APPLAUSE

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The Group Rep proudly presents the Tony Award-winning musical APPLAUSE with the book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse.

Tony Award-winning APPLAUSE Takes Center Stage at the Group Rep

The musical is based on the 1950 film ALL ABOUT EVE. The basic story is about an earnest, respectful understudy who endears herself to a Broadway actress, and then engineers a way to go on in place of the star and steal all the thunder. The musical adaptation team is topflight: Strouse (wrote ANNIE) and, with Adams, wrote BYE BYE BIRDIE. Comden and Green also wrote many hits for stage and screen, including the classic SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN.

APPLAUSE opened at the Palace Theatre on Broadway on Mar 30, 1970.  The musical starred Lauren Bacall, Len Cariou and Penny Fuller. Bonnie Franklin sang the show-stopping title song.  APPLAUSE ran on Broadway for 896 performances.

The musical garnered several awards and nominations:

Nominated for ten 1970 Tony Awards, it won four (including Best Musical).

APPLAUSE won two 1970 Theatre World Awards for Best Actor and Best Featured Actress, and also won three 1970 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Director, Choreography, and Performance.

What critics have said about the APPLAUSE:

“Bright, witty, direct, and nicely punchy… the whole show is sharp and fun.” – Clive Barnes/ The New York Times

“After I saw the show, I fell in love with the whole production, the Charles Strouse music and the Lee Adams lyrics. It was a show at which you left happy, with melodies running through your head. It had a long run on Broadway and a successful road trip.” – Richard Connema/Talkin’ Broadway

“…a snapshot of its specific time, with a rich star part and a handful of fun numbers that enliven the otherwise great clash of Margo Channing and Eve Harrington, something always worth exploring — a rich drama of the thee-ah-tuh.” – Jackson Upperco

“…the music is joyous…I’ve met a lot of Eve Harrington’s in my life, and I love this story for telling this tale of this actress who will do anything for a part in a play. We have all met and have been Eve or Margo one time in our lives.”– Colden Lamb

The Cast

Starring Leslie Stevens (Margo Channing) and Savannah Mortenson (Eve Harrington), the Group Rep cast features the talents of Tom Allen, Jonathan Alexander, Mia Catalano, Lee Grober, Doug Haverty, Zak Herman, Allison Jakubowski, Angie Lin, Hisato Masuyama, Connie Mellors, Darrell Mondaine, Ken Patton, Lloyd Pedersen, Judy Rosenfeld, Mike Sabatino, Avan Seals, Jennifer Skiffington, Michael Stancliff, and Melissa Strauss.

The Team

The creative team includes Carter Vickers (Set Design), Devin Harris (Lighting Design), John Harvey (Sound Design), Shon LeBlanc (Costume Design), Wendy Dale Young (Props), Shelby Hopkins (AD & Stage Crew), Richard Allen (Music Arranger), Gerald Sternbach (Rehearsal Pianist), Becca Sweitzer (Choreographer), Wendy Dale Young (Assistant Director), Shelby Hopkins (Assistant Director & Stage Crew), Cathy Tomlin (Sound Mixer), John Ledley (Light Board Operator), Gerald Sternbach (Rehearsal Pianist) and Cynthia Payo (Assistant Costume Design), Kristin Stancato (Webmaster/Online Marketing), Denise Downer (Marketing), Doug Haverty (Graphic Design), Doug Engalla (Promotional Video & Photography) and Nora Feldman (Publicity).