|
DIRECTOR'S NOTES - After the success of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, I swore I would never direct another musical revue. They are much more difficult than a traditional "book" musical (which has a plot). In a musical revue, you have to start over every five minutes and each song has to be better than the one before. Then, a little over a year ago, Tom called to tell me about a show he saw that I would be a good fit for. He didn't mention that it was a revue. The authors and a couple of actors went to his house and sang a few numbers from the show. Even though it was a revue, it immediately caught my interest. Aside from the clever (and often moving) writing and the wonderful tunes, there were two aspects that I thought were unique. One is the subject matter -- baby boomers turning 50. People in their 50's today are much different than our parents were Twenty years ago people in their 50's were enjoying a Three Martini Lunch and now they are working out. They are not winding down to retirement, but gearing up for the next challenge. This is the generation that came of age in the turbulent 1960's; they rebelled against their parents with free love and draft card burning, listened to rock and roll and are now looking at second careers. These three writers really delved into the joys and challenges of this new phenomenon. The other unique aspect is more artistic. I have never seen a musical revue with continuing characters. Even though some of them play more than one character, they each primarily play one character who is grappling (or celebrating) those aging baby boomer issues. This gave us all a chance to see these five people grow and learn, ultimately figuring out who they are as maturing people and looking ahead to the next Act in their lives.
LEA CHAZIN (Assistant Stage Manager) This is Lea's 3rd show at La Mirada (Proof, Plaid Tidings). She was also proud to work this year on Sunday In The Park With George at Reprise L.A. Lea has Stage Managed more than 35 shows at the Pasadena Playhouse, as well as several corporate industrial events and FOREVER PLAID on board the Crystal Serenity cruise ship. Her time at home is spent with husband Tom Ware and their treasured daughter Emily. JOHN IACOVELLI (Scenic Designer) John Iacovelli won the EMMY award for his Production Design of the A&E presentation the TONY nominated Broadway production of Peter Pan Staring Cathy Rigby. He also designed the current national tour of Camelot. For the McCoy Rigby Series here at La Mirada he has designed Dancing at Lughnasa, The Lion in Winter, The Foreigner, Same Time Next Year, On Borrowed Time, The Rainmaker, and To Kill a Mocking Bird. He also designed The Twilight of The Golds on Broadway and Oedipus in Colonus directed by Wole Solyenki for the Cultural Olympiad in Delphi, Greece. In China, he designed Warner Theatricals' Casablanca, a ballet based on the classic film. He has designed over 200 productions at the top regional theatres in the US and received the LA Drama Critics Circle for Lifetime Achievement in Scenic Design. He was the Production Designer on Ruby in Paradise starring Ashley Judd and for Television he designed The Old Settler starring Philycia Rashad & Debbie Allen, The Gin Game staring Mary Tyler Moore & Dick Van Dyke, Ed, Babylon 5, Resurrection Blvd. and The Book of Daniel. He holds a BA Theatre Arts, from UNLV, and an MFA, Scenic Design, from NYU. He is on the Design Faculty, Department of Theatre & Dance, UC Davis. Visit his website: www.iacovelli.com NEIL PETER JAMPOLIS (Lighting Designer) Credits include the sets and/or lighting for the long running Off-Broadway hits I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and Forever Plaid as well as Plaid Tidings and Over The River and Through the Woods - seen at La Mirada. Numerous awards include Tony and Drama Desk Awards for such productions as Sherlock Holmes, Broadway's Black and Blue, and The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. He has served as principal lighting designer for the Pilobolus Dance Theatre since 1976 and has designed operas for companies such as the The Salzburg Festival, New York City Opera, Vienna State Opera and La Scala. He has directed opera for several American houses, as well. His November, he will design the lighting for Iphigenie en Tauride at The Metropolitan Opera. He is a Professor of Theater at UCLA. TERRY HANRAHAN (Properties Designer) As a little girl Terry had absolutely no use for dolls, she only wanted to play with the dollhouse, decorating and redecorating it and making tiny faux everything food, toys, Christmas trees, floral arrangements and even pets. What this goes to show is that some people (besides Peter Pan) NEVER grow up. Terry would like to thank all of the lovely folks at Mc Coy Rigby Entertainment, Fullerton Civic Light Opera, Reprise!, Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities, Theatre at Boston Court, ICT, and the Hollywood Bowl for letting her continue to have such a good time playing. JULIE KEEN (Costume Designer) is very excited to be designing for McCoy Rigby Entertainment, after serving as Design Assistant on two of Cathy Rigby's Tony and Emmy nominated National Tours as Peter Pan. Julie's most recent design credits include this summer's The Verdi Girls for the Laguna Playhouse, Bad dates in Laguna and then again for the Northlight Theatre in Chicago, Miss Nelson is Missing for the Lewis Family Playhouse, Pig Farm for South Coast Repertory, and Arms and the Man for A Noise Within. Also for the Laguna Playhouse: Master of the House, The Pursuit of Happiness, The Sleeper, Many Happy Returns, The Constant Wife, Lovers at Versailles, Stella by Starlight, and for the Playhouse Youth Theatre: Anne of Green Gables, Summer of the Swans, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse and Sarah, Plain and Tall. In addition, Julie has designed four of the Playhouse's educational touring shows, Tall Tales, The Sign of the Beaver, Island of the Blue Dolphins and Stuart Little. Other credits include: for A Noise Within: Mourning Becomes Electra; for South Coast Repertory: Three Viewings, The Interrogation of Nathan Hale, Faith Healer, Playland, and Lips Together, Teeth Apart; Sizwe Bansi is Dead for Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago; All's Well that Ends Well for the USC School of Drama, The Gin Game and A Raisin in the Sun for TheatreVirginia; A Piece of My Heart and He Who Gets Slapped for Chapman University. Other professional credits include work for Center Theatre Group, The Washington Opera and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. DAVID EDWARDS (Sound Designer) David Edwards is very happy to return to La Mirada and McCoy-Rigby Entertainment, having previously designed the sound for Over The River, The Foreigner, Smokey Joe's Café, My Fair Lady and the 1998 production of Oil City Symphony. David has just begun his eighteenth season as resident sound designer at the Laguna Playhouse where he has created sound designs for well over 100 productions for the Main Stage and the Youth Theatre. Highlights of the last few years include designs for the national LORT tour of Copenhagen, Always Patsy Cline with Sally Struthers, the American premiere of the newest Sondheim review Moving On, and the world premiere of Bernard Ferrell's The Verdi Girls. Favorite designs include The Last 5 Years; Picasso at the Lapin Agile; American Buffalo; Tuck Everlasting; The Woman in Black; and the West Coast premier of The Secret Order. His sound designs have also enjoyed successful runs at many other area venues including The Coast Playhouse (with the Naked Angels Company), The Matrix Theatre, the Norris Theatre, the Tiffany Theatre, when the Playhouse's production of The Last Session continued there, and at South Coast Repertory. Mr. Edwards also works as a freelance recording engineer and producer, and has recorded albums with a variety of artists such as the Tom Kubis Big Band featuring Jack Sheldon, folk icon John Renbourn, Orange County's own Bopsicle, and the late, great Mr. Steve Allen. David also mixed the Cast Recording for the Laguna Playhouse production of Gunmetal Blues, and most recently engineered and co-produced new CDs for the Ron Kobayashi Trio-No Preservatives, Formula-Conduit, and the Ron Stout Quintet-For Chet and Other Heroes. JULIA FLORES (Casting Director) 14 seasons with MRE including the current tour of "Camelot" starring Lou Diamond Phillips and past tours of "Peter Pan" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." Additional credits include productions for Theatre Works, Reprise!, The Pasadena Playhouse, Goodspeed Musicals, LA Opera, The Goodman Theatre, Denver Center Theatre, Lincoln Center Theatre, Portland Center Stage, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, B Street Theatre, The Long Wharf Theatre, San Francisco Opera, A Contemporary Theatre, Coconut Grove, The Paper Mill Playhouse, and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (Tom McCoy & Cathy Rigby McCoy/Executive Producers) GINA FARINA (Production Manager) For the last decade, Gina has been stage manager on McCoy Rigby's national tours, including Broadway runs and Tony and Emmy nominations. Between tours, she has stage managed many shows in this very theatre for MRE, as well as working as a stagehand here and there. A Long Beach resident from a long line of craftsmen, she is often found in the garage and out on the dock deciding just how to build or rebuild something. Thrilled is she to tell the story! JEFF BROWN (Executive Director, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts) BRIAN KITE
(Associate Director, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing
Arts) |
Robert
Yacko (James) Most Recent: Can
Can, Pasadena Playhouse; Broadway/National Tour: Fiddler
on the Roof (with Herschel Bernardi, directed by Jerome Robbins).
West Coast Premieres: Romance, Romance (Old Globe), Sunday
in the Park with George. Regional: Five Course Love, The
Real Thing, Company (with Carol Burnett & Patrick Cassidy),
Into the Woods (with Leslie Uggams), Chess, The
Secret Garden, The Grave White Way, Lies and Legends, Marry Me
a Little (South Coast Rep), Undiscovered Country (Mark
Taper Forum), Fiddler on the Roof (with Theodore Bikel,
& Lainie Kazan). Film: Raising Helen, Body Double.
TV: The Closer (with Tom Selleck), General Hospital,
Pickett Fences, Golden Girls, Get A Life.
Robert
Loftin (Bobby) began his career
in the lovely hamlet of San Francisco performing in such memorable
shows as "Every bodies Favorite City", "Boy Meets
Boy" and" Irving Berlin in Revue". Moving to the
Movie capital of the world in the early 80's he continued his
theatrical career. Some of his most interesting shows were."
Barbary Coast" at the Fisher Theater in Detroit, staring
Kay Ballard and Eddie Braken. "Sugar" at the Los Angeles
Civic Light Opera with Bobby Morse and Joe Namath. He toured
as Molly's brother in the national tour of "The Unsinkable
Molly Brown" staring the original movie duo Debbie Reynolds
and Harve Presnell. He also toured with Barney Martin (Seinfeld's
dad) in the original musical "Lunch" playing the Street
Crazy. There was in the world premier of Rodgers and Hammerstein's
"State Fair" where he played Charlie. His first Broadway
show was "Mail" starring Michael Rupert and Brian Stokes
Mitchell. That show started at the Pasadena playhouse, went to
The Kennedy Center in Washington and finally played the theater
Irving Berlin built on Broadway, The Music Box. Robert worked
at Long Beach Civic Light Opera in such shows as "South
Pacific" playing Stew Pot, with Sandy Duncan. Hello Dolly
with Neil Carter and Nipsy Russell. Pal Joey" with Elaine
Strich and Dixie Carter and the Narrator in "Chicago"
directed by Rob Marshall, choreographed by Ann Reinking and staring
Juliet Prouse, and Bebe Neuwirth. Other shows include George
in "George M!" at The Bakersfield Music Theatre .Cosmo
Brown in Downy C.L.O.'s "Singing in The Rain" Mike
in San Jose C.L.O.'s "Chorus Line." He toured with
Andy Williams in his act and Robert returned to Broadway playing
Harry K Thaw and Houdini in "Ragtime" A show that he
also opened in Los Angeles and played in Vancouver Canada. Most
recently he played Harry Cohn in Debbie Allen's workshop of "Sammy"
a new musical written by Leslie Bricusse. Bob lives in Thousand
Oaks with his beautiful wife Valri and has four wonderful daughters
Amanda, Christine, Jennifer and Grace.
Eileen
Barnett (Shirley) is delighted
to return to La Mirada and to be working once again with the
McCoy's. She last performed here as Gladys Fritz in the hilarious
hit RADIO GALS. On Broadway, Eileen played Luisa Contini opposite
Sergio Franchi in Tommy Tune's Tony Award winning musical, NINE.
She also starred in the national tour of Broadway's FOOTLOOSE.
Some Los Angeles appearances include PUTTING IT TOGETHER at the
Colony Theatre, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA at Reprise! and WILD PARTY
at the Blank Theatre. Regional theatre credits include MAN OF
LA MANCHA, NO NO NANETTE and SHOWBOAT. As a member of The Musical
Theatre Guild, Eileen performed the role of Fosca in the critically
acclaimed West Coast premier of Stephen Sondheim's PASSION. She
has performed leading roles in MTG productions of STREET SCENE,
RAGS and LADY IN THE DARK. Eileen has enjoyed a career in television,
ranging from daytime dramas to nighttime comedies. Some of her
guest starring credits include BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GILMORE
GIRLS, STRONG MEDICINE, FRAISIER, STILL STANDING, and KNOTS LANDING.
Soap fans may remember her best as the evil Stephanie Woodruff
on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Eileen performs her cabaret act in New
York and Los Angeles where she recorded her CD, EILEEN BARNETT,
LIVE AT THE CINEGRILL. She can also be heard on the original
cast recording of RADIO GALS, on BILLY BARNES' DIVAS and with
Billy on his MOVIE STAR CD. Eileen is very proud of her recording
for children, BROADWAY WITH A BEAT, which won a NAPPA Award (National
Parenting Publications Award). She spends most of her time in
Los Angeles cherishing her three dogs and wonderful husband,
actor Bruce French - not necessarily in that order. Many thanks
to her dear friend, Shelly. Eileen is a proud member of Actors'
Equity.
David
Holmes (Glenn) is an accomplished actor, singer, writer and
director who has performed in dozens of musical and dramatic
stage roles. Beginning his theatrical career on the East Coast,
David worked his way across the nation appearing onstage in featured
and leading roles in "1776", "Guys and
Dolls", "Sweet Charity", "Li'l
Abner", "Best Little Whorehouse", "A
Little Night Music", "The Merry Widow",
"Beauty and the Beast", "Much Ado About Nothing"
and many other shows working with such stars as Milton Berle,
Joe Namath, Placido Domingo, Robert Morse, Dick Shawn, Bebe Neuwirth,
Frederica von Stade, Donna McKechnie, Mary Martin and Glynis
Johns. Currently, Mr. Holmes is busy working with playwrights
and songwriters creating original roles in new musical shows
and stage adaptations including "Masada", "Now,
Voyager", "Robin Hood", "The Greenbrier
Ghost", "Bonnie and Clyde", "I Come for Love",
"Happy Days", "Tevye", "Something's
Got To Give" and, most recently, a new work by Jeff
Marx, one of the Tony Award creators of "Avenue Q".
His writing and directing credits encompass a wide variety of
work including projects working with His list of clients including
UNIVERSAL, the DISNEY IMAGINEERING , ANIMATION and TELEVISION
divisions, INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC, SONY, and many other clients
in the entertainment and corporate worlds. His work in the interactive
and video gaming industry earned Mr. Holmes an invitation to
join The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences as a founding
member. David is also proud to be a member of the award-winning
Colony Theatre acting company in Burbank, California and a founding
member of the newly formed Academy Repertory Company of the Academy
for New Musical Theatre. He is thrilled to be making his first
appearance for Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby performing as Glenn
in "Too Old For The Chorus."
Diane
Vincent (Faith) Diane just completed
a run of the critically acclaimed "On Your Toes"
for Reprise! Broadways Best, where she was also featured in their
productions of Fiorello!, On The 20th Century, and
Kismet. She has received Drama-Logue Awards for Singin'
In The Rain (Lina Lamont) and Guys & Dolls (Adelaide).
She performed at the Hollywood Bowl in The Sound of Music
(second nun from the left) and The Music Man (Ethel
Toffelmier) and swears she's not the reason Maestro John Mauceri
left. Other regional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie
(Mrs. Meers), Gypsy (Tessie), Some Like It Hot
(Sugar), Best Little Whorehouse (Doatsie Mae), How
To Succeed...(Hedy), Anything Goes (Bonnie),
Cinderella (Portia), No, No Nanette (Flora), Pal
Joey (Gladys), a featured cast member in From The
Top! starring Carol Burnett and "Marion" opposite
George Wendt in Happy Days the Musical written and directed
by Garry Marshall. Since 1995 Diane has been licensed and authorized
by CBS Worldwide and Desilu, too, LLC to portray
the famous redhead "Lucy Ricardo" at Universal Studios
Hollywood and throughout the world. Diane lives in Los Angeles
with her multi-talented husband Sam Kriger. Proud member of Actor's
Equity since 1988.
Joel
Bishoff (director) Joel Bishoff
is happy to be returning to La Mirada once again to direct both
Too Old for the Chorus and Sylvia (with Cathy Rigby).
He directed the original production of I Love You, You're
Perfect, Now Change which is now in its 12th year off-Broadway
as well as in several cities across North America, London's West
End and the Mandarin language production in Shanghai and Beijing.
Joel also directed the original production of Over the River
and Through the Woods at off-Broadway's John Houseman Theatre.
Other directing credits include, The Kiss at City Hall at
Pasadena Playhouse, a Japanese language production of Annie
in Tokyo and throughout Japan (now in its 7th year), The Tale
of the Allergist's Wife at Laguna Playhouse, and Ken Hill's
Phantom of the Opera which played at The Opera Comique
in Paris as part of a European tour. Mr. Bishoff also did the
musical staging for the national tour of The Sound of Music
starring Marie Osmond (which also toured Singapore and Korea)
as well as the New York City Opera production starring Debby
Boone. He has directed at the Long Wharf Theatre, Berkshire Theatre
Festival, the New Yorker Theatre (Toronto), Gem Theatre (Detroit),
Coronet Theatre (Los Angeles), Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center
(Nyack), Stuart St. Playhouse (Boston), the Broward Center for
Performing Arts (Miami), the Royal George Theatre (Chicago),
Theatre at Old Towne (San Diego) among others. An MFA
graduate of Columbia University, he is a member of the Society
of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
LISA
LEMAY (Musical Director)
Miss LeMay's experience as Musical Director includes work with
melodrama, benefit concerts, classic and contemporary musicals,
recording projects, film scoring, and arranging/conducting. She
was Musical Director/Pianist for Too Old For The Chorus, But
Not Too Old To Be A Star in its inaugural run at the Theatre
In Old Town (San Diego). She has worked many times at the Old
Globe Theatre, most recently (3 years) as Musical Director/Conductor
for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, directed by Tony Award
recipient, Jack O'Brien. Miss LeMay was Musical Director for
Urinetown, (Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse) which was recognized
as "BEST MUSICAL" in the 2006 OC Weekly Theatre Awards.
National Tours:Brooklyn: The Musical, All Shook Up, The Lion
King, The Will Rogers Follies, The Sound Of Music, The Gershwins'
Fascinating Rhythm. Regional: Applause, Pippin, City Of
Angels, Camelot, The Music Man, Annie, JosephDreamcoat. Notable
projects by Miss LeMay as producer, arranger and/or performer
include the compact disc releases, Fiesta In Tucson
with the Billy Taylor Trio, Sounds Of The Season (various
artists), Inspiration (Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus),
I Wish I'd Met You (Connie Warren), Freedom
For Life for the International Jewelway Corporation,
and Out of This World-LIVE (Linda Purl). Her solo piano
CD, In A Sentimental Mood, is a collection of jazz standards
and has received a rave review from Jazz Times magazine. Miss
LeMay has composed/arranged for theater, radio and television
and has done music preparation for a variety of clients including
feature films and television, both independently as well as with
JoAnn Kane Music Services. Falls House Press publishes her works
for flute. She is busy as a vocal coach and has co-produced the
"Voice Gym Warm-ups CD." Miss LeMay has taught courses
in music production, music technology, jazz, theory and arranging
at the University of New Hampshire and the University of Arizona.
She has consulted for the writers' program of the Academy of
New Musical Theatre in Los Angeles. She holds a B.M. in Music
Education/Jazz Studies and a M.M. in Composition from the University
of Arizona. Miss LeMay is affiliated with the following organizations:
National Academy Of Recording Sciences (Grammys-Voting Member),
Society of Composers and Lyricists (Voting Member), American
Federation of Musicians Local 47, Recording Musicians Association
of Los Angeles, International Association of Jazz Educators,
and BMI (Writer).