Musical Theatre Guild Sets 21st Season

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, has announced an exciting quartet of shows to celebrate its twenty-first season of Broadway in Concert musicals. The MTG 2016-2017 season includes: PROMISES, PROMISES; THE SPITFIRE GRILL; HALLELUJAH, BABY! and STATE FAIR.

For two decades the group has presented a wide variety of rarely seen musicals including West Coast and Los Angeles premieres from such composers as Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Maury Yeston and Aherns and Flaherty. In addition to their concert series, MTG, in partnership with the Los Angeles Music Center's Education Division, expands their mission of preserving the genre of Musical Theatre by presenting in-school programming to teach a new generation about this original American art form.

The actors who make up the Musical Theatre Guild company consist of some of the absolute best professional musical theatre talent in southern California. Among them they share 60 Broadway shows, 79 Broadway National tours and dozens of Tony©, Ovation and Drama Desk Award nominations.

Says Elisa Glickman, CEO of Glendale Arts, where MTG is a resident company at it's Alex Theatre: "When MTG pairs some of LA's most talented musical theatre performers with some the industry's most popular and/or unknown shows, what you get is pure magic on stage. Couple this with their extraordinary educational programming and its a win/win for the Alex and the Glendale Community."

Season tickets will be available online in late June and single tickets in July through both the MTG website and the Alex Theatre Box Office or by calling 818-243-2539 or 310-772-8178. The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd. in Glendale, CA. More information about Musical Theatre Guild can be found at www.musicaltheatreguild.com.

THE MUSICAL THEATRE GUILD 2016-2017 SEASON:

PROMISES, PROMISES

Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David, Book by Neil Simon, Based on the screenplay The Apartment by Billy Wilder

Based on the Academy Award-winning film The Apartment, PROMISES, PROMISES tell the story of Chuck Baxter, a charming young employee at Consolidated Life. In order to advance at the company Chuck lends executives the key to his apartment for use in their extramarital affairs. Conflict occurs when Chuck realizes that the object of his own affection, a waitress at the company restaurant, might be one of his boss' regular guests. PROMISES, PROMISES is hilarious, romantic and heartbreaking with a groundbreaking pop score.

PROMISES, PROMISES premiered in 1968 starring Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara and ran for 1,281 performances winning three Tony© Awards and the Grammy for best cast album. A 2001 Broadway revival ran 291 performances and starred Sean Hayes and Kristen Chenoweth.

Sunday, September 25, 2016 - 7:00 PM - Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA

THE SPITFIRE GRILL

Music and Book by James Valcq, Lyrics and Book by Fred Alley, Based on the 1996 film written and directed Lee David Zlotoff

Percy Talbot has just been released after five years in prison and is trying to find a place for a fresh start. Based on a page from an old travel book, she travels to a small Wisconsin town where she finds a job at Hannah's Spitfire Grill. But the Spitfire Grill is for sale and with no interested buyers, Hannah decides to raffle it off. Entry fees are one hundred dollars and the best essay on why you want the grill wins. This musical triumph is an inspiring celebration of fresh starts and the power of what one person can do.

Under the mentorship of Arthur Laurents, childhood friends James Valcq and Fred Alley began THE SPITFIRE GRILL in a workshop production at the George St. Playhouse. After a viewing of this workshop, Playwrights Horizons announced that the show would open their 2000-2001 season. Tragically, just weeks before they were to start, James Valcq suffered a heart attack and died. The Off-Broadway production would go on to win the Richard Rodgers Production Award as well as being nominated for several Outer Critic Circle, Drama League and Drama Desk Awards.

Sunday, November 13, 2016 - 7:00 PM - Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA

HALLELUJAH, BABY!

Music by Jules Styne, Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Book by Arthur Laurents

Georgina is a beautiful, talented and ambitious young African-American woman who is on a quest to follow her dreams to be a theatrical performer in an America that constantly discriminates against her. Through her eyes we span the first half in the 20th century. Tuneful, exciting and joyous, it's nearly fifty years old, but it sings the gospel truth of America's difficult quest for racial equality as if it were written yesterday. HALLELUJAH, BABY! is a true rare gem that is rarely produced.

HALLELUJAH, BABY! opened at Broadway's Martin Beck Theatre in 1967 and played 293 performances. The show was nominated for nine Tony© Awards winning six, including Best Musical and best Actress for the show's star Leslie Uggams.

Sunday, February 2, 2017 - 7:00 PM - Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA

STATE FAIR

Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Book by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli

Originally based on Phil Stong's novel of the same name, Rodgers' and Hammerstein's STATE FAIR was the only musical they wrote directly for feature film. In 1995 this romantic story set in America's heartland was adapted for the stage, featuring additional songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook. STATE FAIR follows the Frake family's journey from their farm to the three-day 1946 Iowa State Fair, where lessons are learned and love and heartbreak are found on the midway. It features an Academy Award-winning score, including the hit songs, "It Might as Well Be Spring" and "It's A Grand Night for Singing."

The Broadway production of STATE FAIR, using music from both the 1945 and 1962 films of the same name, plus additional material adapted from the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon, opened in 1996 running 110 performances. The show was nominated for two Tony© Awards.

Sunday, May 7, 2017 - 7:00 PM - Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA