LOUIS AND KEELY LIVE AT THE SAHARA Extends Through 5/24

Similar to their namesake act that swept the strip in Vegas decades ago, Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara is quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town. As such, the play, which was originally set to close on the last week of April, will now be extended for an additional four weeks.

After lauded reviews from local media and a near sweep at the 2009 Garland Awards (production, playwriting, direction/musical direction, best actor/actress in a musical) as well as the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards (actor, production, director and music director), Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara has added 32 performances after nearly selling out its previously announced run. The musical, which follows The Life and love of Las Vegas' infamous onstage couple Louis Prima and Keely Smith, will run at the Audrey Skriball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse through May 24.

Helmed by acclaimed Hollywood director/biographer Taylor Hackford, Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara is a new production of last year's hit co-written by (and stars) Jake Broder and Vanessa Claire Smith. The play, which opened mid-February at the Geffen, won the 2008 Ovation Award for Best Musical, four Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards - including Best Production and Best Actor and is nominated for five LA Weekly Theater Awards - including Musical of the Year.

Originally developed by the authors at the Sacred Fools Theatre Company in June 2008, Louis & Keely has been substantially reworked for its current production at the Geffen. Hackford, who joined forces with Broder and Smith in late 2008 to guide the revision process, estimates about 40 percent of the script is different from the original production. This includes the addition of seven new songs - "I Wish You Love," "Hey Boy, Hey Girl," "What is this Thing Called Love," "Night Train," "Ai, Ai, Ai" and "I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me," as well as new characters.

Creators Broder and Smith mine new emotional depths in the characters of Louis and Keely, and new cast members Nick Cagle and Erin Matthews play various other characters in the couple's story, including Old Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. In addition to the four actors, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara features a seven-piece live swing band that brings down the house as the orchestra for the play and as well as Louis Prima's Vegas band ‘The Witnesses.'

LOUIS & KEELY LIVE AT THE SAHARA
An L&K Production
By Jake Broder & Vanessa Claire Smith
Directed by Taylor Hackford
Runs Through: Sunday, May 24th, 2009
Cast (Alphabetical order)
Jake Broder Louis Prima
Nick Cagle Frank Sinatra, Leon Prima
Vanessa Claire Smith Keely Smith
Erin Matthews Mrs. Keely, Louis' third wife, Various Prima dames
Crystal Keith Keely Smith u/s, Female Swing
Michael Lanahan Louis Prima u/s, Male Swing

Design Team
Choreography Vernel Bagneris
Set / Projection Design Joel Daavid
Lighting Design Anne Militello
Sound Design Lindsay Jones
Costume Design Melissa Bruning
Production Stage Manager Young Ji

Musicians
Colin Kupka Sam Butera / Saxophone
Richard Levinson Pee Wee / Piano
Nate Light u/s Eddie / Bass
Paul Litteral Hollywood / Trumpet
Jeff Markgraf Eddie / Substitute Bass
Dan Sawyer Doc / Guitar, Saxophone, Clarient, Flute, Piccolo
Michael L. Solomon Rocco / Drums
Brian Wallis Jimmy / Trombone

Performance Schedule
Monday No performances
Tuesday - Thursday 8:00pm
Friday 7:30pm
Saturday 3:30pm; 8:00pm
Sunday 2:30pm; 7:30pm

Premium Stage Seating - $65; Orchestra Seating - $55

Tickets are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at GeffenPlayhouse.com, via credit card phone order at (310) 208-5454, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

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