IN THE SPOTLIGHT
For those waiting to hear, The Colony Theatre Company's fifth and
final production of the season is the Los Angeles premiere of "Donna
McKechnie: Inside the Music."
McKechnie appeared on Broadway in the Theatre Guild's production
of Rodgers and Hammer- stein's "State Fair," for which she was
nominated for a Drama Desk Award and received the Fred Astaire Award
for Best Female Dancer. She is best known for her Tony Award-winning
(Best Actress in a Musical) performance as Cassie in "A Chorus
Line."
"Inside the Music" relates humorous and touching events in the
dancer's life as she struggles to find fame as a Broadway dancer. The
play also salutes the people who helped her rise to the top,
including Bob Fosse, Leonard Bernstein and Fred Astaire. The text was
written by acclaimed playwright Christopher Durang and based on
original material by McKechnie.
It opens April 12 and runs through May 11 at Burbank Center Stage,
555 N. Third St. For reservations, call 558-7000.
The Colony's next production is "Fuddy Meers," the off-Broadway
hit comedy that launched the career of playwright David
Lindsay-Abaire. It tells the story of Claire, an amnesiac who awakens
each morning not knowing anything about who or where she is. She ends
up being kidnapped by one husband and pursued by another.
Directing is David Rose, who also directed "Bea[u]tiful in the
Extreme" and "Our Country's Good," which received six Ovation
nominations.
The production does contain strong language and is recommended for
mature audiences only.
Tickets are $22 to $28 and can be reserved by calling 558-7000. It
opens Feb. 8, but a special performance Feb. 7 will benefit the Boys
and Girls Club of Burbank. There will be a raffle, hors d'ouvres and
no-host bar with festivities beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and
can be reserved by calling 842-9333.
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A family friendly evening is planned for the Feb. 8 free concert
of the Burbank Philharmonic in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn,
Hollywood Hills.
Maestro Steven Kerstein will conduct the orchestra for the "Music
for the Family: Lone Ranger and Beyond!" featuring classics such as
Rossini's "William Tell Overture."
Also, the composer in residence, Cary Belling, will premiere his
new work, "Ripples in the Fabric of Space/Time."
As part of the Orchestra's Youth Outreach Program, the concert
will showcase a finalist of last year's Young Artist Competition,
Jakub Obsky, in a solo performance.
Another bonus is selected music students from Burbank and John
