FORT WORTH, Texas (October 19, 2023) – The Reid Cabaret Theatre at Casa Mañana kicks off the holiday season with the world premiere of The Pin-Up Girls Christmas. The show is the second in The Pin-Up Girls series, first staged at Casa Mañana in 2019. The Pin-Up Girls Christmas is produced by longtime Casa Mañana Board Member and supporter Claudia Stepp. Casa Mañana and Mrs. Stepp are proud to facilitate new works of musical theatre in North Texas.
Mrs. Stepp, a champion of the arts, originally commissioned James Hindman and Jeffrey Lodin to write the first Pin-Up Girls musical. The show went on to be staged at multiple regional theatres across the country after success with Casa Mañana’s audiences. The Pin-Up Girls Christmas features holiday classics along with off-the-wall musical surprises.
The show is the first in The Reid Cabaret Theatre since phase II of renovations were completed. The space now features a full bar and dedicated lobby. The Pin-Up Girls Christmas is suitable for most audiences and runs November 8-18.
The Pin-Up Girls Christmas stars Gina Milo, Sara Glancy, Matthew Drinkwater, Jillian Louis and Rachel Rice. James Hindman is director, Jeffrey Lodin is music director and Mark Waldrop is choreographer.
Ticket prices start at $65 and may be purchased by visiting secure.casamanana.org/events/pinupchristmas.
Tickets are also available at the Casa Mañana Theatre Box Office, 3101 West Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth.
Meet the Creative Team
James Hindman (director) is thrilled to be back working with Claudia Stepp and Casa Mañana after the success of The Pin-Up Girls. His play The Exhibitionist recently won the Theatre Aspen’s Solo Flight Grant Award and What Doesn’t Kill You was recently nominated for three Oscar Wilde Awards. New York credits include Popcorn Falls directed by Christian Borle, Pete ‘N’ Keely (Outer Critics Award nomination, two Drama Desk nominations), The Audience (Drama Desk nomination). Regional credits include Now Comes the Fun Part at Penguin Rep. He’s performed in six Broadway shows and over twenty television shows.
Jeffrey Lodin (music director) is thrilled to be back at Casa Mañana, where he and Hindman premiered The Pin-Up Girls and where he served as music director for A Man of No Importance earlier this year. Other composer credits: Merrilee Mannerly (TYA off-Broadway) The Big Five-Oh! (Penguin Rep 2022), Disney’s Doug Live (Disney’s MGM studio) and others. Other recent New York and Regional music direction credits: A Letter to Harvey Milk, Pete ’N’ Keely, Liberty, Guys and Dolls and The Producers. Jeff has worked as a conductor (most notably Chita Rivera) and pianist (Andy Gibb, Mongo Santamaria, others). He is a member of the faculty at AMDA-NYC.
Mark Waldrop (choreographer) directed and created special material for Bette Midler’s Divine Miss Millennium tour. Broadway credits include Bea Arthur, Just Between Friends, direction and special material (Tony Award nomination, Unique Theatrical Event.) Off-Broadway and Los Angeles credits include Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly, direction, book, and lyrics (Drama Desk Award, Outer Critic’s Circle Award, OBIE; Best Director nominations: Drama Desk and L.A. Ovation Awards), Pete ‘N’ Keely and Hey, Love: The Songs of Mary Rodgers. For TheaterWorks USA he was lyricist for A Christmas Carol, Gold Rush, and Bunnicula. A prizewinning lyricist (the $100,000 Edward Kleban Award), Waldrop is the long-time writer/lyricist of Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular.
Meet the Cast
Sara Glancy (Dana) joins the cast of Pin-Up Girls once more, after appearing in the show in 2019. Select credits include The Civil War Off-Broadway and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and Peter Pan tours.
Jillian Louis (Leanne) select credits include Yep! on Broadway and Thrice on tour as well as numerous regional and cabaret credits. Jillian teaches with many organizations and has an album and a Joni Mitchell concert with The Philly Pops in the works.
Gina Milo (Megan) is overjoyed to be back at Casa Mañana after being seen in The Pin-Up Girls and Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey). Broadway and national tour credits include Les Misérables, Annie and Best Little Whorehouse, along with many regional theatre credits.
Matthew Drinkwater (Joel) is making his Casa Mañana debut. Past credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior), West Side Story (Tony), Nine (Guido), Titanic (Barrett), and he regularly performs at 54 Below and Birdland in New York City.
Rachel Rice (Swing) has done a dozen shows at Casa Mañana, and select regional credits include Circle Theatre (A Lonestar Christmas Carol), Theatre by the Sea (Crazy for You, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), and Arts Center of Coastal Carolina (Man of La Mancha).
