THE SOUND OF MUSIC Comes to La Mirada in April

La Mirada will present The Sound of Music beginning in April! The show stars Diane Phelan (Broadway: The King and I & South Pacific at Lincoln Center) as "Maria," Christopher Carl (Broadway: South Pacific at Lincoln Center, Mamma Mia!) as "Captain von Trapp," and Grammy nominee Suzanna Guzmán (The King and Iwith Yul Brynner, Bizet's Carmen) as "Mother Abbess."

The Sound of Music features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by "The Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp, musical direction by Dennis Castellano, choreography by Arthur L. Ross and direction by Glenn Casale.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC will preview on Friday, April 22 at 8 pm & Saturday, April 23 at 2 pm (with a press opening on Saturday, April 23 at 8 pm) and will run through Sunday, May 15, 2022 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

This spirited, romantic and unforgettable musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will thrill audiences with its Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning Best Score. Unforgettable songs include "My Favorite Things," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Edelweiss," "Do-Re-Mi," and the iconic title song, all performed by a live 17-piece orchestra!

Children (3+) and adults will re-discover the inspiring story of family, faith, joy and courage in turbulent times - all to songs we know and love. Celebrate Rodgers and Hammerstein's most famous musical for an extraordinary and unforgettable theatrical experience!

"When you're doing THE SOUND OF MUSIC, you want the SOUND to be first-rate," says Producing Artistic Director BT McNicholl. "And that's what we'll deliver with a lush orchestra of 17 professional musicians and our new state-of-the-art sound system. Starting in 2019, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts began to overhaul the acoustics in the theatre for the first time in over 40 years. Custom-made acoustic panels were mounted on the walls of our historic theatre, and now, at last, the finishing touch: we have them installed throughout the orchestra pit! Once you add the Broadway-caliber speakers - carefully tuned by master audio technician Phil Allen (Phantom of the Opera) and our own resident sound wizard Josh Bessom - plus top-of-the-line microphones, a brand-new soundboard, and even a special booth for our drummer, you'll find that the SOUND of music at La Mirada Theatre has never been better!"

Glenn Casale (Director) has had a long history of working at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. He has directed over 75 productions at the theatre, with his first being 1986's Children of a Lesser God under producer Herb Rogers. Mr. Casale was La Mirada Theatre's resident director from 1988 - 1993. He has enjoyed a long collaboration with McCoy Rigby Entertainment, having directed at least one show in every season for the past two decades. Broadway: Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (Tony Award nomination for Best Revival, filmed by A&E and garnering two Emmy Awards). Off-Broadway: The Property Known as Garland starring Adrienne Barbeau, Dragapella at Studio 54 (Drama Desk & Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Best Production). National Tour Credits: Disney's The Little Mermaid, Camelot starring Michael York, Rachel York and Lou Diamond Phillips, for McCoy Rigby Entertainment. International: Disney's The Little Mermaid: Moscow, Netherlands and now in its 7th year in Japan, The Wiz (Netherlands) and Disney's Beauty and the Beast(Paris, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Moscow, Spain, Italy) which was named the Netherlands' 2006 Musical of the Year and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as that country's highest-grossing musical. In Hamburg, he directed the world premiere of Ich War Noch Niemals in New York. Regional credit: Ballroom with Tyne Daly and Charles Durning; Lanie Robertson's Stringbean starring Leslie Uggams, Wrestlers starring Mark Harmon, George Clooney and Gina Hecht; Ken and Mitzi Welch's From the Top and Company starring Carol Burnett. For Broadway Sacramento he directed some 60 productions including: Scarlet Pimpernel, Triumph of Love, 1776, Into the Woods, Gypsy, and A Little Night Music. For Reprise! he directed Tony Danza in Fiorello!, Patrick Cassidy in The Threepenny Opera, and the Los Angeles Ovation Award-winning Best Musical Anything Goes starring Rachel York, Brent Barrett, Sally Struthers and Fred Willard. His television directing credits include "The Faculty" starring Meredith Baxter and "The Wayans Brothers."

Arthur L. Ross (Choreographer) from Costa Mesa, CA is an Adjunct Faculty Member at Cypress College in the Theatre and Dance Department as a Musical Theatre Director & Choreographer. He is a vocalist at the Disneyland Resort for Holidays & Special Events, as well as in the greater Los Angeles area. Arthur is a proud member of AGVA, A.E.A., I.A.T.S.E. and overjoyed to be joining the SDC. He has an M.F.A. degree in Acting from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a B.A. degree in Communications specializing in directing/choreography from Bowling Green State University.

Dennis Castellano (Musical Director/Conductor) For La Mirada Theatre & McCoy Rigby Entertainment: Dreamgirls, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mary Poppins, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, My Fair Lady, Grease, Annie, Guys & Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Musical Supervisor/Director for Broadway Sacramento Music Circus: Shrek, The Drowsy Chaperone, In the Heights, Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act, Hair, Sweeney Todd, La Cage aux Folles, and Show Boat. South Coast Repertory: The Light in the Piazza, Ordinary Days, Putting it Together, A Little Night Music, and Sunday in the Park with George. Musical Theatre West: Something Rotten, Catch Me if You Can, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Elf, Bright Star, White Christmas, Holiday Inn, South Pacific, Oklahoma!, Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie and The King and I.

The Cast of THE SOUND OF MUSIC features Diane Phelan as "Maria," Christopher Carl as "Captain von Trapp," Suzanna Guzmán as "Mother Abbess," Roland Ponce Rusinek as "Max," Joanne Javien as "Elsa," Kevin Symons as "Franz," Cory Lingner as "Rolf," Jenna Lea Rosen as "Liesl," Weston Bagley as "Friedrich," Erin Choi as "Marta," Kayla Anjali as "Gretl," Alma Marian as "Brigitta," Ashley Gallo as "Louisa," Oliver Stewart as "Kurt," Gordon Goodman as "Herr Zeller," Janna Cardia as "Sister Sophia," Linda Griffin as "Sister Margaretta" and Jennifer Leigh Warren as "Sister Berthe."

The Ensemble features (in alphabetical order): Elizabeth Campbell, Chelle Denton, Grant Hodges, Adam Lendermon, Carter Michael, Monika Peña, Brad Rupp and Erica Schaeffer.

The Design Team for THE SOUND OF MUSIC is as follows: Scenic Design by Adam Koch; Lighting Design by Jared Sayeg; Sound Design by Josh Bessom; Costume Design by Deborah Roberts (Provided by Music Theatre Wichita); Costume Supervisor Adam Ramirez; Hair/Wig/Makeup Design by Kaitlin Yagen; Properties Coordinator Kevin Williams. The Casting Director is Julia Flores; "Nun Choir" Casting Coordinator is Lindsay Brooks. The Production Stage Manager is Jill Gold.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC will preview on Friday, April 22 at 8 pm & Saturday, April 23 at 2 pm (with a press opening on Saturday, April 23 at 8 pm) and will run through Sunday, May 15 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays at 8 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm & Sundays at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. There will be an added performance on Thursday, May 12 at 1 pm.

There will be an Open-Captioned performance on Saturday, May 7 at 2 pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, May 12 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets range from $14 - $79 (prices subject to change) and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre's website, www.lamiradatheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Group discounts are available. $15 Student Tickets are available. Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.

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