General Meeting

The General Meeting this month will be on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 8:00 PM at the theater, Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Hospitality

Hospitality for March will be provided by Vada and Gypsy Foster. Thanks!

Workshop

The April Workshop will be TAKE A GIANT STEP to be directed by Jason Gilmore, so stay after the General Meeting and after the snacky snack to enjoy and support the after meeting workshop program.

Upcoming Workshop

Sheldon Metz will direct the May 2007 Workshop, ORANGE FLOWER WATER, with Drew Fitzsimmons and Meredith M. Sweeney.

After Meeting Workshop Program

Workshop Chairperson Gert Nord said Sheldon Metz has scheduled readings for September 2007, but she also said June, July and August are currently available. Contact Gert Nord at 310 453 8381 to schedule a workshop.

March/April Production

Our March/April Production of Neil Simon’s BILOXI BLUES, directed by Larry Jones, produced by Jim Crawford, assistant directed by Tiffany Towers and Stage Managed by Trenekia Danielle closed this past weekend. The show opened March 9, 2007 and closed April 14, 2007. I hope everyone had a chance to see this show, the production received FIVE incredible reviews in local newspapers.

Our extremely talented and lovely cast was:

Daniel Farber as Eugene Morris Jerome
Bradley Jennings as Arnold Epstein
Michael Allen as Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey
Katrina Straub as Daisy Hannigan
Matthew Artson as Joseph Wykowski
Drew Fitzsimmons as Roy Selridge
D.L. Corrigan as Donald J. Carney
Jerod Callen as James Hennesey
Lana Ford as Rowena Morrison.
Tiffany Towers as USO Girl and as Understudy for Rowena Morrison.

Our fabulous crew included:

Producer – Jim Crawford, Assistant Director – Tiffany Towers, Stage Manager – Trenekia Danielle, Set Design – Sheldon Metz, Lighting Design – Tom Brophey, Sound Design – Richard Potthoff, Costumes – Sheridan Cole, Properties – Russell Ham, Script – Charlotte Schildkret
Accent Coach – Gail Bernardi and Graphic & Lobby Design – DJ Carlile.

I was really bad last month when I completely forgot to thank Scot Renfro for set painting and Frank Olivadoti for THE WALL on the turntable! Thanks Scot! Thanks Frank! You guys are the best.

Follies, Book by James Goldman, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

May/June Production

Our May/June Production will be FOLLIES, to be directed by Ed Cotter and produced by De Cotter. The show opens May 4 and closes June 16.

Ed announced his cast in last month’s Bulletin and this is the updated and final casting list.

Ben Stone Don Schlossman
Buddy Plummer Ben Lupejkis
Sally Durant Plummer Susan Weisbarth
Phyllis Stone Susie McCarthy
Roscoe Rocky Miller
Emily Whitman Sheridan Cole Crawford
Theodore Whitman Greg Abbott
Young Ben Cory Pearce
Young Buddy Drew Fitzsimmons
Young Phyllis Melissa Strauss
Young Sally Meredith M. Sweeney
Dmitri Weismann Max Heldring Stormes
Hattie Walker Calia Mintzer
Heidi Schiller Jean Nix
Solange La Fitte Victoria Miller
Stella Deems Patricia Butler
Mr. Deems Russell Ham
Chauffer Matthew Artson
Carlotta Campion Robyn Rothstein
Christine Donovan Cory Anderson
Guests Hal Fisher, Jeanne Spain
Showgirl Julia Aks
Ensemble Laurel Anderson, Danielle Morris, Tracy LaBorde, Cheryl
Murphy, Shawn Summerer and Peter Miller.

Ed announced Bill Wolfe as Musical Director, Vicki Miller as Choreographer, Maria Cohen costume design and Richard Potthoff as Lighting and Sound Design.

Ed Cotter says, “If you know Stephen Sondheim, I know you’ll be there. If you don’t know about him, you need to see this show with its fabulous Broadway score and with its incredible Kentwood cast of millions!”

The Constant Wife, by Somerset Maugham

July/August Production

The Kentwood Board has approved THE CONSTANT WIFE, by Somerset Maugham, for the July/August 2007 time slot, to be directed by Gail Bernardi.

Gail forwarded the following synopsis and cast breakdown for The Constant Wife:

The Constant Wife takes place in 1920’s London and tells the story of a wife who discovers her husband is having an affair with her best friend and cleverly turns it to her advantage. It is as current today as it was then and will undoubtedly be forever.

Mrs. Culver 55 – 65 traditional if cynical status quo endorsing dowager mother.
Bentley 30 – 45 the butler.
Martha Culver 33 Mrs. Culver’s unmarried daughter – Constance’s younger sister. A pot stirrer of the first order.
Barbara Fawcett 35 – 40 Constance’s good friend and a successful business woman.
Constance Middleton 35 Attractive, intelligent, elegant and an admirable example of the woman we all wish we could be.
Marie-Louise Durham 30 – 35 best friend of Constance, who is also, by the way, having an affair with Constance’s husband.
John Culver 45 successful surgeon. Husband to Constance, neither a villain nor a buffoon… shall we say, just a man.
Bernard Kersal 46 tall. Good looking former suitor of Constance.
Mortimer Durham 40 Stout, irascible cuckolded husband of Marie-Louise.

Auditions for THE CONSTANT WIFE will be held at the theater Saturday, May 5, 10 AM to 3 PM and Sunday, May 6, 7 PM to 10 PM. English Accents.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, by Rupert Holmes

September/October Production

The Board has approved THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, by Rupert Homes, to be our September/October 2007 Production. The show will be directed by Catherine Rahm. According to the director, the cast members are members of an Acting Troupe in Victorian England and the show has alternate, audience involved, endings.

Sad News to Report

Long Time Member Estelle Abrams died last month, just a few months after the death of her husband David Abrams. Charlotte Lee Schildkret said Work Sunday upstairs cleaning will never be the same. According to Charlotte, Estelle used to say she had professional help in her own kitchen, but really enjoyed cleaning the Kentwood Kitchen at the close of each show.

Standing Rules Post

Standing Rules…
7. DUTIES OF NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Any eligible member who wishes to be nominated, or to suggest the nomination of another eligible member, for election to a specific position on the Board of Directors shall contact a member of the nominating committee at least two weeks prior to the March regular general membership meeting. The nominating committee must place into nomination the names of all eligible, qualified candidates who wish to run for office and whose names have been timely submitted as required above. The committee’s determination of the ineligibility or lack of qualification of any candidate must be unanimous. The nominating committee shall also solicit candidates of their choosing from among the eligible members where necessary to fill the ballot. The ballot must include at least two candidates for each board position, except where due diligence has failed to produce more than one willing, qualified candidate for a particular office. These rules do not affect the rights of members to make additional nominations at the March and April general membership meetings.

The following members have been nominated for 2007/2008

President Sheldon Metz
Vice President Gail Bernardi
Secretary Valerie Ruel*
Treasurer Catherine Rahm
Box Office Julia Maggs
Bulletin Larry Jones
House Manager Russell Ham*
Production Lori A. Marple-Pereslete
Technical Jim Crawford
Post Cards & Programs Susan Weisbarth*
Publicity Shari Barrett
Season Tickets Jenny Boone
Special Theater Parties Calia Mintzer
Workshop Gert Nord
Plays Chair Sheridan Cole
Committee Member Alison Mattiza
Committee Member Christine Joelle
New Board Member *

Other nominations will be accepted from the floor at the April membership meeting. The Board encourages participation. Voting will take place at the May meeting if there are any contested positions. So just because there is a name associated with a Board position, do not hesitate to nominate a different member for the position, but remember you must have permission of a member before you can nominate them for the race.

Ticket Price Increase

The Kentwood Board has approved an increase in the basic ticket price for Kentwood Players productions at the Westchester Playhouse, effective July 2007. Ticket prices for Musicals will be $20.00 and ticket prices for Non-Musicals will increase to $18.00. Both will have a $2.00 Discount for Seniors and Students.

Marcom Masque Awards Dinner

Mark Your Calendars!!

The 2006/2007 Marcom Masque Awards Dinner will be at the theater on Sunday, July 8 at 6 PM. 6 to 7 PM Happy Hour, Drinks $2 and Soft Drinks $1.
7 to 8:30 Dinner, 8:30 to 10:30 Awards Show, 10:30 on Dessert and Coffee.
Cost: $25.00 per person. MAKE YOU RESERVATIONS EARLY!

Chairperson Michelle Rosen wants everyone to know there are roughly a HUNDRED SEATS inside the theater and all seats will all be sold on a FIRST COME, FIRST SOLD BASIS. She strongly suggests early ticket purchases!

Theater Parties

Calia Mintzer, Theater Parties Chairperson, would like to remind all members to please refer Kentwood Players and our Fund Raising Theater Parties to all the organizations you belong to. Theater Parties are great way for any organization to raise money, have fun and see a great show

Points

In order to become an active member after the one year probationary period and to retain your active membership requires a total of 6 points of activity during the membership year. The following is the current guide to obtaining those all important 6 points:

6 Points Cast, Crew, Director or Producer of a show.
6 Points Elected Board Member
6 Points Special Board Appointments
3 Points Board Alternate
3 Points Providing Hospitality for Membership Meeting
3 Points Act in or Direct a Workshop
2 Points Theater Manger for a show
2 Points Serving on a Committee
1 Point Show Hospitality
1 Point Work Sunday
All work must be documented by sign up sheets (Work Sunday/Hospitality) or being listed in a program.

The above schedule of points is currently being reviewed by the Board and changes could follow.

Announcements

Lots and lots of folks showed up for and got involved in the Saturday 3/31/07 READING of WILD OATS, James McLure’s comedy romance set in the old west. There was an audience and everyone involved had an incredibly good time. And as advertised, there was NO Kentwood business discussed!!

Please note the absence of announcements. This is what happens when no one sends me STUFF!

Larry Jones