Riverside theater releases schedule

RIVERSIDE – The Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside has released its 2014-15 season lineup, headlined by performances of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and the smash hit “Mamma Mia!” Season tickets go on sale May 23 at noon. Single ticket sales will follow subscription sales and will become available at a to-be-determined time.

The full schedule follows:

“Defending the Caveman,” Oct. 18, 2014: The season opens with “Defending the Caveman,” the longest-running solo play in Broadway history and a comedy rooted in the way men and women fight, laugh and flirt.

The show opened on Broadway in 1995 and has been touring theaters internationally ever since.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” Nov. 18-19, 2014: Just before Thanksgiving, families will enjoy the classic story of “Beauty and the Beast,” a Tony Award-winning production that features the Academy Award-winning score by Alan Menken and the universally known music and lyrics of Menken and Tim Rice.

The new touring production has been seen by more than 35 million people worldwide and reunites the original Broadway show that tells the beloved story of Belle and the challenge for Beast to embrace love in order to break the vicious spell upon him.

“Anything Goes,” Nov. 25-26, 2014: “Anything Goes” takes audience members aboard an ocean liner and into the love stories of two unlikely pairs. Amid classic standards including the title track “Anything Goes,” “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “You’re the Top,” the New York Times calls it a “deluxe candy box of Cole Porter’s best songs.”

The show has been revived several times on Broadway and has won multiple Tony Awards, most recently including best choreography of a musical.

“Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!”, Jan. 17, 2015: Heading into 2015, the legendary Hal Holbrook will portray the title character in “Mark Twain Tonight!” for one night only as he depicts the celebrated author giving a lecture with an emphasis on his funnier writings.

Holbrook, an Academy Award nominated actor, has been performing his role as Mark Twain around the world for nearly 60 years.

“Mamma Mia!”, Feb. 4-5, 2015: The season includes the rebirth of the Swedish pop group Abba’s most famous hits from the 1970s and ‘80s in “Mamma Mia!”, an international success and the 10th longest running Broadway musical of all time.

The show follows 20-year-old Sophie, engaged and curious about the whereabouts of her real father as she finds her mother’s old diary and uses it to help track him down to walk her down the aisle. Nominated for multiple Tony Awards, the show was adapted into the 2008 feature film starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

“Memphis,” Feb. 13-14, 2015: Featuring an original score by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan, “Memphis” highlights the birth of 1950s rock and roll during a turbulent time period. Inspired by actual events, the show centers on a radio DJ who wants to change the world and a club singer ready for her big break.

The production won four 2010 Tony Awards, including best musical.

“Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles,” March 25-26, 2015: “Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles” takes audiences on a musical journey through the life and times of the world’s most celebrated band. The production taps into the vast anthology of Beatles classics such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together” and “Hey Jude.”

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Published: May 15, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 05