NOHO ARTS CENTER to Present Return of Original Musical YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S X-MAS!

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the return of its smash-hit, critically-acclaimed original musical, perfect for the whole family this holiday season, YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS, from the creative team that brought you Dorian, The Ghost and Mrs Muir and Lizard, music and lyrics by Scott DeTurk and James J. Mellon and written and directed by James J. Mellon. YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS will preview on Thursday, November 20 at 7:30pm. It opens on Friday, November 21 at 7:30pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, December 28 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

In this original holiday musical, it's up to a little seven-year-old girl named Eve to save Christmas for everyone! What will become of Christmas when Santa Claus and the citizens of the North Pole are kidnapped by a bunch of directionally challenged pirates? This wondrous new musical is destined to become a holiday tradition for you and your entire family for years to come! It will also be performed this season in Escondido!

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

James J. Mellon (Director/Choreographer) is the Artistic Director of The NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHoAce), the resident theatre company of the Center. His extensive background in the entertainment industry covers theatre, television, film, recording and dance. As a Director/Choreographer, Mr. Mellon recently staged the Broadway bound productions of Pest Control; The Musical and the workshop production of The Thief, for Canum Entertainment. He directed the World Premiere of his musicals, Yo Ho Ho, A Pirates Christmas and Lizard, based on the novel by Dennis Covington, Dorian, a contemporary adaptation of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" at the prestigious Buell Theatre, the crown jewel of The Denver Theatre Center and the West Coast Premiere at The NoHo Arts Center. He adapted and directed the World Premiere of the award-winning musical, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and last season he directed the critically-acclaimed world premiere production of Feed, a play workshopped and developed by Open at the Top at The NoHo Arts Center for which he received an LA Weekly nomination for direction. He created for the Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. the highly acclaimed ‘expanded' version of The Fantastiks, starring "Greater Tuna" stars Joe Sears and Jaston Williams. Mr. Mellon staged the New York workshop of his original musical, An Unfinished Song, as well as the subsequent Boston production at the Charles Playhouse and the West Coast Premiere at the Tiffany Theatre, which received a nomination for Musical of the Year. Mr. Mellon has been nominated for numerous Ovation Awards, an LA Weekly Award, a Garland Award and is the recipient of 4 ADA Awards for writing, directing and choreography.

Scott DeTurk (Composer/Lyricist) has co-written music and lyrics to the musicals: Dorian, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, A Boy Called Lizard, Insanity, The Right Step, Piano Player and Western Star. He has written music and lyrics to six musicals published by Pioneer Drams Services. He has written scripts for Time-Warner's "RBI Baseball" and "VirtuaRacing" along with scores for dozens of industrial, educational, sports and promotional films. Scott has received the Bay Area's Elly Award for musical direction. He has a degree in music composition from the University of Northern Colorado. Scott has been nominated for two Ovation Awards for his score to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and A Boy Called Lizard, an LA Weekly Award for Musical of the Year for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and he received the ADA Award and the Garland Award for his score to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

ABOUT THE CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

The cast of YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS features Rob Arbogast, Michael William Arnold, Daisy Bishop, Brad Blaisdell, Bonnie Cahoon, Johnny Cannizzaro, Francesca Chaney, Allie Costa, Tom DeTrinis, Jeff Elam, Melanie Ewbank, Janet Fontaine, Erica Hess, Alex Robert Holmes, Nora James Rose-Hines, Jeffrey Landman, Michael Lennox, Bonnie MacBird, J.R. Mangels, Darcy Jo Martin, Kathryn Percival, Holly Persell, Billie Puyear, Jennifer Richardson,
Jennessa Rose, Julianna Rose, Will Rose-Hines, Barbara Shane, Matthew Shane, Michael Craig Shapiro, Danielle Soibelman, Kailey Swanson, Abigail Victor and Jonathan Zenz.

The production has assembled an award-winning design team. The Set Design is by Lacey Anzelc (The Pirates of Penzance). The Lighting Design is by Ovation Award-winner Luke Moyer (Elizabeth Rex). The Sound Design is by Ovation Award nominee Jonathan Zenz (Elizabeth Rex). The Costume Design is by Shon LeBlanc (The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Women).

YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS will preview on Thursday, November 20 and will open on Friday, November 21 at 7:30pm. It will run for six weeks through Sunday, December 28. Performances are Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 3:00pm & 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in the heart of North Hollywood. Ticket prices are $25.00 for adults for all performances; $15 for kids aged 7-18; Children six and under get in for FREE (one per paying adult). Student/Senior Tickets and preview are $15. For tickets, please call 818-508-7101 x7 or visit www.thenohoartscenter.com.

There will also be several performances of YO HO HO! in Escondido on Sat. Dec. 6th at 4 & 7pm - (including a a Holiday tree lighting event with real snow from 5:30 - 6:30pm) and Sunday, Dec. 7th at 2 & 5pm at the California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025. For Tickets, please call 800-988-4253 or visit www.artcenter.org - Ticket Prices range from $22 - $27.

For further information or for press interviews, photos or press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at ELZERD@aol.com.

THE NOHO ARTS CENTER ENSEMBLE (NoHoACE - formerly OPEN AT THE TOP) was formed in 2004 by theatre veterans James J. Mellon and Kevin Bailey. NOHO ACE is the Center's resident company and now numbers over 60 actors, directors and writers who passionately fulfill their vision statement, "Theatre for its own sake." In its first season, OPEN AT THE TOP produced 2 World Premiere Musicals, THE GHOST & MRS. MUIR as well as the West Coast Premiere of the musical DORIAN, both parts of ANGELS IN AMERICA, the Los Angeles Premiere of Seth Greenland's JERUSALEM, and 7 evenings of 24 HOURS OF MADNESS, whereby it produces six fifteen minute plays in 24 hours. Their second season brought the hit musical production of BARNUM, the critically acclaimed ELIZABETH REX and the World Premiere musical LIZARD. This past season OATT presented the World Premiere of FEED, a play written by OATT Founding Member Jim Lunsford and directed by Artistic Director James J. Mellon as well as presenting the West Coast Premiere of the New York hit musical revue, BUSH IS BAD, THE MUSICAL. In their first three years, OPEN AT THE TOP has received 17 Ovation Award nominations; 3 LADCC Award nominations; 2 Garland Awards and 10 Garland nominations; 2 LA WEEKLY Award nominations; 6 ADA Awards and 12 ADA Award nominations.

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