Welcome back to LA Theatre Guides! I took a break in April to produce some shows and the break extended longer than I meant to. However, we are back with a jam-packed October to start the Fall Theatre Season! My round-up of the shows I am most excited about is below.
*shows with asterisks are produced by companies that have signed the LA Anti-Racist Theatre Standards, encourage your favorite company to sign the standards today! Companies that have signed the standards get prioritized on these roundups!
Whittier Boulevard produced by Latino Theatre Company*
Sept 12 - October 20
It’s Los Angeles in 2042, and years of fires, torrential rain, anarchy and bloodshed have led to a totalitarian city-state where the elderly disappear, their stories forgotten. When authorities make a surprise visit to the home of faded Chicana starlet Veronica Del Rio on the eve of her 75th birthday, she enlists the help of her loudmouth nurse, a kindhearted policeman-fan, and a down-on-his-luck poet. Will Veronica disappear and be forgotten before she finds true love?
Why I am interested: Latino Theatre Company is remounting this show after an incredibly successful run a few years ago. I love stories about Los Angeles made by Angelenos.
A Going Away Party Play produced by Boston Court Pasadena*
Sept 19 - Oct 27
Mina is throwing a party for her closest friends and for you, the audience. Over the course of the party, the friends play games, reflect on the current American socio-political landscape, and discover truths about the story of Mina’s parents falling in love and staying in love while fleeing the Iranian Revolution. A Going Away Party Play is a celebration of multicultural identities and an exploration of what it means to leave or lose your home country.
Why I am interested: Boston Court is a favorite of mine, and they have been experimenting more with immersive elements (such as with their show Measure Still for Measure) so I am excited to support them with their next immersive work.
The Very Best People produced by IAMA Theatre Company*
Sept 29 - Oct 27
After the mysterious shooting of a disgraced NYPD detective, his two childhood friends set out on a mission for redemption. Armed only with brotherhood, alternative truths, and ranch dressing, they plot to take down the deep state, one snowflake at a time, from Angelina's Irish pub on the south shore of Staten Island. What's a little light kidnapping between friends?
Why I am interested: One of my dear friends is working on this show, and IAMA always has something clever up their sleave.
Green Day’s American Idiot Center Theatre Group* Produced in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre
Oct 2nd - Nov 10
Through powerful performances and immersive staging, the show explores themes of identity and rebellion while amplifying the voices of Deaf and multi-cultural communities. With nods to contemporary culture, this electrifying interpretation pushes boundaries and celebrates the diversity of human experience. Join us for a bold and reimagined take on a modern-day classic like you’ve never seen—or heard—before.
Why I am seeing it: I am excited to see Snehal Desai's directorial debut with Center Theatre Group as the new artistic director. I am also a huge Green Day fan. Also, after I missed their Spring Awakening production, I vowed never to miss another Deaf West show.
Is It Thursday Yet? produced by broadstage in association with La Jolla Playhouse
Oct 3-5
A life in ceaseless motion. A brain in dynamic discovery.
BroadStage presents Is It Thursday Yet?, a stunning tapestry of dance, live music, and home video footage that invites you into the unique complexities of dancer and choreographer Jenn Freeman’s mind following a life-altering revelatory diagnosis at age 33. Jenn found a way to embrace the uncertainty and rewrite her story using the language she knows best: Dance
Why I am interested: This is Jenn Freeman's real story, being told through art and self
Luzmi produced by HERO Theatre* at Inner-City Arts
Oct 3 - Oct 27
Romance, birds, mountains! Travel to Colombia with the world premiere of HERO Theatre's Luzmi, written by Diana Burbano and devised & directed by Elisa Bocanegra. Set in the lush Andes mountains and the Amazon rainforest, Luzmi is the story of a young scientist who travels back to her homeland to find answers to a family secret.
Why I am interested: This show is based on two and a half years of research by Elisa Bocanegra's time with Fulbright Colombia. I am interested to see how theatre can be used as a tool for environmental justice!
¡Pasaje! produced by Sierra Madre Playhouse
October 4 - Nov 3rd
Experience a captivating journey of self-discovery and family revelations in ¡Pasaje!, written by J Quiroz, with music by Grammy-winner Asdru Sierra, and directed by Benjamin Perez. As 18-year-old Andy unravels deep family secrets, he faces truths about his identity and community, guided by dancer Marcelina and Don Miguel. This coming-of-age musical explores the Latin American diaspora and the complex nature of family, blending drama, music, and heartfelt discovery.
Why I am interested: If we want new, diverse musicals on Broadway, we have to support them in the regional and ground-level spaces.
160 Years of Walking produced by Towne Street Theatre*
Oct 5 - Oct 27
Through the lens of a single bloodline, the play charts a harrowing journey from the brutal shackles of slavery to the complex realities of contemporary society. Lindsey's bold fusion of historical fact and imaginative storytelling creates a powerful and thought-provoking tapestry that is both deeply personal and profoundly universal.
Why I am interested: This is one of Towne Street Theatre's first mainstage shows back from the pandemic!
Dark Library: Edgar Allan Poe produced by After Hours Theatre Company*
Oct 11 - Nov 2
Welcome to the Dark Library. We’ve been expecting you. This chilling chapter of our story will take willing audience members on a dark journey through the body of work of Mr. Edgar Allen Poe. Within the tomes of our library, Edgar Allen Poe’s poems will be brought back to life in an all-new 75-minute feast of the senses — through movement, scent, and an original score. Four (4) craft concoctions have been specifically imagined to pair with each tale. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairing options are available.
Why I am interested: For transparency, my boyfriend is producing this show, but it still sounds like a great way to lean into the spooky season! I love the poems of Edgar Allan Poe and the Spirit Guides cocktails are to die for.
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson produced by A Noise Within*
Oct13 - Nov 10
A captivating story about legacy, identity, and cultural heritage unfolds in 1930s Pittsburgh, where a brother and sister are locked in a bitter dispute. At the center of their debate is a precious family heirloom—a piano with the faces of their ancestors carved into it. While one sees an important history worth preserving, the other sees the key to unlocking a brighter future. In Wilson’s enthralling prose, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play weaves together elements of history and spirituality, creating a haunting story about reckoning with a complicated past.
Why I am interested: I have seen several August Wilson plays at a Noise Within and have loved every single one of them, I can't wait for this production. The Piano Lesson film is released in theaters on November 8th, so it is a great chance to see the play and movie within the same month!
The Importance of Being Earnest produced by Antaeus Theatre Company*
Oct13 - Nov 18
When bachelors Jack and Algernon both create alter egos, the lies quickly spiral into chaos, hilarity, cucumber sandwiches, and Victorian handbags.
Oscar Wilde’s “Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” with its sparkling wit, quotable lines, and unforgettable characters promises to be just the antidote for our own troubling times. Antaeus Company member Gigi Bermingham (You Can't Take It With You) helms this delightful high farce.
Why I am interested: I love this show, and have been a fan of Antaeus productions for a while, so I am excited to see their take on this classic.
Lottie Plachett Took A Hatchet Co-Presented by Outside In Theatre & Los Angeles LGBT Center*
Oct 28 - ONE NIGHT ONLY
A hilarious camp comedy about axe murder, sexual depravity, and the installation of a toilet - based on the infamous murder case of Lizzie Borden. Lottie, an unsuspecting spinster, stands accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother. As the case unfolds, Lottie must confront the truth of what happened that fateful day and what, if any, part she had to play in it. But did Lottie Platchett actually take up a hatchet? Could a woman actually be capable of such a heinous crime? That's for the audience and the jury to decide as this camp comedy unfolds.
Why I am seeing it: Director Jessica Hanna is one of the best people in Los Angeles theatre and I have not had a chance to see any of her work lately.
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