Long Beach’s Musical Theatre West is bringing the romantic musical “An American in Paris” to the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Long Beach State.
The play had its preview night on April 14, it will officially open on April 15 and run on selected dates to April 30. The April 21 performance will feature an ASL-interpreted performance.
The production is set just after World War II in Paris, France and centers around an American soldier named Jerry Mulligan, played by Luke Hawkins, who decides to stay in the French city after the war and become an artist.
Mulligan expresses himself through painting and he meets other artists. He meets Adam Hochberg played by Louis Pardo along with Henri Baurel who is played by Michael Bullard.
Sareen Tchekmedyian plays the final lead of the play, Lise Dassin, whose artistic focus is ballet and she ends up being the object of affection for the three male characters.
The main cast is rounded out with Rebecca Ann Johnson playing Milo Davenport and Leslie Stevens who plays Madame Baurel.
“An American in Paris” follows these characters as they navigate their way through the art community in Paris, a city that is emerging from a gloomy, war-ridden state.
“Jerry uses his painting, Lise uses her ballet dancing, Henri uses his singing and Adam uses his composing and they all process the war through their hearts,” play director and choreographer Jeffry Denman said.
The musical features music composed by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. There will have jazz tap and ballet dance sequences choreographed for a rotating stage, similar to what’s featured in the Performing Arts Center.
Denman helmed the play before but he wanted to bring his version to the west coast and he was thrilled to work with Musical Theatre West.
“I’ve had such an incredible time working with this staff, and especially this cast,” Denman said. “It’s been an absolute joy.”
Katie Marshall, who is one of the ensemble players in the production, is a CSULB alumna and is excited to be performing with Musical Theatre West and be back on campus. Marshall has been working with Musical Theatre West in different capacities since she graduated.
Marshall says that to her, one of the themes of the play is about the conversation on what art should be.
“There’s one character throughout the play that thinks that its [art] is meant to be dark and that it’s supposed to show the underbelly of life,” Marshall said. “Another character thinks it should be light and fun, and it should be beautiful.”
Denman’s interpretation of “An American in Paris” draws inspiration from not only the Broadway incarnation, but the Hollywood movie as well. Denman has been able to take the opportunity as director and choreographer to explore other themes.
In the 1951 original, the two main leads were ballet dancers and the dance choreography reflected that. In Denman’s version, Mulligan dances jazz tap, while Dassin remains a ballet dancer, which Denman uses to express the different language barriers the leads face.
“Not only do they have the English and French barrier, but there’s also this dance language barrier that I think is really vital to the movie and one of the things I wanted to accentuate in this production,” Denman said. “I think the contrast between tap and ballet is very, very culturally satisfying.”
Tickets for the show can be purchased online or by calling (562) 856-1999 and range in price starting from $20 to $125. Student rush tickets will be available one hour before showtime for $15 at the door.