COD’s Spring Production at McCallum 

Sha Newman is Guest Director

Auditions for The Music Man will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28 and 29 on the COD campus in Palm Desert.

Meredith Willson’s The Music Man is a classic of American musical theater and tells the story of the love that grows between the huckster traveling salesman, Harold Hill, and River City Iowa librarian, Marian Paroo.

Acclaimed southern California director and choreographer Sha Newman will direct College of the Desert’s production of The Music Man at the McCallum Theater in May 2010. Newman holds a B.F.A in Musical Theatre from the USIU School of Performing & Visual Arts in San Diego and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

“Her reputation for professionalism, energy and creativity creates a huge demand for her services as Director/Choreographer throughout southern California,” said Darlene Romano, production manager and musical director for the production. “We’re incredibly pleased to have her to work with our students.”

Among Newman’s many honors are Drama-Logue Awards as Best Director/Choreographer for her Los Angeles productions of Evita, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Cabaret, and Guys & Dolls (Los Angeles Times Best Show of the Year). Her production of Working at the Laguna Playhouse was voted one of the top ten shows by the Los Angeles Times. Newman is a frequent director at southern California theater companies, including the Fullerton Civic Light Opera and the Pasadena Playhouse.

For more information and an audition packet, see the “auditions” page on the COD Web site: http://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/visitors/Arts/Pages/default.aspx or call the division office at (760) 773-2574.