Amid high demand, Colony Theatre extends run of current production
Despite the uncertainty that’s come with being on rocky financial footing over the last year, Burbank’s Colony Theatre is extending its season to meet unexpected demand for their hit musical “Falling For Make Believe.”
The musical, which tells the life story of songwriter Lorenz Hart and features songs he wrote with Richard Rodgers, was originally scheduled to run four weeks, ending on Sunday, but due to demand, it will return to the 270-seat theater on June 6 and run to the end of the month.
Creative Director Barbara Beckley said the theater had already sold 5,433 tickets to the show, and that, given the response, the troupe would continue production as long as they can.
“We have commitments from the cast and everybody through the end of June, but we would love to run through the summer,” she said. “The entire run, the reviews have been sensational, word of mouth has spread like wildfire.”
“Falling For Make Believe” has already brought in more than the nearly $40,000 in ticket sales, according to the theater, topping the total garnered by “The Morini Strad,” which Beckley said in January was the theater’s biggest hit in almost three years.
Obstacles remain for the theater, however, which is hoping to raise around $500,000 to launch its next season and establish an endowment.
Beckley said that although the theater had managed to raise enough money to finish this season, its future was still murky.
“My nightmare was leaving subscribers holding tickets they couldn’t use,” she said. “We’re still here, we’re still alive and we have faith that we will prevail.”
-- Daniel Siegal, daniel.siegal@latimes.com
Follow on Google+ and on Twitter: @Daniel_Siegal.
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