BABY ITS YOU Moves to Pasadena Playhouse, Runs 11/6-12/13
Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced today, that they will present, by special arrangement with American Pop Anthology and Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, in association with Universal Music Group, the world premiere musical BABY IT'S YOU! The new musical is written by Colin Escott (Broadway-bound Million Dollar Quartet) and Floyd Mutrux (Broadway-bound Million Dollar Quartet and the award-winning film American Hot Wax). Directed by Mutrux, BABY IT'S YOU! is about the passion and determination of New Jersey housewife Florence Greenberg, who in the early 1960's, discovered The Shirelles and built one of the most successful independent record companies with African-American song-writer Luther Dixon. At the dawn of the Civil Rights era, Florence and Luther became partners in more ways than one. Performances run November 6 - December 13, 2009 with the official press opening on Friday, November 13 at Pasadena Playhouse (39 S. El Molino Avenue).
"I am very pleased that our theatre will be involved in the next step of development for Baby It's You!. This fascinating story of one woman's personal and professional journey is the perfect way to end our cross season celebration of Women on our stage. It promises to be not just a great history lesson about an unknown hero in the development of American popular music, but also a hugely entertaining evening of well-known songs, which have great emotional resonance," said Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps. "I look forward to working with all of the creative staff as the show evolves into the completely satisfying evening of theatrical and musical delights that I know it can be."
Overflowing with the greatest songs of the years immediately preceding the British Invasion, BABY IT'S YOU! tells the remarkable and little-known story of Florence Greenberg, as she took on the male-dominated music establishment and revolutionized pop music. Greenberg's Scepter Records influenced the most important movements in music to come - The Beatles, Motown, even folk-rock. BABY IT'S YOU! is the intriguing story of how classic records like "Baby, It's You," "Soldier Boy," "He's So Fine," "Dedicated to the One I Love," "Tonight's the Night," "Twist and Shout," and many others came to be made, and is the story of one woman's triumph in a male-dominated world.
Joining the creative team with Escott and Mutrux are Birgitte Mutrux (choreography), Richard Perry (music director), Anna Louizos (set design), Lizz Wolf (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design), Martin Carrillo (sound design), Jason H. Thompson (projection design), Carol Doran (wig and hair design), Adam Irizarry (co-musical director), Caitlin Moon (assistant director), Michael Donovan (casting), Jolie Baretta Keyser (original casting), and Ronn Goswick (production stage manager).
BABY IT'S YOU! is presented by Pasadena Playhouse, by special arrangement with American Pop Anthology and Warner Bros. Theatricals, in association with Universal Music Group. Floyd Mutrux, Jonathan Sanger, Jerry Katell and Joan Stein produce on behalf of American Pop Anthology.
This spring and summer, American Pop Anthology presented BABY IT'S YOU! at The Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood and played to a sold-out run. The limited run was a partnership with LA's BEST - Better Educated Students For Tomorrow to help fundraise for the esteemed after-school enrichment program. Proceeds from each ticket helped to support visual and performing arts programs for 28,000 low-income elementary school kids.
BABY IT'S YOU!, which is the final production of the 2009 Pasadena Playhouse Season, will replace the previously announced production of Laughing Matters by Iris Rainer Dart, Mike Stoller and Artie Butler.
Casting for BABY IT'S YOU! will be announced at a later date.
BABY IT'S YOU! plays at Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena from November 6 - December 13, 2009 with the official press opening on Friday, November 13, 2009. Performance schedule is Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets to BABY IT'S YOU! are currently available to Pasadena Playhouse subscribers and groups of 15 or more will go on sale to the general public on October 6, 2009. Subscriptions may be purchased by calling the Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529 or by visiting the Pasadena Playhouse Box Office, open from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. daily excluding holidays and online at www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org. Group Sales (15 or more) are available by calling 626-737-2851.
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