Photo Flash: MAME to Open Musical Theatre Guild's 23rd Season

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will open their 23nd Anniversary season with Jerry Herman's classic musical MAME. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 7:00 PM.

Based on Patrick Dennis' best selling novel and subsequent stage play Auntie Mame by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, MAME brings one of Broadway's most luminous characters to the stage to remind us that "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!" Featuring one of Jerry Herman's most tuneful and joyous scores, Auntie Mame takes us on a wild ride of life with her inherited little nephew, Patrick. MAME premiered in 1966 starring Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur and Frankie Michaels, who all won Tony© Awards for their performances. It was nominated for an additional 5 Tony© awards and ran for 1,508 performances. A subsequent film version premiered in 1974 starring Lucille Ball.

MAME will star Musical Theatre Guild company members Kelly Lester as Mame Dennis, Barbara Carlton Heart as Vera Charles, Will Collyer as Patrick Dennis, Melissa Fahn as Agnes Gooch, Brent Schindele as Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside, Glenn Shiroma as Ito and Michael Kostroff as Dwight Babcock. The musical will also feature company members Katie DeShan, Tal Fox, Anthony Gruppuso, Pamela Hamill, Glenn Rosenblum, and guest artists Todd Gajdusek, Tonoccus McClain, Michelle Lane, Nikki Elena Spies, Natalia Vivino and Travis Burnett as Young Patrick. The concert will be directed by Lewis Wilkenfeld, choreographed by Heather Castillo, musical directed by Cassie Nickols, and is under the production supervision of Kristi Holden.

The 2018 - 2019 Musical Theatre Guild season continues with ZORBA (November 11, 2018), MINNIE'S BOYS (February 10, 2019) and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (May 5, 2019).

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd in Glendale, CA. Season and single tickets are available by visiting www.alextheatre.org or by calling 818-243-ALEX.

ABOUT MUSICAL Theatre Guild: Now in its 23rd season, Musical Theatre Guild presents rarely staged or forgotten musicals in a semi-staged, script-in-hand format, utilizing professional union actors and a live orchestra. The company membership roster of talent is a "who's who" of L.A.'s musical theatre performers. As part of their dual mission of preserving the original American art form of musical theatre and education, MTG offers free tickets to students at their concerts and in partnership with Los Angeles' Music Center Education Division, is represented with three original revues on their touring roster. Additional information on MTG can be found at www.musicaltheatreguild.com.

Photo Credit: Gordon Goodman