LAMORINDA WEEKLY | New Community Theater at the Rheem

After the success of recent plays performed this year at the Rheem Theatre, Ann Montgomery and I have decided to start a Rheem Community Theater.

Montgomery has a bachelor's degree in theater from The State University of New York and attended Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater in New York City. She worked as a professional actress in New York for 10 years prior to relocating to the Bay Area where, in 1993, she opened her San Francisco SAG/AFTRA agency, Montgomery Talent and Literary. In 2001, her company became Montgomery Talent Casting and was a member of the Casting Society of America.

Montgomery casts celebrities as well as new faces for film, print and TV in union and nonunion projects in San Francisco and Los Angeles. She has been involved with the California Independent Film Festival for 20 years and previously served on the board of this international film festival.

After being a judge at the first Annual Playwright Contest during the 20th California Independent Film Festival, and seeing the community's love for the arts, Montgomery decided to come out of retirement so she can give back to the aspiring actors in the Bay Area with the formation of a community theatre at the Rheem.

I am excited to once again work for Montgomery on this wonderful project. The arts are always the first to be cut in schools and it will be great to have a place for kids to learn and perform in live theater.

Auditions will be held on two Saturdays - Oct. 7 and 14 - at the Rheem Theatre. All ages are needed for the roles. Anyone who is interested in auditioning, please contact Ann Montgomery by email: ann@RheemCT.com.

The first plays will be performed on Sat. Dec. 9 with matinee and evening performances. The plays are the following:

"Christmas Every Day," by Dean Howells, adapted by Adele Thane: In this charming fantasy, a girl discovers that there can indeed be too much of a good thing. The cast of seven males and four females includes all ages.

"Davita's Hanukkah," by Renee C. Rebman: Children who celebrate Christmas gain a new perspective on holiday customs, thanks to a new Jewish girl in town. The cast of five females and five males includes all ages.

"Christmas Diva," by Earl J. Dias: After a hit on Broadway, a haughty young woman returns home only to discover she has a lot to learn from the locals. The cast of six females and five males includes all ages.

If you want to be a part of this new community theatre, do not miss the auditions. It will be great to see live theatre on a quarterly basis at the Rheem.