Ben Lupejkis News

Kentwood Players presents the beloved American holiday classic 'It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play' by Joe Landry from tonight, November 8 through Saturday, December 14, 2013 for a six-week run on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm with Sunday matinees at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. The production is directed by Gypsy Foster and produced by Vada Foster and Alison Mattiza by special arrangement with Playscripts Inc.

Through a theatrical coincidence, Kentwood Players and Cornerstone Theater Company are both working to positively influence an otherwise overlooked community on Skid Row through their support of the Los Angeles Mission this holiday season. Both companies believe art has the power to change the lives of people who need it the most and are using the power of live theater to bring the holiday spirit to LA's Skid Row.

This beloved American holiday classic comes to life as a live 1940's radio broadcast, set on the stage and auditorium of Studio A at WBFR in Manhattan, New York on Christmas Eve, 1946. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

Psychiatry, religion, marriage, government, definitions of gender and even language are all targets of British playwright Joe Orton's poison pen in his wild and bawdy farce WHAT THE BUTLER SAW. His sly jokes and hilarious slashes at the follies and foibles of human conduct will have you shaking with laughter from start to finish.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning comedy thriller 'The 39 Steps' now through February 16, 2013, at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester (Los Angeles). The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis, and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Samuel French. Check out highlights from the show in the video below!

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning comedy thriller 'The 39 Steps' from Friday, January 11 to Saturday, February 16, 2013 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester (LA 90045). The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis, and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Samuel French.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning comedy thriller 'The 39 Steps' from Friday, January 11 to Saturday, February 16, 2013 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester (LA 90045). The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis, and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Samuel French. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning comedy thriller 'The 39 Steps' from Friday, January 11 to Saturday, February 16, 2013 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester (LA 90045). The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis, and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Samuel French.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning comedy thriller 'The 39 Steps' from Friday, January 11 to Saturday, February 16, 2013 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester (LA 90045). The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis, and produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Samuel French. BroadwayWorld has a first slook at the show below.

Kentwood Players was founded in 1949 by Jan and Arky Marcom. At the end of each Kentwood Players season, all Kentwood Players members in good standing who have seen all six shows vote by secret ballot and then the group presents our annual Marcom Masque Awards to the winners in each category at an entertainment-filled dinner ceremony.

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.

Check out these production photos of the Kentwood Players' production of OLIVER!, which runs from March 16 to April 21, 2012, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. With music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, and based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, this much-loved British musical won several Tony Awards on Broadway. The production is directed by Harold Dershimer, with musical direction by Catherine Rahm, choreography by Anna Rubin, and produced by Rocky and Victoria Miller by special arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.

Kentwood Players production of "Oliver!" runs from March 16 to April 21, 2012, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Kentwood Players presents the musical 'Candide' featuring a legendary score by Leonard Bernstein, with book adapted from the beloved Voltaire classic by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and John Latouche, from September 16 to October 22, 2011, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Catherine Rahm, produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, and was produced on Broadway by The Chelsea Theatre Center of Brooklyn in conjunction with Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell. The Broadway production was conceived and directed by Harold Prince.

Kentwood Players presents the musical 'Candide' featuring a legendary score by Leonard Bernstein, with book adapted from the beloved Voltaire classic by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and John Latouche, from September 16 to October 22, 2011, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Kentwood Players presents the musical 'Candide' featuring a legendary score by Leonard Bernstein, with book adapted from the beloved Voltaire classic by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and John Latouche, from September 16 to October 22, 2011, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Catherine Rahm, produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, and was produced on Broadway by The Chelsea Theatre Center of Brooklyn in conjunction with Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell. The Broadway production was conceived and directed by Harold Prince.

Kentwood Players presents the musical 'Candide' featuring a legendary score by Leonard Bernstein, with book adapted from the beloved Voltaire classic by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and John Latouche, from September 16 to October 22, 2011, with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Catherine Rahm, produced by Lori A. Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, and was produced on Broadway by The Chelsea Theatre Center of Brooklyn in conjunction with Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell. The Broadway production was conceived and directed by Harold Prince.

On July 2, 2011 the Kentwood Players 2010-2011 Marcom Masque Awards Dinner and Awards Ceremony was held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Culver City, organized by Shari Barrett and Linda Reinhardt, with Forbidden Kentwood entertainment directed and written by Scott Martin, and Michelle Rosen as Mistress of Ceremony.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning musical 'Parade' with book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown from Friday, March 18 to Saturday, April 23, 2011 with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis and produced by Victoria and Rocky Miller with special permission from Music Theatre International.

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning musical 'Parade' with book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown from Friday, March 18 to Saturday, April 23, 2011 with performances on Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Ben Lupejkis and produced by Victoria and Rocky Miller with special permission from Music Theatre International.