Behind The Curtain

By Guest Author: Matt Wastradowski

In spring 2025, a friend and I attended Groundhog Day: The Musical, the final production of Lakewood Theatre Company’s 2024-25 season at the Lakewood Center for the Arts in Lake Oswego. The production caught my eye because I grew up with the movie the musical is based on — but it didn’t take long for the rest of the experience to captivate me in surprising ways.

Even before the curtain rose, I marveled at how close the seats were and how intimate the production felt; as I later learned, no seat in Lakewood’s auditorium sits more than 35 feet from the stage. When the lights dimmed, my friend and I enjoyed how fresh the show felt, despite being based on a movie that’s more than 30 years old. Throughout the performance, the songs struck an uncanny balance between humor, drama and thoughtful ruminations on humanity and mortality. And even though the story’s main character famously relives the same day over and over, the cast and production team kept each iteration of Groundhog Day feeling new and vibrant.

Andrew Edwards, executive director for Lakewood Theatre Company and Lakewood Center for the Arts, says those feelings — the wonder, awe and connection I felt with the musical — are the products of decades of hard work from a committed team and volunteers, as well as a willingness to try new things to keep audiences excited.

As I learned in my discussion with Edwards, that sense of adventure and curiosity is baked into Lakewood’s DNA. Here’s a look at how Lakewood has evolved since its formation nearly 75 years ago, how it celebrates the arts with diverse audiences today and its place in the broader performing arts community — both in Lake Oswego and across Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory.

Lakewood Theatre Company launched in 1952 — back when Lake Oswego was called Oswego — with a production of Blithe Spirit. In those early years, the Oswego Players, as they were then known, performed at local schools and halls before moving into a vacant church building in the early 1960s.

In 1979, the modern-day Lakewood Theatre Company began taking shape. That year, Lakewood moved into a vacant 1928 school building — one the organization eventually purchased and renovated. Over the years, that space has hosted a wide range of visual and performing arts events.

Andrew Edwards joined the Lakewood team in 1977 and has been with the organization ever since. When he started, the company had an annual operating budget of about $40,000; today, it’s nearly $3 million.

That growth wouldn’t happen without a dedicated board, performers, behind-the-scenes crew and volunteers working tirelessly to make Lakewood the beating heart of the performing arts community in Lake Oswego.

Edwards says the effort begins long before the curtain rises.

First and foremost, Lakewood chooses an engaging mix of productions to stage each season — both on the main stage and its Side Door Stage. “Audiences trust us because we package our season with things you know and things you may not know,” he says. “Yes, we’ll have a musical, comedy or drama — but we might throw in something you’ve never thought about or a play that might challenge you a little more.”

Edwards says Groundhog Day: The Musical reflected that desire to challenge audiences. The story follows a narcissistic TV weatherman who’s doomed to live the same day over and over while learning lessons about humanity, connection and empathy. “As you age, that’s an interesting perspective,” Edwards says. “It’s so different than when you were in your 20s or 30s. From that point of view, I don’t know if that would have been a musical we would have done 20 years ago.”

That strategy pays off with new and veteran theatergoers alike. Lakewood routinely boasts a sellout rate of 85-90% per show, with a large portion of that coming from season subscriptions. Edwards says it’s a good sign audiences like what they see. “I often hear comments from audience members: ‘I don’t know if I would’ve gone to see that show if it hadn’t been part of my subscription package, but I’m really glad I did,’” he says.

Lakewood’s 2025-26 season is headlined by six productions, ranging from well-loved classics like Miracle on 34th Street to musicals like Funny Girl to a staging of Dracula that emphasizes themes relevant to the 21st century.

According to Edwards, that’s just the start. He points to smaller shows on the center’s Side Door Stage, where a handful of lesser-known, dated or experimental productions are performed throughout the year. Some are presented like a staged reading with a more intimate feel — a move Edwards says attracts younger and newer theatergoers who know they may never get another chance to see that specific play.

Lakewood also hosts monthly stand-up comedy nights, where two or three comedians perform — usually under the banner of a specific theme. (In August 2025, for instance, comedians performed sets revolving around parenthood.) And every summer, the company produces the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts — a three-day celebration that includes art exhibits, artist talks, film screenings and more.

Away from the stage, Lakewood’s offerings include visual art exhibits, an on-site preschool and classes for children and adults. According to Edwards, each program serves to grow the arts in Lake Oswego and create touchpoints for locals and visitors alike to learn more about the outfit’s other offerings. “Our goal is to get as many people engaged as possible,” he says. “It’s really important to develop audiences who will return to try other things.”

Once a vacant 1928 school building, this beautiful location is home the Lakewood Theatre Company.

Lakewood is one of several performing arts groups and venues that thrill audiences across Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory. The fun includes plays, musicals and other favorites on stages of all sizes.

Clackamas Repertory Theatre, for instance, is a professional theater company that launched in 2004 and prides itself on presenting productions for children and adults while featuring a wide range of perspectives and voices. In Milwaukie, New Century Players is a community theater organization that presents a variety of genres in a historic theater each season. And in the heart of downtown Sandy, Sandy Actors Theatre has been going strong, in one form or another, since 1976; today, its seasons encompass drama, comedy and children’s productions.

Learn more about theater in Mt. Hood Territory and the community-driven entertainment scene in our artistic region.