Paul Provenza, Brian Cousins, Magda Harout, Robin Riker and Sybyl Walker head the cast of Joe DiPietro's The Kiss at City Hall,, which will have its West Coast premiere at Pasadena Playhouse, Jan. 16-Feb. 20. Previews begin Jan. 7 for the show, which is directed by Joel Bishoff.

DiPietro has two long-running Off-Broadway hits still running in New York, the musical revue I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and the comedy, Over the River and Through the Woods. The latter show is also playing at The Actors' Alley in Los Angeles. DiPietro has also written the book and lyrics for two new musicals: Men and O. Henry's Lovers, both of which have debuted regionally. He has also penned the book to the "new" Gershwin musical They All Laughed, which will premiere next season. Come February, DiPietro will start work on a new musical incorporating songs made famous by Elvis Presley.

According to the Pasadena Playhouse press office, The Kiss at City Hall is set in Paris in the 50s, "when photographer Robert Doisneau captured the image of a young man and woman who, oblivious to the flow of pedestrians around them, stop and steal a passionate kiss." The truth of that immortalized moment of love and romance frames DiPietro's comic investigation of love and romance in the 90s.

Bishoff directed the original production of I Love You, You're Perfect, as well as further reincarnations of the show regionally and abroad. He has directed opera as well and mounted the touring production of The Sound of Music, starring Marie Osmond. Provenza, who started his career doing stand-up comedy, is best known for becoming a late-season addition to the cast of TV's "Northern Exposure."

Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave. For tickets and information call Telecharge at (800) 233-3123 or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent