Press Release: The Musical of Musicals: The Musical!

September 20, 2006…Burbank…The Colony Theatre Company presents the third production of its 2006 – 2007 season, the hilarious musical love-letter to musicals, THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL, written by Eric Rockwell & Joanne Bogart, directed by Pamela Hunt with musical direction by Jeffrey Rockwell and starring Alli Mauzey (Reprise! City of Angels, Pasadena Playhouse 110 in the Shade), Brent Schindele (Laguna Playhouse And The Winner Is, Jesus Christ Superstar), Mary Gordon Murray (Little Me, The Spitfire Grill) and Jeffrey Rockwell (Colony’s Gunmetal Blues, Billy Bishop Goes to War). THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL will preview Wednesday, October 18; Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, October 21 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, November 19 at the Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.  

THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL! is a musical about ... musicals! In a comic satire of musical theatre genres, one story becomes five musicals, each in the distinctive style of a different master of the form, from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim.
   
June, an ingénue who can't pay the rent, is threatened by her evil landlord. Will the handsome leading man come to her rescue? In an evening of variations on a theme, this basic plot is musicalized the way Rodgers and Hammerstein might have envisioned it, taking place in Kansas in August, complete with a Dream Ballet. The story is then done in the style of Stephen Sondheim, featuring the landlord as a tortured, artistic genius who slashes the throats of his tenants in revenge because they don't appreciate his art. When presented in the style of Jerry Herman, the story becomes a splashy star vehicle, while the Andrew Lloyd Webber version is a rock musical, with borrowed themes from Puccini. The story is re-told one last time in the style of Kander and Ebb, set in a speakeasy in Chicago. The tone of this evening of satire is loving/irreverent “in a sorry/grateful kind of way.”

THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL first opened in Manhattan on December 16, 2003 as part of the York Theatre’s subscription series, for a limited run through January 25, 2004. The show garnered rave reviews and was nominated for five 2004 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical and the 2004 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical. The New York Times wrote, "The Musical of Musicals - The Musical! has real wit, real charm. It’s great fun!” The demand for tickets was so great that the York re-configured its 2004 season, and re-opened the show on May 24, 2004, running through October 2, 2004. It transferred to Off-Broadway’s Dodger Stages produced by York Theatre Company, Melanie Herman, W. David McCoy and James Morgan, on February 2, 2005, and received a nomination for a 2005 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

Eric Rockwell (Music) and Joanne Bogart (Lyrics) began their collaboration in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Their parody of Mickey and Judy musicals, Golly Gee Whiz was originally produced by the TADA! Theatre, then later featured at the Lincoln Center “Reel to Real” series. Their other collaborations include productions of The Trials of Alice in Wonderland and David and Goliath. As a lyricist, Ms. Bogart contributed several lyrics to The Book of Pooh, and Bear in the Big Blue House, both for the Disney Channel.

Mr. Rockwell composed the score for The History Mystery, and wrote the libretto to Everything About School, both produced by the TADA! Theatre Company. They are currently working on their next project together, a traditional full-length Broadway book musical, which will leave them open to parody by some new upstart in years to come!

Pamela Hunt (Director/Choreographer) 2004 Drama Desk Nominee, Outstanding Director, The Musical of Musicals – The Musical!, ...Forum and Carnival! (Outer Critics Circle Award) for the York Theatre, as well as Destry Rides Again in the Company’s acclaimed “Musicals in Mufti” series. In addition she has directed at numerous regional theaters including The Actors Theatre of Louisville, ACT, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, GEVA, Milwaukee Rep., Ordway Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Studio Arena Theatre and others.

THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by James Morgan. The lighting design is by Mary Jo Dondlinger. The costume design is by John Carver Sullivan. The sound design is by Drew Dalzell.

THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL will open on Saturday, October 21 and perform through Sunday, November 19, 2006. Performances for THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL will be Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Additionally there will be performances on Saturday, October 28 and Saturday, November 4 at 3:00pm and also Thursday, November 9 and Thursday, November 16 at 8:00pm. There will be no 7:00pm performance on Sunday, October 22. Ticket prices range from $37.00 - $42.00 (student, senior and group discounts are available). Preview performances will be Wednesday, October 18, Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20 at 8:00pm – Preview Tickets $20.00 - $25.00. Opening night performance with reception - all tickets $50.00. There will be two Talk-Back performances with the cast on Friday, October 27 and Thursday, November 9 immediately following the performance. For tickets, call the Colony Theatre Box Office at 818/558-7000 ext. 15.   
                                   
For more information, press interviews, photos or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at ELZERD@aol.com or visit www.demandpr.com.

For more information, press interviews, photos or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at ELZERD@aol.com or visit www.demandpr.com.

The Colony Theatre Company is a 31-year old organization dedicated to bringing the finest-quality theatrical productions to Los Angeles. The theatre is located at 555 North Third Street, at the corner of Cypress, in the heart of Downtown Burbank. For further information, call (818) 558-7000. Fax: (818) 558-7110. E-mail: colonytheatre@colonytheatre.org. Or visit our website at www.colonytheatre.org.