Celebration Theatre's JUSTIN LOVE Extends Through December 16

Celebration Theatre in association with DEMAND PRoductions and Peter Schneider have announced the first show of its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the smash-hit, critically-acclaimed world premiere musical, JUSTIN LOVE, book by Patricia Cotter and David Elzer, story by David Elzer and Bret Calder, music by Lori Scarlett and David Manning, lyrics by Lori Scarlett, directed by Michael Matthews, choreography by Janet Roston and musical direction by Gregory Nabours is adding performances through Sunday, December 16 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Justin Rush is Hollywood’s biggest movie star who has it all; a beautiful, devoted wife, more money than he knows what to do with, a huge summer action blockbuster set to open - but he’s finding it harder to keep his secrets secret in our TMZ, twitter-addicted, celebrity-obsessed culture. Justin's wife Amanda, (rumored to be under some sort of "contract"), is getting frustrated by the growing questioning of her husband’s sexuality and the endless scrutiny about their "alleged" arrangement. When Chris Andrews, his publicist’s assistant and Mitchell Matthews, her old high school sweetheart (and now tabloid photojournalist), enter their lives, things start to get complicated.

What if the rumors aren't true? But if they are...will any major movie star ever come out, or will they continue to retreat into the closet for career’s sake? Someone has to go first…will it be Justin Rush?

To open this historic 30th season, Celebration Theatre has brought together many of its champions from over the years. Director Michael Matthews served as Celebration Theatre’s Artistic Director from 2005 -2008; Book writer and co-producer David Elzer has produced many shows at the theatre including the recent smash-hit production of The Color Purple as well as having served as its publicist for almost a decade; musical director Gregory Nabours has worked on half a dozen shows; choreographer Janet Roston most recently choreographed The Color Purple and much of the design team have together created innumerable designs for its productions throughout the years.

Michael Matthews (Director) Los Angeles: All Your Hard Work (World Premiere), Very Still and Hard To See (World Premiere), The Color Purple, Nerve (LA Premiere), What’s Wrong With Angry?, Take Me Out! (Ovation Nomination Best Director, NAACP Award Best Director) The Women of Brewster Place, the Musical (Ovation Nomination Best Director, NAACP Award Best Director, Ovation Award Best Musical; West Coast Premiere), The Temperamentals (West Coast Premiere), Haram! Iran! (West Coast Premiere), Three Tall Women, The Santa Land Diaries (2009, 2010, 2011), The Jazz Age (West Coast Premiere), The Prodigal Father (World Premiere), Porcelain, Stupid Kids (LA Premiere), Beautiful Thing (Ovation Nominations, Best Director and Best Play), The Bacchae (Ovation Nominations, Best Director and Best Play), Four; Dead End (Assistant Director) Ahmanson Theatre & The Cherry Orchard (Assistant Director) Mark Taper Forum. Broadway: Butley (Assistant Director). Chicago: What’s Wrong With Angry? (Jeff Nominations, Best Director and Best Production), In The Blood (Jeff Nominations, Best Director and Best Production), Porcelain (Jeff Nomination, Best Director), The Judas Kiss (Chicago Premiere), Being 11 (World Premiere), and...for colored girls who have considered suicide…The Bacchae (Edinburgh Theatre Festival, 2010) Michael served as the Artistic Director of Celebration Theatre from 2005-2008 and is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago, National Shakespeare Conservatory, NY, and an alumnus of Director’s Lab West 2008.

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