Here are some great new shows coming soon to our Southern California theater scene!
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
“Buyer & Cellar” This wickedly funny and surprisingly moving show explores obsession, celebrity, and the magical absurdity of what we’ll do to feel seen — and to feel close to greatness. What happens when you get a job working in Barbra Streisand’s basement mall? A wickedly observed comedy about obsession, celebrity, and the price of proximity to someone who has everything. Written by Jonathan Tolins, and directed by Cate Caplin, it runs June 4 through June 14 at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank. For tickets call 818-841-5421 or visit www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org.
“Anastasia” Inspired by the beloved 1997 film, ANASTASIA transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family. With its opulent settings, dazzling costumes, and a soaring score including the song favorites from the hit animated film, “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December,” ANASTASIA is perfect for the whole family — a spectacular musical about discovering who you are and defining who you’re meant to be. Written by Terrence McNally, with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and directed by Parker Esse, it runs June 6 through June 28 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets call 562-944-9801 or visit www.LaMiradaTheatre.com.
“Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me” Known for his hit portrayals of musical geniuses in his beloved composer series, Felder now renders a different musical artist: himself. In this deeply moving new play, Felder pulls back the curtain on his own story. Growing up in Montreal as the child of Polish and Hungarian immigrants, a young Felder discovers the piano, its captivating music connecting him to his unsuspected heritage, while opening up a remarkable new world full of adventure, possibility, heartbreak, and connection. Featuring performances of beloved compositions by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Bartók, and more, Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me recounts the inspiration behind Felder’s illustrious career of more than 6,000 performances across the globe and offers a poignant and profoundly touching portrait of the power of music. Written and directed by Hershey Felder, with music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Bartok, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Williams & Felder, it runs June 9 through June 21 at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. For tickets visit www.scr.org.
“The Revolutionists” Four women to be reckoned with lose their heads (both figuratively and literally) in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s La Terreur. Playwright Olympe de Gouges (played by Amie Farrell), assassin Charlotte Corday (Sarah Pierce), former queen and fan of ribbons Marie Antoinette (Lyndsi LaRose), and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle (Nondumiso Tembe) hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. This grand and dream-tweaked comedy is about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots, and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world. Written by Lauren Gunderson, and directed by Jamie Torcellini, it runs June 12 through June 28 at the International City Theatre in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in Long Beach. For tickets call 562-436-4610 or visit InternationalCityTheatre.org.
“Singularities and Safety Pins” In Singularities and Safety Pins, a woman uses humor and science to help her navigate a look back at her mother’s battle with cancer. The show explores themes of grief, loss, and the perils of motherhood. Written by Carmella Riley, and directed by Jennifer Green, it runs June 13 through June 20 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 310-954-7079 or visit sondertheatrecompany.org.
“Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous” Anna Campbell is a trailblazing actress flush with accolades but short on cash. After returning to the U.S. to stage a career-defining comeback, she collides with a new generation that challenges her past, her politics, and her place in the movement. Award-winning playwright Pearl Cleage teams up with Tony Award nominee LaTanya Richardson Jackson to deliver a sharp-witted and soulful new comedy about art, activism, and aging on your own terms. Written by Pearl Cleage, and directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson, it runs June 18 through July 12 at the Geffen Playhouse Gil Cates Theater in Los Angeles. For tickets visit geffenplayhouse.org.
“Treasure Island” The story opens at the Admiral Benbow Inn, run by Jim Hawkins’s mother (Willow Geer), where a mysterious former pirate, Billy Bones (Jeff Bergquist), has taken up residence. His uneasy stay is shattered when a fellow pirate, Black Dog (Daniel Kean), arrives seeking a treasure map in Bones’s possession. Soon after, the ominous Blind Pew (Ethan Haslam) delivers the “Black Spot,” a chilling warning that Bones’s time is running out if he refuses to surrender it. Before the threat can be carried out, Bones dies suddenly of a stroke. In the aftermath, Jim discovers the hidden map and brings it to Dr. Livesey (Aaron Hendry) and Squire John Trelawney (Steven C. Fisher). Determined to claim the treasure, they quickly organize an expedition. They set sail aboard the three-masted Hispaniola, led by the capable Captain Smollett (Arthur Hankett) and a hastily assembled crew (Sam Cowan, Jesse Corwin, Tomás François, Tim Halligan, Nik Moradieh Kashani, Christopher Miles, Matthew Pardue, Andy Stokan). Among them is the charismatic and enigmatic one-legged cook, Long John Silver (Gerald C. Rivers), whose true intentions may prove far more dangerous than they first appear. Written by Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Ellen Geer, and directed by Ellen Geer, it runs June 20 through October 3 at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga. For tickets call 310-455-3723 or visit theatricum.com.
“Mean Girls” Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. Written by Tina Fey, based on the screenplay by Jeff Richmond, with music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, it runs June 26 through August 16 at the Wisteria Theater in North Hollywood. For tickets visit www.wisteriatheater.com.
“GMCLA Declarations of Independence Pride Concert” This Pride Month musical tribute will feature some of the most important protest songs and anthems—celebrating nation, community, and pride—as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, performed by GMCLA’s 200-member Chorus. The electrifying evening, conducted by GMCLA Artistic Director Ernest H. Harrison and choreographed by Ray Leeper (GMCLA regular, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars), will feature special guest artist, Grammy- and Golden Globe Award-nominated producer and songwriter, and activist, Justin Tranter (Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!”; Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next, among others), who will perform a medley of his hit songs. Additionally, composer Saunder Choi, has composed a newly commissioned song, Credo, for this special occasion. The piece explores faith, identity, humanity, and hope, with lyrics by Los Angeles Poet Laureate and author Brian Sonia-Wallace. Written by Ray Leeper, with music by Saunder Choi, lyrics by Brian Sonia-Wallace, and directed by Ernest H. Harrison, it runs June 27 through June 28 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets visit GMCLA.org.
“The Great Clown Bank Show” The gleefully deranged story follows the rise of the Greedy family — a scheming dynasty of powder-faced hustlers who transform their tiny carnival cashbox into the most powerful clown bank in America. Wildly funny, sharply satirical and packed with playful circus acts (a different guest performer every week), The Great Clown Bank Show skewers capitalist America with razor-toothed humor, exposing a world where wealth is the greatest magic trick of all — and everyone outside the ring is paying for it. Written and directed by Hank Jacobs, with music by Stephen Jacobs, songs by Michael Messer with lyrics by Jacobs and Messer, it runs June 27 through August 1 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets visit openfist.org.
CONTINUING
“Soul Sacrifice” In Soul Sacrifice tense silences and sudden outbursts fill the East Los Angeles home of nine-year-old Connie as her family begins to fracture beneath the weight of war, activism, and grief. Connie’s beloved brother Luie has been drafted to fight on the front lines of Vietnam, leaving a void that ripples through every corner of the household. Written by Consuelo G. Flores, and directed by Kenneth Castillo, it runs through June 21 at the CASA 0101 Theater in the Gloria Molina Auditorium in Los Angeles. For tickets visit www.casa0101.org.
“Out With a Bang” Eddie Cappiello is trapped, living out his life in the Out With a Bang Senior Living Community. His ex-wife Betty – recently widowed from her second husband – arrives at his door one day and asks him to help her get revenge on a neighbor who has made her life intolerable. Eddie, longing to reawaken the love that the two of them once had, makes the fateful decision to assist in the endeavor. He enlists his good friend and next-door neighbor, a former Israeli accountant and professional mourner, Daniel. The three of them devise a dangerous and blatantly illegal plot to deal with her recalcitrant neighbor. Written by Tony Pasqualini, and directed by Andrew Weyman, it runs through June 28 at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice. For tickets call 310-822-8392 or visit pacificresidenttheatre.org.
“The Eaves” A paranormal investigator is called to assist a grieving mother whose home has become the center of a disturbing presence. As the investigation deepens, what begins as a haunting reveals itself to be something far more personal — blurring the line between external forces and internal reckoning. Content Advisory: This production includes themes of grief and loss, unresolved family trauma, psychological distress, and supernatural phenomena. While no graphic violence occurs onstage, the emotional intensity and sustained suspense may not be suitable for all audiences. Written and directed by Justin Meyer, it runs through September 27 at the Upstairs at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. For tickets visit thenocturnetheatre.com.