Laguna Playhouse Announces Cast For LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, Opens July 6

The Laguna Playhouse gets a dream cast for its production of Life Could Be a Dream that runs July 6 through August 29-the five original Los Angeles cast members have signed on for the eight-week Laguna Playhouse run!

From the "marvelous" mind of creator Roger Bean - the man behind The Laguna Playhouse hits The Marvelous Wonderettes and Winter Wonderettes - comes Life Could Be a Dream, a fabulous 50s-era musical about the Crooning Crabcakes, the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom which made it possible for The Wonderettes to perform. The guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as they prepare to audition for a local radio contest and realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Will these delightfully goofy guys be able to pull it together and win the contest?

Featuring such classic songs as "Stay" (Just a Little Bit Longer)," "Runaround Sue," "The Great Pretender," "Tears On My Pillow," "Unchained Melody," "Earth Angel," "Little Darlin'," and of course the title song, Life Could Be A Dream is another musical trip down memory lane that will leave audiences laughing, singing and cheering. Winner of multiple Ovation Awards, LA Drama Critics Circle Awards, Backstage, and LA Weekly Awards.

The cast of Life Could Be a Dream includes Doug Carpenter (Skip), Ryan Castellino (Wally), Jim Holdridge (Eugene), Daniel Tatar (Denny), and Jessica KeeNan Wynn (Lois).

Doug Carpenter (Skip) recently graduated from UCLA with a Masters degree in vocal performance. Doug began his professional musical career in opera performing leading roles in regional companies like Utah Festival Opera, Opera Las Vegas, Palm Springs Opera Guild, and UCLA Opera Theater. Roles include Marcello in La Boheme, the title role in Don Giovanni, Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Silvio in Pagliacci, among many others. It wasn't until a year and a half ago that he rekindled his love for musical theater as his full time dream. Since then he has appeared with companies like CLOSBC (Prince in Cinderella), FCLO (Tony in West Side Story and Curly in Oklahoma!), UCLA theater dept. (Jaime in The Last Five Years) and most recently in concert as Billy in Carousel with the UCLA music dept.

RYAN CASTELLINO (Wally) was recently seen as the narrator in Miss Electricity at the La Jolla Playhouse. He also has been a part of The Flunky performing alongside Deborah Gibson, and was in the world premiere of Mask the musical at the Pasadena Playhouse playing Ruben. Other regional credits include Seymour in Little Shop, and Kevin in Tommy. Proud graduate of UCLA's Ray Bolger Musical Theater program.

JIM HOLDRIDGE (Eugene) A NYC transplant, his LA credits include productions at South Coast Repertory, the Zephyr Theater, and the LA Drama Critics Circle Award Winning Assassins at West Coast Ensemble. Recent readings include Modern Love: the new Hall & Oats Musical, and Neurosis. Regionally he has worked at St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Rep, The Goodspeed Opera House, and was a long time member of the hit show Stomp in New York, Las Vegas, and International Tours. He recently completed the comedy pilot "This Can't Be My Life" coming to a network, near you, sometime soon.

Daniel Tatar (Denny) Los Angeles stage credits include: Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof (Rubicon Theatre Company), Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Havok Theatre), Ahmet Ertegun in the NAACP Award-winning Ray Charles Live (Pasadena Playhouse), Fervio in the Ovations Award-winning Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings (Theatre@Boston Court), Jamie in The Last Five Years (Pasadena Playhouse), the Reprise! concerts of Elegies and Baby (as Danny, opposite Kerry Butler), Nick in Over the River and through the Woods (McCoy-Rigby),and Mohammed in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Laguna Playhouse). Daniel originated the role of Man 1 in the Chicago and San Francisco companies of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, which he also performed on the national tour. Regional: Steppenwolf Theatre Company's The Ballad of Little Jo (with Judy Kuhn), Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Wally in Campaign of the Century (with Michael Rupert), Miss Saigon (Marriott Theatre), Forever Plaid (Theatre at the Center) and Gary Griffin's direction of Pacific Overtures (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Television: Season One finale of "90210," "CSI:NY," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Real Time with Bill Maher."

JESSICA KeeNan Wynn (Lois) is a recent graduate of UCLA's prestigious Ray Bolger Musical Theatre Program. Upon graduating, she took on the roles of both Cruella De Vil and Maleficent for a new Disney Villains Workshop, written by Tony-nominated creators Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen. She has contributed her vocal talents to a recording of a new musical adaptation of Wuthering Heights by actor Mark Ryan. She has starred in numerous UCLA productions including: Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), The Last Five Years (Cathy) and Homer in Cyberspace (Calypso). During college, she also starred in Evita (Eva Peron), Cabaret (Sally Bowles), Mack and Mabel (Mabel) and Songs for a New World (Woman 2). She enthusiastically looks forward to carrying on the entertainment legacy of her famous grandfather and great grandfather, Keenan and Ed Wynn.

Performance & Ticket Information:

Ticket Prices:
Regular performances: $40 to $70

Preview Performances
July 6 - 9

Opening Night Gala:
Saturday, July 10
(Press Night & Invitation Only)

Regular Performances
July 11 - August 29

Tuesday - Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
Thursday matinees (except July 15) at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday evening July 18 at 7:30 p.m.

(Dates and times subject to change)

FOR INFORMATION & TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
CALL: 949.497.ARTS (2787) - GROUP SALES: 949.497.2787 ext. 229
VISIT: www.LagunaPlayhouse.com
MOULTON THEATRE: 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California

Parking Information
Laguna Beach is a popular destination year round. On weekends, holidays and during the summer months we strongly encourage theatre patrons who are driving to the theatre to allow plenty of extra time for parking. Paid parking is located across the street in a municipal parking lot; metered parking is available throughout the city. For a nominal fee, patrons may opt to park at the ACT V parking lot, located a mile from the theatre up Laguna Canyon Road, with a free trolley service that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau at (949) 497-9229.

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