Photos: First Look The Light In The Piazza at the Center Theater

Young love and secrets, set against the backdrop of the enchanting city of Florence, Italy, takes center stage at California Center for the Arts, Escondido with the multi-award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza from June 17-25 in the Center Theater. Produced by CCAE Theatricals, with a book by Craig Lucas and music and lyrics by Adam Guettel. Kari Hayter will direct. Tickets are available online at www.artcenter.org

Take a first look at the pre-production shots below!

The CCAE Theatricals' cast includes Nancy Snow Carr* (The Last Goodbye, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Old Globe), Phantom of the Opera, The Buddy Holly Story (National Tour) as Margaret Johnson; Madison Claire Parks* The Fantasticks, The Baker's Wife (Theatre Row) South Pacific (Plaza Broadway) Oklahoma (North Shore Music Theatre) as Clara Johnson; Nigel Huckle* Les Misérables (National Tour), South Pacific (Utah Shakespeare Festival), Miss Saigon (Midtown Arts Center) The Soldier in Crossing (Signature Theater) as Fabrizio Naccarelli; John LaLonde* 42nd Street, My Fair Lady, The Drowsy Chaperone (Candlelight Pavilion), Man of La Mancha (Welk Resorts), Sweeney Todd (Lewis Family Playhouse) as Signor Naccarelli. The company includes Colden Lamb as Giuseppe Naccarelli, Melissa Musial as Franca Naccarelli, Debra Wanger as Signora Naccarelli, Tucker Boyes as Roy Johnson/Male Ensemble, Kelsey Ann Sutton as Tour Guide/Female Ensemble, Devin Collins as Priest/Male Ensemble, Maggie Randolph as Female Ensemble, Chase Lowary as Male Ensemble, Caroline Nelms as Female Ensemble, Ernesto Figueroa as Male Ensemble/Fabrizio US and Marisa Moenho as Female Ensemble/Clara US.

The design and creative team, includes Kari Hayter, director (Striking 12, Parade (Chance Theatre), Marry Me A Little (International City Theatre), Urinetown (Coeurage Theatre); Lisa LeMay, musical direction & conductor (Broadway/National Tour: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, A Bronx Tale, Avenue Q, Bring It On The Musical, Brooklyn-The Musical, Disney's The Little Mermaid, All Shook Up); Taylor Peckham, Associate Musical Director; Joe Holbrook, scenic design; Nick Van Houten, lighting design; Jon Fredette, sound design; Janet Pitcher, costume design; Peter Herman, wig design; Caitlin Muelder, dialect coach; Olivia Pence, assistant stage manager; Diane David, production stage manager; and Lindsay Brooks, casting.

"The Light in the Piazza is a unique story about human interaction in the world around us, our place in that world and our relationships with others. Our 2021-2022 Season is set around the theme of "Extraordinary Places. Extraordinary Circumstances," and The Light in the Piazza certainly fits that bill as the dramatic story is set in Florence, Italy. For Margaret and Clara, what begins as an ordinary vacation becomes an extraordinary journey that will forever change their relationship and love for one another. The heart of the story of Piazza is love and how the discovery of love and its many layers will affect each of our relationships. Whether those relationships are between brother and sister, mother and daughter, or true lovers, love exists in all forms. Although it may be found through ordinary experiences, love can always become something extraordinary. I am thrilled to welcome this extraordinary creative team to explore, design and bring the city of Florence to our stage in Escondido. Kari Hayter (Director) is a highly sought-after artist from the Orange County area and she teams up with Lisa LeMay (Musical Director), whose Broadway and National Tour credits are expansive. They have brilliantly put together an incredible design team and cast an astonishing company that follows on the heels of the critical success of Once," said CCAE Theatricals Artistic Director J. Scott Lapp.

Florence. Summer 1953. American Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara take in the wonder and awe of Florence. A fateful gust of wind whisks Clara's hat into the hands of a local dreamer Fabrizio Naccarelli... and it's amore at first sight. But Clara is not quite what she appears, and soon they must all confront a secret kept in the shadows for far too long.

The Light in the Piazza is generously sponsored by a matching grant from David T. and Dorris E. Staples Foundation.

Photo Credits: Ken Jacques.

To post a comment, you must register and login.