(The Life and Music of Doris Day)
by Tony Santamauro
P3 Theatre Company brings in the New Year with the Western Regional Premiere of Day After Day (The Life and Music of Doris Day) by Tony Santamauro, running January 24-February 22, 2020 at the historic Ernest Borgnine Theatre in Long Beach. (855 Elm Street, Long Beach – inside the Scottish Rite Cathedral)
With the rare opportunity to produce a musical based on the life and music of Doris Day, P3 Theatre Company is thrilled to be producing the Western Regional Premiere of this delightful and engaging musical. This production will replace the time slot of the previously announced Sordid Lives which will be produced at a later date.
Day After Day is a sweet nostalgic musical. It takes you on a trip down memory lane by portraying the life of America’s wholesome sweetheart, Doris Day, from age 16 up into her 40s. This journey features songs like Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Sentimental Journey, Secret Love, It’s Magic, A Guy is a Guy and Que Sera Sera that turned Doris Day into America’s Sweetheart. This is a rare opportunity to have a look into the dramatic personal story life of Doris Day through her beloved music with a blend of factual life events. This show has been called a love letter to this extraordinary icon.
This production of the two hour musical is unique in that it is a family affair, and has been since its inception. This show was originally conceived, written, directed by and starred Tony Santamauro. Santamauro shared the stage with his daughter, Christy Mauro-Cohen as Doris Day and Mauro-Cohen’s husband, David Cohen, who served as Musical Director and has played keyboard for all productions to date. No other actors have performed in this production, until now.
This Western Regional premiere will be co-directed by Santamauro and Mauro-Cohen with musical direction by David Cohen. Second to fill Miss Day’s shoes in this production is the delectable Deborah Robin. Reflecting on Robin’s audition, Santamauro confessed, “After my daughter playing Doris for nearly 20 years, I thought I’d never find another actress/singer to play the part, but on night 2 of the auditions in walked Deborah Robin. The minute she walked into the room, I knew she was the one.” Joining Robin onstage, the charming Zach Appel will be portraying The Man/Narrator. Zach last wowed P3 Theatre Company audiences as Agustin Magaldi in their inaugural production of Evita this past September.
Santamauro, describes himself as a ‘fanatical fan of Doris Day since high school.’ In fact, he had a vision when Chrissy (Mauro-Cohen) was 6 years old playing Doris Day. “She gets it because she was raised on it,” says Santamauro. “We’re both huge fans,” Mauro-Cohen said. “I knew how important it was to him to do this. Doris Day has always been like a family member to us. My dad has met her and is friends with her personal secretary.”
Day after Day Performance Schedule at the Ernest Borgnine Theatre in Long Beach:
- Friday, January 24, 2020 at 8PM
- Saturday, January 25 at 2PM
- Saturday January 25 at 8PM
- Sunday, January 26 at 2PM
- Friday, January 31 at 8PM
- Saturday February 1, 2PM
- Saturday, February 1 at 8PM
- Sunday, February 2 at 2PM
- Friday, February 7 at 8PM
- Saturday, February 8 at 2PM
- Saturday, February 8 at 8PM
- Sunday, February 9 at 2PM
- Friday, February 14 at 8PM
- Saturday, February 15 at 2PM
- Saturday, February 15 at 8PM
- Sunday, February 16 at 2PM
- Thursday, February 20 8PM
- Friday, February 21 8PM
- Saturday, February 22 2PM
- Saturday, February 22 8PM
Tickets range from $25 to $35 and may be purchased by phone at 714-689-8116, online at www.p3theatre.biz, or in person on performance days at the Ernest Borgnine Theatre Box Office located at 855 Elm Street in downtown Long Beach. Discounted group pricing is available for groups of 10 or more.
The box office is open on performance days 60 minutes prior to the start of each show, and remains open for 30 minutes following the start of the performance.