Kirk Players celebrates 50th season

Kirk Players celebrated the close of its 50th season at Dover Straits Sept. 10 with an anniversary cake provided by Taste of Paris, the attendance of Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz and his wife and a farewell to outgoing artistic director Paddy Lynn.

The annual awards banquet was also attended by current and past Kirk Players spanning 50 years of producing hundreds of main stage shows presented at Mundelein High School and more recently at the Cuneo Museum Great Foyer.

Paddy Lynn brought the gala to a close with heartfelt remarks recalling the troupe's founder and longtime Mundelein resident John W. Lynn.

"So many dear folks are here who have helped to craft such a remarkable legacy ... I'm certain Papa John is smiling on us right now," she said.

Paddy Lynn is passing the artistic director role on to her husband, Jon L. Lynn, current president of Kirk Players, who will lead the not-for-profit organization into its 51st season.

The new season will launch with the magical holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life - The Radio Play," adapted by Joe Landry and scheduled to run Friday, Nov. 18, to Sunday, Nov. 20.

It will be followed by the C.S. Lewis-inspired children's show "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," by Joseph Robinette, running March 31 to April 2, 2017. The season's finale will be "I Remember Mama," adapted by John Van Druten from Kathryn Forbes' book, "Mama's Bank Account," running in early June 2017.

All three shows will be staged at the Mundelein High School Theatre.

More information about Kirk Players and season and individual tickets can be attained by visiting www.kirkplayers.org or calling (847) 521-6192.