Pasadena Playhouse to Welcome Mary Bridget Davies, Joey Luft & Henson Alternative's PUPPET UP! for SUMMER AT THE PLAYHOUSE, 7/10-26

The Pasadena Playhouse presents SUMMER AT THE PLAYHOUSE - Music, Mayhem and Madness, three exciting productions playing this July. A Judy Garland Concert with Joey Luft features Judy Garland's son Joey Luft making a rare public appearance (July 10-13) followed by PLAYHOUSE ROCKS! with Tony Nominee Powerhouse MARY BRIDGET DAVIES, a Tony Award nominee for A Night With Janis Joplin which was presented last season at The Pasadena Playhouse and was the venue's highest grossing show in its history (July 17-20). The month will end with Henson Alternative's PUPPET UP! - UNCENSORED created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow with The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers (July 24-26). The Playhouse continues its tradition of distinctive and entertaining summer programming.

Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse said "We are very pleased to bring this eclectic series of offerings to our stage for the summer weeks just ahead. We hope that this programming will bring summer evenings of delight to our loyal audiences, and to those drawn to our theatre for the first time by these dynamic presentations."

Elizabeth Doran, Executive Director of The Pasadena Playhouse said, "Summer is a time for relaxation and fun, and it is a thrill to have this diverse mash of summer entertainment in place to reflect that. It's a way for us to continue to make The Pasadena Playhouse a cultural center for our diverse community. "

A Judy Garland Concert with Joey Luft Through D5 Digital Cinema and re-mastered Dolby Sound, the incomparable performer returns to the screen. Experience Judy's dynamic life in song as she performs her greatest hits, in color for the first time on the big screen, including "Stormy Weather," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "After You've Gone," and "By Myself." Joey Luft will share stories of his mother's personal life and career along with John Kimble, longtime associate of Judy's husband and manager, Sid Luft.

Judy Garland gave her greatest performances on television when she was at the top of her legendary, superstar best. This stellar collection of her most requested songs are chosen from her 1963-64 "The Judy Garland Show." On exhibit will be rare, never-before-seen photos of Judy's life and career along with Michael Siewert's collection of costumes from many of her classic film roles.

A Q and A will follow the show. A John Kimble and Philip Sandhaus Production.

Mary Bridget Davies--Tony Award nominee for A Night With Janis Joplin, which was presented last season at The Pasadena Playhouse--will offer a special PLAYHOUSE ROCKS! with Tony Nominee Powerhouse MARY BRIDGET DAVIES featuring additional world-class musicians and surprise guests for a wild evening. Davies will perform specific selections from several artists. The iconic guitarist Wayne Kramer will music direct PLAYHOUSE ROCKS! with Tony Nominee Powerhouse MARY BRIDGET DAVIES. Kramer is founder of the pioneering Detroit rock group MC5, known for their powerful live performances and radical left wing political stance. With a new record Lexington at #6 on the national jazz charts this May, and as composer on a feature film and network TV series, Kramer is as prolific as he is diverse. The event's co-music director and Kramer's right-hand man will be Carl Restivo, guitarist for Tom Morello's Nightwatchman group and Perry Farrell's Satellite Party.

Following highly successful 2013 seasons in both Edinburgh and Toronto, the grown-ups wing of The Jim Henson Company hit Australia in 2014 with PUPPET UP! - UNCENSORED their live show that lets loose the perilous and provocative elements of comedy on stage with a bunch of fine-looking puppets. A night of major laughs, not for minors.

A sell-out hit at the 2007 Melbourne Comedy Festival, Henson puppeteers are unleashed in this live, outrageous and very spontaneous show, featuring over 60 original Jim Henson puppets - a motley group of characters brought to life by a cast of six world-class puppeteers of The Jim Henson Company in a night of off the cuff comedy.

Created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor, director, and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow (Ellen, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), PUPPET UP! - UNCENSORED invites audiences to witness the other side of The Jim Henson Company and what happens when the camera stops rolling.

This production delivers "two shows in one" as the hilarious puppet action is projected live on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers race around below - displaying their skills in full view of the audience. Its Whose Line Is It Anyway meets Saturday Night Live meets The Jim Henson Company. This 'psychotic puppet party' features a few recreations of classic pieces originally created by Jim Henson, Jane Henson, and Frank Oz that haven't been seen by live audiences in decades.
Sometimes dark, certainly innovative, and always hilarious, the scenes in PUPPET UP! reiterate the marvelous possibilities of puppets in the hands of masters like these. Each PUPPET UP! show is a unique experience due to its spontaneous nature - and each performance is different, showcasing the wit, technique, and that trademark Henson dryness and sly anarchy.

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