World Premiere Musical, "Sleeping Beauty Wakes" - CLOSING TODAY

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 11:53am

Hey, everybody... As some of you guys already know, I'm currently rehearsing the Center Theatre Group/Deaf West Theatre co-production, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. We run March 31 - May 13. I really encourage any and all of you in the SoCal area to come; it's unlike anything I've ever seen. (FYI: we're already over 75% sold for the entire run, so get your tickets early if you're interested in coming!)

Here's some info on the show:

Featuring a book by Tony Award winner Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) and music by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda of the band GrooveLily (Striking 12), Sleeping Beauty Wakes is a new twist on the classic Grimms fairy tale that will take audiences on a wildly theatrical journey set in parallel worlds: a fairy tale kingdom and a contemporary sleep-disorder clinic. Jeff Calhoun (Brooklyn, Grease) directs.

The cast includes Erika Amato, Deanne Bray, Clinton Derricks-Carroll, Kevin Earley, Shannon Ford, Russell Harvard, Troy Kotsur, Christia Mantzke, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda, and Alexandria Wailes.

CTG and Deaf West Theatre Company previously teamed on the 2002 presentation of Deaf West's Big River, (also directed by Calhoun) which incorporated hearing and deaf actors singing and signing the entire book and score, at the Mark Taper Forum. The show moved to Broadway where it earned Tony Award Honors for Excellence and returned to Los Angeles on a national tour.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty Wakes at The Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA, can be purchased by calling CTG Audience Services at [phone] or online at CenterTheatreGroup.org. For the deaf community call TDD [phone].

Please visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org/ for tickets and more info.

PICS ARE ONE PAGE 3

EXTENSION INFO (extended through May 20) ON PAGE 4

Updated On: 5/20/07 at 11:53 AM

[Popular]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 12:01pm

Erika - this sounds really great!

Have you considered spreading the word to CSUN? They are very well known for their deaf studies program. Let me know if I can drop off flyers for the department. You may also want to see what it would take to get an ad in their school paper.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 12:02pm

I leave LA on April 1st, I wonder if the M31st show is sold out already...

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 12:12pm

Popular: Well, the whole CTG PR dept. is promoting the show, (the LA Times was at our rehearsal yesterday), and I know there's already a ton of PR already in the Deaf commmunity and various ASL classes around the area, etc. So, my educated guess would be that the Deaf Studies dept. at CSUN already knows. And like I said, we're already 75% sold out. But thank you so much for the suggestion and the offer to help!

shesamarshmallow: Can't hurt to call and see. 3/31 is actually our very first preview, so just keep that in mind! (Eek!) :-P
Updated On: 3/15/07 at 12:12 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 12:32pm

You're right. I'm sure they'll find out one way or another. I have friends who work in the deaf studies dept and also the theatre department there which is why I brought it up.

I'm going to definitely try and see it! And I know I haven't been so good at following through with coming to your other productions but I truly will do my best.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 12:53pm

Well, if you do end up making it, be sure to say hi.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 1:08pm

This really sounds intriguing. Sign me up! I sure will be there.

[shira467]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 2:45pm

Erika -- can you guys start, say, tomorrow?

Darn it, I leave LA too early!

[TLKfan]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 6:56pm

I'm planning on seeing it! I've been waiting to see it for a long time and I love the cast. :)
Dang, I better get my tickets...eek.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 7:07pm

Sounds like a huge camp fest.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:56pm

singingbackup: Very cool! Do say hi if you come.

Shira: Ack! I know! I wish you were gonna be here...

TLKfan: Get on that phone!

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 3/16/07 at 2:16am

OOh,

I have been keeping ym eye on this production for a while. It's great that after their success with Big River they didn't just ride their laurels and keep producing deaf-friendly versions of classic musicals, but are going even further by putting their resources into developing a new show.

Erika, break a leg! Are you playing a beautiful evil queen yet again?

Akiva

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/16/07 at 12:01pm

Thanks, Akiva! And I guess the answer is, "Sort of." A very beautiful Deaf actress is playing the Bad Fairy/Clinic Director and I'm providing the voice (both dialogue and songs). The Bad Fairy is the character Walt Disney renamed Maleficent in the animated film. I also play my own, smaller role. (Royal Servant/Night Terror Patient)

[Phantom2]

Posted: 3/16/07 at 6:25pm

Best of luck with your show, Erika!

[MotorTink]

Posted: 3/17/07 at 1:14am

I'd be front row if I didn't live on the opposite coast!!!

[lite2shine]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 1:03am

Erika, I'm planning to go but I was shocked to see the schedule b/c after the preview, you only have Sat & Sun performances for a while then in May you will have weekday performances. I thought I checked the schedule before, there were weekday performances. What happened?!

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:42am

The website doesn't list all the performances, for some reason, but we are indeed performing 8 shows a week the entire run. I'd call the box office. [phone]

[lite2shine]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 12:24pm

Thanks, I'll do that!

[DG]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 1:45pm

I've got my tix

[lite2shine]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 3:07pm

I called the b.o. and indeed those weekday performances are blocked for schools and will not be available for the general public

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 3:26pm

Yikes! I knew about the schools/special groups, but I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that there would be some tickets available for the general public to attend the weekday matinees. Wow. I wonder how that affects house seats...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 11:17am

Just a bump for those in LA who might be interested in tickets, etc.

Oh, and a very late reply, but YAY, DG!

[singingbackup]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 11:23am

I got mine too! My Passport membership just kicked in so I got me 2fers!

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 11:50am

Awesome! When are you coming?

[ABSteel]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 11:54am

Hopefully I can get to LA to see this.