Austin MacPhee

AFTER HOURS THEATRE COMPANY, (who most recently produced Jonathan Larson's tick, ...tick...BOOM!), presents a modern day musical love story, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, music by Joshua Salzman, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, musical direction by Elmo Zapp, choreography by Aja Gomez and directed by Rebecca Kenigsberg. I LOVE YOU BECAUSE opened July 22 and will perform through Sunday, August 7 at the Hudson Backstage, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This past week I saw two different musicals that have taken their inspiration from classic Jane Austen novels and, while completely different in size and scale, both have considerable merits. The first is in San Diego where Paul Gordon's to-die-for new musical SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is gracing the stage at The Old Globe.

AFTER HOURS THEATRE COMPANY, (who most recently produced Jonathan Larson'stick, ...tick...BOOM!), presents a modern day musical love story, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, music by Joshua Salzman, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, musical direction by Elmo Zapp, choreography by Aja Gomez and directed by Rebecca Kenigsberg. I LOVE YOU BECAUSE will open on Friday, July 22 and perform through Sunday, August 7 at the Hudson Backstage, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Pursuing their mission of showcasing new and unheard musical theater tunes, A LITTLE NEW MUSIC returns to Rockwell: Table & Stage in Los Feliz tonight, September 15 at 8 p.m. with its most exciting program to date featuring Broadway and local talent. Jordan Kai Burnett (Love is a Battlefield) returns as the spicy chanteuse hostess. Bryan Blaskie (Assistants: The Musical) will return as musical director.

Continuing its mission of showcasing new and unpublished musical theater tunes, A LITTLE NEW MUSIC returns to Rockwell: Table & Stage in Los Feliz with its most exciting program to date.

Pursuing their mission of showcasing new and unheard musical theater tunes, A LITTLE NEW MUSIC returns to Rockwell: Table & Stage in Los Feliz on September 15 at 8 p.m. with its most exciting program to date featuring Broadway and local talent. Jordan Kai Burnett (Love is a Battlefield) returns as the spicy chanteuse hostess. Bryan Blaskie (Assistants: The Musical) will return as musical director.

Ah, the rhythms of the 50s/60s! Got 'A Lot of Livin' to Do'! Lee Adams and Charles Strouse wrote the music and lyrics of Bye Bye Birdie to honor a generation of fans who swooned and literally gave themselves over to the rock and roll of Elvis Presley. Conrad Birdie (Austin MacPhee) is an obvious play on Conway Twitty, a rock star of that era who later became a superstar in the world of country. When Elvis went into the army, he became a national hero. Female teens adored him and would give up their own boyfriends just to be near him. This is Bye Bye Birdie in a nutshell now in a rollicking revival at Cabrillo Music Theatre through July 27.

Before Beatle-Mania, before Bieber Fever, there was the first, the original...Conrad Birdie! America's rock 'n' roll heart-throb drives the teen girls bonkers as Cabrillo Music Theatre brings back the nostalgic, Tony-winning family-friendly Broadway Musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE. BYE BYE BIRDIE opens today, July 18th, 2014, playing until Sunday, July 27th, and features an added mid-week matinee on July 23rd, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. BYE BYE BIRDIE takes us on a trip to the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, where the nation's most popular rock-and-roll singer, Conrad Birdie, arrives to give his biggest fan one last kiss to the Fan Club's President, Kim MacAfee, before going into the army - and on the Ed Sullivan Show, of course! At the same time, his manager, Albert Peterson, must deal with his frustrated secretary/girlfriend, Rose Alvarez, while handling his overbearing mother. Meanwhile, Mr. MacAfee fumes while Conrad Birdie takes over his bed, his house, his daughter, and his life! A town full of colorful characters, including crazed teenagers, a jealous boyfriend, a squeaky secretary, and a banquet-room-full of wild-eyed Shriners make for a rollicking, irreverent good time that the entire family will enjoy. BYE BYE BIRDIE features classic songs like 'Put On A Happy Face,' 'The Telephone Hour,' 'Kids,' and 'A Lot of Livin' To Do,' plus dances to rival the best of Broadway.

Before Beatle-Mania, before Bieber Fever, there was the first, the original…Conrad Birdie! America's rock 'n' roll heart-throb drives the teen girls bonkers as Cabrillo Music Theatre brings back the nostalgic, Tony-winning family-friendly Broadway Musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE. BYE BYE BIRDIE opens on Friday, July 18th, 2014, playing until Sunday, July 27th, and features an added mid-week matinee on July 23rd, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. BYE BYE BIRDIE takes us on a trip to the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, where the nation's most popular rock-and-roll singer, Conrad Birdie, arrives to give his biggest fan one last kiss to the Fan Club's President, Kim MacAfee, before going into the army - and on the Ed Sullivan Show, of course! At the same time, his manager, Albert Peterson, must deal with his frustrated secretary/girlfriend, Rose Alvarez, while handling his overbearing mother. Meanwhile, Mr. MacAfee fumes while Conrad Birdie takes over his bed, his house, his daughter, and his life! A town full of colorful characters, including crazed teenagers, a jealous boyfriend, a squeaky secretary, and a banquet-room-full of wild-eyed Shriners make for a rollicking, irreverent good time that the entire family will enjoy. BYE BYE BIRDIE features classic songs like "Put On A Happy Face," "The Telephone Hour," "Kids," and "A Lot of Livin' To Do," plus dances to rival the best of Broadway.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the fourth production in its 2013-1014 season of shows with one of the most popular musical events of all-time, the Tony award-winning, CATS, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T.S. Eliot, with musical direction by John Glaudini and directed and choreographed by Dana Solimando. CATS will feature Kelly Provart as Grizabella and Todrick Hall (whose hilarious YOUTUBE video parodies have been seen by millions of viewers) as Rum Tum Tugger. CATS opened on Saturday, April 19, and runs through Sunday, May 11, 2014 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts presents the Tony Award-winning musical sensation, SPRING AWAKENING, with book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik, based on the play by Frank Wedekind. The show features musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and is directed by Brian Kite. SPRING AWAKENING opened last night, Friday, March 22, and runs through Saturday, March 30, 2013. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos from the opening night festivities!