SOUTH GATE STAGE

South Gate Stage Highlights

2011-06-10T14:59:00.001-07:00

SOUTH GATE STAGE IS BACK...

2011-03-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

Most musicals have happy endings, but that is not going to happen in CHESS when the principal characters sing “We go on pretending stories like ours have happy endings.”

Most musicals have likable characters, but these characters deceive each other to an endgame where one of the songs is the nihilistic “Nobody’s On Nobody’s Side.”

CHESS was written by the composers of ABBA, a group that ranks in the top four of music sales with the Beatles, Michael Jackson and Elvis. The ABBA musical, Mama Mia, is a mega-hit, but CHESS was a Broadway flop, very few people have even heard of CHESS.

However, productions continue to pop up all over the world with each revival changing the plot, the locations, changing sets and costumes, changing characters, the lyrics, the order of songs, adding songs, cutting songs, etc. all in an effort to make the show work.

CHESS is regarded by some as one of the top musicals of all times, but others vehemently disagree. There is no question, however, that the music is complicated, challenging, lush and rich.

FEVER

2010-12-18T16:48:00.001-08:00

STOP MORE BUDGET CUTS TO THE ARTS

2010-10-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Arts are the first cuts in recent state budgets. California has approved another 3 billion dollars in cuts to schools for next year. Do what you can to protest more cuts to the Arts and save Performing Arts programs in music, dance and theatre.

Cutting programs in the Arts hurts schools, the community and especially programs that have enriched the educational and professional development of students. Let's not lose any more programs such as the South Gate Stage theatre program and other school theatre programs.

Do what you can to Keep the Arts ALIVE!

SHADY COMPANY

2010-10-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Clips from the Original Musical Comedy, SHADY COMPANY, and a peek at the rehearsal process.

FEVER GOES HOLLYWOOD

2008-02-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

FEVER, an original musical with an electrifying score, an hilarious script set in the disco era of glitter and glam.

Premiere production at the Ricardo Montablan Theatre in Hollywood.

Click below for FEVER Slide Show:

SOUTH GATE STAGE PREMIERS NEW MUSICAL FOR “FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN MUSICALS”

2008-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

FEVER takes stage at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood. http://www.ricardomontalbantheatre.org/

FEVER is a 'play witin a play' as the characters act out the lives of their characrters in real life.
THE PLOT: A film company is shooting a musical in Hollywood’s Griffith Park when the star, Mia, refuses to marry her co-star in a studio arranged publicity wedding. Instead Mia runs off with a Spanish gigolo for a secret wedding in the woods. Mia is chased by her producer father, her co-star and her best friend where they all collide with a band of supernatural forest creatures in a madcap mix-up of mystery and magic. FEVER is written and directed by Howard Dando.

The Festival features prominent LA theatre companies including the Old Globe Theatre (San Diego), South Coast Repertory Theatre (Orange County), Rubicon Theatre (Ventura), Sundance Theatre Program, UCLA Music Department, USC School of Theatre, the LA Master Chorale, The Ford Theatre, Rogers & Hammerstein Organization, etc.

Festival chairs are Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked"), Stephen Sondheim ("Sweeney Todd"), Jerry Herman ("Hello Dolly"), Jason Alexander and Angela Lansbury. Stephen Sondheim said, " What impresses me about the Festival is working directly with schools ... helping them produce new musicals... and ignite a passion for theater."

Click link below for a MUSICAL SLIDE SHOW of former South Gate Stage productions:

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1040696&fr=yvmtf

400 Photos of South Gate Stage productions - copy and paste the following link in your browser window:

http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/552987415UtxzjQ?vhost=entertainment

FEVER ON FRONT PAGE NEWS

2008-01-25T20:14:00.000-08:00

FEVER on front page of the Christian Science Monitor:

To read the entire story: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0404/p12s01-almp.html

FEVER on Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/slideshow/seligson-festival-musicals-2032202-reprise-musical?pos=1

FEVER on cover of Backstage Magazine:

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/la/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003793732

SOUTH GATE STAGE WINS DTASC TROPHY

2007-10-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

At the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Festival South Gate Stage won the prestigious Trophy in a competition over 60 High Schools and 1000 students from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Click link for a Musical Slide Show of previous productions.

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1040696&fr=yvmtf

See the excitement of a DTASC Theatre Competition below:

SOUTH GATE STAGE GRAPHICS AWARDS

2007-08-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

South Gate Stage wins prestigious national, state and local awards for Poster and Program designs

The May 2007 production of CATS won the following awards:

First Place - United States Graphic Association Award
First Place - California State Fair
First Place - Los Angeles County State Fair
Best of Show - Los Angeles County State Fair

PIPPIN

International Graphic Arts Education Association (National Competition) - First Place
Thummer Award (National Competion) only awarded in a year when a graphic exhibits Excellence beyond Standards
California State Fair - First Place
LA County Fair: First Place
LA County Fair - Best of Show
International recognition - PIPPIN Poster - only 'non-commercial' graphic displayed at the European Union Guttenburg Festival

GODSPELL

First Place - California State Fair

First Place - Los Angeles County Fair

SHADY COMPANY
First Place - California State Fair
First Place - Los Angeles County Fair
Best of Show - Los Angeles County Fair

To view Poster and Program Designs click on: http://www.flickr.com/photos/south_gate_stage_posters/

BACKSTAGE at SOUTH GATE STAGE

2007-08-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Click below to view the celebration and excitement 'After the Show'

PIPPIN After the Curtain Calls from Dando on Vimeo.

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ SIGNS SOUTH GATE STAGE POSTERS

2007-08-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Click below for Press Conference with Stephen Schwartz, Jason Alexander and Marcia Seligson announcing the premiere of the FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN MUSICALS.

Stephen Schwartz, composer of WICKED signs original posters of his musicals PIPPIN and GODSPELL performed by South Gate Stage. Howard Dando presents production photos of FEVER, a new musical created for the Festival.

"ANOTHER OP'NIN, ANOTHER SHOW"

2007-08-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

Fall 2007 production of

COMEDY TONIGHT .

"A sensational play filled with love, music, dancing and so much commotion it was hard to keep up with the hilarious scenes."

By: Andrea Paniagua, South Gate Rambler

CATS

2007-06-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

South Gate Stage is the first school (University or Secondary) or non-professional theatre to present a production of CATS in California.

Slide Show Below:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in REHEARSAL

2006-05-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Howard Dando, Belinda Martinez and Richard Melendrez with cast in rehearsal of scenes from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. VIDEO below:

Rehearsal for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from Dando on Vimeo.

PIPPIN ... with an all new cast

2005-12-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

After many requests for a repeat production of PIPPIN SOUTH GATE STAGE performs an all new version.

Sneak a peek backstage ... click below:

Anti-war protest before show

2005-05-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Cast members take to the streets in an anti-war protest prior to performance of HAIR. VIDEO below.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

2002-06-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

Click below for interviews and clips of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.

Little Shop of Horrors Cast and Crew Interviews from Dando on Vimeo.

FINAL CURTAIN

2001-06-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

FINAL CURTAIN
By Peter Harrison
Backstage at his final performance for South Gate Stage, director Howard Dando appears to be in several places simultaneously, discussing a sound cue with the stage manager, helping an actor with a line, checking with the conductor about tempo, even assisting with a quick costume repair.

In a career that has seen him produce and direct Broadway productions, including The Who’s Tommy and the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and founder of the major ballet company, Stars of the American Ballet that received critical acclaim from the New York Times and every major newspaper in the nation, tonight finds Dando directing a production of his original musical FEVER not on Broadway but at the West Coast equivalent Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood.

At first glance, it seems paradoxical: Why would an urbane, East Coast-trained artist, a veteran of the New York stage, choose to direct the Drama department of a working class inner-city high school? “To make a difference! If we’re not making a difference, why else are we on this Earth?” said Dando.

The challenges that South Gate presented were formidable, a severely overcrowded school with an enrollment of over five thousand students in a school built for twelve hundred. Principal Tony Sandoval asked Dando to take on the Drama program but Dando was reluctant, "I knew the hours would be unlimited, but Mr. Sandoval was very persuasive. He changed my life, but at the time I wasn't sure it was for the better."

The theater built in 1929, was in disrepair, no supplies, no equipment, not even a hammer or a nail. No room in the wings because the wings were used for school lockers. Dando coralled major funding to equip the school with professional sets and costumes, a new state of the art lighting board and a new sound system, and more.

“Bye Bye Birdie” was selected as the first production. Thirty students were cast, but that number quickly dwindled. “I told students to be prepared to work four hours a day, five days a week and weekends." said Dando, “Within a couple weeks half the original cast bailed out. I always emphasized my ‘Three D’s’ – Dedication, Discipline and Devotion, and the group that remained became the foundation of the program and the tradition of excellence grew every year.”

“Birdie” played to an audience of two thousand. Prior to that a typical production yielded a total audience of a hundred. Principal Anthony Sandoval noted the revamped Drama department, "Previously there wasn't the quality. Howard came in with a couple production assistants and created an amazing theater program."

'Amazing' was a word that was heard after every performance. The students won trophies at the annual DTASC Competitions against hundreds of schools from San Diego to Santa Barbara; and performed annually at Theatre Festivals, “I also wanted my students to rub shoulders with professionals so we developed partnerships with major LA Theatre companies including Reprise Theatre Company, Geffen Playhouse, Ricardo Montalban Theatre, East LA College, The Actors Gang, the Skirball Center, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Festival of the New American Musical, The London Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, A Noise Within, Los Angeles Music Center, and many more.” said Dando.

Dando received certificates from the City Council and was nominated for a Bravo Award by the Los Angeles Music Center for Outstanding Arts Teacher. But he insists, “I’m just the coach, it’s the students who make it happen. They deserve the awards. Working with these kids is my reward. Professional theater is all about business. I never had the satisfaction that I get from these kids with their passion for the theatre. Every rehearsal was great fun; I laughed every day. It can’t be duplicated in the commercial theater,” said Dando.

The fun worked for the audiences as well. A Middle School group was reluctant to attend FEVER becasue they heard is was based on a Shakespeare plot. After the performance the students asked their teacher if they could all go again the next night.

After a matinee a family sought out the director to tell him that they were at the previous night’s performance and their daughter wanted to see the show again, but it meant cancelling her birthday party. “It was worth it, “she said, “FEVER was more fun than any birthday party.”

A letter arrived from Russell Copley, Theatre Advisor for the District. It read, “A level of artistic excellence above and beyond the norm in our district. I drove home elated and inspired.” Dando shared the letter with his students, “It means you made a difference.”

More information on FEVER at: http://www.dancetheatre.blogspot.com/

BYE BYE BIRDIE After the Show

2000-06-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

The cast and crew celebrate after BYE BYE BIRDIE - the first production of SOUTH GATE STAGE - the beginning of an AMAZING journey. Video below:

Bye Bye Birdie After the Show from Dando on Vimeo.

If you want to see more of the Amazing Journey of South Gate Stage... click thumbnail image below. (400 Photos on Webshots can be enlarged and downloaded. )

by SGStage

OR ... click below for a photo slide show from Webshots.:

South Gate Stage

Thanks to all the casts and crews of South Gate Stage for your passion and devotion to our theatre program.

You are all AMAZING!

And to our Professional Partners - your generosity to our students was Awesome!

HOWARD DANDO BLOG PAGES - click links below:

http://dancetheatre.blogspot.com/

and

http://newfilmbiz.blogspot.com

Dancers in the Dark - Number 1 Bestseller on Amazon's Top Dance and Music books.

Dancers in the Dark, available on all Ebook platforms, Ipad, Smartphones, Sony Reader, Kindle (Amazon Kindle discount applies for limited time), and paperback.

CLICK Link to AMAZON

Scenes from novel below: