Presented by Valley Musical Theatre, the mounting of the Neil Simon-Marvin Hamlisch-Carole Bayer Sager musical will officially open Feb. 24. Dan Mojica directs the production with musical direction by John Randall. The limited engagement will play through March 11.
Lewis and Waara star in the roles created on Broadway by, respectively, Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein. The actors are joined onstage by Chris Ciccarelli, Jay Donnell, Seana Harris, Geoffrey Kidwell, Shanon Mari Mills and Anna Perillo.
The creative team for They're Playing Our Song includes Brett J. Banakis (set design), Thomas G. Marquez (costume design), John E.D. Bass (lighting design) and Phil Allen (sound design).
They're Playing Our Song, according to press notes, is "based on the real-life relationship of composer Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Carole Bayer Sager. This charming and hilarious two hander is a story of what happens when opposites attract and are harmoniously brought together to compose life’s 'simple love song.'" The musical opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre in 1979; it received four Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Song titles include "I Still Believe in Love," "Just for Tonight," "If He really Knew Me," "Working it Out," "Falling" and the title tune.
Noted for her TV work on "NewsRadio," Lewis has appeared on Broadway in Damn Yankees and Chicago. Other stage credits include the short-lived Broadway musicals Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? and Wind in the Willows as well as Off-Broadway's I Can Get It For You Wholesale, The Crucible and the musical Snoopy (as Peppermint Patty). She can be seen in the films "Mouse Hunt" and "Pushing Tin" and heard (providing her voice) in "Finding Nemo," "Hercules" and "Rugrats." She also played Gloria Rasputin in the 1995 TV version of "Bye Bye Birdie." Scott Waara garnered a 1992 Tony Award for his work in the revival of The Most Happy Fella and starred in the Deaf West/Mark Taper Forum production of Big River as Mark Twain.
The El Portal Theatre is located at 5269 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, CA. For tickets call (866) 811-4111 or visit www.elportaltheatre.com.
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The 2007 Valley Musical Theatre season will also include Beehive (April 20-May 6), Baby (Sept. 21-Oct. 7) and Little Shop of Horrors (Nov. 30-Dec. 16).
