Sha Newman directs and choreographs the production, which features a book by C. Ben Wolfe. The cast features Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat's Kristen Howe, Cats' Alaine Kashian, Sister Act's Dawnn Lewis and The Marvelous Wondrettes' Kara Shaw. The company comprises Keith Bearden, Matthew Patrick Davis, Daniel Lujan, Gail Bianchi, Jessica Dorman, Michael Dotson, Terry Hanrahan, Eugene Barry-Hill, Ron Kellum, Mercy Malick, Samantha Mills, George Pelligrino and Staci Wilson.
Love Sweet Love, according to press notes, "tells the story of four contemporary Los Angeles women looking for love during the week leading up to Valentine's Day."
In a statement book writer Wolfe said, "Bacharach-David's songs are the perfect vehicle for musical theatre. Each Hal David lyric is a wonderful, self-contained story about love – whether lost, found, dreamed about or realized. That's the sentiment that makes the Bacharach-David songbook so right for musical theatre. . . . These songs are about people we know, people we can relate to. And the feelings are as real and relevant now as they were in the 60's and 70's when Burt and Hal wrote their biggest hits. That's why I set the production in present time. These lyrics work now and always."
Theatregoers can expect to hear such Bacharach and David songs as "Always Something There to Remind Me," "Do You Know The Way to San Jose," "One Less Bell To Answer," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "Say A Little Prayer," "The Look of Love," "Close to You," "Walk on By," "What The World Needs Now" and "What’s New Pussycat."
The creative team also includes Lloyd Cooper (musical direction/orchestrations/ arrangements), Bradley Kaye (set design), Thomas G. Marquez (costume design), Stephen Young (lighting design), Mark Ciglar (video design) and Mark Cowburn (sound design). Love Sweet Love will make its world premiere at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, AZ, Nov. 20. The production will then play the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Nov. 30-Dec. 2 before arriving at Thousand Oaks.
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks, CA. Tickets, priced $40-$90, are available by calling (805) 583-8700. For more information visit www.lovesweetlovethemusical.com.
