SOUVENIR

A Fantasia on the Life of

Florence Foster Jenkins

Written by Stephen Temperley

Directed by Jason Edwards

NOW PLAYING

through Sept 28, 2008!

Starring

Linda Edwards

Carl J. Danielsen

Click Here to see video clips from the production!

Critic's are Raving!

Read the Reviews:

Los Angeles Times

OC Register

Whittier Daily News

Stage Scene LA

The Drama Desk Award-winning play SOUVENIR opens the season at La Mirada! Real-life eccentric heiress Florence Foster Jenkins fancied herself a coloratura soprano -- but the exact opposite was true! Despite being called “majestically awful,” her concerts in the 1930s and ‘40s, including a legendary appearance at Carnegie Hall, were not only sold-out but were attended by the crème de la crème of Manhattan society. Told affectionately through the eyes of her longtime accompanist Cosme McMoon, SOUVENIR is the sweet and inspiring, and yes, hilarious, portrait of a passionate music lover who believed that “what matters most is the music you hear in your head.”

SOUVENIR has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by Gary Wissmann.  Lighting design is by Kent Sheranian.  The sound design is by Josh Bessom.  The costume design is by Richard Odle. Properties Designer is Terry Hanrahan.  The Production Stage Manager is Lisa Palmire.

 

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

STEPHEN TEMPERLEY (Playwright) Born in London, Stephen Temperley first came to the U.S. as a teenager. He acted in several plays for the Public Theater in New York before returning to London. There he performed in the West End, on TV and in repertory. Since returning to the U.S., he has worked extensively in regional theaters and stock, on Broadway (the original company of Crazy For You) and off (Up Against It at the Public). The first of his plays to be produced was Beside The Seaside at the Hudson Guild. Plays that followed include Money/Mercy at the Chelsea Theatre Center (Mercy was later seen at the first HBO New Writers Workshop in Los Angeles) and Dance With Me, first seen at the 18th Street Theatre and then at Centenary Stage. Workshops include That Kind Of Woman for Dodger Productions and In The Country Of The Free for the Mint Theatre. He made an appearance at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Amadeus in 2006 and premiered his play, The Pilgrim Papers, directed by Vivian Matalon in July at the same festival. Souvenir also debuted at the Berkshire Theatre Festival before it played Broadway.

JASON EDWARDS (Director) is pleased to be back at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. For McCoy Rigby Entertainment he directed Pump Boys and Dinettes, and performed here in the Los Angeles premieres of Smoke on the Mountain and Sanders Family Christmas. His directorial credits across the country include Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Chicago's Marriott Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Clarence Brown Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre and also at the Maine State Music Theatre. On Broadway, Jason starred in Ring of Fire, The Songs of Johnny Cash at the Barrymore Theatre, and is featured on the original cast recording. Off-Broadway work includes Johnny Guitar (original cast & recording) at the Century Center, and Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at the Mint Theatre. Regionally, he has performed at Cincinnati Playhouse, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Buffalo Studio Arena, Northlight Theatre, Chicago's Apollo Theatre and North Carolina's Flat Rock Playhouse. He was nominated for Chicago's Jefferson Award (Best Actor in a Musical) for his performance of the title role in The Will Rogers Follies at the Marriott Theatre.

LINDA EDWARDS (Florence Foster) has performed opera, musical theatre, and oratorio all over the world.  She made her international debut in Tel Aviv with Leonard Bernstein and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra as Cunegonde in Candide, and toured Europe as Carlotta in Phantom (Kopit/Yeston).  Trained as a classical singer, she holds a Masters Degree with Honors in Opera Performance from Indiana University, and extensively studied the works of Mozart in Salzburg and Vienna, recently performing his Exultate, Jubilate with Laszlo Heltay and the Dallas Symphony.   Her opera repertoire includes leading roles in Don Pasquale, The Magic Flute, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Falstaff.   A frequent symphony guest soloist, she has sung under the batons of John Mauceri, Helmutt Rilling, Sergiu Comissiona, and Keith Lockhart. Adding to a list of leading ladies in over 50 musicals, including Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, and Mayor Matilda in All Shook Up, Linda has played over 300 performances as Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, opposite legendary leading men such as John Raitt and Ed Ames.   Regionally, she has played Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Barter Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, and Virginia Stage.   Her acting roles include Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Mme. Arcati in Blithe Spirit, and a long run at North Carolina Blumenthal Center as Mrs. Shubert in Shear Madness.

Performances: Tues. – Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 and 7 p.m. There will be no matinee performance on Sept 13th and no evening performance on Sept 14th.

Individual tickets are $40 and $48. Seniors, student, children and group discounts are available.

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