FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE

A World Premiere with
Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Book by Mark Saltzman

Limited Engagement opens Saturday, April 27 at The Colony Theatre in Burbank!

April 3, 2013...Burbank... The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present the final production of its "Season of Premieres" with the World Premiere of FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE, with Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, Book by Mark Saltzman, and directed by Jim Fall, with Musical Direction by Keith Harrison and Choreography by Lisa Hopkins. FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE will preview on Wednesday, April 24; Thursday, April 25; and Friday, April 26 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, April 27 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 19.

Lorenz (Larry) Hart was one of Broadway's all-time greats, the brilliant lyricist who penned "My Funny Valentine," "Blue Moon," "Manhattan," "Falling in Love With Love," "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Where or When," and countless other classics. As half of the legendary team of Rodgers and Hart, he lived a life of dizzying heights and crushing lows. Now Mark Saltzman (author of The Colony's smash hit Clutter: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out) captures them all in an intimate look at the life and times of this lyrical genius, a brand new musical developed by The Colony and featuring some of the most memorable songs of the 20th Century.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

MARK SALTZMAN (Book Writer) began his career in NY with Jim Henson writing for the Muppets. His Sesame Street sketches and songs (including "Caribbean Amphibian") earned him seven Emmy Awards. But behind Kermit's back, Mark was writing cabaret shows and musicals that played at The Ballroom, Soho Rep, 13th Street Theatre, and the Village Gate, where he co-wrote the long-running revue, A, My Name is Alice. For network television, Mark wrote Mrs. Santa Claus, the holiday musical starring Angela Lansbury with songs by Jerry Herman. For the movies, he wrote the children's classic The Adventures of Milo and Otis. His TV movie, The Red Sneakers, directed by and starring Gregory Hines, was nominated for a Writers Guild Award. His stage musical The Tin Pan Alley Rag premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse and played many U.S. theaters, including the Roundabout in NY, where it was nominated for a NY Outer Circle Critics Award. Other TV: Reading Rainbow, Johnny and the Sprites, Third Man Out. Theater: Romeo and Bernadette (Paper Mill Playhouse), Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood (Laguna Playhouse) Rocket City (Alabama Shakespeare Festival) and a Colony Theatre premiere, Clutter: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers, Who Never Threw Anything Out. Mark makes his home in Studio City with his partner, Ron Gutierrez and their dog, a chow named Leo.

JIM FALL (Director) most recently directed David Dean Bottrell's sold-out runs of David Dean Bottrell Makes Love, A One Man Show, and David Dean Bottrell is Working; also John Cantwell's Connie Loves Juice, Richard Tanner's Small Parts, and the world premiere of Gary Lennon's The Interlopers at The Bootleg Theater. Also Clinton Leupp's Miss Coco Peru's Universe at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and Miss Coco Peru's Glorious Wounds...She's Damaged at the Renberg Theater (GLAAD Award Nomination). His New York credits include Tom O'Leary's Breath, Blood Orgy Of The Carnival Queens (co-written with Robin Carrigan), James C. Kantor's Christmas On Hell Island, and Chorus Girls On Mars. Jim's feature film career started with the acclaimed independent feature Trick which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival in Dramatic Competition. It was quickly acquired by Fine Line Features and released in the summer of 1999 becoming Fine Line's highest-grossing film of that year. Jim's studio directing debut, The Lizzie McGuire Movie - a big-screen adaptation of the hit Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire, starring Teen Queen Hilary Duff - was a big box office success opening at number two below Xmen its opening week, and earning over $45 million domestically. His TV credits include episodes of So NoTORIous, VH1's scripted comedy starring Tori Spelling and Zachary Quinto, and Grosse Pointe, the Darren Star produced comedy series that has since become a cult favorite. Jim also directed the A&E feature Wedding Wars, starring John Stamos and James Brolin, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. He recently directed and co-wrote Holiday Engagement (Hallmark's highest rated movie in their history on a Sunday night), starring Shelley Long, Bonnie Somerville, and Jordan Bridges, last year's Holly's Holiday (Lifetime) starring Claire Coffee and Ryan McPartlin, and will be directing the upcoming Last Chance Holiday for MarVista later this year. www.JimFallFilms.com.

KEITH HARRISON (Musical Director) is an Emmy Award-nominated composer and performer. Theatre credits include Million Dollar Quartet (original Chicago cast), Whoopi Goldberg's White Noise, and The Boys from Syracuse (Jeff Award-nominated Best New Adaptation). His original music has been heard on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, HDNet, several independent films, and dozens of national television and radio advertisements. Keith is also an established singer-songwriter whose work can be heard at www.keithharrison.tv LISA HOPKINS (Choreographer) received an Ovation nomination for her choreography on Dames at Sea at The Colony Theatre and choreographed Irving Berlin's White Christmas at San Diego Music Theatre. She directed and choreographed the off-Broadway and national tours of Scrooge and co-created the internationally acclaimed show TAP KIDS. She choreographed sequences for the films The Fantastic Clown Club and Temptation of Vanity. She assisted choreographer Kathleen Marshall on the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies where she also acted as coach to leading man Treat Williams. She was a featured soloist with Manhattan Tap for 2 seasons and is adjunct faculty at AMDA in Los Angeles. Lisa owns and operates New York Stage Originals (www.nystage.com) with husband/composer Philip David Stern. Their original shows have played off-Broadway in NYC and toured nationally and internationally. Their show Dream will be touring China in the fall.

ABOUT THE CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

BEN D GOLDBERG (Lorenz Hart) is making his Colony Theatre debut with Falling For Make Believe. Other selected Los Angeles theatre credits include: the "For The Record" series at Rockwell Table and Stage, The Existents and BOTH: A Beatles Nativity at The Open Fist Theatre, and GravityWorks at The Dragonfly, and his own solo shows, Looking Back and Songs for a Bris. Film/TV: ER (NBC), Delayed, Real Life: The Musical (OWN), The Emperors Club (Universal), She's Out of My League (Dreamworks), and The End of an Era (WQED). Web: The Battery's Down and SMBC Theatre. Commercials: CA State Lotto, Nickelodeon Kid's Choice. Industrial: AT&T Apple. Ben holds a BFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University, where he received the Henry Boettcher Award for Excellence in Artistic Studies. He was named a New Jersey Governor's Scholar of the Arts. www.bengoldberg.com

REBECCA JOHNSON (Vivian Ross) is making her Colony Theatre debut. L.A. Theatre: Little Miss Scrooge (Rubicon Theatre), Pippin (Center Theatre Group/Deaf West Theatre), Children of a Lesser God (Deaf West Theatre), Zanna Don't (West Coast Ensemble, winner 2008 LADCC Award for Best Ensemble), Silk Stockings (Musical Theatre West), She Always Told Me (Hudson Theater). Film/Television/Web: 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity... (20th Century Fox), Breaking Wind (Lionsgate Films), Anger Management (FX), The Middle (ABC), Community (NBC), Las Vegas (NBC), The Tinsley Bumble Show (WE), Coco & Ruby, Easy Bake Lovin', Downer's Grove (WB.com). www.rebeccajohnson.com, www.cocoandruby.com

JEFFREY LANDMAN (Doc Bender) has appeared on Broadway in Les Misérables and Falsettos (also national tour). Los Angeles premieres: [title of show], Jesus' Kid Brother, A Year With Frog And Toad. Other regional credits include: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, A Grand Night For Singing, The Producers, Can-Can, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd, Lucky Stiff, Lobby Hero, Gypsy. Workshops: Toy Story: The Musical, Big: The Musical. Film/TV: Halloween 5, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror, Home Alone 2, Life With Mikey, The Magic School Bus, Gulla Gulla Island, Saturday Night Live. Back-up vocals for such artists as Gloria Estefan, Little Richard, Maureen McGovern, and Michael Jackson. Jeffrey holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School Of The Arts.

TYLER MILLIRON (Fletcher Mecklen) is making his Colony debut. Recent roles include Dorian in The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Knightsbridge Theatre, Tony in Master Class at International City Theatre, and the Swing in the touring production of Re-Animator: The Musical! Other credits include Lew Fields in Pazzazz! at the Lobero Theatre, Man 3 in Loving Repeating at ICT, Young Scrooge in A Christmas Carol and Hero in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Norris Theatre, the title role in Barnum with El Dorado Musical Theatre, and Anthony in Sweeney Todd at El Camino Center for the Arts. He was a 2011BroadwayWorld.Com Nominee for Best Cabaret Performance (Male) L.A. www.tylermilliron.com

MEGAN MORAN (Peggy, Dorothy Rodgers, Policewoman) is a new arrival to LA, having recently graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Last summer, she appeared at Connecticut Repertory Theatre as Antonia in Man of La Mancha, alongside Terrence Mann. Megan is thrilled to be working with Mark Saltzman again, after appearing in the premiere of his musical Fifty Four Forever last year, directed by Tommy Tune. Past credits include Pal Joey (Gladys Bumps), Urinetown (Little Sally), and Stage Door (Judith). Megan also co-starred in the webseries To Live and Die in Opahumpka, which recently appeared at LA Webfest 2013.

BRETT RYBACK (Richard Rodgers) is an actor, composer, and playwright. At the Colony he was last seen as Charlie in Mary's Wedding. Other regional credits include work with The Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, Laguna Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, and Reprise! Highlights: Upright Grand (World Premiere, Theatreworks, Palo Alto); The World Premieres of The Prince of Atlantis, Dr. Cerberus, and Imagine (SCR); The History Boys, The Lieutenant of Inishmore (CTG); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Ovation nomination, La Mirada); and Rodgers & Hart's On Your Toes! (Reprise!). Television credits include: Cupid, House, and How I Met Your Mother. His plays and musicals include:  Liberty Inn: The Musical (Ovation nominations Best Book, Best Music/Lyrics); Darling (Weston Playhouse New Musical Award); Weïrd (Winner, Tennessee Williams One-Act Competition); Death Valley DQ, and The Tavern Keeper's Daughter. He has written songs for the web series The Battery's Down, and he is the music director and arranger for Lesli Margherita's acclaimed nightclub act All Hail the Queen, which recently played Off-Broadway. www.brettryback.com

FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE has assembled an award-winning design team. The Scenic Design is by Jeff McLaughlin (Ovation Awards – Grace and Glorie and A Skull in Connemara). The Costume Design is by Dianne K. Graebner (Ovation nominations – The Brothers Karamazov and Battle Hymn). The Lighting Design is by Sohail e. Najafi (The War Cycle: Gospel According to First Squad). The Sound Design is by Drew Dalzell (Ovation Award – Songs for a New World, Ovation Award nomination – Old Wicked Songs). Props design and Set Dressing is by Colony Theatre resident designers MacAndMe.

COLONY THEATRE UPDATE

Founded in 1975, the theatre announced last October that it needed to raise $49,000 in just under two weeks to open its next production, the West Coast Premiere of Willy Holtzman's THE MORINI STRAD, and that completing its season was also in doubt. The announcement resulted in such an outpouring of support that the needed funds to open MORINI materialized in just ten days. Since then, the company has managed to continue on a show-by-show basis, securing the funds to produce the Los Angeles Premiere of Peter Colley's I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT, and now, FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE.

"Our subscribers have been so loyal and supportive, the thought of leaving them holding tickets they couldn't use has been my worst nightmare," states Artistic Director Barbara Beckley, who was one of the founders of the company. "I'm thrilled and relieved that we will be able to discharge our obligation to them with this very exciting World Premiere." Executive Director Trent Steelman adds "We are working on a plan to move forward, and will announce a new season when we are confident that we can deliver it. At this time I would say that we are cautiously optimistic."

The Colony has long been a vibrant center of L.A.'s theatre life. Its subscribers renew at an astounding rate of 90%, and this year the theatre received nine Ovation Award nominations, including the coveted one for Best Season. From its beginnings as a 99-seat Equity-waiver theatre in Silver Lake, the company became so successful artistically, and built such a large subscriber base, that in 2000 it was able to move into a 270-seat state-of-the-art theatre created for it by the City of Burbank. As such, it became one of only a handful of mid-sized professional theatres in the L.A. area that produce a year-round season of plays and musicals, and that employ actors under contract with Actors' Equity Association. Its current season features two Los Angeles premieres, three West Coast premieres, and a World Premiere musical.

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING

FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE will open on Saturday, April 27, at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 19. Performances for FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE are Thursdays & Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 3:00pm & 8:00pm; and Sundays at 2:00pm. Ticket prices range from $20.00 - $42.00 (student, senior, and group discounts are available). FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE will preview on Wednesday, April 24; Thursday, April 25; and Friday, April 26 at 8:00pm at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center Mall.

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 award-winning Colony Theatre Company was founded in 1975 as a 99-seat Equity-waiver theatre in Silver Lake. Over the years the company was so successful artistically, and built such a large subscriber base, that in 2000 it was able to move into a 270-seat theatre created for it by the City of Burbank, becoming one of only 5 mid-size professional theatres in the LA area that produce a year-round season of plays and musicals, and that employ actors under contract with Actors' Equity Association.

The theatre is located at 555 North Third Street, at the corner of Cypress, in the heart of the Burbank Media Center. For further information, call (818) 558-7000. Fax number: (818) 558-7110. E-mail: colonytheatre@colonytheatre.org. Or visit our website at www.colonytheatre.