Receiving TP Awards were (front row, left to right) Anthony Galang, Sherman Wayne, Martha Hunter and Joanne Reich, and (back row, left to right) Hahnah Jackson, Clayton Collins, Destin Bass and Cara Kluver.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Annually, the Theatre Palisades hosts an award evening to fete the actors and productions that were deemed the best of the season of the five produced plays/musicals. It is usually a lovely evening with a meal held at Founders Oak Island across from Pierson Playhouse before moving inside for the awards.
When the theater burned to the ground during the Palisades Fire, this community theater was about to open a play Jest a Second. Left without a stage, a place to rehearse, the entire wardrobe room (in the basement) gone, volunteers have worked to bring back some of the joy of community theater.
They succeeded marvelously at the awards show produced and held at the Windjammer Yacht Club, which honored three of the shows, Tick, Tick. . .Boom! The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and Private Eyes.
The evening also doubles as an annual meeting for Theater Palisades. About the fire, Board President Phil Bartloff said “We’ve been kicked to hell and back.”
He explained that after the fire, insurance was quick to settle and that money went into two accounts, one at Chase and a second at First Citizens. “Thanks to the founders there is no incumbrance on the building,” Bartloff said about the group was founded in 1963. The playhouse opened in 1988.
About revenue, he said “ticket sales are not what they were.” Jest a Second! had a three-week run at the Westchester Playhouse, months after it was supposed to open in the Palisades, and The Wisdom Eve will open in September at the Blue Door Theater in Culver City.
TP also obtained revenue from renting the parking lot during the day and renting the theater to civic groups—but that income went away with the fire, too.
He said that rebuilding will take place, but most likely “we will need a capital campaign to replace the 6,600 sq. ft. theater.”
All the historical and financial records stored at the theater are gone. “We have a new CPA Mitch Feinstein, who is getting things back in shape,” he said.
He thanked the many small theaters in Los Angeles and across the country who donated to the theatre, financially or supported them after the fire with rental and performance space.
Bartolf said after the fire, he went to the theater and looked at the debris. On one of the steel girders were the words, “Yes, he still loves her.” He saw that as “a message of hope for the future from the past.”
Sherman Wayne was serenaded and surprised with a birthday cake for his 90th birthday.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
The longest member of the Theater Palisades was honored. Cindy Wright-Banks, who has been a member for 55 years and helped raise money for the first playhouse, was given a lifetime membership.
Clayton Collins, who first helped at the Theatre Palisades as a nine-year old, was recognized for his long-time devotion to lighting and sound for the plays. He will be a freshman at Michigan State this year.
He also won a TP award for Lighting Design for Tick, Tick .. .Boom! It was his first, and he thanked director Lindsey Johnson, who also won the director award for that play, for letting him try something innovative.
CLayton Collins won his first TP award.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Sherman Wayne, who won Set Design for the same play, was surprised when a birthday cake was rolled out and people sang Happy Birthday for his 90th birthday.
Also winning in their categories for Tick, Tick . . .Boom! was Susan Stangl for Sound Design, Anthony Galang for Featured Actor, Destin Bass for Lead Actor and Martha Hunter and Laura Goldstein for Production.
Hunter also took best Supporting Actress for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. She said, it was an ideal role because “I died in the first act and then sat and watched the show and drank wine.”
Joanne Reich won for Graphic Design for Private Eyes.
Cara Kluver was a double winner, Featured Actress in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and Lead Actress in Private Eyes.
Costume Design went to Destin Bass and Hahnah Jackson for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and Brendan Serapiglia won the Supporting Actor award in that same play.
A evening of entertaining musical numbers, surprises, a raffle and awards showed the show must go on: not even a devastating fire could stop it.
Ali Banks (left) presents Cara Kluver with the Lead Actress award.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN