Charlotte Henson, with her son, Robby, and daughter, Heather, at the theater in Danville.
Charlotte Hutchison Henson, the matriarch of the historic Pioneer Playhouse in Danville, has died. She was 93.
Charlotte Henson, with her late husband, Col. Eben Henson, brought Broadway to the Bluegrass by establishing what is now Kentucky’s oldest outdoor theater. It has attracted hundreds of young actors over the years, including John Travolta, Lee Majors, Jim Varney and Bo Hopkins and will be celebrating its 75th season this summer.
Charlotte shared her husband’s vision of the Playhouse and continued his legacy after he died in 2004, said Mike Perros, who was mayor of Danville from 2014 to 2022 and longtime board chairman of the theater.
Perros gave her the nickname “Iron Butterfly.”? “I called her that because she was tough as could be. She was light on her feet but could be all over the place at the theater. She was graceful but could get her message across. She was delightful yet so strong. She cared about that place.”
Charlotte Henson was producer and president of the Playhouse’s board of directors when she died Feb. 13 at her home on the grounds back of the historic theater.
Her daughter, Heather, said her mother had suffered a series of mini-strokes but had been able last summer, as she did every summer for decades, to sing for the patrons before the show. ? Her repertoire never varied, and she would start off her set with “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” The noted folk singer and archivist, John Jacob Niles, called Charlotte’s voice one of the purest he had ever heard.
Charlotte was born on Jan. 3, 1931 and raised on a farm on the Boyle-Mercer County line.
As a youth, she was praised for her voice. After graduating from Burgin High School, she studied music at Transylvania College (now University) in Lexington. After college, she taught music in North Carolina and later was the choir director of the First Christian Church in Danville.
Charlotte first met Eben Henson when she attended an early performance of his fledgling theater at Darnell State Memorial Hospital. He used a free auditorium at the site for his plays, where Northpoint Training Center is now located.
Later, Eben met Charlotte and her mother for lunch at a drugstore soda fountain booth in downtown Danville. He asked Charlotte for a date. Charlotte’s mother kicked Eben in the shin to signal disapproval but Charlotte already had said yes.
In the early years of their marriage, the Hensons saw big-name movie stars flock to their area of the state to star in MGM’s “Raintree County.” Charlotte was a featured extra in the film. The distinctive gingerbread ticket office at the Playhouse was taken from the set of the movie.
Charlotte worked hard with Eben to make the theater go. She also raised four children, all of whom grew up in the theater. Robby Henson today is artistic director, Heather is managing director. When Eben,
known as “the Colonel,” died in 2004, daughter Holly took over the helm of running the theater. It flourished under her leadership. But she died unexpectedly in May 2013 from breast cancer. Her husband, Tom Hansen, is the theater’s chef today. Another son, Eben David, has contributed musically and in other ways to the theater.
The theater also has been guided over the years by a board of directors and influential emeritus board members like the late Gov. Brereton Jones and Lexington businessman and philanthropist Warren Rosenthal.
Charlotte Henson was named Danville’s Arts Citizen of the Year in 2006. She donated space in the old Henson Hotel building for the Danville/Boyle County African-American Historical Space to have a home for meetings, exhibits and archives. She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church of Danville.
Tori Kenley, office manager for Pioneer Playhouse, said she will miss “Miss Charlotte.”??
“She would come by every morning about 10:30 to say hi and ask how things were going.? She always took pride in the kitchen and was always working with the gift shop,” said Kenley. “Miss Charlotte was very much involved.”
Daughter Heather said it will be difficult to run the theater without her mom, “but as we always have said, ‘The show must go on.’? We will.”
Stith Funeral Home in Danville is handling arrangements. Visitation at the funeral home will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 22 and the funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 23 at the First Christian Church in Danville.
Donations may be made in Charlotte’s name to Heritage Hospice of Danville or to Pioneer Playhouse, both of which are non-profit organizations.
