Sal Mistretta News

The Coachella Valley Repertory Theater (CV Rep) will continue entertaining local desert audiences through the summer with three musical cabaret productions slated for June, July and August 2014. The first of the three-part CV Rep Cabaret Series is a "toe tapping, madcap musical revue" entitled LAUGHTER, LOVE AND LUNACY starring Broadway and cabaret favorites Alix Korey, Janene Lovullo and Sal Mistretta. will run at the CV Rep Theatre in Rancho Mirage on Friday, June 27 and Today, June 28 at 7 PM and Sunday, June 29th at 2 PM.

The Coachella Valley Repertory Theater (CV Rep) will continue entertaining local desert audiences through the summer with three musical cabaret productions slated for June, July and August 2014. The first of the three-part CV Rep Cabaret Series is a 'toe tapping, madcap musical revue' entitled LAUGHTER, LOVE AND LUNACY starring Broadway and cabaret favorites Alix Korey, Janene Lovullo and Sal Mistretta. will run at the CV Rep Theatre in Rancho Mirage on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 at 7 PM and Sunday, June 29th at 2 PM.

An evening of drama, comedy, song and dance featuring 25 talented high school seniors giving their all in the sixth annual Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition and ended with Joshua Riding of Johnson High School in San Antonio taking home the top prize of a $15,000 scholarship. Riding was recognized in the 'Acting Solo' category, while his fellow competitors claimed an additional $85,000 in scholarship funds and two trips to the prestigious Jimmy Awards in the unique scholarship program that provides financial assistance to college-bound high school seniors based on their interests and abilities in the performing arts. This year's $100,000 in scholarship funds was the highest total amount of scholarships awarded by Las Casas Foundation since the program's inception and marked the centennial of the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, the home of the scholarship competition.

See twenty-five (25) talented high school seniors break a leg as they vie for $100,000 in scholarship money and two National High School Musical Theater Awards trips to New York City during the sixth annual Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition at the Charline McCombs Empire Theater, 226 N. St. Mary's Street, on Sunday, May 18 at 6:00 p.m. Hosted by Las Casas Foundation, the competition will showcase the talents of hopeful high school students while celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre.

Las Casas Foundation is proud to announce 25 finalists have earned a place in this year's Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition. This year's finalists will compete for $100,000 in scholarship money, in honor of 100 years of entertainment at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, and with this year's addition of the Jimmy Award, the opportunity to attend the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) in New York City.

Emmy winning actor/comedian Bruce Vilanch joins several Broadway Veterans and the students of Musical Theatre University in their very first fully-staged musical production, HAIRSPRAY, which will be presented for three performances, tonight, January 31 through February 2, at The Helene Galen Performing Arts Center at Rancho Mirage High School.

Emmy winning actor/comedian Bruce Vilanch joins several Broadway Veterans and the students of Musical Theatre University in their very first fully-staged musical production, HAIRSPRAY, which will be presented for three performances, January 31 through February 2, at The Helene Galen Performing Arts Center at Rancho Mirage High School. Vilanch will reprise his critically acclaimed turn as Edna Turnblad in the Tony Award winning musical, based on the cult film by John Waters, alongside Broadway actors Sal Mistretta, Lisa Robinson and Gwen Stewart, and featuring the talented, young Musical Theatre University students.

StageWorks is pleased to announce that veteran television and film actress Stefanie Powers is scheduled to appear in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at 6:00 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs. Powers, best known for her role as Jennifer Hart in the 1980's television series "Hart to Hart," joins a roster of celebrities for this one-night-only performance to benefit Coyote StageWorks, a not-for-profit company dedicated to advancing theatre as a vital art form in the desert communities of the Coachella Valley.

The American Foundation For Arts Education presented its annual National Arts Star Awards on November 20 in a Star-Studded Gala at The Helene Galen Performing Arts Center in Rancho Mirage. Among the honorees, James Nederlander was presented with The Legacy Award for creating The National High School Musical Theatre Awards and his ongoing commitment to arts education. The awards were presented by actor/writer Laurence Luckinbill. The National Arts Star Awards are presented to individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on Arts Education in America's public schools. The AFAE, originally founded by Carol Channing and her late husband Harry Kullijian, works to restore the arts to our nation's public schools and insure an arts education for every child in America through advocacy and partnering with schools and communities to create specialized arts instructional opportunities for children.

Michael Childers' ONE NGHT ONLY performed on April 24 at the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts, with special guest Carol Channing. Watch the cast sing 'Hello, Dolly!' below!

The choices I have made are based solely on the plays and performances that I actually saw. I cannot see all the great talent that is out there in LA; it is physically impossible, as there exist far too many theatre/cabaret performances for one person to cover. So if a choice of yours is not on my list, chances are, I did not see that play or performance...or, it just did not make the final cut. I also do not separate Equity from Equity waiver; I consider all the productions/performances I select to be of top-of-the-line quality/professionalism.

Receiving its long overdue west coast premiere is The Fix, which premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in London in 1997 and then made its way finally to the US playing in Virginia, but never landing on Broadway. It's pure political satire with music, in the style of a rock opera, but, unlike pure rock opera, with spoken dialogue as well as the music to move the plot along. Reminding one of a vaudeville at times with its broad playing mood, it is an intensely dark, hard-hitting, gritty drama that socks a big wallop. Its one major drawback is its lack of comedic flair; it is so serious and razor sharp, it forgets to lighten up at times to let its audience digest it properly. Now in a finely staged engagement through May 20 at ICT, Long Beach, The Fix boasts above all else... a splendiferous cast.

Just as the 2012 presidential race heats up,International City Theatre (ICT) presents the West Coast premiere of a hard-boiled, darkly comic, Olivier Award-nominated rock musical about the American political machine. With book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, The Fix begins a four-week run on April 27 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Randy Brenner is at the helm, with musical direction by Darryl Archibald, choreography by Heather Castillo, and Sal Mistretta reprising his Helen Hayes Award-winning role as Uncle Grahame. Low-priced previews take place on April 24, 25 and 26.

Get ready for your close-up! The Ogunquit Playhouse is the first fully staged Regional theatre in the nation to produce an all new production of Sunset Boulevard starring Stefanie Powers as Norma Desmond, July 28 through August 14, complete with the Tony Nominated costumes by the Academy Award winning designer, Anthony Powell and an all new set designed exclusively for the Ogunquit stage by Todd Ivins. This musical is based on the film noir classic by Billy Wilder that starred Gloria Swanson and William Holden. It is the winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and features some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's loveliest melodies including, 'With One Look' and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye.'

Stefanie Powers, starring as fictional silent screen legend Norma Desmond, ably navigates the twists and turns of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical homage to Hollywood's film noir classic

The Ogunquit Playhouse is the first fully staged Regional theatre in the nation to produce an all new production of Sunset Boulevard starring Stefanie Powers as Norma Desmond, July 28 through August 14, complete with the Tony Nominated costumes by the Academy Award winning designer, Anthony Powell and an all new set designed exclusively for the Ogunquit stage by Todd Ivins. This musical is based on the film noir classic by Billy Wilder that starred Gloria Swanson and William Holden. It is the winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and features some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's loveliest melodies including, 'With One Look' and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye.' Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at Powers as 'Norma Desmond!'

The Ogunquit Playhouse is the first fully staged Regional theatre in the nation to produce an all new production of Sunset Boulevard starring Stefanie Powers as Norma Desmond, July 28 through August 14, complete with the Tony Nominated costumes by the Academy Award winning designer, Anthony Powell and an all new set designed exclusively for the Ogunquit stage by Todd Ivins. This musical is based on the film noir classic by Billy Wilder that starred Gloria Swanson and William Holden. It is the winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and features some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's loveliest melodies including, 'With One Look' and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye.'

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW -- now in the fourth year of its four-year series --continued its mission of tackling every play George Bernard Shaw ever wrote with its 44th presentation: Shaw's ON THE ROCKS. The production was performed on Monday, November 16 at 7:00pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller, who has produced and directed all of the concert readings, helmed ON THE ROCKS.

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw presents ON THE ROCKS by George Bernard Shaw Monday, November 16 at 7pm at the Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South)

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW -- now in the fourth year of its four-year series --continues its mission of tackling every play George Bernard Shaw ever wrote with its 44th presentation: Shaw's ON THE ROCKS. The production will be performed on Monday, November 16 at 7:00pm at the Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller, who has produced and directed all of the concert readings, will similarly helm ON THE ROCKS.