Best Wishes

By Bill Barker

Director Peggy Lord Chilton

Assist. Director Kathleen Neal



Director’s Notes

Sometimes a large family is like a microcosmic country in that there are skirmishes, wars, treaties, and peace accords between the various factions.  We see some of this in "Best Wishes" and always hope that things will be just fine in the end.  Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.    Still ... we have the feeling that when push comes to shove, the family will come together.   And trust me, you will all have known at least one of these characters!!!!!



Playwright’s Notes



BEST WISHES was written while I was an acting student at The Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy of Dramatic Arts. It was workshopped there and was their entry in the American College Theatre Festival where it was ultimately selected as a regional finalist. The subsequent Los Angeles production ran nine months and was selected critics choice by the Los Angeles Times. Over the years the play has been produced many times in many places in the U.S. but this is the first International production. I was honored to finally have the opportunity to play Denny in a remounting of the play in Los Angeles three years ago at Crown City Theatre. Since I was so young when I wrote the play it was very interesting to re-explore the characters from the perspective as someone who is their actual age. It was during this production that I had the pleasure of working with Peggy Chilton (who was playing Fanny) and the result of that happy meeting is the production here tonight. This play has a life of its own and though it has its roots in a particular place and time it has affected audiences of many different ages and backgrounds. That makes me happy. It is like like an old friend that occasionally comes out to say hello. I hope you enjoy it.

Bill Barker has written and acted in numerous productions in Los Angeles and New York. As a writer he wrote the play and the oft optioned but un-produced screenplay of Best Wishes. The play ran for nine months in Los Angeles and was selected as critics choice in the Los Angeles Times. Best Wishes has received many productions over the years from Flagstaff, Arizona to New York City. Other plays produced include "Life is Like a Train", "Love Letters In the Dirt", And the co-author of "Hypno-lite". Bill also wrote television for about ten minutes during the 80's writing for the 1/2 hour sit-com "Throb" starring Diana Canova and Jane Leeves. Bill currently resides in Los Angeles.

Kathleen Neal - Assistant Director