Press - An Italian Straw Hat

AN ITALIAN STRAW HAT: A VAUDEVILLE
book and lyrics by John Strand
music by Dennis McCarthy
directed by Stefan Novinski
musical direction by Dennis Castellano
September 5 - October 5, 2008
Segerstrom Stage

Emmy Award-winning composer Dennis McCarthy (“Star Trek”) teams up with Charles McArthur prize winner John Strand and director Stefan Novinski, who delighted SCR audiences with A Little Night Music, for the spirited American adaptation of a classic European farce.  With flavors of vaudeville, ragtime, light opera and even barbershop quartet, the rollicking new musical follows a hapless young bridegroom through turn-of-the-century New York, as he tries to correct a horrendous problem. It seems his horse has eaten a young lady’s hat, and his wedding will be derailed if he can’t find a replacement—today!

Click on photos for 300 dpi 5x7 versions.

The cast of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR	(l. to r.) Richard Doyle, Alan Blumenfeld, Matthew Koehler and Erika Whalen in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR

Alan Blumenfeld and Melissa van der Schyff in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR	Daniel Blinkoff as Fadley in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR	Melissa van der Schyff as Clara in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo courtesy of South Coast Repertory.

Damon Kirsche as Emile and Michele Duffy as Annabelle in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR	(l. to r.) Richard Doyle, Erika Whalen, Kasey Mahaffy and Matthew Koehler in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR

The cast of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR		(l. to r.) Erika Whalen, Matthew Koehler, Richard Doyle and Kasey Mahaffy in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo courtesy of South Coast Repertory.

The cast of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR		(l. to r.) Richard Doyle, Erika Whalen, Matthew Koehler and Daniel Blinkoff in the World Premiere of An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, a rollicking new musical farce at South Coast Repertory Sept. 5 – Oct. 5. Photo: Henry DiRocco/SCR.

Playwright John Strand.		Composer Dennis McCarthy. .		Director Stefan Novinski. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

Daniel Blinkoff	Alan Blumenfeld	Richard Doyle	Michelle Duffy	Patrick Kerr
Damon Kirsche	Matthew Koehler	Kasey Mahaffy	Melissa van der Schyff	Erika Whalen