TOO OLD FOR THE CHORUS
Book, Music & Lyrics by Marie Cain, Mark Winkler & Shelly Markham
Additional Material suggested by
Jill K. Mesaros and Paula Kalustian
Musical Direction by Lisa Lemay
Choreography by Dana Solimando
Directed by Joel Bishoff
A Brand New Version of the HIT MUSICAL!
NOW - Oct 14, 2007
The cast features
Eileen Barnett, David Holmes, Robert Loftin, Diane Vincent and Robert Yacko.
TOO OLD FOR THE CHORUS is a celebration of the generation that vowed to stay young forever! Critics and audiences alike have cheered this smart new musical that takes a funny and often touching look at the rewards and challenges of the baby boomer generation approaching the big five-o.
*This newly revised and completely reworked production contains some mature language.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
MARIE CAIN (Writer) Marie Cain wrote her first musical many years ago with Shel Silverstein. She is also the co-writer of “Naked Boys Singing” which is the seventh-longest running show ever to play off-Broadway. She contributed songs to the multiple-award-winning musical, “The Last Session” which ran both off-Broadway and at the Tiffany Theatre in L.A.—and a new show by the same writers, “The Big Voice: God Or Merman?.” She has written songs for Cher, Helen Reddy, Maureen McGovern, Laura Branigan and Gloria Gaynor (with 2 of the artists earning gold records for Marie) and recorded 2 albums of her own for CBS Records. If you’ve had your television on at any time over the last 20 years, you’ve heard her voice on numerous jingles and TV themes. She has also made 2 appearances on “The Tonight Show”.
Marie has worked with such top comedians as Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey. But perhaps her biggest thrill was being one of the lucky singers to perform live with Barbra Streisand during her 2000 farewell tour.
SHELLY MARKHAM (Writer) As a composer, Shelly wrote three songs with Mark Winkler for Naked Boys Singing prior to his work with Mark and Marie on Too Old For The Chorus. He has enjoyed a long and successful collaboration with acclaimed poet, lyricist and author Judith Viorst. Their musical revue, Love & Shrimp, a celebration of Viorst's poetry and insights, ran at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills and The Ballroom in New York City. Their musical Alexander & The Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day, based on her best-selling children's book, was commissioned by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and toured for three years. Their sequel, Alexander Who's Not Not Not Not Not Not Going To Move was also toured, and both are now published by Dramatic Publishing. Shelly has also collaborated with Amanda McBroom and Carol Hall, and has written special musical material for many popular television series including "Friends," "The Nanny," "Golden Girls," "Gimme A Break, "and "Touched By An Angel".
As a musical director and arranger, Shelly has worked with singer Andrea Marcovicci for the past twelve years at the famed Oak Room in New York's Algonquin Hotel, tours with her extensively, and has arranged and conducted her recent CD releases. He has also worked with a most diverse roster of performers including Lainie Kazan, Michael Feinstein, Margaret Whiting, Nell Carter, Joey Lawrence, Ann Jillian, Gogi Grant, Julie Wilson, Chad Mitchell, Carol Lawrence and Bonnie Franklin.
MARK WINKLER (Lyricist/Creator) is also one of the writers of the hit musical review Naked Boys Singing! which is entering its 9th year Off-Broadway and coming out as a movie at the end of the year. Another of his creations, the jazz-noir musical Play it Cool with book by Larry Dean Harris played in Los Angeles in 2007 and got “Critics Choice” in the LA Times. It was also nominated for Ovation, LA Weekly and GLAAD Awards. He also has written songs for another musical review called Bark! that will be opening in New York later this Year.
JOEL BISHOFF (Director) is happy to be returning to La Mirada once again to direct both Too Old For The Chorus and Sylvia (with Cathy Rigby). He directed the original production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change which is now in its 12th year off-Broadway as well as in several cities across North America, London’s West End and the Mandarin language production in Shanghai and Beijing. Joel also directed the original production of Over the River and Through the Woods at off-Broadway’s John Houseman Theatre. Other directing credits include, The Kiss at City Hall at Pasadena Playhouse, a Japanese language production of Annie in Tokyo and throughout Japan (now in its 7th year), The Tale of the Allergist's Wife at Laguna Playhouse, and Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera which played at The Opera Comique in Paris as part of a European tour. Mr. Bishoff also did the musical staging for the national tour of The Sound of Music starring Marie Osmond (which also toured Singapore and Korea) as well as the New York City Opera production starring Debby Boone. He has directed at the Long Wharf Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, the New Yorker Theatre (Toronto), Gem Theatre (Detroit), Coronet Theatre (Los Angeles), Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center (Nyack), Stuart St. Playhouse (Boston), the Broward Center for Performing Arts (Miami), the Royal George Theatre (Chicago), Theatre at Old Towne (San Diego) among others.
DANA SOLIMANDO (Choreographer) Audiences might best know Dana from La Mirada Theatre’s production of Swing! which she directed & choreographed & earned a 2006 Ovation award (Best Choreography). Other choreography credits include the Broadway national tour revival of Jesus Christ Superstar starring the late Carl Anderson (NAACP Theater Award Nomination), Swing! at CLO of South Bay Cities (2004 Ovation Award- Best Choreography) Swing! at Musical Theatre West (Ovation Nomination- Best Choreography) and A Chorus Line at The Grandstreet Theatre. She has also directed and choreographed several productions of Cats including Fullerton Civic Light Opera & Music Theatre of Wichita.
As a performer, Dana’s favorite roles include the Country feature & the West Coast feature in Swing! (B-way & Nat’l Tour); Tiger Lily in Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (B-way, Nat’l Tour & A&E video); Rumpleteazer in CATS (B-way & Nat’l tour.) Other credits include Sally Rand in Sugar Babies, Cha Cha in Grease, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma!, Gypsy, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, as well as various TV spots.
LISA LEMAY (Musical Director) Miss LeMay’s experience as Musical Director includes work with melodrama, benefit concerts, classic and contemporary musicals, recording projects, film scoring, and arranging/conducting. She was Musical Director/Pianist for Too Old For The Chorus, But Not Too Old To Be A Star in its inaugural run at the Theatre In Old Town (San Diego). She has worked many times at the Old Globe Theatre, most recently (3 years) as Musical Director/Conductor for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, directed by Tony Award recipient, Jack O’Brien. Miss LeMay was Musical Director for Urinetown (Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse), which was recognized as “BEST MUSICAL” in the 2006 OC Weekly Theatre Awards. National Tours: Brooklyn: The Musical, All Shook Up, The Lion King, The Will Rogers Follies, The Sound Of Music, The Gershwins’ Fascinating Rhythm. Regional: Applause, Pippin, City Of Angels, Camelot, The Music Man, Annie, Joseph…Dreamcoat.
Notable projects by Miss LeMay as producer, arranger and/or performer include the compact disc releases, Fiesta In Tucson with the Billy Taylor Trio, Sounds Of The Season (various artists), Inspiration (Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus), I Wish I’d Met You (Connie Warren), Freedom For Life for the International Jewelway Corporation, and Out of This World—LIVE (Linda Purl). Her solo piano CD, In A Sentimental Mood, is a collection of jazz standards and has received a rave review from Jazz Times magazine.
TOO OLD FOR THE CHORUS has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by John Iacovelli. The lighting design is by Neil Peter Jampolis. The sound design is by David Edwards. The costume design is by Julie Keen. The Casting is by Julia Flores. The Production Stage Manager is Jill Gold.
