by Hugh Munro Neely

Beginning Friday, February 22, the Kings Players will present A. R. Gurney’s famous play, The Dining Room at the Temple Theatre, 514 E. Visalia St. in Hanford. The play is a humorous and touching piece of Americana, taking place in different dining rooms through the years.

L to R:RaeLynn Royer as the Old Lady and as her sons: Joseph Katz as Stuart, Stephan DesJardins as Fred, Ron. W. Bates as Ben

A cast of three men and three women portray more than fifty different characters in scenes that range from comic to serious. Cast members include: Ron. W. Bates, Christa Van Gemert, Stephan Des Jardins, Joseph Katz, Cyndie Maxwell and RaeLynn Royer. Bates and Maxwell are regulars on the Temple Theatre stage with numerous plays under their belts including 2018’s Revival at Possum Kingdom Community Church where they played a pair of con men. Christa Van Gemert was most recently in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown which was directed by RaeLynn Royer, who herself appeared with the Kings Players as the laughable and lovable Edie in Too Soon For Daisies. Des Jardins’s first show with the Kings Players was in Little Women where he played alongside Hugh Munro Neely, the director of The Dining Room. This will be the first time that Joseph Katz appears on the Temple Theatre stage and the Kings Players are very glad to welcome him aboard!

L to R: Stephan DesJardins as Nick, Christa Van Gemert as Dora, Joseph Katz as Grandfather

The Dining Room is directed by Hugh Munro Neely, who recently became a resident in the Hanford area. This will be his first time directing on the Temple Theatre stage. So, come and step into the private world of the dining room where you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you might even see something of yourself and your own family in this iconic play about family and friends getting together in good times and bad.

L to R: RaeLynn Royer as Aggie, Joseph Katz as Michael

Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday Matinees at 2 pm. Performance dates are Feb. 22, 23, and March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17. Tickets may be purchased through www.kingsplayers.net, or at the Temple Theatre box office.

If you love local theatre, be sure to check out our new Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. The first 12 episodes are now up! You can check the podcast out on iTunes and Google Play, and also on podbean. Also check out our other theatre articles and reviews in our Arts and Entertainment section.