Thank you to the Los Alamos Little Theatre community for another great season! Without such dedicated and enthusiastic audiences, we’d have no theater. Thank you as well to the many local organizations that supported LALT’s productions, including Dance Arts Los Alamos, Los Alamos Daily Post, Los Alamos Reporter, Aspen Copies, and many others. These organizations and dozens of individual volunteers worked to make this season’s shows professional and fabulous theatrical events.

This year, the Little Theatre brought several fantastic productions to the Hill. 

The season began with the classic tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Kelly Dolejsi and Eric Bjorklund. Audiences enjoyed the directors’ focus on the tragic, as opposed to the romantic, elements of the play. Teenage actors Jack Williams and Kiera Fichtl shone in the title roles. 

Next, LALT presented the musical satire, “Reefer Madness,” directed by Megan Pimentel and written by Kevin Murphy. Although illness cut the run short, the ensemble cast, including Joseph Lahmann and Katherine Swager as impressionable youths Jimmy and Mary, received lots of laughs from those lucky enough to attend.

In January, audiences filled the Performing Arts Center for “The Play That Goes Wrong,” directed by Seona Zimmermann and written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields. The comedy sold out nearly every performance, with Emily Teti, Kaity Burke, Jim Sicilian, Linda Taylor and others bringing this award-winner to life on our local stage.

LALT’s children’s production, “Twice Upon a Time,” directed by Holly Robinson and written by Tracie Wells, delighted audience members of all ages this spring. Terry Beery won hearts as the feisty grandmother telling fairy tales with modern and often hilarious twists to her adorable grandchildren. 

Unfortunately, LALT’s May production was canceled this year. However, LALT collaborated with the Los Alamos Light Opera in April to present the musical “Fun Home,” directed by Wendy Caldwell Lanchier and Gretchen Amstutz (music), and written by Lisa Kron with music by Jeanine Tesori. Audience members laughed and sometimes wept openly at graphic novelist Alison Bechdel’s true coming-of-age story, particularly at lead performances by Allison Zastrow as Adult Alison, Patrick MacDonald as Alison’s father, and Mitsi Pair Willard as Alison’s mother. 

The Little Theatre co-sponsored the Atomic Follies as well, which presented both its Back-to-School show and New Year’s Eve shows to packed houses. They also were proud to share the historic stage with the Los Alamos Creative District, as Alex DiBranco directed the perennial fan-favorite “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in February, starring Collin McDowell as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. 

Outside of the PAC, LALT co-sponsored the return of live senior theater at the Los Alamos Senior Centers, with productions in April of Robert Benjamin’s short play, “Activism: Then and Now,” featuring Jody Shepard and Kelly Dolejsi. Benjamin and co-producer Pat Beck are already working on more plays to present in the upcoming year. 

LALT is excited to announce its 2024-2025 season soon. Be ready for more laughs, more drama, more memorable performances, and more opportunities to support live theater in Los Alamos.