Rebecca Ann Johnson

Though this song-and-dance spectacular first emerged as a lush, hypnotic stage adaptation of a classic movie musical that combined sophisticated ballet with exuberant show tunes, MTW's new 2023 regional production, now performing through April 30, 2023 somehow feels less mesmerizing---particularly during moments when the dancing stops.

Musical Theatre West has announced the cast of its spring production, An American in Paris. See who is starring, and learn how to purchase tickets!

The musical is a send-up of the cult classic movie and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s, melded with plot elements from "The Tempest" along with dialogue bits from multiple Shakespeare plays. That was part of the fun for me, catching so many Shakespearean quotes perfectly placed in the dialogue of Bob Carlton's musical set on a spaceship sometime in the future, featuring a galaxy of 1950's and 1960's rock and roll classics including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up," "Monster Mash" and "We Gotta Get Out of this Place." And what an outrageously fabulous band under the musical direction of Trevor Wheetman and Omar D. Brancato, both of whom rocked the house on guitars while believably playing Ensign crew members onstage.

Get ready to blast off as Rubicon Theatre Company presents the hilarious, out-of-this-world musical RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, returning to Ventura after its acclaimed run in 2016. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Musical, this fabulously campy send-up of "Forbidden Planet" and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s and 1960's melds plot elements from The Tempestwith language from multiple plays by Shakespeare. Set on a spaceship sometime in the future, the show features a galaxy of rock-and-roll classics, including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up, and "Monster Mash." The jukebox musical spoof rockets into orbit just in time for Halloween - with a gala costume party on Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. followed by an after-party at Rhumb Line on the Harbor. Low-priced previews are October 17-19. The show runs Wednesdays through Sundays through November 4.

Before Mamma Mia!, before The Marvelous Wonderettes, and before Jersey Boys, there was Return to the Forbidden Planet, an Off-Broadway space farce that was one of the first musicals to incorporate pop hits into its score. A spoof of the 1956 cult sci-fi film, Forbidden Planet, Bob Carlton's musical utilizes the language and general storyline of William Shakespeare's The Tempest in relating the adventures of an interstellar space ship, which is drawn to a mysterious planet by a mad scientist and his beauteous daughter. The show is being staged at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura in a colorful, lively production directed and choreographed by Kirby Ward.

Rubicon Theatre Company lands a winner with its latest musical comedy RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET by Bob Carlton. The silly sci-fi confection is two hours of deliciously kitschy fun accompanied by a rock and roll score that blasts out more than twenty hits from the '50s and '60s and a dynamite cast that spews planetary puns and classical text faster than the speed of light.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

Get ready to blast off on opening night for RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET at Rubicon Theatre Company this Saturday, October 29, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Rubicon Theatre Company presents RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

The con is on! With plenty of wit, charm, and double entendres galore, Musical Theatre West's new regional production of the 2004 Broadway musical comedy 'DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS' is one enjoyably silly romp. The show which features a book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbeck continues its final weekend at the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach through July 24. Based on the 1998 film comedy starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, the stage adaptation eventually garnered 11 Tony nominations during its run. For MTW's fun new local revival, the title roles---a couple of con men who've taken to swindling the riches off of easily-seduced women in the French Riviera---are embodied by stage vets Davis Gaines (now a multiple fixture at MTW) and the incredibly funny Benjamin Schrader (The Book of Mormon).

Based on a 1980s film starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is terribly silly and much of the dialogue & lyrics imbued with an overabundance of sexual innuendos, but that's AOK, as this is not Stephen Sondheim, but a jazzy, feel good, laugh out loud type of show. As many times as I've seen it, I always fall directly into the trap...like most audience I'm hooked, especially if the two male leads are properly cast. In this new production at MTW, Davis Gaines plays Lawrence Jamison, the king of cons, and could not be more perfect. At his side is Benjamin Schrader as Freddy Benson, the rubber-faced comedic schmuck who pleads with Jamison to take him on and teach him the ropes, the tricks of the trade. These two head up a glorious cast under the uber skilled direction'choreography of Billy Sprague Jr., and what results is a triumphant hit for MTW... through July 24 only.

Broadway's scamming, scheming, double-crossing musical hit DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS cons its way onto the Carpenter Center Stage via Musical Theatre West (MTW) for 13 performances July 8-24. The production stars Broadway veterans Davis Gaines (Phantom of the Opera,Camelot) and Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), and OvatioBroadway's scamming, scheming, double-crossing musical hit DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS cons its way onto the Carpenter Center Stage via Musical Theatre West (MTW) for 13 performances tonight, July 8, through July 24.

Broadway's scamming, scheming, double-crossing musical hit DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS cons its way onto the Carpenter Center Stage via Musical Theatre West (MTW) for 13 performances July 8-24. The production stars Broadway veterans Davis Gaines (Phantom of the Opera,Camelot) and Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), and Ovation Award nominee (for MTW'sYoung Frankenstein) Rebecca Ann Johnson. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at them in character below!

Broadway's scamming, scheming, double-crossing musical hit Dirty Rotten Scoundrels cons its way onto the Carpenter Center Stage via Musical Theatre West (MTW) for 13 performances July 8-24.  The production stars Broadway veterans Davis Gaines (Phantom of the Opera, Camelot) and Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) , and Ovation Award nominee (for MTW's Young Frankenstein) Rebecca Ann Johnson.  From the composer/lyricist David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and a book by Jeffrey Lane, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is based on the Steve Martin and Michael Caine film, written by Dale Launer and Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning.  Brilliantly crafted with wit, double-entendres , and show-stopping numbers, the Broadway  show earned 11 Tony Award nominations, including "Best Musical," "Best Book," and "Best Score" and the Drama League Award for "Best Musical."  Tickets are available at www.musical.org or by calling (562) 856-1999, ext. 4.  Tickets are $20 and up.

 Rubicon Theatre Company is pleased to announce the complete cast of WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE?, part of the second year of the annual Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series. Celebrating the music of George and Ira Gershwin, one of the most significant and popular American songwriting teams of all time, WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE? is presented for three performances only, Saturday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m.

As the cliche goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That is perhaps partly the philosophy behind the rather faithful stage adaptation of the gloriously wonderful movie musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, now once again charmingly replicated in a smile-inducing local production at Musical Theatre West that continues through July 26 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. An almost scene-by-scene, note-for-note recreation of the superb cinematic masterpiece, the musical theater iteration of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN smartly and painstakingly reenacts every key moment and memorable musical happenstance from the 1952 movie that many have since heralded as one of the best movie musicals of all time. With MTW's latest revival specifically, director/choreographer Jon Engstrom has helmed a joyful production worth experiencing, whether it's your first or hundredth time. And, yes, it rains on stage... and it's a sight to behold!