Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills
Presents
Direct from London -- first ever U.S. National Tour
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman's
Whistle Down The Wind
Los Angeles premiere! Eight performances only!
April 22– 27, 2008

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind will have its Los Angeles premiere at the Wilshire Theatre April 15-20 as part of its first-ever U.S. National tour. Directed and produced by Bill Kenwright, the musical comes direct from a record-breaking West End engagement and United Kingdom sell-out tour. Based on the novel by Mary Hayley Bell, and subsequent 1961 movie set in the U.K., Whistle Down the Wind, with book by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards and Andrew Lloyd Webber and featuring lyrics by Jim Steinman of "Meatloaf" songwriting fame, is now set in Louisiana in 1959.

Featuring a host of award-winning songs including the Boyzone smash hit 'No Matter What,' Whistle Down the Wind tells the story of a young Louisiana girl who finds a mysterious stranger hiding in her barn. When she asks his identity—the first words he utters are 'Jesus Christ;' and it’s as if all her prayers have been answered. While the townspeople are determined to find the escaped felon, she and her friends vow to protect him from the outside world.

This new American premiere production partners renowned top rock lyricist Jim Steinman (Meatloaf’s classic album “Bat Out of Hell,” Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”) and award-winning composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (Cats, Evita, Joseph…) to create a melodic and haunting score that was inspired by the indigenous sounds of the American South – blues, gospel, country and rock ‘n’ roll.

Among the cast are Eric Kunze as The Man and Andrea Ross as Swallow, as well as, Dann Fink, Adam Shonkwiler, Austin J. Zambito-Valente, Nadine Jacobson, Carole Denise Jones, Greg Stone and Kurt Zischke. The ensemble includes Ryan Appleby, Renee Claire Bergeron, Al Bundonis, Raisa Ellingson, Elizabeth Earley, Alexis Hightower, Stephen Horst, James Jackson, Jr., Justine Magnusson, Jason Ostrowski, Thomas Rainey and Mickey Toogood.

Eric Kunze was most recently seen on the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar in the title role. His additional Broadway credits include Marius in Les Miserables, Chris in Miss Saigon and Joe Hardy in the revival of Damn Yankees. Kunze's co-star, Andrea Ross, is an Elliot Norton winner for her roles in Ramona Quimby, The Sound of Music and A Little Night Music. Ross' upcoming debut album, "Moon River," is produced by Whistle Down the Wind composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Bill Kenwright heads the United Kingdom’s largest independent theatre and film production company. He has produced countless shows in London’s West End, on UK tour and on Broadway. As a director, his credits include Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar and Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers. He was nominated for a London Theatre Critics’ award for West Side Story and a Tony award for Blood Brothers in New York.

The creative team for the national tour of Whistle Down the Wind includes costume and set design by Paul Farnsworth, choreography by Henry Metcalfe, musical direction by David Steadman, lighting design by Nick Richings and sound design by Ben Harrison.

About Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills

Originally named the Fox Wilshire, the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills opened its doors on September 19, 1930. Designed by renowned theater architect Charles S Lee, the Wilshire serves as an interesting example of Lee's early Art Deco style. With its rich plasterwork and heavy sculpture, the Wilshire is reminiscent of Lee's other early work like the Baroque masterpiece The Los Angeles Theater and the Tower. Lee would later become famous for his clean simple Art Deco lines with theaters like the Bruin and the Academy Theater.

Fox West Coast Theaters built The Wilshire to house their first run feature films. For the first 50 years of its life, the Wilshire served as one of the premiere movie palaces in Los Angeles and has hosted numerous premieres and special events. In November 1953 the Wilshire hosted the premiere of How to Marry A Millionaire starring Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. On Christmas Day of that year Walt Disney exhibited its new Grand Canyonscope - the first Donald Duck cartoon in Cinemascope which ran with the studio's classic feature 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Other notable events include 1960's special screening of GI Blues starring Elvis and attended by Ronald Regan and the 1970's exclusive engagement of the film Woodstock.

In 1981 the Wilshire Theater was renovated and converted to a stage venue. The Wilshire has hosted numerous theater productions including its opening attraction of Henry Fonda in The Oldest Living Graduate, and national tours of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, A Chorus Line, Jesus Christ Superstar, Legends, Dreamgirls, Once on this Island and many others.

THE ORANGE CURTAIN THEATRE PRESENTS

ANOTHER ANTIGONE

Written by A.R. Gurney and Directed by Bob May

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO. THE ORANGE CURTAIN presents: ANOTHER ANTIGONE written by A.R. Gurney and directed by Bob May.

American universities today seem more preoccupied with fund-raising and job placement than with the verities of a classical education. Judy Miller, a gifted Jewish college senior, presents a short play to her Greek Theatre professor, Henry Harper. Judy submits an updated, anti-nuclear version of Antigone in place of the formal paper that Harper has assigned. Harper is adamant in his refusal to accept her paper and threatens to fail her and hence keep her from graduating if she doesn’t provide a more traditional paper. A battle of wills ensues, as both of them refuse to budge from their convictions. The play ends with the Professor, like Creon of Sophocles’ Antigone, cast out from his home and left to wander, while Judy’s fate is unknown, except that her life’s dreams and goals have been so challenged that its anyone’s guess if the “old” Judy even exists anymore.

WHAT: ANOTHER ANTIGONE

Written by A.R. Gurney

Directed by Bob May

Starring: Jonathan Kolbush of Garden Grove as Dave; Ruth Kurisu of Laguna Niguel as Diana; A.J. Paul of Laguna Niguel as Judy; and, Bob May of Costa Mesa as Henry

WHEN:

Friday and Saturday –February 22, 23 and 29, March 1, 7 and 8 at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday – February 24, March 2 and 9 at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Orange Curtain Theatre, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano,

ADMISSION: $18.00

INFO: If you'd like to arrange an interview with the cast or director, would like more information, reservations or complimentary press passes, please call 949-412-3252 or send us an email at info@theorangecurtaintheatre.org. Photos available.

Game Art Lecture Series Sponsored by Laguna College

Laguna College of Art & Design invites the artistic community to Game Art Lecture Series 2008 featuring a keynote presentation from Autodesk principal scientist Duncan Brinsmead on Thursday, February 7 at 11:30am at [seven-degrees], located at 891 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. Admission is free.

The creator of Maya Paint Effects, Maya Hair, and Maya Toon, Duncan Brinsmead has also worked extensively on development of Maya Fluids and Maya nCloth. Gain a privileged insight into the challenges of computer graphics and the future of 3D in this special presentation for the community. Duncan will be performing a live demo of bizarre and unnatural uses of nCloth using Autodesk Maya 2008. See real-time simulations of deforming metal, water filled balloons, confetti, paper airplanes, curtains on sliding hooks, vacuum formed bubble packs, flesh, falling leaves, zippers, tearing cloth, chopping cake, pouring water and swirling vortices.

Duncan will also demo a unique air vortex simulation method that was added to Nucleus in Maya 2008. It creates the look of a 3D fluid dynamics solve without requiring a full fluid simulation and can provide very natural looking air-cloth interaction. There will also be some unusual techniques presented using Maya fluids, from hurricanes to a foam topped cappuccino.

LCAD wishes to share this opportunity with students and community members of all ages and hopes to provide artists of all levels of creative accomplishment with an inspiring experience.

Santa Ana College Theatre Arts Department presents the 10th Annual Children’s Theatre Ensemble presentation of the musical

The Emperor’s New Clothes
Book by Jim Eiler
Songs by Jim Eiler and Jeanne Bargy
Based on the Story by Hans Christian Andersen
Direction and Choreography by Beth Hansen
Musical Direction by Alan Crawley

Santa Ana College Theatre Arts Department presents the Prince Street Players production of The Emperor’s New Clothes.Two con-men “play the palace” in this breezy adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s well known satirical tale. Mr. Stitch and Mr. Sew wreak havoc at Wits End Palace when they present the Emperor with a special gift: an exquisitely beautiful “magic” suit of clothes, invisible to all but the wisest of men. A charming exploration of the dangers of vanity, with a host of hilarious characters. The Emperor’s New Clothes is a musical that is perfect for the entire family. Beth Hansen of Westminster directs this comical ensemble that includes; Alli Coleman and Liam Toner of Costa Mesa, Jesse Geller of Irvine, Kerry Melachouris of Laguna Niguel, Jon Hyrkas, Robin St. John, Edward Chamberlain, and Danny Diaz of Santa Ana and Rick Boyer of San Juan Capistrano, Brian Solerno.

PERFORMANCE DATES AND TIMES:

Saturdays February 2 & 9 at 2:30 pm
Sundays February 3 & 10 at 2:30 pm

ADMISSION:

General Admission: ....................... $10.00

Students/Seniors/Staff:…................ $8.00

**Children Ages 4 – 12………………$6.00

*All children must be in a purchased seat.
NO CHILDREN UNDER 4 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE ADMITTED.

GROUP RATES:

***Group rates are available for 20 or more. Call (714) 564-5661 for more information! ***

THEATRE LOCATION AND PARKING:

PHILLIPS HALL THEATRE and performance parking is located on Bristol,

just south of 17^th Street, on the campus of Santa Ana College.

BY PHONE:

You may charge your tickets on VISA or MASTERCARD by calling the Box Office at (714) 564-5661 during daytime Box Office hours Monday - Thursday 10 am - 1 pm; Friday 10 am - noon.

AT THE DOOR:

The Box Office in Phillips Hall is open 45 minutes prior to all performances.

PHILLIPS HALL THEATRE

SANTA ANA COLLEGE

1530 West 17^th Street

Santa Ana, California 92706

714-564-5661

www.sac.edu/arts

NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION

UPCOMING EVENTS

---

Where
Newport Beach Central Library
1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach

Book sales
Book sales at each program provided by LIDO VILLAGE BOOKS

---

February 8-9
Ishmael Beah, former child soldier, human rights activist and bestselling author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a riveting story. At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. Eventually released by the army and sent to a UNICEF rehabilitation center, he struggled to regain his humanity and to reenter the world of civilians, who viewed him with fear and suspicion. This is, at last, a story of redemption and hope.

March 14-15
Paul Hawken, founder of Smith & Hawken, author of The Ecology of Commerce

Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, and author. Starting at age 20, he dedicated his life to sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. Paul will speak about his new book Blessed Unrest, a leading environmentalist and social activist's examination of the worldwide movement for social and environmental change.

April 18-19
Robin Wright, foreign policy journalist for The Washington Post

Robin Wright has reported from more than 130 countries on six continents for The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Sunday Times of London, CBS News and The Christian Science Monitor among numerous others. She will speak about her latest book Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East.

May 9-10
Lowell Bergman, investigative reporter, Reva and David Logan Distinguished Professor at the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley

Lowell Bergman is well known for his investigative pieces for 60 Minutes, The New York Times and FRONTLINE. Bergman was a producer, reporter and then executive in charge of investigative reporting at ABC News. Later, as a CBS News producer for the weekly newsmagazine 60 Minutes, his story of his investigation of the tobacco industry was chronicled in the Academy Award-nominated feature film The Insider. Lowell's talk will be "The End of News: Public Interest versus Private Profit".

---

Tickets Required
1. Online: www.nbplfoundation.org
2. Phone orders: 949.548.2411 (calls are returned within 24 hours)
3. In person at Newport Beach Central Library, Admin Office, 9am-5pm weekdays

Killer opportunity for high school students with ID!
Free session with Ishmael Beah

Saturday, Feb 9, 2007 @ 11am - 12pm
You may receive extra credit for this - check with your teachers.
To reserve a seat, call 949-548-2411.

“Satirical Conclusions” Featuring Anita Kunz
at Laguna College of Art & Design
February 1-27, 2008

Laguna College of Art & Design presents a stunning array of works by professional illustrator Anita Kunz. The free exhibition begins Friday, February 1 and runs through Wednesday, February 27 at the college gallery, located at 2222 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. Exhibition hours are Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm, and Saturday from 9am-4 pm. Ample complimentary parking is available. The public is cordially invited to meet the artist at the opening reception to be held in conjunction with First Thursday’s Art Walk on Thursday, February 7 from 5-8pm.

Canadian artist and illustrator Anita Kunz has produced cover art for magazines including Rolling Stone, Time, Newsweek, and Sports illustrated. Her satirical portraits, from the covers of Time Magazine are in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. Anita was recently named as one of the fifty most influential women in Canada by the National Post newspaper.

ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN FOR THE LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE’S WINTER 2008 YOUTH THEATRE CLASSES
Classes include Acting for Teens, Stage Combat, Musical Theater Workshop, and a special Johnny Mercer Foundation Workshop
Registration Deadline is January 25, 2008

Children ages 6 through 18 can discover the joys of theater and learn the skills of performing live on stage by enrolling in one of the Laguna Playhouse Winter 2008 Youth Theatre Classes.

Winter acting classes are eight weeks long and are held on one day or evening per week. The Stage Combat classes and the Johnny Mercer Foundation Workshop are offered one weekend only. Most classes are located at The Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills, and are taught by working theatre professionals who have many years of experience in youth theatre. End of the class showcases or demonstrations are presented to families and friends.

Winter 2008 Youth Theatre Classes

STAGE COMBAT WORKSHOP

Ages: 12-18

Date: Jan 26 and 27

Day/Time: Saturday and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(Must be able to attend both days)

Fee: $125

Instructor: Christopher Villa

Location: City of Laguna Beach Recreation Department

For students who want to learn safe techniques in hand-to-hand and perhaps some small weaponry combat. Basic techniques taught safely by Certified Master Teacher.

CREATIVE DRAMA

Ages: 6-8

Date: Feb 4 – April 7

(No class Feb 18 and March 24)

Day/Time: Monday 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Fee: $136

Instructor: Jane Hilary

Location: Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills

This class is an excellent introduction to acting. Students explore self expression through playful exercises and rehearsal in preparation for their showcase. Students will increase their concentration, memorization skills, and focus their energy as they enjoy the creative experience. There is final showcase on the last day of class. Enrollment is limited to 10 students. Age requirements are firm.

ACTING FUNDAMENTALS

(Class is full with a waiting list)

Ages: 9-11

Date: Feb 5 – April 1

(No Class March 25)

Day/Time: Tuesday 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Fee: $136

Instructor: Jane Hilary

Location: Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills

Learn how to act in a fun and supportive environment! This class will focus on the creative needs of the individual student as well as ensemble acting; through short scenes, monologues and audition material. Class work is presented in a final showing. Enrollment is limited to 12. This class is an excellent preparation for The Laguna Playhouse Conservatory program.

INTERMEDIATE ACTING

Ages: 11-13

Date: Feb 5 – April 2

(No Class March 26)

Day/Time: Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Fee: $136

Instructor: Jane Hilary or staff

Location: Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills

Basic acting skills include audition techniques are explored in exercises, short scenes, improvisation and ensemble pieces. Students work at their own skill level. Individual creativity encouraged. A class project is presented at the last class. Enrollment is limited to 12 students. Class progresses each session.

ACTING FOR TEENS

Ages: 13-18

Date: Feb 7 – April 3

(No Class March 27)

Day/Time: Thursday 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Fee: $136

Instructor: Jane Hilary or staff

Location: Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills

All students are welcome. This class offers continuous work on “using and working from self.” Audition techniques, monologues, scene study, improvisation, and basic character work. Class moves along rapidly and progresses each session.

SPECIAL CLASS

JOHNNY MERCER FOUNDATION WORKSHOP

Ages: 9-18

Date: Feb 9 and 10

Day/Time: Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(Must be able to attend both days)

Fee: $35

Instructor: Sari Rose Poll and the Johnny Mercer Foundation Artists

Location: Laguna Playhouse Production Center in Laguna Hills

Composer explored: Frank Loesser

The second annual workshop is back by popular demand! A special weekend of Musical Theater is offered to our community. Students will sing, dance, write their own songs and create artwork. The Composer explored this year is Frank Loesser (Guys & Dolls, How to Succeed in Business). Learn about beloved songwriter Johnny Mercer.

Instructor Bios

Jane Hilary is in her 15^th year as instructor for The Laguna Playhouse. She studied at the Royal Theatre Company in England as well as taught and directed both adults and young people. Jane is a professional actress, Stage Manager, and private coach.

Chris Villa is a professional, certified fight choreographer, actor and teacher at UCI. He has worked for The Laguna Playhouse for 7 years.