Community Loses as a Theater Closes

I write with sadness on the upcoming loss of Los Angeles theater: Serendipity Theatre Company, in the Coronet Theatre, is about to close. Actors should take heed, this was an Equity company. Parents should take heed, this was legitimately thoughtful, honest, family entertainment. Schools should take heed, this was a bastion of learning, making its productions available to thousands of students every year. And Los Angeles corporations should take heed, this theater company built itself over four seasons on the wings of its own ticket sales by sacrificing salaries for any, and I mean all, of its management. Subscriptions increased yearly.

Los Angeles is a mecca for thousands of entertainment professionals. Let us not forget that the tradition we are all participating in has been founded on a heritage of live performance. It may well be that film and TV are the defining storytelling media of our time, but nothing can replace the community engendered in sharing live theater. Serendipity offered an affordable place to bring our children that would challenge and delight people of all ages.

As an actor for Serendipity who has enjoyed the good fortune of fine reviews from this paper, I wish to thank Serendipity for its dedication, applaud Serendipity for its work and commend Serendipity for trying to bring a bit of tradition to a city so lacking in any kind of cohesive community heritage.

ERICK WEISS

Los Angeles