Culver City Observer -

In the lead-up to Noël Coward's worldwide 125th birthday celebration in December 2024, Kentwood Players is proud to present Private Lives, the English playwright's uniquely humorous comedy of manners from Friday, January 19 through Saturday, February 10, 2024 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Saturday matinees at 2:00pm will be added on January 27 and continue through the rest of the run at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90045. The production is directed by Richard Perloff and produced by Gail Bernardi and Rhonda Yeager-Hutchinson for Kentwood Players with rights secured from Concord Theatricals.

Featured in the cast (in alphabetical order) are Allen Barstow (Victor), Alyssa Berkowitz (Sibyl), Matt Landig (Elyot), Ingrid Leventhal (Louise), and Courtney Shaffer (Amanda). The production team includes set design by Ben Lupejkis, lighting design by Michael Thorpe, costume design by Daniel Kruger, and property design by Sheldon Cohen.

Private Lives centers around Amanda and Elyot, a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses Victor and Sibyl, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetually stormy relationship, Amanda and Elyot realize they still have feelings for each other - and it soon becomes clear they cannot live with each other, but also cannot live without each other! This fast-paced, witty, delightful, and passionate Noël Coward comedic romp exemplifies the wit and cheeky-chic style of one of the most important artists of the 20th Century, now being honored by Concord Theatricals and the Noël Coward Foundation during a two-year campaign commemorating all things #Coward125.

Reserved seat tickets are $25 with a $4 discount for seniors and students, available online at http://www.kentwoodplayers.org, by emailing the box office at boxoffice@kentwoodplayers.org or calling (310) 645-5156. All box office emails and messages will be answered in the order received to confirm your ticket order. Group rates for 10 or more at $19 per ticket can be arranged with the box office. Based on availability, rush tickets will be available at the box office on Saturday, January 27 at 1:30pm for that 2pm performance only.

Kentwood Players 74th Anniversary Season includes Private Lives 1/19-2/10; Steel Magnolias 3/15– 4/16; the Tony-Award winning musical Once on this Island 5/10-6/8; Neil Simon's comedy Fools 7/19-8/10; the suspenseful thriller Misery 9/13-10/5; and Mel Brooks' musical comedy The Producers 11/15-12/14. Season tickets for all six consecutive 2024 productions are available for $95 via the box office.

Metro Train riders can take the K Line to Kentwood, exiting at the Westchester/Veterans station at Florence and Hindry, just a short one block walk from the Westchester Playhouse. Riders who show their Metro TAP card when purchasing a full price ticket at the box office will receive a $5 discount for that performance.

For drivers, there are two free parking lots available. The small lot next to the Westchester Playhouse is reserved for disabled patrons only. The Hensel Phelps parking lot at 8330 Hindry Avenue (across the street, next to the Metro train tracks) opens an hour before each performance, is locked when a performance begins, and reopens at the end of the show. Look for our parking lot greeter to welcome you. Free street parking is available on 83rd Street and in the adjoining neighborhood, but do not park on our block of Hindry. Please read all traffic and parking signs carefully.

For more information about Kentwood Players including our current production, upcoming auditions, and shows, please visit the Kentwood Players website at http://www.kentwoodplayers.org. You can also find Kentwood Players information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Another way to learn more about Kentwood Players and our members is to attend in-person Kentwood Players membership meetings, which are free to the public and held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave., Los Angeles 90045. Come on down and find out more about our 74-years-old and going strong community theater group and how you can get involved as one of our volunteers!

Kentwood Players is a non-profit theatre group dedicated to enriching, educating, and entertaining our community through the transformative power of live theatre while creating an environment for inspiring human potential. As a 501C3 organization, donations to Kentwood Players in any amount are always greatly appreciated and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.