Ripley, Spirtas and More to Sing Songs of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

By Andrew Gans
October 3, 2007

Two's Company – An All-Star Event Celebrating The Songs of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz is the lengthy title of an upcoming benefit concert that will be presented Nov. 5 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA.

Produced and directed by Bruce Kimmel, the 7:30 PM concert will benefit the Los Angeles City College Theatre Alumni & Associates and the Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy.

Cindy Williams will host the evening, which will boast performances by Misty Cotton, Rita McKenzie, Michelle Nicastro, Linda Purl, Alice Ripley, Julie Reiber, Emily Rozak, Sara Rue, Kevin Spirtas, Alet Taylor, Andy Taylor, Terry Trotter and Bruce Vilanch.

Adam Cates will be the concert's choreographer with musical direction by Richard Berent. The one-night-only event will feature songs from such musicals as Wicked, Godspell, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pippin, The Magic Show, Rags and Little Shop of Horrors as well as the films "Newsies," "Pocahontas," "Little Shop of Horrors," "Aladdin" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

The show will be preceded by a silent auction at 6:30 PM. Items will include signed musical quotes from such composers as Stephen Sondheim, John Kander, Stephen Flaherty and Menken and Schwartz.

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Boulevard in Glendale. Tickets, priced $20-$250, are available by calling (818) 243-7700, ext. 216 or visiting www.alextheatre.org.