"Simply a delight.... A total pleasure."
-Los Angeles Times
While attending the University of Chicago in the early 1930s, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank met and collaborated on a play, beginning a partnership that would span nearly thirty years. Panama and Frank went on to write sketches for the 1939 Shubert revue Keep Up the Grass, and provided gags for such radio yockmeisters as Rudy Vallee, Groucho Marx, and Bob Hope. The team followed Hope to Hollywood, where they received their first screenwriting credit in the 1942 Hope vehicle My Favorite Blonde. This led to a long-term contract with Paramount Pictures, then to Panama and Frank's first producer-director assignment, MGM's The Reformer and the Redhead (1950). Alternating producing and directing responsibilities, they were responsible for such memorable 1950s comic efforts as Danny Kaye's The Court Jester (1956) and the 1959 film version of their own 1959 Broadway musical, Li'l Abner. Occasionally, the team would go "straight" with hard-hitting dramatic fare like 1952's Above and Beyond, a dramatization of the dropping of the A-bomb on Hiroshima. The team dissolved amicably in 1960. On his own, Panama directed Bob Hope's How to Commit Marriage (1966), the Rowan and Martin vehicle The Maltese Bippy (1969), and the oddball Elliot Gould and Diane Keaton romantic comedy I Will, I Will...For Now. Normal Panama's last credit was the Australian TV movie Barnaby and Me. Frank set up a production company in England, continuing to wear two additional production hats as writer and director. In 1973, he won his fourth Oscar nomination for A Touch of Class. His last directorial effort, filmed after nearly nine years' inactivity, was the misfire Tarzan parody Walk Like a Man (1987). Melvin Frank died exactly two months after his 70th birthday.
It is almost impossible to get through an entire day without hearing at least one Johnny Mercer song on records, tapes, or CDs, on the radio or television, in movie houses, theaters, or cabarets all over the world. Five decades of great American songs with America's greatest composers, including- Richard Whiting, Harry Warren, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Arthur Schwartz, Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, David Raksin, Henry Mancini, Johnny Mandel, John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, and Andre Previn. From the light-hearted "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "Jeepers Creepers" to the romantic "Laura," "Dream" and "I Remember You," the big band "And The Angels Sing," the dramatic "Blues In The Night," "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "One For My Baby," the sassy "Satin Doll" and "Tangerine," the cinematic "Hooray for Hollywood" and "On The Atchinson, Topeka And The Santa Fe," the timeless standards of "Black Magic," "Glow Worm," "Days Of Wine And Roses," and "Moon River." On top of that he: wrote songs for 90 motion pictures; won four Academy Awards and was nominated 19 times; wrote six Broadway shows, including St. Louis Woman and Li'l Abner; was a top radio personality and recording artist was the founder and president of Capitol Records; discovered and nurtured the talent of artists like Margaret Whiting, Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole; and created the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Johnny Mercer was a true son of the South. His roots and his heart were firmly placed in Savannah, Georgia, an eccentric and unique world unto itself that has barely changed to this day. His love affair with music didn't come from the glitter of Broadway or Hollywood, but as a country boy growing up near a small park, where on Sundays he went to listen in wonder to a local band play Irving Berlin. His lyrics came naturally from the colorful way the people around him talked: you gotta "Accentuate The Positive;" "Fools Rush In;" "Where Angels Fear To Tread;" "Any Place To Hang My Hat Is Home;" you're just "Too Marvelous For Words." And the sounds he heard-- the clickety clack of the railroad track, the wind whistling through the Spanish moss, and the rain like silver slivers racing along the horizon-- "Now the rain's a-fallin', hear the train a-callin' 'Whoo-ee!'" Johnny Mercer's poetic genius continues to reflect the romantic yearnings, the wit, the energy, and the personality that is our America dream. Courtesy of the Johnny Mercer Foundation, New York, NY
was born in New York City in 1919. He got his start in the music profession as a piano teacher and then went on to become a pianist in dance orchestras, eventually becoming a singer and arranger for theater vocal groups. As a composer, he contributed to a number of Hollywood film scores, often collaborating with Don Raye, including A Date with Judy (1948), A Song is Born (1948), and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). He also wrote scores of songs including, “I’ll Remember April”, “Cow Cow Boogie”, “Irresistible You”, “Star Eyes” and “Teach Me Tonight”. With Johnny Mercer, he wrote the score to the Broadway musical L’il Abner (1956) which included the standard “Namely You.” DePaul was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1985.
is the Co-Artistic Director of The Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena where he has directed the world premiere of Eric Whitacre’s musical Paradise Lost: Shadows & Wings (10 Ovation Award Nominations), Carlos Murillo’s Dark Play or Stories For Boys, his own adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s A Picture of Dorian Gray (Two L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards including Direction), Sinan Ünel’s Pera Palas (Four L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards including Production and Direction), Charles L. Mee’s Summertime, and Romeo and Juliet: Antebellum New Orleans, 1836. A director of plays and musicals, new works and classics, his diverse credits include: Stephen Sondheim’s Anyone Can Whistle at the Matrix Theatre; As You Like It at A Noise Within (Ovation Nomination for Best Play); Amy’s View starring Carol Lawrence at Florida Rep; A Life in the Theatre starring Hal Holbrook at the Pasadena Playhouse; the world premiere of Ouroboros (LA Weekly Award - Production of the Year); acclaimed productions of Brecht’s rarely staged Edward II and Aphra Behn’s restoration comedy The Rover, both for Circle X; and the Ovation-Nominated productions of Titanic for Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Sweeney Todd starring Amanda McBroom and George Ball. He is a double Ovation Award-winner for his production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set in British colonized India. Michetti has received numerous theatre honors including Ovation, Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle, L.A. Weekly, Back Stage West Garland, and Drama-Logue Awards, among others.
Lee is thrilled to be back at Reprise! after having choreographed Damn Yankees, On Your Toes, (Ovation Award for Choreography) Brigadoon, and On the Town, (Ovation nominations for choreography), and directing several concerts for Reprise including “Reprise! Broadways Best” and the most recent “Broadway Babies,” both at the Ford Theatre. Recent work includes Beehive at the El Portal Theatre (2007 LADCC and Ovation nomination for choreography), The Full Monty and the critically acclaimed West Coast Premiere of Never Gonna Dance and Guys and Dolls for Musical Theatre West (2005 Ovation Award winner). Other recent credits include: I Do, I Do (Pasadena Playhouse), Wild Party (MTG), Grease for Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities (Ovation Award nominee), Side by Side by Sondheim at the Pasadena Playhouse (Ovation Nomination), direction and choreography for several large-scale dance production shows for Harley-Davidson in Denver, San Diego, and Dallas, Universal Studios’ New York Rascal Show, and Disney’s Santa Clause 3 Stage Show at the El Capitan. Other choreography highlights include: Cabaret for West Coast Ensemble (LADCC award for choreography), Disney’s Latin American Tour A Dream Is a Wish, IMPACT at FORD FIELD, the Gala Opening of the Lions Football Field in
Mr. Archibald’s productions include regional and national tours, regional and world premieres, and award-winning productions at theaters around the country. Tours include: Disney's The Lion King - Cheetah Tour...where he served as vocal coach/assistant conductor, A Grand Night For Singing, The All Night Strut, and Jerry’s Girls. Other shows include: the Desert Aids Project Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards (Palm Springs Convention Center), The West Coast and regional premiere of Never Gonna Dance, Ragtime (Musical Theater West), A Chorus Line directed by Kay Cole, Music Man (Cabrillo Music Theater), Swing! (McCoy/Rigby Ent.), Gaveston: Favourite of the King, Merry Me A Little – revised version (Celebration Theater), Merrily We Roll Along with Teri Hatcher and I Do! I Do! with Diana Canova and Harry Groener (Reprise!), My Fair Lady, 1776, Little Shop Of Horrors, Camelot and Forever Plaid (Utah Shakespearean Festival), Ain’t Misbehavin’ directed by Ken Page, and Swing! (Civic Light of the South Bay Cities), Four Guys Named Jose… And Una Mujer Named Maria, Raisin, A Christmas Carol (ICT), An Evening With Rodgers and Hammerstein (Long Beach Symphony), Lady In the Dark, Sail Away (Musical Theater Guild), Zorba, On The Town, My One And Only (associate conductor - Reprise!). Mr. Archibald's 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), Page By Page (cast recording), Zorba, On Your Toes, Damn Yankees (Reprise!), and Never Gonna Dance (Musical Theater West). Upcoming 2008 productions include: Swing! (Sacramento Music Circus), Fiddler On The Roof (Utah Shakespearean Festival) and I DO! I DO! (McCoy/Rigby Entertainment).
Past productions for Reprise! include No Strings, Sunday in the Park with George, My One and Only, On The Town, Pippin, Company, On the Twentieth Century, Anything Goes, Three Penny Opera, and Bells Are Ringing. He has been working in and around the LA theatre scene for the past decade plus, at theatres ranging from Interact and ICT, to Tiffany and the Coronet. In addition, he has had shows open (and close) Off-Broadway, on the road, and out on the open seas. Recent ones include the off-broadway production of A Kid's Life, Forbidden Broadway (95-05) in NYC, productions for Norwegian Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines (The Golden Mickeys), plus two shows for Hollywood Bowl (Mame, Mass). As a staff Art Director for Disney Creative Development, recent shows up and running include the Disneyland's Jedi Training Academy and Block Party Bash (opening in Florida in March), High School Musical Pep Rally for California and Florida, Paris and Hong Kong, along with The Golden Mickeys for Hong Kong Disneyland, with his work now being seen in both hemispheres and across the international time line, as well as out on the open seas. Acknowledgments include the LADCC's Lifetime Achievement in design, along with recognitions over the years from Backstage West and others. A special thanks to Ted for making living simple the way worth living. Jim G, thank you for your support and friendship over the past few seasons -- you will be missed!!
have collaborated on multiple productions during their 35 years of marriage including 28 years of designing A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory Theatre. They have also enjoyed collaborating on productions at the Hollywood Bowl and other regional theatres. Ms. Ruzika has also design productions at SCR, Utah Shakespearean Festival, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Laguna Playhouse, Fullerton Civic Light Opera, the Pasadena Playhouse and Long Beach’s International City Theatre. Her award-winning work has also been seen in Bogotá, Colombia and Barcelona, Spain. Ms. Ruzika is on the Board of Directors for the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT). Mr. Ruzika has designed 28 productions for Reprise! His designs have been seen on Broadway, in national tours, at major regional theatres, and for many national and international dance and opera companies. His entertainment lighting can be seen at theme parks in six different countries and his architectural lighting can be seen in prestigious hotels, casinos, restaurants, retail centers, and performing arts centers across the nation and in Europe and Asia. Mr. Ruzika has received numerous awards for his contributions to the art and craft of lighting design.
is an acclaimed costume designer of theatre, film, and television. Currently, he is working on the sitcom “Twenty Good Years” at NBC Studios in LA, but that doesn't keep Tommy in one place! He is also currently finishing up work on AMTSJ's Christmas Dreamland and Valley Musical Theatre's Beehive. Recently completed work includes: regional theatre credits for Guys And Dolls at Cabrillo Stage, Sweet Charity at Musical Theatre of Wichita, and Gypsy at American Musical Theatre of San Jose. Current credits include Swing! at McCoy Rigby Entertainment, the west coast premiere of Never Gonna Dance at Musical Theatre West, Once Upon A Mattress, Phantom and Chicago (Musical Theatre of Wichita), Sweet Charity and Chicago (Northshore Music Theatre), the world premiere of Lullaby of Broadway (Tiffany Theatre); Showboat, Swing and I Love You; You’re Perfect, Now Change (Musical Theatre West); Dreamgirls, Carousel, Into The Woods and Damn Yankees (CLOSBC); Bingo (World Premiere -Hermosa Beach Playhouse) and Evita, Pippin, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, City of Angels, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Grease and Singing in the Rain (AMTSJ). Marquez was nominated for the prestigious LA Ovation Award for his designs of Once On This Island and Crazy For You (Dramalogue award). Television credits as design assistant include: “The Wonder Years,” “Third Rock From the Sun,” “The George Lopez Show,” “That 80s Show,” and the WB series starring Jenny Garth and Amanda Bynes, “What I Like About You.” He has designed for such films as Bit Players starring Verne Troyer (Mini-me; Sundance Film Festival), Outpatient, and the award winning Die Mommy Die starring Charles Busch. Tommy continues to earn praise for his appearance on Bravo TV's “ProjectJay,” and is a member of IATSE Local 705.
has designed nearly 100 theatrical shows, including Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks on Broadway; the 2002 to 2005 national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, The Ten Commandments starring Val Kilmer at the Kodak Theatre; Measure for Measure, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Cinderella at the Ahmanson; The Talking Cure, Like Jazz, Big River, Flower Drum Song and First Picture Show at the Taper; and all of the past ten seasons of Reprise! Other design work includes Paint Your Wagon, Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks and Ain't Nothin' But the Blues at the Geffen; Play On, and Blame it on the Movies at the Pasadena Playhouse; Masada at the Shubert Theatre in LA; Forever Plaid and Blues in the Night at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami; and the US workshop productions of the upcoming West End musical Zorro with music by John Cameron and the Gipsy Kings. On Broadway he assisted long time design partner Jon Gottlieb on 2001's If You Ever Leave Me I'm Coming With You. He served as Production Sound Engineer for Jason Robert Brown's 13 at the Taper, Thoroughly Modern Millie at La Jolla Playhouse and was the head soundman for the national tours of Titanic, Ain't Misbehavin', and Man of La Mancha. He won the 2003 NAACP award for Sound Design for Jesus Christ Superstar, the 2001 Ovation Award for Flower Drum Song, and the 1999 LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Cinderella, as well as five LA Dramalogue Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, and two Ovation Award nominations for Best Sound Design. Mr. Allen currently teaches Sound Design for Theatre at the USC School of Theatre and at Cal Arts.