Colony Curtain Call!
The Newsletter of the Colony Theatre Company: Summer 2004

Anonymous Donor Challenges Burbank to Support the Colony

Supporter will match $50,000 if raised by Burbank community

The Colony has received a challenge grant from an anonymous donor in the amount of $50,000--the largest single donation in our history--to support the theatre as a “treasured cultural resource” in the city of Burbank.  But there’s a condition attached to the gift.  The donor is challenging the business community of Burbank, as well as its civic leaders, to seize this unique opportunity to invest in the quality of life in the community by stepping up and supporting its cultural health--most notably the city’s “crown jewel,” The Colony Theatre.  The challenge, as proposed by this anonymous longtime Colony supporter, is that if the City of Burbank and its various community entities steps up and cumulatively donates $50,000 to the theatre, this donor will match it dollar for dollar.

"Kudo's to the anonymous donor,
 whoever you are, for recognizing
 the value of one of Burbank's
 theatre companies."

Producing Artistic Director Barbara Beckley is delighted by the opportunity, even though the gift is conditional: “This is such an affirmation of our work and of our value to the community.  It is especially welcome in the light of all the recent cuts in arts funding, which have had a significant impact on us. Since we made Burbank our home in 2000, we have

been tremendously gratified by the support we’ve received.  The grant affords us a real chance to secure our future. We are hoping to rally the community, the government, and the businesses of Burbank to come forward with matching funds to ensure that The Colony will continue to produce world class theatre in the heart of Burbank for many years to come.”

Following the announcement of the challenge, Burbank’s local newspaper, The Burbank Leader, printed an editorial supporting the gift and encouraging the community to step up and meet the challenge: “Kudos to the anonymous donor, whoever you are, for recognizing the value of one of Burbank’s theater companies.  And best wishes to Colony staff and supporters in cobbling together that first $50,000. The promise of having your money automatically doubled is quite an incentive.”

The potential for a gift of $100,000 in this time of declining support for the arts is a monumental goal that we will need all the help we can get to achieve.

For further information, or to participate in this challenge grant and support the arts in Burbank, please contact Barbara Beckley at 818/558-7000 X13.

Colony Announces First Annual Community Spotlight Awards


The Colony Theatre Company, in conjunction with the City of Burbank is pleased to announce the inaugural Community Spotlight Awards! The City and the theatre will honor one of Burbank’s most distinguished leaders, Council Member and former Mayor of Burbank Stacey Murphy, for her lasting commitment to the city and her vision for its future. Barbara Beckley hopes the Spotlight Stacey MurphyAward will become a community tradition and says, “Stacey and I dedicated this building together back in 2000. Coming to Burbank and finding the warmth and support of a real community has meant the world to us, and we want to continue, on an annual basis, to honor those who’ve made this such a special place.”

Colony Board of Trustees and Burbank business community members Sunder Ramani and Jan McElwee are producing the evening and will serve on the Event Committee.  

The Spotlight Awards are sure to be an exciting evening for all; a catered reception will be enjoyed in the theatre lobby prior to a performance of selected scenes from the delightful Around the World in 80 Days. The award ceremony will take place onstage immediately following, and coffee and dessert will be served afterwards. 

Tickets are available to the general public, as well as special sponsorship packages. Please call (818) 558-7000 for further information, or to make reservations. Please join us in honoring Stacey Murphy with the inaugural Community Spotlight Award!

Get ready for the journey of your life...


The first production of our 2004-05 Subscription Season will be the grand  adventure Around the World in 80 Days, by Mark Brown, based on the classic novel by Jules Verne.

A Los Angeles premiere directed by acclaimed local director Stefan Novinski (who just won the LA Weekly Award for Director of the Year), our production of Around the World in 80 Days will be unlike any version of the story you’ve ever seen.  

Yes, it will still be the famous story of English gentleman Phileas Fogg and his challenge of the famous bet that he can’t traverse the globe in 80 days, but Novinski promises that this re-telling of the classic story will be far from ordinary.  Author Mark Brown has infused the script with delectable humor and wacky exploits, challenging five actors to play dozens of roles, don multiple costumes, and brave new heights of imagination.  Our audiences will be taken on this wild trip the old-fashioned way--through theatrical artistry---and we guarantee it will be the best journey of your life!

Although the “set” will be made up of a table and chairs, we have assembled a team of designers who will transport you to such places as Hong Kong, the China Sea, India, Japan, the American Wild West, and London--all using the magic of live theatre: lights, sound, costumes, and, of course, the Colony staple: phenomenal actors.

We are lucky to have five of the best actors in Los Angeles, including a familiar face to Colony regulars.  The lead role of Phileas Fogg will be played by Colony company member Tony Maggio, whom you’ll remember from his role as William Clark in The Colony’s World Premiere production of Beautiful in the Extreme, the historical epic about the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Tony was also in the award-winning ensemble of The Laramie Project, playing some of the morememorable characters, including the limousine       driver and the bartender.         

Accompanying Tony in Around the World in 80 Days is a stellar group of Los Angeles actors, who have appeared on such       prestigious stages as The Mark Taper Forum, The Laguna Playhouse, The Old Globe, Milwaukee Rep, American Repertory Theatre, and Reprise.

If you don’t yet have your tickets for this guaranteed hit production, call our box office at (818) 558-7000 today to get your seats. We are expecting this show to sell out, so don’t be left without your seat on this wild ride!    

But remember the best seats go to our Subscription Members, and it’s not too late to subscribe to our exciting season for a low price!! Call our box office at (818) 558-7000 and get your season subscription today!    

Around the World in 80 Days begins previewing on June 9 and will open on June 12 and play through July 11. It is appropriate for the whole family.

The Drawer Boy Makes Hay

The final production of our 2003-04 season was sweet, sentimental, and very powerful. It also was funny, touching, thoughtful and brilliantly acted. This was one of those plays that truly had it all. Directed by David Rose and starring Chip Heller, Robert Budaska and Brian Taylor, The Drawer Boy by Michael Healey was hailed by critics and audiences alike:

From the Daily News: "Drawer Boy is a beautiful sketch of a show."

The Drawer BoyFrom reviewplays.com: "Once again, the Colony Theatre in Burbank has scored a winner with its presentation of Michael Healey"s The Drawer Boy....Neither melodramatic nor overstated, the story makes a strong impact and leaves a warm feeling, and if you look around, you"ll see many patrons wiping away a tear or two at the end. It"s easily one of the best theatrical experiences of the year so far."

From The Tolucan: "The characterizations are richly detailed under the fine direction of David Rose."

From The Los Angeles Times: "The palpable sensation of a tranfixed audience accompanies The Drawer Boy at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. Actor-turned-playwright Michael Healey"s celebrated study of the power of storytelling on two longtime Canadian comrades receives a beautiful, understated Los Angeles premiere....an innately theatrical tour of the value of art and the mysteries of the human heart....his triple-layered tale is fiercely funny and, finally, deeply affecting....a genuine modern classic."

And, finally, the best review of all, from longtime subscriber Richard Cassady: "Beautiful! Beautiful!! Beautiful!!! That says it all. We've done it again. (As a subscriber I like to claim a little of the credit.) My congratulations to you and everyone involved. The acting was superlative and poignant in the extreme. I shed many a silent tear, for each one of them, one at a time. The production was astounding---that set was beyond belief. Everything about it---beautiful! beautiful!! beautiful!!! Congratulations to everyone."

Thanks, Richard! Once again, our subscribers prove to be kind AND wise!

Cold Stone Creamery Opening A Great Success


The Grand Opening celebration of the new Burbank Cold Stone Creamery store, held on April 17, couldn?t be dampened, even with the constant drizzle that was offered up by the early April skies.

Cold StoneEveryone was on hand for the ribbon-cutting, including Burbank Cold Stone Creamery owners Dave Siemienski and Howard Davidson, along with Burbank City Councilwoman Marcia Ramos, who cut the ribbon, marking the traditional official opening of the newest location of the popular ice cream chain. Also on hand were Colony staff members Amanda Diamond, Red Colegrove, Catherine Springer, Joseph Cincotti, and Barbara Beckley.

What does The Colony have to do with ice cream, you ask? Well, besides the fact that we know a good thing when we see it, the good guys at Cold Stone offered to donate a portion of their Opening Day proceeds to The Colony! So we naturally took the opportunity to set up a table outsidethe store to both promote The Colony and to encourage as many customers to indulge in the sweet sensations that lie in wait inside every Cold Stone Creamery, particularly the Burbank store!

The Cold Stone motto of  "it's  a good day for ice cream!" was certainly reflected in the fact that despite the cold and blustery day, ice cream sales were brisk, as there was often a line out the door of customers hankering for some of the hand-made goodness.

The kind folks at Cold Stone were so generous to allow us to set up a table outside their shop to spread the word about The Colony, and what a wonderful bonus it was when we received a donation check in the amount of $531.60 on behalf of Cold Stone, our portion of the sales from the day!

Thank you, Dave, Howard, and everyone at Cold Stone for a wonderful day and for the generous donation! We are looking forward to a long and sweet relationship!

Please support our friends at Cold Stone Creamery, located at 131 E. Palm St. in the AMC 16 pedestrian way, next to Chipotle!

Visit Cold Stone at www.coldstonecreamery.com!

Colony Raffle News


The Colony wishes to thank Southwest Airlines and Feng Shui Communications for their generous donations to the raffle program.

Pastor Tim Anderson from the Calvary Chapel drew the winning tickets for the "Drawer Boy" raffle on May 12 and we'd like to congratulate subscribers Lynn Paulson and Leo Dozoretz for being the Grand Prize winners!

You can purchase raffle tickets before, after, and during intermission of shows at the theatre, and all raffle proceeds directly benefit The Colony.

To contribute a prize to our raffle program or to volunteer, please call our Development Office at (818) 558-7000 x14. We would be eternally grateful!