Glenn Rosenblum News

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.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

Actor and President of Celebrity Access, Inc Glenn Rosenblum performed his one-man cabaret Glenn Rosenblum Is 'the Musical Man' at Rockwell Table and Stage Monday October 24 to a packed house of adoring fans. Reminding one a little bit of actor James Coco, who had an undeniably infectious sensitivity and sense of humor, Rosenblum took the stage with great ease, sat on a stool by the piano and proceeded to tell his story. First, of course, there was a full overture of Broadway tunes, under the baton of musical director David J. Kaminski at the piano, Jon Butterworth on percussion and Josh Nyback on bass. The three musicians were terrific.

In 1968 Promises, Promises, based on 1960's hit film The Apartment, opened on Broadway to great critical and popular acclaim. It was the first collaboration between Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and the resultant score was - and still is - regarded as one of the most gloriously upbeat musicals to grace a stage. Throw in Neil Simon, who wrote the book, and how can you miss having a hit? Promises2 was nominated for 8 Tony Awards and won 2 for Jerry Orbach and Marion Mercer. The show was successfully revived in 2010 in New York starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth, but did not receive nearly the same praise from audience or critics.

?Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will launch their 21st Anniversary Season with the rollicking pop Broadway musical PROMISES, PROMISES.

Glenn Rosenblum makes his solo Los Angeles Cabaret Debut at the Rockwell Table and Stage 1714 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90027 on Monday, October 24, 2016 at 8 PM.