Moonlight Stage Productions Announces 2019 Season

At the end of its third decade on the cusp of celebrating its 40th anniversary, Moonlight Stage Productions today announced its 2019 season. For its 39th summer, Moonlight will offer three new musicals to its stage, and one treasured revival.

Mel Brooks' "equal opportunity offender" hit THE PRODUCERS (June 12 - 29, 2019) is receiving its Moonlight premiere and launches the season with Broadway veteran Larry Raben in the role of Leo Bloom, the part he played on Broadway and in the entire Las Vegas run of the show. Raben will also direct and Moonlight's production will feature the Broadway sets and costumes. Roald Dahl's MATILDA: THE MUSICAL (July 17 - Aug. 3, 2019) will receive its San Diego Regional Premiere at the Moonlight. With its last performance on Broadway on Jan. 1, 2017 and its last US tour performance on June 25, 2017 MATILDA swept the New York theatre awards in 2013 capturing numerous Tony, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Awards among others. At the Moonlight, treasured actor Randall Hickman will take on the role of Miss Trunchbull, the tyrannical headmistress.

The season continues with the Moonlight revival of WEST SIDE STORY (Aug. 13 - 31, 2019) to be helmed by the same trio which produced Moonlight's 2007 award-winning and critically-acclaimed production: Director Steven Glaudini, Choreographer Carlos Mendoza, and Musical Director and Conductor Elan McMahan. The creative team will explore modern creative avenues including projections to deliver the story of two star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of warring street gangs in the 1950's of New York City. Bringing the summer to a close is the San Diego Regional Premiere of VICTOR/VICTORIA (Sept. 11 - 28, 2019), complete with the Broadway sets and costumes. Based on Blake Edwards' classic 1980s film starring Julie Andrews and Robert Preston, the appealing, sophisticated show, centers on the career of the Paris entertainer Victoria Grant, who becomes a star female impersonator, only to fall in love-at-first-sight with macho King Marchan. The show ran on Broadway for 734 performances from 1995 to 1997.

"I am very excited about the musicals coming to the Moonlight in 2019," stated Producing Artistic Director Steven Glaudini. "I began my artistic directorship of the Moonlight in 2013 and in that season produced Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein.' I was testing the waters to see how receptive audiences would be to Mel Brooks' bawdy humor, and it was a hit! The audience reception was so great that the show surpassed sales for any Rodgers and Hammerstein previously done at the theatre and it landed in our top ten. With that in mind, and the recent availability of the Broadway sets and costumes, I felt the time was ripe for another foray into the Mel Brooks genre with THE PRODUCERS.

"MATILDA is going to be the perfect family musical with its appeal to both young people and adults," Glaudini continued. "This show has won worldwide acclaim, winning more than 85 international awards, including 16 for best musical. Roald Dahl puts the spotlight on an extraordinary girl who takes a stand and changes her own destiny. The show is definitely one of the most recently imaginatively produced musicals that captures the hearts and minds of audiences with its heartwarming story and addictive original score.

"I cannot wait to reunite with Carlos Mendoza and Elan McMahan to bring new insights into WEST SIDE STORY," Glaudini said. "Leonard Bernstein created a brilliant American score that is still adored today, along with Stephen Sondheim's perfectly crafted lyrics. Moonlight has produced this show only two times in its history, both on our old stage. It is exciting to be able to explore the possibilities of technical enhancements now afforded us on our new stage. When the Sharks and the Jets dance down the streets of New York City, I want to be able to visually take audiences down those streets. We'll give Bernstein's score due justice with a full orchestra in the pit. I can't wait!

"VICTOR/VICTORIA is a musical I have wanted to produce for a very long time," Glaudini said. "But only recently the Broadway sets and costumes came available and I hopped at the opportunity to add this musical to our line-up. The show is based on the masterful film by Blake Edwards and features incredible production numbers and a hilarious battle of the sexes plot. It is first-rate musical comedy fun, something which audiences will really go for. And the score? It's jazzy and features the distinctive touch of the one and only Henry Mancini. Who could ask for anything more?"

Subscriptions for the 2019 season will go on sale in January, followed by single ticket sales in March. Ticket prices will be available by each on-sale. For more information, call (760) 724-2110 or visit moonlightstage.com.

Moonlight Stage Productions is the City of Vista's Cultural Arts Program currently producing its 38th summer season of Broadway musicals at the Moonlight Amphitheatre. The 2018 season includes the San Diego Regional Premieres of MAMMA MIA! (June 13 - 30, 2018) and Disney's NEWSIES (July 18 - August 4, 2018), and the Moonlight premieres of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Aug. 15 - Sept. 1, 2018), and CHICAGO (Sept. 12 - 29, 2018). In conjunction with the Moonlight Cultural Foundation, Moonlight will produce a one-night-only concert performance of the musical 1776 on Sat., July 7. The concert will feature some of the region's top musical theatre artists and will benefit the Foundation, Moonlight's non-profit fund-raising partner.