West Valley Light Opera Next Season Preview

Our planned shows for the 2011 - 2012 season are:

"How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" (11/2011 - 12/2011)
"The Drowsy Chaperone" (3/2012)
"Bells Are Ringing" (6/2012 - 7/2012)

"How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying"

Nov./Dec. 2011

Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Abe Burrows

Returning to this theater is this Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy; an irreverent satire about Corporate America, based on the book by Shepherd Mead in which J. Pierpont Finch owes his meteoric rise from window cleaner to Chairman of the Board of the World Wide Wicket Company. He accomplishes this not through hard work, but by his ability to make others work hard for him.

This musical opened on Broadway in 1961, receiving a Tony Award for Best Musical, starring Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee, who also repeated their roles in the movie.

A new production of this delightful musical opened on Broadway in 1996 and the National Tour appeared in San Francisco.

Memorable songs include "Coffee Break", "The Company Way", "A Secretary Is Not A Toy", "I Believe In You", and "Brotherhood of Man".

Director: Meg Fischer
Music Director: Jeff Hicks
Vocal Director: Carol Lamcke
Choreographer: Valerie Valenzuela
Costume Designer: Sue Howell
Set Designer: Stephen C. Wathen
Lighting Designer: Mike Muñoz
Sound Designer: Bob Nelson
Stage Managers: Michael MacKenzie and Dave Raiman
Tech Director: Ed Hand
Producer: Sergio Peña

"The Drowsy Chaperone"

March 2012

Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison,
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Coming to this theatre in its Saratoga premiere is this truly modern, original musical within a comedy. It pays tribute to the Jazz-age shows of the 1920's and the power those shows held to transfer the audiences into a dazzling fantasy and lift their spirits in times of sadness.

The story is based on a diehard musical theatre fan who plays his favorite cast album and the music literally bursts to life in his living room telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find and keep her true love. It offers a sentimental, sweet, hilarious and sometimes surprising look at the impact that musical theatre can have on a person and the pure, unbridled joy it can bring.

"The Drowsy Chaperone" opened in Toronto, Canada in 2001 and after a successful run, moved to New York in 2006.

Songs in the score include "Fancy Dress", "As We Stumble Along", "Message From A Nightingale", "Love Is Always Love", and "I Do I Do In The Sky".

DIRECTOR: Jeff M. Hicks
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Jean Narunsky
VOCAL DIRECTOR: Jim Burris
CHOREOGRAPHER: Lisa Callaghan
STAGE MANAGER: Megan Snook
SCENIC DESIGNER: Stephen Wathen
COSTUME DESIGNER: Sue Howell
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Michael Munoz
SOUND DESIGNER: Bob Nelson
PRODUCER: Nancy J. Kwong
ASST. PRODUCER: Earl Masuda

"Bells Are Ringing"

June/July 2012

Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics & Book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Returning to this theatre after a long absence, this award-winning musical comedy is our final show of the season. "Bells Are Ringing" takes you back to a time before answering machines and high technology, when a real person answered your ringing telephone for you if you couldn't do it yourself. Welcome to "Susanswerphone" where the lines are blurred between doing a job and eavesdropping.

This musical opened on Broadway in 1956 starring Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin and received solid reviews, received 4 Tony nominations and 2 Tony awards. It was revived on Broadway in 2001 with Faith Prince as Ella Peterson, the switchboard operator.

The story and musical numbers are delightful and uplifting and include "Just In Time", "Better Than A Dream", "Drop That Name" and "A Simple Little System" which keep the cast and audiences smiling.

Producer: Liz Dale

	West Valley Light Opera P.O. Box 779 Los Gatos, CA 95031
For Reservations call: (408) 268-3777 Voicemail available 24hrs a day.