VIVIAN VANCE ALIVE AND WELL RUNNING CHINESE TAKE-OUT Premieres at Hollywood Fringe

In 1987, Wuchte was walking down 3rd Avenue in New York City when he glanced up and saw a Chinese take-out with a sign reading Vivian's House. He turned to his friends and said "Vivian Vance is alive and well and running a Chinese take-out" and knew at that moment he had to write the play. Over the next several years he developed the script with readings in lofts and new works festivals, culminating in the original run in 1994 at the Greenwich Street Theater in NYC. It was NOT a musical!

He always knew that one day Vivian Vance... would be remounted, and when he began working on his first musical in 2017, a song got stuck in his head, "Viv is Coming." The script of Vivian Vance... has been reworked and 9 original songs have been composed with writing partner Michael Teoli.

Vivian Vance... is a musical fantasy in which Vivian Vance feels so associated with the character she created, Ethel Mertz from the famed I Love Lucy, that she fakes her own death to see what life was like without Ethel. When her secret is revealed, the world is now waiting for Viv to open one final door. Religion and trivia collide as the truth behind Viv's "death" is revealed and a second coming is at hand.

While audiences have come to know Kick Boom for presenting highly physical works of theater, Vivian Vance... is a bit more traditional in its approach. But don't be fooled! Wuchte has imbued his West Coast Premiere with the same mixture of word play, live percussive interplay, and magical theatricality that has become his trademark.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

John Wuchte (book/lyrics/music/direction) began his career in New York City where he was Artistic Director of RAKKA-THAMM!!! Theater Company through the '90s. Each summer he would adapt Greek tragedies filled with chant and song accompanied by live drumming, and would perform outside in Washington Square Park.

His production of Claire Z. (an adaptation of The Visit) was performed at Sacred Fools Theater Company and received an L.A. Weekly nomination for best adaptation. His last 2 Fringe musicals, Housewife '52 (2022) and Scarlett Fever (2019), received nominations for Best Musical and Best Physical Theater/Dance, respectively.

Michael Teoli (co-composer) is an award-winning Film and Theater Composer working on music for over 65 films. Michael's rock musical, Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera has played in Portland, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and enjoyed a sold-out run at the 2015 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Other feature musicals include CarnEvil and The Werewolves of Hollywood Boulevard. He provided Arrangements and Additional Musical Composition for Doomsday Cabaret and Exorcistic: A Rock Musical Parody Experiment (each winning BEST MUSICAL at the Hollywood Fringe Festival) and Skullduggery: The Musical Prequel to Hamlet (which won the Ovation Award for Best Music).

Vivian Vance Alive and Well Running Chinese Take-out

Directed by John Wuchte | Story and Lyrics by John Wuchte | Music by John Wuchte and Michael Teoli

SYNOPSIS:

It's 1989 and a bike messenger and waitress practice for a TV quiz show, a street person preaches from the TV guide, and a devout mother and daughter from far off Virginia wander in to the wrong take-out. All of them have been profoundly affected by television. When the news is broken that Viv is alive and well, they are trapped in the take-out while a crowd gathers awaiting the second coming of Viv. 5 actors portray multiple characters, with 9 original songs accompanied by Greg Smith on piano and John Wuchte on percussion.

CAST: Dagney Kerr, Maria Swisher, Aubrey Clyburn, Casey Alcoser, Zachary Santolaya

Vivian Vance Alive and Well Running Chinese Take-out performance information

June 7 @ 6:30pm/preview

June 13 @ 9:00pm

June 16 @ 12:30pm

June 19 @ 6:00pm

June 22 @ 3:30pm

June 23 @ 7:30pm

June 29 @ 8:30pm

Broadwater Mainstage in Hollywood
1076 Lillian Way

Tickets are pay what you can for preview
$15-$20 all other shows

90 minutes with no intermission

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