Feb. 18-Mar. 5, 2006

Music by Jerome Kern

Honorary Producers:
First American Trust,
Linda and Howard Knohl,
Shari & Larry Nemirow.

Youth Performances
Underwritten by:
Arts Council for Long Beach,
International City Bank

By F. Kathleen Foley for Los Angeles Times
'Never' swings like Fred and Ginger

Times rating: RECOMMENDED

The West Coast premiere of Musical Theatre West's "Never Gonna Dance" at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center is very loosely based on the 1936 film "Swing Time" starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

A lighted heart on the proscenium curtain announces that this purely escapist show, which features the durable music of Jerome Kern and a new book by Jeffrey Hatcher, is meant to be a glitzy valentine to Depression-era musicals. In fact, watching "Dance" is a lot like being handed a big, gooey box of chocolates.
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By Eric Marchese for Orange County Register
Never GONNA DANCE
Long Beach's West Coast premiere is a romantic, playful tip of the hat to the genre.

Many of the best stage musicals of the past two decades have been the accurately termed "retro musicals" for the way they mine the stage and screen of the '30s and '40s for inspiration. No one can question the technique - musicals were in their heyday during that period, and today's producers and librettists have sought new ways to incorporate classic material. Chalk up "Never Gonna Dance" as one of the best retro musicals of recent memory.
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By James Scarbrough for Grunion Gazette
'Dance' Provides Classic Entertainment

More lyrical than two harbor queens that pass in the early afternoon.

More spellbinding than telecasts of the Torino Games.

More attention grabbing than trellised star jasmine on your power walk at dawn down First Street.

Look up on the stage - it's Musical Theatre West's production of "Never Gonna Dance," with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by a stellar slew of songsters, directed by Larry Raben at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.
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DAVID ENGEL (Lucky)

A longtime MTW favorite, Mr. Engel is a two-time recipient of the Ovation Award for "Best Actor in a Musical" as Bobby in CRAZY FOR YOU. He is thrilled and honored to be sharing the stage once again with his favorite leading lady, Tami Tappan Damiano. MTW performances: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, KISS ME, KATE, SWING!, BLAME IT ON THE MOVIES & SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. He is best known for Smudge in FOREVER PLAID (NY, LA and London) and more recently in PLAID TIDINGS (Pasadena Playhouse). He will be soon be filming "Forever Plaid" for HBO and DVD release. Broadway: PUTTING IT TOGETHER (with Carol Burnett), SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL (Bass Wickersham) and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (original as Hanna from Hamburg). Other theatre: THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (both stage and film), CHILDREN OF EDEN, DAMES AT SEA, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, I DO! I DO! and SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM. As a longtime member of MTG, he is most proud of PASSION, FALSETTOS, MY FAVORITE YEAR and THE WILD PARTY.Ê Mr. Engel stars in "Zombie Prom", a musical short, where he shared an on screen romance with RuPaul.Ê By the way, Larry Raben is David's favorite director.

TAMI TAPPAN DAMIANO (Penny)

is no stranger to MTW, having starred in CRAZY FOR YOU, I LOVE YOU... CHANGE, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and GUYS AND DOLLS. As well as performing all over Southern California, she has a CD, "Hot Notes" (on sale in the lobby). Tami will also be heard as the singing voice of Cinderella in "Cinderella III" to be released February 2007. Tami wishes to thank Paul Garman and everyone at MTW for their continued unending support. She would also like to thank David Engel for being the greatest song and dance man onstage and to Chris and Dante, the greatest leading men in her life. Love all around!!! Proud Member of Actors Equity.

HARRIET HARRIS (Mabel)

is the recipient of the 2002 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Mrs. Meers in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. She is currently appearing as Felicia Tillman on Desperate Housewives. Broadway/Off-Broadway: THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER with Nathan Lane, THE CRUCIBLE, MAN AND SUPERMAN (all for the Roundabout Theatre); HAMLET (opposite Kevin Kline), MACBETH (with Raul Julia) both for the New York Shakespeare Festival; JEFFREY (Drama Desk nomination), BELLA, BELLE OF BYELORUSIA (Drama Desk nomination), INNOCENCE CRUSADE, CHRISTMAS ON MARS and most recently, RUDE ENTERTAINMENT. Regional credits: TARTUFFE, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY. Film credits include "Memento", "Nurse Betty", "Romeo and Juliet", "Quiz Show", "Show and Tell", "Addams Family Values", and "Dotty Gets Spanked". TV credits include Frasier (recurring as agent Bebe Glazer), Six Feet Under, The Beast, Union Square, The Five Mrs. Buchanans, Ally McBeal, Ellen, The X-Files and It's All Relative.

is a familiar face to audiences from his many film, television and stage roles and for his critically acclaimed work as a theatre director. Credits include: Series regular on Webster and Mel Brooks' When Things Were Rotten. Other TV credits: She Spies, Sheena, Profiler, Cosby and Newsradio. Film credits: "The Last Remake of Beau Geste", "All You Need", "Bring Him Home", "The Trial of Old Drum", "Oh God, Book II" and Joan River's comedy "Rabbit Test". Over 60 theatrical productions including: LBCLO's 1776, ICT's PUTTING IT TOGETHER, the world premieres of A COUPLE OF GUYS AT THE MOVIES and IS THIS YOUR LIFE? (which was written specifically for Henry). Directing credits: FOOLS (Actors Co-op and Rubicon Theatre), the world premieres of TWO GENTLEMEN OF CORONA, NEBRASKA, BRINE COUNTY WEDDING (NY and LA) and DRACULA (American Stage/ Florida).