There's always a niche in community theater for an older adult male—if he can sing. That wisdom comes from Bob Allen, 73, who is performing in his 24th show since 2003.

Allen performed in "Evita" with The Barn Players recently—his fifth Barn Players show—and he's working in "Gypsy" with Musical Theater Heritage at Crown Center.

"At this age I'm in a good position," Bob said. "Instead of seeking auditions, I'm getting invited to auditions. It's nice there's still a place for older men."

Bob's wife, Petra, 63, interjected with a laugh: "It's a man's world. I still perform occasionally, but there isn't a great demand for older women. I've been focusing more on directing in recent years."

Bob and Petra have been artistic directors at the Leawood Stage Company for six years.

"When we're not performing, we're still involved in theater, and that's important to us," Bob said.

Bob started his business career with Universal Underwriters Group in 1960 in Kansas City, and two years later was transferred to Raleigh, N.C. Petra was a transplanted Californian with a degree in speech and drama.

Theater has been a big part of the couple's life. They met in 1977 when both were auditioning at a community theater in Raleigh, and married three years later. Bob already was deep into community theater when they met. He'd been playing Bob Cratchit in "A Christmas Carol" for about 10 years. His son played Tiny Tim for seven years, until he outgrew the role. Bob was a single father with two children, Robert and Melissa.

"Actually, I heard Bob sing about a year before we officially met, Petra said. "I was enchanted with his voice. I fell in love with it, and also with his two children. We started courting while we were performing in 'Inherit the Wind.'"

They continued performing in Raleigh until 1984, when Bob's company transferred him back to the Kansas City area and they settled in Leawood.

"That pretty much put my career as a performer on hold," said Bob. "My love for singing and theater was still there, but I was traveling constantly and didn't have time to pursue it."

Petra remained active after they returned, teaching drama at the Camellot Academy during the summer. She also performed with the Jewish Community Center and other area theaters in dramatic shows. That also was the time when she became active in directing with the Leawood Stage Company.

"Bob was around but not performing," she said. "My friends on the board didn't know he could sing."

That changed in 2003, when Bob retired as vice president with Universal Underwriters. Shortly after he retired, he received an emergency call from Petra at the Leawood Stage Company.

"She said 'We need men who can sing; come on over here,'" Bob recalled with a chuckle. "They were so desperate they cast me sight unseen, and I was back in the theater. However, it was pretty obvious from listening to others who were really talented that I needed some lessons. And I could still sing, but if I was going to do musicals I had to dance. So at 65 years old, I started voice and dance lessons."

Bob began singing when he was growing up in Richmond, Mo.

"My mother started me when I was 3 years old," he said. "Once a week she drove my sister, Donna, and me to Kansas City, where we sang on a program called 'Kiddies Review' on a Kansas City radio station. You might say I grew up singing."

Besides the five shows he's done with The Barn Players, Bob has also performed at The Theatre in the Park in Shawnee, CenterStage Theatre, Musical Theater Heritage, Olathe Community Theatre, Chestnut Fine Arts Center, and the Leawood Stage Company.

One of the couple's favorite projects is an hour-long narrative production at the Shawnee Indian Mission in which Bob portrays the Rev. Thomas Johnson and Petra is Mrs. Johnson.

"It's all dialogue written by Don Carlton [see The Best Times, December 2010], who researched the people buried in the Shawnee Mission Cemetery and wrote the script," Bob said. "Don saw us perform and asked us to play the Johnsons. It's really a nice production, very factual, and the audiences have been so appreciative that we now do it each spring and fall."
Bob said The Barn Players probably is his favorite local theater.

"It's where I got started after we returned, and I've done more shows there," Bob said. "The Kansas City area has so many talented people, there's something for everyone who likes theater."

Bob still gets nervous when he auditions.

"I'm never over-confident," he said. "I always think, 'What if I forget the words.' But as they say, if you don't get nervous, it's time to quit."

Said Petra with a laugh, "Theater brought us together originally and here we are today. I would say we've come full circle."

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