RIALTO CHATTER: Reprise CHESS Cancelled, THE FANTASTICKS to Replace

Various reports indicate that the 2009 Reprise Theatre Company season which was to present the world premiere of CHESS with a new book by Tony® winner Richard Maltby, Jr., has cancelled the production. More information will be forthcoming in the next number of days regarding the schedule change.

THE FANTASTICKS, a musical they were planning for next season will now take it's place. CHESS was to play May 5th through 17th, 2009.  

Reprise is getting ready to open the classic international hit "Man of La Mancha," it begins performances on Feburary 14th.

Single tickets are now available for "Man of LA Mancha" online at www.reprise.org or through the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310/825-2101.

Before Mamma Mia!, the songwriting team behind ABBA joined forces with lyricist Tim Rice (Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar) to create CHESS, the tale of a tortured love triangle in the last days of the Cold War. The thrilling CHESS score has been a cult favorite for decades and includes the hit "One Night in Bangkok." 

Since its inception in 1997, Reprise Theatre Company has been a focus of the Los Angeles musical theatre community, producing productions of great American musicals, and a wide variety off concerts, staged-readings, special events and outreach programs. In May 2007, Jason Alexander became Artistic Director and he was joined by Susan Dietz, Producing Director.

Since its inaugural production of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Promises, Promises," which starred Mr. Alexander, Reprise has brought to the stage vibrant productions from all eras of American musical theatre including the Gershwins' "Of Thee I Sing" and "Strike Up the Band," Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," and Rodgers and Hart's "The Boys from Syracuse" and "Babes in Arms," as well as Richard Rodgers' later "No Strings." The "Golden Era" has been well represented - Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg with "Finian's Rainbow," Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe with "Brigadoon," Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green with "On the Town" and "Wonderful Town," Irving Berlin with "Call Me Madam," Robert Wright and George Forrest with "Kismet," both of the Richard Adler and Jerry Ross musicals "The Pajama Game" and "Damn Yankees," Johnny Mercer and Gene dePaul with "Li'l Abner," Jule Styne with "Bells are Ringing," and Frank Loesser with "The Most Happy Fella."