TOM TITUS -- Theater

If you enjoyed the “season of the musical” at the Costa Mesa Civic

Playhouse over the past year, you can bring back a few memories -- and

help out the theater at the same time -- this weekend.

Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, the playhouse will stage its

third annual benefit show, bringing back the stars of such past

productions as “Gypsy,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Sound of Music,” “Joseph

and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Into the Woods” for a few

encores.

But the show won’t be limited to reprises of those productions. Also

on the bill are songs from “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Company,” “Damn

Yankees,” “Man of La Mancha,” “A Chorus Line,” “Snoopy,” “Miss Saigon”

and numerous others.

In other words, it’ll be a grand night for singing.

Damien Lorton, who directed the playhouse’s last six productions (all

musicals), is mounting the benefit show, which will be accompanied

Saturday evening by a champagne buffet and silent auction. Assisting him

are Lynn Reinert, the theater’s immediate past president, and Deborah

Bushman, the new president -- whose contributions to the past season

included performing the roles of Maria in “The Sound of Music” and

Cinderella in “Into the Woods.”

“Our annual benefit show not only enables us to continue producing

quality theater [for] our local community, but it also allows us to bring

the arts to neighborhood children who are not able to afford youth

conservatories offered at higher-end theaters,” Bushman declares.

Bushman also noted the theater’s multicultural outreach program.

“It allows the children of the area to grow artistically in a safe

environment, where they are taught not only how to perform but also how

to value themselves,” she added. “Without the support of the community

through events such as our annual benefit, we could not continue.”

Bushman’s talents will be on display in the benefit, as will those of

Andrea Goldin in her show-stopping role of Mama Rose in “Gypsy.”

Other performers will include Megan Endicott, Mark Phillips, Mark

Davila, Karen Saluta, Ashley Gallo, Tanya Gallo, Marie Nussle, Kelley

LeMaster, Kelley Kenney, Nicki Peek, Ryan Bean, Tyler Schlietzien, Jason

Kraft, Nicole Casseso, Kimmy Mitchell, Gary Trinidad, Mark Valarde,

Christopher Scott, Terry Atkinson, Ivar Vasco, Christina Setina,

Laurielle Hoffer, Zarah Mahler, Tara Rabarski, Erin Godfrey, Sara Lyon,

Robert Arguetta, Steve Endicott, Kathy Endicott, Terrie Collins, Lynn

Pile, Annette Ralls and Yvonne Houssels.

Tickets for the show, proceeds from which will help the playhouse keep

its head above water and continue producing, are $25 for Saturday’s

champagne buffet, silent auction and show and $20 for Sunday’s program,

which is the performance only.

Curtain times are Saturday at 6 p.m. (buffet) and 8 p.m. (show) and

Sunday at 6 p.m. at the playhouse, 611 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa.

Reservations may be obtained by calling the box office at (949) 650-5269.

For musical theater buffs, this will be the place to be this weekend.

* TOM TITUS writes about and reviews local theater for the Daily

Pilot. His stories appear Thursdays and Saturdays.