SCENE IN LA
BY
STEVE ZALL AND SID FISH
May 2024
Our local theaters have lots of new offerings. It’s time to treat yourself to the magic of live theater by going to see a show!
Covid protocols continue to be dictated by each individual venue, so bring a face mask to wear during the show in case the venue requires it. It’s a good idea to check with the theater before you attend a show to find out what their current policy is.
The information presented in this column is the latest available at the time of printing, however you should verify it with the theater to confirm it before making definite plans. Here are the shows that have announced opening dates for this month, or are already running:
OPENING
“Distractions at the Crash Site: Short Plays” Come delve into the wondrous, twisted mind of Steve Yockey in this evening of short works full of intimate little stories told on a very big, very bold scale. Simple, everyday problems collide with the most bizarre spectacle! Whether it’s deadly space debris, a blood-spattered chorus or a man literally called to save the world, what constitutes “normal” is forever in question. It’s a dark, hilarious, potentially gruesome and beautifully moving ride. We’d hate for you to miss out on all the fun! Written by Steve Yockey, and directed by Ryan Bergmann, it runs May 2 through June 1 at the Theatre of NOTE in Hollywood. For tickets visit www.theatreofnote.com.
“The Hope Theory” As a Portuguese immigrant, storyteller, and sleight-of-hand magician, Helder Guimarães arrived in America at age 29. Wide-eyed and full of ideas, he discovers a fascinating puzzle of cultural and professional challenges to solve while he tries to build a home. The Hope Theory offers a unique perspective on America through the eyes of an optimistic outsider. Written by Helder Guimarães, and directed by Frank Marshall, it runs May 2 through June 30 at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-208-2028 or visit www.geffenplayhouse.org.
“Broadway Bound” a new jukebox musical featuring extraordinary musicians with different disabilities. It features songs and scenes from acclaimed musicals that you know and love. Rex & Friends will take you on a sensational journey through the eyes of a young teen, who is experiencing the phenomenon of Broadway for the first time. The cast is entirely comprised of actors from Rex & Friends. Written and directed by Laurie Grant, it runs May 3 through May 18 at the Blue Door in Culver City. For tickets visit www.bluedoorculver.com.
“What the Constitution Means to Me” Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Written by Heidi Schreck, and directed by Caryn Desai [sic], it runs May 3 through May 19 at the International City Theatre in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in Long Beach. For tickets call 562-436-4610 or visit www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.
“Agnes of God” is a riveting psychological thriller that follows a court psychiatrist assessing a young nun on trial for manslaughter of the baby no one knew she was pregnant with, perhaps not even her. Mystical, harrowing, and puzzling, the play is Rosemary’s Baby meets docu-drama meets The Exorcist in its themes of bodily autonomy, religious devotion, and supernatural ambiguity. Written by John Pielmeier, and directed by Zoe Lesser, it runs May 4 through May 26 at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica. For tickets visit www.morgan-wixson.com.
“Bob Baker Marionette Theatre – A Morning at the Theater” This spring, the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre – a Southland treasure long recognized for introducing children to the wonder of puppetry and theater – inspires imagination with two enchanting performances of “A Morning at the Theater” at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. Each family shows includes an engaging puppetry performance, fun hands-on interactive activities, and surprising behind-the-scenes puppetry insights. The Theater has captivated the hearts of children and families for half a century with the legacy of its founder Bob Baker continuing to live on through the hands and hearts of the company’s dedicated puppeteers. Written and directed by Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, it runs May 4 through May 11 at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in Sierra Madre. For tickets call 626-355-4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.
“Ghost Waltz” is a boldly original recovery of Juventino Rosas, one of Mexico’s most significant classical composers — an Indigenous musician whose life story has gone untold and whose works have been attributed to Europeans. Following Rosas from his father’s early death to his friendship with ragtime genius Scott Joplin, Mayer mixes music, magic, drama, passion, spirituality and dance in a celebration that explores the lives of people of color during the emerging Americas of the late 19th century, and their ghost-like impact on our own lives today. Written by Oliver Mayer, with music by Alberto López, and directed by Alberto Barboza, it runs May 4 through June 2 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.
“Two Stop” takes place on the verge of the ’92 L.A. Uprising. A Korean market. A murder scene. A store owner and a neighborhood teenage girl face off. When her wild card mother arrives, secrets from the past explode in this tiny store. History and histories go head-to-head as L.A. starts to burn. Together they reach back decades and across the globe through war, strife and love, finding connection and even hope. Written by David Johann Kim, and directed by Tracey A. Leigh, it runs May 4 through June 9 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets visit www.estlosangeles.org.
“Disney's Beauty and the Beast” Join us as we follow the tale of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. The narrative unfolds with the hope that if the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will be broken, and he will be restored to his former self. However, time is of the essence, and the looming threat of eternal doom hovers over the Beast and his household. Music by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice, with music by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice, it runs May 10 through May 26 at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. For tickets visit www.thenocturnetheatre.com.
“Once on This Island” tells the tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl who falls in love with a wealthy boy from the other side of the island. When their divided cultures keep them apart, Ti Moune is guided by the powerful island gods, Erzulie, Asaka, Papa Ge, and Agwe on a remarkable quest to reunite with the man who has captured her heart. Bursting with Caribbean colors, rhythms and dance, the story transforms the reality of a tropical village devastated by a storm into a fantastic world alive with hope. Written by Lynn Ahrens, with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and directed by Elijah Green, it runs May 10 through June 8 at the Westchester Playhouse in Westchester. For tickets call 310-645-5156 or visit www.kentwoodplayers.org.
“American Mariachi” It’s the 1970s and women can’t be mariachis…or can they? Lucha spends her days caring for her mother and yearning for more. Defying expectations, Lucha and her spunky cousin hunt for bandmates and take up instruments. A loving gesture for a mother becomes much more as the young women dream big and embrace the transcendent power of music. Written by José Cruz González, and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, it runs May 11 through June 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.
“The Last Five Years” Set against a backdrop of soaring melodies and heartfelt lyrics, the play delves into the highs and lows of love, dreams, and the passage of time. Double cast due to the length of the run, the featured actors are Bryan Mittelstadt, Jayde Mitchell, Margaret Berkowitz, and Jackie Bonsignore. Written by Jason Robert Brown, with music by Jason Robert Brown, and directed by Josh Shaw, it runs May 17 through June 16 at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in Sierra Madre. For tickets call 626-355-4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.
“Misalliance” Eight marriage proposals and a plane crash, all in one afternoon. Much to the delight of bourgeois underwear tycoon John Tarleton and his wife, their sweet, seemingly proper daughter is set to cement the family’s entry into Edwardian aristocracy with her upcoming marriage to the son of Lord Summerhays. But the unexpected arrival of uninvited guests suddenly changes everything in this wildly subversive comedy. Written by George Bernard Shaw, and directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos, it runs May 18 through June 9 at the A Noise Within in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-356-3100 or visit www.anoisewithin.org.
“Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy” Grand in scale, exciting, touching, and at times hilarious, Mix-Mix centers on 13-year-old Rudy Preissman, whose newfound tropical refuge in the Philippines after escaping Nazi Germany is upended when Japan invades the islands — forcing his family and their Filipino friends to hide out in the heights and depths of sacred Mount Banahao. Written by Boni B. Alvarez, and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, it runs May 18 through June 16 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.
“Pang Spa” Daniel Pang returns home to L.A.’s Koreatown stepping into an unexpected life. Twenty years after the L.A. Uprising, the family business is gone, his brother is gone, and his parents are disappearing with dementia. As Daniel juggles his parents’ care and idiosyncratic neighbors a flinty young army vet arrives on a mission forcing him to confront his past. PANG SPA is a Los Angeles, K-town dramedy celebrating family, memory and identity through a journey of healing. Written by David Johann Kim, and directed by Reena Dutt, it runs May 19 through June 9 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets visit www.chalkrep.com.
“The Explorers Club” London, 1879. The prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis: their acting president wants to admit a woman, and their bartender is terrible. True, this female candidate is brilliant, beautiful, and has discovered a legendary Lost City, but the decision to let in a woman could shake the very foundation of the British Empire, and how do you make such a decision without a decent drink? Grab your safety goggles for some very mad science involving deadly cobras, irate Irishmen and the occasional airship. Written by Nell Benjamin, and directed by Melanie MacQueen, it runs May 23 through June 23 at the Theatre Forty in the Mary Levin Cutler Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.
“R.U.R. Cabaret” R.U.R. is an abbreviation for “Rossum’s Universal Robots.” Capek is credited with coining the term “robot” and introducing it to the English language. In Capek’s original concept, robots were constructed of synthetic organic materials and would be what we now call androids, rather than the clanky, metallic mechanical men of 1950s science fiction. In a dystopian future, robots are created by humans to do the work of humans and labor for them indefinitely. However, the robots have been created too well and begin to think independently. They start to rebel against their human masters. What will that portend for the future of the human race? Written by Kai Cofer, based on the play by Karel Capek, with music by Larry Evans, lyrics by Kai Cofer, and directed by Larry Evans, it runs May 30 through June 2 at the Porticos Art Space in Pasadena. For tickets visit www.rurcabaret.bpt.me.
“Private Parts” is a collection of personal true stories, some funny and some moving, that make a difference. There is nothing more powerful than the truth, in life and in art. The sharing of true and personal stories is a gift to the ones who share and the ones who receive. It is a connection that brings us together with renewed energy and makes us all value the memorable moments in our own lives. Written by Theatre West Associates, and directed by Laura James, it runs May 31 through June 2 at the Theatre West in Studio City. For tickets call 323-851-4839 or visit www.theatrewest.org.
CONTINUING
“The Green Book Wine Club Train Trip” During a weekend train trip with her wine and book club, Marie accidentally time travels to the 1940s, where she stays in a boarding house mentioned in her grandmother's copy of "The Negro Motorist's Green Book." Not only has she traveled to Jim Crow Missouri, but she also finds herself staying in a boarding house that is actually a bordello, and where one of the working girls might be someone she knows. Written by Michelle Tyrene Johnson, and directed by Jazmine Nichelle, it runs through May 5 at the Loft Ensemble in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-452-3153 or visit www.loftensemble.org.
“In the Heights” is an exhilarating journey into the lives of the residents of the Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City – a vibrant community where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and directed by Ariella Salinas Fiore and Fred Helsel, it runs through May 5 at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center in Simi Valley. For tickets call 805-583-7900 or visit www.simi-arts.org.
“Hitler’s Tasters” A dark comedy based on the largely unknown story of young German women conscripted to taste Adolf Hitler’s food for poison, this fictional account explores the way girls navigate sexuality, friendship, and patriotism during the Third Reich. Using an anachronistic retelling of a historical footnote, Hitler’s Tasters considers what girls discuss as they wait to see if they will survive another meal. Inspired by a 2014 interview with 94-year-old Margot Wölk who, for the first time, revealed her harrowing past as one of Adolf Hitler's food tasters. Margot, a German secretary at the time, was among fifteen young women selected for this "honor" at Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair. Written by Michelle Kholos Brooks, and directed by Sarah Norris, it runs through June 3 at the Henry Murray Stage upstairs at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 855-585-5185 or visit www.roguemachinetheatre.org.
Our local theme parks are operating at full capacity. Most require advance reservations online, as well as advance ticket, and possibly food, purchases. You will need an app in some to be able to take full advantage of all attractions and restaurants. Please check their websites for details, restrictions, and availability before planning a visit:
|
Disneyland Resort Disney’s California Adventure |
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/
|
|
Knott’s Berry Farm
|
|
|
Legoland California |
https://www.legoland.com/california/
|
|
SeaWorld San Diego |
https://seaworld.com/san-diego/
|
|
Six Flags Magic Mountain |
https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/
|
|
Universal Studios Hollywood |
https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/
|
Some theaters still provide online offerings in addition to or in lieu of live performances, with many events you can experience on a virtual basis. A few of these online events are only available on a one-time basis, while others are ongoing and can be viewed on-demand anytime. Visit each of the web sites below to see what they are currently offering. You will find free content as well as pay-per-view to choose from. Here are the links to web sites with online offerings:
Please help keep our theaters open by supporting live theater whenever you can. On behalf of the publisher Steve Zall, and the co-publisher& editor Sid Fish, we want to send our heartfelt thanks to the publicists who supply us with this content, the editors and publishers who deliver it to you, and most of all, to our readers who enjoy our columns. We wish everyone good health, prosperity, and joyful times throughout the New Year!
Sincerely,
Steve Zall, Publisher
Sid Fish, Co-Publisher and Editor
