Press Contact: BRETT FISHER / 310-871-4700
pr@smclo.org

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE SANTA MONICA CIVIC LIGHT OPERA
(SAMOHI'S THEATRE-ALUMNI ORGANIZATION)
ALL SINGING, ALL DANCING, ALL MUSICALS"
2005/06 SEASONS CONTINUES
WITH THE SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL (SMHS) THEATRE PROGRAM PRODUCTION OF
"ANNIE"
**
PERFORMANCES BEGIN MARCH 23, 2006
FOR 9 PERFORMANCES OVER THREE WEEKENDS

SANTA MONICA, CA (January 30, 2006) Santa Monica High School Theatre's professional producing partner, The Santa Monica Civic Light Opera (SMCLO) presents --. It features many of the lead roles "double-cast" to give more of Samohi's theatre students opportunities to showcase their talents. Annie is about is about a spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and finds a new family and home in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

After last season's successful run of seven different productions, artistic director Dr. Frank Ford (now in his 21st year teaching at Samohi) decided that an "all musical" season was in order, which features three book musicals and one musical revue. SMCLO's 05/06 theatre season opens continues with the ever-endearing Annie (Mar 23 thru Apr 8) in the restored Barnum Hall Theater. Samohi Theatre's "Musical Theatre Workshop" class will present a musical revue called Showstoppers (May 26 thru Jun 3), "with all the hit songs to all the hit shows, you can't get tickets to!" The season will close with SMCLO's spectacular summer production and tour (title to be announced; but under consideration is either The Sound of Music or Fiddler of The Roof).

Annie previews on March 23 at 7pm, and plays March 24, 25, 31, April 1, 7, and 8 - for 9 shows only! - in Barnum Hall, the troupe's larger, 1200 seat, newly restored main stage space. To preserve the hall's beauty, there will not be any concessions served.

From the more than 100 students who auditioned, 45 were called back, and 30 were cast. Joining the cast, as always, will be a live, 15 piece orchestra, giving the show that extra musical energy that SMHS Theatre and SMCLO musicals have been known for.

Brett Fisher, SMCLO's managing director, oversees the entire production operation and serves as the show's producer. "I think after last spring's hugely successful run of 'The Music Man,' the expectation is pretty high to deliver a great show," said Fisher, a Samohi alum ('95). "And that is what the Samohi community and residents of the Westside will get!"

The musical's book by Thomas Meehan with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin is packed with memorable songs, including "It's A Hard Knock Life," "Tomorrow," "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here," "Maybe," "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," and "Easy Street."

The cast of Annie features Hana Schmittdiel and Casey Corn as Annie, Mike James and Jimmy Grossman as Oliver Warbucks, Hannah Getz and Jessica Schechter as Grace, Anthony Alvarez and Taylor Brinckerhoff as Rooster, Louisa Levy and Nicole Jellen as Lily, Zoey Baldwin and Alex Pucci as Miss Hannigan, Nick Leonard as Drake, and including Jane Kivnick, Zoe Rose, Cristina Gerla, Casey Spiegel, Parisa Pourhabib, Lauren Johnson, Amy Edwards, Claire Medsker, Shannon Theus, and Jessica Weitzenhoffer as the orphans, and Jonathan Lawrence, Nick Mayer, Juanita Aaron, Ja-Yeon Koo, Hayley Marx, and Jessica Schechter as the servants/ensemble.

Tickets - including Volume Ticket Sales/Fundraisers and Season Subscriptions - are available by phone through the SMCLO production office at 310-458-5939. Single tickets are always available online at www.smclo.org. There are no fees when purchasing tickets online.

The Santa Monica Civic Light Opera, a sponsored educational activity of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, serves as a partner to SAMOHI's Theatre Arts Program, enhancing the student experience through mentoring by alumni and theatre professionals and developing productions for the Humanities Center and Barnum Hall stages.

This past summer, SMCLO sold-out the historic Avalon Casino Theater in Catalina with their summer production of My Fair Lady. Producer Brett Fisher took the show to Catalina upon special invitation by Mayor Ralph Morrow and the Santa Catalina Island Company.

Last February 2005, SMCLO received two coveted NAACP awards for Best Lighting and Best Sets, out of eight nominations for their acclaimed production last summer of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." SMCLO joins the elite ranks of the Geffen Playhouse, the Theatre at Boston Court, Troika Entertainment, and the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group, whose productions were also nominated.

SAMOHI is proud of its illustrious alumni, including actors Glenn Ford, Gene Nelson, Oscar-winner Gloria Stuart, Oscar-winner Sean Penn, Oscar-nominee Robert Downey, Jr., Rob Lowe, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Holly Robinson, Dean Cain, Ryan D. Hurst, Wallace Smith, Tessa Thompson, Matt Walker, Keith Coogan, John Augustine, Amber Tamblyn, and Colleen Ford; and writers/producers Meredith Stiehm and Zack Estrin, among many others.

The SMCLO gratefully acknowledges Samohi and SMMUSD staff members: Dr. Ilene Straus, Chief Educational Officer/Principal, Catherine Baxter, Administrative Dean at the entire Samohi Performing Arts Department, and Dr. Mike Matthews, Interim Superintendent of the SMMUSD for the generous and continuous support of the SMCLO and Santa Monica High School Theatre Arts Program.

The SMCLO is also grateful for the support of many community partners, most notably presenting season sponsor Washington Mutual, and season sponsors, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Santa Monica Daily Press, Gelson's, the super market, and our newest sponsor, Spectrum Health Clubs.

or additional information about the Santa Monica Civic Light Opera and the Samohi Theatre Arts Program, contact Brett Fisher, Producer and Managing Director, at 310-458-5939.

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CALENDAR LISTING for
MARCH 23 thru APRIL 8, 2006