Cabrillo Music Theatre Presents THE ANDREWS BROTHERS, Opens 2/5

Take some of the greatest songs of the 1940s; add a healthy dose of comedy and romance; mix it all together with an award-winning cast and some of Southern California's finest creative staff, and what do you get? Cabrillo Music Theatre's production of THE ANDREWS BROTHERS. Cabrillo Music Theatre, which brought the Thousand Oaks premiere of BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO to the Civic Arts Plaza last year, does it again with THE ANDREWS BROTHERS, created exclusively for local audiences. THE ANDREWS BROTHERS will open on Friday, February 5th, 2010 and run through Sunday, February 14th, for Cabrillo Music Theatre at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

It's 1945, and, on a South Pacific island, a U.S.O. show is threatened with cancellation when a certain famous trio of singing sisters fails to show up. It's up to three earnest and determined brothers to go on with the show! THE ANDREWS BROTHERS is filled to the brim with more than twenty-five songs made famous by the Andrews Sisters.

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Slow Boat To China," Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," "Ac-cent-u-ate the Positive," are just a few of the many musical showstoppers. These songs are framed with a laugh-filled book by Roger Bean, creator of the long-running Off-Broadway and Los Angeles hit, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES. The new story and familiar songs combine to create a brand-new theatre confection.

Bringing the show to life is an Ovation Award winning ensemble. Playing the three "Brothers" are Stan Chandler, David Engel and Larry Raben. This trio, three of the original Off-Broadway and L.A. "Plaids," from FOREVER PLAID, reunite on the Cabrillo Music Theatre stage. They are joined by theatre veteran Darcie Roberts, of Broadway's CRAZY FOR YOU and CURTAINS. Directing will be Nick DeGruccio, with choreography by Roger Castellano, both repeating their Ovation Award-nominated work. Musical Director Lloyd Cooper will lead the Cabrillo Music Theatre Orchestra.

"Cabrillo audiences will delight in the nostalgic music, slapstick comedy, and old-fashioned romance of THE ANDREWS BROTHERS," says Carole W. Nussbaum, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With classic songs from the 1940s, a brand-new story, and plenty of humor, THE ANDREWS BROTHERS has something for everyone!" Continues Nussbaum, "And the show's backdrop - entertaining the troops during wartime - couldn't be more appropriate, given Cabrillo Music Theatre's longstanding commitment to the military families of Southern California."

THE ANDREWS BROTHERS continues Cabrillo's longstanding relationship with the troops, which recently cuminated with "A Salute To The Military," during the Cabrillo 2009 holiday special, Irving Berlin'S WHITE CHRISTMAS. This memorable performance, dedicated to our military, brought together nearly a thousand members of our armed forces and their families, to enjoy the show free of charge. Cabrillo Music Theatre's OUTREACH program, Project Entertainment Troops, will continue in full force during THE ANDREWS BROTHERS.

Recommended for all audiences, THE ANDREWS BROTHERS plays February 5th through the 14th, 2010, and is perfect entertainment for the entire family.

Nick DeGruccio (Director) is a three-time recipient of the LA Ovation Award for Direction and has received the 2008 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Joel Hirschhorn Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre, as well as the 2009 BackStage Garland Award for Direction for an Outstanding Season of Work. Nick happily returns to Cabrillo having just directed Guys and Dolls as well as Jekyll & Hyde last season (Ovation Award for Direction). He also received Ovation Awards for his direction of The Laramie Project at the Colony Theatre and Laguna Playhouse and 1776 at Performance Riverside. Recent credits include RENT at Musical Theatre West, Putting It Together, A Year With Frog and Toad for South Coast Repertory, the West Coast Premiere of The Andrews Brothers at Musical Theatre West, as well as Kiss of the Spider Woman and the LA Premieres of Thrill Me and Dog Sees God for Havok Theatre Company's inaugural season. His other productions and Ovation-nominated works include Side By Side By Sondheim for The Rubicon Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse, the LA premiere of Side Show (Colony Theatre), Guys and Dolls and La Cage Aux Folles (Musical Theatre West), The Last Five Years in rep with I Do! I Do! (Pasadena Playhouse), The Full Monty (San Diego Music Theatre), The Spitfire Grill (Laguna Playhouse/OC Weekly Award Best Musical), Zanna, Don't! at West Coast Ensemble (LADCC Award for Direction), Bad Apples, a World Premiere Play for The Rubicon Theatre Company, Beehive at the El Portal Theatre and City of Angels, An Ideal Husband and Putting It Together (Colony Theatre). Other directing credits include: I Left My Heart...a tribute to Tony Bennett (Welk Resort), My Way (La Mirada PAC) and Altar Boyz for The Welk Resort. For Musical Theatre Guild, he directed the L.A. Premiere of A Man Of No Importance (GLAAD Award Nomination) and Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Other credits: Basic Training (2nd Stage/NAACP Award Nomination for Direction), The Fantasticks (Performance Riverside), Pippin (BCLO), and Happily Ever After...After All (voiceovers by Angela Lansbury) (9 O'clock Players). Nick is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director's Lab West.

ROGER CASTELLANO (Choreographer) works extensively as a Director/Choreographer of Theatrical and Special events. He has had great opportunities to work and collaborate with many Professional Regional Theatre Companies such as Musical Theatre West, Cabrillo Music Theatre, Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities, Laguna Playhouse, Fullerton Civic Light Opera, Performance Riverside, International City Theatre, The Center Theatre Group, The Phoenix Theatre in Arizona, and Music Theatre of Wichita in Kansas. He has also created original shows, parades, and special events for companies like Sesame Street Live, Sanrio Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and has worked with personalities like Reba McEntire, Stevie Nicks, Chicago, Gladys Knight, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, Natalie Cole, Christopher Reeve, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Bennett, Bill Cosby and Walter Cronkite, to name a few. Theatrical Awards include: LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nominee for Best Choreographer (Jekyll & Hyde - Cabrillo Music Theatre), LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nominee for Best Choreographer (The Andrews Brothers, Musical Theatre West), Los Angeles Time's Critic's Pick (Me and My Girl, Musical Theatre West), Drama Logue's Critic Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre, "Best Choreography" (A Little Night Music, The Center Theatre Group), Drama Logue's Critic Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre - "Best Choreography" (La Cage Aux Folles, The Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities), Drama Logue's Critic Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre, "Best Choreography" (Oliver - The Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities),
Inland Theatre League Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre, "Best Director" (Seussical, Performance Riverside), AriZoni Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre - "Best Choreography" (A Chorus Line, The Phoenix Theatre.)

LLOYD COOPER (Musical Director/Conductor/Keyboard) returns to Cabrillo Music Theatre, having served as Musical Director several times, including Smokey Joe's Café. He is a three time Drama-Logue Award winner for best musical direction and recently received awards for Plan-B Entertainment's production of Beauty and the Beast. He has served in the past as resident musical director for The San Bernardino Civic Light Opera, San Diego Civic Light Opera and Theater League. He was recently the musical director for Happy Days - A Family Musical! written by Garry Marshall and Paul Williams. Lloyd has worked on such movies as "Prince Of Tides," "Godzilla," "Bewitched" and "The Holiday." In television he has worked in the capacity of composer, arranger, and/or conductor for the music in such shows as "Father Dowling," "Matlock" and "Perry Mason." He appeared on television with David Hyde Pierce in a special episode of "Caroline In The City" and has appeared twice with ventriloquist Jay Johnson on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson. Lloyd had the great pleasure of working with Barbra Streisand and Stephen Sondheim in rehearsing and choosing music for her "Back To Broadway" album. Lloyd and his wife, singer Barbara Matteson Cooper, have a successful night club career and have recorded four albums of original music which have reached audiences all over the world.

Stan Chandler (Lawrence) is thrilled to once again share the stage with his brethren in Plaid, Larry and David. With his beautiful bride Kirsten, he has performed in concert at New York's Town Hall, Disney Hall (with the California Philharmonic), and in many other prestigious venues. Together, they have produced a critically acclaimed album ("A Quiet Thing"), a five-year-old son Addie (A Noisy Thing), and an eleven-month-old son Tucker (A Jolly Thing). Stan made his Broadway debut singing "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" in the Hal Prince revival of Cabaret, starring Joel Grey. But he is perhaps best known for creating the role of Jinx in the Off-Broadway smash hit Forever Plaid. He can be heard on the original cast album, has gone on to direct the show for many regional theatres across the country, and stars in the soon-to-be-released DVD. Southern California audiences have seen Stan in a wide variety of roles; Nikos in Zorba, Tom in the west coast premiere of The Thing About Men, Fred/Petruchio in Kiss Me Kate, Younger Brother in Ragtime, Kodaly in She Loves Me, the Baker in Into the Woods, Edward Rutledge in 1776, the Duke of Windsor in the world premiere of Only a Kingdom, Tony in West Side Story, and a cornucopia of characters in Forbidden Broadway (with Jason Alexander), Jacques Brel... and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

David Engel (Max). A six-time LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award winner, David starred as Don Lockwood in CMT's 2008 and 1999 productions of Singin' in the Rain. David will make a quick return to the Cabrillo stage for their next production, The Andrews Brothers. He appeared on Broadway in Putting It Together, Seussical: The Musical, La Cage Aux Folles and both stage and film versions of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. He is most noted for creating the role of Smudge in the original off-Broadway production of Forever Plaid and its holiday sequel Plaid Tidings. Other stage credits include starring roles in Crazy For you, White Christmas, Kiss Me Kate, Children of Eden, The Full Monty, Dames at Sea, Never Gonna Dance, and Pasadena Playhouse's newly re-envisioned Can-Can.

He also shares an on-screen romance with RuPaul in the musical short film "Zombie Prom." In addition to his acting career, Mr. Engel has directed and choreographed major productions of Seussical, Forever Plaid, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and collaborated with Singin' In The Rain director Larry Raben on Toronto's original production Motown at the Twilight.. David has directed the original commercials for Forever Plaid, The World Goes ‘Round, and created and directed the MGM/UA Home Video "Logo-Fanfare". He produced and directed a documentary as a companion to the video release of "That's Entertainment III," and served as the Film Sequence Director for "Judy Garland, A Tribute" at Carnegie Hall, "The Busby Berkeley Suite" with The Boston Pops, and "Carnegie Hall Celebrates the Glorious MGM Musicals."

Larry Raben (Patrick) is thrilled to return to the role of Patrick in The Andrews Brothers after runs at Musical Theatre West ('08 Ovation Award), Fullerton CLO, and The Welk. He starred as Leo Bloom in The Producers on Broadway, in its entire run at The Paris in Las Vegas, and in LA at MTW. Other NY credits include the Off-Broadway Hits I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE (also at LA's Coronet Theatre), Forever Plaid (original company) which he also performed on London's West End and at LA's Canon Theatre (Ovation and LA Drama-Critics Awards) as Sparky, and two performances at Carnegie Hall. Local and regional favorites: Ross in Bright Ideas (Laguna Playhouse), Hysterium in ... Forum (SBCLO), Ens. Pulver in Mr. Roberts (The Old Globe), Bryce in The Big Bang (The Norris), Josh in Big, Finch in How To Succeed..., Albert in Bye, Bye, Birdie. Film & Television include: "Forever Plaid, The Movie", "Lost & Found", "Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead", "General Hospital", "Party Of Five", "Caroline In The City", and "Genetically Challenged" (pilot) among others. Larry received an '08 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Direction of Singin' In The Rain at Cabrillo Music Theatre.

Darcie Roberts (Peggy) is thrilled to be making her Cabrillo Music Theatre debut, reprising the role she originated last year, garnering her a "Best Ensemble" Ovation Award. Originally from Chino, California, she has had the great opportunity to grace stages all over the world. Darcie made her Broadway debut as "Polly" in the Susan Stroman hit musical Crazy For You at the young age of nineteen. Broadway credits include: Curtains (originated the role of Roberta in both Broadway and Los Angeles productions), Aida (Amneris stand-by), Dream (Ingenue) and Crazy For You (Polly, Irene, Tess stand-by). Darcie won acclaim originating the title role in the First National Tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. She also toured in Copacabana (Lola), Busker Alley (Libby), Aspects of Love and 42nd Street (Peggy). Regional credits include The Marvelous Wonderettes (Cindy Lou), Silk Stockings (Janice), The Pajama Game (Babe), A Chorus Line (Cassie, Maggie), Crazy For You (Polly), Evita (Eva), Funny Girl (Fanny), Cabaret (Sally), Baby (Lizzie), My Fair Lady (Eliza), Damn Yankees (Lola), Ragtime (Mother), 1776 (Martha Jefferson) and State Fair (Emily). Off Broadway: The Bubbly Black Girl... (Scarlett - workshop production). Film: "Every Little Step". TV: "All My Children", "Live with Regis and Kelly", "The TONY Awards". She is married to Troy Magino and they have a busy house with two boys, Gary and Luke.

ABOUT THE PRICING AND SCHEDULE

THE ANDREWS BROTHERS will open on Friday, February 5, 2010 and run through Sunday, February 14th. Performances are Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm. A post-show discussion with cast, staff and audience will follow the Saturday, February 6th, 2:00pm performance. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Box Office located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks or through any Ticketmaster location or by phone (800) 745-3000. For groups of 12 or more, please call Group Sales, Cabrillo Music Theatre at (805) 497-8615. Ticket prices range from $25-$55. For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787).

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE's 2009-2010 season continues with LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (April 2010), and RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA (July 2010). Tickets for THE ANDREWS BROTHERS can be purchased as part of a season-ticket subscription, at big savings.

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE performs exclusively at the Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Cabrillo Music Theatre is the Ovation Award-winning Resident Musical Theatre Production Company at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and a non-profit theatre organization. For over three decades, Cabrillo has been enriching the cultural life of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties and the surrounding areas by providing an extraordinary performing arts experience through live, Broadway-quality productions of musical theatre. It is Cabrillo's mission to provide the highest quality musical experience, to foster educational opportunities, and to promote cultural and artistic enrichment to enhance the quality of life in Southern California. To this end, Cabrillo Music Theatre has established the ADOPT-A-SCHOOL, ADOPT-A-SENIOR, PET (Project Entertainment Troops) OUTREACH programs. Since the inceptions of these programs in 2005, over 22,000 underserved children, in-need seniors, and active military have enjoyed Cabrillo Music Theatre's productions at no charge. With the ADOPT-A-SCHOOL, ADOPT-A-SENIOR, and PET programs, Cabrillo makes live theatre accessible to children, seniors, and active military members who otherwise may never have the opportunity to experience a live musical theatre performance. Cabrillo's Animal Rescue OUTREACH program, instituted during this summer's production of CATS, facilitates the placement of homeless dogs and cats. For more information about Cabrillo Music Theatre's OUTREACH programs, contact Carole W. Nussbaum, President/Chief Executive Officer at (805) 497-8613.

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