Live On Stage in Temecula
Theater, Concert and Dance Performances in the Inland Empire

Just as the Halloween festivities are winding down in the valley, the Old Town Temecula Community Theater prepares to celebrate the Latin American tradition of El Día de los Muertos, with their Latin American Sketches concert, presented by the California Chamber Orchestra. When Dana Zimbric, Chamber Artistic Director and Composer, discovered that their concert would be scheduled for November 1st, she knew it was a perfect opportunity to celebrate not only El Día de los Muertos (November 1) but also the Catholic traditions of All Saints Day and All Souls Day (November 1 and 2).

Local sound-alike classic rock cover band, Mrs. Jones’ Revenge, is doing their part to help support one of the valley’s most important organizations while spreading a little spooky Halloween spirit, with their “Zombie-Rock Apocalypse” Benefit for the Fine Arts Network on Sunday, October 26th.

It’s “Grease” meets “Night of the Living Dead,” as the comedic, off-Broadway musical “Zombie Prom,” comes to the Old Town Temecula Community Theater this week, presented by the Fine Arts Network. Originally produced at the Red Barn Theatre in Key West, “Zombie Prom” premiered off-Broadway in 1996.

When Director Joseph Arreola of the Fine Arts Network was choosing a production for the theater students at Temecula Prep, he was immediately drawn to one of Disney’s most award-winning and critically-acclaimed Broadway musicals, but it wasn’t The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, or Beauty and the Beast.

For such a small and close knit community, the Inland Empire offers unprecedented opportunities for cultural enrichment, including the one-of-a-kind artistic gem, the California Chamber Orchestra. Ranging from fifteen to thirty musicians, depending on the needs of the concert, the California Chamber Orchestra provides big-city caliber performances close to home.

Starting in 1935 in Buffalo, New York, The Modernaires, or The Mods, as they were known, rose to success in the late thirties and early forties, singing with the legendary Glenn Miller Band on such famous recordings as “Moonlight Cocktail,” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”

Before forming Soul Sacrifice in the late nineties, classically trained musician Rousseve regularly performed in a number of genres including rock, pop, Latin, classical, flamenco and country. Because of his resemblance to the band’s namesake, Rousseve decided to go ahead with the tribute and began searching for musicians to round out his vision.

Fans of comedian, actor and author Lewis Black may describe him as angry, irritated or even beligerant but, after speaking with him for quite some time about his career, his background and what he finds important, the one word I would use would to describe him would be compassionate.

When Sharon Owens was a singer for a nightly cabaret in Los Angeles, she channeled one of the greatest performers of all time, and it was simply to avoid an on stage laughing jag. That “spoof,” as Owens’ puts it, brought down the house that night and ended up running at that cabaret for four months.

In musical theater, there are a small handful of cities that have the honor of hosting the upper echelon of Broadway-caliber talent; New York, Los Angeles, London… Temecula? Well, we do now. On Monday, September 22nd, the popular monthly series Cabaret at the Merc presents an evening with one of the biggest names in theater, renowned Broadway composer, Stephen Schwartz.