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Home , Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone, Tyne Daly

Everything’s Coming Up Roses for CCMT’s Let Us Entertain You and Make You Smile to close our 55th Season

WALNUT CREEK, March 1, 2016 — Contra Costa (CCMT) will present Gypsy at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, April 1st through May 1st, 2016. Tickets for Gypsy start at $45, with discounts available for seniors, youth, and groups, and are on sale now at the Lesher Center for the Arts Ticket Office, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, 925.943.SHOW (943-7469). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.lesherArtscenter.org.

The classic ‘backstage’ musical Gypsy premiered on Broadway in 1959, with book by (West Side Story), music by Jule Styne (Funny Girl) and lyrics by (Sweeny Todd, Into ). The original Broadway production was nominated for eight including Best Musical but had the unfortunate circumstance of opening the same year as , which swept the major awards. It has, however, won countless awards for its many revivals; more major revivals than any other show: 1974, 1989, 2003 and 2008 on Broadway and 2015 in . The show has been nominated for a record total of 26 Tonys, and has been a star turn for some of Broadway’s most iconic divas including , , , and Patti LuPone.

The show is loosely based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother Rose. It follows the dreams and efforts of the ultimate stage mother to raise two daughters, Baby June and Louise, and looks through ‘rose’-colored glasses at the hardships of life in show business. Often referred to as one of the greatest American musicals of all time, it features songs that have become popular standards, such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”, “Together (Wherever We Go)”, “Some People”, “Let Me Entertain You” and the gripping “Rose’s Turn”.

CCMT’s production will feature an amazing cast, led by Lynda DiVito as Rose. Ms. Divito returns to CCMT having previously appeared as the villainess Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray. A longtime professional actress, Ms. DiVito has appeared internationally and in in () and Sheba. Locally, she has been a staple with CenterRep in shows including , Lucky Stiff, She Loves Me, All Shook Up, and Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical. She also appeared on the Hofmann Stage in DTC’s production of Legally Blonde, for which she won one of her two Shellie Awards.

Playing Rose’s two daughters are Catherine Bartemeo as June, who debuted with CCMT as Cosette in Les Misérables, and recent New York City transplant Ariel Jarusha as Louise. Making his CCMT debut as the agent/manager Herbie is Michael Gaffney, who has been seen at the Lesher Center in Anything Goes, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and as the Man in the Chair in . The rest of the cast is filled with both returning CCMT favorites and newcomers: Grace Perry, Ella Dunderdale, Ali Lane, Amanda Maxwell, Diella Wottrich, Paul Plain, Michael McCarty, Massimo Giuseppe Cardarelli, Michael Berg, Kerri Shawn, Jason Rehklau, Sarah Schori, Jasmine Reyes, Carmen Lessa, Jenny Angell, Taylor Sundstrom, Max DeSantis, Zachariah Mohammed, Keaton Wilkerson, Kailee Sanderson, Hannach Bachman, Aimee Hennessy, Morgan Rotenberry, Tyler Hennessy, Hannah Hacohen and Tiare Vasconcellos.

Award Winning Creative Team CCMT is thrilled to welcome back Director/Choreographer Jennifer Perry to lead the talented artistic team. Ms. Perry has directed and/or choreographed many CCMT productions. Recent Choreography credits with CCMT include The Music Man, Les Misérables, Joseph…Dreamcoat (Shellie Award), Hairspray (Shellie Award/ BATC Award), (BATC Award) and (Shellie Award). Past CCMT Directorial credits include Joseph…, A Chorus Line (BATC Award), Oklahoma (Shellie Award), 42nd Street and Guys & Dolls. Returning to CCMT following his debut with The Music Man is Music Director Kevin Roland. Mr. Roland is a recent Washington DC transplant who has music directed and played for over 200 productions, including more than a dozen productions on Broadway and Off-Broadway including Wicked, Avenue Q, The Addams Family, Motown, Legally Blonde and Next to Normal. Mr. Roland has performed at the White House, and has accompanied such artists as , , Reba McIntyre, Bruce Springsteen and John Legend.

CCMT’s resident scenic designer is the award-winning Kelly J Tighe, while we also welcome back award-winning Costumer Liz Martin (The Music Man) and Lighting Designer Mike Oesch (Tarzan). This dynamic team is led by Executive Producer Michael Demers.

CCMT Continues Success at Shellie Awards Already the most decorated musical theatre in the history of the Shellie Awards, CCMT recently garnered four additional awards in January for last season’s production of The Music Man: Outstanding Costuming (Liz Martin), Choreography (Jennifer Perry), Leading Actor (Noel Anthony) and Supporting Actor (Benjamin Pither).

About Contra Costa Musical Theatre Based in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Musical Theatre has a fifty-five year history of producing dynamic musical productions and providing a home to local and national talent. CCMT has won more Shellie Awards for musicals than any other regional company. Since their move to the Lesher Center for the Arts in 1990, they have produced more than 40 full-scale productions, including the East Bay Premieres of Disney’s , Urinetown, the Musical, The Full Monty, RENT, Titanic, the Musical, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, Tarzan and Les Miserables.

Media Contacts: Scott Strain Danny Boyle 925-639-6979 925-210-0268 [email protected] [email protected]