This Spotlight focuses on Lyndsay and Jeremy Palmer who met in a theater as teenagers, reconnected in college, then married, and have done over 20 productions together in Los Angeles and Denver. Most recently, the couple appeared onstage together in the Kentwood Players production of ‘Little Women,’ The Broadway Musical (as Amy March and John Brooke) at the Westchester Playhouse, where Jeremy also appeared as Max Halliday in ‘Dial M for Murder’, while Ashley has been featured in many of their musicals including playing Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’ and Fastrada in ‘Pippin,’ which they co-produced together. But now with theaters shut down, everything is on hold for both of them regarding their future production plans.
(SB): What production(s) were you involved with when word went the show needed to immediately postpone or cancel performances?
(Lyndsay): I was midway through NOISES OFF in Long Beach, which I luckily got to open but not finish. We were at the theatre Thursday night to do a private performance for a business group and were told it would be the final performance. Of course, we were all heartbroken, but glad we at least got to perform half the scheduled run. They do plan to remount the production in the fall and they invited the original cast to return if available. But I was also midway through the audition process for the musical FUN HOME by Kentwood Players, so there is no way for me to know which show might work out for me.
(Jeremy): I am scheduled to produce 9 TO 5 The Musical for Kentwood Players this Christmas. But whether or not that happens depends upon when the Westchester Playhouse can open for audiences again and what their new production schedule might be. It’s all a waiting game for us right now. So for now, we are staying connected through regular online chats with our theatre friends here and in Denver.
(SB): What thoughts would you like to share with the rest of the L.A. Theatre community while we are all leaving the Ghostlight on and promising to return back to the stage soon?
(Jeremy): The Arts have been around long enough to have lived through multiple plagues and pandemics and come through stronger than ever! People need the Arts to pull them through times like this, and we all need to do what we can to prevent the spread of this pandemic.
(Lyndsay): And since Jeremy has only one lung, he has to be extra cautious about contamination due to COVID-19 right now. So I want to thank everyone for being extra careful on behalf of those with pre-existing conditions like him who must stay at home. Please do what you can for the sake of others as well as yourself by staying home and always wearing a mask if you go outdoors.