First Look: Kentwood Players Presents Futuristic, Multimedia Play THE GIVER

Kentwood Players, one of the longest continuously operating Los Angeles theater groups, welcomes the New Year and its 70th Anniversary with the futuristic, multimedia play THE GIVER, adapted for the stage by Eric Coble, based on the Newberry Award-winning book by Lois Lowry, opening on Friday, January 17, 2020 and continuing through Saturday, February 22 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 2:00pm at located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045, home of the Kentwood Players. Additional weekday performances may be added to accommodate school groups throughout the run, dates to be determined.

This is a non-equity/non-paid production directed by Harold Dershimer, produced by Kathy Dershimer for Kentwood Players by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

The cast features Jack Heath and Elliott Plunkett alternating in the roles of Jonas and Asher, with Gavin Glynn as The Giver. Others in the cast include (in alphabetical order) Jenny Boone, Lois Bostwick, Maria Brodeur, Allison Cunningham, Robin Cunningham, Daniel Kruger, Kaya McLean, Shawn Plunkett, and Lily Repp.

Life in the futuristic community where THE GIVER and Jonas live is idyllic. Designated birthmothers produce new children, who are assigned to appropriate family units: one male, one female, to each. Citizens are assigned their partners and their jobs and no one thinks to ask questions. Everyone obeys. The community is a precisely choreographed world without conflict, inequality, divorce, unemployment, injustice...or choice. Join us for this multi-media presentation as we follow Jonas' journey filled with heightened sensory experiences from a place of sameness... to elsewhere.

Reserved seat tickets are $22 with a $2 discount for seniors, students and servicemen. To purchase tickets, please email the box office at boxoffice@kentwoodplayers.org or call (310) 645-5156, preferably during box office hours, Wednesday through Saturday from 4:00-7:00pm. Please note our box office gets a large number of calls and all voicemail messages will be answered in the order received to confirm your ticket order. A limited number of tickets are available online at www.kentwoodplayers.org. For group ticket sales of 10 or more, please call the box office for group rates.

For more information about Kentwood Players including our current production and upcoming auditions, please visit the Kentwood Players website at www.kentwoodplayers.org. You can also find Kentwood Players information on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To meet THE GIVER production team and learn more about Kentwood Players, the public is invited to attend our general membership meetings, which are free and held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Westchester Playhouse located two blocks west of the San Diego Freeway and two blocks north of Manchester at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045.

During 2020, Kentwood Players is celebrating our 70th Anniversary with the following productions:

THE GIVER: January 17 - February 22, 2020

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE: March 13 - April 18, 2020

FUN HOME, The Musical: May 15 - June 20, 2020

Neil Simon's LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR: July 10 - August 15, 2020

NIGHT WATCH: September 11 - October 17, 2020

9 TO 5, The Musical: November 13 - December 19, 2020

Season tickets for all six productions are available for just $95, the best deal in town for live theater productions at the #1 Best Live Theater on the Westside! To purchase season subscriptions, please contact the Kentwood Players box office at (310) 645-5156, via email to boxoffice@kentwoodplayers.org or subscriptions@kentwoodplayers.org, or when you attend a performance of THE GIVER as the price of your ticket will be credited to your season subscription cost.

Photo credit: Gloria Plunkett

To post a comment, you must register and login.