I N T E R N A T I O N A L   C I T Y   T H E A T R E

International City Theatre honored as
‘Long Beach Legacy Business’

LONG BEACH, Calif. (November 18, 2024) – International City Theatre has been honored as a “Long Beach Legacy Business” by the City of Long Beach’s Long Beach Heritage, a title conferred on organizations that contribute to a sense of history in the surrounding neighborhood, support the cultural life, diversity or identity of Long Beach, and actively work to create a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable community.

International City Theatre has been part of the Long Beach community since 1985, when Shashin Desai opened a 99-seat black box theater on the campus of Long Beach City College where he was chairman of the drama department. From the beginning, the fledgling company attracted critical acclaim and multiple awards – including the Los Angeles Drama Circle’s prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “Sustained Excellence in Theater.” In 1996, determined to build a high quality professional, mid-size theater company in the City of Long Beach, Desai began producing simultaneous seasons on the college campus and at the Center Theater in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. In 1999, the Long Beach City Council proclaimed International City Theatre the “Professional Resident Theater Company” at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. A year later, ICT made the choice to invest entirely in the downtown, mid-size theater with an annual five-play season. When Desai retired in 2011, ICT’s board of directors unanimously approved caryn desai, ICT’s general manager since 1990, to take the reins as producing artistic director.

In 2025, ICT will celebrate its 40th anniversary in what is now known as the Beverly O’Neill Theater in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. The season of five premieres will include the Los Angeles premiere of Desperate Measures, a foot-stompin’, knee-slappin’ musical inspired by Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, with a score by David Friedman and book and lyrics by Peter Kellogg; the American premiere of The Violin Maker by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak, a powerful and uplifting new play,based on the stories of Violins of Hope, that tells the true story of Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein who gathered and restored violins damaged during the Holocaust; the Los Angeles premiere of The Angel Next Door, a screwball romantic comedy by Paul Slade Smith; the world premiere of Masala Dabba, the newest family drama by Los Angeles playwright Wendy Graf; and the Los Angeles premiere of Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson–Apt. 2B by Kate Hamill, an irreverent, darkly comic, modern take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth and sidekick that re-examines the world’s most famous detective story through a bold new feminist lens.

In addition to its professional theater productions, ICT offers six community and educational outreach programs each year. The company’s commitment to the community also includes ongoing collaborations with Long Beach’s African American community and other groups and organizations. Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe called ICT “a cultural treasure.”

For more information about ICT’s 2025 season and to purchase subscriptions or single tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or visit www.InternationalCityTheatre.org

Raymond O. Caldwell selected to succeed
Stephen Sachs as artistic director of Fountain Theatre

LOS ANGELES (November 18, 2024) — The Fountain Theatre hosted a gala event Saturday night, November 16, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to celebrate the legacy of retiring founding artistic director Stephen Sachs, during which the board of directors announced the selection of Raymond O. Caldwell as Sachs’ successor.

“After a deep, nationwide search, the board is confident that Mr. Caldwell is the leader who will burnish the Fountain’s traditions and bring the creative and innovative energy needed to ensure a vibrant future,” stated board chair Dorothy Wolpert. “We congratulate him and eagerly anticipate a thrilling partnership.”

Caldwell’s appointment follows a national search led by an internal search committee comprised of members of the Fountain Theatre’s board of directors. The Fountain engaged Artistic Logistics to assist with the ten-month search, application, and hiring process. Artistic Logistics partners with non-profit arts organizations to facilitate strategic planning, implement structural changes and leadership succession grounded in an organization’s values.

Sachs will stay on through March 31 to assist Caldwell in the transition. Caldwell will assume duties as sole artistic director on April 1, the anniversary of the Fountain’s founding by Sachs and the late Deborah Culver Lawlor.

“As an admirer of the work the Fountain Theatre has committed to for the past 34 years, I’m deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen to be the next artistic director,” said Caldwell. “I’m excited to continue creating work that celebrates Los Angeles’ incredible diversity, asks vital questions, provokes new ideas, and inspires civic engagement and action. It’s my belief that community-driven spaces like the Fountain Theatre are vital as we confront the greatest pandemic of our times: loneliness.”

Now living in Los Angeles, Caldwell has spent the last 16 years in Washington, DC as a director, writer, producer, and educator. He is the 2023 SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award recipient for his creativity and deep investments in the community. He has received Helen Hayes awards for directing, writing, and producing and was a regular recipient of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Artist Fellowship.

His most recent directing credits include Romeo & Juliet at Folger Shakespeare Library, Look Both Ways at The Kennedy Center, Poetry for the People at Theater Alliance, Skeleton Crew at The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, and Passing Strange at Signature Theatre. He has written and adapted new works for Theater Alliance and the Kennedy Center, including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks from the book by 2024 MacArthur recipient Jason Reynolds. A national tour is planned for early 2025. Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience, which he created alongside renowned composer Adrienne Torf, received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Adaptation.

Caldwell was the artistic director at Washington DC’s Theater Alliance for six seasons, where he directed, developed, and produced socially conscious, thought-provoking programming that transformed the region and had global impact. Under his leadership, Theater Alliance was chosen to lead an American Arts Envoy with the US Department of State. He devised and directed the new work, A Global I.D.E.A., with 23 artists and activists from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and the U.S. that explores what “Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility” mean on the global stage. He’s developed and led similar international programming promoting cultural preservation, LGTBQIA+ rights, disability advocacy, peacebuilding, and countering violent extremism, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. In addition to his international work as an educator, Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts. He was part of the National Arts Strategy Executive Leadership group at Harvard, holds an MFA in Acting/New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida.

The Fountain Theatre creates, develops, and produces new plays that bring to life the urgent social, political, and cultural issues of our time, reflecting the vibrant diversity of Los Angeles and the nation. Its educational outreach programs inspire young people to become engaged citizens and leaders of tomorrow. The L.A. City Council commended the Fountain for “achieving a position of leadership in the Los Angeles theatre community… producing meaningful new plays of social and political importance that enrich the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles.” The Fountain is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle’s Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, presented for “outstanding productions of meaningful new plays and first-class performances spanning three decades.” Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty hailed the Fountain, stating, “No L.A. theater has done a better job of asking us to reexamine our lives through the lens of acute contemporary drama.” The Fountain Theatre’s most recent world premiere, Fatherland, conceived and directed by Sachs, just closed an off-Broadway run at Manhattan Theatre Club (New York City Center) with the original cast, where it received rave reviews as well as national and international coverage including from The New York Times, MSNBC, NPR and PBS.

For more information about the Fountain Theatre, go to www.fountaintheatre.com.

Theatre Asylum / Combined Artform Presents:
The 30 Minutes or Less Festival

A New Platform for Bite-Sized Storytelling in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA – Theatre Asylum and Combined Artform are excited to announce the debut of the 30 Minutes or Less Festival, a celebration of storytelling and live performance in a 30-minute format. Applications are being accepted now for this exciting event, which invites artists from all genres to showcase their work in front of a live audience. The festival will take place at the Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre and runs from Jan. 15 to Jan. 26, 2025, with a diverse lineup of performances each night.

The 30 Minutes or Less Festival is open to all types and genres of live performances, as long as each show is 30 minutes or less. Shows may share a slot by pairing two 15-minute performances, and each evening’s lineup will be grouped by categories such as short dramas, comedy scenes, solo performances, TV/film script readings, musicals, and more. Audiences will experience a dynamic lineup of storytelling, featuring multiple performance styles each evening, creating a festival atmosphere perfect for discovering new voices and styles.

Performers will have the chance to compete for several awards across categories, with a grand prize valued at over $800 awarded to the show with the greatest potential to advance in its production journey.

WHERE: Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre – 5636 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
WHEN: Jan. 15 – 26, 2025
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Participants should apply by Dec. 15, 2024. Application Form.

All applications will be reviewed before acceptance. Performances containing content deemed harmful or unacceptable for public audiences—such as hate speech, bigotry, misogyny, misandry, or other discriminatory content—will not be permitted.

For more information about the festival, please contact Matthew V. Quinn of Theatre Asylum / Combined Artform at mquinn@combinedartform.com or 415-336-0513.

This is an exciting opportunity to explore the art of storytelling in a unique, intimate format. We look forward to welcoming you to The 30 Minutes or Less Festival!

‘Golden Shield’ stars Angela Lin, Fang Du, Jenapher Zheng, Greg Germann, Josh Stamberg in newest audio play from L.A. Theatre Works

LOS ANGELES (November 12, 2024) — L.A. Theatre Works, the world’s foremost producer of audio theater, has released a state-of-the-art recording of Golden Shield by Australian playwright Anchuli Felicia King. Directed by Anna Lyse Erikson and starring Seamus Dever, Fang Du, Greg Germann, Belinda Gosbee, Angela Lin, Mardy Ma, Eon Song, Josh Stamberg, Zhan Wang, Joanne Whalley and Jenapher Zheng, this riveting tale of technology, international intrigue and the delicate art of translation was recorded as part of LATW’s acclaimed Relativity Series of science-themed plays.

In this tense drama, a Chinese-American lawyer leads a class action lawsuit to expose an American tech giant’s involvement with the Chinese government’s “Golden Shield,” the firewall used to monitor and censor what can and cannot be seen online in China. With only one of the Chinese plaintiffs willing to testify, attorney Julie Chen hires her strong-minded sister Eva to translate. But what compromises will they make in order to win? And can they put aside their past differences to speak the same language?

“This marvelous work explores the urgent and timely issues that arise when technology and personal relations collide,” says L.A. Theatre Works producing director Susan Loewenberg.

LATW’s recording of Golden Shield is available in two different versions: a sound-rich version that can be listened to anywhere, and an “Enhanced Edition,” designed for headphones-only listening to give a truly immersive experience.

L.A. Theatre Works, the world’s foremost producer of audio theater, stands apart in its approach to making great theater widely accessible and affordable, bringing recordings of plays into homes and classrooms of millions of theater lovers, teachers and students each year. The company’s catalog of nearly 600 recorded plays is the largest archive of its kind in the world. LATW’s syndicated audio theater series broadcasts weekly on public radio stations across the U.S. (locally, in Southern California, on KPFK 90.7 FM); can be downloaded wherever you get your podcasts; and can be streamed on demand at latw.org. AudioFile magazine calls L.A. Theatre Works productions “the gold standard for fine audio theater recordings.”

L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series of science-themed plays is sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Golden Shield is available at latw.org and at retailers and libraries everywhere.

Chance Theater proudly announces a bold and inspiring

2025 Season

PREMIERES, GROUNDBREAKING MUSICALS, AND FAMILY FAVORITES

ANAHEIM, CA – Chance Theater proudly announces its highly anticipated 2025 season, showcasing a compelling array of celebrated productions. The lineup features bold, groundbreaking musicals, regional premieres, a world premiere from our inaugural resident playwright, and beloved holiday and family classics. Each production reflects Chance Theater’s dedication to innovative storytelling and diverse perspectives, promising a season filled with unforgettable performances for the entire community.

“Our 2025 season offers something for everyone—from acclaimed musicals to powerful new voices,” said Founding Executive Artistic Director Oánh Nguyễn. “With shows that challenge, inspire, and celebrate, we’re excited to bring stories that resonate on a deeply personal level, whether through the heart-pounding energy of Tick, Tick… Boom!, the poignant memories in Such Small Hands, or the thought-provoking journey of What the Constitution Means to Me. We can’t wait for audiences to experience this season and the connections each show will spark.”

2025 Season

Tick, Tick… BOOM!
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Script Consultation by David Auburn,

Vocal Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Oremus

tick, tick…BOOM! was originally produced off-Broadway in June 2001 by

Victoria Leacock, Robyn Goodman, Dede Harris, Lorie Cowen Levy, & Beth Smith
January 24 – February 23, 2025
On the Cripe Stage

Get ready to experience the electrifying mind behind Rent! Before Jonathan Larson revolutionized Broadway, he was a young man struggling to make his mark. This autobiographical musical, set in 1990, is a raw, humorous, and heartfelt journey of a composer on the brink of turning 30—waiting tables and wondering if he’ll ever write that soaring song that will change everything. His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city, and his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue. Will he give up his dream and sell out just to keep the lights on? Will he lose the love of his life? Scored by music that redefined a genre, Tick, Tick… BOOM! takes you on the writer’s journey that led to a Broadway blockbuster. It’s a must-see for anyone who’s ever chased a dream. If you loved Rent, this show will speak to your soul. Don’t miss the chance to experience the genius of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson in a whole new way!

Direction by H. Adam Harris, with music direction by Lex Leigh and choreography by Niko Montelibano

Executive Producers are Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield and Steven & Louise Koch.

Opening Night: Saturday, February 1, 2025

Such Small Hands
By Resident Playwright Adam Szymkowicz
February 28 – March 23, 2025
On the Fyda-Mar Stage
* World Premiere

Paul and Marie wake in the morning, Marie makes coffee, black, Paul asks for sugar, Marie says the sugar is out of reach, and they drink it black, Paul questions, “do we drink it black because the sugar is out of reach or because we like it that way?” And so begins the daily routine of this long-married couple, filled with small quibbles, but an extraordinary amount of love, laughter, and memories. This hilarious and moving world premiere play about love, aging, selfishness, and selflessness from Chance Theater’s Resident Playwright Adam Szymkowicz, is sure to resonate with audiences with its laughter and heart.

Direction by Matthew McCray.

Executive Producers are David & Judy Joss, with Associate Producers David & Danice Limberg.

Opening Night: Saturday, March 8, 2025

The Chinese Lady
By Lloyd Suh
May 16 – June 8, 2025
On the Cripe Stage
* Regional Premiere

In 1834, 16-year-old Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America, sailed into New York Harbor to be featured in a museum. She sees herself as a representative of China, here to educate and entertain. Or, in the eyes of the paying public, is she merely a mesmerizing display? Moving and sharply funny, this play follows the idealistic Moy as she travels through America as a living exhibit for decades. Over the course of her travels, Moy shares her impressions of a young country struggling to define itself. Inspired by a true story, Lloyd Suh’s critically acclaimed play is a poetic, whimsical tale that paints a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of this remarkable young Chinese woman.

Direction by Producing Associate Shinshin Yuder Tsai.

Executive Producers are Gus & Mary Chabre, Sophie & Larry Cripe, Sally Ann Catering, and Samuel & Tammy Tang.

Opening Night: Saturday, May 24, 2025

Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik
Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater

Based on the play by Frank Wedekind
July 11 – August 10, 2025
On the Cripe Stage

* Orange County Regional Premiere

Based on Frank Wedekind’s groundbreaking play, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s brilliant rock score and searingly emotional book bring the story of sexual awakening, youth revolt, and self-discovery into a new century. It’s 1891, and the grown-ups hold all the cards. Headstrong Melchior and naive Wendla stumble into each other’s arms, passionate and curious, while anxious Moritz struggles to live up to the stringent expectations of society. With only each other for guidance, this group of young men and women travel the fraught and rocky path of adolescence, discovering their bodies, their minds, and themselves along the way. Winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening features an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality, and rock and roll, delivering a story that packs a powerful emotional punch.

Direction by Associate Artistic Director Jocelyn A. Brown, with music direction by Resident Artist Robyn Manion, and choreography by Mo Goodfellow

Executive Producers are Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield, Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller, and Laurie Smits Staude.

Opening Night: Saturday, July 19, 2025

SPRING AWAKENING is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MtiShows.com

What the Constitution Means to Me
By Heidi Schreck
October 3 – October 26, 2025
On the Cripe Stage

*Pulitzer Prize Finalist

Heidi Schreck’s timely, hilarious, and deeply felt play breathes new life into our country’s most important document. Fifteen-year-old Heidi paid her college tuition by speaking in (and winning) debate competitions across the country. Now older, she resurrects her teenage self to tell the story of four generations of extraordinary women in her family whose lives were shaped by the Constitution. Nominated for two Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Schreck’s boundary-breaking play reimagines our founding document and considers how it will shape the next generation of Americans.

Directed by Katie Chidester.

Executive Producers are Louise & Steven Koch, Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller, and Linda & Tod White.

Opening Night: Saturday, October 11, 2025

What the Constitution Means to Me” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.ConcordTheatricals.com

Anne of Green Gables
Book by Joseph Robinette
Music & Lyrics by Evelyn D. Swensson
November 28 – December 21, 2025
On the Cripe Stage

Back by popular demand, this musical adaptation of the classic novel brings Anne Shirley’s beloved story to life. Watch as the red-headed orphan girl makes her mark on Avonlea and captures the hearts of everyone she meets. A perfect holiday treat for the entire family, Anne of Green Gables is a heartwarming journey of friendship, growth, and imagination.

Executive Producer Sally Ann Catering

Opening Night: Saturday, December 6, 2025

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas, The Musical
Book by Cara Lustik and Matthew Hardy
Music by Randy Klein
Lyrics by Matthew Hardy
Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Randy Klein
Based on the popular book series by Jane O’Connor
and Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
December 5 – 21, 2025
On the Fyda-Mar Stage

Back by popular demand, it’s a holiday season filled with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles—and, of course, the tree!  After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh, la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited. After selling some of her old gowns and accessories, she’s finally able to buy a brand-new sparkly tree topper. She simply cannot wait to decorate the Christmas tree. But when things don’t go as planned, can Nancy still make Christmas as splendiferous as she dreamed?

Executive Producer Robert Berman

Opening Night: Sunday, December 7, 2025

Fancy Nancy, The Musical
Book & Lyrics by Susan DiLallo
Music by Danny Abosch
Based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books
by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
March 28 – April 13, 2025
On the Cripe Stage

Making a triumphant return to the Chance, Nancy is back for another delightful adventure! Bring the family and watch as Nancy and her friends– Bree, Rhonda, Wanda, and Lionel– prepare for their very first show, Deep Sea Dances. Nancy is absolutely certain (that’s fancy for 100% sure) that she and Bree will be chosen as mermaids. But when another girl lands the coveted mermaid role, Nancy is stuck playing a dull, dreary tree. Can she bring her signature fancy flair to the role, even if it’s not the one she had in mind?

Executive Producer Robert Berman

Opening Night: Sunday, March 30, 2025

TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025 season are available now. Individual show tickets go on sale starting December 2024. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ChanceTheater.com or call (888) 455-4212.

INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY
in partnership with the
LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY

presents 

THE PRIZE WINNERS
Season IV
A Staged Reading Series of Pulitzer Prize & Tony Award®-Winning Plays
Presented January through May, 2025
Free to the Public – at the Studio City Branch Library

November 8, 2024 – Studio City, CA…Prepare for an unforgettable season of exceptional theatre as INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY (ITC), honored with the 2023 Best Ensemble Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, partners with the LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY to proudly present its fourth season of The Prize Winners — a series of free staged readings featuring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning plays. Produced by Barry Heins and Kristen Egermeier, this acclaimed program is a highlight of the LA MADE cultural enrichment initiative, generously supported by Friends of the Studio City Library, and made possible in part by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Building on last season’s standout performances by celebrated actors like Frankie Faison and Joshua Malina, this series offers theatre enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience top-tier dramatic works performed by some of the finest actors in Los Angeles — all at no cost. Each performance will include a post-show talk-back.

Performances will take place monthly, from January 2025 through May 2025, on the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Studio City Branch Library, located at 12511 Moorpark Street, Studio City, CA. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, and to secure seating at this popular event, audiences are encouraged to arrive early. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. 

When: January 11, 2025 ­– May 10, 2025 at 2 pm.

FULL SCHEDULE:

January 11, 2025 at 2pm – WIT by Margaret Edson, directed by Rob Adler.

February 8, 2025 at 2pm – TRUE WEST by Sam Shepard, 

directed by Rob Brownstein.

March 8, 2025 at 2pm – GOD OF CARNAGE by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by Christina Carlisi.

April 12, 2025 at 2pm – RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire, 

directed by Cate Caplin.

May 10, 2025 at 2pm ­– AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES, 

directed by Michael A. Shepperd.

Where: Studio City Branch Library, 12511 Moorpark Street, Studio City, CA, 91604.

Sierra Madre Playhouse
Announces 2025 Season,
Featuring a Record Number of World-Class Programs
Across a Wide Array of Genres

The Historic Performing Arts Venue
Offers 70 Entertaining and Compelling
Music, Jazz, Theater, Dance, Cinema, and Family Events
from January 2025 to December 2025

Highlights Include:

• Debut of a Multi-Week Lunar New Year Celebration;
• Expanded Dance and Music Programming;
• World Premiere of a New Theatrical Work in Development;
• Silent Film Classics Reimagined with Alt Rock Soundtracks;
• New Artistic Partnerships with East West Players, Street Symphony, and Silents Synced and Continuing Partnerships with Wild Up and Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

2025 performances listed in chronological order:

sierramadreplayhouse.org/calendar