September 2022

 Most theaters have returned to normal operations again; however, county mandates for mask requirements are still being decided as we go to press, so please check the current guidelines before leaving to attend any performances. COVID protocols also vary from venue to venue; proof of vaccination may still need to be shown and/or a mask might have to be worn during a show, so please check with the theater before attending an event to find out what is their current policy.

The information presented in this column is the latest available at the time of printing; however, check with the theater to confirm before making definite plans.

Here are the shows that have announced opening dates for this month or are already running at this time:

Opening

“Animal Farm” Revolt is afoot at Manor Farm when downtrodden beasts of burden rise up against the cruel Farmer Jones. But self-ruled animal utopia quickly gives way to the temptations of power and privilege in Peter Hall’s fast-moving musical adaptation of George Orwell’s savage satire.

Written by George Orwell, adapted for the stage by Peter Hall, with music by Richard Peaslee, lyrics by Adrian Mitchell and directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, it runs Sept. 3 through Oct.2 at the A Noise Within in Pasadena. For tickets, call (626) 353-3100 or visit www.anoisewithin.org.

“Being Future Being” delves into the power of creation, building a visual, aural and ancestral landscape of indigenous power. By (re)building new visions of the forces that brought this world into being, the multilayered performance becomes a site for transformation, ushering into focus new futures with the potential to reshape the way we relate to ourselves, our environment and to the human and more-than-human cohabitants of our world.

Written and directed by Emily Johnson, it runs Sept. 8 through Sept. 10 at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica. For tickets, call (310) 434-3200 or visit www.broadstage.org.

“Dragon Show: The Extended Tail” is a highly interactive immersive experience featuring handmade artwork and architecture, original songs and an engaging cast of talented performers. Feel the burst of excitement and wonder you’ve been missing as the world you know melts away before your eyes — revealing a breathtaking magical realm you never knew was there.

Written by Katelyn Schiller and Nick Rheinwald Jones, with music by Weston Gaylord, and directed by Katelyn Schiller, it runs Sept. 8 through Oct. 2 at (a private residence) in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.spybrunch.ticketleap.com/dragon-show-extended.

“Ghosts” As widow Helene Alving tries to start her life anew after the death of her philandering husband, she must confront the ghosts of the past and the weight of her own secrets. She is determined that her son will not follow in his father’s footsteps, but when Oswald returns from France, she discovers that she may be too late.

Written by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Richard Eyre and directed by Bart DeLorenzo, it runs Sept. 8 through Oct. 23 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (310) 477-2055 Ext. 2 or visit www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

“Bearings” Richard Kalvar crossed a line. He did something he never thought he would do; and then something happened. It must have because things no longer make sense. Rich has lost his bearings. Can Detective Mike Salcedo help him piece together the weird, passionate, hilarious fragments of his shattered life and make sense of them again? Can Kalvar regain his bearings?

Written and directed by Matt Chait, it runs Sept. 9 through Oct. 9 at the Flight Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/bearings-tickets,-395606518747.

“Bright Blue Sky” A heartfelt original musical that follows the personal accounts of an everyday group of people in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Written and directed by Vincent Aniceto, with music by Tim Nelson, it runs Sept. 9 through Sept. 18 at the Rose Center Theater in Westminster. For tickets, visit www.rosecentertheater.com.

“Nunsense” is a hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser. Sadly, the rest of the sisterhood died from botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by Sister Julia Child of God. Thus, the remaining nuns – ballet-loving Sister Leo, streetwise Sister Robert Anne, befuddled Sister Mary Amnesia, the Mother Superior Sister Regina and mistress of the novice Sister Mary Hubert – stage a talent show to raise the money to bury their dearly departed. With catchy songs and irreverent comedy, “Nunsense” is sure to keep audiences rolling with laughter.

Written by Dan Goggin, with music by Dan Goggin, and directed by Alta Abbott, it runs Sept. 9 through Oct. 2 at the Theatre Palisades in Pacific Palisades. For tickets, call (310) 454-1970 or visit www.theatrepalisades.org.

“Silent Sky” When astronomer Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she doesn’t begin by looking through a telescope. She joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars as a vital part of the world’s first study of the sky done from photographs. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she also takes measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. Based on the life of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, “Silent Sky” explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries.

Written by Lauren Gunderson, and directed by Barbara Schofield, it runs Sept. 9 through Oct. 9 at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in Sierra Madre. For tickets, call (626) 355-4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.

“Almost, Maine” Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place so far north, it’s barely in the United States, where the residents are so disorganized it’s not quite a town. On one cold clear winter’s night, as the Northern Lights float magically in a star-filled sky, the inhabitants of Almost find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. In nine entwined stories, strangers become friends, friends become lovers and lovers become strangers. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend – almost.

Written by John Cariani and directed by Stephanie A. Coltrin, it runs Sept. 10 through Sept. 25 at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura. For tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org.

“The Romantics” In this comic reversal of Romeo and Juliet, a mother and neighboring father concoct a fake family feud to make their son and daughter think they are ill-fated lovers and fall in love. Their scheme succeeds, but now how will the “feuding” parents find a way to reconcile so that the couple can wed? This wildly funny and entertaining comedy is filled with live music, sword fights and period costumes. The play is the basis for the 1960 musical “The Fantasticks.”

Written by Edmond Rostand and directed by Suzanne Hunt, it runs Sept. 10 through Sept. 25 at the Kings Road Park in West Hollywood. For tickets, visit www.theromantics-weho2022.eventbrite.com.

“The Secret World of Archy & Mehitabel” recounts the strangest collaboration in the history of literature: a partnership between a tiny six-legged creature whose ancestors walked with the dinosaurs and an overworked, overwrought newspaper man in New York City. What could possibly come of it? Adapted for the stage by Dan Gilvezan from the beloved columns by New York Evening Sun journalist Don Marquis, the tales of Archy, a cockroach with the soul of a poet, and his best friend Mehitabel, the “toujours gai” alley cat, remain as charming, poignant and relevant today as when they first delighted readers in 1916.

Written by Don Marquis, adapted for the stage by Dan Gilvezan, and directed by Moosie Drier, it runs Sept. 10 through Oct. 15 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets, call (818) 687-8559 or visit www.whitefiretheatre.com.

“Sanctuary City” is the provocative, unforgettable story of two life-long friends, their tenuous grip on living in America and persevering through whatever comes their way with wit and grit. Profoundly human and undeniably universal, it begs the question: How much do we owe to one another?

Written by Martyna Majok and directed by Zi Alikhan, it runs Sept. 14 through Oct. 9 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena. For tickets, call (626) 356-7529 or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

“The Secret Comedy of Women” celebrates the joys of the journey from girlhood to womanhood. An immersive theatrical experience that rejoices in the challenges of being a woman – from boys to bras and pantyhose to menopause ­– this two-woman show explores the universal female experience through a rollicking spectacle of sweetly sharp comedy, songs, dances, stories and spontaneous moments of discovery that all women share.

Written by Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein, it runs Sept. 14 through Oct. 16 at the Huntington Beach Library Theatre in Huntington Beach. For tickets, call (855) 448-7469 or visit www.playhouseinfo.com.

“The Great Jheri Curl Debate” Veralynn Jackson knows hair, her neighborhood and that the invention of the Jheri Curl marks the end of the world. When she takes a job in Mr. Kim’s Korean-owned Black beauty supply store and the posters start talking to her, Veralynn might finally come to know her true calling. South Side Chicago meets South Korea in this heartfelt play where a business partnership and a touch of magical realism bring these two unlikely friends closer to understanding themselves and each other.

Written by Inda Craig-Galván, and directed by Scarlett Kim, it runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 9 at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org.

“Everybody” is a funny, provocative and very modern riff on a 15th-century morality play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. This is the story of us all as we journey through life’s greatest mystery – the meaning of living. Representing the randomness of life and death, some of the cast is assigned roles by lottery during the show, creating a unique viewing experience each night.

Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Jennifer Chang, it runs Sept. 16 through Oct. 17 at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale. For tickets, call (818) 506-1983 or visit www.Antaeus.org.

“I Never Sang for my Father” is an American classic that exposes the painful truths of the relationship between a gentle mother, a dutiful son, an alienated daughter and their harsh, detached father. Family dynamics unravel as they are forced to face the past in this beautifully crafted drama.

Written by Robert Anderson and directed by Doug Kaback, it runs Sept. 16 through Oct. 23 at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City. For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets,.com/event/4525327.

“Babe” is a dark comedy by Jessica Goldberg about cultural evolution and the selves we thought we knew. Abby has been Gus’ right hand in the world of A&R music since the ’90s. Together they signed big bands, loved, fought and lived hard; it was the best kind of work marriage – at least that’s how Abby sees it. Until Gen Z Kaitlin shows up, hell bent on showing these old rockers it’s 2022 and there’s a new generation hell bent on changing the world – evolve or die. Who goes down?

Written by Jessica Goldberg and directed by Chris Fields, it runs Sept. 17 through Oct. 24 at the Echo Theater Company @ Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets, call (310) 307-3753 or visit www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.

“Young Frankenstein” Legendary actress Sally Struthers (“All in The Family,” “Gilmore Girls”) stars as “Frau Blücher” in this electrifying musical stage adaptation of Mel Brooks’ brilliantly funny film that will leave you in stitches! Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of the infamous inventor Doctor Frankenstein, reluctantly inherits the family estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick named Igor and lab assistant Inga, Frederick finds himself following in the mad-scientist tradition of his ancestor, creating a monster for this century. When the monster escapes, hilarity abounds. London reviewers called it “a love letter to American vaudeville” and “an evening of gloriously impure fun.” Please note: Contains mature humor, adult language, sexual innuendo and situations.

Written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, with music by Mel Brooks, and directed by Jeff Whiting, it runs Sept. 17 through Oct. 9 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets, call (562) 944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.

“A Clean Brush” tells the story of two house painters, Dick and Mello, who land a job painting a room in the basement of recently widowed Zoe Craig’s home. Zoe’s husband died in the room when he “accidentally” fell into a stand of fireplace implements and suffered a severe head trauma, and now Zoe is looking to turn the room into a rental cash cow. The house painters think this is just another job until Zoe’s nosy neighbor stops by and plants doubt in the painters’ minds as to what really happened to the widow Craig’s clumsy spouse. Complicating matters, Mello falls for the gorgeous Zoe. But are Mello and Dick being asked to cover up a murder?

Written by Norm Foster and directed by Howard Storm, it runs Sept. 22 through Oct. 23 at the Theatre 40, in the Reuben Cordova Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets, call (310) 364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.

“Night Watch” is an ingeniously devised “Hitchcock type” noir thriller that builds steadily in menace and suspense until the final, breath-stopping moment. Unable to sleep, Elaine Wheeler paces the living room of her Manhattan townhouse, troubled by unsettling memories and vague fears. The mystery begins when Elaine observes one corpse and then another in the abandoned building opposite her home. Although her friends, family and authorities may not believe her, Elaine insists that she saw what she saw, and continuous suspicions arise as she begins to drive herself and everyone around her to their emotional limits. But with only limited evidence on hand, will plans be made for Elaine to be sent to a sanitarium or will a supposed killer make themselves known?

Written by Lucille Fletcher and directed by Brandon Ferruccio, it runs Sept. 23 through Oct. 8 at the Westchester Playhouse in Westchester. For tickets, call (310) 645-5156 or visit www.kentwoodplayers.org.

“Kim’s Convenience” Set in a family-run Korean convenience store, “Kim’s Convenience” is a hilarious and heartwarming ode to generations of immigrants. Mr. Kim is a first-generation Korean immigrant and the proud owner of Kim’s Convenience for the past 30 years. Now he’s trying desperately – and hilariously – to grapple with both a changing neighborhood landscape and the chasm between him and his second-generation offspring. Before “Kim’s Convenience” was a hit on Canadian TV and Netflix, it brought laughter to audiences through this warm and joyous stage play.

Written by Ins Choi and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, it runs Sept. 25 through Oct. 9 at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach. For tickets, call (949) 497-2787 or visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

“Desert Stories for Lost Girls” When 18-year-old Carrie moves in with her grandmother, she is thrown into a world of memory and mystery that unearths her family’s Genízaro identity – shining a light on a dark, bloody and little-known period in the history of the American Southwest.

Written by Lily Rushing and directed by Sylvia Cervantes Blush, it runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 16 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.