The scene shop is also less than 8' tall and only has one working outlet. Overall, if you are a female presenting crew member in charge of a typically masculine role, the AD will not respect you.

For the vast majority, my time there was seemingly delightful. The near 6 months that i spent there were interesting to say the least. (AD) and (SM) do a really good job of appearing sympathetic and easygoing. But when it comes to interpersonal issues between cast members or communication corrections, there is ALOT to be desired. They take a very hands off approach in hopes they can ride the situation out. Unless someone is in physical danger they assume a “talking to” fixes the situation. They don’t care how the cast treat each other so long as no one is being openly hostile despite a “social contract” they make everyone sign asking everyone to “be respectful”. Feigned concern when issues were brought up of interpersonal nature with minor gaslighting to try and get them to shut up and do their job. Pay disparity between male/female cast members. No understudy rehearsals except for a put in rehearsal the DAY OF the understudy performance, so their voice is already tired and worn out almost by show time (maybe) Not above petty politics to make it seem like someone is not doing their job (cataloguing non-issues as near show crippling mistakes, overly scrutinizing technical issues as user error, give you menial tasks to distract from your main focus etc) No communication between SM and FOH except by text which can distract the sound board OP. Mics not bad but no standard of care with equipment (mistreated elements, actors allowed to eat and drink in mic’s but brushed off bc they’re “professional”). Will take sides in a dispute if they do/don’t like you. But after all that, the people that worked in the restaurant/ice cream parlor/gift shop were all super nice! The location is very calm and low key most of the time but can get really crowded and fun during an event. Yes it was a heavily conservative area but none of my lgbt castmates were ever accosted during my time there, and i got the impression of i treat you how you treat me.

Worked here in 2024. This place has its ups and downs but overall is a great place to perform and you should consider it! Location: it’s only slightly in the middle of nowhere, there are some food options 10 minutes away but you will need to drive 20-30 minutes to grocery shop. Rehearsals: they were ran pretty efficiently and you get breaks. They usually go 9am-6pm with an hour break for lunch as well. You will receive daily calls usually by 6:30pm. The rehearsal room is small but has mirrors. The stage itself will eat your shoes so be prepared. Housing: housing is very nice especially if you have a small cast. It’s like a couple feet away from the stage door. Just be careful because during festivals strangers would try to enter the cast house so we had to put up signs and lock the doors. When I was there, EVERY bedroom room was filled with 2 people (2 twin beds per room). Except there were 2 single rooms (one was not meant for long term because it had no windows). That was 14-16 people being housed. 8-9 bedrooms I believe and 4 bathrooms. The house itself is very nice after the remodel. Each room has a closet and window. Bring extension chords. No mold or major bug problems. There were 2 fridges in the kitchen and 1 in the basement. Unfortunately there were so many people living in the house, people had to use all 3. Making meals was TOUGH because of how small the kitchen is (there is 1 microwave and 1 oven). Some of the women also kept doing their makeup in the bathrooms on show days instead of their room or in the dressing rooms so just brushing your teeth/showering in the morning was a struggle. There is a campsite near by with a pool and you are allowed to swim! There technically is a fitness center with minimal equipment but I recommend just driving to a fitness center instead. Casting: I was shocked how many people cast could not sing/dance the material provided for the show. It was a classical singing and dancing show that was cast very small- I wished the artistic director (who casts) would have taken this into consideration before rehiring actors from past shows into roles they couldn’t confidently do. I would be less upset if these actors were kind and easy to work with but there was also a lot of bullying and drama from the rehired actors (not all but most). This made the work environment uncomfortable at times. Team: FANTASTIC CREATIVE TEAM. The choreographer and music director were A+. The music director even edited our tracks and made everything sound SOOOOO much better. Both really made the experience great with how much care they had for the show. Both were also very professional but unfortunately had to modify a lot of their great ideas when actors couldn’t sing/dance what was asked. Sky, the stage manager, is wonderful. She was always on time, on top of things, and was also doing a million other jobs (props, sets, light board, and working as a waiter.) She was also a great resource to turn to for any issue. Cornwell’s is really lucky to have her. Dexter, the Artistic Director, is also a great guy. He was easy to work with (he also directed the show) and made everyone comfortable while being a professional. Truly a terrific director, I would love to be in another show directed by him. He has really turned this theatre around. I hope in the future he will include the creative team when casting because it was upsetting that a majority of the actors couldn’t sing their songs or dance the dances. I’m guessing he was not aware these people couldn’t fully perform these roles with confidence so it would benefit to include the team when looking at applicants. Pay: NEGOTIATE. The men were making $400+ a week and the women were making between $325-$350 a week. Heard some of the women tried to negotiate hirer pay but were denied. I don’t believe this was intentional but it did upset the cast when people found out. Also it is a 1099 and they give you a physical check. Other things: -if you are an understudy you will have your own understudy rehearsals during the run. If you go on, you will have rehearsal with the cast morning of show (8am). -you do not get free food but you do get a discount. -the rehearsal space is small but nice. It’s a great place to record self tapes. However, since the cast was so big, the rehearsal room served as the men’s dressing room and the dressing room at the theatre was the women’s. The men and women shared the theatre dressing room during the show (there are 2 cubicles to change in if you need privacy) but it’s a tight fit with everyone. -if you get COVID you will not be paid for missed performances. -actors are allowed to serve but you are required to be there for prep (for a matinee you’re called at 9am for prep I believe) so keep that in mind if you want to serve. Lunch/Dinner is fully completed before the show starts. -the owners of the theatre are nice but are conservative so be mindful how you speak if you see them. -Allergies are ROUGH here. Bring all your steamers, nebulizers, and tea! Overall: most of my critiques come from casting and not the team. The theatre itself is pretty great. I think if I was in a different show with a modified cast, I would have had a great experience. If you get an offer, really consider it! Make sure to negotiate for higher pay though!

I worked for this theatre within the past year and have plans to return. The AD, Dexter, is very kind and finds ways to lift his performers up in all aspects. Housing: There is a house that is on the site and 15 ft from rehearsal space and 20 ft from the theatre. It is currently in the process of being redone (they are adding more space for more performers). The kitchen has two fridges. There is a washer/dryer. The only concern is wifi is very spotty in the whole house, but the rehearsal space is always open for cast to go into for work, self tapes, consistent wifi, etc. Theatre: It is small, it is cute, backstage is nice. Pay: it is pretty typical for a smaller non-union dinner theatre. It can be negotiated, especially if you are a returner. Rehearsal process: It is well thought out and you get a calendar about 1 month to two weeks out of the first rehearsal with a whole breakdown of rehearsals, shows, and off-days. The space for rehearsal is small, but the process is efficient and doesn't feel thrown together. Overall, I have loved my experience there. Dexter knows working here is not the end all be all for you, so he is often finding ways to talk about the industry with you and help elevate your career. He also brings in many guest directors, choreographers, and music directors. Therefore, when you are working there you are not often working with the same artistic team (a great way to network). I would recommend working here to anyone who asked me! It has been my favorite non-union theatre to work for so far in my entire career.

Rampant sexism and racism. From QAnon flags, to RV’s literally blowing up, to stalking situations, this theatre does not take the safety of their performers seriously. Horrible leadership with no true artistic team in sight. Please think twice before accepting a job at this “theatre”.

No idea what others are talking about or their experience with Turkeyville, must be an old post from prior leadership, because I can't speak higher of the artistic folks running Cornwell's Dinner Theatre. Dexter, the new artistic director, has been here a just a few years and completely turned the place around!!! I've worked on two separate contracts with them, with queer/lgbtqia/poc/all shapes & sizes of body type inclusion and they are always ALL about diverse casting/inclusivity. While some of the performing talent/new directors coming in can be a little green, I've met some of the hardest working & most talented professionals I've worked with to date and I'm a decade into touring around the country on contracts. The show quality/performers sustainability & opportunity to grow with them are always the highest priority - this is also one of the only theaters I've been to that truly values a HEALTHY NON-TOXIC work environment, evidenced by the fact that at the beginning of any rehearsal process a social contract is offered (that all performers have the option to edit/add to together before signing) to keep everyone respecting boundaries, shared living spaces, working habits, etc. Now is the cast housing PERFECT or IDEAL? Not necessarily. Depends on the type of person you are and your experience with cast housing as I have some true horror stories that would make this seem a dream housing situation. The cast house is positioned right on the dinner theatre property and adjacent to the farm/campgrounds so there are tons of people around pretty regularly and a whole bunch of turkeys around the house/deck and the occasional bug issues (I will give credit though, as soon as we reported the bug issues there was spraying being done immediately the next day and it was solved) so I can see how some may get put off by the old farm house situation. But a pro - you're quite literally 20ft away from the theatre/a 2 minute walk for call and more GOOD NEWS, on my most recent contract there I heard from the AD they are renovating the house greatly in the off season and investing in expanding it too. The biggest issue with housing, in my view, was simply the wifi situation – it's really only reliably available AT the rehearsal space 30ft away from the cast house. That said the rehearsal space was open to performers 24/7/365 so you could always work on self-tapes (beautiful space to do so too), remote work, download streaming stuff, or even just hang out there with friends/castmates as long as you were respectful of sharing the space. The artistic team is focused on always making the place better and take constructive criticism to heart as I have personally witnessed in my experience many times and have seen in my returning as well. Every time I've finished a contract there the AD personally has a sit down meeting with any/all performers who want to discuss their experience and talk about future job opportunities. As for the audiences, right now unfortunately the demo of the place is filled with a lot of older folks who are hit or miss in being good or decent audiences regularly. That said, I've also seen that trend towards the better in my returning too and moreover seen younger audiences trickling into the fold more and more. Past that I think it's incredibly beneficial for all performers to work with a variety of audiences and have experience working for that engagement from the audience a bit more - only makes for a stronger more exciting performance, but that's my opinion. Overall the pay is pretty decent given the budget of this type of dinner theatre (also highly negotiable for all, especially upon returning), the mainstays who run the theatre are so supportive/easy to work with and drama free (no easy feat in professional theatre), and the living situation while imperfect has plenty of perks. (swimming pool, half basketball court, running trails, tons of comp tickets upon request, free QUALITY rehearsal space to use at your whim, HIGH discounts on food/amenities, etc.) I would recommend this place to almost anyone at all levels professionally, especially given the goals/abilities of the current creative team circa 2023.

Rampant racism and sexism here, while the AD touts himself as this progressive genius director. All while the Cornwells themselves don’t care because they really don’t want you there. Or at least they didn’t while I was there, we were just annoyances taking up space on their land. The show I did was bad. It was a bad script that was poorly directed. The old white people that came to see it loved it. While I didn’t experience a lot of the racism and sexism issues personally, my friends and castmates did. And we were “housed” in tiny cheap trailers that consistently fell apart. I slept in a literal box bunk made for children. All of that plus the pay is laughable. 250-325 a week. (edited)