The Falcon Theatre 2016-2017 Season: A Pop Culture Treasure Trove

Seeing that we are the Pop Culture Passionistas, we are always on the look out for local events to fulfill a big dose of our pop culture cravings. Today we got an announcement for the Falcon Theatre’s 2016-2017 season and our pop culture hearts skipped a beat. For anyone not acquainted with the venue, the Falcon in Burbank, California, was founded by none other than Garry Marshall, the ‘70s TV god — creator of some of our favorite childhood shows including, Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, The Odd Couple and Laverne and Shirley (starring his sister Penny). He also directed the classic films Pretty Woman, The Flamingo Kid, Beaches and so much more. In 1997 he started the Falcon with his daughter Kathleen Marshall LaGambina “as a place where old friends and emerging talent can come together to create exciting work on stage.” His friends are typically other actors, writers and directors from the Hollywood scene, so it is a pop culture treasure trove each and every season. The 2016-17 season features Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney in a self-penned play, an Off-Broadway hit about an actor working in Barbara Streisand’s basement, Troubadour Theater's Christmas musical featuring the music of David Bowie, the world premiere of Dan Castellaneta’s play about an a concert pianist’s “interactions” with Jack Paar and Harpo Marx and a comedy about the history of comedy from Aristophanes to The Daily Show. Here’s this season’s lineup: • Parallel Lives, written by Mo Gaffney & Kathy Najimy and directed by Jenny Sullivan. With boundless humor, the audience is whisked through the outrageous universe of Kathy and Mo, where two women portray a crew of characters struggling through the common rituals of life — from teenagers on a date, to sisters at their grandmother’s funeral, to a man and a woman in a country western bar. They aren’t afraid to tackle any issue and the result will leave you in stitches! • Buyer & Cellar, written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Dimitri Toscas. This Off-Broadway hit that the New York Post calls “fantastically funny” is an outrageous comedy about the price of fame, the cost of things and the oddest of odd jobs. Alex More, a struggling actor in LA, takes a job working in Barbra Streisand’s Malibu basement, as a solo shopkeeper of sorts for her mall-like collection of memorabilia. One day, the Lady Herself comes downstairs to play, and an unlikely friendship develops. • Little Drummer Bowie, directed by Matt Walker & Joseph Leo Bwarie. The Ovation Award-winning Troubadour Theater Company presents a holiday show that mashes up the journey of The Little Drummer Boy with the sounds of the legendary rock singer/songwriter in a tribute parody that is both touching and hilarious. • For Piano and Harpo, written by and starring Dan Castellaneta. A world premiere of Laugh Then Think’s production. Oscar Levant, the brilliant, witty, pill-popping concert pianist, wakes up to find himself in the psych ward of Mt. Sinai Hospital. His past collides with his present, as he grapples with his demons to save his marriage and his sanity. It’s a nightmarish, and sometimes hilarious journey, from addiction to redemption, as he verbally jousts with Jack Paar, is haunted by the genius of George Gershwin and moves in with his only friend, Harpo Marx. • The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) written by Reed Martin & Austin Tichenor, directed by Jerry Kernion. From the high-brow to the low, this fast-paced, madcap ride covers comedy through the ages, from Aristophanes to Shakespeare, Moliere to Vaudeville, Charlie Chaplin to The Daily Show. Find answers to the age-old questions, “Who’s on first?” and “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Stay tuned for reviews and interviews as the season begins! Subscriptions are on sale from June 25 to September 18, 2016. Current subscribers may renew anytime. To order tickets or subscriptions, visit FalconTheatre.com or call the box office at 818-955-8101. Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505.