Hilty, Weber, Lewis, Ballard, Nixon & More Join Reprise Theatre Co's Month Long Rodgers Celebration

Reprise Theatre Company will present a month-long Richard Rodgers Celebration October 2-November 2 in a variety of venues across Los Angeles.

The roster of talent involved continues to grow. Megan Hilty, Steven Weber, Vicki Lewis, David Burnham, Amir Talai, Kaye Ballard, Charmian Carr, Nancy Dussault, Patricia Morison, Marni Nixon, Constance Towers, Meg Gillentine, Kim Mikesell, Candy Olsen, Jeffry Denman, John Todd, Sal Vassallo, Richard Bermudez, Sarah Bermudez, Terry Bibb, Susanne Blakeslee, Michael Kostroff, Jennifer Paz and Jose Llama are all announced to participate in the Celebration.

Megan Hilty, Steven Weber, Vicki Lewis, David Burnham and Amir Talai have just been announced for the staged reading of "Two by Two," Rodgers' rarely performed 1970 musical starring Reprise artistic director Jason Alexander as Noah and directed by David Lee -- November 1 and 2 at Gindi Auditorium at American Jewish University.

Kaye Ballard, Charmian Carr, Nancy Dussault, Patricia Morison, Marni Nixon and Constance Towers join previously announced Karen Morrow for "Nothin' Like a Dame," a program of Rodgers' leading ladies singing their songs, and reminiscing about their roles in his musicals, directed by John Rubinstein October 25 at the El Portal Theatre.

"A Grand Night for Dancing," an evening of dance choreographed by Reprise resident choreographer Lee Martino including "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" - October 22 and 23 at The Broad Stage, will feature Jeffry Denman, Meg Gillentine, Kim Mikesell, Candy Olsen, John Todd, and Sal Vassallo.

"Rodgers & Hart & Hammerstein," a new musical revue directed by Larry Raben exploring the contrast in Rodgers' collaborations with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein October 18 at El Portal Theatre, will feature Richard Bermudez, Sarah Bermudez, Terry Bibb, Susanne Blakeslee, and Michael Kostroff.

"Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Asia" - a symposium exploring the successes and controversies in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals -- "The King and I," "South Pacific," and "Flower Drum Song," will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang, author of the Broadway revival production of "Flower Drum Song" and feature performances by Jennifer Paz and Jose Llama. Presented in association with East West Players - October 5 at David Henry Hwang Theater.

The series of concerts, symposiums, staged readings, screenings and cabarets will explore the diversity and scope of the work of one of the most important figures in the American Musical.

Collaborations with Ebony Repertory Theatre, East West Players, Santa Monica College, The Harmony Project and American Jewish University will take place at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, the David Henry Hwang Theater, The Broad Stage, the El Portal Theatre and the Gindi Auditorium.

Ted Chapin, President and Executive Director of The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization said, "We applaud Reprise Theatre Company for finding so many creative ways to present Richard Rodgers' work. This celebration is sure to delight musical theatre lovers and remind them of the breadth and depth of the Rodgers' canon."

Reprise Theatre Company artistic director Jason Alexander said, "I am very excited about our new project which will explore, in depth, the work of a single artist of the Musical Theatre. And I couldn't be happier about our selection of Richard Rodgers, who along with Oscar Hammerstein and Lorenz Hart and other fine collaborators, all but invented this art form which remains the most popular form of live story telling in the world. This is another step in fulfilling our mission to become a significant center for Musical Theatre in Los Angeles. We look forward to our collaboration with some of Los Angeles' finest arts organizations."

The Celebration will look at Rodgers' work from a wide variety of aspects, including

· Staged reading of "Two by Two," Rodgers' rarely performed 1970 musical starring Reprise artistic director Jason Alexander as Noah and directed by David Lee -- November 1 and 2 at Gindi Auditorium at American Jewish University.

· Four new evenings of Rodgers work - "Soul of Rodgers" conceived and directed by Billy Porter, presented in association with Ebony Repertory Theatre Company - Two performances October 2 and 3 at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center; "Rodgers & Hart & Hammerstein " - October 18 at El Portal Theatre; "A Grand Night for Dancing," an evening of dance choreographed by Reprise resident choreographer Lee Martino including "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" - October 22 and 23 at The Broad Stage; and "The Sweetest Sounds," featuring more than 100 young musicians from urban Los Angeles in partnership with the Harmony Project.

· "Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Asia" - a symposium exploring the successes and controversies in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals -- "The King and I," "South Pacific," and "Flower Drum Song," moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang, author of the Broadway revival production of "Flower Drum Song." Presented in association with East West Players - October 5 at David Henry Hwang Theater.

· "Nothin' Like a Dame," a program of Rodgers' leading ladies including Kaye Ballard, Charmian Carr, Nancy Dussault, Patricia Morison, Marni Nixon, Constance Towers and Karen Morrow, singing their songs, and reminiscing about their roles in his musicals, directed by John Rubenstein - October 25 at the El Portal Theatre.

· Screening of the film of "South Pacific," with special guest Mitzi Gaynor, star of the film - October 15 at the Majestic Crest Theatre.

Tickets are available at reprise.org or by calling 310.954.1595 (the Rodgers Celebration Ticket Line).

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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