The Mystery Years: 1961 & 1962
Similar to the inconsistency regarding the exact date that Leo Bernstein purchased the Wayside Inn, information for Wayside Theatre’s early years is equally confusing. Despite the many statements found in various sources, the years 1961 and 1962 remain a conflicting story.
It can be stated with certainty that, prior to 1961, there are no articles or advertisements that mention either the Wayside Inn or the Wayside Theatre appearing in any of the three area newspapers, The Northern Virginia Daily (NVD), The Warren Sentinel (TWaS), or The Winchester Star (TWS).
Winchester Evening Star. June 26, 1963, sec. 1, p, 7.
This changes in 1962, when advertisements for the Wayside Inn appear in all three of the Valley publications. However, in none of the ads for the Inn is there any mention of Wayside Theatre. The ads for the Inn vary in size, usually one-column in width, and two to three inches in length. They usually include a sketch of the Inn or a stagecoach at the top with an invitation to those visiting the Shenandoah Valley, or area residents, to enjoy the amenities found at the restored Inn. One advertisement urges the visitor to consider an “Historic Weekend in the Country” with a stay in “America’s Oldest Motor Inn.” Others praise …
The Wayside Inn, in nearby Middleton [which] has EVERYTHING for a perfect weekend: a historic past, priceless antiques, rooms with all modern facilities, succulent food, and Southern hospitality. Our nearby farm on the Shenandoah river is a fisherman’s haven. Recommend it to your visitors this Summer.
The real ‘catcher’ in the above quote is the affordable price of a “package-rate from noon on Saturday until Sunday evening, room and five meals for $19.50 a person! (Advertisement. NVD. 16 Apr. 1962).
In other ads, the Inn is suggested as being an excellent place to hold business meetings as well as being a good location for a comfortable overnight stay. “Hold your club’s next function at the historic Wayside Inn,” urges one, while another states “[the Inn is] now completely restored for your comfort and pleasure. Fully air conditioned, every room with glass enclosed shower and bath, charming dining rooms, club-like meeting rooms … The food is delicious, the hospitality strictly Southern …” (Advertisement. NVD. 5 Apr. 1962). Others suggest the Inn as being the perfect place for celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, for Mother’s or Father’s Day, or the ideal place to stay while attending Winchester’s Apple Blossom Festival. One even suggests that the Inn would be the ideal place to spend a Honeymoon!
Winchester Evening Star. April 5, 1962, sec. 2, p. 26.
Advertisements of this type appeared regularly in the Valley’s newspapers for 1962. In none of them is there any mention of the Wayside Theatre or is there any suggestion that one could enjoy theatrical performances while staying at the Inn. It is not until 1963 that the name of Wayside Theatre appears in any of the ads for the Wayside Inn. When the Theatre is later mentioned, it is always in combination with a stay at the historic Wayside Inn.
Because it has been repeatedly stated in materials published by Wayside Theatre, as well as other sources, that 1961 was the year that the theatre began, one would assume that there would be documentation to support this assertion. To date, none have been located. Consequently, it remains unclear as to what actually took place during the years 1961 and 1962, especially when there is no mention by the local press of any theatrical performances for those years.
Part of this confusion comes from the conflicting statements regarding the actual date the Inn was purchased by Bernstein, along with the oblique references to entertainment being available for the guests staying at the Inn. There can be no doubt that Bernstein’s purpose in purchasing the Inn was “with the idea of making it a stopping-off place for tourists attracted to the Nation’s Capital ….” One source suggests that Bernstein had plans “… to convert an old movie house into a theatre for summer stock” (“Small Town Catches ….” TWP. 24 Feb. 1962). Even though both of these statements were written in 1962, it is not until 1963 that any of the Valley publications mention that a stay at the Inn could be combined with attending theatrical performances.
Despite any definitive proof, one can propose that at some time in the early ‘60s, Bernstein felt that it would be a good business venture to combine the two venues: the Inn and the Theatre. Other vacation spots around the country had combined comfortable lodging with on-site entertainment. It does not take too much imagination to assume that, while Bernstein was involved with the restoration and transformation of the Inn, the idea of providing entertainment for guests was born, especially since a vacant movie house was only a block away. It was quite likely that the idea of having a theatre facility adjacent to the Inn would certainly be a lure for DC residents to drive to Middletown for their ‘weekend in the country.’ And, it can be assumed, Bernstein would have endorsed having nearby theatrical performance as a viable attraction for local residents as well.
There are vague references to theatrical performances taking place in Middletown in 1962, but nothing can be confirmed. One source states that, after purchasing the Inn in 1961, “the next year [in 1962] Bernstein discovered an abandoned movie house down the road, bought some [theatre] seats at $1.50 each and founded an Equity summer stock company, the Wayside Theatre” (“Wayside Theatre Going Strong.” TWS. 20 Jan. 1976). Despite this statement, nothing has surfaced to confirm that there were any theatrical performances taking place in Middletown during that year.
By contrast, there is abundant evidence of the very successful theatre season that took place during the summer of 1963. And, it is this year that appears to have been the actual date for the beginning of Wayside Theatre.