REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND Close at Mt. Hollywood Theatre 9/4

Writer/director Fletcher Rhoden's World Premiere stage musical, REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND, will play at the Mt. Hollywood Theater July 9 through September 4 on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm.

REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND is the backstage story of the making of television's first great sitcom. It reveals, as stated in the song's opening number "Love Is a Comedy" all "the sorrow and rage, the lies and the sin" behind America 's most iconic foursome. And what this love inspired was one of the great comedy works of art ever produced.

The two-act musical features over a dozen new songs by the acclaimed Rhoden, whose tunes have been called, "Immensely hummable" and "Music you could dance to all night long" by Music Connection, New Times Los Angeles and other popular publications.

In this musical romp, the decade-long association of four actors is examined through musical styles of the day. The courageous but tragic Redhead (Joan Elizabeth Kennedy) delivers a heartbreaking operatic ballad "Stay" while the tomcatting Cuban (Derek Rubiano) boasts of his cultural womanizing in the bossa-nova flavored "Ladies Man" which features a Spanish guitar solo. The Hausfrau (Jodi Skeris) and Husband (Michael-Anthony Nozzi) square off in a jaunty battle of wits, not to mention the ole' soft shoe, in the vaudeville-esque "Wives." Fifties rockers Bo Diddley and The Beach Boys echo in the soundtrack's influences ("Work This Out" and "One Night In Malibu") while "American Train" reverberates with the spirit of Johnny Cash.

The 90-minute musical charts their friendships and conflicts through the run of the popular television show, highlighting the rocky marriage of the show's leads, in particular the Redhead's struggle to keep the union -- and the show -- together. Kennedy (Sex, Relationships, and Sometime...Love; Seven Deadly Sins) anchors the piece with her soulful rendering of the long-suffering but determined Redhead, against an equally strong and supple-voiced Rubiano (Carousel, Li'l Abner). Improv specialist Skeris (Upright Citizens Brigade) is a swaggering and bawdy Hausfrau, handily going toe-to-toe with Kennedy as well as choreographer Nozzi's Husband. He plays and sings the gruff old screen actor with relish.

More than just a musical biography, Rhoden's script touches on issues of gender rights, world politics and immigration; as relevant in the middle of the twentieth century as they are today.

REDHEAD CUBAN HAUSFRAU HUSBAND is Rhoden's fourth stage play. His previous play, LAST TANGO WITH MARLON, about the friendship of actors Marlon Brando and Wally Cox (now on DVD) was hailed as "A theatrical dance to remember... funny and fast moving... comedically delicious... exquisite..." His historical novellas are equally well-reviewed, called, "Incredibly well written... thoughtful yet riveting from first page to last..." by Midwest Book Review and others.

Reservations recommended - call (323) 667-9113 to order your tickets in advance. For more information, visit www.fletcherrhoden.com/redheadcubanhausfrauhusband.

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