The Pasadena Playhouse has Kiss Me, Kate, New Seats & Puppets, Oh My!

One of my favorite theatres to work with on behalf of Along Comes Mary is The Pasadena Playhouse. I am still awestruck at what I saw before my eyes last season for Smokey Joes Café, so sweetly remember my 3rd date with my now-boyfriend to see 12 Angry Men & think I can speak for both of us that we nearly fainted at getting to see Richard Sherman perform Feed the Birds at their One Starry Night benefit.

They’re continuing to pull out all the stops in 2014, with a recent run of Hensen’s Puppet Up! Which was a production delivering “two shows in one”, as the hilarious puppet action was projected live on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers race around below – displaying their skills in full view of the audience,  It brought to mind Whose Line Is It Anyway meets Saturday Night Live meets The Jim Henson Company.  This ‘psychotic puppet party’ featured a few recreations of classic pieces originally created by Jim Henson, Jane Henson, and Frank Oz that hadn’t been seen by live audiences in decades.

It also inspired the adorable video below! The Playhouse needs OUR help in getting new, updated seats inside the theatre. Think about it, with all the sold out shows, they’re bound to get worn out 😉

With the clock ticking, I hope you will CLICK HERE to make a donation. Any amount helps, & if you’re a faithful follower of my blog, you know I only report on awesome, good stuff!

I couldn’t be more thrilled about their 2014 season opener, Kiss Me, Kate, since this will view the work through a new lens, using the wonderful material of this celebrated production to showcase the trailblazing African-American actors and entertainers of the early 20th century.

KISS ME, KATE represents the iconic composer-lyricist Cole Porter at his very best and includes some of musical theatre’s most famous songs: “So in Love,” “Another Op’nin’ Another Show,” “Too Darn Hot,” and “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”  It is without a doubt one of the great classics of the American musical theatre, celebrating Shakespeare (it describes a production of The Taming of the Shrew) and the joys, madness, and the rewards of working in the theatre – both onstage and off.   The book is by Bella and Samuel Spewack.

And, on top of all this fun already, it will star Wayne Brady! Emmy Award winning Brady is one of the most versatile performers in show business today, entertaining audiences with his acting, improv, singing and dancing on television, film and the stage.  He became well-known for his improvisational skills on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” for which he won an Emmy Award and earned two Emmy Award nominations, and he currently can be seen on Lets make A Deal.

Kate

KISS ME, KATE will play September 16, 2014 through October 12. he Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.  The performance schedule is Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  For more information, visit PasadenaPlayhouse.org.

Hope to see you there! xo