Here is the latest issue of the KAT's Meow, Kensington Arts Theatre's e-newsletter. Read on for the latest on KAT activities and events!

2003-2004 Season

Cabaret (Fall 2003) Showing Fall 2003, Cabaret will open October 31, 2003 and will run through November 22, 2003. Auditions will be held August 11 & 12 at 7:30pm and callbacks will be August 14 also at 7:30pm. All roles are open, and we are looking for six men and six women. Book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Cabaret is a fast ride, so hold on tight. Set in Berlin in the early 1930s in a seedy nightclub called the Kit Kat Club, we journey through the story with the help of narrator, the Emcee for the Kit Kat Club and with Sally Bowles, a devil-may-care aspiring singing star. As the play moves, we see and hear bits of how Nazi Germany is gaining momentum and tension manifests itself, tearing characters apart. The music in this show is infectious and will leave you feeling awake and alive. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Winter 2004) In a theatrical age of mammoth spectacles and brooding musical dramas, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is a rollicking throwback to a nearly extinct theatrical genre: the musical comedy revue. With book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change reinvigorates the revue by taking a hilarious and tuneful joyride through the dizzying spectrum of modern-day mating game. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change reveals the difficulties and joys of connecting with another person, no matter what age. Everything you've secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives, and in-laws -- but were afraid to admit -- is celebrated in this hilarious musical which critics have called "Seinfeld set to music!" Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Spring 2004) Written by actor, Steve Martin, Picasso is set in 1904 in a bohemian Paris bistro, the Lapin Agile. The play revolves around an imaginary meeting between a passionate Pablo Picasso and a fiery Albert Einstein. The two young men on the threshold of fame vie for the affections of a young lady and for each others' respect in a delightful battle of ideas about painting, probability, lust and the future of the world. As we devise our 2004-2005 season, we welcome innovative, meaningful ideas from our members. Please feel free to share your ideas with us. Click here for more information on KAT »

Just Closed…Birds of Paradise

Even though no one had heard of this year's spring show, Birds of Paradise, it drew audiences that comfortably filled the intimate space director Victor Vail created. The show was featured on the front page of the Kensington Gazette with a large photo of one of the funniest scenes, was named as a "top pick" in The Gazette 2, and appeared in the event calendar on Maryland Public Television's Art Works This Week. David Cannon of the Sentinel came to review the show and said that it was "definitely" worth seeing and was "surprised" that more community groups haven't done the show. “Director Victor Vail keeps” the show “moving nicely, and best of all keeps everything clear. It looks so simple, yet the plot and relationships become increasingly complex. All performers are in good voice, thanks to musical director Scott Richards who also plays the keyboards in the show.” We “get to see an unjustly neglected musical with some lovely songs and some characters well worth getting to know.” – David Cannon The Sentinel Birds of Paradise centers around a small ensemble cast whose relationships with each other are complex. Lawrence Wood (Gary Sullivan), a New York actor, comes home to visit his brother Andy (Keith Scollick) and his wife Stella (ML George). While in Harbor Island, he stops by their community theater group to hear the number Diva from the show they are working on, sung by the not-quite-so-accomplished singer Hope (Gayle Gillespie). When it is obvious to Wood that the show is a rewrite of My Fair Lady, this upsets Dave (Richard Klein) who wrote the show. Dave is angered further when Homer (Kevin Zarcone) has his would-be girlfriend Julia (Heather Andrews) sing a number from his own original musical based on Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull. Wood is impressed with the song and script and several members of the group -- led by Marjorie (Andrea Carling-Oram), Homer's mother and Wood's old girlfriend -- convince him to stay and direct and star in Homer's musical. Most of the characters have some sort of unrequited love to deal with as well as their roles in the musical. Tempers ignite and hidden emotions are expressed. By the end, it is clear that even though community theater is not the final ambition of dreamers like Wood, Homer or Julia, the experience is something special. It is family. On Friday, May 9th, the cast of Birds of Paradise had the pleasure of meeting David Evans, who composed the music to the show and co-wrote the book. He enjoyed the show, and said that within two minutes he relaxed, because it was obvious we were putting on a professional production. After the show, he told us stories about the musical's creation and the many rewrites it went through in the six years he and Winnie Holzman worked on it. For example, Lawrence Wood's first line, "Pretend I'm not here," was inspired by Leonard Bernstein's entrance -- cloak billowing, devotees in his wake -- into a class Evans was taking while saying, "Pretend I'm not here." We got a real thrill out of that line for the rest of the run. (Click for larger photo) I think I can speak for the cast when I say that we had a wonderful experience with Birds of Paradise and hope that our audiences did as well. We would love to see more community theater groups pick up this show and expose even more people to such a "neglected" gem. – Gayle Gillespie (Hope) Click here to go to the Birds page on KAT Online»

What Is the WATCH?

As you may know, KAT is a proud member of WATCH (Washington Area Theater Community Honors), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that recognizes and awards artistic and technical excellence in community theater throughout the metropolitan Washington, DC area. WATCH assists in not only fostering and encouraging community theater but also promoting and enhancing its image. As a theater member, they help us by educating and informing the general public about the theatrical opportunities we provide. WATCH offers 28 awards in 28 categories divided into three aspects of theater -- overall production (seven awards), technical quality (11 awards) and performance quality (ten awards). These categories are adjudicated by fellow WATCH members with each participating theater group having five judges who are assigned different productions to view and adjudicate. These judges follow specific guidelines and training when judging. KAT's judges are Dave Savolaine, Craig Pettinati, Doe B. Kim, Diego Prieto, and Erin Bishop. Last year WATCH adjudicated 65 productions by 16 theater groups, gave 151 nominations and awarded 32 recipients. Next year they will have 19 theater groups involved with 81 productions. KAT is a new member this year along with three other groups, American Music Stage, Port City Players and Springfield Community Theatre. April Biechler is our representative on the WATCH Board of Directors. Every existing member has a representative on said board which helps keep everything in order and everyone on the same page. We look forward to next year's awards ceremony and hope that there will be a few nods towards KAT for our productions of Side Show, Birds of Paradise, and Cabaret. – Diego Prieto (KAT Executive Producer) Click here for more information on WATCH »