Interview: Director Paula Kelley On Neil Simon's LITTLE ME Musical At Manhattan Beach Community Church Theater
The soon-to-open production of the Neil Simon musical Little Me at Manhattan Beach Community Church Theater (MBCC), the longest running theater in the South Bay since 1956, is directed by Paula Kelley with choreography by Angela Asch. Originally scheduled to open in the Spring of 2020, I decided to speak with the director about the production’s three-year delay and how she envisions presenting a musical full of comic vignettes featuring such a large cast, especially since it was written specifically for Sid Caesar to play multiple roles as all the heroine’s husbands and lovers.
The 2022 OC-Centric New Play Festival Runs Next Month
The OC-centric New Play Festival returns live onstage and on the web this summer. OC-centric, which was awarded the honor of Orange County's 'Best New Play Festival' by the OC WEEKLY, is the only theatre festival devoted to new works from dramatists who live in or hail from Orange County.
Kentwood Players Launches 70th Anniversary Year with LITTLE WOMEN, The Broadway Musical
Kentwood Players celebrates the launch of its 70th Anniversary year by presenting LITTLE WOMEN, The Broadway Musical by Jason Howland, Mindi Dickstein and Allan Knee based upon Louisa May Alcott's classic story, opening November 15 through December 21, 2019 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045.
First Look at the Cast of OUR TOWN by Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse
Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning classic play OUR TOWN comes to the Kentwood Players stage with a dramatic restaging, directed by Stanley Brown and produced by Kathy Dershimer, opening Friday, January 11 through Saturday, February 16, 2019 on Fri/Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue, LA 90045. Featured in the cast, in alphabetical order, are Dan Adams, Stephen Anthony Bailey, Shari Barrett, Jenny Boone, Allison Cunningham, Harold Dershimer, Aly Etienne, Sadie Fisher, Eddie Ed O'Brien, Shawn Plunkett, Judy Rosenfeld, Michele Selin, Gabrielle Sigrist and Ethan Trejo.
BWW Review: PARFUMERIE Takes Much Too Long to Get to the Love Story at its Heart
The 1936 Hungarian play PARFUMERIE by Miklos Laszlo has the humble distinction of living in the shadow of the more famous movies (and Broadway musical) that it inspired. In fact, Hollywood has cashed in on the play not once but three times - the first adaptation was the 1940 Ernst Lubitsch romantic comedy 'The Shop Around the Corner,' starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, which was followed by the 1949 screen musical version 'In the Good Old Summertime,' starring Judy Garland, and much later by the 1998 Nora Ephron movie 'You've Got Mail,' with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. And of course, the Broadway musical 'She Loves Me' - adapted from the play by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joe Masteroff - opened in New York in 1963 and is now one of the most beloved (and revived) musicals during the Christmas season each year. All I can say is for those who enjoy this story of mistaken identity between pen-pal lovers should see one of those versions
GRT Extends Neil Simon's RUMORS At Lonny Chapman Theatre
The Group Rep's well received production of Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York, has been extended due to critical acclaim and sold out houses. The play about five neurotic couples who gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary, goes wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. Confusions and miscommunications mount, as the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play, which opened June 15, will run through August 11th at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.
BWW Review: It's No Rumor… Neil Simon's RUMORS Is A Rollicking Good Time
North Hollywood's Lonny Chapman Theatre was packed Friday night for the opening of Neil Simon's RUMORS. This classic farce followed five couples that had all been invited to a dinner party to celebrate a sixth couple's 10th anniversary. However, everything changed when the couples discover the host (Charlie) had shot himself, his servants and hostess were missing, and dinner hadn't been prepared. What divulged was utter nonsense and hilarity.
Kentwood Players presents THE CRUCIBLE
Kentwood Players proudly presents the play THE CRUCIBLE, by Arthur Miller. Performance dates are January 12 February 17, 2018 todays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045. There will be a complimentary pre-show champagne and dessert reception between 7:00-7:30pm for season subscribers and their guests attending the Saturday, January 13 performance.
Kentwood Players presents THE CRUCIBLE
Kentwood Players proudly presents the play THE CRUCIBLE, by Arthur Miller. Performance dates are January 12 February 17, 2018 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045. There will be a complimentary pre-show champagne and dessert reception between 7:00-7:30pm for season subscribers and their guests attending the Saturday, January 13 performance.
Photo Flash: Kentwood Players Present Stage Classic THE CRUCIBLE
Kentwood Players proudly presents the play THE CRUCIBLE, by Arthur Miller. Performance dates are January 12 February 17, 2018 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045. There will be a complimentary pre-show champagne and dessert reception between 7:00-7:30pm for season subscribers and their guests attending the Saturday, January 13 performance.
Photo Flash: Group Rep presents ROCKY THE RENEGADE REINDEER
The Group Rep presents Rocky the Renegade Reindeer , written by Craig Alpaugh, directed by Robert Axelrod. Rocky, the back-up reindeer for Santa Claus, organizes a strike among the other reindeer on Christmas Eve. Can Santa save the day?
BWW Reviews: Kentwood Players Offer Excellent OLIVER!
The musical Oliver!, like Annie, presents challenges galore for a small theatre, first of all because of its very large cast, a good portion of whom are children. Unless they are top of the line performers who have had at least some experience singing and dancing, the show could scream dismal failure. Such, thank heavens, is hardly the case with the Kentwood Players' fine production whose cast are mostly top notch under the skilled guidance of director Harold Dershimer.