Love Blooms at Sierra Madre Playhouse – Local Actors Marry
By Terry Miller
Published: Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Sierra Madre residents Barry Schwam and Lydia Bangtson met during an acting class at Sierra Madre Playhouse. Assigned a Neil Simon love scene to work on, soon they weren’t acting. Their dramatic meeting blossomed into real life love.
The couple celebrated their nuptials on Saturday, October 10 at the picturesque and historic Church of Ascension in Sierra Madre. Members of the wedding party Candyce Columbus and Dan Bullard also met through SMP. She cast him as one of the leads in “The Real Inspector Hound” in 2000 and another romance bloomed on the boards.
Bridesmaids Koni McCurdy and Patricia Wylie also have a connection to the Playhouse. Wylie recently directed McCurdy in “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Groomsman Nick Dalton-Pawle (husband of McCurdy) cast Barry as an actor in their traveling burn prevention educational show and groomsman Sidney Javet is a sometimes member of The Threetles.
Family members mother Millie Schwam and her daughter and son-in-law Leslie and Gary Landers flew in from Arizona and Lydia’s sister and brother-in-law Rita and Jim Wasik along with niece Katie Zuhr and her fiancé Brent Blank from Oklahoma to share in the celebration. Guests included SMP board members George Enyedi, Ward Calaway and John Johnson, actor/director Erin Kathleen, actor/set designer David Calhoun, actor Jane Park and occasional stage manager Catherine Korrison.
After a joyous and heartfelt ceremony everyone enjoyed a delightful reception in the church hall with delicious hors d’oeuvres and a sumptuous meal catered by Matt and his capable Bean Town crew. Two of Barry’s kindergarten friends joined him for a couple of a capella songs, the bride and groom were toasted with panache by Dalton-Pawle and Barry performed a tender and touching rendition of “Desperado” for Lydia on his infamous Theremin. Dancing to a unique mix of music selected by the couple got guests up on their feet to culminate a most fun and festive evening.
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