Rex Smith News

Casting is complete for the West Coast premiere of Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein, directed by caryn desai [sic] at International City Theatre.

Casting is complete and rehearsals have begun for The Blank Theatre Company's third production of its 20th anniversary season, Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock.

Reprise Theatre Company has just announced additional casting for A Party With Marty, an evening of comedy and song with Martin Short and featuring Jason Alexander.

Stephanie J. Block, Broadway star of '9 to 5: The Musical,' 'Wicked,' 'The Pirate Queen,' and 'The Boy From Oz,' will star opposite Jason Alexander, Artistic Director of Reprise Theatre Company, in 'They're Playing Our Song,' the opening production of the company's 2010-2011 season, playing September 28 to October 10 (press opening September 29) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

Reprise Theatre Company presents two one-night only special events: An Evening with Sutton Foster for one performance only on Monday, October 4, 2010 at 8:00 pm, and Betty Buckley in Concert with Seth Rudetsky on Monday, February 21,2011 at 8:00pm. Both events will be presented at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. An Evening with Sutton Foster Betty Buckley in Concert with Seth Rudetsky are the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Reprise Theatre Company presents A Party With Marty, an evening of comedy and song with Martin Short and featuring Jason Alexander for one performance only on Monday, November 1, 2010 at 8:00 pm, at the Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills (formerly the Wilshire Theatre). This world premiere event features old friends, and former cast mates from "The Producers," Martin Short and Reprise Theatre Company Artistic Director Jason Alexander doing what they do best - making people laugh! Ticket sales for this event support Reprise Theatre Company and their mission to produce great musical theatre as well as arts education programs that bring the magic of theatre to underserved members of our community. Reprise Theatre Company is headed by Artistic Director Jason Alexander, who is best known for his 9-year stint as George Costanza on "Seinfeld." Christine Bernardi is Managing Director and Gilles Chiasson is Producing Director of Reprise Theatre Company. Tickets are available for "A Party With Marty" and go on sale to the public on October 4 and are available online at www.reprise.org , ticketmaster.com, by calling the Saban Theatre box office at (323) 655-0111, and at all Ticketmaster Outlets. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Martin Short began his career in Canada's "SCTV Comedy Network" for which he received an Emmy Award. Short's proven ability as a comedic chameleon and his host of hilarious impressions brought him to the attention of "Saturday Night Live." From there, he made his big screen debut in "Three Amigos," Other films include "Inner Space", "Three Fugitives", "Clifford", "Mars Attacks", "The Big Picture", Father of the Bride 1 & 2 and "Jiminy Glick in LALAWOOD, among others Short has received 15 Emmy nominations for his work in television which includes "Merlin", "Alice in Wonderland," "The Martin Short Show", "Primetime Glick" and this season's "Damages", for which he was most recently nominated. A veteran of the theater in Canada and on Broadway, Short has received accolades for his varied work on stage including "The Goodbye Girl" (Tony nomination, Theatre World Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), "Little Me" (Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), and "The Producers" (with Jason Alexander) and in 2006, his musical-comedy Broadway hit "Fame Becomes Me." In 1994, Short was awarded the "Order of Canada" and in 2000 was inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame. However, all of the above is a distant second to his love and respect for his wife Nancy and their three children Katherine, Oliver and Henry. About Reprise Theatre Company Since its inception in 1997, Reprise Theatre Company has been a focus of the Los Angeles musical theatre community, producing productions of great American musicals, and a wide variety of concerts, staged-readings, special events and outreach programs. In May 2007, Jason Alexander became Artistic Director. Christine Bernardi is Managing Director and Gilles Chiasson is Producing Director of Reprise. Since its inaugural production of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Promises, Promises," which starred Mr. Alexander, Reprise has brought to the stage vibrant productions from all eras of American musical theatre including the Gershwins' "Of Thee I Sing" and "Strike Up the Band," Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," and Rodgers and Hart's "The Boys from Syracuse" and "Babes in Arms," Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," as well as Richard Rodgers' later "No Strings." The "Golden Era" has been well represented - Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg with "Finian's Rainbow," Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe with "Brigadoon," Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green with "On the Town" and "Wonderful Town," Irving Berlin with "Call Me Madam," Robert Wright and George Forrest with "Kismet," both of the Richard Adler and Jerry Ross musicals "The Pajama Game" and "Damn Yankees," Johnny Mercer and Gene dePaul with "Li'l Abner," Jule Styne with "Bells are Ringing," and Frank Loesser with "The Most Happy Fella" and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Musical theatre reached a new peak of popularity in the sixties, along with new creative talents, and Reprise has presented shows by many of them including Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt with "The Fantasticks," Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick with "She Loves Me," Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermot's "Hair," Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone with "1776," Charles Adams and Lee Strouse with "Applause," Stephen Schwartz with "Pippin," Cy Coleman with "On the Twentieth Century" (libretto by Betty Comden and Adolph Green), "City of Angels" (lyrics by David Zippel), and "I Love My Wife" (libretto by Michael Stewart), Jerry Herman with "Mack and Mabel," Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's "Once on This Island," and four Stephen Sondheim musicals - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "Company," "Sweeney Todd," and "Sunday in the Park with George." Many of the great stage performers working today, as well as those who make their residence primarily in Los Angeles, have appeared in Reprise shows including Scott Bakula, Christine Baranski, Brent Barrett, Orson Bean, Jodi Benson, Stephen Bogardus, Dan Butler, Len Cariou, Carolee Carmello, Vicki Carr, Patrick Cassidy, Anthony Crivello, Jason Danieley, Lea DeLaria, Cleavant Derricks, Manoel Feliciano, Rodney Gilfry, Kelsey Grammer, Josh Grisetti, Harry Groener, Bob Gunton, Sam Harris, Gregory Harrison, Simon Helberg, Mimi Hines, Judy Kaye, Jane Krakowski, Marc Kudish, Ledisi, Vicki Lewis, Judith Light, Rebecca Luker, Eric McCormack, Maureen McGovern, Joey McIntyre, Donna McKechnie, Andrea Marcovicci, Marin Mazzie, Julie Migenes, Karen Morrow, Burke Moses, Kelli O'Hara, John O'Hurley, Ken Page, Robert Picardo, David Hyde Pierce, Larry Raben, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Roger Rees, Charles Nelson Reilly, Cathy Rigby, Alexandra Silber, Douglas Sills, Rex Smith, Brent Spiner, Lea Thompson, Steven Weber, Lee Wilkof, Ruth Williamson, Marisa Jaret Winokur, Lillias White, Fred Willard, and Rachel York.

Moonlight Stage Productions concludes its 30th Anniversary Summer Season at the Moonlight Amphitheatre with the international sensation MISS SAIGON. Performances are September 8-25 at 7:30 pm. Tickets, priced $22-$45, are on sale through the VisTix Ticket Office at (760) 724-2110 and online at moonlightstage.com. MISS SAIGON is intended for mature audiences as it contains mature themes, situations, and language. The creative team on the production includes Steven Glaudini, Director; Carlos Mendoza, Choreographer; Charlie Reuter, Musical Director; and Kenneth Gammie, Conductor.

According to Amazon.com, the 1983 film version of the 'Pirates of Penzance' will be available on DVD September 14.

According to Amazon.com, the 1983 film version of the 'Pirates of Penzance' will be available on DVD September 14.

Moonlight Stage Productions concludes its 30th Anniversary Summer Season at the Moonlight Amphitheatre with the international sensation MISS SAIGON. Performances are September 8-25 at 7:30 pm. Tickets, priced $22-$45, are on sale through the VisTix Ticket Office at (760) 724-2110 and online at moonlightstage.com. MISS SAIGON is intended for mature audiences as it contains mature themes, situations, and language. The creative team on the production includes Steven Glaudini, Director; Carlos Mendoza, Choreographer; Charlie Reuter, Musical Director; and Kenneth Gammie, Conductor.

Stephanie J. Block, Broadway star of '9 to 5: The Musical,' 'Wicked,' 'The Pirate Queen,' and 'The Boy From Oz,' will star opposite Jason Alexander, Artistic Director of Reprise Theatre Company, in 'They're Playing Our Song,' the opening production of the company's 2010-2011 season, playing September 28 to October 10 (press opening September 29) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

Moonlight Stage Productions concludes its 30th Anniversary Summer Season at the Moonlight Amphitheatre with the international sensation MISS SAIGON. Performances are September 8-25 at 7:30 pm. Tickets, priced $22-$45, are on sale through the VisTix Ticket Office at (760) 724-2110 and online at moonlightstage.com. MISS SAIGON is intended for mature audiences as it contains mature themes, situations, and language. The creative team on the production includes Steven Glaudini, Director; Carlos Mendoza, Choreographer; Charlie Reuter, Musical Director; and Kenneth Gammie, Conductor.

Reprise Theatre Company presents two one-night only special events: An Evening with Sutton Foster for one performance only on Monday, October 4, 2010 at 8:00 pm, and Betty Buckley in Concert with Seth Rudetsky on Monday, February 21,2011 at 8:00pm. Both events will be presented at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. An Evening with Sutton Foster Betty Buckley in Concert with Seth Rudetsky are the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

The Sound of Music, the perennial favorite about a problem named Maria, graces the Ogunquit stage from June 30 through July 24.

Jason Alexander, artistic director of Reprise Theatre Company, will star in 'They're Playing Our Song,' September 28 to October 10 (press opening September 29) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, to open the company's 2010-2011 season. Single tickets are available for 'They're Playing Our Song' at www.reprise.org or through the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310/825-2101.

The Sound of Music, the perennial favorite about a problem named Maria, graces the Ogunquit stage from June 30 through July 24.

The Sound of Music, the perennial favorite about a problem named Maria, graces the Ogunquit stage from June 30 through July 24. This final collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein stars the multi-talented veteran of stage and screen, Rex Smith as Capt. von Trapp. Smith started his career as a 'teen idol' heartthrob with the platinum album hit 'You Take My Breath Away,' then made his stage debut on Broadway at the height of his popularity as Danny Zuko in the original production of Grease. He captivated both critics and audiences and received the Theater World Award for his memorable portrayal of Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance on Broadway. Other starring roles on Broadway include Grand Hotel, Sunset Boulevard, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me Kate as well as many television and film roles.

The Sound of Music, the perennial favorite about a problem named Maria, graces the Ogunquit stage from June 30 through July 24.

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, whose critically acclaimed production of 'Ragtime' transferred from the Kennedy Center to Broadway last fall and is nominated for six Helen Hayes Awards, will direct and choreograph the Reprise Theatre Company production of the 1962 Pulitzer Prize winner 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.' The production will end its run May 23rd.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Jerry Seinfeld Live! hosted by Jason Alexander, for one performance only on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 8:00 pm, at the Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills (formerly the Wilshire Theatre). This extraordinary event will feature the hilarious comedy of Jerry Seinfeld and will reunite him with Reprise's Artistic Director and the evening's host, Jason Alexander. Ticket sales support Reprise and its mission to produce musical theatre and provide arts education programs for underserved members of our community.