What happens when 4 Broadway stars and mothers get together during a play date with their children?
Well, if you’re Joan Almedilla, Ai Goeku Chueng, Deedee Magno Hall and Jennifer Paz, you create a team called, “The Mama Bares”, 4 fierce and humorous women sharing their stories of motherhood, careers, and family through music. Oh, and they just happen to be extremely talented singers who have graced the stage in Broadway productions which include Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, and Wicked.
This August, East West Players, the nation’s longest-running professional theatre of color in the country, will kick off their 51st Anniversary Season, titled Radiant, with the World Premiere of The Mama Bares in Concert: Once Upon a Play Date.
“We love every opportunity to get together, eat, share stories about our families, have fun and celebrate motherhood. Once Upon a Play Date is all of these things (except the eating part) set to some of our favorite songs and a few special guests.” says Deedee Magno Hall. “We are grateful to East West Players for inviting us to debut our very first Mama Bares show, and we're excited to share our stories of love, life and Legos!”
In addition, special guests for The Mama Bares in Concert: Once Upon a Play Date will also include their spouses - musician David Cheung, American Idol finalist Anthony Federov, and Broadway veteran Cliffton Hall with media production by Charles Uy and Directed by Giovanni Ortega.
Watch “The Mama Bares” music video parody for Lorde’s single, “Royal” titled, “Rolls Royce” which was recently picked up by www.funnyordie.com
About the cast:
Joan Almedilla landed the role of Kim in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon, and went on to portray the role of Fantine on the Third National Tour of Les Miserables. Her other credits include the Broadway National Tour ofJesus Christ Superstar, Songs for a New World, and It’s Only Life. She has performed in several productions at East West Players including Road to Saigon, Krunk Fu Battle Battle, Chess, Tea with Music, and most recently, Criers for Hire.
Ai Goeku Cheung has appeared on Broadway in the role of Ellen in Miss Saigon. She later performed at East West Players in Beijing Spring, Little Shop of Horrors, and Manzanar the Musical.
Deedee Magno Hall was cast as Kim in the Broadway production and International Tours of Miss Saigon. Her other theater credits include the Broadway production and First National Tour of If/Then with Idina Menzel, and Nessarose in the First National Tour of Wicked. She made her East West Players debut as Mrs. Walker in The Who’s Tommy. Her television credits include Disney Channel’s The New Mickey Mouse Club, As The World Turns, Sister Act 2 to name a few. Deedee has recorded 4 albums with Hollywood Records’ pop group, The Party, & is currently the voice of Pearl on Cartoon Networks’ Emmy nominated animated series, Steven Universe, where she received a 2014 Behind the Voice Actor Award.
Jennifer Paz played the title role in Miss Saigon on the First National Tour, and received the 2008 Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress. She was nominated for a 2009 Ovation Award for her work in The Last Five Years with East West Players. Her Broadway and regional highlights include Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, The Who’s Tommy, Evita, In The Heights, and David Henry Hwang's adapted Flower Drum Song. She is currently the voice of recurring character Lapis Lazuli on Cartoon Networks’ Emmy nominated animated series, Steven Universe. She also received a 2014 Behind the Voice Actor Award.
Performances of “The Mama Bares in Concert: Once Upon a Play Date” will run from August 25th through September 4th at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts in Los Angeles. For tickets or more information, you can head to www.eastwestplayers.org or contact 213-625-7000.
