Press Room:
A Day in Hollywood /
A Night in the Ukraine

Cast Listing
Photo Gallery

Concord, CA.  May 16, 2007 – The Willows Theatre Company is proud to present the Tony Award-winning musical comedy A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine.  This theatrical “double feature” was written by Dick Vosburgh with music by Frank Lazarus and additional songs by Jerry Herman.  A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine opens June 1st and runs through July 1st, 2007, at the Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Boulevard, Concord, CA.  Preview performances begin May 28th. University of Arizona musical theater professor Richard T. Hanson directs and choreographs the production, with musical direction and all-new orchestrations by Willows resident music director Andrew Holtz.

THE STORY

The show is a two-part pastiche of everything that was zany and glorious in Hollywood movies of the 1930s.  In the first half, A Day in Hollywood, eight ushers from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre sing about going to “the flicks,” and celebrate the movie musicals of the era.  One number – “Famous Feet” – tells about the origin of the theater’s legendary cement footprints, and pairs of feet identifying the stars and styles of the period dance across the stage:  Ice skates conjure up Sonja Henie; a whirling gown and spats evoke Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire; even Mickey and Minnie Mouse make an appearance!

The talented ushers then pick up musical instruments for a medley of memorable tunes by composer Richard A. Whiting (“On the Good Ship Lollipop,” “Too Marvelous for Words,” “Hooray for Hollywood”), and then tap their way through the 1930 Hollywood Production Code, which governed on-screen morality.  They also share stories about how classic songs such as “Over the Rainbow” and “Thanks for the Memory” were written.

At the conclusion of Act One the ushers announce “those howl-arious, fun-tastic clown princes are back in a smile-a-minute, song-sational musical mirthquake!”  It’s the Marx Brothers in the funniest film they never made!

Act Two, A Night in the Ukraine, is based (very loosely) on Anton Chekhov’s farce, The Bear – so loosely you can almost hear it rattle!  The plot (if you can find it) involves stately dowager Mrs. Pavlenko (a character modeled on that pillar of dignity, Margaret Dumont), who is visited by a shyster lawyer, Serge Samovar (Groucho), demanding money supposedly owed to him by her recently deceased husband.  Any further resemblance to Chekhov is purely accidental.  Four other characters – the footman (Chico), the gardener (Harpo), and the obligatory star-struck lovers – figure in the plot, which is ultimately buried under an avalanche of side-splitting songs, snappy one-liners, sight-gags, and satire worthy of the Marx Brothers themselves.

A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine premiered on March 28, 1979, at London’s Mayfair Theatre.  The Broadway production, directed by Tommy Tune (who also co-choreographed, with Thommie Walsh), opened on May 1, 1980, at the Royale Theatre, where it ran for 588 performances.  The show was nominated for 11 Tony awards, and received the award for Best Choreography and Best Actress (Priscilla Lopez).  The laugh machine that is now Hollywood/Ukraine actually started as a 15-minute, two-song, lunch-hour sketch by Vosburgh and Lazarus.  When the sketch was expanded to A Night in the Ukraine, it was still too short to comprise a full evening of theater, so Hollywood was added as a curtain raiser.  “The whole thing had been thrown together in about three weeks,” said Lazarus, “but from the very first preview, there was this extraordinary buzz all over as though everybody knew something exciting was happening.”

[For PRODUCTION PHOTOS, visit http://www.willowstheatre.org/PressRoom/Press_Room.htm or contact Chris Butler at (925) 798-1824, chris@willowstheatre.org]

THE CAST

Mark Farrell* (Serge Samovar) – Mr. Farrell (Alameda) has appeared at the Willows Theatre in Funny Girl; Fiddler on the Roof; 1776; Look Homeward, Angel; Merrily We Roll Along; Judgment at Nuremberg; and most recently in The Secret Garden.  He has worked as an actor in the Bay Area for over 15 years with such companies as Center Rep, Marin Theatre Company, San Jose Rep, ACT, S.F. Playhouse, ArtRise, the Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, 42nd Street Moon, Golden Thread, ODC, Playground, and TheatreFirst.

 Vincent Graham (Sascha) – Mr. Graham (Benicia), an accomplished tap dancer, is making his debut at the Willows.  Credits include The Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Millie, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, The King & I (Diablo Light Opera Co.); Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game, Dames at Sea (Stars 2000); Gypsy (Masquers); and Oliver! (CCCT).

 John Jeffords (Constantine) – Mr. Jeffords (Austin, Texas) is appearing for the first time on the Willows stage.  Originally from Austin, Texas, he is currently a student at the University of Arizona, where he is pursuing his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre.  While at the UofA, he has appeared in several productions including The Who’s Tommy and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

 Cynthia Myers (Mrs. Pavlenko) – Ms. Myers (Alameda) returns to the Willows, having performed here previously in A…My Name Is Alice, A…My Name Is Still Alice, and Dreamgirls.  A Shellie award winner (Heartbeats; Center Rep) and a three-time Dean Goodman Choice award winner (for her work at 42nd St Moon), she has worked for CCT, CCCT, CCMT, Center Rep, and New Conservatory Theater.  East Bay audiences may remember her as Dot in Sunday in the Park With George, Reno in Anything Goes, or Lola in Damn Yankees.

 Mickey Nugent* (Carlo / Ass’t Choreographer) – Mr. Nugent (Tucson, AZ) has performed in the national tours of Grease and Cats and starred in shows such as Crazy for You at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia; George M at the Grandbury Opera House in Texas; Me and My Girl at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse in Richmond, VA; and Singin’ in the Rain at the Carousel Dinner Theater in Akron, Ohio. Off-Broadway and regional credits include: Finkle’s Follies at the Westside Theater, NY; Yiddle with a Fiddle at the American Jewish Theatre, NY; Grease at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera; and The Pirates of Penzance at the Arizona Theater Company.  He now serves as an adjunct professor at Pima CC in Arizona, teaching theater and dance.

 Brittany Ogle (Masha) – Ms. Ogle (San Jose) made her Willows debut last year in Noises Off (Brooke Ashton).  Recent credits include: A Chorus Line (Bebe), West Side Story (Velma), and The Wizard of Oz at American Musical Theatre-San Jose; The Sound of Music (Liesl) at Sierra Repertory Theatre; Bye Bye Birdie (Kim McAfee) at Broadway by the Bay; and Evita (Evita) at Pleasanton Playhouse.  She attended the Theatre Arts Institute at AMT-SJ after receiving the Mim Babin Scholarship Award in 2004 (Best Actress).

 Jessica Raaum (Gino) – Ms. Raaum (Walnut Creek) made her Bay Area theatrical debut five years ago at the Willows as Dawn in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, followed by the role of Wanda Muir in John Muir’s Mountain Days.  Since then, she has been performing around the Bay with such companies as TheatreWorks, AMT-San Jose, 42nd Street Moon, Foothill Music Theatre, Broadway by the Bay, ACLO, and DLOC.  Favorite roles: Annie Oakley (Annie Get Your Gun), for which she recently received the 2006 Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle award; Peggy Sawyer (42nd Street); Edwin Drood (The Mystery of Edwin Drood); and Philia (A Funny Thing Happened … Forum).

Virginia Wilcox* (Nina) – Ms. Wilcox (Walnut Creek) returns to the Willows, having previously appeared on our stage in Babes in Arms (Billie) and Funny Girl (Vera).  Around the Bay Area, she has performed recently with TheatreWorks in the New Works reading of Paul Gordon’s Emma (Jane Fairfax) and understudied the role of Kathy in the world premiere of Vanities: A New Musical.  Other credits: three seasons at Summer Repertory Theatre in Santa Rosa; Dames at Sea (Joan) with PCPA Theaterfest; Wonderful Town (Eileen) and Beggar’s Holiday (Lucy) with Marin Theatre Co.; Junie B. Jones (Junie B.) with Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences; the original company of Morrie Bobrow’s Shopping: The Musical; On Borrowed Time (Marcy) and The Real Thing (Debbie) with Center Rep; Cabaret (Sally Bowles) at Fullerton College; and My Children! My Africa! (Isabel) at Solano College.

*Member, Actors' Equity Association

PRODUCTION TEAM

Richard T. Hanson (Director/Choreographer) is an associate professor at the University of Arizona and is head of the Acting/Musical Theatre Division for the School of Theatre Arts.  He has the honor of having a UA Musical Theatre Endowment created in his name and was recently awarded the James P. Anthony Award for sustained excellence in teaching.  At the School of Theatre Arts, he has directed and choreographed many shows including Chicago, Follies, Grease, South Pacific, Gypsy, Very Good Eddie, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Over Here, Quilters, The Boy Friend, Cabaret, Nine, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Show, Side Show, She Loves Me, and The Who’s Tommy.  He is the founder and director of ENCORE!, the UA musical revue group, which is celebrating over 25 years of  musical theater touring and outreach.  Regionally, he has directed Merrily We Roll Along, Peter Pan, Annie, Black Comedy, City of Angels, The Sound of Music, The Odd Couple, The Nerd, and Baby.  In Tucson, he has directed over 20 productions at The Gaslight Theatre, including The Phantom of the Opera, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, and A Christmas Carol.  He previously directed and choreographed Gypsy for the Willows in 2004.

The design team for A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine includes Ruth Miller (Properties & Set Dressing), Robert Anderson (Lighting), Tom Benson (Scenery), Christine Crook (Costumes), and Sean McStravick (Sound).  Allison Ward* is Stage Manager.

Ticket and Schedule Information

Tickets are $33-$38 with discounts for students (6-18), seniors (65+), groups (10+), and Preview performances.  To purchase tickets call (925) 798-1300 or visit the Willows Theatre Company Web site at www.willowstheatre.org.  Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

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The Willows Theatre is located at 1975 Diamond Blvd. next to REI in the Willows Shopping Center in Concord, across the street from the Concord Hilton and one block east of the Willow Pass Road exit off Highway 680.

The Willows Theatre Company daytime box office is located at 1425 Gasoline Alley, Concord, at the corner of Bisso Lane, one block north of Concord Avenue.  The daytime box office hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday Noon-5 p.m.  The theater box office and will-call window, located in the theater lobby, opens one hour prior to each performance. For more information call (925) 798-1300 or visit our Web site at www.willowstheatre.org.

Recipient of the 2002 Cyril Award of the San Francisco Business Arts Council for Nonprofit Arts Excellence, the Willows Theatre Company is led by Artistic Director Richard Elliott and Managing Director Andrew Holtz. The Willows Theatre Company 2007 sponsors are Rocco's Pizzeria of Walnut Creek, Industrial Lumber of Martinez, Alphagraphics of Walnut Creek, Best Western John Muir Inn, and US Bank (student/teacher discount ticket sponsor).

Archives

Dearly Beloved
The Secret Garden
Nunsensations!
Woody Guthrie's American Song
The Odd Couple
1776
Noises OFF
Cabaret
Oliver
Deathtrap
2005 John Muir Summer Festival
Over the Tavern
Judgment at Nuremberg
AIDA