#HAPPY50ISH to Bring Hilarious Realities of Middle Age to the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza

Emery Entertainment will present the off-Broadway comedy hit #HAPPY50ish at The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza for a limited engagement May 18 - 21.

Tickets may be purchased through MetroTix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314/534-1111. Additionally, tickets will be available at The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza box office one hour prior to show time. All seats are $50.

Created by Lynn Shore with book, music and lyrics by Shore, Mark Vogel and David Burnham, #HAPPY50ish is a musical comedy that revolves around Bob's surprise birthday party. As he turns the big five-0, he learns to laugh and make fun of all the things that inevitably come with age. He's arrived early for his party, his wife is running late, and there's a room full of party guests. While reading his birthday cards aloud, he learns that turning 50 magnifies the unintended and hilarious realities of middle age.

When creator Lynn Shore celebrated his 50th birthday with a mid-life crisis, the actor, musician and author collaborated with Mark Vogel and David Burnham to write the book, music and lyrics. #HAPPY50ish stars Richard Rose and Lynn Shore, who is reprising his off-Broadway role in this production. The show is directed and choreographed by Paul Stancato, and produced by Theater Mogul and H50 Productions.

Lynn Shore's regional credits include The Wizard of Oz (Garden Grove Civic), Godspell (Starlight Bowl in San Diego), The Sound of Music (Starlight Bowl in San Diego) and the West Coast Premiere of Babe's in Toyland (San Diego's Fox Theater). Nationally, he has toured with the Mickey Finn Show playing lead trumpet, piano, lead singer and comedian emcee. Shore's voice can be heard on numerous commercials for Ford, Disney, The Biltmore Hotels and others. He also voiced seven characters for Sony's animated series "Gun Parade March," "Demon Lord Dante" and sang three solo tracks on the 2012 Grammy Award-nominated children's album "ABC Mouse: The Alphabet Songs." Lynn Shore is the recipient of the 2013 Jason Robert Brown World-Wide vocal contest and performed with him at 54 Below.

Richard S. Rose has performed on stage as Ben Hecht in Moonlight and Magnolias, as Maish Resnick in Requiem for a Heavyweight, as Felix Ungar in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, and as Herb Tucker in Simon's, I Ought to Be in Pictures. On film, he's appeared in the lead role of Jake in "I Love You for Awhile," and Hilly in "The Great Pretender." In addition to his performing credits, Rose is a New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting Fellowship recipient, holds an M.A. in music composition from Hunter College, and is the author of the musical "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors." He also moonlights as singer/writer Rick Holdin, and you can check out his recordings at www.rickholdin.com.

Mark Vogel is a BMI winning television and film composer, performer, music director and producer. He started his network television career on "Full House" as a member of Jesse and the Rippers, starring John Stamos. He and Stamos also wrote original music for the hit series. Other network shows include "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place" (ABC) and "Delta" (ABC), and the feature film "Raising Helen." Stage performances include concerts with The Beach Boys, Natalie Cole, Queen Latifah, and Joan Rivers.

David Burnham is a composer, award-winning performer, director and choreographer. He has recorded two solo CDs, which include original music that he co-wrote with Mark Vogel. He co-founded "Camp Sing," a writing/performing camp for young artists. As a performer, David has appeared on Broadway in The Light In The Piazza and starred as Fiyero in Wicked. He has appeared in many national tours, and has performed his solo concert across U.S. and Canada.

Paul Stancato is a New York-based director/choreographer who works in theater, film and television. Broadway credits include The Wedding Singer, the national tour of The Wedding Singer and Jekyll and Hyde. Internationally, he has worked in China, Belgium and London as the Artistic Director for The House of Dancing Water. He was the Resident Director for Disney's The Lion King.

The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza is located at 635 Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights, Missouri and is a venue filling a niche for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment that would otherwise not find its way to the St. Louis area. Programming at the venue is offered at affordable ticket pricing so that anyone can have dinner at one of the many restaurants in the area as well as see a great show. For more information, visit www.happy50ishmusical.com or www.playhouseatwestport.com.