Wednesday, July 22, 2009
South Coast Rep Season's Musical Fare
Two musicals will be part of South Coast Repertory’s 2009-2010 schedule. Opening the season is Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together, directed by Nick DeGruccio, which will run September 11 - October 11, 2009. In a posh Manhattan condo, a glamorous couple looks back on what went wrong, to taunt, tease and maybe gloat a little. Their young guests are more starry-eyed but still wary, even as they begin to fall in love. Nearby, an astute observer adds his insightful songs to the mix. Sophisticated, smart and drop-dead droll…that’s Putting It Together.
Then in January, South Coast Rep mounts the west coast premiere of Ordinary Days, with music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Ethan McSweeny, January 3 - 24, 2010. A promising star plucked from the new breed of composers in America, Adam Gwon is the latest winner of the Fred Ebb Award for Excellence in Musical Theater Songwriting. With Ordinary Days he hit the boards running in the USA and the UK, causing critics to sit up and take notice of its spare, fast-paced and lyrical form. From the bustling streets to the quiet rooftops, four young New Yorkers trying to find their way become intricately connected through a series of funny and fortuitous events that prove ordinary days can be simply extraordinary.
South Coast Rep’s Theatre for Young Audiences will feature Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, based on "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business" by Barbara Park, adapted by Joan Cushing, with book, music and lyrics by Joan Cushing running November 6 - 22, 2009.
The Washington Post called it “tuneful, funny and bouncy - a treat in Crayola colors!” Audiences of all ages will agree as they enjoy this musical delight narrated by the world’s funniest kindergartner - Junie herself. A straight talking (some might say loudmouth) five-year-old who’s not at all interested in frilly clothes - though she does envy the new pink high tops of her friend, “That Grace.” Junie will steal your heart as she frets over a double whammy problem: having a baby brother on the way and trying to come up with a great idea for show-and-tell. Her solution will knock your socks off!
Additionally, the season will include a number of thought-provoking plays such as:
The west coast premiere of Saturn Returns by Noah Haidle, directed by David Emmes (October 23 - November 22, 2009), A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens directed by John-David Keller (November 28 - December 26, 2009), August Wilson’s Fences, directed by Seret Scott (January 22 - February 21, 2010), A Special Selection to be announced (March 26 - April 25, 2010), Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley, directed by Warner Shook (May 7 - June 6, 2010), the world premiere of The Happy Ones by Julie Marie Myatt, directed by Martin Benson (September 27 – October 18, 2009), the world premiere of In a Garden by Howard Korder (March 7 - 28, 2010), and the world premiere of Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, directed by Bart DeLorenzo (April 11 - May 2, 2010).
For more information about the complete season and tickets go to www.scr.org/.
