By Irving Berlin
Set in New Orleans, the musical lightly satirises Louisiana Governor Huey Long and his control over Louisiana politics. The show opened at the Shubert Brothers’ Imperial Theatre, New York City on May 28, 1940 and ran for 444 performances.
MUSIC BY
IRVING BERLIN
LYRICS BY
IRVING BERLIN
Based on the book by
MORRIE RYSKIND
A Story by
BUDDY DE SYLVA
Running Time
APPROXIMATELY
2 HOURS, 25 MINUTES
Cast & Crew
Sandy's career began in David Merrick's legendary production of 42nd Street on Broadway and the National Tour. She has performed at Washington, DC's top theatrical venues: as Auntie Mame in Mame, Tessie Tura in Gypsy and Susan in Company. In LA, Sandy played Cindy McCain in the HBO film, Game Change, appeared on the CBS hit show Criminal Minds and in web series including: Flacks, Damage Control and There's a Place in Hell for Fashion Bloggers. Her short films include The Truth, Non-Disclosure, Connected, The Last Time and Iota. This year she will film the comedy short Friendly Neighborhood Coven, and the feature Stronger than Pretty, a project created to address domestic violence. Sandy most recently portrayed Ms. Banks in a successful LA production of Barefoot in the Park. Her solo recordings include: Believe, This Christmas, Simply, and It Might Be Fun. She performs her cabaret shows throughout the US. Melissa is happy to return to the Reiner Reading series, where she was last seen as Rose in THE SECRET GARDEN! Other Credits: Eponine in LES MISERABLES (3rd National Tour);Grizabella in CATS (Cabrillo Music Theatre); Shelby in THE SPITFIRE GRILL (MTG); Svetlana in CHESS (MTG); Bobby/Gabby in CITY OF ANGELS (MTG); Jane Eyre in JANE EYRE (Fullerton Civic Light Opera); SISTER ACT (Sacramento Music Circus); CHICAGO (Hollywood Bowl, dir. Brooke Shields). In 2013, Melissa was a principal soloist for California Philharmonic at The Walt Disney Concert Hall in "Bernstein meets Les Mis." Melissa is the singing voice of Barbie for numerous films, toys and albums, including the animated features "Barbie as the Island Princess" and "Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper." B.A. in Music, UCLA; M.M. in Vocal Performance, CSULB. Proud member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA, and Musical Theatre Guild. For Ken. On Broadway and in National Tours, Doug appeared in RAGTIME, CITY OF ANGELS, THE FANTASTICKS, SHE LOVES ME, THE PAJAMA GAME, MUSIC IS and as a soloist at Radio City Music Hall. He was featured in PHANTOM, THE LAS VEGAS SPECTACULAR from 2006-2012. He is the recipient of two Los Angeles Drama-Logue Awards for leading roles in MAN OF LA MANCHA and SWEENEY TODD, a Robby Award for SHENANDOAH and a Back Stage Garland Award for PUTTING IT TOGETHER. His credits include RAGTIME and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST for Musical Theatre West, TITANIC, DAMN YANKEES, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS at CLO of South Bay Cities, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS and HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME for McCoy/Rigby, GUYS & DOLLS at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theatre, Harrah's in Atlantic City and The Desert Inn in Las Vegas, 1776 at St. Louis' MUNY and numerous production with Sacramento Music Circus. He proudly serves as the Western Regional Vice President of Actors' Equity Association. Regional: Follies, The Boys From Syracuse, She Loves Me, Brigadoon (MTW - Reiner Reading Series), State Fair (Musical Theatre Guild), Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel - Norris Theatre), Titanic (Moonlight), Les Misérables (Éponine - Performance Riverside), The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy - Moonlight), Legally Blonde (Kate/Chutney - Performance Riverside), My Fair Lady (Servant/Ensemble - Moonlight), The Drowsy Chaperone (Kitty - Performance Riverside), A Chorus Line (Vicki - MTW), Fiddler on the Roof (Moonlight), The Sound of Music (3DTheatricals), High School Musical 2, The Will Rogers Follies (both for Music Theatre of Wichita), Frozen: Live at the Hyperion, Mickey and the Magical Map, Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular, (Disneyland Resort). Kelley is thrilled to return to MTW after performing in Carousel (Heavenly Friend) and the Reiner Reading Series' Pipe Dream (Suzy). L.A. credits: Lend Me a Tenor (Maggie) and First Date (Ovation nominated Ensemble, Woman #2) at La Mirada, in OKLAHOMA! (Ado Annie) at 3D Theatricals, Superhuman (Center Theatre Group), Promises, Promises and State Fair (Musical Theatre Guild), Serial Killer Barbie and Adam and Eve and Steve (NoHo Arts Center), and Nunsense (Crown City Theatre). Kelley has toured the country with Fancy Nancy and Click Clack Moo (Theatreworks USA) and Disney Cruise Lines. While living in London, she performed in the PBS Concert Special: A Tale of Two Cities (Seamstress) and the workshop of Love Never Dies (Really Useful Group). She can be heard on both cast albums. Next, you can see her as Billie in MTW's upcoming Nice Work If You Can Get It. Thanks Michael, Gabe, and Cynthia! Martin previously appeared at MTW as Higgins in My Fair
Lady, Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins and in the Reiner Reading Series'
On TheTwentieth Century. Broadway credits include: Scar in The Lion
King, A Raisin in the Sun, Timon of Athens, The Government
Inspector, The Herbal Bed. Off-Broadway: Pride's Crossing, Honor
and the River, Candida, Labor Day; National Tour: Bill in Mamma
Mia!. Local credits include the upcoming world premiere of Shrew!
(SCR), King Arthur in Spamalot (3DT), Mary Poppins and Good
People (LaMirada), and Arthur in Camelot (Barn Stage). Regional:
Over 20 companies including Mark Taper Forum, Dallas Theater
Center, the Folger Theatre, and a combined ten seasons with
California, Alabama and Utah Shakespeare Festivals. Television
credits include "Superstore," "Strange Angel," "Desperate
Housewives," "Big Love," "Without A Trace," "Law & Order," and many
others. He studied at Stanford University, UCLA, and the American
Conservatory Theatre. Jeffrey has starred on Broadway in "Les Misérables" and "Falsettos" (also national tour), and has been seen on the MTW mainstage in "Young Frankenstein" and "The Producers". Reiner Reading Series shows include: "Call Me Madam", "Fiorello!", "City Of Angels", "Babes In Arms", "Steel Pier", "The Boys From Syracuse", "Amour". Los Angeles premieres: "Frozen", "Falling For Make Believe", "[title of show]", "Jesus' Kid Brother", "A Year With Frog And Toad". Other Regional: "A Class Act", "Joseph…", "Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular", "Annie Get Your Gun", "Kiss Me Kate", "Forum", "A Grand Night For Singing", "Can-Can", "The Roar Of The Greasepaint…", "Lucky Stiff", "Lobby Hero", "Gypsy". Workshops: "Toy Story: The Musical", "Big: The Musical". Film/TV: "Halloween 5", "Halloween: 25 Years of Terror", "Home Alone 2", "Life With Mikey", "The Magic School Bus", "Gulla Gulla Island", "Saturday Night Live". Jeffrey has sung with such artists as: David Foster, NoFX, Gloria Estefan, Little Richard, Maureen McGovern and Michael Jackson. And one for Mahler. @thejeffreylandmanshow Craig is excited to return to the Reiner Series after last year's excellent experience in PIPE DREAM! He is a singer, actor and musician currently based in Los Angeles. Recent area credits include Return to the Forbidden Planet (Bosun) at Rubicon, Peter and the Starcatcher (Black Stache) at Barn Stage, A Class Act (Hamlisch) at CV Rep, Sweeney Todd (Beadle) at ETC Santa Barbara, Ragtime (Father) with 3D Theatricals, Show Boat (Ravenal) with Opera San Luis Obispo. Tours include JCS (Judas) and Grease (Doody). You may have seen him recently as a hapless fiance or a muffin stealing crook on "Fameless" or as a dirtbag in "Law & Order: SVU". He'll also be appearing in the upcoming season finale of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Craig is a proud AEA member and is a graduate of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department. Chirp: @craigmceldowney, Click: craigmc.org, Stalk/like/poke: facebook.com/craigmceldowney Kevin is currently featured in the Broadway tour of Bright Star. Other Broadway Tours: Wicked, City of Angels. Off-Broadway: Little Moon of Alban. Regional: Forever Plaid (San Diego, Las Vegas), The Fantasticks (Ford's), A Little Night Music (South Coast Rep), Sweeney Todd (Sacramento Music Circus). L.A.: Carousel, Full Monty (Musical Theatre West-Ovation Nomination), Hunchback of Notre Dame (McCoy Rigby), A New Brain (Musical Theatre Guild), Children of Eden (Cabrillo), Rocky Horror Show (Fonda), Sondheim on Sondheim (ICT). TV/Film: Merchants and Masterpieces, Little Secrets. Proud member of Actors' Equity. Twitter/Instagram: @kbmcmahonjr. www.kevin-mcmahon.com A graduate of Cal State Fullerson (B.A.) and New York University (M.A.), Dana has appeared on Broadway as Eponine in Les Miserables and as Estelle in the national tour of The Full Monty. Among her many regional credits are performances at the Kennedy Center, North Shore Music Theatre, Santa Rosa Theatre, Utah Musical Theatre, The Directors Club(NYC), The New York Theatre Workshop, Theatre Unlimited(LA), Noho Arts Center(LA), El Portal Theater(LA), The Grove Theatre(LA) and North Carolina Theatre, where she appeared as Tzeitel opposite Paul Sorvino in Fiddler On the Roof. Television appearances include a recurring role on Days of Our Lives, The Lost Tapes, and The Today Show. Favorite roles include: Sally in Cabaret, Winifred in Once Upon a Mattress, Lottie in Mack and Mabel, Countess Charlotte in A Little Night Music, Lina in Singin' in the Rain, and Maria in Lend Me a Tenor. Robert is thrilled to return to the Reiner Reading Series. Currently, Robert is traveling with the first national tour of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's Bright Star: The Musical. MTW audiences may remember him most recently as Bert in Mary Poppins. Other MTW favorites include CATS (Munkustrap), Pajama Game (Prez), Meet Me In St. Louis (Lon), and Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie). Other SoCal favorites include: Busby Berkeley in the world premier musical I Only Have Eyes For You; Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Riff in West Side Story at Moonlight Amphitheate; Albert Peterson in Bye, Bye Birdie at Glendale Centre Theatre; and the world premieres of The Snow Queen (with Alan Menken and Glenn Slater) and Pilgrim, to name a few. Thanks to the wonderful Michael Betts and Cynthia Ferrer for allowing me this opportunity to join the Reiner Reader Series one last time. Tom participated in the very first Reiner Reading Series show -- "Ben Franklin In Paris" -- and subsequently had the great pleasure to be in lots more: "Anyone Can Whistle", "Carnival", "Where's Charley?", "Busker Alley", "Babes In Arms", "Pal Joey", "Li'l Abner", "Follies" and "Pipe Dream". Also at MTW he appeared in "1776", "South Pacific" and "Sister Act". A sampling of his other stage experience includes: South Coast Rep ("In The Next Room", "The Wind In The Willows", "Galileo"); Laguna Playhouse ("Travels With My Aunt", "Red Herring", "What The Butler Saw"); La Mirada ("All My Sons"); International City Theater ("Loot", "Twentieth Century", "Threepenny Opera"). He toured the country in Michael Frayn's "Copenhagen"; and appeared Off-Broadway in "The Man Who Shot The Man Who Shot Jesse James", "The Member Of The Wedding", and "The Merry Widow". Tom is a published playwright and a member of the faculty at South Coast Rep's Adult Conservatory. Alyssa was recently seen on the MTW stage in White Christmas as Mrs. Snoring Man/Tessie/Seamstress. Regional favorites: Seasons of Love Soloist in Rent (La Mirada), Ilse in Spring Awakening (La Mirada), Penny in Hairspray (3-D Theatricals), Esther in Meet Me In St. Louis (Cabrillo Music Theatre), and Willow in Summer Of Love (Musical Theatre West). She is a member of the Musical Theatre Guild. MTG shows: Spitfire Grill, Bonnie & Clyde, Little Women and Chess. Alyssa is 1/2 of the musical comedy duo, Former Fat Kids Society. Their original web series "OREGONe" premiered this year. http://ffksociety.com. She can be seen daily at Disney's California Adventure in Frozen. All my love to my family and Chassey. Michael is thrilled to be back with the Reiner Reading Series! He can currently be seen on the first national tour of Bright Star as well as Prince Hans in Disneyland's Frozen - Live at the Hyperion. Some favorite past credits include: Romy & Michele's HS Reunion (5th Avenue Theatre), Kiss Me Kate (Hartford Stage/Old Globe), Mamma Mia! and A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl), Carrie: The Musical (The Los Angeles Theater), Salome and Wonderful Town (LA Opera), West Side Story and Empire: The Musical (McCoy Rigby), Footloose (Candlelight), Oklahoma!, and Big Fish (Musical Theater West). Legally Blonde, Grease, Spamalot, and Joseph…(Forrestburg Playhouse), White Christmas (The Norris). Michael is a proud graduate from UCLA's Ray Bolger MT program. Thank you to this fantastic cast and team! @mjstarr77 Broadway Credits include: CATS (Mr. Mistoffelees), Little Johnny Jones (Standby to Donny Osmond), Me and My Girl (Standby for Jim Dale), Jerome Robbins Broadway, Man of La Mancha (Barber), Beauty and the Beast (LeFou), and the original company of Billy Elliot. Regionally and on Tour, Jamie has starred in George M!, Little Shop or Horrors, La Cage Aux Folles, Fiddler on the Roof, Crazy For You, How To Succeed..., Where's Charley?, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Ovation Nomination), over 15 productions of Me and My Girl, and Pseudolous in "A Funny Thing Happened…", and most recently, The Little Mermaid. Television and Film: Law and Order, ER, Mrs. Santa Claus, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Disney's Tarzan, Pocahontas, and Aladdin.