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2011 Events
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| Date | Theatre | Event |
| November 11th Through December 18th |
East Sonora Theatre | JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
The flip side of a classic Christmas tale, Jacob Marley’s story begins in the after life where his business partner Scrooge once again determines his future. Along with a netherworld sprite and 16 other characters, Marley is brought to life with humor and heartfelt emotion. This irreverent, funny, and ultimately, deeply moving story retells Dickens’ classic with warmth and infectious zest. This thrilling performance is sure to become a holiday classic for generations to come! The Chicago Herald says it blends “a Dickens sensibility with a taste for fairy tales and contemporary wit,” and Chicago’s Citybeat calls it “delectably zany…inspired theatre, that gives the audience cause to ache, and to laugh, and in the end, to exult.” By Tom Mula |
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November 18th |
Fallon House | THE WINTER WONDERETTES
The Wonderettes are back! This seasonal sequel finds the girls returning to their hometown for Betty Jean’s company Christmas party. When Santa turns up missing, the girls must use their talent and creative ingenuity, plus some great holiday tunes to save the celebration. The result is, of course, marvelous! A high energy treat guaranteed to delight audiences of all ages. “Time spent with these talented songbirds is as comfortable as coming home for the holidays to cocoa and a Johnny Mathis Christmas album.” — Variety Written by Roger Bean, Music by Various |
| 2012 Events |
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| Date | Venue | Event |
| March 3rd Through April 22nd |
East Sonora Theatre | GYPSY
The exciting era of vaudeville and burlesque in the twenties and thirties come alive in this classic musical fable centering on the early life of entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee. A moving theatrical experience centered on the thorny, but ultimately redemptive relationship between a mother and daughter, the score is jam-packed with iconic songs like “Let Me Entertain You,” “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” and “Together Wherever We Go.” Filled with humor, pathos and some of the most enduring characters ever to grace a stage. GYPSY is considered by many critics to be the greatest American musical ever written. Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Arthur Laurents |
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April 20th |
Fallon House | RING OF FIRE: The Music of Johnny Cash
A tuneful, foot-stomping celebration of America’s legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, as told through the songs he composed and recorded. Though he is never impersonated, his remarkable life story is told through his music, performed by gifted singers and instrumentalists climaxing in a concert that will both move and exhilarate! It’s a soul-stirring journey into the heart and heartland of America, courtesy of one of America’s most beloved musical poets. “Surprise! The jukebox musical is alive and well, thanks to some fresh thinking from the man who virtually invented the form nearly 30 years ago–Richard Maltby Jr.” — Variety Created by Richard Maltby Jr.; Conceived by William Meade |
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June 1st |
East Sonora Theatre | Alfred Hitchcock’s THE 39 STEPS
Cross a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, whirl it up with giddy comedy and wildly invented theatrical stagecraft and you have The 39 Steps, a fast and frothy whodunit that celebrates the magic of theater. When a beautiful and mysterious woman is murdered, the suave hero is falsely accused and pursued across the country in an unforgettable evening of pure comedic pleasure. More than 150 characters brought to life by a cast of just four brilliant comedic actors. This award-winning treat kept audiences rolling on Broadway for over three years. “The most entertaining show on Broadway. — NY Post adapted by Patrick Barlow, from the movie of Alfred Hitchcock |
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June 29th |
Fallon House | CAROUSEL
When mill-town girl Julie Jordan meets carnival barker Billy Bigelow on a carousel ride, her life is changed forever. Flirtation gives way to love as the two are irresistibly drawn to each other in this glorious tale of love and redemption. The Tony award winning musical features a score packed with classics like “June is Bustin’ Out All Over,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “If I Loved You.” With its splendid score and brilliant lyrics, Carousel was dubbed “the best musical of the Twentieth Century” by Time Magazine. “As close to perfection as musical theatre gets.” — Boston Globe Adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer, based on the play LILIOM by Ferenc Molnar Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Music by Richard Rodgers |
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July 27th |
East Sonora Theatre | THERE GOES THE BRIDE
There Goes the Bride is a madcap race to the altar for the Westerby family. The father-of-the-bride tries to handle his daughter’s wedding arrangements while juggling his frenetic advertising business. After a bump on the head, he meets a beautiful and rambunctious 1920’s Flapper, but only he can see her. Compounding his problems are his intrepid wife, a critical mother-in-law, his hard-of-hearing father-in-law, a sarcastic business partner and a suspicious father-of-the groom. This warm comedy is full of laughs. “I found myself surrendering to the ceaseless bombardment of familiar nonsense laughing outright.” London Daily Mail. by Ray Cooney and John Chapman |
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September 7th |
Fallon House | Irving Berlin’s I LOVE A PIANO
The great Jerome Kern once said: “Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He IS American music.” This charming showcase features Berlin’s most well-known songs neatly united through vignettes from historical events of America from 1910 to the 1950s. Featuring such numbers as “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “God Bless America,” and “Anything You Can Do, I Love a Piano celebrates Berlin’s musical spectrum from the Tin Pan Alley period all the way to his Broadway sensation Annie Get Your Gun.” “I knew fifteen minutes in that I was thoroughly enjoying I Love a Piano — by the ending, I was in love.” Los Angeles Times Featuring the music of Irving Berlin Conceived by Ray Roderick and Michael Berkeley |
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October 5th |
East Sonora Theatre | TIME STANDS STILL
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Donald Margulies has created a moving portrait about a journalist and photographer coping with changes in life and their relationship following the trauma of covering the Iraq war. When injuries force them to return, the longtime couple, still deeply committed to one another, confronts the prospect of a more conventional life. Praised by The New York Times as a powerful drama that “crackles with bright wit and intelligence,” one that feels like “eavesdropping on two cherished friends at their most vulnerable and emotionally exposed,” this moving new play prompts poignant questions about responsibility to ourselves, to our loved ones, to our community and to our world. By Donald Margulies |
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October 26th |
Fallon House | CINDERELLA
It’s been nearly a decade since we first introduced Cinderella to our audiences and a whole new generation of children is excited for her return! In a holiday celebration for the whole family, the timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers and Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and zany fun. The hearts of children and adults alike will soar when the slipper fits. Musical highlights include “In My Own Little Corner,” “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” and “Ten Minutes Ago.” “Sparkling… A grand show, a wholesome delight.” — USA Today Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Music by Richard Rodgers |
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November 16th |
East Sonora Theatre | EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD… and then some!
Instead of performing Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung. A madcap romp through the holiday season! “The play accomplishes the small miracle of making all Christmas myths seem both utterly ridiculous and absolutely essential. Yes, Virginia, you can have your fruitcake and eat it, too.” — Orlando Weekly By Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald and John K. Alvarez |
