From left, Matthew DeSmith, Kelsey Denisson and Heather Beemer have performed many times with LALT and with the Atomic Follies. All three will sing and/or dance at the Saturday Variety Show Fundraiser. Photo by Thomas Graves
John Gustafson, member of LALT and Atomicomedy, will perform standup comedy at Saturday’s fundraiser. Photo by Thomas Graves
LALT News:
Los Alamos Little Theatre (LALT) is back in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). To celebrate the longtime local troupe’s return to the PAC, LALT will host a no-holds-barred, 18 and older variety show featuring not only LALT performers, but those from the Atomic Gems, AtomiComedy and Syzygy.
The fundraiser, which also includes alcohol provided onsite by Bathtub Brewery (bring your IDs!) and a silent auction, will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the newly renovated PAC, 1670 Nectar St. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The silent auction, as well as snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments, will be held in the green room before the show and during intermission. Bids will close after intermission and winners can take home their items at the end of the show.
Tickets at $20 will support LALT’s goal of bringing its tech up to the 21st century, mainly replacing the hot stage lights with cooler LEDs.
Producer Seona Zimmermann said the idea of the show is to bring together not only the usual theater crowd, but also other performing arts groups.
“We are excited to highlight the wealth and variety of performing arts in Los Alamos,” Zimmermann said. “Some of the acts include the Atomic Gems Burlesque group, AtomiComedy — which is a local stand-up group — and local band Syzygy, who have been involved in many musical productions at LALT and bring an extremely high-caliber group of musicians to the stage.”
The show will feature a range of other acts, too, including improv, magic acts, skits, storytelling, dance acts, and more.
“There is truly something for everyone in this show,” Zimmermann said.
The fundraising goal for the show is $10,000. The production team has already heard from one donor offering to match any donations received at the show, via straight online/cash donations and the silent auction, up to $2,000.
Zimmermann said the current “very old” set of lights is not only hot, but heavy and “people-intensive to set up. With an organization that is made up of working professionals who love theater, making the light setup easier is crucial. Having a more modern system that is easier to learn is also a benefit. Having enough tech people has always been a challenge. Simplifying it will make it easier for others to learn and encourage more people to participate.”
LALT is a provider of not only entertainment, but “a community or even a home for a lot of people who have moved to Los Alamos and been looking for a community,” Zimmermann said. “No one at the Little Theatre has been doing theater their whole lives. We have a number of people who have stepped in and tried it out for the first time and found something that they love.”
The variety show will highlight the many performing options available to folks in Los Alamos.
“It can be very hard to move here, and having a place where people can come and be creative and have a community is very important to this town,” Zimmermann said.
In that same spirit, the LALT board has upped the usual number of shows in a season from five to six this year. Based on the popularity of last summer’s production of “Julius Caesar”, the expanded season includes Shakespeare in the Park in July. The full season will be announced soon.