PLAYHOUSE WINS HONORS

With its production of “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” the Laguna Moulton Playhouse has won the Southern California district competition for the 1985 Festival of American Community Theatres.

Douglas Rowe, managing director of the Laguna Beach-based playhouse, said the local production will next compete in the festival’s Region VIII competition April 26 to 28 in Reno. The region comprises California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Guam.

Laguna Moulton was one of five entries in the Southern California district competition held last weekend at the U.S. International University in San Diego. The other troupes were from the Irvine Community Theatre, Orange County Variety Players of Anaheim, Santee Community Theatre and On Stage Productions of Bonita.

Laguna Moulton also won most of the major individual awards for its production of the Neil Simon comedy. Michael Miller and Karen Folsom from the “I Want to Be In Pictures” cast won best acting honors, while Marthella Randall took the best director prize.

The Laguna Beach playhouse has been a Region VIII winner in the past two national festivals: in 1981 with Mary Jane Roberts’ “Match Play” and in 1983 with Jason Miller’s “Lou Gehrig Did Not Die of Cancer.”