Here are the new shows opening in our theaters this month:
OPENING
“THE FACE, Behind the Face, behind the face” a performing artist confronts the ups and downs and struggles of his life and career and is led to the conclusion that his voice and his music are the keys to his success. The story provides a framework for the glorious singing voice of vocalist and actor Anthony Gruppuso, who performs in nineteen musical numbers. The songs include favorites from the Broadway canon, pop standards, lesser-known gems, and some brand-new material. Written by Anthony Gruppuso, with music by John Dickson, and directed by Calvin Remsberg, it runs October 1 through October 29 at the Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-7977 or visit www.theatrewest.org.
“Mice” Ayushi and Grace have just met. Both are pastor’s wives. Both are being held captive, locked in the basement pantry of a serial cannibal. Today, food isn’t the only thing on his mind. If Ayushi and Grace are to survive, they must win a series of mind games with their captor. They must discern what it really means to become good. Written by Schaeffer Nelson, and directed by Roderick Menzies, it runs October 1 through October 29 at the Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA (in Atwater Village Complex) in Atwater. For tickets call 818-839-1197 or visit www.dime.io/events/mice/9/2017.
“So Long Boulder City” Straight from the world of the almost-Best Picture winner LA LA LAND, So Long Boulder City is comedian Jimmy Fowlie’s take on Emma Stone’s one woman show-within-a-movie that played to a barely-sold house. It’s a tale of determination, ambition, crushed dreams and Hollywood triumphs. You won’t want to miss what Deadline Reporter calls “A struggling actresses’ tour-de-force!” Starring Jimmy Fowlie as Mia Dolan. Written by Jimmy Fowlie and Jordan Black, and directed by Jordan Black, it runs October 2 through November 6 at the Celebration Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com.
“Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist” Walt is a gay wallflower. After a devastating break-up, Walt innocently places an ad on Craigslist for a new roommate. When other-worldly star Tilda Swinton shows up at his door and insists on moving in to “study” Walt for her next big movie role, things gets hysterically chaotic. Written by Byron Lane, and directed by Tom DeTrinis, it runs October 4 through October 25 at the Celebration Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com.
“An Accident” follows the story of a woman who is struck by a car, leaving her severely injured and with little memory of her past. Her sole visitor is the man who hit her. Critically acclaimed, this powerful drama explores how small decisions can change the course of a life and how the body and mind heal in unexpected ways. Written by Lydia Stryk, and directed by Kate Jopson, it runs October 5 through October 29 at the Lounge Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-205-6642 or visit www.anaccident.brownpapertickets.com.
“Cagney the Musical” Direct from its hit run in New York, CAGNEY is the award-winning musical that follows the life of the legendary James Cagney from the streets of New York to his rise as one of the brightest stars of Hollywood, from a vaudeville song-and-dance man to the cinema’s original tough guy. Broadway’s Robert Creighton, in the role he was born to play, leads the original NYC cast of six who tap dance through a score that blends original music with classic George M. Cohan favorites, including Give My Regards To Broadway, Grand Old Flag, and Yankee Doodle Dandy. Written by Peter Colley, with music by Robert Creighton & Christopher McGovern, and directed by Bill Castellino, it runs October 5 through October 29 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www.cagneythemusical.com.
“Working 2017” is a fresh look at the struggle of the middle class in Studs Terkel’s ‘Working’ updated with new characters. Written by Bobby Moresco, it runs October 5 through November 9 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.working2017.brownpapertickets.com.
“The Comedic Tragedy of Macbeth” In Dunsinane Sanitorium, an early 20th century insane asylum, a lowly janitor (Macbeth) bonds with five patients: a delusional bipolar who thinks she is his wife, a schizophrenic best friend, and three patients with multiple personalities (ranging from the superintendent of the asylum to witches, murderers, and physicians). Written by William Shakespeare, adapted by Rebecca Lynne, and directed by Rebecca Lynne, it runs October 6 through October 21 at the Brand Park in Glendale. For tickets visit www.deanproductionstheatre.com.
“The Dreamer Examines His Pillow” A striking, surreal study of the often-bizarre byways that love between men and women can follow. Told in three related scenes, the play uses indirection and richly evocative language to make its unsettling but ultimately illuminating points. The Dreamer Examines His Pillow is a philosophic dream-comedy full of rich symbolism, magical realism, and emotional intensity about love, marriage and maturity. Written by John Patrick Shanley, and directed by Mark Blanchard, it runs October 6 through October 29 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets visit www.plays411.com/dreamer.
“Red Sand” Innovative, unusual new piece of movement theatre with heart, humor and a touch of absurdity: this show is at once non-linear, chaotic, cathartic, and undeniably relatable. Presented through a series of revolving stories and using an evocative dreamscape of sights, sounds, and sensuality, this new piece of physical theatre journeys through the capricious stages of loss and hope, walking on the edge of the thin line between the sensations, real or imaginary, true or false, of what frees and fetters us. Written and directed by Serena Dolinsky, it runs October 6 through November 17 at the Santa Monica Playhouse, The Other Space in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-394-9779 Ext. 1 or visit www.SantaMonicaPlayhouse.com/red-sand.html.
“Young Frankenstein” When Frederick Frankenstein, an esteemed New York brain surgeon and professor, inherits a castle and laboratory in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he faces a dilemma. Does he continue to run from his family’s tortured past or does he stay in Transylvania to carry on his grandfather’s mad experiments reanimating the dead and, in the process fall in love with his sexy lab assistant Inga? Young Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) attempts to complete his grandfather’s masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor (that’s Eye-gor), his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiancée Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster — but not without scary and quite often hysterical complications. Written by Thomas Meehan, with music by Mel Brooks, and directed by David Lamoureux, it runs October 6 through October 15 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, then October 20 through October 29 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos. For tickets call 714-589-2770 Ext. 1 (Redondo) or 562-916-8500 (Cerritos) or visit www.3dtheatricals.org.
“Mrs. Warren’s Profession” explores what happens to a family when Cambridge-educated Vivie discovers that her genteel upbringing has been funded by her mother’s illicit (but successful) business dealings as a prostitute and madam. Written by George Bernard Shaw, and directed by Michael Michetti, it runs October 8 through November 18 at A Noise Within in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-356-3100 or visit www.anoisewithin.org.
“Twelve Angry Men” Be part of the courtroom action in this classic drama in which 12 jurors decide the fate of a young man accused of murder. What will the verdict be? Find out in this suspenseful thriller that pits passionate jurors against one another in a timely, timeless and bold examination of the American justice system. Written by Reginald Rose, and directed by Michael Matthews, it runs October 8 through October 22 at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach. For tickets call 949-497-2787 or visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.
“Afterlife: a ghost story” explores the fragility of the human psyche and the lingering effects of great loss framed by a chilling tale. An impending storm forces troubled couple, Connor and Danielle to return to their beachfront home for the first time since they lost their son. While they reluctantly attempt to secure their house and also try to pick up the pieces of their fractured lives, they are welcomed by dead fishes littering the shore, enormous black birds that appear to be waiting and watching and a familiar voice whispering from the waves…calling to them. When the storm hits sooner than expected, they are thrust into another dimension, where they must confront their tragedy and learn how to cope with the pain of remembering before they are swept away forever. This hauntingly beautiful play asks the question: what do you do when hardest part of living is remembering? Written by Steve Yockey, and directed by Steve Jarrard, it runs October 13 through November 12 at the Avery Schreiber Playhouse in North Hollywood. For tickets call 323-860-6569 or visit www.afterlife.brownpapertickets.com.
“The Daughters of the Kush” It’s 1963, at Plains University in Iowa. Lambda Kappa Nu is a historically Black sorority. The sisters are referred to as The Daughters of the Kush. Kathy is the sorority’s lone white, Jewish pledge. She has been raised by Black adoptive parents and is eager to pledge her adoptive mother’s sorority. When Kathy meets with a violent mishap, the Daughters suddenly find themselves under investigation. Written by George W. Corbin, and directed by Veronica Thompson, it runs October 13 through October 29 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 805-496-2982 or visit www.corbinkush.eventbrite.com.
“The Final Girl” No one under 17 will be admitted. Smalltown, USA, 1978. High-school senior Victoria Vahtes becomes the target of escaped psychotic Morgan Miller. In a one-night spree of butchery, the masked Miller murders Victoria’s best friend, boyfriend, and parents before attempting to kill her. Rescue arrives in the form of Miller’s pistol-packing psychiatrist, Dr. Harriett Gordon-Lewis but Miller escapes and disappears without a trace. Six years later, violent psychotic escapes from understaffed insane asylums and the ensuing murder sprees have become a national epidemic. When a mysterious masked female vigilante starts killing fugitive psychotics mid-rampage, Dr. Gordon-Lewis suspects former patient Victoria Vahtes. After a spectacularly bloody asylum escape by psychotic Wayne Walton, Dr. Gordon-Lewis follows Walton’s trail of destruction back to his childhood hometown, certain he will be pursued by the vigilante known to law enforcement as The Final Girl. Written and directed by Christopher Johnson, it runs October 13 through November 4 at the McCadden Place Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.thefinalgirl.brownpapertickets.com.
“Homecoming Queen’s Got a Gun: The Musical” The song tells the story of a High School Homecoming Queen who freaks out and goes on a killing spree. The stage show has it all…singing, dancing, and murder! Come check out what happens before that prom night. Blood and Mascara will run!! But will the question ever be answered — who is Johnny? Join Julie Brown, as Julie Brown and her best friend Debbie Dickey (Drew Droege) as they count down the minutes and the student bodies, until Homecoming! Something’s not right at Betty Ford High. People are starting to drop dead, but no one has time for that because there a new a Homecoming Queen to crown! Like for sure! Grab your best prom outfit for a night of total awesomeness! Written by Julie Brown and Kurt Koehler, and directed by Kurt Koehler, it runs October 13 through October 21 at the Celebrity Cavern Club Theater inside Casita Del Campo Restaurant in Silverlake. For tickets visit www.juliebrown.tix.com.
“Is He Dead?” It’s 1846. Talented French artist, Millet, feels honor bound to save his fiancée and her father from financial ruin. Millet soon realizes that great paintings make much more money after the artist dies. In desperation, he fakes his own death and becomes… his sister. Written by Mark Twain, and directed by Todd Nielsen, it runs October 13 through November 18 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale. For tickets call 818-244-8481 or visit www.glendalecentretheatre.com.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” The story is based on the Biblical story of Joseph, found in the Book of Genesis. It is set in a frame in which a narrator is telling a story (sometimes to children, encouraging them to dream). She then tells the story of Joseph, another dreamer (“Prologue,” “Any Dream Will Do”). In the beginning of the main story Jacob and his 12 sons are introduced (“Jacob and Sons”). Joseph’s brothers are jealous of him for his coat of many colours, a symbol of their father’s preference for him (“Joseph’s Coat”). It is clear from Joseph’s dreams that he is destined to rule over them (“Joseph’s Dreams”). To get rid of him and prevent the dreams from coming true, they attempt fratricide, but then they sell Joseph as a slave to some passing Ishmaelites (“Poor, Poor Joseph”), who take him to Egypt. Back home, his brothers, led by Reuben (Levi in the original Broadway production) and accompanied by their wives, break the news to Jacob that Joseph has been killed. They show his tattered coat smeared with his blood – really goat blood – as proof that what they say is true (“One More Angel in Heaven”). After the bereft Jacob leaves, the brothers and their wives happily celebrate the loss of Joseph. In Egypt, Joseph is the slave of Egyptian millionaire Potiphar. He rises through the ranks of slaves and servants until he is running Potiphar’s house. When Mrs. Potiphar makes advances, Joseph spurns her. She removes his shirt, feels his chest and back, squeezes his rear and blows him kisses. Potiphar overhears, barges in, sees the two together – and jumps to conclusions (“Potiphar”). Outraged, he throws Joseph in jail. Depressed, Joseph laments the situation (“Close Every Door”) – but his spirits rise when he helps two prisoners put in his cell. Both are former servants of the Pharaoh and both have had bizarre dreams. Joseph interprets them. One cellmate, the Baker, will be executed, but the other, the Butler, will be returned to service. Upon hearing this, the rest of the prisoners surround Joseph and encourage him to go after his dreams (“Go, Go, Go Joseph”). Written by Tim Rice, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice, and directed by Will North, it runs October 13 through October 22 at the Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks. For tickets call 800-745-3000 or visit www.5startheatricals.com.
“Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin” You receive a letter from your childhood friend who is haunted by a mysterious event in your shared past—and she needs your help. When you arrive at her family’s warehouse, you ascend to the fifth and sixth floors in a creaking freight elevator, followed by a voice that calls out through the shadows, drowning you in echoes of wells and engines and graveyards, in tangles of hair and snow, in sharp reflections of your darkest moments—a voice that may not be human. A small group of twelve enters a room alone, the walls begin to thin, and a dark spirit stirs within you—will you ever escape it? Written by Lisa Dring and Chelsea Sutton, and directed by Sean T. Cawelti, it runs October 13 through November 5 at the A secret warehouse location in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-596-9468 or visit www.rogueartists.org.
“Mr. Burns, a Post-electric Play” After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors keep the spark of human spirit alive by telling stories around a campfire. As the years wear on, these stories expand into the realm of legend and myth. Written by Anne Washburn, and directed by Jaime Robledo, it runs October 13 through November 18 at the Broadwater in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-281-8337 or visit www.sacredfools.org.
“A Picasso” The curtain rises. We are in Paris, 1941. A screen projects black and white images of old Parisian streets on the Left Bank. The rue des Grands-Augustins, Picasso’s studio, and his favorite hangout, Le Catalan Café, come to the forefront. The romance is contrasted by the sound of marching boots and the reality of the German Occupation. The boots invade our set, an underground vault. Lights up! Our hero, Pablo Picasso, is thrown in! Sex, Art, Politics, Nazis, and a classy 20th century icon are all wrapped up into an intense, confrontational drama with sensitivity and wit. Mademoiselle Fischer, a beautiful, “cultural attaché”, from Berlin has arrested Picasso. She needs him to authenticate three of his pieces, recently “confiscated”, by the Nazis from their Jewish owners, for inclusion in a “degenerate art show”, curated by Joseph Goebbles. Picasso does, whereupon he learns that the works will be destroyed in a bonfire! Written by Jeffrey Hatcher, and directed by Natalia Lazarus, it runs October 13 through November 11 at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica. For tickets visit www.PromendePlayhouse.com.
“Turn Me Loose” is a new comedic drama about the extraordinary and explosive life of the late Dick Gregory—starring Emmy Award-winner and “Scandal” star Joe Morton—that shines a light on the first black comedian to expose white audiences to racial comedy. Gregory confronted bigotry with shockingly disarming humor, marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., and deeply influenced comics from Richard Pryor to Chris Rock. He’s been a prolific writer, muckraker, provocateur, and candidate for Mayor of Chicago and for President of the United States. He was singled out by President Obama as one of his all-time favorite comedians. Experience the comic genius of Dick Gregory and the poetic final words of his mentor, slain civil rights activist, Medgar Evers. Written by Gretchen Law, and directed by John Gould Rubin, it runs October 13 through October 29 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Lovelace Studio Theater in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-746-4000 or visit www.TheWallis.org/Theater.
“Gem of the Ocean” set in 1904, nearly 50 years after slavery ended, but at a time when freedom is still precarious. Many former slaves and descendants venturing north find themselves at Aunt Ester’s door in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. A renowned cleanser of souls claiming to be 285 years old, Ester provides solace, advice and healing. Citizen Barlow, racked with guilt because he let another man take the rap for his crimes, desperately wants to be pure again—and Aunt Ester may be his only hope. Written by August Wilson, and directed by Kent Gash, it runs October 14 through November 11 at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
“Underneath the Lintel: An Impressive Presentation of Lovely Evidences” When a reclusive librarian discovers a 113-year overdue book in the night slot, curiosity compels him to pursue the borrower. His search for answers leads to a worldwide, whirlwind journey, where he discovers instead the great mysteries of humanity. Written by Glen Berger, and directed by Steven Robman, it runs October 18 through November 19 at the Audrey Skirball Theater at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-208-5454 or visit www.geffenplayhouse.org.
“An Evening with Fritz Coleman” Everyone’s favorite weatherman shares his hilarious, insightful take on growing up and growing older. He proves that aging isn’t pretty … but it’s pretty funny! NBC4’s weathercaster for the past 35 years, Coleman has made eight appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, and he is a three-time Emmy Award winner. Written and directed by Fritz Coleman, it runs October 19 through October 22 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.colonytheatre.org.
“Hello Stranger” is about a man who has mixed feelings about returning to his hometown in the Inland Empire after having been away for many years. He is there to attend his 30-year high school reunion, but finds he is drawn to stay after encountering a strange girl in the yard of the house he grew up in with his mother. The house has since gone through many owners and his mother is long dead but the man has been haunted by things that happened here in his childhood. He meets the woman who now lives in his old house who is covering up a tragedy that also connects to him, which has colored the whole town. The man then embarks on a journey through his past, dreams, and memories to uncover dark secrets about his mother and the town, and along the way he meets other characters of mysterious origins who may or may not be helping him, and who may or may not be part of the ghost world of the Day of the Dead Festival, which is when the play takes place. Written by Sharon Yablon, and directed by Sarah Figoten Wilson, it runs October 19 through November 18 at the Theatre of NOTE in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-856-8611 or visit www.theatreofnote.com.
“An Enemy of the Pueblo” is a feminist Chicano modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, An Enemy of the People, a Curandera (shaman woman) warns the people in the border town of Milagros (Miracles) of the poisoning of the water, but no one want to believe her because their economic futures depend on the water in the springs attracting the “gringos” back to the town. Written by Josefina López, and directed by Corky Dominguez, it runs October 20 through November 12 at the CASA 0101 Theatre in Boyle Heights. For tickets call 323-263-7684 or visit www.casa0101.org.
“Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic” is a visually breathtaking cinematic shadow play for all ages. Inspired by the 10th-century Persian epic Shahnameh (‘The Book of Kings’), the action-packed tale follows star-crossed lovers Zaul and Rudabeh who triumph at the end against all odds. Hamid Rahmanian’s graphics, derived from the visual tradition of the region, are rendered as puppets, costumes, masks, scenography and digital animation, all of which come to life in a “live animation” on a cinema-size screen. Suitable for ages 5+. Written and directed by Hamid Rahmanian and Larry Reed, it runs October 20 through October 29 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Bram Goldsmith Theater in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-746-4000 or visit www.TheWallis.org/Theater.
“Home” an orphan who leaves his family’s farm in North Carolina to seek refuge and prosperity in the North. We experience the epic journey from adolescence to adulthood, as he struggles to stay true to himself amid a rapidly changing and turbulent America. Spanning the 1950s through the Vietnam War and Civil Rights eras, heartbreaking hurdles and setbacks continuously obstruct his road to happiness. But Cephus perseveres and always manages to remain upbeat. Written by Samm-Art Williams, and directed by Gregg T. Daniel, it runs October 20 through November 5 at the International City Theatre – Long Beach Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. For tickets call 562-436-4610 or visit www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.
“Sinner’s Laundry” the residents of Newport Women’s Correctional Facility have all mysteriously vanished. Courtney Sauls (Dear White People) and Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) star as Jess and Sam, the only two inmates who remain — and they are locked in Rec Room No. 4 with nothing but some crappy board games and their imaginations. Waiting for Godot meets Orange is the New Black meets The Book of Revelations as they navigate their way towards salvation in this unique, funny and poignant exploration of the power of redemption and the divinity within us all. Written by John Lavelle, and directed by Becca Wolff, it runs October 20 through November 19 at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-380-8843 or visit www.iamatheatre.com.
“This Land” is a deep, painful, joyful story that spans 150 years as four families, each with roots in different parts of the world, make their home on the same plot of Southern California land. A host of old curses and blessings, traditions and recipes, loves and betrayals, conspire to threaten successive displacements. And as the story unfolds each successive generation grapples with whether this land is truly theirs. Written by Evangeline Ordaz, and directed by Armando Molina, it runs October 20 through November 12 at the Company of Angels in Los Angeles. For tickets visit www.companyofangels.org.
“New York Water” Linda and Albert, both in their mid-thirties, meet in New York through a Personals ad. They connect. They feel stifled by their native big city and decide to move elsewhere. Their American odyssey will take them first to the Midwest and then to Hollywood. Linda ascends to dizzying heights while Albert remains steeped in mediocrity. After Hollywood, where do you go next? Written by Sam Bobrick, and directed by Howard Teichman, it runs October 21 through December 17 at the Pico Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-821-2449 or visit www.wcjt.org.
“Redline” engines and heart rates explode on a journey towards redemption in a profoundly intimate theater-going experience. James Eckhouse (All the Way on Broadway, Beverly Hills 90210) stars as Raymond, whose moment of road rage along a frigid eastern Sierra highway shattered his relationship with his family forever. The impact of this event ripples through the years until his estranged son (Graham Sibley – Jane the Virgin, Sully) returns to test the limits of forgiveness. Written by Christian Durso, and directed by Eli Gonda, it runs October 21 through November 19 at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-380-8843 or visit www.iamatheatre.com.
“Bright Colors and Bold Patterns” Josh and Brennan are about to get married in Palm Springs on a lovely Saturday afternoon. However, the night before becomes a drunken, drug-fueled scream riot, because their friend Gerry has arrived, furious that their invitation says “please refrain from wearing bright colors or bold patterns”. In the struggle for equality, what do we really want? What do we lose? And is there any cocaine left? Written by Drew Droege, and directed by Michael Urie, it runs October 22 through October 25 at the Celebration Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com.
“Chicas are 4Ever” In the two act musical stage show, Chico’s Angels are going under the covers for another case and this one sparkles like a diamond….literally…it’s a diamond heist! It seems the Countess Tago’s world famous Chez Chez Diamond has been stolen and she needs the Angels to steal it back! This will be no easy task, so Chico also hired a world renowned Jewel Thief Expert Manuel Hung to assist the Angels. Before long, the Angels and Bossman become entangled in a web of lies, double-crosses and a final heist that comes to an explosive conclusion…literally…it explodes on stage! Written by James Edward Quinn, Kurt Koehler and Oscar Quintero, with music by Dan Ring, lyrics by Mr. Dan, and directed by Kurt Koehler, it runs October 26 through November 5 at the Cavern Club Theater inside Casita Del Campo Restaurant in Silverlake. For tickets visit www.chicosangels.com.
“Les Liaisons Dangereuses” Set among the decadent ruling class of pre-revolutionary France, this is a seductive and unsettling tale of sex, deceit, cruelty and the struggle for power in an all-too-recognizable world. Former lovers, the Marquise de Merteuil (Reiko Aylesworth and Elyse Mirto) and Vicomte de Valmont (Scott Ferrara and Henri Lubatti) now compete in games of seduction and revenge. Merteuil incites Valmont to corrupt the innocent Cécile de Volanges (Chelsea Kurtz and Elizabeth Rian) before her wedding night, but Valmont has targeted the peerlessly virtuous and married Madame de Tourvel (Lindsay LaVanchy and Liza Seneca). The production is fully double cast. Written by Choderlos de Laclos, adapted by Christopher Hampton, and directed by Robin Larsen, it runs October 26 through December 10 at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale. For tickets call 818-506-1983 or visit www.Antaeus.org.
“The Radiant” depicts the story of scientist Marie Curie after the death of her partner in marriage and science, Pierre Curie, in a horrific accident. She shared the Nobel Prize in physics with her husband and a colleague in 1903, becoming the first female awardee. In 1911, she won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, being the only woman to win twice. Following her husband’s death in 1906, she is alone with two children to raise, simultaneously continuing her vital and pioneering scientific work. She finds herself increasingly drawn to her lab partner, the younger, married Paul Langevin. The two become lovers, and when news of their clandestine affair is leaked to the Paris tabloids, she is the focus of a scandal that threatens her life and career and the safety of her children. A naturalized French citizen, she had been born in Warsaw to an atheist father and a Catholic mother. Nonetheless, the xenophobic and anti-Semitic press of the time attack her for being a foreigner and, supposedly, a Jew. She is forced to flee from home after it is attacked by an angry mob. She returns to Paris to advance her research and, as the years pass, it is evident that she is becoming affected by the radioactive nature of her materials. Written by Shirley Lauro, and directed by Jane Edwina Seymour, it runs October 27 through November 19 at the Other Space at The Actors Company in West Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7712 or visit www.Plays411.com/radiant.
“End of the Rainbow” The real fireworks happened offstage. It’s December 1968 and Judy Garland is about to make her comeback…again. In a London hotel room, with both her new young fiancé and her adoring accompanist, Garland struggles to get “beyond the rainbow” with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity and razor-sharp wit. Featuring some of Garland’s most memorable songs, this savagely funny play-with-music offers unique insight into the inner conflict that inspired and consumed one of the most beloved figures of our time. Written by Peter Quilter, with music by Jon Steinhagen, and directed by Michael Matthews, it runs October 28 through November 12 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets call 562-944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.
“The Red Dress” This fictionalized account of a parents’ marriage and their forced divorce by the Nazis begins in 1924 Berlin. Alexandra Schiele (Laura Ligouri) is a famous film actress from a prominent Jewish family who falls in love with a down-on-his-luck World War I vet, Franz Weitrek (J.B. Waterman). Franz is able to parlay his wife’s connections into work as a film director. But when his career takes off making Nazi propaganda films, his wife suddenly becomes a liability. Written by Tania Wisbar, and directed by Kiff Scholl, it runs October 28 through November 19 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-5521 or visit www.Plays411.com/reddress.
“Taking Sides” a provocative and gripping drama based on the true story of German conductor and composer (and accused Nazi sympathizer) Wilhelm Furtwängler. The play explores the terrible collision between art, power, politics and personal responsibility. Harwood’s dramatization of the investigation into Furtwängler is set in 1946 in the American Zone of occupied Berlin. Major Steve Arnold interrogates Furtwängler following the war in preparation for his de-Nazification tribunal. Why did Furtwängler remain in Germany while many of his colleagues fled out of protest or because of persecution. Did he naively believe that art was above politics? Did he allow himself to be manipulated by the Nazi propaganda machine? Or was he, in fact, a collaborator? Written by Sir Ronald Harwood, and directed by Stephanie Coltrin, it runs October 28 through November 12 at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura. For tickets call 805-667-2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org.
“Strays” is a warm, funny journey through one woman’s experiences in the animal rescue world as she finds parallels of her own story. Twice adopted, Lisa Wharton faces her own fears of abandonment and the guilt of not being able to protect the ones she loves and finds hope, one rescue at a time. Written by Lisa Wharton, and directed by Lisa Nicole Lennox, it runs October 29 through December 3 at the Secret Rose in North Hollywood. For tickets visit www.straystheshow.com.
CONTINUING
“[Title of Show]” Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival although the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away! With nothing to lose, the pair decides to enter a script but the big question is what to write about? Deciding to follow the old adage, “write what you know,” they set off on a unique musical adventure with their three friends: writing a musical about writing a musical! Frequently hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking and thoroughly inspiring, [title of show] is a love letter to musical theatre and to the joy of collaboration and creativity. Written by Hunter Bell, with music by Jeff Bowen, and directed by Aric Martin, it runs through October 15 at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-828-7519 or visit www.morgan-wixson.org.
“A Love Affair” follows the roller-coaster-ride of a 38-year (and counting) marriage, from the romantic naiveté of a 1950’s honeymoon, to the irritation of daily life in the Coming-of-New Age ’90’s. The successes, the disappointments, the sex, the traumas, the traumas about sex and the budget and the children and the adventure of casting your lot with another human being…for life. Written by Jerry Mayer, and directed by Chris DeCarlo, it runs through November 19 at the Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-394-9779 Ext. 1 or visit www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/a-love-affair.html.
Enjoy life more – see a show tonight!