General Meeting

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

Hospitality

Hospitality for July will be provided by Michael & Maria Cohen. Thank you!

Workshop

The July Workshop will be directed by Charlotte Lee Schildkret and will star Scot Renfro and Justin Rozell. The director described the workshop as, “One of the funniest plays ever, filled with laugher and warmth, with a touch of poignancy about a cheerful non-conformist and his precocious nephew.”

After Meeting Workshop Program

Workshop Chairperson Gert Nord said Workshops are available. Contact Gert Nord at 310 453-8381 to schedule one for you and a few close friends…

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Most Happy Fella, Director Ben Lupejkis, and ALL the Marcom Masque Award Winners! Kentwood Members gathered at the Westchester Theater on Sunday July 8, 2007 to celebrate another year’s shows, actors, crews and members with our Annual Marcom Masque Awards Celebration. This year the gala event was held for the first time at the theater and a good time was had by all. The BBQ dinner was catered and wonderful, the centerpieces by Valerie Ruel were magnificent. Special thanks to Drew and Meredith for excellent bartending.

Congratulations to all of the Kentwood Players 2007 Marcom Masque Award Winners

Actor in a Leading Role
Rocky Miller
as Tony in The Most Happy Fella
Actress in a Leading Role
Marie Talley
as Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella
Actor in a Major Supporting Role
Michael Allen
as Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey in Biloxi Blues
Actress in a Major Supporting Role
Susie McCarthy
as Margaret Scanlon in The Wake
Actor in a Minor Supporting Role
Ben Lupejkis
as Pasquale/Al in The Most Happy Fella
Actress in a Minor Supporting Role
Maria Pavone
as Rose Scanlon O'Brien in The Wake
Actor in a Minor Role
Drew Fitzsimmons
as Cashier, City Boy, Truck Driver, Bus Driver, Principal Dancer in The Most Happy Fella
Actress in a Minor Role
Vada Foster
as Mrs. Crummles, Pub Wench in Nicholas Nickleby
Actor in a Cameo Role
Daniel Farber
as Father Morrisey in The Wake
Director
Ben Lupejkis
for The Most Happy Fella
Producer
Victoria Miller and Rocky Miller
for The Most Happy Fella
Play
The Most Happy Fella
Set Design
Sheldon Metz
for The Wake
Set Decoration Design
Sheldon Metz and Scot Renfro
for The Wake
Lighting Design
Robert Davis
for The Most Happy Fella
Sound Design
Rocky Miller
for The Most Happy Fella
Original Graphic Design
Michael Cohen
for The Most Happy Fella
Costume Design
Maria Cohen
for Nicholas Nickleby

The Constant Wife, by Somerset Maugham

July/August Production

Our July/August Production is THE CONSTANT WIFE, by Somerset Maugham and is directed by Gail Bernardi, with Calia Mintzer and Lori A. Marple-Pereslete as Producers.

Director Gail Bernardi told us THE CONSTANT WIFE is a delightful drawing room comedy which will enchant you and is as current for today as it was in 1926 when it was written.

The show opened July 6 to an appreciative and lively opening night audience. Congratulations to cast, crew and director! If you haven’t seen this show, hurry, the show is attracting capacity crowds!

According to Calia Mintzer, the set was designed by De Cotter, Stage Manager Jim Crawford, Set Decoration by Lori Marple Pereslete, Master Builder is Dave Whale, Light Design by Tom Brophey, Sound Design by Susan Stangl, properties by Judy Polak, Costumes By Maria Cohen, Graphic and Lobby Design By Michael Cohen, Script supervisors, Barbara MacMurray, and Hilary Fitzsimmons, Publicity Photos, Shellee James, Booth Crew, Mel Miller, Russell Ham, and Nikki Corso, auditions by Gert Nord and Jeanne Spain.

Tickets are going fast!!

Outstanding Cast

Hansel and Gretel, Adapted from the Grimm fairytale by Maria Pavone and Directed by Michael Allen

The Kentwood Players will present HANSEL AND GRETEL, adapted by Maria Pavone and Directed by Michael Allen. The show, produced by Sheridan Cole Crawford and Shellee Lynn James, will play on The Constant Wife set Saturdays at 2 PM on July 28, August 4 and August 11. Tickets are $7.00, reservations are important and all children must be accompanied by an adult. The Director has promised this show will be a lot of fun for children and the parents who bring them! Come one, come all and enjoy 50 minutes worth of comedy performed by Kentwood Superstars Jerad Callen, Tiffany Towers, Michael Allen, Toni Lopnow and a stranger from the audience as narrator. And as always, anyone who wants to help would be greatly appreciated! Call Michael 323-821-0738.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, by Rupert Holmes

September/October Production

Our September/October Production is THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, by Rupert Homes, will be directed by Catherine Rahm and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete. According to the director, the cast members are members of an Acting Troupe in Victorian England and the show has alternate, audience involved, endings. The Director has announced the following fabulous cast!

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” presents some unique challenges as well as unique opportunities for performers. The general set-up is that of the “show-within-the-show” format. The setting is a small theatre company in a small town well outside of London in Victorian England. To perk up their lagging box office, they have decided to present something that no other theatre has done – staging Charles Dickens’ final work, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”. Most other companies would be deterred by the fact that Dickens died before finishing the book, but the Westchester Music Hall Royale has figured out a way around that. They will let the audience vote on how the play should end.

This particular environment means that each performer in the show is playing at least two parts: their self, as a member of the Westchester Music Hall Royale Players, and whichever character, or characters, they are performing in the current production. The voting aspect also means that the show is unpredictable, with well over 500 possible permutations, so actors must be able to think quickly and to react appropriately to whatever happens.

There are two main occurrences that the audience votes on. First, by voice vote, they choose which performer is disguised as the mysterious detective, Dick Datchery. The person chosen as Datchery then gets a key song. Secondly, by written ballot, the audience chooses who is the murderer. This performer also gets a terrific confession song. None of the principals knows whom will be chosen until the announcement is made, so everyone has to be prepared to sing the extra music. There is also a short song for two lovers, chosen by the audience as well.

Since it behooves each performer to get voted as either detective or murderer, a great deal of audience interaction takes place. Actors should campaign shamelessly for votes at every opportunity. The challenge lies in staying fresh on music and dialogue that you will not be performing every night.

Romantic Comedy, by Bernard Slade

November/December Production

The Board has approved Romantic Comedy, by Bernard Slade for the Nov/Dec time slot, with Sherman Wayne directing, Ed and De Cotter producing.

Proof, by David Auburn

January/February 2008 Production

The Board has approved the play PROOF, by David Auburn, to be directed by Sheldon Metz and assistant directed by Jim Crawford. Valerie Ruel will produce. Sheldon forwarded the following short description of the play.

Proof was the winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and also won the Pulitzer prize. It is a wonderfully compassionate and knowing play about a young woman, who, on the death of her father, must sort out and deal with a number of long denied feelings and fears. Her father was a brilliant mathematician who crossed the thin line from genius to insanity several years earlier, leaving his daughter as his sole care giver for all her adult life. Now she must adjust not only to his death, but come to grips with her fear that his mathematical genius, which she has inherited, comes with a dreadful price, that she may be fated to the same mental degeneration and insanity as her father. In a dazzling series of scenes, David Auburn gradually reveals and embellishes this situation, which is exacerbated by the presence of the girl’s older sister, and a former student of her father's who she finds attractive, but who may only be out to further his own career.

Gypsy, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents.

The Board has approved the musical GYPSY for March/April 2008, to be directed by Susan Weisbarth and produced by Ed & De Cotter.

Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist. The story focuses on her mother, Mama Rose, whose name has become synonymous with the ultimate show business mother. In particular, it follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform on stage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The character of Louise is based on Lee and the character of June is based on Lee’s younger sister, actress June Havoc.

PARADE HUGE SUCCESS

Congratulations to Parade Committee, Marchers and our very own Hal Fisher as UNCLE SAM on being a part of the very successful and widely acclaimed Westchester Fourth of July Parade. Thanks special to Patti Crockett for the donation of the convertible we used in the Parade and Maria Cohen for her extraordinary costuming contributions! 2007 Proud Parade Marchers (and a couple of riders ?) in the Annual Westchester Fourth of July Parade include: Hal Fisher, Charlotte Lee Schildkret, Dave Parke (as a Big Bird), Sheldon Metz, Julia Aks, Shari Barrett, Russell Ham, Gretchen Luna, Julia Maggs, Calia Mintzer, Bob Sherman, Adina Silo, Barbara Stone, Fred Wolf, Judy & Lee Polak, with daughter Hillary and Hillary’s friend Mera. Pictures are posted in the Kentwood Lobby. It just gets bigger and better each year folks!

Publicity

Publicity Chairperson Shari Barrent sent the following note:

About 90 of the photos I took at last Sunday night's Marcom Masque Awards Dinner and Ceremony are now posted as a slide show on the Kentwood Players My Space home page and can be viewed by everyone. There is also a slide show of photos for "The Constant Wife."
So come on by and check out our My Space page. Just click here: http://www.myspace.com/kentwoodplayers

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.

LAX Expansion

To make your feelings about the intended LAX Expansion known, write to Councilman Bill Rosendahl, 11th Council District, 7166 W Manchester Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. The planned expansion could seriously impact our theater operations.

On The Mend

Charlotte Lee Schildkret wrote to let us know Life Time Member Doris Shoemaker is recovering from a second hip replacement and is doing well. Get well soon Doris! Son Peter Conway wrote to let us know cards to Doris are greatly appreciated, but has asked for no phone calls at this time.

On The Mend Visit & Party

Christine Joelle, Bruce Schroffel, and Shari Barrett invite all Kentwood members to join them in visiting Kentwood's "Sunshine Boy" Ira Gewant this Sunday morning, July 15 at 11 AM at UCLA Medical Center in Westwood where he is recovering from heart valve replacement surgery. UCLA Medical Center Hospital is located at 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (the entrance is just east of Westwood Blvd. on Le Conte) The information phone line is (310) 825-9111. Parking is $8 per car in the hospital lot. Please meet us at the front entrance to the hospital at 11:00 AM so we can check in as a group for our visit. Lost or running late? Call Shari on her cell phone at (310) 721-1974.

Announcements

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - Music by Stephen Sondheim and Book by George Furth. Carol Becker and COMPANY director, Aileen-Marie Scott will be performing in Chromolume Theatre Company's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Theatre/Theater, 5041 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019. Performance dates are July 7 - August 12 (Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00PM and Sunday matinees at 2:00PM). Reservations are strongly encouraged. Please call (323) 938-3700, email info@chromolume-theatre.com, or order tickets online
http://chromolume-theatre.com/archive/merrily/merrily.html. Carol wrote: For those who love Sondheim, please come see this spectacular performance! MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG traces the lives of wealthy, jaded composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends, Charley and Mary, backwards in time through each milestone of their personal and professional lives (good and bad). The show ends with a touch of rueful irony, as the three best friends, at the start of their careers, face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered.

Kentwood's Lana Ford (Rowena from "Biloxi Blues") invites you to see her in Phil Olson's "A Nice Family Gathering" — Family Comedy with a Hint of "Ghost" at the Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre at 10900 Burbank Blvd., in North Hollywood, CA 91601 The theatre's website is http://www.lcgrt.com and the phone number is 818-700-4878. Please come to see one of her last four shows during the weekend of July 20-21-22 and on Friday, July 27. Performances are at 8 PM on Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday at 2 PM. Half price tickets are available online at Goldstar Events at http://www.goldstarevents.com/events/event/13921.html

Susan Stangl will be singing June 29, from 8-10 pm at the Synergy Cafe and Lounge at 4455 Overland in Culver City, and at the Talking Stick, 1630 Ocean Park in Santa Monica on Saturday, July 21, from 7-9 pm. Admission is free and there is good food and drink at both places.

Dave and Linda Parke are officially empty nesters! Dave wrote: Our son David got him 1st apartment this weekend and moved his stuff out of the house. He lives on Las Palmas over by his old alma mater Hollywood High. He got a nice raise at his job where he runs the office for Make It Happen Productions and is working on a new website called mysportss.com (with 2 s's )
The locks get changed this week!!! We are very proud of him.

Lifetime member, Klair Bybee, will be playing Dr. Einstein in the comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" at Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, 91601, August 17-Sept. 22. Tickets at goldstar.com LATheatreAlliance or (818) 700-4878 and www.lcgrt.com Free previews (no reservations) August 15 & 16 at 8pm.

Tim Forsyth wrote with: I want to pass along more info regarding CINDERELLA WALTZ showing now through Aug.26 at Marymount College Auditorium, 30800 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rancho Palos Verdes 90275. Call (310) 303-7620. I'd never seen a production of the show, before, but found it note-worthy enough to tell everyone I know about it. Just follow Narbonne south past where it intersects with Palos Verdes Drive North and wends and wends and wends its' way to Ramon/Crest Rd and turn left into the Marymount College bearing left (still) into the Auditorium parking area. The production and performances make it well worth the trip.

July Birthdays

1 Jackie Kostos, 2 Leverne Mizrahi, 10 Arlene Cohen, 11 Bill Goldyn, 12 Mary Manley Green, 12 Charlotte Schildkret, 15 Fred Wolfe, 18 Maria Cohen, 20 Jeanette Lyons, 26 Ron Husner, 28 Tom Brophey, 28 Pat Kelly

July Anniversaries

1 Ron & Judy Wisansky, 9 Frank & Eleanor Olivadoti, 19 Steve Lee & Mary Steelsmith, 30 Bill & Nancy Goldyn

Change of Address

Sheridan Cole Crawford has reported a change of address. After 7/15/2007

Kentwood Website

Check out the Kentwood Players Website. Go to www.kentwoodplayers.org. If you have questions or comments regarding the site, please contact Hal Fisher at 310/397-2341 or by email at FisherForPhoto@hotmail.com

Send Stuff Please forward Bulletin submissions to: Larry Jones, POB 921443, Sylmar, CA 91392, 818 833 7207 message, 818 833 7307 fax, ljonespi@yahoo.com

Larry Jones

P.S. The Kentwood Board, the Kentwood Membership and Ads Chairperson Julia Maggs urge everyone to please patronize the advertisers in our Awards Dinner Program.

2007 Marcom Masque Awards Banquet
Program Advertisers! GO SEE EM!