Published Tuesday June 1st, 2004
Slight Remodling Completed
We grew! Well, we slightly enlarged our seating arrangements so a maximum capacity of 114 for dinner is now possible. We narrowed the first tier slightly and enlarged the top tier to handle larger tables. Don`t worry, you will not be packed in tighter. We simply did some ergonometrics and made a few adustments as we want you to be comfortable both at dinner and while the shows go on. This adjustment will also allow a slightly larger audience for the great comedy and other special events where dinner is not served.
Tami Tappan comes directly from the critically praised Rubicon Theatre`s production of A Streetcar Named Desire in which she played Stella. Originally from Washington, D.C., Tami received the Helen Hayes Award for Supporting Actress in Lydie Breeze by John Guare. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon and was seen on Broadway and in Los Angeles as Ellen in Miss Saigon. Her performance on the 11th sold-out in a few days so she is coming back a week later.
Tami Tappan At The WestEnd June 11th and 18th
We are fortunate to be able to host a four week class led by Judy Belshe. Judy is offering a class for kids who want to be in front of the camera beginning June 14 thru July 5 on Monday nights between 4 and 7.
Improv Comedy Festival Friday Evening June 25th
Alan Katz is presenting the Improv Comedy Festival with actor/comedian/entrepreneur Vic Dunlop. Vic was born in New York City, but decided to move to California when he was two years old. `I had to get out...the pressure was just too much` .
Vic attributes his success in comedy to three major influences--his father, Catholic school , and the Army. His father, Vic Dunlop, Sr. (stage name: Victor Marko) is a successful character actor whom Vic caught the acting bug from at an early age. `I watched him suffer`, Vic recounts lovingly, and said, `That`s what I Want to do too, dad!` Vic attended Catholic school and credits the strict disipline of the nuns as good preparation for his stint in the Army...and Vietnam.
Summer Youth Repertory Begins June 21st
Now is your chance! You can be an actor. A five-week course for students yearning to be in the spotlight! After attending a mandatory audition, selected students can attend a 5 week triing workshop with an emphasis on singing, dancing, and acting!
Kids ages 9 to 12 meet from 9AM to Noon and ages 13 to 17 meet 1PM to 4PM on Monday through Thursday June 21st through July 22th at the WestEnd theater. Kids will have group and individual instruction from our own staff of theater artists. Michael Lopez, Mike Walker, Jennifer Storey and others will instruct.
The end result will be three evening performances by the groups on July 26th, 27th, and 28th. at the WestEnd for the families and friends of the participants.
Auditions are June 12th at 9AM for ages 9-12 and June 13th at 7PM for ags 13-17 and are on a first-come first-served basis.
This is being done in conjunction with the Los Alamitos Fine Arts & Cultural Affairs Commission and the Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department. Fees required. The fee is $25/student.
Doo Wop Returns With The Alley Cats June 19th
The Alley Cats have been singing Doo Wop for twenty years and are a favorite around the entire United States!
Unlike Barbershop Quartets, Doo-Wop was sung about the trials and tribulations of the youngsters of the late 40`s through the 50`s and into the 60`s. Yes... I left high school in 1961... Doo-Wop was characterized by having a Lead Singer, who sang the words whilst the rest of the group sang a cappella type backing. These backing vocals would often include the words `doo wop ah doo wop,` from which this type of music derives it`s name.
Though now out of fashion, Doo-wop will never die. It is a much loved and dearly remembered type of singing that people will always recall with a gleam in their eye and a smile on their lips. In fact I dare any of you that remember those days, to listen to one of these songs and not recall some happier time in your life.
Bye Bye Birdie, the sweetly satiric 1960 musical about rock `n` roll`s influence over teens in an Ohio town, gets revived in concert by the WestEnd. The first musical to hint at (and satirize) the existence of rock `n` roll and inspired by Elvis Presley`s induction into the army, Bye Bye Birdie tells the story of rock ‘n’ roll icon Conrad Birdie and his final going-away party in an innocent and unsuspecting Midwestern town. Bye Bye Birdie debuted on Broadway April 14, 1960, at the Martin Beck Theatre, running 607 performances before closing Oct. 7, 1961. Gower Champion directed and choreographed the production starring Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke. The production won the 1961 Tony Award for Best Musical as well as Featured Actor (Van Dyke), Producer (Edward Padula), Director, Choreographer and Author. Best Score had not yet been introduced in the Tonys, but Strouse and Adams received Tonys by association for the Best Musical win.
The musical`s score features `Kids,` `We Love You, Conrad,` `Spanish Rose,` `Put on a Happy Face,` `The Telephone Hour,` `Rosie,` An English Teacher,` `How Lovely to Be a Woman,` `A Lot of Livin` to Do,` `Baby, Talk to Me,` `One Boy,` `A Healthy Normal American Boy,` `What Did I Ever See in Him?,` `Hymn for a Sunday Evening,` and two hip-swivelling rock `n` roll spoofs: `One Last Kiss` and `Honestly Sincere.`
Pirates Getting Excellent Reviews
John Farrell of the Press-Telegram and Ben Miles of the Sun both gave Pirates Of Penzance a solid thumbs up for its fourteen tunes loaded into two acts. Directed by Kent Johnson, Musical Direction by Crystal Barron and Choreography by Marie Madera made for a spectacular evening of laughs and enjoyment. Pirates closes on June 13 so don`t miss it.
WestEnd Website Gets A New Look
Our website now has a `Communications Center` where we have the Newsletter, our Registry (who has performed), Casting Calls, Announcements, Special Events and current/previous Productions listing.