"American Idol" Finalist to Star in L.A. Beehive

By Andrew Gans
August 15, 2006

LaToya London, who was a finalist on the fourth season of the hit FOX-TV series "American Idol," will star in an upcoming production of Beehive at the El Portal Theatre.

Directed by Nick DeGruccio with choreography by Lee Martino, Beehive will play the North Hollywood venue Sept. 24-Oct. 8. London will be joined onstage by Stacy Francis, Kathleen Hennessey, Tricia Kelly, Sylvia MacCalla and Lesli Margherita.

The creative team also includes Philip G. Allen (sound design), Steven Young (lighting design), Scott Lane (costume design) and Jim Vukovich (musical director-conductor-pianist).

Beehive was a hit Off-Broadway in the eighties, playing 600 performances at Top of the Gate, March 30, 1986-Aug. 23, 1987. Created by Larry Gallagher, the musical featured six women: Pattie Darcy, Alison Fraser, Jasmine Guy, Adriane Leno, Laura Theodore and Cookie Watkins.

The musical revue boasts such sixties hits as "My Boyfriend's Back," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "I Hear a Symphony," "Judy's Turn to Cry" and "Don't Sleep in the Subway."

The El Portal Theatre is located at 5269 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, CA. Tickets, priced $30-$45, are available by calling (866) 811-4111 or by visiting www.valleymusicaltheatre.com or www.elportaltheatre.com.