Monday, May 30, 2016

MUSICAL NEWS for Monday, May 30, 2016

MUSICAL THEATRE CONFERENCE
NMI’s sixth Biz of the Musical Theatre Biz Conference is coming July 22 – 24 to a brand new facility in Burbank, the Convention Center at ANC Productions. The conference offers sessions for musical theatre bookwriters, lyricists, and composers on a variety of important subjects. It’s a full weekend of events for you to learn what you need to know from producers, directors, writers, entertainment attorneys, money-raisers, dramaturgs and other insider theatre professionals ready to rub shoulders with you and answer your questions. Early Registration, for a discount of $100 off the full conference, ends June 1st. For a complete schedule and more information, go to NMI.org/develop/conference.

FRINGE NEWS
The world premiere of Bumpersticker: The Musical will take place June 4 – 23 at the Asylum @ The Dragonfly in Hollywood. Set during a massive urban traffic jam, each song is inspired by one of those blunt, punchy slogans you’ve seen on the backs of cars everywhere. A radio DJ/Announcer guides the audience through the show, which features characters from different ends of the political spectrum and varying social strata with wildly different opinions, hopes, and fears. As the frustrations of morning gridlock mount, audiences get to know the people and stories behind these stickers. You may enthusiastically agree or violently disagree with them but, in the end, everybody has a point of view they think is completely rational…and always correct.

Bumpersticker: The Musical is the brainchild of Gary Stockdale and Spencer Green, who created Bukowsical, the acclaimed musical about besotted literary hero Charles Bukowski which won Outstanding Musical at the New York International Fringe Festival. Michele Spears directs a cast that includes Nadia Ahern, Jahmaul Bakare, Lamont Dozier Jr., Zach Ford, Eliot Hochberg, Lauren Rubin, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Anne Yatco, and Holly Rockwell (understudy). Musical Director is David O. http://hff16.org/3687

Little Candle Productions brings its world premiere of the new musical Taming of the Show by Blake Waker to this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. The 55-minute farce takes the audience through the outlandish and hysterical rehearsal process of a dysfunctional production of Shrew set in caveman times. It will run June 5 – 25 in the Sacred Fools Theatre Black Box.

A line has been drawn in the sand betwixt actors and crewmembers. Never the twain shall meet. And yet… Eddie Littlejeans, the assistant stage manager of a dysfunctional production of Taming of the Shrew dares to harbor a flame for the leading lady. Can love find a way backstage? In what might be considered Noises Off! meets Misery (with singing and dancing!) the show within a show goes terribly wrong, while Taming of the Show gets it just right. The cast includes Jeff DeCrosta, Chineze Enekwechi, Marc Forget, Greg Steinbrecher, Steve Peterson, Paula Deming, and Anthony Papastrat. Musical direction is by Billy Gill and the show is produced by Karissa McKinney and Lynn Downey Braswell. http://hff16.org/3418

From the creator of 2015’s sold-out run of Sin: A Pop Opera and 2009’s hit musical, Ecstasy, comes a new musical for this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Ruby is the story of a self-described nerd named Ruby (Christina Rose) who is frustrated with her love life until she meets her sexy, sassy fairy godmother Glendale (Saudia Yasmein) and takes a trip back in time to the free-wheeling Brady Bunch-era where she meets three versions of her boyfriend Tommy (Christopher Robert Smith). Will she find true love, or just a lot of sex in this raucous romp that tips an affectionate stiletto heel to early ‘70s variety specials and TV shows and the obscure “naughty fairy tales for adults” ‘70s film genre.   

The show is filled with singing, dancing, fun characters, crazy costumes, ridiculously infectious musical numbers, animation, risqué dance routines, puppets, and homages to musicals from the ‘70s like The Wiz, Pippin and Rocky Horror. It also features sensual choreography by Kirby Harrell and includes Evalee Gertz and Christine Jung in the dance ensemble. A “dream project” of producer, composer & animator S. Claus, the 70-minute show makes its world premiere at The Three Clubs June 2 – 27. http://hff16.org/3455

Theresa Stroll debuts her new solo show, My Big Fat Blonde Musical, June 4 – 25 in the Sacred Fools Theater Black Box. Stroll moved to L.A. to pursue her acting dreams but, as an overweight actress, found it difficult to avoid negativity, both from herself and others. In this irreverent and deeply personal world premiere, she tackles the issue of being a BIG girl trying to make it in Hollywood by having fun with the somewhat sensitive topic.

“The story is about believing in yourself, even when you are your biggest critic,” Stroll says. “It’s about creating your own opportunities and it’s about the realities of growing up, paying bills and still trying to follow your dreams.” The show is co-written by Stroll and Bobby McGlynn, directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, and also features original music by Stroll and McGlynn. “It’s wonderfully absurd,” Stroll adds, but she wants audiences to walk out of her show with something more. “Big girls can do anything and they shouldn’t be limited based on their size. Don’t let people’s expectations of you set your limits. If there’s something you want, go and get it. Create your own opportunities if they’re not being created for you, regardless of your size.” http://hff16.org/3674


Chromolume Theatre makes its return to the Fringe with Edges, a song cycle about four burgeoning adults asking classic coming-of-age questions. Written by Tony nominated Benj Pasek and Justin Paul in their sophomore year at the University of Michigan, this charming, witty and honest examination of adulthood explores what happens when we are teetering on the edges of our lives. Starring Melody Ricketts, Courtney King, Caroline Pugliese, Shayna Gabrielle, Andy Ramirez, Everjohn Feliciano, Justin W. Yu, directed by Lauren J. Peters with musical direction by Daniel Yokomizo. June 4 – 25 at the Dorie Theatre. http://hff16.org/3648

LA’s award-winning “Best Badass Burlesque” show returns with a night of politically incorrect burlesque, The Wrong Show: Trigger Happy, starring Lemi Atom, James Bondage, Moonbow Brite, Dahlia Dimont, Capt. Jack Heartless, Lord Londonbridge, Miss Onyx Nova, Penny Starr, Jr., Panama Red, Leia La Voix, Terry Velour, and Seraphina Wilder. The show runs late nights June 3 – 25 at the Ruby Theater at the Complex.

Now in its 10th year, under the creative direction of award-winning burlesque dancer Penny Starr, Jr., VVH is known for its mix of high glamour and sick sense of humor featuring all manners of genders, races, and sizes. The show has a rotating cast of accomplished stripteasers, comedians, and musicians with featured guest stars like Prince Poppycock, Margaret Cho, Kate Flannery (The Office), Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You), and  Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior). http://hff16.org/3438

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