Kay Cole to Helm ROSE BOWL QUEENS for The Lounge Theatre, 3/6 - 4/11

Grammy nominated song writer Barbara Hart and Cheryl Gimbel have joined forces to create a world premiere musical debuting in Los Angeles, with the incomparable Kay Cole at the helm. In the musical, a low-life building inspector tries to bring down the decades old Rose Bowl bowling alley. As justice is being sought, Cupid's arrow is launched...but the Rose Bowl Queens may not survive. Ain't likely ta git much funner en this.

Casting announcements are forthcoming.

THE ROSE BOWL QUEENS opens on Saturday, March 6, 2010 and runs through April 11, 2010. Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm at THE LOUNGE THEATRE located at 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., LA CA 90038 (between Vine & Gower). Tickets are $25 ($30 for opening night with party). For reservations call 323-960-7712 or visit www.plays411.com/queens.

Kay Cole (Director/Choreographer) received the Playwrights Arena Award for her outstanding contribution to Los Angeles Theatre. Selected directing credits include THE DINING ROOM, ECSTASY, THE FLUNKY, GRASS HARP, DESPERATE WRITERS, AMERICAN TALES, THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND, BARK!, A CHORUS LINE, I'M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER, and SONY PICTURES BROADWAY. In addition, Kay has choreographed and staged numerous productions such as IT'S THE HOUSEWIVES, GREAT EXPECTATION, ASSASSINS, PIRATES OF PENZANCE, CABARET, DANCING AT LUGHNASA, and TAKE ME ALONG. Her BROADWAY credits include: THREE PENNY OPERA, FIORELLO, CITY OF ANGELS, COMPANY, ON THE 20TH CENTURY, SWEENEY TODD, and MOST HAPPY FELLA. At the Geffen Playhouse, Kirk Douglas Theatre, and Anteaus Theatre Kay's credits include: ATLANTA (NAACP award nomination), PAINT YOUR WAGON, SIX DANCES LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, GAYTINO, DOGEATERS, and TONIGHT AT 8:30. Her credits at Playwrights Arena and London's West End include THE NEXT STEP, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, THE FANTASICS, SNOOPY, and BLOCKHEADS. Most recently in FILM and TV, her directing credits are COUNTRY RULES, THQ, WAITING IN LINE, with choreography credits for JEKYLL and DISNEY'S SANTA CLAUS 3, ELLA, GUIDEPOST JUNCTION, and AWAKENING OF SPRING.

BARBARA HART (Playwright, Music and Libretto) received a Grammy nomination for Little Sleepy Eyes. She is an admitted ‘wordaholic' and has two Emmy nominations for creating the clever questions...or answers...for the TV game show Jeopardy! Other accomplishments include a series of three children's books about Octopus Rex. (Each book comes with a CD of original songs) THE ROSE BOWL QUEENS musical, co-written with Cheryl Gimbel, is a culmination of Hart's career to date.

CHERYL FOOTE GIMBEL (Playwright, Music and Libretto) is co-founded of Peninsula Childrens' Theater, where she directed musicals and taught theater arts. After studying music and fine arts at the University of Southern California, she served as Creative Producer for ACT II, a support group for the Norris Center for Performing Arts. With three trips to Nashville for recording and many months of editing the script, the hottest new team in ‘country' musical comedy is ready for their close up.

RACQUEL LEHRMAN (Producer) is the founder and managing director of Theatre Planners, a leading theatre production/PR firm. A graduate of NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, she spent over ten years producing theatre in New York. Theatre Planners quickly developed into a successful outlet for actors, producers and theatre companies. Theatre Planners orchestrates everything from publicity and consulting, to printing and graphics. Raquel's business acumen has been instrumental in keeping the Los Angeles theatre scene alive and strong. She acquired the Actor's Gang old space on El Centro and has developed it into The Lounge Theatre, in the same building where she will soon launch The Lounge 2 as part of her arts complex in Hollywood on Theatre Row, www.theatreplanners.com.

RAUL STAGGS (Casting Director) most recently cast the critically acclaimed productions of RUBY, TRAGICALLY ROTUND (Playwrights' Arena), THE PAIN AND THE ITCH (The Theatre @ Boston Court and Furious Theatre Co. co-production), SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE, TOO (Greenway Court Theatre), and IT'S THE HOUSEWIVES (The Whitefire Theatre). His most recent film casting credit is for the award winning short film, THE WINGED MAN, written by Academy Award nominee Jose Rivera, and starring Shalim Ortiz (Heroes) and Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty).

SHARELL MARTIN (Costume Designer) has designed for MARVELOUS WONDERETTES (El Portal), IT'S THE HOUSEWIVES (Whitefire Theatre), DOLLYWOOD, (Matrix), PROVE IT ON ME (Stella Adler), and MY FAIR LADY (National Tour).

MATT RICHTER (Lighting Designer) has worked on more than 200 productions including THE DEVIL HAS A SISTER (Melkveg Theatre, Amsterdam), KILL ME DEADLY (Theatre of Note), GRAND GUIGNOL, THE NEXT BIG THING, and CARTOON (Artworks), A MULHOLLAND CHRISTMAS CAROL (Sacred Fools), and THE PLAYGROUND (Deaf West), SONA TERA ROMAN HESS (The Lounge). He serves as TD for the Elephant Theatre Company and Art/Works Theatre, and is Designer in Residence for numerous theatre companies.

ROBERT RAMIREZ (Sound Designer) is sound designer for ONE TREE HILL at Warner Brothers sound Studios. Other credits include sound design and/or effects for FAMILY GUY at Technicolor sound, Happy Days, THE MUSICAL at The Falcon Theater, and OEDIPUS, THE KING MAMA! at the Getty. He was sound mixer for Dalton Trumbo's JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN at Indie pictures.