South DSM News

Timber Lake Playhouse (Dan Danielowski, Executive Director), the professional, non-profit summer theatre company established in 1961 with a mission of “providing the best expression of theater arts to the regional community by presenting creative works that entertain and inspire while helping aspiring artists transition to the profession” has announced today the appointment of long-time TLP actor and alumnus, Darren Mangler as Artistic Director for the 2023 season. 

In a statement, Timber Lake Playhouse Executive Director Dan Danielowski said “I am happy to welcome Darren to the TLP team.  He brings a wealth of experience and a love of the playhouse that we all will benefit from.”  Mr. Mangler spent the last two summers as a guest actor at Timber Lake and worked as Production Manager this past fall.

Mangler grew up near Timber Lake Playhouse, in Savanna and was cast in 1776, Biloxi Blues, Phantom, Marvin’s Room and HMS Pinafore at Timber Lake.  He graduated from Western Illinois University with a double major in Acting and Directing. After college, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue on-screen and stage opportunities. The Last Laugh: The Story of Fatty Arbuckle landed Darren on the front page of the Entertainment section of the LA Times nominating him as Best Actor in a Full Length Play. He was also nominated as Best Actor for the Valley Theater Awards for the play, The Underneath. He produced the play White Trash Wedding and a Funeral at the Hollywood Fringe Festival which was the most critically reviewed show of the year. He was a member of the cast of Santasia for 6 years, the longest running Christmas show in Los Angeles and also toured to New York. He has been seen in movies such as “The Longest Yard” remake with Adam Sandler and “Witness Infection” with Carlos Alazraqui. He has done over 30 national commercials, many Conan sketches, and stand-up comedy at the biggest venues in LA. He has also been an Associate Story Producer for Reality shows such as “Deadliest Catch”, “Storage Wars”, and “Naked and Afraid, XL” Recently, Darren has been seen at TLP in The Full Monty, Mamma Mia, Pippen, Margaritaville, and We Will Rock You.

You can welcome Darren to TLP at two events scheduled for January 25. First, from 10:00 until noon at the Higher Grounds Coffee House at 1709 South West Avenue in Freeport and later that day, from 5:00 until 7:00 at the Copper Cow (formerly Henry’s Double K) in Mt. Carroll.

For more information or to order subscriptions to the 2023 Season, call the Box Office at (815) 244-2035 or visit the TLP website at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Original source can be found here.