Omar D. Brancato News

The musical is a send-up of the cult classic movie and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s, melded with plot elements from "The Tempest" along with dialogue bits from multiple Shakespeare plays. That was part of the fun for me, catching so many Shakespearean quotes perfectly placed in the dialogue of Bob Carlton's musical set on a spaceship sometime in the future, featuring a galaxy of 1950's and 1960's rock and roll classics including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up," "Monster Mash" and "We Gotta Get Out of this Place." And what an outrageously fabulous band under the musical direction of Trevor Wheetman and Omar D. Brancato, both of whom rocked the house on guitars while believably playing Ensign crew members onstage.

Get ready to blast off as Rubicon Theatre Company presents the hilarious, out-of-this-world musical RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, returning to Ventura after its acclaimed run in 2016. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Musical, this fabulously campy send-up of "Forbidden Planet" and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s and 1960's melds plot elements from The Tempestwith language from multiple plays by Shakespeare. Set on a spaceship sometime in the future, the show features a galaxy of rock-and-roll classics, including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up, and "Monster Mash." The jukebox musical spoof rockets into orbit just in time for Halloween - with a gala costume party on Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. followed by an after-party at Rhumb Line on the Harbor. Low-priced previews are October 17-19. The show runs Wednesdays through Sundays through November 4.

Playwright Peter Quilter's END OF THE RAINBOW packs a powerful punch in the gut under director Michael Matthews sure-handed guidance of his talented cast. Two moments of RAINBOW rate as the must, MUST-see moments for any Judy Garland aficionados - when the astonishing Angela Ingersoll totally morphs into Judy Garland singing 'The Man That Got Away' and, when Ingersoll channels Judy Garland in 'Over the Rainbow.' Ingersoll has Judy Garland down pat.

It ended too soon is all I can say. I could have kept dancing for hours to the music being celebrated from the stage in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, now being presented by 3-D Theatricals in Redondo Beach and Cerritos. For those like me who have always been a fan of wild child Jerry Lee Lewis and the sexy performance style of Elvis Presley, or the music of the man in black Johnny Cash or rock and roll pioneer Carl Perkins, get your tickets ASAP for an evening of theatre you will never forget as you act like a fly on the wall as you experience one night that changed rock and roll forever.

The untold tale of four rock n' roll pioneers and takes center stage when the hit Broadway musical MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET returns to Southern California... courtesy of 3-D Theatricals (3DT), one of Los Angeles' and Orange County's most critically acclaimed musical theatre production companies.  

New York critics gave many unfavorable reviews to Million Dollar Quartet for what they called a dearth of dramatic tension onstage, but it went on to receive a Tony nomination for Book of a Musical in 2010 anyway, and based on the overly passionate delivery of the sizzling artists recreating the show for 3-D Theatricals, there's enough fervor to bring audiences to their feet and shakin' in Redondo through February 18 and then in Cerritos until March 4. On opening night there was indeed an extra long standing - and swaying - ovation to 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On'.  

The untold tale of four rock n' roll pioneers and takes center stage when the hit Broadway musical MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET returns to Southern California... courtesy of 3-D Theatricals (3DT), one of Los Angeles' and Orange County's most critically acclaimed musical theatre production companies.

The untold tale of four rock n' roll pioneers and takes center stage when the hit Broadway musical MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET returns to Southern California... courtesy of 3-D Theatricals (3DT), one of Los Angeles' and Orange County's most critically acclaimed musical theatre production companies.

King of the Road: The Roger Miller Story features brilliant performance by Jesse Johnson as the late country music star

Laguna Playhouse is thrilled to announce the fifth show in the Laguna Playhouse 2016-2017 season, a world premiere musical KING OF THE ROAD: THE ROGER MILLER STORY, written by Cort Casady & Mary Arnold Miller, music by Roger Miller, musical direction by Omar D. Brancato and directed by Andrew Barnicle.

Laguna Playhouse is thrilled to announce the fifth show in the Laguna Playhouse 2016-2017 season, a world premiere musical KING OF THE ROAD: THE ROGER MILLER STORY, written by Cort Casady & Mary Arnold Miller, music by Roger Miller, musical direction by Omar D. Brancato and directed by Andrew Barnicle. "We are delighted to be bringing our subscribers and audiences this world premiere musical based on the life of one of country's most iconic characters, Roger Miller," comments Laguna Playhouse Executive Director Ellen Richard. 

Rubicon Theatre Company lands a winner with its latest musical comedy RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET by Bob Carlton. The silly sci-fi confection is two hours of deliciously kitschy fun accompanied by a rock and roll score that blasts out more than twenty hits from the '50s and '60s and a dynamite cast that spews planetary puns and classical text faster than the speed of light.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

Get ready to blast off on opening night for RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET at Rubicon Theatre Company this Saturday, October 29, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Rubicon Theatre Company presents RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

An incredibly talented cast populate the West Coast premiere of Gretchen Cryer's I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER (AND TAKING IT ON THE ROAD). This production actually includes the original 1978 I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road as the first act with the newly written second act set 30 years later.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are thrilled to announce the cast for the west coast premiere musical event, I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER and taking it on the road, with music by Nancy Ford, lyrics by Gretchen Cryer and performed and directed by Gretchen Cryer. Check out photos from the show below!

The Laguna Playhouse presents the west coast premiere musical event, I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER and taking it on the road...,music by Nancy Ford, lyrics by Gretchen Cryer and performed and directed by Gretchen Cryer.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham have announced the cast for the west coast premiere musical event, I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER and taking it on the road...,music by Nancy Ford, lyrics by Gretchen Cryer and performed and directed by Gretchen Cryer.