Tom Hewitt and Lesli Margherita to Star in HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME as Part of La Mirada's 2016-17 Season

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment have announced their 2016-2017 season of shows.

Hitting the ground running is Broadway's Tom Hewitt starring as Frollo and Lesli Margherita starring as Esmeralda in the Los Angeles premiere of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, followed by the non-stop hilarity of LEND ME A TENOR, the heart-breaking masterwork that is Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS, and rounding out the season with two of the most iconic musicals in the American theatre canon, WEST SIDE STORY and MAN OF LA MANCHA! This delightful season of shows also includes the bonus options of the side-splitting VICKI LAWRENCE & MAMA, and the soon-to-be announced production in its acclaimed ONSTAGE series. It's the kind of bell-ringing, heart-breaking, laugh-inducing, impossible dream-inspired season that only La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment can bring to its Southern California theatre-loving subscribers and audiences!

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The 2016/2017 Season:

TOM HEWITT & LESLI MARGHERITA star in

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

September 16 - October 9, 2016 (Press Opening September 17)

Book by Peter Parnell

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Choreography by Dana Solimando

Directed by Glenn Casale

From the Oscar-winning team comes a lushly scored retelling of Victor Hugo's epic story of love, acceptance, and what it means to be a hero. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film's Oscar-nominated score with new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Librettist Peter Parnell crafts a bold, highly-theatrical take on the moving tale of the scorned bell-ringer Quasimodo, the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, and the dashing Captain Phoebus in 15th-century Paris. An emotionally rich score and powerful story make The Hunchback of Notre Dame an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.

LEND ME A TENOR

October 21 - November 13, 2016 (Press Opening October 22)

Written by Ken Ludwig

Directed by Art Manke

Set in the 1930s, Lend Me a Tenor is a madcap, screwball comedy that takes place when Tito Merelli, the fiery-tempered and world famous Italian tenor, arrives to play Othello at a Cleveland opera company. He arrives late and, through a set of crazy circumstances, passes out after mixing wine with tranquilizers. Believing that the divo is dead, the excitable opera manager taps his hapless assistant, an aspiring singer named Max, to suit up as the Moor and replace Merelli. Meanwhile, the tenor's jealous wife, his ambitious female co-star, Max's young girlfriend, and the flirtatious head of the opera guild are on the scene fighting-sometimes literally-for the star's attention. A sensation on Broadway and in London's West End, Lend Me A Tenor is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

January 20 - February 12, 2017 (Press Opening January 21)

Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown

Directed by Nick DeGruccio

In his intimate musical, The Last Five Years, Jason Robert Brown paints a vivid picture of the five-year relationship between young, ambitious author Jamie and Cathy, a struggling actress. The show unfolds in reverse chronological order. Cathy's experiences are portrayed from the painful end of the relationship, while Jamie's are portrayed from the passionate beginning. Since its Off-Broadway premiere in 2002, Brown's funny, poignant, and devastatingly honest two-person musical has enraptured audiences around the world with its spellbinding, emotional score, and libretto.

THE MOST ACCLAIMED MUSICAL OF ALL TIME!

WEST SIDE STORY

April 21 - May 17, 2017 (Press Opening April 22)

Based on a Concept by Jerome Robbins

Book by Arthur Laurents

Music by Leonard Bernstein

Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Choreography by Dana Solimando

Directed by Richard Israel

From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant, and timely as ever. The score, by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. The world's greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical that is one of the theatre's finest accomplishments. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City, as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence, and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time.

TONY AWARDS FOR BEST MUSICAL & BEST SCORE!

MAN OF LA MANCHA

June 2- June 25, 2017 (Press Opening June 3)

Written by Dale Wasserman

Music by Mitch Leigh

Lyrics by Joe Darian

Choreography by Peggy Hickey

Directed by Glenn Casale

Man of La Mancha is a comic tragedy of mankind's struggle to better both himself and the world in which he lives. Based on The Adventures of Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes, the story is both entertaining and very moving, and will warm the heart of anyone whose spirits were ever raised by the prospect of a victory by the underdog. The score is a musical delight, and contains one of the most inspiring moments in musical theatre as Don Quixote relates his personal credo in "The Impossible Dream."

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY!

VICKI LAWRENCE & MAMA

May 20, 2017 - 2pm & 8pm

Emmy Award-winning comedienne Vicki Lawrence is one of the most beloved television personalities of her generation. Plucked out of total obscurity as a high school senior, Vicki went on to become part of the now-legendary cast of the "Carol Burnett Show." At the ripe, old age of 24, Vicki created her most endearing character to date, Thelma Harper, or "Mama" as she is better known to her fans. After the Burnett Show, Vicki went on to star in "Mama's Family." The multi-talented entertainer is mostly known for her acting and comedic talents, but she also earned a gold record for the 1973 hit, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia." Ms. Lawrence takes the stage first in this two-woman show. "My show is not a retrospective," she explains. "It is a mixture of stand-up comedy, music and my observations about real life. I think people will get a kick out of the things Mama has an opinion about. Where Mama is concerned, expect the unexpected."

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Subscriptions to this extraordinary season are now available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801. Subscription prices range from $100.00 - $245.00. Single tickets will go on sale June 3, 2016 and will be available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at www.lamiradatheatre.com.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.

Winner of the L.A. Stage Alliance OVATION AWARD for 2012-2013 "Best Season of the Year," LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, now in its fourth decade, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California." This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been producing quality productions for its Southern California audiences since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of many accolades including Ovation and Emmy Awards and Tony Award nominations. The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue. Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information call562-944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com

Celebrating its 23rdt Anniversary season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (MRE), is one of the world's premier theatrical production companies. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over one hundred musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today. In addition, MRE has launched several Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international, and national touring productions including: Peter Pan, Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun, all starring Cathy Rigby; Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde starring American Idol contender and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis along with Grammy Award nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox; Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian Bach; Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips and Happy Days written by Gary Marshall and Paul Williams. Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby has made four stops on Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical. The A&E TV network premiere of "Peter Pan," starring Cathy Rigby, received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. MRE's other credits include numerous award-winning documentaries and stadium events.