Bakersfield Life Magazine September 2011 by The Bakersfield Californian Specialty Publications

Bakersfield Life Magazine September 2011

Short Takes

‘Theater on the Kern’ benefits live theater groups The picturesque grounds of Timothy and Margaret Lemucchi’s northeast Bakersfield home will be the setting of an afternoon fundraiser for the community’s five nonprofit theaters on Sept. 25. With the Lemucchis’ home in the Uplands of the Kern gated community featuring beautiful gardens and a 180-degree view of the spectacular Kern River, guests will be treated to an afternoon of live theater performances, hors d’oeuvres and California wines. This is the second consecutive year that the Lemucchis and the Arts Council of Kern have hosted “Theater on the Kern” to benefit the community’s five live theater companies: Stars Theatre, Spotlight Theatre, The Empty Space, Bakersfield Music Theatre and Bakersfield Community Theatre. Among the performances that will entertain guests from 4 to 7 p.m. will be: Stars’ Sally Bowles welcoming the audience to “Cabaret,” Spotlight’s cast from “Sweeney Todd” performing a medley, The Empty Space’s cast performing selections from next season’s “Nine People’s Favorite Things” and Bakersfield Music Theatre’s six merry murderesses of the Cook County jail giving their rendition of the “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago.”

“The purpose of the evening is to raise funds to finance an advertising campaign to build audiences for all five nonprofit theater companies,” explained Margaret Lemucchi, an Arts Council board member. “Weekly advertisements will be published in The Bakersfield Californian to highlight local theater performances. “We are so fortunate to have so much live theater in Bakersfield and such opportunity to discover and nurture/offer an outlet for our amazing local talent,” she said. Theater on the Kern at the Lemucchi residence also is intended to share the histories and backgrounds of the local theater companies, and give the audience a sampling of “the amazing theater being presented in our community every weekend of the year.” Margaret Lemucchi likens the performances to a “theater in the round,” where actors will entertain and mingle with the crowd. The Lemucchis’ home is located off Round Mountain Road, on two-and-a-half acres of land along the shores of the Kern River, three miles east of Gordon’s Ferry Bridge. Guests will be invited to roam the grounds and enjoy the many gardens. — Maureen Buscher-Dang

“Theater on the Kern” • 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25 • Timothy and Margaret Lemucchi’s home, 6501 Uplands of the Kern Drive $35 per person • For reservations, call the Arts Council of Kern at 324-9000 • Credit cards are accepted.

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