'La La Land' with live orchestra for one night only at Mann

Six-time Academy Award-winning musical La La Land is coming to the Mann Center for the Performing Arts with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia playing the Oscar Award-winning score live.

It is the season finale of Movies at the Mann with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone singing and stepping their way through a tale of romance, identity and nostalgia.

"It's a charming love story about a young man who wants to make his career in music and his girlfriend who wants to make her life in theater," explains Catherine Cahill, President and CEO of The Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

Both are struggling to succeed in a city known for crushing dreams.

"It's really an American musical brought back to life," says Cahill.

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia will perform in sync with the film playing on two giant high definition video screens that can be seen from the Mann's lawn.

"This will be a full orchestra on stage so you will get the complete feeling of what that orchestration calls for," vows Cahill who describes the score as delightful and captivating, "It is exciting at times; it's sad at times."

The musical took home Oscars for best original score and for best original song, City of Stars.

The lyrics were written by Ardmore's Benj Pasek, a graduate of Friends Central who dedicated his Academy Award to his mother, a professor at Temple University.

"It's haunting and it's beautiful and it's melodic and it tugs at your heart," promises Cahill who recommends packing a picnic, spreading out a blanket and enjoying the movie and live music under the stars.

"If you love La La Land, you'll love it even more here at The Mann," she says, "it's the perfect way to bring the summer to a very happy close."

La La Land is playing a one-night-only show live at the Mann Center on August 17. For tickets, go to www.TheArtsinPhilly.org.