Springfield Community Theater celebrates grand opening
Springfield Community Theater is now open to the public at 52 Summer Ave. in Springfield.
Mayor Domenic Sarno and former 22News anchor Brenda Garton-Sjoberg cut the ribbon for the non-profit's first show. They both performed by acclaimed author A.R. Gurney's famous 'Love Letters' play, which explores the powerful connection of love through the exchange of letters between two friends over the course of 50 years.
22News spoke with organizers about the importance of bringing theater performances like this one to the city. 'We saw the need to bring the arts back in to have a nice community theater that everyone can access,' said Executive Director Angela Park. 'And we wanted to make it affordable for everyone to enjoy the arts and give our community something fun to do.'
Artistic Director Vana Nespor adds, 'The talent in Springfield and in the area, the whole region, it's blooming with this talent that doesn't get a chance to be on the stage.'
All the proceeds will benefit the Springfield Community Theater. Performances continue Friday night with local celebrities, Kathy Tobin and Steve Hays.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Prince William, Kate Middleton moving to new family home for ‘fresh start' after scary cancer battle
It's a royal move. Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 43, are relocating to a new family home with their three kids, Prince George,12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. 10 Prince William, Princess Kate and their three children on April 23, 2020. BBC Children in Need/Comic Relief via Getty Images 10 Forest Lodge, formerly known as Holly Grove, in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire. Getty Images 'The Wales family will move house later this year,' a spokesperson at Kensington Palace confirmed to People on Aug. 16. The royal couple moved to their current Adelaide Cottage home in Berkshire in 2022 to be close to their children's Lambrook School. Now, they are reportedly relocating nearby to a $21 million eight-bedroom property called Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park. 10 The façade of Prince William and Princess Kate's rumored new Forest Lodge home. PA Images via Getty Images 10 The park around Forest Lodge. Getty Images 'Windsor has become their home,' a royal insider told the Sun. 'However, over the last few years while they have lived at Adelaide Cottage there have been some really difficult times.' 'Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind,' the source added. Unlike Adelaide Cottage, William and Kate are said to see the move to Forest Lodge as a 'long-term' move into their 'forever home.' 10 The entrance hall of Forest Lodge. PA Images via Getty Images 10 A reception room, mid-renovation, inside Prince William and Princess Kate's rumored new Forest Lodge home. PA Images via Getty Images The royal pair are also reportedly using their own money to pay the full cost to renovate their new dream house, and insiders claimed that they will also not have any live-in staff. William and Kate were living at Adelaide Cottage, which is not far from Windsor Castle, when the princess was diagnosed with cancer last year. 'In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful,' Kate announced in March 2024. 'However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present,' she added at the time. 10 Kate Middleton announced her shocking cancer diagnosis in March 2024. BBC 10 The royal couple shared a sweet snap to celebrate Valentine's Day. princeandprincessofwales/Instagram After several months of grueling chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales revealed that she was finished receiving cancer treatment in September. 'The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,' Kate said Sept. 9. 'Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.' 'The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,' she added. 10 Prince William and Princess Kate with their three kids on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023. Getty Images 10 The royal couple and their three children in Bracknell, England, on September 7, 2022. Getty Images But despite finishing treatment last year and announcing that she was in remission this past January, Kate is still struggling with her post-treatment recovery. 'You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it's like, 'I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult,' she said in July. 'You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to,' William's wife added last month.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Even in death, Aurora's beloved Christmas lady reflected a Hallmark life
Karen Bozarth was all about spreading goodwill toward men – and women and children. And not just at Christmas, her favorite holiday season, but throughout the entire year. Her last Facebook post, on July 25, in fact, was a happy reminder that Christmas was only five months away, part of her monthly countdown that was but a small indication of how much Aurora's 'Christmas Lady' loved that magical time of year. Karen, who had been battling heart issues, died in her Aurora home on Aug. 7 at age 61. But those who loved her – and there are many – take comfort in knowing she passed away enjoying one of her favorite activities: watching a Hallmark movie. While that last romantic storyline she was watching centered around Valentine's Day, Karen's favorites from this cable channel were its Christmas movies. Which makes sense as she and her husband of 31 years, Jim Bozarth, became well-known for their magnificent Christmas House, which WGN-TV featured last December. I first met Karen when I wrote a column about their holiday home in Orchard Valley subdivision, where every room was turned into a magical wonderland with 35 trees, 300 snowmen and hundreds of wreaths, figurines and yuletide mementoes. Then there was the basement, which contained 13 tables filled with a spectacular Department 56 Snow Village collection that included more than 400 buildings and over 1,000 accessories, with hundreds of moving parts, as well as a train circling the 56 separate villages. The Bozarths held an annual open house that allowed thousands of people over the years to enjoy this holiday wonderland. That's how I first met Karen, when someone told me about the display and I went to see it for myself. I certainly did not know Karen well. But it didn't matter. She was one of those people you can't forget because she exuded the kind of warmth and happiness that makes you feel as if you've known her for years. 'One of a kind' sounds so cliche, yet those words, which have been used frequently to describe Karen as the Facebook tributes began flowing, really do sum up who she was inside and out. 'There are some people who have sun inside them,' one Facebook post said. 'It's hard to explain. Their presence just brightens. It's not about their beautiful smiles. They have an internal being that sheds light and feels like sun. It's a calm energy, inner peace. But most importantly, it's not wanting anything in return. It's sun.' Other posts also talked about how special Karen was as a person. 'There will never be another like her.' 'If you knew her you loved her.' 'This woman was the light in everyone's life; the most lovely person you could ever meet.' 'She was one of God's angels put on this Earth to remind us there is still love and kindness in this world …' Karen had been battling serious health issues for a while, her husband told me, but it was a broken femur from a fall in June that forced her to take time off from a long career with Scholastic Inc. in St. Charles. She was not feeling well on Thursday but declined Jim's offer to make a trip to the emergency room, opting instead to watch a movie from her vast Hallmark channel DVD collection, where Christmas-themed narratives are the superstars. Sitting near his wife using his tablet, Jim noticed Karen had fallen asleep, only to discover a short time later she was unresponsive. As one Facebook post read: 'Heaven gained the most beautiful angel on Thursday night.' No one knows that more than 27-year-old Jordan Davis, who moved from Florida to Chicago in 2019 for job reasons and was introduced to Karen, a West Aurora High School classmate of her mom Amy who had reconnected via Facebook. 'When I first met her, I thought, is this fake? No one can be this nice. But the more I visited, the more time I spent with them, I knew it was all genuine,' she said, who now considers Karen her 'Illinois mom.' 'Over the years she has been a constant light in my life, an amazing resource,' Davis told me, adding that, unlike 'so many people you come across, there was no agenda, no hidden motive.' Christmas this year, of course, will be different for those who loved Karen. As will Davis' upcoming wedding, where she will walk down the aisle with a locket specially made for her by the woman who 'took me in' and 'loved you like you are her own.' The locket arrived on Thursday, Jim told me, but not before Karen got a chance to see how special it was. Says Davis, who received it over the weekend, 'It is even more meaningful now.' Karen Bozarth – whose funeral Mass is at 10 a.m. Aug. 13 at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Aurora – leaves behind a legion of friends and family with similar feelings and stories to share that paint a Hallmark portrait of a woman who would not only give a stranger the shirt off her back but was a whole lot of fun to hang around. Karen also leaves behind that magnificent snow village collection, which never was dismantled after she and Jim announced last December that, due to health issues, it was the display's final year. I am so glad I got the chance to view it. Even more, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have met Karen Bozarth. Just as her holiday home had to be seen to be believed, so also did this beautiful Christmas lady whose bright light brought so much joy to the world.
Buzz Feed
6 days ago
- Buzz Feed
'Little House' Carter Family Actors Talk Final Season
It's been over five decades since Little House on the Prairie first graced television screens, and the beloved drama still inspires generations. While fans usually associate the iconic little house with the Ingalls family, Season 9 introduced the Carters: Sarah, John, Jeb, and Jason. Continuing to celebrate 50 years of Little House, I sat down with Stan Ivar and Pamela Roylance — who played John and Sarah Carter — to talk about stepping into television history, favorite behind-the-scenes memories, and reuniting for the play Love Letters. BuzzFeed: You both entered the show in Season 9, when the Carter family moved into the Ingalls' house. What was that first day on set like, starting as new characters on an established show? Stan Ivar: Our first day was in Simi Valley, on location right in front of the little house. It was a scene with Pam and me facing each other, and then Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert standing right alongside us. The four of us were standing in a tight circle, and it was when Charles was turning the house over to the Carter family. We're doing our lines, and I'm just not getting them out right; I keep flubbing them. Michael was directing, and he said, "Let's cut. Stan, why don't we go out behind the little house?" So we did, just he and I, out of earshot of everybody else, and he asked me, "What's wrong?" I said, "I'm just nervous. I mean, I'm here with Little Joe from Bonanza, and Half-Pint!" He said, "Look, don't worry. I'll make you a promise. I'll never let you look bad. So leave it up to me, and don't you worry about it. You just do what you do, and I'll tell you if I don't like it, okay?" He took the pressure off me completely. He was a great guy that way, and then we filmed the scene, and it was fine. You know, Michael was from New Jersey, and I'm from Brooklyn. Every now and then, my New York accent would come back. Sometimes when he was directing, and I had just filmed a scene, he would walk up behind me and whisper (in New York accent),"I hear New York!" Pamela Roylance: That first day was really beautiful because it was the four of us, and the whole cast and crew were very gracious and accepting of the new actors. For me, Little House was a dream come true. It was one of the shows that I wanted to do when I left my teaching job in Portland, Oregon. I remember standing in the little house and looking up at the loft for the first time. I was thinking, "I am the only woman on this entire planet who gets to be in these boots, in this prairie dress, and have this be my home for however long it lasts." I love Season 9. I love the edginess of it. We entered an iconic show with the gift of being series regulars. We got to live in the little house and be best friends with Laura and Almanzo. Michael really set it up so the audience would accept us. He gave us two adorable boys who were irresistible. He brought in Shannen Doherty to play Almanzo's niece. Michael put us in a position of being able to be utilized almost every episode that season. It didn't occur to me that people might not like us. It wasn't until recently, meeting fans and doing autograph signings, that I discovered not everybody liked the Carter family. I understand where they are coming from — as a fan, I wouldn't have liked seeing my favorite characters leave either. But I was so happy to be a part of it. The Carters had a few run-ins with my personal favorite character, Mrs. Oleson. Can you share what it was like working with Katherine MacGregor? Stan: Katherine was special. The first day I worked with her, it was on the soundstage, and I was in my dressing room getting ready. All of a sudden, there was a little knock on the door. She didn't wait for anybody to open it; she opened it herself. She peeked in, looked at me, and said, "So you're the new stud in town!" She was generous in a lot of ways. I'd never done a TV show before, but I had worked on stage and in some commercials. I remember our first scene was with Billy Barty [the episode "Little Lou"]. We had a scene together outside the Oleson's store. We were standing around, and during the filming, she looked at me. In the script, she didn't need to look at my character at that time. When it was all over, she said, "Do you know why I looked at you? I looked at you because then the camera has to come to you." She was a pistol, but she was fun to work with, a really, really great gal. Pamela: She was so intelligent and articulate. It was wonderful to just sit and visit with her off-camera when we weren't working. We enjoyed talking about the old days, talking about her husband, and talking about the actors that she had worked with. I remember when we did the scene in the newspaper office. She brought such wonderful energy. As Sarah Carter, you couldn't help but be intimidated by Harriet — you couldn't help but do a better job because of the talent she brought. Katherine and Richard [who portrayed Nels] would give gifts as Nels and Harriet at Christmas time. I still have the 'Nels and Harriet' platter that they gave me, and it's just lovely. I also remember driving in the lot one evening, and Katherine saw me leaving. She saw me in my Nissan Sentra, and she said, "Oh, we'll get you in a Mercedes in no time!" (Pamela laughs) She was kind-hearted, and I saw her years later and just really enjoyed laughing with her. She could seem scary as Harriet Oleson, and like you said, Stan, she was a pistol, but there was this heart under there that was easy to access. There were some incredible child actors in Season 9. David Friedman and Lindsay Kennedy played Jason and Jeb Carter, and Shannen Doherty portrayed Jenny Wilder. What was it like working with them? Pamela: Those three kids were amazing. I didn't get to work with Shannen as much as I did with the boys, but they all really seemed to enjoy each other and get along. It was amazing having the little Carter family, especially for me, the only female around these three male energies. They were hysterically funny and always cracking jokes. Stan had those boys laughing all the time. I don't ever remember us having a difficult time together; it was a joy to be there. I remember doing the scene in "The Last Summer" where I go up to the loft, and Jason is exhausted after working for Ruthy [portrayed by Vera Miles]. In the scene, I reached out and touched his cheek. I just remember the love I felt and how special it was to have that moment with him. It was such genuine love from Pamela to David, not just Sarah Carter to Jason Carter. Stan: Yeah, definitely. They were great kids, and now they're great men. The scene I really remember was with Lindsay, when John and Jeb talk about swimming. I remember when I read the script at home, I said, "My gosh, I hope I don't have to go in the water and show this kid how to swim!" I graduated from the New York State Maritime College, and I went to sea on container ships before I started acting professionally. Even though I sailed all around, I don't know how to swim! When we did that scene, I knew I was going to get phone calls left and right from classmates of mine from the Academy. (Stan laughs) There were never any rough spots; the four of us fit together as a family. We really enjoyed working together. Shannen was great as well. I didn't work that much with her on Little House, but I did do a Beverly Hills, 90210 episode years later, where I saw Shannen again. Stan, I want to hear your thoughts about the episode "Alden's Dilemma," where John and Almanzo have quite an adventure in California. Stan: It was fun! I enjoyed that episode a lot, because we went to San Francisco. It was the first time in Little House that I had been away from Walnut Grove, so it really was cool. With the bath scene, we got to work with Professor Toru Tanaka [professional wrestler], and it was a fun scene to do. I have a tattoo of an anchor on my left shoulder, so they had to cover it for that scene. We got to work with a lot of extras in the Grange convention that John and Almanzo attended. Pamela, I would love to hear about "The Last Summer," where you got to work with the legendary Vera Miles. That episode always makes me cry! Pamela: It's a beautiful episode. When I discovered I got to have two scenes with Vera Miles, I can't even tell you how honored and excited I was. When I first met her, it was in the dressing room, and she was so sweet. She had watched the episode "Sins of the Fathers" that had just aired, and she said, "You really got me last night." I probably floated 10 feet off the floor! Later, we are filming the scene where Sarah goes to Ruthy and apologizes. I'm sitting on the couch with her, and she reaches out and puts her hand on top of mine. It was so tender and touching. In that moment, I immediately logged that as something I was going to cherish for the rest of my life. We proceed to do the scene, and all of a sudden, [director] Maury Dexter calls cut. He says, "I'm hearing the same voice coming out of both of you. I can't tell the difference between your register and your pitch. Let's pick up the energy." I offered to fix it, and he turns to Vera and says, "No, no, let's let the pro do it!" I was humbled, but in the most beautiful way. Afterwards, Vera sent me the most beautiful card, which I still have. As you open it up, there's this delicate lace, and it's handwritten. It's one of the things I still cherish to this day. Finally, you are both reuniting to star in the play Love Letters, directed by Little House casting director Susan McCray. How has it been to reunite? Susan McCray / Via Susan McCray Stan: We haven't seen each other a lot over the years, but we have stayed friends. We have a bond. Pam said it to me a long time ago — we really bonded when we had to interview for NBC. They weren't sure about us newcomers coming onto Little House. Michael called us each at home and said, "You have to go over and do the interview again for the bigwigs at NBC. But I don't care what they say, because I want you, so don't worry." We just clicked, and we always supported each other. It was comfortable working with Pam, and the four of us together as the Carter family. Still to this day, it's comfortable. You know, I don't have a sister; I know Pamela has a brother, and I've met her brother. I love her, and the same with the boys. It's never changed. Pamela: I will second that. We really bonded during the audition process. Stan was just wonderful and made me feel so comfortable. When we did that NBC audition, Stan was the one who said, "Meet me in the park across from the studio, and we'll just rehearse the scene and relax," and that's exactly what we did. There was always this wonderful chemistry between the two of us. It's been wonderful to be able to stay friends and keep in touch, however frequently or infrequently. We always pick up where we left off, and Stan is always loving and kind and generous and funny. Here we are decades later, and we're doing this play where these people meet as children, and then their lives are intertwined. We're the same way; we always come back to each other, and we have that bond. I think that's why Susan saw this was going to work, because it was our real life, and here we are now stepping into it.
