Grammy Award-nominated TV mom (Mr. Belvedere) and Broadway veteran Ilene Graff (Grease, I Love My Wife) is set to bring her holiday show to Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood for one show only.
Stephanie J. Block, former MTG member turned Tony Award-winning Broadway star, will reflect on her experiences with Musical Theatre Guild, and the shows in which she performed, during a candid conversation with friend, fellow Broadway veteran, and MTG member Jason Graae.
Post-world-war-two America somehow managed to erase what 1920s women had fought so hard to create, and what the war effort at home had literally proved, that women could just as easily do a man's job. During the war, women were working in factories, becoming mechanics, if it was a 'man's job' women were out there doing it while the men fought the war. When the men came home, somehow women said hurrah! and happily became housewives and mothers. 'Whew! So glad to be back where I belong!' every magazine, billboard, and family-centric television show seemed to say, characterizing women as happy homemakers whose identity was determined by her biology aka her ability to keep a man happy in bed while producing babies, and all of the domesticity that implies.
Coachella Valley Repertory's (CVRep's) production, the first in its spectacular, new theater building, is highly enjoyable. Most of the acting, singing, and dancing is superb and two of the leads - David Sattler (Anatoly) and Gabriela Carrillo (Florence) - demonstrate an electrifying stage presence.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will present MTG REWIND, a special benefit to support Musical Theatre Guild's extensive youth outreach programs. The event, an intimate celebration of over 20 years of Musical Theatre Guild's best musical moments, will take place at Rockwell Table and Stage on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 8:00 pm.
Musical Theatre Guild was founded 21 years ago by a dedicated group of professional musical artists who were interested in exploring and preserving works from the musical theater repertoire that were either forgotten, neglected or unfairly dismissed. Working under a special Actors' Equity Concert Staged Reading code, the entire MINNIE'S BOYS production was put together in 25 hours, focusing on the script and score with actors holding book during the performance, including while singing and dancing their way through the 14 numbers in the show, with a wonderfully talented 6-piece band backing them up.
Musical Theatre Guild revived an oldie but not so goodie last Sunday at the Alex Theatre. 'Minnie's Boys' purported to be modeled on 'Gypsy,' using a meddlesome, domineering mother to get her progeny, the four Marx Brothers, into show business. Unfortunately, a tepid book and uneven score made this a flop in 1970 and it doesn't fare much better today, despite the valiant efforts of the MTG cast.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will continue their 23rd Anniversary season with MINNIE'S BOYS, the rarely produced musical about the start of the famous Marx Brothers. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
After months of preparation and great anticipation, The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will open their newly renovated, 208 seat, Cathedral City playhouse with the dynamic musical, CHESS - Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the Rock Group ABBA Lyrics by Time Rice and Book by Richard Nelson.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will continue their 23rd Anniversary season with MINNIE'S BOYS, the rarely produced musical about the start of the famous Marx Brothers. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will continue their 23rd Anniversary season with MINNIE'S BOYS, the rarely produced musical about the start of the famous Marx Brothers. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will continue their 23rd Anniversary season with Kander and Ebb's haunting musical ZORBA. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, November 11, 2018 at 7:00 PM.
Jerry Herman's second great triumph following the success of Hello Dolly! was Mame in 1966 and a triumphant Broadway debut for Tony winning Angela Lansbury. Based on Patrick Dennis' memoir of his wildly eccentric aunt, the story lent itself beautifully to Herman's upbeat score. It is rarely revived, and thanks to the Musical Theatre Guild, who do fully staged readings of old or lesser known musicals, we got a lovely presentation on Sunday September 23 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.
Musical Theatre Guild's production of 'Mame' wowed a Sunday evening audience with its broad comedy, Jerry Herman's tuneful score, and winning performances from its cast. The staged reading included full costumes, choreography, and some wonderfully funny moments, thanks to Lewis Wilkenfled's skillful directing.
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.
The temptation to take a film classic and turn it into a Broadway musical is a road fraught with peril. How do you take something perfect and make it better? This was the question posed in 1972 when producer David Merrick decided to musicalize the uproarious 1959 farce Some Like It Hot. The result was Sugar, which enjoyed a respectable 14-month run on Broadway (505 performances) and received four Tony nominations, including one for lead actor Robert Morse, who played Jerry/Daphne. The 86-year-old Morse was on hand at the Alex Theatre in Glendale Sunday night as Musical Theatre Guild presented a rousing staged reading of the musical. Morse and the audience clearly enjoyed the show (he could be seen doing a virtual karaoke act of the score from his seat), but most of what works for the show is what worked for the film, with little new of substance added to the musical.
Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will open their 22nd Anniversary season with SUGAR, the stage musical version of the classic Hollywood film "Some Like It Hot." This is the first of four musicals chosen in a season celebrating musical stage adaptions of films. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 7:00 PM.