Leap of Faith Shines at the Ahmanson

Raul Esparza, Brooke Shields and a cast of more than 30 other shining stars lit up the stage of the Los Angeles Music Center’s Ahmanson Theatre in the world premiere of Leap of Faith.  Adding to the glamor, members of the audience included the gorgeous Vanessa Williams, talented Ben Vereen and a host of other TV and movie celebrities.  Although the audience was not literally dancing in the aisles,  many of them would have wanted to.  Alan Menken’s hand-clapping music and Robert Ashford’s energetic and athletic dancers rocked the show.  When consummate con-man Joanas Nightingale and his gospel charged tent revival happen upon a rain starved small Kansas town, the attraction between a beautiful widow and single mother and Nightingale goes on a collision course but everything is open to change.  www.musiccenter.org (213) 972-7211.  Thru October 24.