Kentwood Players is celebrating its 60th Anniversary with a spectacular production of “A Little Night Music†with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler from Friday, November 6 through Saturday, December 12, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045.
Founded by the late Arky and Jan Marcom, Elizabeth Thornberg and Betty Francis in December 1949, Kentwood Players and got its start, and its name, as members of the Kentwood Elementary School PTA in Westchester. The group was motivated by a school play they performed there and decided to keep a good thing going – and the all-volunteer community theater group is still going strong after 60 years!
“A Little Night Music†was inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film “Smiles of a Summer Night†and won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Musical. Set in Sweden at the turn of the century, it involves the romantic lives of several couples, with the music set almost entirely in waltz time. The musical includes the song “Send in the Clowns.”
The production is directed by Sheridan Cole Crawford and produced by Jordan Bland for Kentwood Players. Featured in the “A Little Night Music†cast are Jerry Cordova, Jacqueline Crist-Franzen, Harold Dershimer, Adam Dunberger, Jeremy Fillinger, Sid Fish, Shirley Hatton, Sarah Maher, Susie McCarthy, Kevin Michaels, Hannah Provisor, Lynn Reed, Robyn Rothstein, Silver Shreck, Jeremy Speed Schwartz, Karintha Touton, and Kristin Towers-Rowles.
Tickets are $23.00 with a $2.00 discount for seniors, students, and servicemen. Please call (310) 645-5156 for reservations during box office hours, Tuesday through Saturday from 4-7 PM. Visa, MasterCard, and Diner’s Club accepted. You may also purchase tickets online at www.kentwoodplayers.org. For group ticket sales, please contact Jenny Boone at (310) 204-1838.
Please join us at the Westchester Playhouse, home of the Kentwood Players, for our next meeting and to learn more about our upcoming season of shows. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved and meet our very professional and talented group of producers, directors, actors and designers as we celebrate 60 years of presenting great entertainment. Our meetings are free to the public and are held on the third Wednesday of every month at 8:00 PM. Westchester Playhouse is located two blocks west of the San Diego Freeway and two blocks north of Manchester at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045.
For more information on current and future Kentwood Players productions, auditions, and our Kentwood Kids Children’s Theatre Classes, please visit the Kentwood Players website at www.kentwoodplayers.org or on My Space at www.myspace.com/kentwoodplayers. And you can also sign up and be a Kentwood Players friend on Facebook.
