Wickedly Good Fun

A large and enthusiastic crowd attended Two’s Company—An All-Star Event Celebrating the Songs of Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz on Monday, November 5 at Glendale’s Alex Theatre, benefiting the Los Angeles City College Theatre Alumni & Associates and the LACC Theatre Academy. Actor Cindy Williams (Laverne and Shirley), an LACC alumnus, hosted the stellar evening, directed by Bruce Kimmel, another graduate of the school. The revue included the theatre and film songs of Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors) and Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked, Pippin). Several of L.A.’s most talented singer-actors volunteered their efforts, giving dazzling performances: Christina Saffran Ashford, Matthew Ashford, Patrick Cassidy, Kirsten Benton Chandler, Raymond Del Barrio, Juliana Hansen, Gregory Jbara, Linda Purl, Julie Reiber, Emily Rozek, Rex Smith, Kim Huber, David Burnham, Beth Malone, Kevin Earley, Kevin Spiritas, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Alice Ripley, Valarie Pettiford, Chad Kimball, and more. Alet and Andy’s Taylor’s sparkling rendition of “Suddenly Seymour” from Little Shop was a crowd favorite, as was Michelle Nicastro’s magical interpretation of Ariel’s wistful ballad “Part of Your World” from the Disney animated film classic The Little Mermaid and its soon-premiering Broadway adaptation. Funny man extraordinaire Bruce Vilanch cracked sardonic writer’s-strike jokes, then launched into an uproariously campy treatment of Schwartz’ jaunty “No Time at All” from Pippin. Approximately $15,000 was raised for this worthy cause.

--Les Spindle

Photo of Bruce Vilanch by David Lam