So the Ahmanson's 2007-08 season's been announced. We're looking at musicals, musicals and more musicals -- at least one of which we've seen before. That would be "The Drowsy Chaperone" which had its American, pre Broadway premiere at the Ahmanson back in the fall of 05.

I'm getting ahead of myself here.

The lineup reads thusly:

"Avenue Q" -- Featuring dirty, funny puppets, it's an affectionate contemporary send-up of a certain Jim Henson populated children's TV show. "Q" deservedly took the 2004 Tony award for best musical away from "Wicked." (Sept. 6 to Oct. 14)

"The Color Purple" -- Oprah Winfrey produced musical adaptation of the Alice Walker novel. We've got one former member of Destiny's Child (Michelle Williams) one former "American Idol" hopeful (LaToya London) and one Tony nominee (Felicia Fields) among the touring cast. (Dec. 27 to March 10, 2008)

"Sweeney Todd" -- Director John Doyle's version of the Stephen Sondheim, Hugh Wheeler gorefest wherein the actors also play the musical instruments. (March 11-April 6)

"My Fair Lady," -- from Cameron Mackintosh and the Royal National Theatre. Christopher Cazenove and Lisa O'Hare star as 'Iggins and Eliza.

"A Chorus Line" -- AKA, the more things change, the more they go back to the 70s. The Broadway revival tours yet again. (May 21-July 6, 2008)

"The Drowsy Chaperone" -- Bob Martin's love note/send-up of cornball 1920s musicals, which may or may not work without Martin as the pivotal Man in Chair narrator. (July 8-July 20) .

Considering the Ahmanson closes its current season with the Four Seasons story, "Jersey Boys," yeah, you get the idea. Too many notes, perhaps?

Look, each and every one of the aforementioned shows should come to L.A. The fact that they're part of the Ahmanson subscription as opposed to, say Broadway L.A., means they'll actually hang around for awhile. I'm jazzed about "Sweeney." "My Fair Lady" should be a seriously pretty picture (and a nostalgia trip), and "Chapperone" is the show I took a certain psychologist to the night I asked her to marry me (She said yes). So more happy memories there.

I saw "Q" in Vegas and laughed myself senseless. Caught "Chorus Line" pre-Broadway in San Francisco and shrugged, and have listened to "The Color Purple" soundtrack. Two of the composers live in the SFV.

Still, when I got a look at that press release, part of me said, "Yeah, but..."

There are no premieres in this lineup. Not one. L.A.'s not even the first tour stop for anything.

Considering that this venue has given audiences "Curtains," "The Drowsy Chaperone" the revival of "Into the Woods" BEFORE anybody else got to see them, this seems a shame. Last year, CTG promised us a new Motown musical titled "Ain't no Mountain High Enough" which, before it could get built, encountered copywright problems and was bumped for "Jersey Boys."

All musicals all the time can also get a little...how should I say...uninspired? How cool was it this season to have "Doubt," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" with their original stars and a tour of a recast Roundabout "Twelve Angry Men" bracketing "Light in the Piazza," "Edward Scissorhands" and "Jersey Boys"!

CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie noted that the Ahmanson _ being the cavern it is _ is a beast of a house to program. Straight plays don't often tour, and new musicals are expensive. Unless you're sending it to Broadway and can get some additional funding, if it's got tunes, it ain't gonna play the 1,600 to 2,000 Ahmanson. A tie-in with the newly announced citywide Festival of new American Musicals, skeded for the summer of 2008? No, sir. "Chorus Line" will be here.

Still, I wish more of the straight stuff we're touring. And that more new stuff was in the works from L.A.