"A Look Beyond the Playbill"
CURRENT EVENTS
Ahmanson Theatre: 135 N. Grand, Los Angeles (213/972-4400) www.musiccenter.org
DESPITE ROBUST MEASURES, ADDITIONAL BREAKTHROUGH COVID 19 CASES HAVE BEEN DETECTED NECESSITATING THE CANCELLATION OF ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES THROUGH DECEMBER 26 FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY. TICKET HOLDERS WILL BE CONTACTED. PERFORMANCES ARE SCHEDULED TO RESUME DECEMBER 28. The Ahmanson’s opening night, Dec.1, with the Matthew Warchus directed beloved A Christmas Carol starring three time Emmy winner Bradley Whitford. A holiday masterpiece for all ages, A Christmas Carol opened on Broadway to rave reviews in 2019 following critically acclaimed runs at The Old Vic, London. Breaking several box office records at the Lyceum Theatre, the production took home five 2020 Tony Awards. A holiday masterpiece for all ages. Thru Jan. 1, 2022. For tickets: CenterTheatreGroup.org
Original London and Broadway cast members will reprise their critically acclaimed performances in the LA engagement of The Lehman Trilogy, March 3-April 10. In 1884 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is soon joined by his two brothers and an American epic begins. 163 years later the firm they establish — Lehman Brothers, spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. It is the story of a family — and a family business– that would transform and finally upend the world.
The Emmy Award winning L.A. County Holiday Celebration returns to the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to celebrate its 62nd anniversary with a free live in person holiday spectacular. The event features more than 20 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from many neighborhoods and culture that make p L.A. Those who can’t make it to the Music Center on Dec. 24th can watch the broadcast live on PBS SoCal or online at pbsocal.org/holidaycelebration. Tickets to the in person event are free and available on a first come first seated basis. Dec. 24, 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Following shows will include: the West End hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, inspired by a true story, winner of three WhatsOnStage Awards including Best New Musical and nominated for five Olivier Awards, this funny, fabulous musical sensation has thrilled audiences and critics alike since opening in 2017. The show celebrates acceptance, belonging, the power of unconditional love of a mother for her child and how good life is when everybody is the best they can be. Jan. 16-Feb. 20, 2022. Upcoming: Tony-Winning Come From Away, The Lehman Trilogy, The Prom and Tony-winning best musicals Hadestown and Dear Evan Hansen. The Tony award winning revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma will be presented later in the season. Lots to look forward to!
Until The Flood: explores a community in turmoil following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager by a white policeman in Missouri. Available free to the public until 2023. www.ctgla.org/UntilTheFloodALLARTS
Glorya Kaufman presents Dance at the Music Center‘s 2022 Season features the West Coast Premiere of Hamburg Ballet’s Bernstein Dances and the West Cost premiere of The Joyce Theater’s SWING OUT directed by Caleb Teicher, plus the highly anticipated returns of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Pacific Northwest Ballet to Southern California.
Ambassador Auditorium: 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena (626/793-7172) boxoffice@pasadenasymphony-pops.org Pasadena Symphony season. All concert goers must fully vaccinated to keep everyone safe. Classics Series will feature Rhapsody in Blue, Nov. 13, Baroque: Brandenburg 5, Jan. 22, 2022, Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Feb. 12, Mozart Symphony No. 40, March 19, Beethoven Symphony No. 5, April 30; Holiday Candlelight, Dec. 18.
Antaeus Theatre Company: Podcast series available at www.Antaeus.org An exploration of the diversity and culture of the City of Angeles with Season Three of its popular The Zip Code Plays: Los Angeles. Each season the company introduces listeners to the comedy, drama and sometimes surprising history of various Los Angeles neighborhoods with six original short plays, each set in a different LA zip code. Available to podcast listeners beginning Dec. 2. Free.
Atwater Village Theatre: 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles (310/307-3753) www.EchoTheaterCompany.com Open Fist Theatre Company returns to live, in person performance with concurrent runs of two plays by Canadian playwright Daniel Maclvor. The Soldier Dreams, a darkly funny and moving play about life, death, grief and dancing, Never Swim Alone concerns two men who are locked in a ruthless competition of one upsmanship under the watchful eye of The Referee, a young woman with a secret connection to the boys these men used to be. Oct. 16-Dec. 12.
Big Tent Podcast & Live: Under the big tent at St. Andrews church parking lot, 830 W.Bonita Ave, Claremont (909/734-6565) http://opheliasjump.org Holiday entertainment for the whole family in an outdoor safe environment. It’s A Wonderful Life, an adaptation of the classic 1946 Christmas movie. The live stage performance is simultaneously done was a live podcast with original music, multimedia, live Foley and some audience participation. Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays Nov. 26-Dec. 19.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater: 4949 York Bl, Los Angeles (213/250-9995) www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com Special holiday shows. Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, an adventure through wizardry of strings and into the enchanted world of the fantastic. Proof of vaccination for all guests ages 12 and up. Nov. 27-Jan. 9, 2022.
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels: Downtown Los Angeles (866/811-4111) www.latinotheaterco.org Latino Theater Company returns with performance of La Virgin de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin, the story of Juan Diego a simple peasant to whom the Virgin Mary appeared on four occasions in the mountains near Mexico City. The cast features over 100 actors, singers and indigenous Aztec dancers as well as children and seniors from the community. Dec. 3-4. Free admission but reservations must be made in advance. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion: Los Angeles Music Center, 135 North Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (213/972-8001) The Los Angeles opera presents: Cinderella, Nov. 20-Dec. 12; St. Matthew Passion, March 12-27, 2022; Aida, May 21-June 12; Get Out, Oct. 29-31; Alcina, Nov. 2-5; Javier Camarena, March 31-April 2; In Our Daughter’s Eyes, April 13-17; The Brightness of Light, June 18. The audience will be required to show proof of vaccination and must wear masks during the entire performance.. See special free Christmas Holiday special event under Los Angeles Music Center. Check to see all special requirements because of COVID-19.
Dugan’s Backyard Playhouse: dbtickets@gmail.com Woodland Hills. (address provided when reservations are made).
Echo Theater Company: www.EchoTheaterCompany.com Monthly online storytelling series, Bold Faced Secret series presents The Skin of Your Teeth in which storytellers were invited to submit stories about near misses, close calls, narrow escapes, being perilously close to the edge, falling off, clawing your way back to the top. Free via Zoom . Each virtual performance is live and each performance is different with audience participation. www.EchoTheaterCompany.com/underneath
Fountain Theatre: 5060 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles. (323/663-1525) www.Fountain Theatre.com Outside stage. Free admission . Proof of vaccination and masks. On the inside stage…Tony-nominated The Children, a taut and disquieting thriller about responsibility, reparation and what one generation owes the next. Two retired nuclear engineers live a quiet life in a remote cottage on the lonely British coast — until a surprise visit from a former colleague upends the couple’s equilibrium and trust, Nov. 3-Jan. 23, 2022.
Fremont Centre Theatre: 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena http://youngstarstheatre.org/tickets
Geffen Playhouse: 10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles 310/208-2028 www/geffenplayhouse.org. Reopening and return to In-Person performances. Paradise Blue, Nov. 9-Dec. 12; Power of Sail, Feb. 1-March 13, 2022; Trayf, March 1-April 10; Man of God, May 24-July 3.
Greystone Estate and Gardens: 905 Loma Dr., Beverly Hills (310/364-3606) http://theatre40.org
Hollywood Bowl: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association 2022 summer season begins its second century. The full celebratory season of the Bowl’s centennial will be announced in February. Two of the funniest, most influential and acclaimed talents of the past century, Steve Martin & Martin Short, are set for the annual July 4th Fireworks Spectacular, July 2, 3, and 4. at 7:30 p.m. Other popular scheduled dates include: The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival (formerly the Playboy Jazz Festival) on June 25-26. Smooth Summer Jazz, Aug. 28, Movie Night Sept. 4 and Sing A Long Sound of Music, Sept. 17.
Hudson Guild Theatre: 6539 Santa Monica Bl., Hollywood http://onstage411.com/holdingcourt
International City Theatre: 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach (562/436-4610) www.internationalcitytheatre.org
James Bridges Theatre: UCLA campus,Los Angeles Theatre Works (LATW) (323/538-3142) Boxoffice@latw.org Frankinland, a comic romp through the American Revolution puts the spotlight on the relationship between William Franklin and his wildly ego maniacal father, Ben. As Ben Franklin plants the seeds of a new republic, King George III appoints William Royal Governor of New Jersey — a change in affairs that creates a family rift of revolutionary proportions, Dec. 14. In Pipeline, a dedicated teacher at an inner city school is desperate to give her only son opportunities that her own public high school students will never have. When a controversial incident at this private school threatens to get her son expelled, she must confront her deepest fears to give him a future. Feb.4-6. Twelth Night, Shakespeare’s delightful gender-bending rom-com about looking for love in all the wrong places, March 11-13.
Kirk Douglas Theatre: 9820 Washington Bl. Culver City (213/628-2772) www.centertheatregroup.com COMING UP: The 17th season opens with the world premiere of Alma,a story of a mother and daughter who have built a lifetime of wishes, one for each of the daughter’s 17 years — health, love, carne asada every day and a spot at UC Davis. On the eve of the SAT test, Alma comes home o discover her daughter is out drinking rather than studying. We learn that there is more than one person’s future at stake and the mother and daughter’s hopes and goals for each other may not be in as close alignment as they once were. March 6-April 3. Upcoming: Tambo & Bones and Block Party. Celebrating Los Angeles theater featuring Too T or Not To T and The Art Couple.
LA Theater Works: www.latw.org Digital Season state of the art audio recordings: Digital season per household $150.0o. No-No Boy, set during the aftermath of the U.S. government’s incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent. It follows the rocky transition of a young man into post war life forcing him to come to terms with both his past and his future. Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit comes to life with Alfred Molina staring as Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Links.
Laguna Playhouse: 606606 Laguna Canyon Dr., Laguna Beach (949/497-27870) www.lagunaplayhouse.com lagunaplayhouse.com or 949/497-2787.
La Jolla Playhouse: 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla (858/550-1010) www.LaJollaPlayhouse.org www.secondcity.com Three World Premieres.: The Garden, Sept. 21-Oct 17; To The Yellow House, Nov. 16-Dec. 12, world premiere musical Bhangin’ It, March 8-April 17, 2022.
Lankershim Arts Center: 5108 Lankershim Bl., North Hollywood (323/944-2165) www.coeurage.org/slaughtercity Coeurage Theatre Company, L.A’s Pay What You Want theatre company.
Latinx Theater Company: www.apch.org/elcentrodelsur
Lex Theatre:(Celebration Theatre) 6760 Lexington Ave., Hollywood (323/957-1884) www.celebrationtheatre.com Courage Theatre Company, LA’s Pay What You Want theatre company.
Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center: 1125 N McCadden Place, Hollywood (323/860-73000) www.lalgbtcenter.org/theatre
Loft Ensemble: 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood, (818/452-3153) www.loftensemble.org The world premiere of The Calorie Counters. Problems with the bridesmaids dresses for an upcoming wedding…they only are made up to a size 12. Follow the brides sister through a tumultuous and comedic journey through self discovery, identity, body shaming and the pitfalls of equating self worth with one’s physique. Admission…donate what you want. Oct. 15-30.
Long Beach Performing Arts Center – International City Theatre & Terrace Theatre: 300 East Ocean Bl., Long Beach (562/436-4610) www.internationalcitytheatre.org
Los Angeles Theatre Center: 514 Spring St., Los Angeles www.thelatc.org
James Bridges Theatre: UCLA campus,Los Angeles Theatre Works (LATW) (323/538-3142) Boxoffice@latw.org Frankinland, a comic romp through the American Revolution puts the spotlight on the relationship between William Franklin and his wildly ego maniacal father, Ben. As Ben Franklin plants the seeds of a new republic, King George III appoints William Royal Governor of New Jersey — a change in affairs that creates a family rift of revolutionary proportions, Dec. 14. In Pipeline, a dedicated teacher at an inner city school is desperate to give her only son opportunities that her own public high school students will never have. When a controversial incident at this private school threatens to get her son expelled, she must confront her deepest fears to give him a future. Feb.4-6.
Los Angeles Women’s Theatre : http://lawtf.org This Festival presents a virtual show, Hindsight 2020, consisting of reflective stories of the year that changed everything. These are stories specifically of Culver City residents and workers that speak to their lives during the 2020 pandemic and lock-down, civil unrest on the streets, and a particularly turbulent election cycle. 7:00 p.m. PST, Jan. 14-16, 2020, General admission $35.00.
Magicopolis: Abracadabra Theatre, 1418 4th St., Santa Monica (310/451-2241). Fast paced, colorful, magic and illusion shows for the whole family in a theater setting. Ongoing.
Mark Taper Forum: Los Angeles Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles (213/628-2772) www.taperahmanson.com THE TAPER IS BACK! Slave Play will launch Center Theatre Group’s new season at the Taper, Feb. 9 thru March 13, 2022. Hailed as an extremely daring play, the show takes place at the MacGregor Plantation where nothing is as it seems and yet everything is as it seems. It’s an antebellum fever-dream as three interracial couples converge to rip open history at the intersection of race, love, sex and sexuality in 21st century America. The world premiere of King James concerns basketball great “King” LeBron James’s reign in Cleveland bringing promise, prosperity and renewal to a city in desperate need of all three. June 1-July 3, 2022. The 53rd season includes Blues for an Alabama Sky, King James and Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool plus the digital stage production of I’ll Be Seein’ Ya and the previously announced Ahmanson production, The Lehman Trilogy in a season which begins Feb. 9, 2022.
Matrix Theater: 7657 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5219775
Microsolft Theatre: 777 Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles (213/763-6030) www.microsofttheater.com Check their website for information on upcoming events.
Morgan Wixson Theatre: 2627 Pico Bl., Santa Monica (310/828-7519)
Musco Center for the Arts: Chapman University, 415 North Glassell, Orange (844/626-8726) www.muscocenter.org
New Vic: 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara (805/965-5400) www.etcsb.org
Odyssey Theatre: 2055 S. Sepulveda Bl., West Los Angeles (310/477-2055) www.OdysseyTheatre.com A re-envisioning of the ground breaking Obie award winning The Serpent, a unique ceremony/celebration/exploration that delights in life as seen through the Book of Genesis and other iconic events. Oct. 23-Dec. 12. Choreographer Shade Theret presents Dance at the Odyssey series for a single performance of her newest work, Throwaway Line, Jan 8.
Ophelia’s Jump Productions: 2009 Porterfield Way, Suite H, Upland http://opheliasjump.org (909/734-6565).
Pacific Amphitheatre: OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa.
Pantages Theatre: 6233 Hollywood Bl., Hollywood (800/982-2787) www.HollywoodPantages.com
Robey Theatre Company: http://therobeytheatrecompany.org/ A new play, Kwanzaa:A Celebration of Unity, an academic adventure, available online Dec. 26-Jan. 1, 2020.
Rosenthal Theater: Inner City Arts, 720 Kohler St., Los Angeles www.herotheatre.org
Royce Hall: UCLA campus, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood (310/825-2101) www.cap.ucla.edu
Santa Monica Playhouse: 1211 4th St., Santa Monica (310/394-9779 ext 1) theatre@santamonicaplayhouse.com . Einstein!, Nov. 7, 21 & Dec. 5
Segerstrom Center for the Arts: 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, www.SCFTA.org (714/556-2787) International music, dance, legendary recording artists and family holiday cheer celebrating all month long beginning Dec. 3 & 10 with holiday movies outside. American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker, Dec. 10-19 followed by seasonal concerts with the season culminating with Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert, Jan. 1, 2022.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons special night of his greatest hits, Jan. 30.
2021-2022 Jazz Series: Chuchu Valdes, Dianne Reevces, Joe Lovano, Oct. 22; Veronica Swift, Nov. 20; Kurt Elling Christmas, Dec. 11; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Jan. 21, 2022; Dave Brubeck Centennial with Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, The Brubeck Brothers & Dianne Reeves, Feb. 4; Matthew Whitaker, March 27; Bonus…Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Salsa Natividad, Dec. 12, 2921.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced that Broadway shows will be back on the Segertrom Hall stage starting in the fall of 2021. The Broadway series will include new productions of My Fair Lady, Mean Girls, Tootsie, Pretty Woman: The Musical and Hadestown.
Skylight Theatre: 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles (213/761-7061) www.BoxOffice@SkylightTix.com Slated to open on November 6, the 2021/2022 season includes four World Premiere productions: A Hit Dog Will Holler concerns a social media influencer and a boots to the ground activist who form a complex bond to help each other survive as American racism manifests as a physical form.
Staples Center and Microsoft Theater: 1111 S. Figueroa, Los Angeles
(213- 7427100) www.staplescenter.com/events www.microsofttheater.com Check for all upcoming concerts, family shows and special events. Tickets on sale now.
Studio Stage: 520 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles http://hff21.co/7168
The Braid: www.the-braid.org
Theatre 40: Reuben Cordova Theatre, Beverly Hills High school campus, 241 S. Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills (310/364-0535) . www.theatre40.org In a Boston neighborhood where a night out on the town means a few rounds of bingo, a woman down on her luck thinks an old fling might be her ticket to a fresh start in Good People. A comedy-drama rich with humor rubs against some hot-button issues, income inequality and racial politics among them. Dec. 8-Jan. 9, 2022.
Death With Benefits, a world premiere engagement of a dark comedy inspired by the true story of the infamous Killer Grannies of Santa Monica also known as the Black Widows. The two women bond over the emotional and financial situations and to fix their predicaments they concoct a get rich plan whereby they take in sickly men, et them to sign lavish insurance policies with the woman as beneficiaries and care for them until they pass away. The problem is the men are not dying fast enough so they concoct a plan to speed up the process, Jan. 27-Feb. 20.
Theatre West: 3333 Cahuenga Bl. West, Los Angeles 818/761-2203) www.theatrewest.org Storybook Theatre presents its musical version of the classic story Goldilocks and The Three Bears. There is plenty of audience participation as the children help Goldilocks in the comical forest adventure with the three bears. She learns that bears can be people too. Birthday parties and school field trips are cheerfully accommodated. Nov. 20-June 4, 2022, Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.
The Pico: 10508 W. Pico Bl., Los Angeles http://onstage411.com/ganesh
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Kavli Theatre: 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks (800/745-3000) www.startheatricals.com
UCLA Center for the Art of Performance: www.cap_ucla
Ventura County Fairgrounds: www.concertsinyour car.com
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis): 9390 N. Santa Monica Bl., Beverly Hills (310/746-4000) www.thewallis.org The Wallis welcomes the audience back this all with great seats and savings. Easing back into re-engaging with live performances and at the same time reacting and pivoting to the world around the. With health and safety a top priority, they will require proof of vaccination and face masks for all indoor performances or proof of a negative COVID test 48 hours prior to attending a performance.
In the Bram Goldsmith Theater: Love Actually live, Nov. 27-Dec. 31, a multi media concert celebration of the beloved holiday film.
Walt Disney Concert Hall: 151 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles (213/972-7288) www.wdch.com The Frank Gehry designed home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic embodies the unique energy and creative spirit of both the City of Angels and its world-class orchestra under the direction of maestro Gustavo Dudamel and features the works of the world’s musical greats featuring Classical, World Music, Jazz, Songbook and the Master Chorale. The season features programs that reflect on the profundity of our cultural moments by examining themes of life, death and transcendence in music. Throughout the season Dudamel conducts a dozen wide-ranging programs.
Chamber Music-great clarinet trios, Jan 4; Prokofiev and MTT, Jan 7-9; Nathalie Joachim and Pamela Z, Jan 112; Ax Plays Brahms, Jan 13, 14, 16; Robert Glasper Re imagines Ellington, Jan 15; Chamber Music, Jan 18; Symphonic Ellington, Jan 20-23; Chelsea Chen, Jan 23.
Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center: Carols on the Plaza, free and open to everyone. Grant Gershon and Jenny Wong will lead you in singing festive holiday classics. Sheet music provided. Masks required. Dec. 20, 6:00 p.m.
Wende Museum: 10808 Culver Bl., Culver City info@wendemuseum.org Returning for its third season, Music at the Wende is a free concert series in which esteemed musical organizations present programs inspired by the Wende’s collection. Programs will take place the first Friday of the month through June. All concerts are free. RSVPs open four weeks prior to each event. Limit 2 tickets per RSVP.
Whitefire Theatre: www.tickettailor.com/events/whitefiretheaatre/493310
Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum: 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga (310/455–3723) www.theatricum.com
Zephyr Theatre: 7456 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles Biden My Time, a new comedy with songs, a political comedy revue. Personalities across the political spectrum, left, right and center, are ripe targets for comic dissection. With sketches, songs, song parodies and brief video segments, no one is safe from the razor sharp comic probing of Capitol Comedy. Covid protocols in effect.
