A Sneak Peek at 2007

Here's a preliminary look at what to expect in the new year:

Honor. Whimsy. Legacy. Wit. Drama. Passion. True theatrical diversity!

These are the words that define the 2007 Mainstage Season at Pasadena Playhouse. From the West Coast premiere of a highly anticipated drama to a revival of a time-honored comedy to two majestic adaptations of beloved musicals, the Playhouse will bring you a taste of all theatrical worlds, cultures, and styles in the coming year.

DEFIANCE
By John Patrick Shanley
January 12 through February 18, 2007

The 2007 Season begins with DEFIANCE, the latest work of award-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley. DEFIANCE follows Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning Doubt. It is 1971 and North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune military base is rife with racial unease. When Colonel Littlefield invites a black officer, Captain Lee King, to his home to discuss the building tensions, unexpected and profound events turn the discourse from race to an even deeper exchange that touches the heart and soul of all involved.

CUTTIN’ UP
Written by Charles Randolph-Wright
Directed by Israel Hicks
Adapted from the book by Craig Marberry
March 9 through April 15, 2007

The second play of the season will be CUTTIN’ UP, the West Coast premiere of writer and director Charles Randolph-Wright’s theatrical exploration of the African-American barbershop. Randolph-Wright weaves a series of profound, yet hilarious, anecdotes, memories and music into a living oral history covering 60 years. Pasadena Playhouse patrons will remember Charles Randolph-Wright’s Blue, the 2004 smash hit that starred Phylicia Rashad and Diahann Carroll.

THE CONSTANT WIFE
By Somerset Maugham
Directed by Art Manke
May 4 though June 10, 2007

Play Three of the 2007 season will be THE CONSTANT WIFE, an intelligent and witty comedy written by Somerset Maugham in 1926. When Constance Middleton learns of her husband’s indiscretion with her best friend, she challenges our perceptions of love and marriage with a surprising course of action. THE CONSTANT WIFE was revived on Broadway in 2006 where it garnered four Tony Award Nominations including Best Revival of a Play.

CAN CAN
Music by Cole Porter
Book by David Lee and Joel Fields.
From the original book by Abe Burrows.
Lyrics by Cole Porter
Directed by David Lee
June 29 through August 5, 2007

The summer musical event of 2007 will be a world premiere re-envisioning of Cole Porter’s musical CAN CAN with a new book by David Lee and Joel Fields. CAN CAN centers on Pistache, the only woman in Paris w ho owns a café that features the sexy and provocative Can-Can. During this dazzling, if not naughty, evening of musical theater, Pistache faces both a fervent attempt to shut down her business as well as her own complications in love.

ON GOLDEN POND
By Ernest Thompson
August 24 through September 30, 2007

Rarely does a script have the distinction of receiving both the Tony Award and Academy Award and rarely does a script attract such legendary talent as ON GOLDEN POND. It’s because Thompson’s tale of family reconciliation speaks to all of us. When an aging couple arrives at their summer place and is visited by their estranged daughter and her family, they confront conflicts that are driven by love but that create deep emotional rifts. A soon-to-be-announced stellar cast joins us for a heartwarming and hilarious celebration of the everyday struggles and ultimate triumphs of life, love and family.

* All dates and artists subject to change.

Found on the Web

Nice little comment on our current production of SISTER ACT the Musical found at TalkingBroadway.com:

I was lucky enough to get invited by a friend--I don't want to spill spoilers, so I'll just say that the show is wonderful. Dawnn Lewis is just terrific in the Whoopi role--sings great and has wonderful comic timing; the whole show is well-cast and all the leads all have great (potentially show-stopping) musical moments. (The song the three thugs sang brought down the house.) Delightful music by Alan Menken. But the true star of the evening was lyricist Glen Slater. Bright, clever lyrics that had the audience bursting into applause! Congrats to all involved!!

Word from all corners is that this production is living up to its truly spectacular potential.

So, word to the wise, with some performances already sold out we're strongly recommending you get your tickets soon.

SISTER ACT the Musical

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner
Based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act written by Joseph Howard
Choreographed by Marguerite Derricks
Directed by Peter Schneider

October 24th - December 3rd

Buy Tickets

Why Subscribe? Unraveling the complexities of theatre patronage

In every single ad, e-mail, program, and postcard that the Pasadena Playhouse creates, we include phrases like "Subscribe today" or "Save money when you subscribe!" yet we often neglect to explain subscriptions. This post will unravel the mysteries of subscription and the benefits to you, and the Playhouse.

What is a Pasadena Playhouse subscription and who is a subscriber?

A Pasadena Playhouse subscriber is a person who purchases tickets to multiple plays at one institution well in advance of the performance dates. Subscribers receive discounts off the single ticket price, the best available seats, the ability to book tickets before the generally public, complimentary exchange privileges, and discounts at local restaurants.

Why should I subscribe? I'm too busy to commit to multiple plays so far in advance!

Price and benefits. Subscriptions at Pasadena Playhouse start as low as $27.50 a ticket (Previews, Section B). That same ticket for this year's production of Fences with Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett would have cost $36, for The Last Five Years would have cost $47 and for SISTER ACT the Musical will cost $66. A subscriber would have paid only $82.50 to see all three plays while a non-subscriber would have paid $144 - nearly twice as much. Over a full six-play season, a subscriber can save hundreds on their tickets, and receive the best seats. Subscribers also can exchange their previously booked subscription tickets throughout the run of a show - giving almost six weeks into which you can select a new date!

This is weird - why would the Pasadena Playhouse give me such a huge discount for buying my tickets early?

The answer to this comes down to the economic realities of producing great theatre. Before a play ever opens, a theatre must hire a director, hold auditions, hire actors for several weeks of rehearsal, design the show and maintain the performance space. If the theatre did not have a constituency of loyal subscribers committing to both the plays on stage and the institution as a whole before the performances started, there would be no way the theatre could produce the quality of work for which Pasadena Playhouse is known.

I get what you're saying, but I still only want to see most of the plays that the Playhouse produced each year, not all six. Why should I pay for plays I have no desire to see? Or that you haven't even announced yet!

There are many answers to this question, but I will give you just two: When you consider the fact that you are saving so much money on your subscription tickets that you are essentially getting 1-2 plays a year for free, why not take a risk on something you may like even if it does not initially appeal to you. I know that some of the most amazing theatrical experiences I have ever had came from productions I did not expect to enjoy. Secondly, we happen to have a special promotion going right now that would give you all the subscriber benefits with only half the commitment...

If you call the box office before SISTER ACT the Musical opens on November 3, you can purchase a subscription that includes just three plays - SISTER ACT the Musical and the first two plays of 2007 - Defiance (by the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Doubt) and Cuttin' Up (from the creator of the Playhouse mega-hit Blue).

For more information on subscribing, SISTER ACT the Musical, the 2007 Season, or anything going on at the Playhouse, go to www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org. You may purchase a subscription by calling (626) 356-PLAY.

And oh, subscriptions start at just $87.50 per person for all three shows while a single ticket to SISTER ACT the Musical might cost you as much as $100 – so why not subscribe?

Celia Cruz Book Discussion & Signing

PLAYHOUSE OUTREACH PROGRAM
CELEBRATES THE LEGACY OF CELIA CRUZ

Saturday October 14, 2006

3 PM – On the Patio
DJ Nnamdi of KPFK’s Radio Afrocia will be spinning some of the Salsa Queen’s most popular recordings. Copies of CELIA My Life ($15.10 includes tax) will be available for purchase on-site. Mama’s Tamales will be selling authentic tamales from Latin America and Pasadena Playhouse concessions will be open.

4 PM – Carrie Hamilton Theatre
Join award-winning author Ana Cristina Reymundo (CELIA My Life, by Celia Cruz, Ana Cristina Reymundo – an authorized posthumous autobiography of the diva of Afro-Cuban music) for a book discussion and signing Award-winning journalist Jon Beaupre will moderate.

Based on more than 500 hundred hours of taped interviews recorded just months before her death, Ana Cristina forged a deep bond with Celia Cruz during the interview process. CELIA My Life includes personal photos, notes, mementos, and anecdotes celebrating the soul of an extraordinary life blessed with talent, burdened with heartache, and rewarded with glorious triumphs.

Admittance to the book event is free but RSVP required. Seating is limited. Call 626-356-PLAY.