David Hunt News

Theatre 40 presents a reading of the play Camping with Henry and Tom via Zoom on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7:00 PST. This is a FREE event.

Theatre 40 is doing a virtual presentation of two short comedies at 7:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, February 24 under the umbrella title of A Risky Evening. The plays are: On the Harmfulness of Tobacco. Written by Anton Chekhov and Nine Point Eight Meters Per Second Per Second written by Pete Barry.

Theatre Forty will present a reading of a new comedy by Michael Halperin, Major Rewrite, on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. PST via Zoom. The narrative is based on true events. In 1956 a constellation of charismatic stage and motion picture stars gather for an out-of-town performance of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara.

Theatre 40 presents a play-reading via Zoom of a comedy, Community by Nancy Beverly, on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. PST

Theatre Forty presents a reading of a new comedy on Zoom, Doris and Ivy in the Home, by Theatre Forty's favorite playwright, Canada's Norm Foster. The cast includes Ann Hearn, Melanie MacQueen and David Hunt Stafford.

On Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. PST, Theatre Forty will present a reading on Zoom of a new comedy, The Best Revenge, by Michael Halperin.

The St. Charles Singers, led by founder and music director Jeffrey Hunt, will present their 2020 Candlelight Carols program as a free-to-view webcast on Sunday, December 6. The 45-minute concert will stream at 4 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. CST.

In these crazy, safe-distancing times; I reached out earlier this week to various heads of Los Angeles theatres to see how they and their theatre families are holding up. The replies were amazing in their quickness, numbers and uniform positivity.

Taming the Lion will have it's world premiere engagement at Theatre Forty! It is written by Jack Rushen, directed by Melanie MacQueen and produced by David Hunt Stafford for Theatre Forty.

Now celebrating its 18th year, the annual production of THE MANOR has become a Los Angeles/Beverly Hills institution with several performances selling out even before tickets go on sale to the public. Its popularity, no doubt, is due to the scandalous true story as told by the talented actors who each inhabit their characters to a tee, costumed to time-period perfection, as well as the chance to be inside the grand and glorious architectural landmark in which the events of 91 years ago actually took place, performed in two acts taking place 10 years apart. The names of all characters in the tragic Doheny family saga have been changed, of course, a?oeto protect the guiltya?? as we are told before the play begins by the mansion's loyal butler, James, portrayed this year by David Hunt Stafford who also produces the show for Theatre 40 in association with The City of Beverly Hills.

Taming the Lion is suggested by true events.

At the center of his play is the Matera family, soon to get together for a very special SUNDAY DINNER in that their son Michael (James Tabeek), a young priest in the Chicago Archdiocese, is returning to his parents' home in the Bronx after his grandfather dies. And just as Jewish mother would “qvell” about her son being a doctor, no doubt a Catholic mother would love to brag about her son being a priest. So of course when we first meet the family's matriarch Rose (Sharron Shayne) and her sister Margaret (Michele Schultz) as they are preparing the table for what they expect will be an interesting gathering, we soon learn because so many family members will be there with lots of past history, emotional reactions are bound to be ignited.

Actress Roslyn Cohn is remarkably versatile. She is nominated for a BWW Award this year for The Sound of Murder at Theatre 40. In our converrsation she tells our readers about her work and who and what she admires in the acting profession. Tell us about your BWW nomination for The Sound of Murder at Theatre 40. What kind of character did you play? RC: I was excited to get a nomination for this show as we didn't get the amount of reviews we should have

Michael Matera, a young priest in the Chicago Archdiocese, returns to his parents' home in the Bronx after his grandfather dies. The Matera clan is gathering at the family home for Sunday dinner. Soon after Michael arrives, his retired working-class father Eddie confesses a sin (more like a felony, really) to Michael. It's a misdeed which could have serious consequences for other members of the family. To Eddie's dismay, Michael refuses to grant him absolution. There are reasons for this (which won't be given away here; You'll have to see the play to find out).

Chicago, June, 1920. The Republican National Convention is in full swing. Warren G. Harding is overwhelmed by the prospect of being the nominee of the Republican Party for President.

The Manor- Murder and Madness at Greystone is by now a Los Angeles/Beverly Hills institution. The play, now in its eighteenth year, surpassed its 200th performance in 2014. The show is a roman a clef, a fictionalization based on real events with the actual historical characters given new names. To lend authenticity to the presentation, the show is presented in the grand and glorious architectural landmark in which the events of 90 years ago actually took place.

The CBS Television Network announced today that it has rewarded all five series from its top-rated freshman class with new production orders.

Theatre 40 announces their fall World Premiere production by Leda Siskind, THE SURVEILLANCE TRILOGY, is in full-tilt rehearsal mode.

This universally appealing play is bound to be a hit thanks to the sure-fire comedic direction by Howard Storm, an A-List comedian early in his career who subsequently became one of the busiest directors of television comedy, on a single a?oehome during renovationsa?? set by Jeff G. Rack which represents the homes of all 3 couples, often simultaneously without a bit of confusion as to who is where with whom. It's an amazing feat of direction, performed to perfection by a talented cast.

Meredith Willson's 'Music Man' at 'Theatre In The Park' could not be a more iconic community theater rendition of early twentieth century Iowa and Americana unless the entire forty-six member cast entered by running through a framed newsprint mock-up of Grant Wood's 'American Gothic.'   As a matter of fact, the couple from Grant Wood's painting (complete with pitchfork) show up in the opening scene.