Darryl Maximilian Robinson Set for FUNNY GIRL at The Historic Rialto Theatre

Two major revivals of sorts are occurring at The Historic Rialto Theatre at 1023 Fair Oaks Ave in South Pasadena, Calif.

One is an effort by the preservationist and restoration organization Friends of the Rialto Theatre to raise funds and awareness regarding the need to restore this 1,200-seat Moorish architecture jewel back to its original 1925 glory as architect Lewis A. Smith intended.

The other is a wonderful new revival of "FUNNY GIRL" the classic Broadway musical that told the show-biz tale of the wonderful actress-singer-comedian Fanny Brice! Set during the early 20th-century during the peak of "The Ziegfeld Follies" on Broadway, "FUNNY GIRL" with Music By Jule Styne, Lyrics By Bob Merrill and a Book By Isobel Lennart is a Tony Award-nominated, Oscar-winning classic of musical theatre history that launched the great Barbra Streisand to skyrocketing fame as Fanny. Now, a new non-Equity professional theatre group in the Greater Pasadena area, The Conundrum Theatre Company, have selected this hit musical as their debut production, and it will be presented Friday, Saturday and Sunday Oct. 14th, 15th and 16th of 2016 on the stage of The Rialto Theatre with a full cast and live orchestra.

Playing the role of Fanny Brice's Producer and Mentor during her time with the acclaimed "Ziegfeld Follies" will be veteran and award-winning Los Angeles-based stage actor Darryl Maximilian Robinson as the great Broadway impresario extraordinaire, Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. Mr. Robinson has appeared in numerous musical and dramatic roles in the Greater Los Angeles area including: Major-General Stanley in The San Pedro Theatre Club 2014 revival production of Gilbert and Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE; The Narrator and The Mysterious Man in The Burbank Community Theatre 2014 revival production of Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's INTO THE WOODS presented at The Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn in The Hollywood Hills; The old Shakespearean actor Henry Albertson in the 2010 Hollywood Fringe Festival revival production of Tom Jones' and Harvey Schmidt's THE FANTASTICKS at The Complex Theatre in Los Angeles; The Butler John Lawless in a 2011 staging Kyle Crichton's THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, The Ghost of Christmas Present in a musical 2010 version of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL and The Reverend Sykes in Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD all presented at The Glendale Centre Theatre; and the role of the debonair, but aging, leading man Ernest in Tad Mosel's IMPROMPTU as part of The Emmanuel Lutheran Actors Theatre Ensemble - ELATE evening of one-acts JUST 4 FUN at The Lincoln Stegman Theatre in North Hollywood, and for which Mr. Robinson has been nominated for a 2015 / 2016 Elate Season Ticket Holders Award as Best Actor!

For tickets to see Mr. Robinson play the "King of Broadway" Florenz Ziefeld, Jr. on Oct. 14th, 15th and 16th, 2016 in The Conundrum Theatre Company revival production of "FUNNY GIRL" at The Historic Rialto Theatre, contact funnygirl@Conundrumtheatreco.com. For more information on how to make donations or donate time to the restoration of The Rialto, visit the Friends of Rialto Facebook page.