Crown City Theatre Co. Set To Present THE APPLE TREE 6/3 - 6/28

Crown City Theatre Company is set to present The Apple Tree. Previews will take place June 3 & 4 at 8 pm. The show runs from June 5 - June 28. General admission tickets cost $20, tickets for students and seniors cost $15. Tickets to preview shows cost $15, $10 students and seniors.

The Apple Tree is an evening of three funny, poignant and fascinating one-act musicals about men, women and temptation with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (the team that created Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me and The Rothschilds), and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied together by a common theme (the temptation is often greater then the reward). The first act is based on Mark Twain's The Diary of Adam and Eve; the second act is based on Frank R. Stockton's The Lady or the Tiger?; the third act is based on Jules Feiffer's Passionella.
Mostly done as a vehicle for 3 stars it opened on October 18, 1966, on Broadway starring Barbara Harris (Tony Award for Best Actress), Alan Alda (nominated Best Actor), and Larry Blyden. Other major Tony nominations included: Bock and Harnick for Best Composer and Lyricist, Mike Nichols for Best Direction of a Musical and the show itself for Best Musical.
By using a single actress and actor to play the lead in each one-act the original production tried to tie the 3 entities together.

However, unique to this production is having different actresses and actors in the lead for each one-act as well as a different director.  We at Crown City hope that this arrangement makes it more of an ensemble piece that shows off each playlet to its full potential as well as making its universal theme of temptation more accessible to modern audiences.

"The Diary of Adam and Eve" stars Matthew J. Williams as Adam in his first role back in L.A. after moving with CTG's "Come Back Little Sheba" to Broadway.  Morgan Lynsey (a relative newcomer to L.A. from New York) brings her amazing talents to the role of Eve and veteran Shakespearean actor Jon Mullich lends his charms to the Snake.  Gary Lamb directs this piece about the beginning of creation.

"The Lady or the Tiger?" stars Kit Paquin (Circle in the Square Theatre School, lead in "The Workroom," Off-Broadway in "My Sweetheart's the Man in The Moon" and on television in "Numb3rs," "CSI:NY," "Ugly Betty" and "Entourage.") in the stong, passionate role of Princess Barbara and Josh Helmuth makes his L.A. debute as Captain Sanjar.  William A. Reilly directs this pageant of Mesopotamian jealousy.  It is forbidden for a Princess to "mingle" with non-royalty, so Captain Sanjar is put on trial by King Arik (Jon Mullich) and must choose between the two doors that conceal either the Tiger that will tear him to pieces or a woman that he must marry.  Princess Barbara finds out which door holds which and also that the woman is none other then her rival for the Captain's love. The Balladeer (BrIan Maples) leads us through this tale of over-the-top passion.

"Passionella" stars veteran musical theater actress Stephanie Fredricks (Broadway's "Wonderful Town" (Violet) and Off Broadway's "Occupation" (Rachel) and "A Night Sea Journey" (Lisa)) as the Chimneysweep (Ella) turns Movie Star (Passionella) with  Ben Rovner (Chicago Actor, BFA DePaul University's The Theater School) playing the role of Flip, The Prince, Charming.  Matthew J. Williamson directs this Zany show about a woman who wants to be a Movie Star who is granted her wish, but only from primetime television until the networks sign off in early 1960's style with the National Anthem.

Other Cast Members include: Amy Ball as the Narrator in Passionella and Bradley Michael (The Columbine Project) as Flip, The Prince, Charming's understudy as well as the Choreographer for "The Lady or the Tiger?" and "Passionella."

Assistant director, production stage manager: Kimberly Bullock
Set design: Joanne McGee
Costume design: Caitlin Erin O'Hare

Crown City Theatre Company has been producing in L.A. and Nevada for the past 14 years.  They finally found a home at St. Matthew's Church and opened their own theater on May 17th, 2008 inside what was once a meeting hall/theater.  Since opening their new theater they have produced "I'm Just Wild About Harry" an original musical adaptation of "Charley's Aunt" and an "hilarious" production of "Twelfth Night" as well as bringing in L.A.'s hottest Tribute band Not Fade Away to do "A 50s/60s Rockin' Tribute: Twist and Shout!" and their original musical "A Chicago Christmas Carol."  Closing this weekend after several extensions is Bill Barker's heartfelt play, "Best Wishes."