Celebration breeds entertainment. As such I want to discuss the forms of entertainment which I have been exposed to over the past few weeks. Besides watching enough Law & Order, Monk, and House to know how to be a tough-as-nails police detective/veteran ADA, an investigator with severe OCD, or a cynical medical department head respectively, I have done other things out of my usual routine. I have seen a number of excellent plays in these past few weeks. That number happens to be two: one is Happy Days: The Musical. I really enjoyed it and it has convinced me to TiVo a whole bunch of Happy Days episodes. The following is an article about the new musical:
Joey McIntyre is The Fonz in Happy Days Musical for Los Angeles Debut
By Ernio Hernandez
January 18, 2006
Former New Kids on the Block singer Joey McIntyre will star as Fonzie opposite Broadway veteran Ernie Sabella as Arnold in the upcoming new musical Happy Days to debut in Los Angeles Feb. 15.
Garry Marshall — who created and produced the original television show — directs the new musical version of his popular 1974-84 series at his Falcon Theatre in Burbank, California. The show is slated to open Feb. 24 for a run through March 12.
"Kicking off 2006 will be the world premiere of Happy Days, a brand new musical which I wrote with Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist Paul Williams, with a book based on my successful TV series," boasted Marshall in the company's season announcement.
"It's May 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Fonzie is still the king of cool at his favorite malt shop, Arnold’s," reads show materials. "The school year is coming to an end and the rest of the gang, including Richie, Lori Beth, Potsie and Ralph Malph, are getting ready to graduate from Jefferson High School." The "musical celebration of nostalgia" will also feature appearances by Pinky Tuscadero and the Malachi Brothers.
McIntyre made his Broadway debut in Wicked in 2004. He has also appeared Off-Broadway in tick, tick . . . BOOM! and in the Los Angeles Reprise! mounting of Babes in Arms. The actor-singer also appears in the film versions of The Fantasticks and Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding.
Sabella (Sweet Charity, Guys and Dolls, "The Lion King") is also featured in the cast that includes Audra Blaser (The Ruby Sunrise, "The Book of Daniel"), Ryan Bollman ("The NeverEnding Story III"), Joseph Leo Bwarie ("The Princess Diaries 2"), Wayne Duvall ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?"), Cynthia Ferrer (Yankee Doodle Dandy!), Christine Lakin ("Reefer Madness," "Step by Step"), Philip Lightstone (Bare, Fame: The Musical), Heather Lindell (Hairspray, "Days of Our Lives"), Matt Merchant, Jaclyn Miller, DeQuina Moore (Little Shops of Horrors), Rory O'Malley (Santa Claus is Comin' to Motown), Robert Petrarca, Paul C. Vogt ("MADtv") and Anna A. White (White Christmas).
Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Williams has provided music for the films "Bugsy Malone," "A Star Is Born," "The Muppet Movie" and the theme to TV's "The Love Boat" Among his songs include "Evergreen," "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Just An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Rainbow Connection." As an actor, he has appeared in the films "Phantom of the Paradise," the "Smokey and the Bandit" trilogy, "The Doors," as well as on Broadway in Tru.
Marshall — a producer, director and writer of film, television and theatre — has directed the films "Pretty Woman," "Frankie & Johnny," "Beaches," "Overboard," "Runaway Bride" and "The Princess Diaries" movies. He is also known for his successful television shows including "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley," "The Odd Couple" and "Mork & Mindy." In 1997, he founded the Falcon Theatre which run by his daughter Kathleen Marshall.
For tickets to Happy Days at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank, CA, call (818) 955-8101. For more information, visit www.falcontheatre.com.
This play included the girl who played Al on Step By Step
I also saw Tick... Tick... BOOM!, a semi-autobiographical play written by the genius that brought us RENT, Jonathan Larson and posthumously adapted by others. This also was an amazing play. I rarely see a bad play, and this was no exception. It also co-starred the guy who played Angel in the original Broadway version of Rent (as well as the LA version that I went to with my ninth grade class after going to see La Boheme at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Ahmanson
I also went to the Hollywood Bowl (2) on July 3rd. I sat in a box in the very front of the Garden (right behind the pool) as we watched their annual Independence Day concert series.
July 4th Fireworks Spectacular: Kenny Loggins
Special Performances July4
Monday, July 3, 2006, 7:30 PM
Also:
Sunday, July 2, 7:30 PM
Tuesday, July 4, 7:30 PM
Hollywood Bowl
2301 N. Highland Avenue
Hollywood, CA
(323) 850-2000
Artists:
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Timothy Muffitt, conductor
Kenny Loggins, special guest
Program:
The best music, the best picnics, the best fireworks and the best of America - it's July 4th at the Hollywood Bowl. The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra is joined by one of the biggest hit makers in pop music, singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. You'll be singin' along and dancing in the aisles as we celebrate the best of our country through music.
Program Sponsors:
The first half of the concert they played melodies honoring various aspects of heroism in the United States, Astronauts (they played the theme from Star Trek), Cowboys (The Magnificent Seven), the common man (Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, and superheroes (the theme from the new Superman movie with a nod to John Williams.
This all was preceded by the Star Spangled Banner, but there were red fireworks for "Rockets Red Glare" and loud ones for "Bombs Bursting in Air". During intermission I found a childhood friend and we talked politics, particularly great because we are both polisci buffs. The second half included Kenny Loggins playing some of his best songs, and his encore following the traditional John Philip Sousa fireworks marches of probably his most famous music, Footloose.
On the Fourth of July we went to Hillcrest. I will never understand why there was a cuban band playing american music, including something that sounded suspiciously like Bei Mir Bisdu Schön. Anyway, no bug bites so I'm happy.
Alright, to the big news. I will be working as Mashgiach for Starlite Catering and Valley Beth Shalom for the summer. I'm really excited about this because it's something I love to do.
Dodgers back in first, peace out.
Current Music (yep, I'm turning this into LiveJournal): All Day and All of the Night, The Kinks
I'm A Believer, Neil Diamond
Current Mood: Jubilant
Eyyyyyy!
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