Shari Barrett News

Around the BroadwayWorld is our monthly snapshot of the biggest stories making waves across the global theatre community. In this February 2026 edition catch headlines about the renaming of the Kennedy Center Honors, layoffs affecting theater coverage at The Washington Post, and artists gathering in Washington, DC for the First Amendment Troop’s ResistDance performance.

Pasadena Playhouse's production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, led by Jefferson Mays, and directed by Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak, is running now through Sunday, March 15, 2026. Read the reviews here!

Around the BroadwayWorld is our monthly snapshot of the biggest stories making waves across the global theatre community.

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is December 1, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend. 

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is November 13, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is September 29, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend.

Every so often, a new play or musical being done in Los Angeles catches my eye with a big dose of curiosity. Such is the case with the musical The Translucent Frogs of Quuup with Book by Chris Larner and Music by Mark Stevens, produced by Alchemy Theatre Company and directed by Brian Pirnat with music direction by Brigitte Bellavoine at the Westchester Playhouse from June 14-22. Since I had never heard of it, I decided to speak with the director about the musical and his interest in directing it.

Top stories: Learn more about what's coming to Broadway in Summer/Fall 2023, plus read our interview with New York, New York star Clyde Alves, and more!

Today's top stories: Find out what's coming to Broadway this summer and full, Sara Bareilles will hold a benefit concert to save Rockwood Music Hall, and more!

Tony Award winner John Rubinstein will star as President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, a new American play by Richard Hellesen and directed by Peter Ellenstein.

Top stories: Sweeney Todd officially began previews on Broadway this weekend, the 2023 Obie Awards will be held tonight, and more! Read more about these and other top stories here!

Tanya Thomas celebrates the many definitions of beauty in Naturally Tan, her award-winning, one-woman seriocomic play, performed Saturday, December 10 at 5:00pmiIn the Soaring Solo Stars Series at the Zephyr Theatre.

Kentwood Players proudly presents the musical FUN HOME with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron, music by Jeanine Tesori, based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, opening Friday, May 13 through Saturday, June 11, 2022 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045. Please note there will be no performances over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28-29. 

Here is your first look at onstage photos of the Kentwood Players cast of VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, a comedy by Christopher Durang, opening Friday, September 17 through Sunday, October 10, 2021 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm. Originally slated to open in March 2020, the cast has been rehearsing virtually since the shutdown began immediately after their final dress rehearsal, and is very excited to finally be back onstage inside the newly refurbished Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Meet the Kentwood Players cast of Christopher Durang's hilarious comedy VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, opening at the newly refurbished Westchester Playhouse on Friday, September 17 to Sunday, October 10. The cast features (from left) Isabella Petrini (Nina), Chris Morrison (Vanya), Valerie Sullivan (Sonia), Jeff Dewitt (Spike), Sarilee Kahn (Masha), Giovanni Navarro (Spike) and Susan Stangl (Cassandra). .Photo by Shari Barrett

Hernandez is graduating as part of Cal State LA's Class of 2021. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, with an option in design and production, and finished with a 3.9 GPA. The 21-year-old Boyle Heights resident hopes to start a career in themed entertainment, helping create worlds like the ones she loved getting lost in growing up.

It's been quite a year and our new Board of Directors looks forward to an exciting 2021-22 Season with our continuing YouTube Channel programming including KP Live Interviews, Special Events and our Virtual Theater Series. And most importantly, the re-launch of our home theater, THE WESTCHESTER PLAYHOUSE, this Fall.

During the past year's pandemic shutdown, Kentwood Players has been working on very necessary upgrades to their home, the Westchester Playhouse, so that when the time is right to reopen it will be totally up-to-date and compliant with all necessary safety protocols to ensure the enjoyment of live indoor theatre again! To assist in raising funds for the ongoing and much-needed major renovations, the public is invited to attend A NIGHT WITH GILBERT & SULLIVAN, a very special online benefit event of music and entertainment written by the Kings of Patter, presented on the Kentwood Players You Tube channel on Friday, May 28 at 7pm at youtube.com/kentwoodplayers

A BINTEL BRIEF, comprised of a selection of sixty years of letters from the lower East Side of New York to The Jewish Daily Forward, a popular local paper among the Yiddish speaking immigrants, is being presented online by Pacific Resident Theatre, I wanted to find out more about how the production was conceived, directed and produced to find out if anyone on the team also shares a family story similar to mine. Here is what producer Marilyn Fox shared with me.

The non-profit Kentwood Players, founded more than 70 years ago, is one of the longest-lasting community theatre companies in Los Angeles (and the nation.) Through the decades, Kentwood Players has staged more than 400 productions, touching the lives of tens of thousands of people throughout the region and beyond. It has been a haven for artists, a home for creativity and expression, and a reliable resource for high-quality community theatre in the southland, now showcased on the Kentwood Players Virtual Theater Series on You Tube.