The following is a press release from an organization unaffiliated with Culture OC. The information provided has been written by the submitting organization and not by the writers at Culture OC. We include this on our site in the spirit of sharing information about the arts and culture community in Orange County.
Raise a pint in our make-shift bar built inside the Muckenthaler Cultural Center’s Gallery space to celebrate the finale of the ECT 2023 season with Once The Musical in November 2023. Guy meets Girl in this tender love story about a struggling Irish musician on the verge of giving up, and a Czech piano player who reminds him how to dream. Featuring an outstanding ensemble of performers playing their instruments live on stage, Once reminds us of the power of music to connect us all. Once will star frequent ECT collaborator Wesley Chavez as “Guy” and Mercy Thornton in her ECT debut as “Girl.” The rest of the company includes Andrew Border as Andrej, Eric Dobson as Billy, J Piper as Svec, Co-Artistic Director Callie Prendiville Johnson as Baruska, Shauna McFadden as Emcee, Rob Bethancourt as Da, Ryan Song as Bank Manager, Sophie Keaney as Reza, Rebecca McBride as Ex-Girlfriend, James Herrera as Eamon, Wyatt Logan as ensemble, and Emily Taylor as ensemble and choreographer. Co-Artistic Director Brian Johnson directs. Once will run November 6-22, 2023.
In February 2024, ECT will launch their third season in residence at The Muck with Fiddler on the Roof. This beloved musical is going to take place not in the amphitheater, but under the oak groves on the west side of the Muck property, near the sunset garden. ECT will transform the oak grove into the little village of Anatevka with a small cast of 18 actors playing multiple roles alongside a small group of live musicians. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.
In the next installment of ECT’s annual show for elementary school students, The Road to Oz is an original play that will take students all over the grounds of the Muck. Students will have to help the citizens of Oz save their home from the Wicked Witch. By meeting characters along the Yellow Brick Road, students will find their own interactive way in finding solutions to help Oz. This modern Oz is built around a broken Yellow Brick Road, and all of the characters will be costumed in a modern transit world. The Road to Oz will take place in April 2024 and will include school day matinees as well as limited public performances.
June 2024 will bring a return to the amphitheater stage with David Farr’s The Heart of Robin Hood: Can a hood become a hero? All is not well in Nottingham. A cruel prince is terrorizing the countryside, the poor are up to their quivers in taxes, and Robin Hood has learned to steal from the rich—but hasn’t figured out the other part. To the rescue comes a sword-wielding, sharp witted Maid Marion, who sets out to show Robin and his scary men that there can be honor among thieves. David Farr’s funny, fast-paced swashbuckler will surprise you with a new spin on a story you think you know on the Muck’s amphitheater stage.
ECT will close out the season with Shakespeare’s classic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, which will be performed in the Muck’s Center Circle Courtyard in October and November 2024, turning the space with its beautiful cafe lights into an Italian restaurant. Love’s in the air when Don Pedro’s army, drunk with victory from the war, descends upon Leonato’s country estate in Messina. Traveling with him is Claudio, who wants to marry Leonato’s daughter Hero. Meanwhile, Claudio’s friend Benedick and Leonato’s lively niece Beatrice hide their mutual attraction behind a volley of witty insults.
Tickets and more information about all shows can be found at electriccompanytheatre.org.
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