Musical Theatre Guild

03/23/2026

Musical Theatre Guild is proud to be awarded the "JOEL HIRSCHHORN AWARD for outstanding achievement in musical theatre! Founded in 1995 by a dedicated group of professional musical theater artists who first gathered in living rooms to explore their shared passion, MTG has since revived nearly 150 forgotten, undiscovered, and otherwise-unseen musicals for Los Angeles audiences in their distinctive concert staging format. The company’s robust educational outreach programs bring the joy and history of musical theater to diverse youth throughout Southern California, cultivating the next generation of audiences for this uniquely American art form."

https://ladramacriticscircle.com/2025-special-awards/

03/17/2026

Welcome to our new Associate Members! You may have already seen some of them in our recent production of APPLAUSE. Watch for more of them in our future productions and concerts!

02/15/2026

It's the day of the show y'all!
ONE NIGHT ONLY 7 pm TONIGHT!

Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center,
Eli & Edythe Broad Stage
1310 11th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Fasten your seatbelts for APPLAUSE, Tony Award-winning musical inspired by the classic film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr. This rarely seen gem pulls back the curtain on Broadway life, centering on the battle of wits and ambition between stage legend Margo Channing and her cunning understudy, Eve Harrington.

In celebration of the life and legacy of the late Charles Strouse, we’re proud to present this high-energy homage to theatre itself—featuring his vibrant 1970s score, including the hits “Applause,” “But Alive,” and “Welcome to the Theater.” With lyrics by Lee Adams and a book by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, APPLAUSE is packed with sass, wit, and heart, brought to life with MTG’s signature flair for rediscovering Broadway’s hidden treasures.

Tonight’s orchestra performance will be enhanced by the generosity of the David Lee Foundation.

02/14/2026

BRANDON MAGGART, from the original Broadway cast of APPLAUSE, is interviewed about his experiences with the show along with Musical Theatre Guild members in the cast of our production Leslie Stevens (Karen) and Joshua Finkel (Buzz) as well as our Musical Director Brad Ellis.

https://youtu.be/wVGUnsKWrOo

APPLAUSE - playing ONE NIGHT ONLY Sunday February 15, 2026 in Santa Monica, CA

Information and Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

BRANDON MAGGART, from the original Broadway cast of APPLAUSE, is interviewed about his experiences with the show along with Musical Theatre Guild members in ...

02/14/2026

Meet the Cast of APPLAUSE!

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Fasten your seatbelts for APPLAUSE, Tony Award-winning musical inspired by the classic film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr. This rarely seen gem pulls back the curtain on Broadway life, centering on the battle of wits and ambition between stage legend Margo Channing and her cunning understudy, Eve Harrington.

In celebration of the life and legacy of the late Charles Strouse, we’re proud to present this high-energy homage to theatre itself—featuring his vibrant 1970s score, including the hits “Applause,” “But Alive,” and “Welcome to the Theater.” With lyrics by Lee Adams and a book by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, APPLAUSE is packed with sass, wit, and heart, brought to life with MTG’s signature flair for rediscovering Broadway’s hidden treasures.

Tonight’s orchestra performance will be enhanced by the generosity of the David Lee Foundation.

02/13/2026

👏🏼 APPLAUSE - THIS SUNDAY! 👏🏼

✨ Musical Theatre Guild presents the ONE NIGHT ONLY staged reading of APPLAUSE, celebrating the life and career of composer Charles Strouse – with an expanded 17 piece live orchestra!

📅 Sunday, February 15, 2026, 7:00 PM

📍 Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Eli and Edythe Broad Stage

🎭 Director/Choreographer:
🎹 Music Director:
🎧 Stage Manager: Leesa Freed
📋 Production Coordinators: Jenny Gordon & Tonoccus McClain

⭐️ The cast of APPLAUSE will star Musical Theatre Guild members Barbara Carlton Heart (Margo), Ashley Moniz (Eve), Brian Kim McCormick (Bill), Taubert Nadalini (Duane), Joshua Finkel (Buzz), Leslie Stevens (Karen), Robert Yacko (Howard), and Melissa Lyons Caldretti (Bonnie). The ensemble will feature Guild members Patrick Beller, Jennifer Bennett, Jasmine Ejan, Kevin Matsumoto, Benny Perez, George Xavier, and guest artists Roma Scarano and Chantal Tribble.

02/13/2026

Meet the Cast of APPLAUSE!
Today's spotlight is on member Taubert Nadalini!

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Fasten your seatbelts for APPLAUSE, Tony Award-winning musical inspired by the classic film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr. This rarely seen gem pulls back the curtain on Broadway life, centering on the battle of wits and ambition between stage legend Margo Channing and her cunning understudy, Eve Harrington.

In celebration of the life and legacy of the late Charles Strouse, we’re proud to present this high-energy homage to theatre itself—featuring his vibrant 1970s score, including the hits “Applause,” “But Alive,” and “Welcome to the Theater.” With lyrics by Lee Adams and a book by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, APPLAUSE is packed with sass, wit, and heart, brought to life with MTG’s signature flair for rediscovering Broadway’s hidden treasures.

Tonight’s orchestra performance will be enhanced by the generosity of the David Lee Foundation.

02/12/2026

Spotlight on new member Brian Kim McCormick, who stars in our upcoming production of APPLAUSE this Sunday!

https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Interview-Brian-Kim-McCormick-Talks-APPLAUSE-at-The-Broad-Stage-20260212

Fasten your seatbelts! The Musical Theatre Guild is a non-profit membership theatre company founded in 1996 by a dedicated group of professional musical theatre artists. Beginning in living rooms, these artists were interested in exploring and preserving the unique American art form of musical theat...

02/12/2026

Meet the Cast of APPLAUSE!
Today's spotlight is on guest artist Roma Scarano!

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Fasten your seatbelts for APPLAUSE, Tony Award-winning musical inspired by the classic film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr. This rarely seen gem pulls back the curtain on Broadway life, centering on the battle of wits and ambition between stage legend Margo Channing and her cunning understudy, Eve Harrington.

In celebration of the life and legacy of the late Charles Strouse, we’re proud to present this high-energy homage to theatre itself—featuring his vibrant 1970s score, including the hits “Applause,” “But Alive,” and “Welcome to the Theater.” With lyrics by Lee Adams and a book by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, APPLAUSE is packed with sass, wit, and heart, brought to life with MTG’s signature flair for rediscovering Broadway’s hidden treasures.

Tonight’s orchestra performance will be enhanced by the generosity of the David Lee Foundation.

02/11/2026

Meet the Cast of APPLAUSE!
Today's spotlight is on member Robert Yacko!

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Fasten your seatbelts for APPLAUSE, Tony Award-winning musical inspired by the classic film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr. This rarely seen gem pulls back the curtain on Broadway life, centering on the battle of wits and ambition between stage legend Margo Channing and her cunning understudy, Eve Harrington.

In celebration of the life and legacy of the late Charles Strouse, we’re proud to present this high-energy homage to theatre itself—featuring his vibrant 1970s score, including the hits “Applause,” “But Alive,” and “Welcome to the Theater.” With lyrics by Lee Adams and a book by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, APPLAUSE is packed with sass, wit, and heart, brought to life with MTG’s signature flair for rediscovering Broadway’s hidden treasures.

Tonight’s orchestra performance will be enhanced by the generosity of the David Lee Foundation.

02/10/2026

THIS SUNDAY!

Join us this Sunday, February 15th, as Musical Theatre Guild presents APPLAUSE, celebrating the life and career of composer Charles Strouse – with an expanded 17 piece live orchestra!

Tickets: https://www.musicaltheatreguild.com/show/applause/

Musical Theatre Guild’s 2025-2026 season – celebrating the musical contributions of theatre
giants – concludes with Charles Strouse’s rarely-performed 1970 Tony ® Award-winning musical, APPLAUSE. Strouse, who passed away in 2025, leaves an impressive legacy of musical theatre, spanning several decades, and APPLAUSE features a score by Strouse and frequent collaborator, lyricist Lee Adams, with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Befitting a composer such as Strouse,

And thanks to a generous grant from the David Lee Foundation, Musical Theatre Guild’s APPLAUSE will feature an expanded 17 piece orchestra, under the leadership of Musical Director Brad Ellis.

Joining Ellis on the creative team is Director/Choreographer Trance Thompson. Jenny Gordon and Tonoccus McClain serve as Production Coordinators, and Leesa Freed will Stage Manage. The cast of APPLAUSE will star Musical Theatre Guild members Barbara Carlton Heart (Margo), Ashley Moniz (Eve), Brian Kim McCormick (Bill), Taubert Nadalini (Duane), Joshua Finkel (Buzz), Leslie Stevens (Karen), Robert Yacko (Howard), and Melissa Lyons Caldretti (Bonnie). The ensemble will feature Guild members Patrick Beller, Jennifer Bennett, Jasmine Ejan, Kevin Matsumoto, Benny Perez, George Xavier, and guest artists Roma Scarano and Chantal Tribble.

APPLAUSE performs for one night only – Sunday, February 15, 2026, 7:00 PM – at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA. The production will feature ASL access for deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons. Student Rush and Actors’ Equity member discounts will be available at the box office on show day with appropriate ID. Tickets are available at www.musicaltheatreguild.com.

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In case you missed it, “Hitting All The Notes: Music Directors on Live Music” is now on our YouTube channel! In In advance of APPLAUSE, Musical Theatre Guild put the spotlight on the value and importance of live music by hosting an online conversation of Musical Directors from across the country. APPLAUSE Musical Director Brad Ellis was joined by Larry Blank, Julianne B. Merrill, Karl Shymanovitz, and Andrew Gerle. The robust conversation was moderated by MTG member Tonnocus McClain.

Link To Hitting All The Notes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOM56l9AQTQ