Kelley Dorney News

On Monday, November 19th, (mostly)musicals returned to Upstairs at Vitello's to celebrate the holidays with their 30th edition! Music director Gregory Nabours led a jingling (ring-ting-tingling too!) evening, featuring Alli Miller (CHERRY POPPINS), Amy Engelhardt (BASTARD JONES), Clent Bowers (B'way: CATS, BIG), Emily Clark (Stealing Focus), Gabriel Gonzalez (La Verdad), Iara Nemirovsky (National tour: SCHOOL OF ROCK), Jeffrey Polk (B'way: FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE), Kelley Dorney (IN A BOOTH AT CHASEN'S), Kristina Miller (JERSEY BOYS), Jonny Lee Jr. and Justin Anthony Long (CITY OF DREAMS), Juan Lozano (2 Cents Theatre Company), Keith and Laura Nicole Harrison (EMOJILAND), Natalia Vivino (CHILDREN OF EDEN at 5-Star Theatricals), and Shawn Ryan ('America's Got Talent'). The evening also showcased a guest performance from the cast of the critically acclaimed Greenway Court production of THE COLOR PURPLE, and, as always, the open mic afterparty! See videos here, and scroll down for photos of the festive evening!

LIZZIE moves to the Bootleg Theater in 2019

Two-time Academy Award winner and Tony Nominee, Al Kasha. Two-Time Tony winner producer Ron Dante, multiple award-winning hit songwriter Phil Swann, acclaimed author and poet, Sam Bennett, and director-choreographer Kay Cole have woven the two-year courtship of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis into a funny and touching two-character musical that is both poignant, and endearing.  A true Hollywood love story made both human and timeless.

In a Booth at Chasen's/The Real-Life Hollywood Romance of Ron and Nancy Reagan/book by Sam Bennett/music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Phil Swann/directed by Kay Cole/El Portal Theatre, Debbie Reynolds Mainstage/through December 16 Hollywood romances come and go, but certainly not that of Ron and Nancy Reagan. Those of us who witnessed Reagan's rise from movie actor in the 40s to president of SAG, then on to Governor of California and eventually to President of the United States where he served two terms from 1981 to 1989, know that he was not always the greatest politician...but certainly in comparison to today's standards, a good man...one who honestly loved his country. Nancy Davis had been a B actress in films and, it is often said, ran the White House for her husband during the 80s. We know the politics of those latter years and the rumors; what we do not know is how their relationship began...In a Booth at Chasen's restaurant in 1949. Now in a one-act musical that world premiered Sunday November 11 on the El Portal Mainstage, In a Booth at Chasen's plays on unti

Broadway's Clent Bowers (CATS, BIG) and EMOJILAND creators Laura Nicole Harrison and Keith Harrison will make their 1st (mostly)musicals appearances on 11.19.18 in HEADED FOR THE HOLIDAYS, the 30th edition of the popular cabaret series. Alli Miller (CHERRY POPPINS, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER), and Juan Lozano (2Cents Theatre, The Freedom Ledges) will also join the previously announced merry sleigh-full of performers!

On this episode of West of Broadway, Lara gets to hear about Will's experience at the El Capitan Theater seeing the premier of the Disney film 'Nutcracker and the Four Realms.'  Plus! they talk to Amanda Rafkin a Los Angeles-based composer, musical director, and pianist. She is the composer of the new musical The Lightning Howler, formerly titled 300 Bones, and is also the host, producer, pianist and musical director of Broadway LA Unplugged, a bi-monthly acoustic cabaret show.

Following the success of its initial run in September and an October extension, LIZZIE will now move to the Bootleg Theater to help fire up Los Angeles voters ahead of the midterm elections. This one-night-only event will take place on Nov. 5 7:30PM with voting resources available at the show.

Make your list and check it twice, because we are HEADED FOR THE HOLIDAYS on Monday 11.19.18 at Upstairs at Vitello's!

Due to the success of its initial run in September, LIZZIE has now been extended with an additional Halloween performance on October 31. Scroll down for photos from the recent run.

On November 15, 1949, in Hollywood, California, an up-and-coming young actress met a handsome movie star for dinner -- a blind date that changed history.

On November 15, 1949, in Hollywood, California, an up-and-coming young actress met a handsome movie star for dinner -- a blind date that changed history.

Somewhere between its opening of SWEET CHARITY in late June and the end of July, Reprise 2.0 postponed its second scheduled production of its inaugural season, VICTOR/VICTORIA. In its place, the company has mounted a revival of Kander & Ebb's musical revue, THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND, and, while it isn't a rarely revived book musical, which has always been Reprise's focus in the past, it does contain a score derived from some of the best songs in the classic Kander & Ebb catalogue (think CHICAGO and CABARET).

REPRISE 2.0, led by Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson, presented in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Department of Theater (UCLA TFT) chaired by Brian Kite, performing at UCLA Freud Playhouse, announces casting for Grand Hotel performing October 24 to November 4, as well as a new 2-show FlexPass for $99, now on sale at Reprise2.org and by phone at 866-811-4111.

REPRISE 2.0, led by Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson, in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Department of Theater (UCLA TFT) chaired by Brian Kite, announces Dawnn Lewis (This Is Us, Major Crimes and IZombie), Valerie Perri (LA Shubert Theatre Evita, Jerome Robbins' Broadway) Larry Cedar (Deadwood), Kelley Dorney (Annie at Hollywood Bowl) and Michael Starr (Bright Star national tour) for its production of The World Goes 'Round with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, and David Thompson. It will play September 5 through September 16 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.  

126 years ago this week, the town of Fall River, MA, played unknowing host to one of the most infamous murders in history. The prime suspect was one Lizzie Borden. Her story has become an American legend, and now her story sings.

An Evening of Classic Broadway returns Monday, August 6th at 8PM (doors 6:30) to Rockwell Table and Stage.

A Little New Music will bring its entertaining showcase of emerging musical theatre talents to The Sorting Room's 2018 Summer Sessions at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m.  A Little New Music's audiences will discover brand new musical theatre songs firsthand before they land on Broadway or beyond.

On Monday, June 18, 2018, the Foundation for New American Musicals returned to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal to present the 5th edition of 3RD MONDAYS, an up close and personal experience with exciting musical theatre artists performing songs from Broadway's past, present, and future! Scroll down for photos of this stellar night!

A Little New Music brings its entertaining showcase of emerging musical theatre talents to The Sorting Room's 2018 Summer Sessions at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.  A Little New Music's audiences will discover brand new musical theatre songs firsthand before they land on Broadway or beyond.

On Monday, June 18, 2018, the Foundation for New American Musicals returns to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal to present the 5th edition of 3RD MONDAYS, an up close and personal experience with exciting musical theatre artists performing songs from Broadway's past, present, and future!