Pepperdine Theatre Presents Tony Award-Winning CRAZY FOR YOU

The Pepperdine University Fine Arts Division Theatre and Music Departments present the Tony Award-winning musical Crazy For You, The New Gershwin Musical, by George and Ira Gershwin with a book by Ken Ludwig, at 7:30 p.m.Thursdays through Saturdays, November 10 through November 19, with a matinee on Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m., at the Malibu campus' Smothers Theatre.

Tickets, priced at $20 for the public, $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, and $16 for Pepperdine faculty and staff, are available now by calling(310) 506-4522 or online at http://arts.pepperdine.edu/. More information: http://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/theatre-crazy-for-you.htm

Crazy for You won three Tony Awards in 1992, including the award for Best Musical. It follows the story of Bobby Child (Jalon Matthews), a would-be performer trapped in the life of a New York banker by his overbearing mother. On a business trip to Deadrock, Nevada, Bobby meets Polly Baker (Katy Semple), who just happens to be saddled with a worn-out theatre in need of repair. While it sounds like love at first sight, things quickly take the first of many hilarious, complicated turns. The show features a script by Ken Ludwig and a host of Gershwin hits including "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Embraceable You," "I've Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "But Not for Me," and many more.

Pepperdine Professor of Theatre Bradley Griffin directs the all-student cast which features Nate Bartoshuk, Alden Bettoncourt, Olive Biene, Chris Bozzini, Will Craig, Michael Doces, Julian Duncan, Mallory Erwin, Gabby Gonta, Fernando Grimaldo, Preston Hereford, Lauren Jennerjohn, Isabel Klein, Kate Klimist, Natalie Leonard, Annika Lile, Jalon Matthews, Gabi Meacham, Audrey McKee, Michael Mossucco, Sarah Roach, Brandon Ruiz, Evatt Salinger, Mathew San Jose, Katy Semple, and Angelo Silva.

"Working on Crazy for You this fall has been a high-octane thrill ride," says Professor Griffin. "This is one of the highest energy musicals that we have ever produced at Pepperdine, and the student cast members have met the challenges of the script head-on."

"This was a big undertaking and the cast stepped up completely," says Kelly Todd, Professor of Theatre and Dance at Pepperdine and choreographer for Crazy for You. "We had extra rehearsals because a number of these performers had never [tap danced] before and now they will be executing show-stopping numbers to amazing, classic American music the audience is sure to recognize. It's a glorious show that I am honored to have worked on, especially with these wonderful people."

"The entire production - from the original set and lighting designs to the Broadway-quality costumes to the lush orchestrations of the Gershwin score - will delight audience members of all ages," says Professor Griffin. "If you're coming to the show, you should wear your tap shoes, because you're going to feel like dancing in the aisles!"

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