LOUIS & KEELY Celebrates 200th Performance Tonight 9/18; Announces 6th Extension
By: Gabrielle Sierra Sep. 18, 2009
On the heels of tonight's show, which marks Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara's 200th performance in the Audrey Skirball Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, the cast of the hit musical announces its sixth extension. The toe-tapping musical will take a brief hiatus for the Geffen's one-week run of Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car, which will be in the Audrey from Sept 29 - Oct 4; Louis & Keely will resume on Oct 6 and run through Sunday, Nov 1.
Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, created by Jake Broder and Vanessa Claire Smith, will extend following a series of sold-out runs as well as the success of their recently released audio CD. Helmed by acclaimed Hollywood director/biographer Taylor Hackford, the current production is a revamped version of Broder and Smith's 2008 show. While the creative team is tweaking the show for a future tour, the extension performances will be the same production that has been playing at the Geffen Playhouse since March 2009. Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara follows the life and love of Las Vegas' infamous onstage couple, also played by the show's creators Broder and Smith, respectively.
Nick Cagle and Erin Matthews play various other characters in the couple's story, including Old Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. In addition to the four actors, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara features a seven-piece live jazz band that brings down the house as the orchestra for the play and as well as Louis Prima's Vegas band ‘The Witnesses.'
With lauded reviews from the local media and a near sweep of the highest honor at every major Los Angeles theater awards ceremony - Best Musical at the Ovation Awards, Best Production at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, Best Production at the Garland Awards and Musical of the Year at the LA Weekly Theater Awards - Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara continues to play to packed houses.
LOUIS & KEELY LIVE AT THE SAHARA
By Jake Broder & Vanessa Smith
Directed by Taylor Hackford
Runs Through: Sunday, November 1, 2009
Cast (Alphabetical order)
Jake Broder Louis Prima Nick Cagle Frank Sinatra, Leon Prima
Vanessa Claire Smith Keely Smith Erin Matthews Mrs. Keely, Louis' third wife, Various Prima dames
Crystal Keith Keely Smith u/s, Female Swing
Michael Lanahan Louis Prima u/s, Male Swing
Design Team
Choreography Vernel Bagneris
Set / Projection Design Joel Daavid
Lighting Design Anne Militello
Sound Design Lindsay Jones
Costume Design Melissa Bruning
Production Stage Manager Young Ji
Musicians
Colin Kupka Sam Butera / Saxophone
Richard Levinson Pee Wee / Piano
Nate Light Eddie / Bass
Paul Litteral Hollywood / Trumpet
Dan Sawyer Doc / Guitar, Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo
Michael L. Solomon Rocco / Drums
Brian Wallis Jimmy / Trombone
Performance Schedule
Monday No performances
Tuesday - Friday 8:00pm
Saturday 3:00pm; 8:00pm
Sunday 2:00pm; 7:00pm
Ticket Info
Tickets ($55 - $65) are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at geffenplayhouse.com, via credit card phone order at (310) 208-5454, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling Ticketmaster at (213) 480-3232.
Student rush tickets are available one hour prior to curtain for $15.
ABOUT THE Geffen Playhouse
The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert (Gil) Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Ken Novice and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information, please visit geffenplayhouse.com.
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