Our
Beginnings
In 1986, Jon Berry (professional
actor and a member of Prince of Peace
Episcopal
Church) approached the rector, the late Fr. Jess Taylor, and asked
for his permission to perform a one-act George Bernard Shaw play Village
Wooing using the church hall. Fr. Taylor gave his okay and so
started
the Woodland Hills Community Theatre. Jon and another professional
friend
performed for two sold out weekends at the church site. This production
was followed by another George Bernard Shaw production, Overruled.
Once again the play was sold out. All profits taken in were donated to
the West Valley Food Pantry, a local food bank serving the West San
Fernando
Valley and located at Prince of Peace.
Jon noticed that several church members had
previous theatrical experience
and though they were not professional actors they were quite
good!
He got a book on how to start a community theatre. He checked with some
of his legal friends on how to incorporate as non-profit. In
1989,
Woodland Hills Community Theatre, Inc. was born.
The first full production was Peg 'O My Heart.
Over 75 actors
turned out for the audition and many people wanted to get
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involved
technically as well. The Play
ran only 2 weekends but it was the hottest ticket in town! The next 2
shows,
Desperate
Hours and Bus Stop were both played to packed
houses.
This time the production was done in Woodland Hills Elementary School
since
it became clear that the church space was not enough.
In 1990, the performance schedule was expanded and
moved to a small
87-seat Children's Theatre at Ventura Blvd. and De Soto. Witness
for
the Prosecution and The Oldest Living Graduate were
performed
in that theatre. When the owner of the Children's Theatre lost his
lease,Woodland
Hills Community Theatre moved back to Prince of Peace and during the
summer
of 1990 presented Gaslight. When the hall at the First United
Methodist
Church became available in late 1990, the theatre moved to that
location.
The West
Valley Playhouse was
inaugurated in Fall 2000 as the new home of WHCT! This state of the
art
theatre provides intimate theatrical atmosphere for our viewers to
enjoy
the wonderful plays of this prestigious Woodland Hills Community
Theatre.
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