Scott Waara News

The experience of seeing the Grammy and Tony Award-winning stage adaptation of ONCE - THE MUSICAL begins the minute you enter the theatre as you make your way to your assigned seat. It starts with a welcoming, celebratory environment where music is communally enjoyed by both the talented artists on stage and the audience who have come to immerse themselves in this euphoric special space. What's awesome is that this feeling never truly goes away. This is the feeling of synergetic glee and fulfillment one experiences when enveloped inside the world of ONCE - THE MUSICAL, the remarkably poignant, touching stage show about the ways music can inspire, attract, and bring people together in more ways than one. Currently, a brilliantly-staged, can't-miss new regional production has just emerged in Southern California by way of 3-D Theatricals under the thoughtful, eloquent direction of Kari Hayter. Performances of this impressive, Broadway-caliber local revival continue at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts through October 27, 2019.

Broadway veteran Scott Waara has made a career of playing heartfelt characters and bringing something personal to each and every part he plays. Currently performing in 3-D Theatricals production of 'Once, The Musical', Waara re-creates the role he has performed (now for the 3rd time) and I had a chance to sit down with him and chat about life, family, and his history with 'Once, The Musical'.

3-D Theatricals launches its 2019-2020 season with ONCE, The Musical, winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The production, directed by Kari Hayter and choreographed by Linda Love Simmons with musical direction and conducting by David Lamoureux, will play October 11-27 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos, CA).

3-D Theatricals launches its 2019-2020 season with ONCE, The Musical, winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The production, directed by Kari Hayter and choreographed by Linda Love Simmons with musical direction and conducting by David Lamoureux, will play October 11-27 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos, CA). Opening night is tonight, Saturday, October 12.

3-D Theatricals launches its 2019-2020 season with ONCE, The Musical, winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Witty, enchanting, and joyously self-referential, the original film version of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE fantasizes a story involving a young, virile William Shakespeare in his prime, who quells a bout of writer's block by secretly romancing an engaged lady named Viola---which apparently becomes the inspiration for the Bard's infamous star-crossed tragedy 'Romeo and Juliet.' The plot of the film remains fairly intact in Lee Hall's mostly delightful if slightly diluted stage adaptation, now continuing performances in a gorgeous-looking new regional production at Orange County's Tony Award-winning theater South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through February 10, 2018. This spunky love letter to the theater is chockfull of stagecraft-insider amusements and fun-to-find Shakespearean Easter Eggs that both aficionados and casual fans will appreciate. But, shockingly, despite the spectacular production values and the beguiling, gusto-bathed performances of its large ensemble cast, this stage adaptation somehow loses some of the inescapable romanticism that is so much more prevalent in the original film.

Romance, mistaken identities, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics served up with a generous dash of comedy are at the heart of Shakespeare in Love, adapted by Lee Hall from the Oscar-winning film written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, with music by Paddy Cunneen. South Coast Repertory Artistic Director Marc Masterson directs the production on the Segerstrom Stage, Jan. 13-Feb. 10. Tickets are now on sale: www.scr.org.

Romance, mistaken identities, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics served up with a generous dash of comedy are at the heart of Shakespeare in Love, adapted by Lee Hall from the Oscar-winning film written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, with music by Paddy Cunneen. South Coast Repertory Artistic Director Marc Masterson directs the production on the Segerstrom Stage, Jan. 13-Feb. 10. Tickets are now on sale: www.scr.org.

Though the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of writer/director John Carney's well-liked indie film ONCE is a musical that this reviewer has liked quite a bit from past productions, it took seeing South Coast Repertory's brand new regional production---now on stage in Costa Mesa through September 30---for this reviewer to not only like it, but to truly adore it. From casting to staging and everything in between, SCR's enjoyable new mounting, under the astute direction of Kent Nicholson, is somehow much more emotional, thoughtful, and remarkably riveting than past touring productions. And though, yes, it is essentially the same source material, SCR's exquisite new iteration of this small, but genuinely endearing musical is by far the gold standard of how this show should look and feel in any and all future productions.

Once tells the story of a Dublin street musician about to abandon his dream when a beautiful woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to new heights, and their connection becomes more than an everyday romance. A captivating tale that will draw you in from the very first note.

A testament to the transcendent power of love and music takes center stage as South Coast Repertory opens its 2017-18 season with the multi-award-winning Once. The musical-book by Enda Walsh; music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova-is based on John Carney's Academy Award-winning indie film of the same name. Kent Nicholson will direct Once on the Segerstrom Stage, Sept. 2-30, 2017. Tickets are available online at www.scr.org.

Today in 1959, The Most Happy Fella opened at City Center where it ran for 16 performances. With a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser, the story isabout a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the play They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard. The original Broadway production opened in 1956 and ran for 14 months. A 1992 revival, directed by Gerald Guttierrez, featured Spiro Malas as Tony, Sophie Hayden as Rosabella, Charles Pistone as Joe, Claudia Catania as Marie, Liz Larsen as Cleo, and Scott Waara as Herman.

People have been 'Falling Slowly' in love with ONCE ever since composers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova first enchanted audiences in 2007 with their tender, surprise hit indie romance. Now fans of the film and equally successful Tony Award-winning Broadway musical adaptation have one last chance to fall in love all over again as the current Broadway national tour comes to an end in Boston on December 27.

Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2012 is a must see.

The Kennedy Center presents the musical Once from tonight, July 7 - August 16, 2015, in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater.

There's no big opening number, no splashy dance with dozens of chorus girls and boys, no pit orchestra, no large moving set pieces, no colorful glamorous costumes. ONCE is not your typical musical. In fact, according to The Cherry and Spoon Music-Theater Spectrum it's not a musical at all, but rather a play with music. Yet this atypical not-really-a-musical musical won eight Tony Awards in 2012. Why is that? Why was this quiet and quirky musical based on a little Irish movie awarded Broadway's biggest prize? Perhaps because it is different from other musicals. Perhaps the voters awarded the creative and organic way music is used to tell this beautifully simple and non-traditional love story. ONCE is a new kind of music-theater, and proves that musicals don't always have to be big and loud to have a profound effect on the audience. ONCE is quietly, beautifully stirring.

The Kennedy Center presents the musical Once from July 7 - August 16, 2015, in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. The winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Once is based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning film with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. The production stars Stuart Ward as Guy and Dani de Waal as Girl. Once is recommended for ages 10 and older. The press opening night is Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.

ONCE is not enough. You must see it as many times as possible, because it is unique.  It is indefinable.  It is a bittersweet love story of longing, and it will leave you wanting more.

'Once' is not a boy-and-girl-fall-in-love musical. There is a love story between boy, here named Guy, and a girl, named Girl, but their love never comes to fruition.

So here's the thing… The first time I heard of/saw ONCE was back in college. A group of friends were squishing into a tiny living room in an on-campus apartment (I think there were probably 10-15 of us), and one of the crew decided we were going to watch this totally awesome movie called 'Once.' So we squished, we sat, we watched. I remember thinking, 'Ok, the movie was cute, but man… the music!' There's no mistaking the magic that is Glen Hansard's and Marketa Irglova's music, including their incredibly beautiful, Academy Award Winning song 'Falling Slowly.'