Colony Theatre in rehearsal for ‘Inside the Music’
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
For those waiting to hear, The Colony Theatre Company’s fifth and
final production of the season is the Los Angeles premiere of “Donna
McKechnie: Inside the Music.”
McKechnie appeared on Broadway in the Theatre Guild’s production
of Rodgers and Hammer- stein’s “State Fair,” for which she was
nominated for a Drama Desk Award and received the Fred Astaire Award
for Best Female Dancer. She is best known for her Tony Award-winning
(Best Actress in a Musical) performance as Cassie in “A Chorus
Line.”
“Inside the Music” relates humorous and touching events in the
dancer’s life as she struggles to find fame as a Broadway dancer. The
play also salutes the people who helped her rise to the top,
including Bob Fosse, Leonard Bernstein and Fred Astaire. The text was
written by acclaimed playwright Christopher Durang and based on
original material by McKechnie.
It opens April 12 and runs through May 11 at Burbank Center Stage,
555 N. Third St. For reservations, call 558-7000.
The Colony’s next production is “Fuddy Meers,” the off-Broadway
hit comedy that launched the career of playwright David
Lindsay-Abaire. It tells the story of Claire, an amnesiac who awakens
each morning not knowing anything about who or where she is. She ends
up being kidnapped by one husband and pursued by another.
Directing is David Rose, who also directed “Bea[u]tiful in the
Extreme” and “Our Country’s Good,” which received six Ovation
nominations.
The production does contain strong language and is recommended for
mature audiences only.
Tickets are $22 to $28 and can be reserved by calling 558-7000. It
opens Feb. 8, but a special performance Feb. 7 will benefit the Boys
and Girls Club of Burbank. There will be a raffle, hors d’ouvres and
no-host bar with festivities beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and
can be reserved by calling 842-9333.
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A family friendly evening is planned for the Feb. 8 free concert
of the Burbank Philharmonic in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn,
Hollywood Hills.
Maestro Steven Kerstein will conduct the orchestra for the “Music
for the Family: Lone Ranger and Beyond!” featuring classics such as
Rossini’s “William Tell Overture.”
Also, the composer in residence, Cary Belling, will premiere his
new work, “Ripples in the Fabric of Space/Time.”
As part of the Orchestra’s Youth Outreach Program, the concert
will showcase a finalist of last year’s Young Artist Competition,
Jakub Obsky, in a solo performance.
Another bonus is selected music students from Burbank and John
Burroughs high schools will perform on stage with the orchestra.
And, for the first time, the Outreach Program is extending into
the classroom as art students will interpret Mussogsky’s Pictures at
an exhibition. The student’s artwork will be displayed in the Hall of
Liberty prior to the concert and will be judged by orchestra board
member Rodney Wayne Caro, senior designer, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Certificates will be awarded for Best Overall, Most Creative and
Best Execution. Winners will be recognized that evening.
Forest Lawn is at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive.
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Marilyn Malkov Stein of Burbank will join nine other artists of
Artist Co-Op 7 in their group show “10 of H’Arts” throughout February
at the Viva Gallery in Northridge.
After a long career in advertising, Stein has returned to her
passion of painting, choosing subject matter ranging from abstract
figures to whimsical landscapes.
She works in oils or acrylic, and became intrigued by the human
figure while taking life drawing classes. She prefers painting
landscapes, she said, because they make her happy.
The Viva Gallery is at 8516 Reseda Blvd., Northridge. A reception
will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 8. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to
4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is free. The show continues throughout February. For more
information, call 576-0775.
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“Snow Queen” has been extended until Feb. 16 at The Falcon Theatre. The winter-themed production for the whole family is
performed at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays.
Magic hangs in the air when the Snow Queen comes to town and
transforms balmy Los Ange- les into a snowy winter wonder- land. Now
she has only a short time to take Emma, Alexander, and the whole
audience on a musical adventure through L.A. to show them that,
though winter comes and goes, “Love Lasts Forever.”
Tickets are $10. The theater is at 4252 Riverside Drive, in
Burbank. For reservations, call 955-8101.
* JOYCE RUDOLPH’s column appears Wednesdays. For events happening
this weekend, read her 48 Hours column Saturdays. Reach her at
637-3241.