Elizabeth Bouton News

Kentwood Players, the community theater group based at the Westchester Playhouse, was founded in December 1949 by Jan and Arky Marcom, for whom the group's annual Marcom Masque Awards are named. The first Marcom Masque Awards were presented for the 1957-1958 season with 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' winning the award for Best Play.

The Costa Mesa Playhouse closes its 51st season with the campy spoof "The Great American Trailer Park Musical," playing June 4 through July 3.  With music and lyrics by David Nehls and book by Betsy Kelso, 'The Great American Trailer Park Musical' began its journey as a series of staged readings and workshops, followed by a sold-out run at The New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004, which led to a 2005 Off Broadway run.  A Christmas-themed sequel followed. 

Here's your first look at the musical murder mystery 'SOMETHING'S AFOOT' that spoofs detective stories, most particularly Agatha Christie's, And Then There Were None (a.k.a. Ten Little Indians). The play involves a group of standard British mystery characters (the Cockney servants, the brash retired military man, the imperious dowager, the snoopy spinster, the ne'er-do-well nephew, the ingenue couple) who are invited to the lake estate of Lord Dudley Rancour. When the wealthy lord is found dead, it's a comical race against the clock and some outrageous booby traps to find out whodunit.

Here's your first look at the musical murder mystery "SOMETHING'S AFOOT" that spoofs detective stories, most particularly Agatha Christie's, And Then There Were None (a.k.a. Ten Little Indians). The play involves a group of standard British mystery characters (the Cockney servants, the brash retired military man, the imperious dowager, the snoopy spinster, the ne'er-do-well nephew, the ingenue couple) who are invited to the lake estate of Lord Dudley Rancour. When the wealthy lord is found dead, it's a comical race against the clock and some outrageous booby traps to find out whodunit.

MAME, the 1966 multiple Tony Award winning musical, based on the biographical novel Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis and subsequent play and film Auntie Mame by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is a wonderful, warm, and witty narrative enhanced with Jerry Herman's evocative, lively, and sentimental music and lyrics. Bohemian Mame Dennis is a larger-than-life personality living in New York City during the Great Depression. Mame has a collection of eccentric, wealthy society friends and her life is one endless party; that is until her young nephew Patrick "walks into her life."

Kentwood Players presents the Tony Award winning musical "Into the Woods" with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, from Friday, November 14 to Saturday, December 20 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, with two Thursday night performances at 8pm on December 11 and 18 at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. The production is directed by Shawn K. Summerer with musical direction by Catherine Rahm, produced by Lori Marple-Pereslete and Tony Pereslete by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim is known for his immense contributions to musical theatre for over 50 years. He is the winner of an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer) including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the Laurence Olivier Award. Sondheim fans are in for a treat this holiday season with two Sondheim shows playing within just a few miles of each other: Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse is presenting 'Into the Woods' and Chromolume at the Attic Theatre is presenting 'Putting it Together' with both productions opening on November 14, 2014.

INTO THE WOODS is tied together by an original story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their dealings with a Witch who has placed a curse on them, and their interaction with other storybook characters during their journey. Join Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Rapunzel, Jack the Giant Slayer, and many other famous storybook characters as they each venture into the foreboding woods in search of magical items, love, money, or simply a purpose in life. This classic mash-up of Grimm's fairy tales teaches all of us the true consequences of what it means to "get your wish."

Kentwood Players presents THE MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson now through June 16, 2012 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). See photos from the production below!

Kentwood Players presents THE MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson from tonight, May 11 to June 16, 2012 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). Adapted from William Gibson's 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay of the same name, THE MIRACLE WORKER is based on Helen Keller's autobiography "The Story of My Life" and won several Tony Awards including Best Play. The production is directed by Shawn K. Summerer and produced by Alison Mattiza and Elizabeth Summerer by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., New York City.

Kentwood Players presents THE MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson from May 11 to June 16, 2012 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).

Kentwood Players presents THE MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson from May 11 to June 16, 2012 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). Adapted from William Gibson's 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay of the same name, THE MIRACLE WORKER is based on Helen Keller's autobiography "The Story of My Life" and won several Tony Awards including Best Play. The production is directed by Shawn K. Summerer and produced by Alison Mattiza and Elizabeth Summerer by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., New York City.

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.

Join Kentwood Players as they delve into the famously haunting story 'Dracula' as dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Baldeston, based on the novel by Bram Stoker, from September 10 to October 16, 2010 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester

Join Kentwood Players as they delve into the famously haunting story 'Dracula' as dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Baldeston, based on the novel by Bram Stoker, from September 10 to October 16, 2010 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester

Join Kentwood Players as they delve into the famously haunting story 'Dracula' as dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Baldeston, based on the novel by Bram Stoker, from September 10 to October 16, 2010 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester

Kentwood Players announces auditions for 'Dracula' on Saturday, July 10 from 11am-3pm and Sunday, July 11 from 6-9pm with callbacks on Monday, July 12 from 7:30-10pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester .

Kentwood Players announces auditions for 'Dracula' on Saturday, July 10 from 11am-3pm and Sunday, July 11 from 6-9pm with callbacks on Monday, July 12 from 7:30-10pm at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester .