Season > "Let's Go To Casablanca"

"Let's Go to Casablanca"
May 24-June 23
By Kevin T. Morales
Directed by Kevin T. Morales
 

Town Hall Theatre Company brings Let’s Go to Casablanca to the stage. This is the much anticipated sequel to Let's Go to the Movies - the smash hit musical written just for Town Hall that was sold out and critically acclaimed.

Kevin T. Morales’ fictional theater company is back and up to its eyeballs in debt. The board of directors forces artistic director Darin Snyder to try to create another hit musical a la Let's Go to the Movies. Taking a cue from Broadway, the board president figures the sequel should be based on a hit film. Darin abhors the idea of basing a musical on a film, but push comes to shove, and he can’t afford to lose his job with his first child on the way. The board picks “Casablanca” – the best film, in their opinion, to be musicalized. Can Darin save the theater, his marriage and his artistic integrity, all while making one of the most beloved films of all time into a musical comedy according to the board’s rules? Kevin T. Morales and his fictional counterpart will find out.

Let's Go to Casablanca marks the fourth show that Kevin Morales has written for Town Hall Theatre Company. His past plays are Let's Go to the Movies, Love Lafayette, Peter & Wendy, and Carol of the Bells.

"The original Let's Go to the Movies was so successful, people seemed really eager to see a sequel. It's almost a franchise!" says Morales, who directs the show. "Audiences love seeing the self-deprecating humor, as we make fun of ourselves and the institution of community theater. They also love the music. The show is crammed full of songs that were made famous by films or featured prominently in them. The laughs are incredible, too. You don't realize how silly it is to make something like 'Casablanca' into a musical till you've tried. Imagine Bogart and Bergman breaking out into 'I've Had the Time of My Life' from 'Dirty Dancing' before she gets on the plane. This is a very funny show."

"We are very lucky to have Kevin Morales," says Dennis Erokan, president of the Town Hall Theater board. "He’s young, fresh and willing to try new things that work for our audiences. Get tickets early - this is sure to be another hit show."
 

About the Cast and Crew:

Kevin Morales, director and writer, attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in directing. His Venus Rising Company has received Bay Area Critics Circle Nominations, Best Revival of a Musical by the San Francisco Chronicle and Best Director by the Contra Costa Times. Kevin was named one of the top 21 Visionaries of the Twenty First Century by Diablo Magazine and recently directed "The Rocky Horror Show" and "Copenhagen" to rave reviews.

Jason Carden reprises his role as director Darin Snyder. He returns to Lafayette from New York City, where he will soon be seen as Blake in the off-Broadway show Awesome '80s Prom. Town Hall audiences will remember him as Peter Pan in Peter & Wendy, Banquo in Macbeth and Eddie in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, as well as from television’s "Days of our Lives" and “8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter."

Amanda Harper, as stage manager Missy, is back for her fourth show at Town Hall. She was last seen as Meredith in 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress and was also featured in Gypsy and Wit. Her most recent project was a workshop of a new musical called The Geeks, directed by Ben Rimalower.

D'Arcy Erokan returns to Lafayette to reprise her Shellie Award-nominated turn as Kitty. An NYC resident, she is the female half of the comedy duo Frowned Upon; she was recently featured in the cabaret show Calling the Shots, at the Triad Theatre. In addition to appearing on “Saturday Night Live,” she has made numerous appearances with both Upright Citizens Brigade and People’s Improv Theatre (The PIT). For Town Hall Theatre, she appeared in 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress and Peter & Wendy.

Meghann May, featured as Autumn, was last seen in Merrily We Roll Along for TheatreWorks. Other credits include Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, Sandy in Grease, Silly Girl in Beauty & the Beast (all for Contra Costa Musical Theatre); Maria in West Side Story for Diablo Light Opera Company (Shellie Award); and Columbia in Rocky Horror Show (Town Hall Theatre). She has performed with many Bay Area companies including Oakland East Bay Symphony, Festival Opera, Alameda Civic Light Opera, and Fantasy Forum.

Emily Garcia, who will be appearing in her first show at Town Hall, takes on the role of board president Veronica. Emily has worked on numerous productions as a performer, director and choreographer, having recently performed as a Hot Box Dancer in Contra Costa Musical Theater’s Guys and Dolls. She has worked locally with CenterRep, Fantasy Forum and Pleasanton Playhouse.

Sean Robert Griffin, who reprises his role as Sterling, is a Town Hall Theatre favorite and a favorite all over the country. He most recently appeared in Town Hall's Copenhagen as Heisenberg, as Riff Raff in Rocky Horror Show and as The Bellhop in Lend Me A Tenor.

Joel Roster, featured as hammy board member Trey, was last seen as Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls for Contra Costa Musical Theatre. He appeared as Billis in South Pacific (Shellie Award winner), Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Lefou in Beauty & the Beast, all for CCMT. Recent Town Hall appearances include Rough Crossings, Bullshot Crummond, and Groucho: A Life in Revue.

Ryan Meupolder, as Major Strasser, was last seen in THT’s Carol of the Bells. He also played Rocky, the customized man, in Rocky Horror Show. Ryan was featured as an enchanted dish in Beauty & the Beast and as Danny in Grease (both CCMT); and as Diesel in DLOC’s West Side Story.

Laura Moran, who plays teenager Joy, was last seen in Town Hall's Carol of the Bells as Juliet. She also appeared in Gypsy as Dainty June, and in Peter & Wendy as Tootles.

The show also features Will Long, Richard Dent IV, Travis Van Oosbree, and Laura Moran.
Mature themes.
Length- 2 ½ hours

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