Santa Barbara Company Gets Rights to Wasserman Musical

The Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera has corralled the first performance rights to “Western Star,” a new musical by Dale Wasserman, company representatives announced at a news conference yesterday.

In “Western Star,” Wasserman, who wrote “Man of La Mancha” and the stage adaptation of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” brandishes his signature themes of rebellion, idealism and the search for identity amid the birth of a new town in the Old West.

The opening of “Western Star” in February, 1995, will mark a trailblazing world premiere for the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, which has specialized in revivals of popular Broadway musicals.

In addition to “Western Star,” the company’s 1994-95 stable will include “Hello, Dolly,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “South Pacific” and, to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary season, a return engagement of “42nd Street,” in hopes the droves will return for the most widely attended show in SBCLO history.

Spurred by demands from early planners, season subscriptions (ranging from $85 to $145) are available now at the Granada Theatre box office in Santa Barbara or through the company’s toll-free number at (800) 366-6064.