LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE 

announces its

2024-2025 SEASON OF SHOWS!

The Legendary Musical – “Lerner & Loewe’s CAMELOT,” (Bonus Option)

A Hilarious Classic Comedy – “DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER,” 

An Unforgettable Drama – “A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE,” 

An Evening with an Extraordinary First Lady – “ELEANOR,” 

A Musical Comedy Whodunit – “THE REMARKABLE MISTER HOMES,” 

The Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s “FENCES,”

 A World Premiere Whodunit Mystery – “PERIL IN THE ALPS,”

& The Country Music Musical “HONKY TONK ANGELS”

 

March 12, 2024…Laguna Beach, Calif….LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is thrilled to announce its 2024-2025 season of shows! This sensational season begins with a special bonus production of the legendary musical,  Lerner & Loewe’s CAMELOT; followed by an uproarious comedy, DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER; next is one of Arthur Miller’s most powerful plays, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE; then spend some time with one of America’s greatest first ladies in the tour-de-force play, ELEANOR; followed by everyone’s favorite detective in a new musical comedy whodunit, THE REMARKABLE MISTER HOLMES; then the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterwork, August Wilson’s FENCES; a world premiere whodunit, PERIL IN THE ALPS, from Steven Dietz, the writer/director of the 2023 smash-hit Murder on the Links,; and the Playhouse will close the season with the heartfelt country music musical, HONKY TONK ANGELS!  Other special bonus events this season include the annual holiday Panto with the world premiere of RAPUNZEL’S HOLIDAY WISH: A HAIR-LARIOUS TANGLED TALE; everyone’s favorite “Sister” will be back as we celebrate her Easter & Christmas “Catechisms;” the return of the wildly popular “Comedy Nights at the Playhouse;” two Youth and Education program productions, and so much more!  Celebrate an exceptional new season of shows at your Laguna Playhouse. Comments Artistic Director David Ellenstein “This is going to be an unforgettable season of plays and musicals that our subscribers and audiences are not going to want to miss. We are so looking forward to welcoming you to what we truly believe is going to be our best season ever at the Playhouse!”                                                                                                                                                      

SPECIAL BONUS PRODUCTION!

Lerner & Loewe’s

CAMELOT

July 24 – August 11, 2024 (Press Opening July 28 at 5:30pm)

Book & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner  

Music by Frederick Loewe 

Original Production Directed and Staged by Moss Hart 

Based on The Once and Future King by T.H. White 

Book Adapted by David Lee 

New Orchestrations by Steve Orich 

Directed by Jeffrey B. Moss 

 

Prepare for an evening of enchantment in Lerner & Loewe’s CAMELOT, brilliantly adapted for intimate theatres. This Tony Award-winning fairy-tale musical resounds with such memorable songs as, “I Loved You Once in Silence,” “If Ever I Would Leave You,” and the title song, “Camelot.” Based on the King Arthur legend, it features the iconic characters King Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. This epic story centers on the quest for democracy, justice, and the tragic struggle between passion, aspiration, and kingdoms. Transport yourself to a world of romance, revelry, and magic.   

 

Camelot is not included in 2024-2025 season subscription packages, but can be added by subscribers at a special discounted rate.  This production is licensed by Music Theatre International.

THE HILARIOUS COMEDY… 

DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER

September 4 – September 22, 2024 (Press Opening September 8 at 5:30pm)

 

Written by Marc Camoletti
Adapted by Robin Hawdon
Directed by Christopher Williams

 

This wildly successful comedy was first produced at Laguna Playhouse in 1997 and is back by popular demand! This outrageous farce has all the right ingredients for a delicious and sexy night of laughter. There’s a not-so-happily married couple, a cook mistaken for a mistress, a mistress who can’t cook, and enough mistaken identities and confused alibis to have audiences in stitches. 

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

October 30 – November 17, 2024 (Press Opening November 3 at 5:30pm)

 

Written by Arthur Miller

Directed by David Ellenstein

 

This stunning drama from one of America’s greatest playwrights is set in 1950’s Brooklyn where Eddie Carbone wrestles with the complexities of family, assimilation, and the American Dream. Ultimately, desire and jealousy collide in this modern classic, sure to be remembered as a powerful night of theatre.

A REMARKABLE LOOK AT AN EXTRAORDINARY FIRST LADY!

ELEANOR

January 15 – February 2, 2025 (Press Opening January 19 at 5:30pm)  

Written by Mark St. Germain
Directed by David Ellenstein

 

A tour-de-force solo performance by Kandis Chappell brings to life the dynamic and iconic First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Both strong and vulnerable, both public and private, Eleanor Roosevelt’s fascinating story will sweep you away. Learn more about the passionate and unforgettable woman at the heart of her husband’s presidency whose impact on history cannot be understated.

A MUSICAL COMEDY ABOUT THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE!

THE REMARKABLE 

MISTER HOLMES

March 5 – March 23, 2025 (Press Opening March 9 at 5:30pm)

Book by Omri Schein & David Ellenstein
Lyrics by Omri Schein
Music by Daniel Lincoln
Directed by David Ellenstein

  

Sherlock Holmes is back with an all-new madcap mystery to solve…and a new sidekick! In this fast-paced, wildly comedic musical. Holmes must solve a series of baffling crimes without the help of his trusted partner. Packed with wild wordplay, red herrings, and zany surprises, this over-the-top rollercoaster of musical mayhem is perfect for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, Mel Brooks, musical theater, or anyone who loves a fun night out.

 

 

THE PULITZER PRIZE & TONY AWARD-WINNING PLAY!

August Wilson’s FENCES

April 30– May 18, 2025 (Press Opening May 4 at 5:30pm)

 

Troy Maxson was a star of the Negro baseball leagues, but now it’s 1957 and he’s a garbage man in Pittsburgh. In one of August Wilson’s best and most well-known plays, we see one man struggle with disappointment and the effect it has on his marriage and relationship with his sons. This powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning play is both epic and intimate and a must-see theatrical event.

 

Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.  www.concordtheatricals.com.

From the Writer/Director of the Smash-Hit Murder on the Links!

PERIL IN THE ALPS

A New Hercule Poirot Comic Mystery!

 

June 11 – June 29, 2025 (Press Opening June 15 at 5:30pm)

 

Written and Directed by Steven Dietz

Based in part on “Poirot Investigates” by Agatha Christie

 

The thrilling follow-up to Murder on the Links makes its anticipated debut! This new Hercule Poirot story leads the famed Belgian detective on a thrilling journey into the treacherous snow-capped Alps to solve a kidnapping before it becomes a murder. Will he finally meet his match in the mountains? Fortunately for the audience, the journey to the satisfying conclusion is filled with clever twists and turns and plenty of laughter as Poirot encounters dozens of eccentric characters and clever suspects – all played by six actors!

 

    

A COUNTRY MUSIC MUSICAL!

HONKY TONK ANGELS

July 30– August 17, 2025 (Press Opening August 3 at 5:30pm)

Written by Ted Swindley

 

This feel-good, boot stompin’ musical celebrates the enduring power of music and friendship. Armed with only their dreams and a bus ticket, three sassy gals leave their thankless lives behind and head to Nashville to become country music singers. Revisit dozens of pop-country favorites like “Stand By Your Man,” “Ode To Billy Joe”, “Delta Dawn,” and many more.

 

Season subscriptions are now on sale.  Seven-play season packages (with Lerner & Loewe’s CAMELOT as an add-on bonus option) start at $233 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787).  Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Subscribers can save up to 30% and receive first access to seats and other exclusive benefits. 

                                                                                                                      

The box office is open Tuesdays – Sundays: 12pm to 4pm; Mondays open 2 hours prior to show time and until 15 minutes after curtain.  Open until showtime on all performance days.

 

For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.  LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.  

 

#     #    #

Founded in 1920, the historic Laguna Playhouse (David Ellenstein, Artistic Director/Bill Kerlin, Managing Director) is one of the oldest continuously-operating not-for-profit theatres on the West Coast and is proud to be an active participant in the celebrated Laguna Beach arts community. From classic plays and musical comedies to the current off-Broadway smash, cutting edge and traditional music exhibitions, dance festivals and stand-up comedy performances, Laguna Playhouse brings the magical experience of the performing arts direct to over 80,000 patrons each season.

 

Laguna Playhouse educational programming includes year-round classes, productions by and for children and teens (Youth Theatre) and is one of the few companies in the region that offer a curriculum-based professional theatre-touring program, TheatreReach, which aligns with the California State Standards for literature, history and performing arts curriculum.      

 

Laguna Playhouse has been recognized in for the past five years as one of Orange County Register’s “Best of OC” in the category of Live Theatre. The Laguna Playhouse has featured many talented performers on stage, including Ed Asner, Leslie Caron, Hershey Felder, Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Val Kilmer, Gregory Harrison, Dan Lauria, Hal Linden, Wendie Malick, Rita Rudner, Peter Strauss, Jobeth Williams, Joely Fisher, Charles Shaughnessy, French Stewart, Loretta Swit, and Bette Davis.

 

Learn What’s Going On at www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

“Am I Really Jewish?”

Takes Center Stage in World Premiere

WHAT: THEATER PLAY: “Am I Really Jewish?” by Art Shulman

DESCRIPTION: In this semi-comedic world premiere solo show, Art fearlessly delves into the question of his Jewish heritage, challenging conventional notions and inviting viewers on a thought-provoking journey. While his name and maternal lineage may suggest a clear answer, Art humorously confronts the contradictions and complexities that shape him. Through witty storytelling and introspective analysis, he presents nine compelling reasons why he may not fit the mold of a “poster boy.”

WHO: Art Shulman (Writer/Performer)

 

WHERE:  Actor’s Company (Other Space Theater), 916 N. Formosa Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046,323-463-4639

PERFORMANCES:

Sunday, June 9 2024, 7:00 PM

Sunday, June 16 2024, 1:30 PM

Saturday, June 22 2024, 2:00 PM

Friday, June 28 2024, 7:00 PM

Sunday, June 30 2024, 7:30 PM

TICKETS:  $ 12 The Hollywood Fringe Festival – Am I Really Jewish

Running time: 55minutes, Ages 13+

Following his remarkable success with the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Show, Art Shulman brings his distinctive perspective to the stage once again in his latest dramedy, ‘Am I Really Jewish?’ Drawing inspiration from his #1 Amazon Best Seller book, ‘A Kid Grows In Brooklyn’, this production promises to captivate audiences with an exploration of Art’s complex relationship with religion.

‘Am I Really Jewish?’ offers a unique perspective not only for those familiar with Jewish culture, but also for anyone curious about the intersection of personal self and heritage. Art invites audiences to explore the nuances of his experience, providing insight into the challenges and joys of being a Jewish guy from Brooklyn.

 

LISTING INFO – May 2024

WHAT: Theater Performance: THE CONNIE CONVERSE UNIVERSE
Exploring the true story of the first female folksinger/songwriter starring Hope Levy.

DESCRIPTION: Before the likes of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez made waves in the folk scene of the 1960s, Connie Converse quietly shared her self-penned songs amongst friends during the early 1950s. However, her mysterious disappearance in August of 1974 left her music veiled in obscurity. It wasn’t until decades later, in 2009, that the world rediscovered her haunting melodies through a viral release of her original 1954 demo recordings on Spotify. Now, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Hope Levy steps into the spotlight to breathe new life into Converse’s evocative compositions, offering a captivating glimpse into her enigmatic world.

WHERE: Actors Company (The Little Theatre) – 916 N. Formosa Ave., Los Angeles, Ca 90046

WHEN:

Thursday. June 6 @8:30pm – Preview show

Friday, June 14th @ 8pm

Sunday, June 16th @3:30pm

Thursday, June 20th @7pm

Sunday June 23 @11am

Friday June 28th @5:30pm

Sunday June 30th @12:30pm

TICKET PRICE: $12-$15

Show runs 55 mins.

Ages: 9+

TICKET LINK: The Hollywood Fringe Festival – the connie converse universe starring hope levy

WHO: Starring: Hope Levy. Music and Lyrics by Connie Converse. Directed by Tom Lavagnino.

NEWS RELEASE

A Noise Within shows
‘True Grit’ in 2024-25

PASADENA, Calif (April 24, 2024) — Acclaimed theater company A Noise Within has announced six-plays for 2024-25 — a family-friendly modern classic; a play from August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle”; a holiday show; a Shakespeare; a new adaptation; and a musical — each of which exhibits “True Grit.”

“All of the plays next season are about people who are resolved to get what they want or need in one way or another, either for themselves or for the people they love,” suggest co-artistic directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez–Elliott.

Launching the season on September 7, the two will co-direct The Skin of Our Teeth, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Thornton Wilder. Set in 20th century New Jersey and the Ice Age, Wilder’s ambitious, funny, wildly unruly story of humankind told through the lives of the Antrobus family uses humor, history and mythology to highlight humanity’s drive to carry on. (September 7 – September 29; previews September 1 – September 6.)

October brings another Pulitzer Prize-winning play along with the continuation of A Noise Within’s commitment to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.”  Gregg T. Daniel returns to direct Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, following on the heels of critically acclaimed ANW productions of Gem of the Ocean, Seven Guitars, Radio Golf and King Hedley II, each directed by Daniel. In 1936 Pittsburgh, Berniece battles with her brother, Boy Willie, to save a treasured family heirloom: a piano decorated with images of their African ancestors carved by their enslaved grandfather. (October 19 – November 10; previews October 13 – October 18.)

The holidays signify the return of A Noise Within’s festive, musically merry production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In Geoff Elliott’s delightfully faithful adaptation of what might just be the greatest story of redemption ever written, Marley and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future join forces to save Ebenezer Scrooge from a lonely and terrible fate. (December 7 – December 24; previews December 1 – December 6.)

“What’s done cannot be undone.” Andi Chapman will direct Macbeth by William Shakespeare in February. In the Bard’s grand and gripping tale of murder, treason, ambition and greed, Macbeth and his wife will stop at nothing in their pursuit of wealth and power. (February 15 – March 9; previews February 9 – February 14.)

Adapted by Elizabeth Williamson from the novel by Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre follows the orphaned Jane, who takes a position working as governess at Thornfield Hall for the brooding Edward Rochester. Our strong-willed heroine falls in love with her mysterious employer, but the discovery of a dark secret and its devastating aftermath forces the young governess to make a heart-wrenching decision that changes their lives forever. Geoff Elliott directs. (March 29 – March 28; previews March 23 – March 28.)

Finally, closing out the season in May, Julia Rodriguez-Elliott directs A Man of No Importance featuring music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and a book by the late Terrence McNally. An amateur theater group in Dublin is determined to stage a version of Oscar Wilde’s Salome at their leader’s church despite the objections of church authorities in this intimate musical, a queer coming-out story inspired by the 1994 film starring Albert Finney.  (May 10 – June 1; previews May 4 – May 9.)

A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. ANW’s award-winning resident company is committed to representing the entire community at its state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW believes in working hard on its anti-racist practice across the whole organization. By interpreting its mission to fully engage audiences through community and artist-centered work in multiple creative disciplines, ANW is striving to be a theater that better serves the entire community.

For more information about A Noise Within’s 2024-25 “True Grit” season, and to purchase season subscriptions (save up to 28% — subscriptions on sale now) or single tickets (on sale beginning July 9), call (626) 356–3100 or go to www.anoisewithin.org.

Present
World Premiere Companion Productions
PANG SPA & TWO STOP

Community collaboration centered around themes related to the 1992 L.A. Uprising Presented during AAPI Heritage Month at Atwater Village Theatre

Details for Calendar Listings

Two Stop & Pang Spa

WHAT: TWO STOP
On the verge of the ’92 LA 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 LA starts to burn. Together they reach back decades and across the globe through war, strife, love and life, finding connection and even hope…but will it be enough?

WHO:
• Written by David Johann Kim
• Directed by Tracey A. Leigh
• Starring Suzen Baraka, JuneSoo Ham, and Iyanna Lott
• Presented by EST/LA, Tracey A. Leigh, Artistic Director

WHEN:
Previews: May 2 – May 3
Performances: May 4 – June 9
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 2 (preview); May 9; May 16; May 23; May 30; June 6
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 3 (preview); May 10; May 17 (Hapa Night); May 24; May 31; June 7
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 4 (opening); May 11; May 18; May 25; June 1; June 8
• Sundays at 3 p.m.: May 5; May 12; May 19; June 2
• Sundays at 7 p.m.: May 26 (AAPI Day); June 9

HOW:
– https://www.estlosangeles.org/

– https://www.facebook.com/EnsembleStudioTheatreLA/
– https://www.instagram.com/estlosangeles/
– https://twitter.com/EST_LA
– https://www.youtube.com/@estlosangeles9117/videos

WHAT: PANG SPA

Daniel Pang returns home to LA’s Koreatown stepping into an unexpected life. Twenty years after the LA 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.

WHO:
• Written by David Johann Kim
• Directed by Reena Dutt
• Starring Christopher Callen, Ben Carroll, Hahn Cho, Edward Hong, Jasmine Kimiko, Dian Kobayashi
• Presented by Chalk Repertory Theatre, Amy Ellenberger, Artistic Producing Director

WHEN:
Previews: May 16 – May 18
Performances: May 19 – June 9
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 16 (preview); May 23; May 30; June 6
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 17 (Hapa Night); May 24; May 31; June 7
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 18 (preview): May 25; June 1; June 8
• Sunday at 6 p.m.: May 19 (opening)

• Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 26 (AAPI Day); June 9

• Sunday at 7 p.m.: June 2

• Monday at 8 p.m.:  June 3

HOW:
– https://www.chalkrep.com/
– https://www.facebook.com/chalkrep
– https://www.instagram.com/chalkrep/

SPECIAL DOUBLE-FEATURE PERFORMANCE DAYS:
For those who would like to attend both PANG SPA and TWO STOP on one day, there is a discount of $25 per performance on either Sunday, May 26, June 2, or June 9, use Code 2spa at checkout.

WHERE:
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.

TICKET PRICES:

●     $35

●     Previews: $25

●     Students, Veterans, Seniors $25

OTHER:
Appropriate for ages 12+

#  #  #

LOS ANGELES (April 1, 2024) Los Angeles theater survives and thrives on community collaboration now more than ever. In conjunction with AAPI Heritage Month, Chalk Repertory Theatre will present the world premiere of PANG SPA directed by Reena Dutt in collaboration with EST/LA’s world premiere production of TWO STOP directed by Tracey A. Leigh. Penned by David Johann Kim, these two world premieres are companion pieces centered around themes related to the 1992 L.A. Uprising. Both plays will be presented during AAPI Heritage Month between May 2 and June 9, 2024, at Atwater Village Theatre. This collaboration is a part of Center Theatre Group’s L.A. Artist Residency program, a division of the new CTG:Forward initiative.

“In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, it was clear to me that TWO STOP not only had characters I’d never seen before onstage, but as a story of transformation, it would be perfect for EST/LA’s first full production since the pandemic,” explained TWO STOP director Tracey A. Leigh. “I’m constantly surprised by TWO STOP’s immediacy; the writing is superb – the play crackles with intensity while being grounded in the deep humanity of each character. I am so excited to share our production alongside Chalk Rep’s production of David Johann Kim’s other multi-award-winning play, PANG SPA.”

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.

In 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.

“1992 was a defining year for Angelinos. It’s a part of our history that illustrates camaraderie as well as conflict across communities. What PANG SPA does is acknowledge the repercussions of those choices, and bring the aftermath to light through a complex, compelling, and often funny slice of life.” said PANG SPA director Reena Dutt.

In the Korean American community, the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising is remembered as Sai-i-gu (April 29 in Korean). Also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Riots or the 1992 Rodney King Riots, the L.A. Uprising was a major outbreak of violence, looting and arson that began on April 29, 1992. The L.A. Uprising was a response to two events: the acquittal of four white L.A. policemen on all but one charge connected to the severe beating of Rodney King, an African American motorist in March of 1991; and the fatal shooting of African American teenager Latasha Harlins by Korean convenience shop owner Soon Ja Du thirteen days after the beating of Rodney King. Korean Americans suffered extremely high economic losses as 2,300 Korean American businesses were looted or burned and suffered over $400 million in property damages. During the L.A. Uprising, Korean Americans received very little aid or protection from police authorities due to disparities in social status and language barriers.

TWO STOP stars Suzen Baraka, JuneSoo Ham, and Iyanna Lott.

The creative team for TWO STOP includes Ashley Weaver, Stage Manager; Maria Hong, Costume Design; Justin Huen, Set Design; Xinyuan Li, Light Design; Austin Quan, Sound and Video Design; and Chuma Gault, Video Effects Design.

PANG SPA stars Christopher Callen, Ben Carroll, Hahn Cho, Edward Hong, Jasmine Kimiko, and Dian Kobayashi.

The creative team for PANG SPA includes Roella Dellosa, Stage Manager; Maria Hong, Costume Design; Justin Huen, Set Design; Xinyuan Li, Light Design; and Austin Quan, Sound Design.

David Johann Kim (playwright) fell hard for dramaturgy when working on new plays with powerhouse dramaturgs, Mame Hunt (at Berkeley Rep) and Morgan Jenness (NYSF’s New Works Now Festival and NY Theatre Workshops Dartmouth retreat) as an actor. Mabou Mines Ruth Malaczech asked David to be part of the writers’ group when she was devising A Drop in the Ocean in residence at NYTW. Les Waters selected David to be part of the devising team for their Joint Stock-style production, Act 3 Sc 2 of Life at UC San Diego. Kim holds an MFA from UC San Diego and is a member of The Dramatists Guild, EST/LA’s Playwrights Unit, Chalk Rep’s Writers group, Playwrights ThinkTank and cofounder of EST/LA’s Ignite Project. His play PANG SPA was a semifinalist for the 2018 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, Ashland New Play Festival and Bay Area Playwrights Festival and the final round of Dennis and Victoria Ross Foundation Playwrights Program. Both of his plays PANG SPA and TWO STOP were awarded the Los Angeles New Play Project Grant in November 2022.

Tracey A. Leigh (TWO STOP director and EST/LA artistic director) is an Obie Award and NAACP Theatre Award-winning actor. She has an extensive career in theatre-making and new work development. She has appeared on stages throughout the U.S. and internationally, including a Broadway National Tour and performances Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, Primary Stages, Signature Theatre, Soho Rep, P.S. 122 and La Mama Experimental Theatre Club; regionally at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, the Guthrie Theatre, The National Theatre in Washington DC, The Denver Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company and ACT in Seattle; and at Southern California’s South Coast Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe Theatre, The La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Boston Court Pasadena, Sacred Fools, Echo Theater Company, Lower Depth Theatre and Rubicon Theatre Company.

A member of Ensemble Studio Theatre Los Angeles since 2011, Tracey became Associate Artistic Director in 2012, then served as Co-Artistic Director with Gates McFadden from 2013-2014. During that time, she produced and directed numerous projects and festivals for the company while working at USC as a dramaturg for second year MFA playwrights. After stepping away from the company for several years, she became Artistic Director in 2021. Tracey continues to work as an actor, recently appearing in the co-production of American Son at Ensemble Theatre Company Santa Barbara/The English Theatre of Frankfurt and the Playwright’s Arena/LGBT Center co-production of THREE, an adaptation of Anton Chekov’s Three Sisters. She is also a proud member of Artistic Directors of Color Alliance, Greater Los Angeles.

Reena Dutt (PANG SPA director) is dedicated to new and reimagined texts that catapult polarizing conversations through unexpected stories with the bodies, voices and life experiences of the underheard. Her Broadway debut was on The Collaboration at MTC as Assistant Director to Kwame Kwei-Armah of the Young Vic in London, and she most recently assisted Leigh Silverman on Merry Me at NYTW. Upcoming: An Experiment with an Airpump (CalArts), Pang Spa (World Premiere, Chalk Rep), Galileo’s Daughter (WAM). New York: Columbia University, Playwrights Realm, A.R.T. West Coast: UC Riverside, Artists at Play, Coeurage Ensemble, UC Riverside, Greenway Court Theatre, East West Players, Sacred Fools. Script Development Highlights: The Public, Boston Court, Playwrights Realm. Assistant/Associate Director: MTC, NYTW, The Public, The Fountain Theatre, Geffen Playhouse. Theatre Fellowships: Drama League NY Directing Fellow, LCT Directors Lab, Directors Lab West.

Reena is also a film director and producer having screened films at over 80 festivals worldwide including Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino and HBO. Reena was the first South Asian Community Liaison at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles and served on the board of Theatre of NOTE. She produced panel discussion connecting 99-seat theater to large theatre houses in the LA area at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and acted as an Associate Producer for Directors Lab West/Connects during the pandemic. Theatre Fellowships: Drama League NY Directing Fellow, LCT Directors Lab, Directors Lab West. Film Fellowships: Project Involve at Film Independent, SFFilm, and Trans Atlantic Partners with the Goethe Institut (Berlin). More Info: reenadutt.com

TWO STOP runs May 2 (opens May 4) through June 9, with performances taking place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. on May 5, 12, 19 and June 2; and Sundays at 7 p.m. on May 26 and June 9. There is a Hapa Night performance on May 17, and an AAPI Day celebration performance on May 26. To purchase tickets and for more information please visit  https://www.estlosangeles.org/.

PANG SPA runs May 16 (opens May 19) through June 9, with performances taking place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. on May 26 and June 9; and Sunday at 6 p.m. on May 19 and Sunday at 7pm on June 2. There is a Hapa Night performance on May 17, and an AAPI Day celebration performance on May 26. To purchase tickets and for more information please visit https://www.chalkrep.com/.

General admission to all performances are $35, with $25 tickets available to seniors, veterans, and students. There are three special double-feature performance days for those who would like to attend both PANG SPA and TWO STOP on one day with a discount of $25 per performance on either Sunday, May 26, June 2, or June 9, by using Code 2spa at checkout.  Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles, CA 90039. Parking is free in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) parking lot one block south of the theater.

David Johann Kim, Chalk Rep, and EST/LA are proud recipients of the Los Angeles New Play Project award. The world premiere productions of PANG SPA and TWO STOP are funded in part with the support of this grant. LANPP is a newly established grant program, launching in 2021, that helps support original work presented on small and mid-size stages in Los Angeles. In addition to LANPP, Chalk Rep and EST/LA are recipients of the Venturous Theater Fund grant, a fund of Tides Foundation, for each production. Both companies are grateful for the continued support of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and its Organizational Grant Program. Without the generous support of these grants and individual donors, the productions of PANG SPA and TWO STOP would not be possible.

Chalk Repertory Theatre is a non-profit performing arts company with a 16-year tradition of revealing the spaces and stories of Los Angeles in all its beautiful, complex diversity. The company was founded on principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, anti-racist practices, and identity-conscious casting. It is dedicated to making Los Angeles theatre expansive, inclusive, non-traditional and rule breaking while partnering with a variety of spaces as intimate as a living room and as public as an iconic landmark. Founded in 2008 by five graduates of the MFA Theatre program at the University of California, San Diego, Chalk Rep has become a leader in site-specific theatre garnering awards and partnering with iconic institutions such as L.A.’s Natural History Museum, the Page Museum, the William Andrews Clark Library, Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Columbia Memorial Space Center, and Hollywood Forever Cemetery. In addition to play productions, Chalk Rep fosters artist development and community through its Writer’s Group, FLASH Festival, and a salon series called Open Circle.

Ensemble Studio Theatre Los Angeles (EST/LA) is a company of artists who collaborate to develop original, bold, risk-taking theatre. Through the telling of diverse stories, we challenge our artists and our audiences to meet the moment; to see the world through a new lens and explore our shared humanity. As an incubator for dynamic and audacious new theatre, EST/LA provides a space where artists across all aspects of identity, perspective, and experience feel safe to create daring work that shakes people up. As a company, EST/LA is dedicated to the discovery and development of new voices while continuing to support our member artists. We encourage all of our theatre makers to practice openness and curiosity; to wrestle with the things that make us uncomfortable; to delve into complex issues; to challenge the status quo by questioning assumptions; and to lift up those who’ve been traditionally marginalized as a result of those assumptions. It is long overdue for our membership to accurately reflect the city in which we live and create. Ensuring that the broader LA community sees itself represented in our work and in who we are is essential for meaningful and transformational engagement — with both our audiences and each other as artists. Embracing the enormous variety of human experience is imperative not only for the creation of impactful theatre, but for the future of EST/LA.

Ensemble Theatre Company Announces 

its 2024-2025 “Legends and Legacies” Season of Shows 

 

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors

Million Dollar Quartet

Hamlet

Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone

Justice

 

April 1, 2024… Santa Barbara, Calif. –– Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara (ETC), Santa Barbara’s only professional theatre company and a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), announces its 2024-2025 season: “Legends and Legacies.” Featuring an electrifying lineup of timeless classics and contemporary masterpieces sure to captivate audiences!  Opening with the recent Off-Broadway hit comedy, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, followed by a celebration of four musical legends in, Million Dollar Quartet. In February, one of the most iconic tales of all time, written 425 years ago by William Shakespeare, Hamlet will hit the stage of The New Vic with a modern feel. Spring will have the incomparable Hershey Felder performing his amazing show about one of America’s greatest composers, George Gershwin, in George Gershwin Alone. And, ETC’s 46^th season will close with Justice, about the first female justices appointed to the highest court in our nation.

 

“In planning the 46th season, I was inspired by the idea of legends and legacies, and I found myself contemplating the hallmarks that make a legend or legendary tale,” said Scott DeVine, ETC’s executive director. “Certainly, some legendary tales involve such profound imagination that you wonder how someone came up with the idea.  But it’s the individual legends that stood out to me, as many of them never realized the impact they would have on the world in their own lifetimes. My hope for this season is that audiences will experience these stories and consider the mark they will leave on their own families, community, and world. As a theater community, we have an obligation to tell new stories of inspiration, while keeping timeless classics alive for future generations.  For ETC, I believe our legacy will center around our ability to continue bringing high-quality theater to Santa Barbara that entertains long-time theater lovers while attracting new theater goers who will discover their own passion for this four-thousand-year-old art form while experiencing one of these legendary tales.”

 

ETC’s 2024-25 season begins with the recent Off-Broadway hit, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. Ever wondered what would happen if you took Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale and put in into a blender with the comedic influences of Mel Brooks, and Monty Python? That’s just what happens in this lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud 90-minute quick-change magical romp. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs October 10 – 27, 2024.

 

Next, the Tony® Award-nominated musical, Million Dollar Quartet, by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. Step back in time to December 4, 1956 for one of the greatest jam sessions ever recorded when a twist of fate brought together four music icons: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. Experience the magic of their impromptu jam session as they redefine rock ‘n’ roll history, featuring an incredible score of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits, performed live onstage by world-class actor/musicians. Showcasing hit songs including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Walk the Line,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Hound Dog,” and more. Million Dollar Quartet runs December 5 – 22, 2024.

The most famous thriller ever written is given a visceral, frightening, and moving new modern dress production when it hits the stage of The New Vic in February. ETC’s modern production of the timeless classic, Hamlet, will reinvent Shakespeare’s tragedy for the 21st century, drawing new resonance from this 425-year-old play’s investigation of family, madness, murder, and forgiveness. Young Hamlet returns home from university to find his father dead, his inheritance stolen, and his mother remarried to his uncle. When the ghost of his father returns from the grave and pressures his son into a mission of revenge, Hamlet jump starts a chain of events that will redefine his relationship to his parents, his mortality, his nation, and himself.  Hamlet runs February, 6 – 23, 2025.                                                                                                                                                   

 

ETC welcomes the incomparable Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone in April. The story of America’s great composer who, with the groundbreaking “Rhapsody in Blue,” made a “Lady out of Jazz.” The show incorporates the composer’s best-known songs from “The Man I Love” and “Someone to Watch Over Me”, through the hits of An American In Paris and Porgy and Bess, to a complete performance of “Rhapsody In Blue”. George Gershwin was born in 1898 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn. Together, he and his brother, Ira, wrote standards such as “The Man I Love,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” “I Got Rhythm,” “‘S Wonderful” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” His groundbreaking opera, Porgy and Bess, is now considered an American classic. All told, George Gershwin wrote more than 1,000 songs for the stage and screen as well as works for the opera house and the symphony orchestra. In 1937, Gershwin died of an undiagnosed brain tumor at the age of 38, never knowing how famous and beloved he and his work would become. George Gershwin Alone runs April 3 – 20, 2025.

 

The 46^th season concludes with the Southern California premiere of Justice, by Lauren Gunderson. Justice explores the first women on the U.S. Supreme Court – Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor – at the height of their power. Following the fraught confirmation process of Justice Sotomayor, we uncover the true sisterhood of these three iconic Americans as they inspire, challenge, and usher in the next generation of changemakers and trailblazers in American jurisprudence, while fighting private battles of their own. They confront and comfort each other about equal justice under the law, legal strategy, civic responsibility, as well as husbands, motherhood, kids, dreams, and sorrows, all while setting a new course for our country and the world. Justice runs June 5 – 22, 2025.

 

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Subscription renewals to ETC’s 2024-25 “Legends and Legacies” Season will go on sale on Wednesday, April 10 and new subscriptions will go on sale Wednesday, May 15 by calling the Box Office at 805-965-5400 or online at etcsb.org. All shows will perform at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. Five-play season ticket prices range from $190.00 – $435.00.

 

Single tickets will go on sale August 1, 2024 and will range from $40 – $94, with discounts available for seniors. Student tickets are available for only $25 each, and tickets for patrons 35-and-under are just $35 (subscription price is $165.00). Single tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400, or online at etcsb.org. For group sales information, please call (805) 965-5400.  

 

The Box Office is open Tuesday–Saturday 1pm–5pm and one hour prior to all performances. Plays, artists, dates and prices subject to change. 

 

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