Staged SUGAR Reading Plays Musical Theatre West 3/6

Paul Garman, Musical Theatre West's Executive Director/Producer and Steven Glaudini MTW's Artistic Director/Producer announce a staged reading of SUGAR. SUGAR is the third reading offered in the Reiner Reading Series.

Based on the hilarious hit movie "Some Like it Hot" - SUGAR is the story of two down on their luck musicians, Jerry and Joe who happen to witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. The boys find themselves targets of tap-dancing gangster Spatz Palazzo and his henchmen. Disguising themselves as women, the musical pair joins Miami-bound all-female band, called the Society Syncopaters led by Sweet Sue. Hilarity ensues when Joe (now known as Josephine) falls for Sugar Kane, the band's lead singer, while Jerry (now known as Daphne) tries to avoid a rich suitor who is unaware that "she" is actually a "he." All the while, the mob is hot on their trail. This hilarious farce with Tony nominated music by Julie Styne (GYPSY, FUNNY GIRL) and lyrics by Bob Merrill (FUNNY GIRL, CARVIVAL) is sure to entertain the whole family from the first note to the final rousing chorus!

SUGAR played for 505 performances on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre starring Robert Morse, Tony Roberts and Elaine Joyce.

Musical Theatre West's Reiner Reading Series is produced by Michael Betts and Daniel Thomas and focuses on staged readings of classic musicals and forgotten gems and maintains MTW's commitment to celebrate and preserve musical theater as an art form by exposing audiences to works of that might not otherwise be produced.

Through the minimalism of the staged reading format, we invite the audience and the artists to use their senses and imagination to explore and enjoy the entire range, both in style and era, of this diverse genre, including lesser-known shows by noted composers as well as noted shows by lesser-known composers.

SUGAR will be directed by James W. Gruessing, Jr. Featured in the cast of this one night only production are Nick Santa Maria (Broadway: Tommy Tune'S GREASE; Regional: MTW's THE PRODUCERS, Norris Center's THE ODD COUPLE, ...FORUM) as Joe/Josephine, Larry Raben (Off Broadway: FOREVER PLAID (Original Company), I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; Regional: MTW's THE ANDREW BROTHERS,THE PRODUCERS, Forbidden Broadway) as Jerry/Daphne, Bets Malone (Regional: MTW's ANNIE, GUYS AND DOLLS, ALL SHOOK UP, ME AND MY GIRL, CHILDREN OF EDEN and THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES) as Sugar Kane, Tracy Lore (Regional: MTW's ALL SHOOK UP, THE FULL MONTY, 3DTheatricals' DROWSY CHAPERONE) as Sweet Sue, Robert Pieranunzi (MTW's CATS, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, GUYS & DOLLS, NEVER GONNA DANCE) as Bienstock and Robert Towers (Regional: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, MTW's 1776) as Osgood Fielding, Jr.

The staged reading will be held on Sunday, March 6th at 7:00 p.m. at the University Theater on the CSU Long Beach campus at the 7th Street entrance. This special event is generously underwritten by long-time Long Beach residents and Musical Theatre West donors Ken and Dottie Reiner. Pre purchased general admission tickets are $20.00 ($25 at the door) and are available now through the MTW box office at 562-856-1999, x4.