Photo Flash: Celebration presents the First Show in its 2017-2018 Season THE VIEW UPSTAIRS

Celebration presents under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, the first show in its 2017-2018 season, the Off-Broadway hit musical, The View UpStairs, book, music and lyrics by Max Vernon, choreography by Cate Caplin, musical direction by Jake Anthony and directed by Michael A. Shepperd. The View UpStairs will begin previews on Thursday, September 15 at 8pm; will open on Friday, September 22 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, October 29 at Celebration Theatre @ the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

The View UpStairs is a gripping, heartfelt and provocative new musical that pulls you inside the world of historic 70s New Orleans bar The Upstairs Lounge. This forgotten community comes to life when a young fashion designer from 2017 buys the abandoned space, setting off an exhilarating journey of seduction and self-exploration that Entertainment Weekly calls "a moving homage to LGBT culture, past and present." Filled with "beautiful love songs" (The New Yorker), it's "an eye-popping roller coaster for the visual senses" with "all of the ingredients for an iconic cult phenomenon!" (Edge Media Network).

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

Michael A. Shepperd (Director) is the Co-Artistic Director of Los Angeles' award-winning Celebration (CT). Directing credits include: The Boy From Oz (Ovation Award, LADCC Award, Best Director), The Next Fairy Tale, [title of show],A Gay Christmas Carol, GaGa Gardens, The Max Factor Factor. Michael is a Resident Director for The Blank Theatre's Young Playwrights Festival and numerous others. Acting roles include Fences (Troy; Ovation, LADCC Nominations), Bootycandy (LADCC nom, Ovation, Stage Raw Win), The Color Purple (Mister; Ovation Award), Steel (Ovation Award), Master Harold and the Boys ( NAACP theatre nom), Intimate Apparel (NAACP Award), Choir Boy (NAACP nom) and Shout Sister Shout, currently running at Pasadena Playhouse. Broadway/Regional credits include: Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors, Caroline, or Change, Whipping Man. TV: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Soul Man, Hot In Cleveland, Wizards of Waverly Place, Monk, Criminal Minds, NCIS.

Cate Caplin (Choreographer/Assistant Director) has produced, directed and choreographed over 200 productions and her work has been seen on television, in films, music videos, commercials and in theatrical venues world wide from the Paris Opera House to the Broadway Stage. She is a 34 times regional and international Theatrical Ballroom Champion wrote and directed her first feature film, Mating Dance which won an Accolade Award and can be found on Amazon.com. Cate has been the recipient of a Garland Award, a Women In Theatre Red Carpet Award, multiple LA Stage Alliance Ovation, Eddon and Scenie Awards and was the recipient of an Award of Excellence from the LA Film Commission for her work as a Writer, Director, Choreographer and Producer.

JAKE ANTHONY (Musical Direction) works as a vocal coach, composer, and music director in the LA area. Some of the favorites among his LA theater work include Little Women, Splendora and Songs from an Unmade Bed (at Celebration Theatre), Into the Woods, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Baker's Wife. As a composer, Jake has written three musicals: Now and Then a Hero, New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, and Wanting Miss Julie, which received it's world-premiere in a production at the Loft Ensemble in Downtown LA in 2016.

The Cast of The View UpStairs will feature Matthew Hancock (Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here), Darren Bluestone (Avenue Q at New World Stages, NYC), Joey Ruggiero (Alexandra Billings' S/He & Me at the LA LGBT Center), Benai Boyd (Big Little Lies), Rehyan Rivera (In The Heights at Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center), Travis York (Law & Order), Jake Anthony (Yank! at the York Theatre, NYC), Chala Savino (Barbershop 3: The Next Cut), Pip Lilly (Second City National Touring Company) and Pat Towne (Celebration's Die, Mommie, Die!).

The View UpStairs has assembled an award-winning design team; Scenic Design by Alex Calle; Lighting Design by Martha Carter; Costume Design by Michael Mullen (Ovation Award winner for The Boy From Oz); Sound Design by Eric Snodgrass; Properties Design by Michael O'Hara (Failure: A Love Story); Rebecca Schoenberg is the Production Stage Manager. The producers of The View UpStairs are Andrew Carlberg & Jay Marcus.

The View UpStairs will preview on Friday, September 15 at 8pm; Saturday, September 16 at 8pm; Wednesday, September 20 at 8pm; Thursday, September 21 at 8pm; will open on Friday, September 22 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, October 29 at Celebration Theatre @ the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

Performances are Thursdays, Friday & Saturday evenings at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm.

Preview Ticket Prices; $20 Unreserved, $30 Reserved. Opening Gala Night Tickets (Including a cocktail reception following the performance); $75 Reserved, $100 House Seats; General Performance Ticket Prices; $25; $35 Reserved; $45 House Seats. For tickets, please call (323) 957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com to purchase tickets online or to view a complete schedule or for further details.

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