press release - La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: David Elzer
818/508-1754
MEDIA ALERT FOR THEATRE EDITORS
AND CALENDAR LISTINGS
LA MIRADA THEATRE
FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS &
MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT
announce its
2015-2016 SEASON OF SHOWS!
Pre-Broadway Engagement of EMPIRE A Musical!
West Coast Premiere of FIRST DATE!
DREAMGIRLS! RENT! THE LITTLE MERMAID!
& ONSTAGE production of AMERICAN IDIOT!
Plus Grammy Award-Winning Superstar
LeAnn Rimes!
April 27, 2015…La Mirada, CA.…LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to
announce a season to satisfy musical theatre lovers everywhere with their 20152016 season of shows! Beginning with the West Coast Premiere of Broadway’s love
story FIRST DATE; followed by the groundbreaking musical for a new generation,
RENT; then the Pre-Broadway engagement of a newly revised musical about the
building of the Empire State Building, EMPIRE; followed by a new look at the SixTime, Tony Award-winner DREAMGIRLS; and finally, a fresh look “Under the
Sea” at THE LITTLE MERMAID! This is truly a season to sing about! Also
includes the bonus options of its fourth “Onstage Series” production of Green Day’s
AMERICAN IDIOT; and Grammy award-winning superstar LeAnn Rimes. Put it
all together and it’s simply La Mirada Theatre/McCoy Rigby’s most exciting, all
singing, all dancing, altogether most amazing season ever!
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LA MIRADA THEATRE - 2015/2016 Season
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The 2015/2016 Season:
THE WEST COAST PREMIERE
FIRST DATE
September 18 – October 11, 2015 (Press Opening September 19)
Book by Austin Winsberg
Music and Lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner
Choreography by Lee Martino
Directed by Nick DeGruccio
When blind date newbie Aaron is set up with serial-dater Casey, a casual drink at a
busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious high-stakes dinner. As the date
unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds that they are not alone on this
unpredictable evening. In a delightful and unexpected twist, Casey and Aaron’s
inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons transform
into supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and
dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land
mines. Can this couple turn what could be a dating disaster into something special
before the check arrives?
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The Tony Award-Winning Groundbreaking Musical!
RENT
October 23 – November 15, 2015 (Press Opening October 24)
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Choreography by Dana Solimando
Directed by Brian Kite
An inspiring musical about friends and artists struggling with addiction, poverty,
AIDS and most of all, love. Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about
falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. How these young bohemians
negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this
groundbreaking musical. Winner of the Tony® Award for Best Musical and the
Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs
that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. This is theatre at its
best -- exuberant, passionate, and joyous. Contains mature content.
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LA MIRADA THEATRE - 2015/2016 Season
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See It Before Broadway!
EMPIRE The Musical
January 22 – Feb 14, 2016 (Press Opening January 23)
Book, Music and Lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull
Directed and Choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Empire is an original musical about those who bravely embodied the American
spirit during the dark days of the Great Depression by building what was then the
tallest structure in the world, the Empire State Building. When the roaring 20’s
collapsed into the reeling 30’s, these industrialists, laborers and their families
mortgaged all that was safe and reasonable for the dream of leaving their mark on
New York City and the world. We have spent a long time building a firm
foundation. It is now time to build upon that foundation so that we fully achieve the
art, purity, grace and grandeur we seek. In January 2016, we are going to give La
Mirada audiences a show the likes they have NEVER seen. Years from now they
will be talking about how they saw Empire before it became the next great
Broadway musical!
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Winner of 6 Tony Awards Including BEST MUSICAL!
DREAMGIRLS
March 25 – April 17, 2016 (Press Opening March 26)
Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen
Music by Henry Krieger
Directed and Choreographed by Bobby Longbottom
CATCH THE DREAM! Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, the sensational
new production of Dreamgirls tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s girl singing
group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With
music by Academy® Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony®
and Grammy® Award winner Tom Eyen, Dreamgirls features the unforgettable
hits: “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” “One Night Only” and “Listen.” This
Tony and Academy Award winning musical sparkles like never before!
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“Just Gorgeous – full of Disney Magic!” – Good Day New York
THE LITTLE MERMAID
June 3– June 26, 2016 (Press Opening June 4)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Anderson story and the Disney film
Choreography by John McGinnis
Directed by Glenn Casale
In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to
leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Based on one of Hans Christian
Anderson’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little
Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time
Academy Award winner Alan Menken, this fishy fable will capture your heart with
its irresistible songs including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Part of Your
World.”
# # #
BONUS OPTIONS!
ONSTAGE at LA MIRADA THEATRE
GREEN DAY’S
AMERICAN IDIOT
Music by Green Day
Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong
Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer
Choreography by Dana Solimando
Directed by Brian Kite
April 29 – May 15, 2016
Green Day’s powerhouse album is brought to life in this electric-rock musical of
youthful disillusion. The two-time Tony® Award-winning hit musical American
Idiot, based on Green Day’s Grammy® Award-winning multi-platinum album,
boldly takes the American musical where it’s never gone before. This high-octane
show includes every song from Green Day’s album American Idiot, as well as several
songs from follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown.
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Two Performances Only! Six-Time Grammy Award-Winning
Superstar!
LEANN RIMES
May 21, 2016 – 2pm & 8pm
LeAnn Rimes is one of the most successful entertainers with a career spanning more
than two decades. With forty-four million albums sold, two GRAMMY Awards,
three Academy of Country Music Awards and 12 Billboard Music Awards, she has
made her mark in the world of music. Unstoppable from the age of 11, LeAnn was
the youngest person to ever win a GRAMMY Award and was the first country artist
to win the GRAMMY Best New Artist. She has had 42 singles on Billboard’s Hot
Country Songs Chart and her version of “How Do I Live” is the second- longest
charting song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart; the smash hit “Can’t
Fight the Moonlight” topped the charts in 11 countries.
# # #
Subscriptions to this extraordinary season are now available by calling the Box
Office at 562-944-9801. Single tickets will go on sale May 29, 2015 and will be
available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at
www.lamiradatheatre.com.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La
Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where
the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.
To schedule press interviews, photos, press comps or for additional information,
please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or by e-mail at
[email protected] or visit www.demandpr.com. Photos and press information
also available at lamiradatheatre.com.
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LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, now in its fourth decade, has
been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern
California." This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been producing quality productions for
its Southern California audiences since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours
and is the recipient of many accolades including Ovation and Emmy Awards and Tony Award
nominations. Brian Kite is the theatre’s Producing Artistic Director. The theatre is located at
14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans
Avenue. Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information call 562-944-9801 or
visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.
Celebrating its 21st season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCOY RIGBY
ENTERTAINMENT (MRE), is one of the world’s premier theatrical production companies.
Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over ninety
Broadway-caliber musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars working in
the industry today.
In addition, MRE has launched several Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international and
national touring productions including: Peter Pan, Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your
Gun, all starring Cathy Rigby; Frank Wildhorn’s Jekyll and Hyde starring American Idol star
and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis along with Grammy Award nominee and
R&B superstar Deborah Cox; Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian
Bach; Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips and Happy Days written by
Gary Marshall and Paul Williams. Since 1990, Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby has made four
stops on Broadway, four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and
Best Actress in a Musical. The A&E TV network premiere of “Peter Pan,” starring Cathy
Rigby, received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. MRE’s other credits
include numerous award-winning documentaries and stadium events.