New Musical LAUGHING MATTERS To Have World Premiere At Pasadena Playhouse 11/4-12/13

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director, Tom Ware, Producing Director) announced today that LAUGHING MATTERS, a world premiere musical featuring a book and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart (author of the international best-selling novel "Beaches"), music by Mike Stoller (Smokey Joe's Café) and Artie Butler (Feelin' Alright by Joe Cocker), and directed by Leonard Foglia (Broadway's Thurgood starring Laurence Fishburne), will be the final production of the 2009 Season entitled WOMEN: The Heart and Soul of Theatre. The new musical comedy, in the spirit of the Yiddish theatre, is about three generations of Jewish women and the history, humor, and music that binds them together. Preview performances begin November 4, 2009 with the official press opening on November 13 at Pasadena Playhouse (39 S. El Molino Avenue).

It is the 1970's in New York City and Raisel ("Bubbie"), a former star of the Yiddish Theatre, is now living with her daughter Red and her granddaughter Jenny. Jenny is desperate to know about her Bubbie's past - especially her life in pre-World War II Poland. Red, a television comedy writer, does not want her daughter to be burdened with the dreadful memories of that horrific era, and most importantly, does not want to remember her own childhood in Warsaw. Through an often funny, sometimes painful journey through their collective history, the women strive to build a bridge between them that will serve as a soulful foundation for generations to come.

"Iris Rainer Dart's wonderful story about three generations of mothers and daughters is an incredibly fitting way for us to conclude our hugely successful celebration of WOMEN: The Heart and Soul of Theatre on the stage of the Playhouse," said Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps. "This new musical is wildly theatrical, funny, wide ranging, culturally diverse, and very moving. I know that our audiences will appreciate the opportunity to see it here first. I am thrilled that we will have the opportunity to collaborate on this world premiere with an exciting creative team and that we continue to bring the best of the new works to our stage and to our audiences."

The single-ticket on-sale date for LAUGHING MATTERS will be announced at a later date. A special discounted subscription package is now available.

Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena. Tickets are available by calling the Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529, by visiting the Pasadena Playhouse Box Office, open from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. daily excluding holidays and online at www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org. Group Sales (15 or more) are available by calling Group Sales Manager, Paul Millet at 626-737-2861.

Full casting will be announced at later dates.

The rest of the Women: The Heart and Soul of the Theatre series includes:

STORMY WEATHER
January 23 - March 8, 2009 (Opening date January 30)
Conceived and written by Sharleen Cooper
Suggested by the biography Lena Horne, Entertainer published by Chelsea House.
By special arrangements with Stewart Lane, Bonnie Comley and Armica Productions.
Music by Cole Porter, Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart,
Billy Strayhorn, and more.
Choreography by Randy Skinner
Directed by Michael Bush

MAURITIUS
March 27 - April 26, 2009 (Opening date April 3)
Written by Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Jessica Kubzansky

THE LITTLE FOXES
May 22 - June 28, 2009 (Opening date May 29)
Written by Lillian Hellman
Directed by Pasadena Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Dámaso Rodriguez

CROWNS
July 10 - August 16, 2009 (Opening date July 12)
Written by ReGina Taylor
Adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry
Directed by Israel Hicks
Co-Produced by Ebony Repertory Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse

THE NIGHT IS A CHILD
August 28 - October 4, 2009 (Opening date September 4)
Written by Charles Randolph-Wright
Directed by Sheldon Epps
LAUGHING MATTERS
November 4 - December 13, 2009 (Opening date November 13)
Book and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart
Music by Mike Stoller and Artie Butler
Directed by Leonard Foglia