The Aerospace Players
Encyclopedia
The Aerospace Players, or TAP, is a theater organization based in El Segundo, California
, founded in 1988 as part of the Aerospace Employee's Association. TAP enables and encourages Aerospace employees, Air Force personnel, and members of the community to participate with high-quality musical productions. In other words, The Aerospace Players put rocket scientists on stage.
The Aerospace Players are a founding member of the Torrance Performing Arts Council, supporting performing arts in the City of Torrance, California.
employees, their friends, and their families to participate in the "lively arts." This troupe was founded on the belief that working hard to produce quality shows increases the enjoyment of its members.
The troupe's first musical, Grease
, was performed in the TRW
forum (a cafeteria), on a tile floor with wooden risers, minimal sets and lighting, and the music was largely pre-recorded, with a single musician playing accompaniment to the tapes on certain songs. No admission was charged and attendance averaged between 100 and 150 people per show.
Due to the popularity of Grease, TAP increased the scale of its subsequent productions and moved to an auditorium in the Recital Hall at El Camino College
and produced several shows between 1989 and 1993. In 1993 TAP started performing with a live orchestra in their production of Bye Bye Birdie, albeit the orchestra was forced to sit in a cramped backstage area with the conductor, who also played keyboards, unable to see the stage. In one scene, as assistant watched the stage for a visual music cue, then sprinted to inform the conductor.
In 1994, the troupe moved to the James Armstrong Theater of the Torrance Cultural Arts Center in Torrance, California. This was its first "real" theater, with a 500 seat house, orchestra pit, professional lights, overhead fly space, and even curtains. It produced Guys and Dolls with a full orchestra of over 20 musicians and full scale sets. A minimal $5 admission was charged for the first time. The production drew a record audience of 800 people for four shows.
In 1997 the troupe decided to stage two productions per year; a "small" winter show, and a "large" summer show. Winter shows were intended to include a limited cast, a reduced orchestra, and simple production values. That year the troupe performed Once Upon a Mattress
in the Hermosa Civic Theater in Hermosa Beach, California
. The troupe continues to stage a smaller, winter production every two to three years, including such shows as City of Angels
and 1776
.
In the late 1990s, the club rebranded itself as "The Aerospace Players" to better reflect the make-up of the cast and crew who participate.
Since 1994, the club has produced annual shows in the Armstrong Theater. Some of its larger successes include the 1996 production of Fiddler on the Roof
which drew 2000 patrons to six performances and the 2007 production of South Pacific
which drew close to 1900 patrons.
In 2005, The Aerospace Players received the Excellence in Drama award from the Torrance Cultural Arts Commission.
El Segundo, California
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on the Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is one of the Beach Cities of Los Angeles County and part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments...
, founded in 1988 as part of the Aerospace Employee's Association. TAP enables and encourages Aerospace employees, Air Force personnel, and members of the community to participate with high-quality musical productions. In other words, The Aerospace Players put rocket scientists on stage.
The Aerospace Players are a founding member of the Torrance Performing Arts Council, supporting performing arts in the City of Torrance, California.
History
The AEAMCC (Aerospace Employees Association Musical Comedy Club) was formed in 1988, with the intent of providing a forum for The Aerospace Corporation and Los Angeles Air Force BaseLos Angeles Air Force Base
Los Angeles Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located in El Segundo, California. Los Angeles Air Force Base houses and supports the headquarters of the Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center . The center manages research, development and acquisition of military...
employees, their friends, and their families to participate in the "lively arts." This troupe was founded on the belief that working hard to produce quality shows increases the enjoyment of its members.
The troupe's first musical, Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, was performed in the TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
forum (a cafeteria), on a tile floor with wooden risers, minimal sets and lighting, and the music was largely pre-recorded, with a single musician playing accompaniment to the tapes on certain songs. No admission was charged and attendance averaged between 100 and 150 people per show.
Due to the popularity of Grease, TAP increased the scale of its subsequent productions and moved to an auditorium in the Recital Hall at El Camino College
El Camino College
El Camino College is a two-year public community college located partially in the unincorporated area of Alondra Park and partially in the City of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is commonly referred to as "Elco" or "ECC"...
and produced several shows between 1989 and 1993. In 1993 TAP started performing with a live orchestra in their production of Bye Bye Birdie, albeit the orchestra was forced to sit in a cramped backstage area with the conductor, who also played keyboards, unable to see the stage. In one scene, as assistant watched the stage for a visual music cue, then sprinted to inform the conductor.
In 1994, the troupe moved to the James Armstrong Theater of the Torrance Cultural Arts Center in Torrance, California. This was its first "real" theater, with a 500 seat house, orchestra pit, professional lights, overhead fly space, and even curtains. It produced Guys and Dolls with a full orchestra of over 20 musicians and full scale sets. A minimal $5 admission was charged for the first time. The production drew a record audience of 800 people for four shows.
In 1997 the troupe decided to stage two productions per year; a "small" winter show, and a "large" summer show. Winter shows were intended to include a limited cast, a reduced orchestra, and simple production values. That year the troupe performed Once Upon a Mattress
Once Upon a Mattress
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway...
in the Hermosa Civic Theater in Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach is a beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its population was 19,506 at the 2010 census, up from 18,566 at the 2000 census....
. The troupe continues to stage a smaller, winter production every two to three years, including such shows as City of Angels
City of Angels (musical)
City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.-Productions:City of Angels...
and 1776
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
.
In the late 1990s, the club rebranded itself as "The Aerospace Players" to better reflect the make-up of the cast and crew who participate.
Since 1994, the club has produced annual shows in the Armstrong Theater. Some of its larger successes include the 1996 production of Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
which drew 2000 patrons to six performances and the 2007 production of South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
which drew close to 1900 patrons.
Reviews and Awards
The Aerospace Player performances are frequently reviewed in the Daily Breeze and Beach Reporter newspapers of the South Bay in Los Angeles.In 2005, The Aerospace Players received the Excellence in Drama award from the Torrance Cultural Arts Commission.
History of shows
2010: Once Upon A Mattress Once Upon a Mattress Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway... 2010: The Producers The Producers (musical) The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics written by Brooks and music composed by Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich... 2009: Brigadoon 2009: Cabaret Cabaret (musical) Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions.... 2008: My Fair Lady My Fair Lady My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe... 2007: South Pacific South Pacific (musical) South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its... 2006: Big River Big River (musical) Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a musical with a book by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by Roger Miller.Based on Mark Twain's classic 1884 novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it features music in the bluegrass and country styles in keeping with the setting of the novel... 2005: Kiss Me Kate Kiss Me, Kate Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.Kiss... 2005: 1776 1776 (musical) 1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence... 2004: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly... 2003: Guys and Dolls 2002: Oklahoma 2001: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name.... 2000: Oliver 2000: City of Angels City of Angels (musical) City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.-Productions:City of Angels... | 1999: The Music Man The Music Man The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with... 1998: Damn Yankees Damn Yankees Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League... 1998: Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors (musical) Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman... 1997: Hello, Dolly! Hello, Dolly! (musical) Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955.... 1997: Once Upon a Mattress Once Upon a Mattress Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway... 1996: Fiddler on the Roof Fiddler on the Roof Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem... 1995: Sugar Sugar (musical) Sugar is a musical with a book by Peter Stone, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. It is based on the film Some Like It Hot, which was adapted by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond from a story by Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan... 1994: Guys and Dolls 1993: Bye, Bye Birdie 1992: Oklahoma 1991: Finian's Rainbow Finian's Rainbow Finian's Rainbow is a musical with a book by E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane. The 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances. Several revivals and a 1968 film version followed. A Broadway revival ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010... 1990: Damn Yankees Damn Yankees Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League... 1990: They're Playing Our Song They're Playing Our Song They're Playing Our Song is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, and music by Marvin Hamlisch.In a story based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and Sager, a wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat lyricist, but initially the match is not one made in heaven... 1989: The Pajama Game The Pajama Game The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded... 1988: Grease Grease (musical) Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,... |