The Long Beach Playhouse is the subject of the Historical Society of Long Beach’s (HSLB) latest exhibition, which highlights various locations for the theatre company’s productions, costumes, puppets, set design models, program covers, 45 photographs, and more.
Comedy, Drama & the History of the Long Beach Playhouse can be seen at the Historical Society of Long Beach, 4260 Atlantic Ave. Gallery hours are: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1pm to 5pm; Thursdays from 1pm to 7pm; and Saturdays from 11am to 5pm. The show will run through Friday, July 3.
Curating the show are Roxanne Patmor, who serves as president for both organizations, and historian Dr. Kaye Briegel, HSLB’s vice president. Playhouse staffers Andrew Vonderschmitt and Donna and Greg Fritsche are involved in the installation of the exhibition. The show was made possible by Harriet Whitmyer, and George and Elaine Herman’s efforts culling the Playhouse’s historical materials.
In 1969, a master’s student at CSULB, La Delle Pederson, wrote her thesis about the Long Beach Playhouse. More recently another CSULB graduate student, Jeff Eychison, conducted oral-history interviews with people involved in the Playhouse’s development. Interviews were conducted with Lucy Daggett, June Doherty, Ed Hyka, and Elaine Herman that were important sources of information for the show, according to HSLB.
“The brochure from the theater’s first production talked about the members coming together and putting on plays,” said Andrew Vonderschmitt, executive and producing artistic director for Long Beach Playhouse. “It wasn’t about selling tickets or bottom lines. It was just about providing art for the community, and that is still what we’re about.”
“The exhibition is a fantastic collaboration between the two organizations,” said Julie Bartolotto, HSLB executive director. “The subject is steeped in local history and fresh for the Historical Society audiences.”
For more information, call (562) 424-2220.
Source: HSLB
