Two stellar tickets at the historic "El Portal Theatre" to experience the highly praised "In a Booth at Chasen's" and the magic of a cherished landmark theatre in the heart of North Hollywood! The last performance is on November 25th, 2018. 

www.ElPortalTheatre.com
 

"On November 15, 1949, in Hollywood, California, an up-and-coming young actress met a handsome movie star for dinner at the legendary Chasen’s restaurant — a blind date that changed history.

"Two-time Academy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee, Al Kasha, multiple award-winning hit songwriter, Phil Swann, and acclaimed author and poet, Sam Bennett, have woven the two-year courtship of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis into a funny and touching intimate new musical that is both poignant and endearing. Kay Cole directs this real-life Hollywood love story that is both human and timeless."
 

"In November, 1949, the nervous 29 year-old starlet Nancy Davis goes out to a dinner at the legendary Chasen’s restaurant with the President … of the Screen Actor’s Guild, movie star Ronald Reagan. (“What If He Doesn’t Like Me?”) The attraction is immediate, and while Reagan is still nursing a broken heart from his divorce from Jane Wyman, the two hit it off. (“Another Woman In My Life”) She even likes his dumb jokes. They decide to make a night of it.

Over the next two years, the couple confide in one another (“Kite and a String”), turn up the heat (“Red”), bicker (“It’s Not Easy Being You”), rage against the gossipy power of the tabloid press (“What a Way to Make a Living”) and battle the threat of Communism. But still, despite their passionate romance (“Club of Two”) Ron still hasn’t proposed, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to pop the question anytime soon. Finally, after an emotional confrontation, (“Is It You? Is It Me? Is It We?”) Ron realizes that Nancy is his whole life (“She Makes Me Right”). 

In the deeply emotional finale, their extraordinary life together flash-forwards before our eyes, and we share in the integrity, commitment and caring  that makes this a love story for the ages."

 
"El Portal Theatre is a historic landmark in the San Fernando Valley located in the heart of North Hollywood just minutes from Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Disney, ABC, CBS-Radford and NBC. The theatre, originally built as a vaudeville house in 1926, sits across from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Art Institute of California - Hollywood, and the new Laemmle  7 Screen Theaters. The art deco marquee is visible to thousands of cars that travel on Lankershim Boulevard daily. In the mid 2000’s  the long awaited redevelopment of North Hollywood came to fruition with the grand openings of restaurants, upscale shops and a charming, urbanesque environment.

Since its  first opening in 1926 -- first for Vaudeville, then Silent Movies, and then Academy Award winning films, as the primo movie house in the valley -- the theatre has weathered the Jazz Age, the Depression, 4 wars, and finally the great earthquake of 1994. After the earthquake the El Portal was meticulously rebuilt in the late 1990s and opened in January of 2000 by the Actors Alley Acting company in partnership with the building owners Bernard and Judy Kaufman and Gary and Shari Goodgame. The once 1400-seat movie palace now houses three theatres -- the 42-seat Studio Theatre (the permanent home of Stuart Roger's Theatre Tribe); the 99-seat Monroe Forum Theatre: and the 360-seat Debbie Reynolds MainStage -- along with the Judith Kaufman Art Gallery, featuring many of Los Angeles' top visual artists. 

The  El Portal Theatre lobbies boast luscious carpeting secured in 2004 from the now demised Los Angeles Shubert Theatre and comfortable new seats   from the WGA (Writers Guild of America)  in 2010.

In the past fourteen years many celebrities have graced the stages of El Portal including Jason Alexander, Paul Rodriguez, Fritz Coleman, JoAnne Worley, Joseph Bologna, Renee Taylor, Rip Taylor, Adam Corolla, Ileana Douglas, Debbie Reynolds, Bea Arthur and Billy Goldenberg, Kitty Carlisle Hart's 96th Birthday Tour, Charles Nelson Reilly, Ed Begley, Jr. and his world-premiere musical Cesar and Ruben, Hal Linden, Carol Lawrence, Donna McKechnie, David Faustino, Sally Struthers, Maripat Donovan, Kathleen Chalfant, Carol Channing, a world premiere play with James Denton, and The Manhattan Transfer to name just a few. Hit shows include the ten time Ovation nominated Smokey Joe's Café; Debbie Reynolds in three sold-out visits, the energetic world renowned Groovaloos; A Conversation with Edith Head; Robert Wuhl in Assume the Position; Ray Bradbury's Falling Upward, The Kid From Brooklyn (the Danny Kaye musical), and the longest running show in El Portal history, The Marvelous Wonderettes, which played to sold-out houses for 19 months and continued its success off-Broadway for almost two years. The most exciting holiday production at the El Portal in 2010 was the British Panto "Cinderella"; produced by The Nigel Lythgoe Family followed by "Snow White" and "Cinderella" in 2011. In 2012, the legendary Smokey Robinson premiered his poetry and spoken word piece, "Words" to sold out houses.

El Portal also hosts numerous television and movie productions. Viewers will have spotted the theatre on Glee, Modern Family, Ben Stiller's "Billy Glimmer", Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, The Biggest Loser, CSI (all three!), Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Ghost Whisperer, Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic, Last Comic Standing, R&B Divas, several comedy specials for Showtime such as Wendy Liebman's "I Look Taller on TV"; and Live Nude Comedy hosted by Shannon Elizabethand numerous commercials for the likes of Mercedes Benz, KFC, Swiffer Sweepers, Independent Film Channel, and many others. Entertainer RuPaul has shot his 2012 and 2013 reunion / finale episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race on the El Portal MainStage. Television studios ABC, NBC, and CBS all host industry showcases for diverse, upcoming talent at El Portal. 

El Portal continues to host major workshops and readings that will eventually end up on Broadway or the west end such as Serrano a mafia-style musical version of Cyrano, Grumpy Old Men, Gladiatorand Zorro the musical, which began as a workshop in our Forum Theatre and had an Olivier Award-winning run on London's West End."

"On November 15, 1949, in Hollywood, California, an up-and-coming young actress met a handsome movie star for dinner at the legendary Chasen’s restaurant — a blind date that changed history.

Two-time Academy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee, Al Kasha, multiple award-winning hit songwriter, Phil Swann, and acclaimed author and poet, Sam Bennett, have woven the two-year courtship of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis into a funny and touching intimate new musical that is both poignant and endearing. Kay Cole directs this real-life Hollywood love story that is both human and timeless."
 

Pictured: Kelley Dorney and Brent Schindele
Photo by Michael Lamont.

Playing at
El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA  91601
Phone: 818-508-4200 (TICKETS AND INFORMATION)
OR 866-811-4111 (TICKETS ONLY VIA OVATIONTIX)
Website: www.ElPortalTheatre.com
 

Box Office Hours: Phone sales Monday - Friday 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Lobby sales on days of performances starting at 3pm on weekdays and noon on weekends
Box Office Phone: 818-508-4200
Venue Information
El Portal MainStage Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood CA 91601 US
Corner of Lankershim and Weddington, NoHo Arts District. Across the street from the Federal Bar and the Laemmle NoHo 7 Cineplex.