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THE LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS
THE THIRD SHOW OF ITS 2013-2014 SEASON OF STARS!
A HOLIDAY MUSICAL PERFECT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
Book by Duane Poole
Based on the Short Story by Truman Capote
Music by Larry Grossman Lyrics by Carol Hall
Musical Direction by Darryl Archibald
Directed by Nick DeGruccio
Limited Engagement Opens Saturday, December 7
at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach!
November 6, 2013…Laguna Beach, CA…The Laguna Playhouse Executive and
Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are delighted to present a
heartwarming new musical based on Truman Capote’s classic short story, A
CHRISTMAS MEMORY, book by Duane Poole, music by Larry Grossman, lyrics
by Carol Hall, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Ovation
Award-winner Nick DeGruccio. “We are overjoyed to be presenting to our
subscribers and audiences the Southern California premiere of this heartwarming
and beautiful new musical,” offers Wood. “It’s the perfect holiday musical treat the
entire family can enjoy and fall in love with," adds Wareham. A CHRISTMAS
MEMORY will begin previews on Tuesday, December 3 and will open on Saturday,
December 7 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, December 29, 2013 at the Laguna
Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY is a tender portrait of a rare friendship across the
generations with a musical score that will bring love and light to everyone’s hearts
for the holiday season. Set in 1933 in rural Alabama, young Buddy is being raised
by three eccentric cousins. He is closest to his elderly cousin Sook, still a child
herself in many ways, and as Christmas nears, she and Buddy gather ingredients to
bake holiday fruitcakes for those who've had a memorable impact on their lives in
the past year. Sook’s sister Jennie is concerned that the time Buddy spends with
Sook will cause him to grow up soft. Enlisting the aid of their bachelor-brother
Seabon, she plots to separate the best friends for their own good.
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A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
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ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST
DUANE POOLE (Book) In addition to A Christmas Memory, Duane Poole has
written numerous theatrical projects including the musical Dorian (starring Bob
Cuccioli and Matt Cavanaugh) which had its world premiere at Denver’s Buell
Theatre, and Love Makes the World Go 'Round, featuring the songs of Bob Merrill,
which premiered at Arizona’s Phoenix Theatre in 2013. Upcoming is Beautiful
Poison, a gothic romance based on his screen adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s
“Rappaccini’s Daughter”, which has been commissioned by Seattle’s 5th Avenue
Theatre with a score by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda. He is currently
writing a new musical with composer Larry Grossman and lyricist Kellen Blair, and
movies for Disney and Hallmark. Along with a dozen other non-musical plays, as a
writer and producer in Hollywood, his credits include over fifty television movies,
series, and features, among which are the final two screen appearances of the
legendary Katharine Hepburn. For the animated musical, Michel's Bird, he wrote
the teleplay with songs by Michel Legrand. His film, Shattered Image, was an official
selection at the Venice, Montreal, and Toronto Film Festivals. He has written for
performers as varied as George Clooney, Cheyenne Jackson, Glenn Close, Anthony
Quinn, Gwen Verdon, Jack Lemmon, Michael Feinstein, Ginger Rogers, Fred
Flintstone and Johnny Depp.
CAROL HALL (Lyrics) received two Drama Desk awards for her score to THE
BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, a Grammy nomination for the cast
album, and an ASCAP “Most Performed Country Song” Award for Dolly Parton’s
recording of “Hard Candy Christmas” from the film. Other stage work includes
GOOD SPORTS, PAPER MOON, the Off-Broadway musical TO WHOM IT MAY
CONCERN, and individual songs for A…MY NAME IS ALICE and A…MY
NAME IS STILL ALICE. She also wrote the score for MAX AND RUBY, a
children’s musical which toured nationally for four years, and was a major
contributor to Marlo Thomas’ FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME (Emmy and gold
album) and its sequel FREE TO BE...A FAMILY, as well as writing for SESAME
STREET for ten years.
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Some artists who have performed her songs are Barbra Streisand, Olivia NewtonJohn, Tony Bennett, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Chita Rivera, Frederica von
Stade and Big Bird, among others. THE DAYS ARE AS GRASS, an evening of oneact plays, represents her first venture into non-musical theater writing, and was
recently published by Samuel French. She has been a Master Teacher at The
Cabaret Conference at Yale, and the Sundance Theatre Institute and is a Lifetime
Member of the Dramatists Guild Council and a TONY Voter. Her CD
“Hallways:The Songs of Carol Hall” is available on Amazon.com.
LARRY GROSSMAN (Music) is an award-winning composer, having written for
Broadway, television, film, concerts and cabaret. His Broadway credits
include: Minnie's Boys (The Marx Brothers Musical), Goodtime Charley, A Doll's
Life (Tony and Drama Desk nominations, written with Betty Comden and Adolph
Green and directed by Harold Prince), Grind (Tony and Drama Desk nominations,
also directed by Harold Prince), and Snoopy, The Musical, which is performed in six
languages and received an Olivier Award nomination for its London production.
He is currently at work on a new musical with a book by Duane Poole (his “A
Christmas Memory” collaborator) and lyrics by Kellen Blair. He has written
concert and cabaret material for numerous artists including Shirley MacLaine, Liza
Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Ann-Margret and Joel Grey. On Broadway, he composed
the incidental music for Play Memory and Arthur Kopit's End of the World (both
directed by Mr. Prince). Off-Broadway and Regional credits include Diamonds and
the musical version of Paper Moon. He served as Creative Consultant for the Tonywinning Elaine Stritch: At Liberty. For his work in television, he has received 6
Emmys, with a total of 17 nominations. In addition, he received a Peabody Award
for his contributions to The Muppet Show. He has written special Musical material
for over 100 network specials, including four Oscar telecasts, the Emmys and the
Tonys. His film credits include: Disney's Pocahontas 2: Journey Into A New
World and The Great Mouse Detective,Princess Diaries 2 and MGM's That's
Dancing (song scores). His songs have been recorded by artists ranging from Tony
Bennett and Lena Horne to David Bowie and Michael Jackson. His song “Gone Too
Soon”, written with Buz Kohan, was recorded by Jackson for his 'Dangerous'
album, which had sales of over 23,000,000 copies.
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A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
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NICK DeGRUCCIO (Director) is a multi-award winning director, coach and
teacher. Most recently he directed the LA Regional Premiere of Next To Normal at
La Mirada Theatre (8 2013 Ovation Nominations including Direction) and the
world premiere of The End Of It at the Matrix Theatre. His productions include:
The Laramie Project (Laguna Playhouse and Colony Theatre: LA premiere, Ovation
Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, Best Ensemble), Jekyll & Hyde (Cabrillo
Music Theatre: Ovation Award for Direction, 9 Ovation Nominations) and
1776 (Musical Theatre West and Performance Riverside: 5 LA Ovation Awards
including Direction and Best Musical), Putting It Together, A Year With Frog and
Toad (South Coast Repertory) Cinderella (The Ordway), My Way for La Mirada,
Man of La Mancha, RENT, West Coast Premiere of The Andrews Brothers (Musical
Theatre West), Guys and Dolls and The Andrews Brothers (Cabrillo MusicTheatre)
and the World Premiere of Caught (Zephyr Theatre). As the Artistic Director and
Founder of Havok Theatre Company he directed the LA Premieres of Dog Sees
God, Kiss of the Spider Woman (LA Ovation Award for Production), Thrill Me and
The Story Of My Life. LA Premieres: Side Show (8 Ovation Nominations including
direction and was voted One of the Top 10 Plays of 2002 by The Los Angeles Times),
The Spitfire Grill (Laguna Playhouse: OC Weekly Award Best Musical), Zanna,
Don’t! (West Coast Ensemble: LADCC Award for Direction), Bad Apples (Rubicon
Theatre: World Premiere Play), A Man Of No Importance and Andrew Lippa’s The
Wild Party (Musical Theatre Guild), Basic Training (2nd Stage: NAACP Nomination
for Direction). Ovation nominated productions: Side By Side By Sondheim (The
Rubicon Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse), Guys and Dolls and La Cage Aux
Folles (Musical Theatre West), The Last Five Years and I Do! I Do! (Pasadena
Playhouse), The Full Monty (San Diego Music Theatre), Beehive (El Portal Theatre),
I Left My Heart, Altar Boyz and The Andrews Brothers (Welk Theatre) and City
of Angels (Ovation Award for Production), The Fantasticks (Performance
Riverside). Nick is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab
West.
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DARRYL ARCHIBALD (Musical Director) Memphis Broadway tour (musical
director/conductor); Dreamgirls national tour (associate conductor); Disney's The
Lion King Broadway tour (vocal coach/assistant conductor); Wicked at the Pantages
Theater (substitute conductor); Jonathan Dove’s Innocence (Banff Centre,
Manhattan Theatre Club); Nightmare Alley - workshop with Marti Pellow (The
Geffen Playhouse); Swing! (Sacramento Music Circus); Smokey Joe’s Café (Ovation
Award), Serrano – workshop with James Barbour and directed by Joel Zwick (El
Portal Theater); I Married Wyatt Earp - workshop with Carole Cook and Carol
Lawrence (Wadsworth Theater); The Sound Of Music (Ovation nomination), Kiss
Me, Kate!, Legally Blonde: The Musical, The Producers, White Christmas, A Chorus
Line directed by Kay Cole, The King and I with Deborah Gibson (Cabrillo Music
Theatre); Next To Normal, Swing!, The Buddy Holly Story (McCoy/Rigby); Ragtime,
Never Gonna Dance, Silk Stockings, And The World Goes ‘Round (MTW); Merry Me
A Little – revised version (Celebration Theater); Two By Two with Jason Alexander
and Faith Prince, How To Succeed In Business… with John O’Hurley, Carousel with
M. Emmet Walsh, The Fantasticks with Eric McCormack, Once On This Island
(NAACP Award) with Ledisi, Li'l Abner with Cathy Rigby and Fred Willard,
Merrily We Roll Along with Teri Hatcher, I Do! I Do! with Diana Canova and Harry
Groener (Reprise); Great Expectations, My Fair Lady, 1776, Little Shop Of Horrors,
Camelot, and Forever Plaid (Utah Shakespearean Festival); Company (Los Angeles
Drama Critics Circle nomination), Cabaret, Merrily We Roll Along (West Coast
Ensemble); Loving Repeating, The Fix, The Threepenny Opera, Raisin with Nell
Carter (ICT); The Fix, Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Lady In the Dark, and Sail Away
(Musical Theater Guild). Guest conductor for the pop-rock group ERASURE (Palm
Springs Convention Center); Arrangement and orchestration credits include: the
prime-time television special “A Hollywood Holiday Celebration” (ABC), The
Fountain Show and Christmas Trolley Show (The Grove Los Angeles), Great
Expectations (Utah Shakespearean Festival).
The cast of A CHRISTMAS MEMORY will feature (in alphabetical order): Tracy
Lore, Ciaran McCarthy, Ton Shelton, Wills Spangler, Marsha Waterbury and
Siena Yusi with Pickle as “Queenie” the Dog.
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The design team for A CHRISTMAS MEMORY is as follows: The Scenic Design is
by D. Martyn Bookwalter. The Lighting Design is by Steven Young. The Costume
Design is by Bruce Goodrich. The Sound Design is by Phil Allen. The Production
Stage Manager is Don Hill.
ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY will begin previews on Tuesday, December 3 and will
open on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, December 29,
2013 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
Performances will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30pm;
Saturdays at 2pm and 7:30pm; Sundays at 2pm. There will be additional
performances on Thursday, December 5 at 2pm; Sunday, December 8 at 7pm;
Sunday, December 15 at 7pm; Thursday, December 19 at 2pm; Monday, December
23 at 7:30pm; Tuesday, December 24 at 4:00pm; Thursday, December 26 at 2pm
and Sunday, December 29 at 7:00pm.
Tickets range from $36 - $71 and can be purchased online at
www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Student discounts
are available at the Box Office. Group discounts are available by calling 949-4972787 ext. 229. The box office is open Mondays – Sundays: noon to 5pm (open until
7:30pm on performance days).
For more information on all shows and programming visit
wwwlagunaplayhouse.com. LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna
Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
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To schedule press interviews, photos, press comps or for additional information,
please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or by e-mail at
DAVIDELZER@ME.COM or visit www.demandpr.com. Photos and press
information also available at lagunaplayhouse.com.
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Founded in 1920, The Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating
not-for-profit theatres on the West Coast and is noted for its artistic excellence, wideranging theatrical programming, award-winning youth education offerings and
community partnerships. A member of the League of Resident Theatres, The Laguna
Playhouse is a valued part of the Laguna Beach arts community that serves all of
Southern California with year-round, professional, high-quality productions in theatre,
music and dance.
Because of its longstanding commitment to the arts, The Laguna Playhouse has been
recognized for excellence by the LA Drama Critics Circle, NAACP, Backstage, ArtsOC,
OC Weekly, Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and more. Laguna Playhouse
educational programming, which includes classes, productions by and for children and
teens (Youth Theatre) and a school tour, has been honored by the American Alliance
for Theatre and Education, Arts Orange County and the Orange County Department
of Education.
Serving more than 100,000 patrons each season, The Laguna Playhouse has brought
many talented performers to Southern California, including Davis Gaines, Stephanie
Zimbalist, Rita Rudner, Sally Struthers, Cloris Leachman, Julie Harris, Harrison
Ford, Charles Durning, Marlo Thomas, Roddy McDowell and Bette Davis, who have
performed in world, national and regional premieres, as well as national tours of The
Belle of Amherst and Copenhagen.
There’s always exciting programming at The Laguna Playhouse! Learn what’s new at
www.lagunaplayhouse.com