L.A. TIMES RAVES ABOUT A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE--$6 tickets for Long Beach!!!

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 6:47pm

Today's L.A. Times had a very positive review of MTG's A Man of No Importance. Scroll down to read from the review:

Two more performances will be given of A Man Of No Importance: in Thousand Oaks on Sunday the 12th at 3:00 and in Long Beach on Monday the 27th at 7:30.)

This is the latest production by MTG after their deservedly acclaimed Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, Do Re Mi, and No No Nanette.

I have searched without luck for a cast list, and no half price tickets are being offered either (a big disappointment), but as it may be my only chance to see this musical, which was originally at Lincoln Center with a cast including Michele Federer, Steven Pasquale, Faith Prince, and Roger Rees, and a lovely Aherns/Flaherty score, I'm going to bite the bullet and pay full price ($35) to see it this Monday.

Here's the Alex Theater website for anyone who wants to order tickets online. (Plenty of good seats are still available in the side sections of the orchestra, so you might want to save yourself the service charge and just buy the day of the performance.)





Alex Theater Website Updated On: 2/17/06 at 06:47 PM

[ShuQ]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 6:52pm

What a great score! I don't know much about the show, but it's definitely a great one to hear. Don't miss it if you can help it! Cast list ASAP!

[erikaamato]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 7:17pm

I know the producer of this particular MTG show, and she e-mailed me an invitation which included a cast list:

DON'T MISS THIS EXCLUSIVE
LOS ANGELES "FIRST LOOK " EVENT !

A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for
Best Off-Broadway Musical
plays in Glendale, Thousand Oaks and Long Beach

From the creators of RAGTIME, and based on the acclaimed film of the same title, comes the story of Alphie, a lonely bus conductor and director of his local community theatre. His production of Oscar Wilde's Salome and the outing of his sexuality cause a tandem of scandal in the community.

Book by Terrence McNally
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens

Directed by Nick DeGruccio
Musical Direction by Steven Smith
Choreography by Cheryl Baxter
Staged Managed by Art Brickman
Produced for MTG by Jill Townsend

with:
Eydie Alyson, Eileen Barnett, Roger Befeler,
Chuck Bergman, Steven Hack, Joe Hart, Reece Holland,
Paul Keith, Carol Kline, Maura Knowles, Marsha Kramer,
Randy Kravis, Roy Leake, Jr., Kevin McMahon, Mary Van Arsdel

Monday, February 6 - 7:30 PM
Alex Theatre, Glendale - 818-243-ALEX

Sunday, February 12 - 3:00 PM
(Presented by the Civic Arts Plaza Foundation)
Scherr Forum at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza - 805-583-8700

Monday, February 27 - 7:30 PM
(In association with Musical Theatre West)
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach - 562-856-1999

Hope that helps! =)

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 2:19am

Anything Nick DeGruccio directs has to be good. Though not made up of "names," I've seen many of these very talented performers in previous MTG productions, so I know it'll be top drawer. I bought my ticket at the box office this afternoon, so I'm all set for Monday!!!

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 3:39pm

"They call me Lady Bump, Lady Bump"
70s Disco Hit

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 4:11pm

I love everything Ahrens & Flaherty has done. Slightly disappointed with Dessa Rose, based only on listening to the recording. Otherwise, I look forward to further callaborations between them!

Posted: 2/5/06 at 4:27pm

I did a few shows with Steven Hack...very talented!

[Sheri]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 5:20pm

I'm sad to be missing another Nick show - I really try my hardest to see all of his productions (boy is he busy - with the Fractured Broadway Concert, Pilgrim, etc... he's one busy man!!) And I've also seen (and loved) a lot of the cast in other productions... Should be a great show - I can't wait to hear all about it.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/6/06 at 1:32am

Yes, I've been listening to the OCR these past two days and the score, though on first listening not particularly memorable, really grows on you. Besides Streets of Dublin, there's the exquisite Love Who You Love, the song where Alfie wants to tell the priest his truth during confession and can't, the song where Alfie's sister tells him "Why couldn't you have told me!"... Plus the funny songs about the company putting on Salome and other plays. I'll post my comments after seeing it because there will be two other peformances, one in Thousand Oaks and one in Long Beach. (I'm really curious about who will play Alfie and Robbie!)

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 3:21am

From Today's L.A. Times:

DeGruccio and choreographer Cheryl Baxter maneuver their cast — including Paul Keith's priest, Chuck Bergman's boss and Roy Leake Jr. and Randy Kravis as deliciously clueless thespians — seamlessly about, creating bus rides with chairs and rehearsal frenzy with clog dancing.

Standout numbers include the ensemble showstoppers "Going Up" and "Art," Robbie's soaring "The Streets of Dublin" and Alfie's "Love Who You Love," which Holland delivers from the bottom of his soul.

On Monday, such integrity offset an oversized venue and the highly specialized material. Easily the most individual musical since "James Joyce's The Dead," this "Man" should be of major importance to musical theater mavens and sensitive souls.
L.A. Times Review

[MeleeQ]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 8:39am

I LOVE this show. I was first drawn to it because I wound up in a very similar situation at the time (though not on quite such a grand scale). Then I fell in love with the music. I'm a big fan of Ahrens/Flaherty, and this is one of my favorties of theirs (the other being Once On This Island).

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 10:19am

Reece Holland is a terrifically talented performer and an old friend of mine. He was the original Raoul in Los Angeles' record-breaking "Phantom of the Opera" opposite Michael Crawford and Dale Kristien. He was also the original Marius in "Les Mis" out here.

Thanks for sharing this great review, eslgr8!

[erikaamato]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 10:46am

Hey, best12bars - I know Reece through mutual friends, and I think he's great...would you believe he and I sang 3 duets at their wedding about a year ago? It was a gay wedding (actually the subject of a new documentary called The Year Of Paper), and we sang "I Will Never Leave You" and "Who Will Take Me As I Am" from Sideshow and "You Are My Home" from Pimpernel in the ceremony. Good times.

I really need to try and get to one of the upcoming performances of this!

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:10am

Erika---Wow. That's so great! I remember when Reece and Gary first met. I knew them separately initially, so it brought a great deal of happiness to me when they "found each other."

God, it's such a small world. Wish I could've been there to hear you (and meet you!).

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:19am

Though this was a "concert staged reading" and the actors had script in hand, Reece Holland gave the kind of polished nuanced performance one would expect in a fully mounted production. He appeared to have memorized the entire role (and it's a big one), as he scarcely glanced at his script (the only one in the cast who seemed to me to be completely off book). It is my hope that one of our local theater companies will put this wonderful musical on their schedule in the next year or so, and if anyone other than Reece plays the part, it would be a real shame. Good to know that unlike Alphie, he has found Mr. Right in his personal life.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:59am

best12bars: Well, hopefully we'll meet someday! And to be clear, the wedding was that of my friends, Steve and Joel. Although Gary was a guest at the wedding, as well, of course. (In fact, he is the one who is good friends with Steve and Joel, and they know Reece through him.)

We (Reece and I) rehearsed at their (his and Gary's) home several times, so I had the pleasure of spending a little time with Gary on more than one occasion...he was awfully nice! =)

eslgr8: I really hope I can go see it! It sounds great!

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 2:21pm

LOL, Erika! Well, I'm glad SOMEONE got married, at least. I assumed you meant Reece & Gary by your first email. Why not, right?

*raises glass to your friends Steve & Joel, regardless*

I'm sure our paths will cross out here soon. If I wasn't so dang busy at work, I would probably get out and see a few of your (terrific) shows here in L.A. I've got to "fix" that soon.

(sorry for the thread-jack!)

eslgr8---So great to hear that about Reece! He's a favorite performer of mine and favorite "person" of mine.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/17/06 at 2:22pm

Gold Star events is offering free tickets for Monday the 27th in Long Beach (=$6 after the service charge). It's worth it!!!
Check and see if they're still available:

http://www.goldstarevents.com/events/browse/92704/cat9/show/49459.html