Musical Theatre Guild Reveals The 2023-2024 Season Featuring FOLLIES and THE WEDDING SINGER

Musical Theatre Guild, a Southern California theatre institution for over a quarter century, proudly announces the season of mainstage one-night-only shows for the 2023-2024 season, and a new home as well. FOLLIES, Stephen Sondheim's classic 1971 musical reflecting the collapse of American innocence and naivete in the post-Kennedy years, will take place on Sunday, October 1st, 2023. THE WEDDING SINGER, the hilarious 1980s musical based on the hit Adam Sandler film, will follow on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Both productions will take place at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA. Tickets for both shows are available online at musicaltheatreguild.com.

A true theatrical event, FOLLIES is surreal, sophisticated, compelling, heart wrenching and epic in scope. Musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim and author James Goldman combine to tell the story of a reunion of ex-Follies performers in a crumbling theatre, setting the stage for a parade of brilliant pastiche numbers, including "Losing My Mind," "I'm Still Here" and "Broadway Baby." Amid the reminiscing, two middle-aged couples confront some unpleasant truths about their past, their present, and the stark reality of their future. The winner of seven Tony Awards, FOLLIES has attained mythic status through the years, and its' score is considered one of the finest in all musical theatre.

The year is 1985. The place is New Jersey. A wannabe rock star (aka a professional wedding singer) is left at the altar in THE WEDDING SINGER, based on the popular Adam Sandler film, and adapted for the stage by the writers of Broadway's THE PROM. Heartbroken and hostile, Robbie Hart makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. As luck would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and, unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever. THE WEDDING SINGER, with music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room.

FOLLIES and THE WEDDING SINGER will perform at the beautiful Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, part of the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, in Santa Monica. The venue is a modern, state-of-the-art theatre, housed in a striking architectural landmark. The theatre seats 538, features outstanding sound acoustics, easily accommodates ADA audience members, and features plentiful free parking right outside the theatre. Musical Theatre Guild's concert performances and script-in-hand staged readings will match perfectly with the venue's warm, intimate aesthetic.

"The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at Santa Monica College offers Musical Theatre Guild the opportunity to write a new, exciting chapter in our history," says Shannon Warne, Guild member who serves on the organization's governing Executive Committee. "Our company is member-driven, led by performers, and our unique, upscale evenings will have an equally distinctive home at the Performing Arts Center."

Musical Theatre Guild is populated by many of Southern California's finest Musical Theatre performers, many with Broadway and touring credits. They come together for a 25-hour rehearsal period with the express purpose of bringing to life Broadway's forgotten gems, lesser-known shows, and musicals that are rarely performed in the community.

"FOLLIES continues Musical Theatre Guild's tradition of presenting the shows you will struggle to find anywhere else," continues Shannon Warne. "The combination of FOLLIES with the 80s rockin' good time of THE WEDDING SINGER will welcome new and returning Guild's audiences to the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage!"

Concurrent with the two mainstage productions, Musical Theatre Guild will soon announce other performance and fundraising events for the 2023-2024 season, to complement the announced shows. In addition, the Guild's student outreach programs will continue, expanding into the Westside community, bringing local high school students to the live theatre performances, as well as offering mentorships to theatre students who shadow theatre professionals behind the scenes of the productions. Musical Theatre Guild is committed to inspiring and developing the next generations of theatre artists and audiences.

With a new venue and community to call home, and two exciting new productions ahead, Musical Theatre Guild launches a memorable 2023-2024 season that will continue to please the Guild's fan base, while discovering a new, passionate audience. Be part of the exciting new journey with Musical Theatre Guild's FOLLIES and THE WEDDING SINGER at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Eli and Edythe Broad Stage!

FOLLIES performs on Sunday, October 1, 2023, and THE WEDDING SINGER performs on Sunday, March 10, 2024, both at 7:00PM. Both performances take place at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, located at 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA. Tickets are on sale now, with prices ranging from $39-$69. Discounts and guaranteed seating available for those who purchase both shows. Tickets and season passes can be purchased online at www.musicaltheatreguild.com. Both productions will feature ASL access for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing patrons. Student Rush and Actors' Equity member discounts available at the box office on show day with appropriate ID.

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