Ryan Castellino News

It's safe to say that Roger Bean-the mind behind The Andrews Brothers, The Marvelous Wonderettes and its yuletide sequel Winter Wonderettes-has certainly become the most consistently successful purveyor of full-scale theatrical musicals that weave a simple story around a string of early to mid-20th Century pop hits. His latest of such offerings is LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, the crowd-pleasing jukebox musical that debuted last year at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood and is now performing an eight-week engagement at the Laguna Playhouse through August 29. The original production garnered the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award and Backstage's 2010 Garland Award for Best Production.

Life Could Be a Dream @ the Laguna Playhouse, which opened Saturday July 10 with its original cast in tact and the very same creative dream team, is even stronger on a bigger stage. Opening it up for the Moulton Theatre in Laguna has not diminished one grain of its vibrant electricity. In fact, it's readier than ever for the lights of New York! Doug Carpenter, Daniel Tatar, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Jim Holdridge and Ryan Castellino are simply sensational with Roger Bean's stellar direction and Lee Martino's brilliant choreography that make it rock. One song 'The Great Pretender' has been cut and instead of 'Unchained Melody' reprised at the finale, it's now 'Life Could Be a Dream', which, as the show's title, makes much more sense! Bravo! Brava!

The Laguna Playhouse gets a dream cast for its production of Life Could Be a Dream that runs July 6 through August 29-the five original Los Angeles cast members have signed on for the eight-week Laguna Playhouse run!

Many talented performers from the worlds of stage and screen are coming together to perform on Monday evening, June 7, in support of their friend and colleague Ana Adame, who has been fighting late-stage lymphoma since February of this year. The curtain will rise at 8pm at Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, with doors opening at 7:00 for a silent auction. Angels 4 Ana is a visiting presentation at Boston Court Performing Arts Center.

Many talented performers from the worlds of stage and screen are coming together to perform on Monday evening, June 7, in support of their friend and colleague Ana Adame, who has been fighting late-stage lymphoma since February of this year. The curtain will rise at 8pm at Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, with doors opening at 7:00 for a silent auction. Angels 4 Ana is a visiting presentation at Boston Court Performing Arts Center.

Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita (ZORRO - West End) returns to the Los Angeles stage with an encore performance of her solo show ALL HAIL THE QUEEN (THE REIGN CONTINUES).

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS GOING TO BE 'DREAM-Y' - David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that the Ovation nominated (Best Musical Intimate Theatre, Best Featured Actor - Jim Holdridge), critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING AGAIN through February 28 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita (ZORRO - West End) returns to the Los Angeles stage with an encore performance of her solo show ALL HAIL THE QUEEN (THE REIGN CONTINUES).

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS GOING TO BE 'DREAM-Y' - David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that the Ovation nominated (Best Musical Intimate Theatre, Best Featured Actor - Jim Holdridge), critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING AGAIN through SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are have announced that the critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING through Sunday, November 29 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS GOING TO BE 'DREAM-Y' - David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that the Ovation nominated (Best Musical Intimate Theatre, Best Featured Actor - Jim Holdridge), critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING AGAIN through SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that the critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING through Sunday, October 25 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are have announced that the critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING through Sunday, November 29 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that the critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING through Sunday, October 25 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Roger Bean's current off-Broadway nostalgic musical hit The Marvelous Wonderettes with 60s female rock group classics performed in the style of an intimate concert could very easily be considered the female counterpart of the long-running all-male musical giant Forever Plaid.