FIRST DATE West Coast Debut, Broadway-Bound EMPIRE and More Set for La Mirada & McCoy Rigby's 2015-16 Season

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to announce a season to satisfy musical theatre lovers everywhere with their 2015-16 season of shows!

Beginning with the West Coast Premiere of Broadway's love story FIRST DATE; followed by the groundbreaking musical for a new generation, RENT; then the Pre-Broadway engagement of a newly revised musical about the building of the Empire State Building, EMPIRE; followed by a new look at the Six-Time, Tony Award-winner DREAMGIRLS; and finally, a fresh look "Under the Sea" at THE LITTLE MERMAID! This is truly a season to sing about! Also includes the bonus options of its fourth "Onstage Series" production of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT; and Grammy award-winning superstar LeAnn Rimes. Put it all together and it's simply La Mirada Theatre/McCoy Rigby's most exciting, all singing, all dancing, altogether most amazing season ever!

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The 2015/2016 Season:

THE WEST COAST PREMIERE

FIRST DATE

September 18 - October 11, 2015 (Press Opening September 19)

Book by Austin Winsberg

Music and Lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner

Choreography by Lee Martino

Directed by Nick DeGruccio

When blind date newbie Aaron is set up with serial-dater Casey, a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds that they are not alone on this unpredictable evening. In a delightful and unexpected twist, Casey and Aaron's inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines. Can this couple turn what could be a dating disaster into something special before the check arrives?

The Tony Award-Winning Groundbreaking Musical!

RENT

October 23 - November 15, 2015 (Press Opening October 24)

Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Choreography by Dana Solimando

Directed by Brian Kite

An inspiring musical about friends and artists struggling with addiction, poverty, AIDS and most of all, love. Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. Winner of the Tony® Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. This is theatre at its best -- exuberant, passionate, and joyous. Contains mature content.

See It Before Broadway!

EMPIRE The Musical

January 22 - Feb 14, 2016 (Press Opening January 23)

Book, Music and Lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull

Directed and Choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge

Empire is an original musical about those who bravely embodied the American spirit during the dark days of the Great Depression by building what was then the tallest structure in the world, the Empire State Building. When the roaring 20's collapsed into the reeling 30's, these industrialists, laborers and their families mortgaged all that was safe and reasonable for the dream of leaving their mark on New York City and the world. We have spent a long time building a firm foundation. It is now time to build upon that foundation so that we fully achieve the art, purity, grace and grandeur we seek. In January 2016, we are going to give La Mirada audiences a show the likes they have NEVER seen. Years from now they will be talking about how they saw Empire before it became the next great Broadway musical!

Winner of 6 Tony Awards Including BEST MUSICAL!

DREAMGIRLS

March 25 - April 17, 2016 (Press Opening March 26)

Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen

Music by Henry Krieger

Directed and Choreographed by Bobby Longbottom

CATCH THE DREAM! Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, the sensational new production of Dreamgirls tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s girl singing group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy® Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony® and Grammy® Award winner Tom Eyen, Dreamgirls features the unforgettable hits: "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "One Night Only" and "Listen." This Tony and Academy Award winning musical sparkles like never before!

THE LITTLE MERMAID

June 3- June 26, 2016 (Press Opening June 4)

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Book by Doug Wright

Based on the Hans Christian Anderson story and the Disney film

Choreography by John McGinnis

Directed by Glenn Casale

In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Based on one of Hans Christian Anderson's most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and "Part of Your World."

BONUS OPTIONS!

ONSTAGE at LA MIRADA THEATRE

GREEN DAY'S

AMERICAN IDIOT

Music by Green Day

Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong

Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer

Choreography by Dana Solimando

Directed by Brian Kite

April 29 - May 15, 2016

Green Day's powerhouse album is brought to life in this electric-rock musical of youthful disillusion. The two-time Tony Award-winning hit musical American Idiot, based on Green Day's Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum album, boldly takes the American musical where it's never gone before. This high-octane show includes every song from Green Day's album American Idiot, as well as several songs from follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown.

Two Performances Only! Six-Time Grammy Award-Winning Superstar!

LEANN RIMES

May 21, 2016 - 2pm & 8pm

LeAnn Rimes is one of the most successful entertainers with a career spanning more than two decades. With forty-four million albums sold, two GRAMMY Awards, three Academy of Country Music Awards and 12 Billboard Music Awards, she has made her mark in the world of music. Unstoppable from the age of 11, LeAnn was the youngest person to ever win a GRAMMY Award and was the first country artist to win the GRAMMY Best New Artist. She has had 42 singles on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart and her version of "How Do I Live" is the second- longest charting song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart; the smash hit "Can't Fight the Moonlight" topped the charts in 11 countries.

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Subscriptions to this extraordinary season are now available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801. Single tickets will go on sale May 29, 2015 and will be available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at www.lamiradatheatre.com. LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, now in its fourth decade, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California." This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been producing quality productions for its Southern California audiences since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of many accolades including Ovation and Emmy Awards and Tony Award nominations. Brian Kite is the theatre's Producing Artistic Director. The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue. Parking is theatre-adjacent and free.

Celebrating its 21st season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (MRE), is one of the world's premier theatrical production companies. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over ninety Broadway-caliber musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars working in the industry today.

In addition, MRE has launched several Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international and national touring productions including: Peter Pan, Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun, all starring Cathy Rigby; Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde starring American Idol star and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis along with Grammy Award nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox; Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian Bach; Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips and Happy Days written by Gary Marshall and Paul Williams. Since 1990, Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby has made four stops on Broadway, four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical. The A&E TV network premiere of "Peter Pan," starring Cathy Rigby, received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. MRE's other credits include numerous award-winning documentaries and stadium events.

Pictured: Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez in FIRST DATE on Broadway in 2013. Photo by Joan Marcus.

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