By

Steve ZALL and Sid FISH

September 2017

Here are the new shows burning up our theatres this month:

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“Pterodactyls” A classic dysfunctional family is the vehicle for a descent into chaos, and this viciously hilarious yet touching story addresses the classic question: “Why are we here?” It suggests that our extinction is beginning not with an asteroid or an ice age but rather with a severed connection to the ones closest to us. Written by Nicky Silver, and directed by Melanie Weisner, it runs September 1 through September 24 at the Commissary at The Culver Studios in Culver City. For tickets visit www.thepopuptheater.com.

“Once, the Musical” The story follows a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. There’s no mistaking the chemistry between them. As it begins to grow, his music soars to powerful, new heights. Theirs is an unlikely connection, though, that turns out to be deeper and more complex than other everyday romances. Written by Enda Walsh, with music by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, and directed by Kent Nicholson, it runs September 2 through September 30 at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.

“Somewhere in the Middle” is about a Jewish-Christian, middle-class family living in the Midwest. It’s a funny and heartwarming comic-drama about prejudices and religious beliefs, which are brought to the forefront when the eldest over-achieving child (Sarah) comes home for the Passover/Easter holiday dressed in Muslim garb. Her Middle-aged Mother (Lauren) and her Grandmother (Roz) are taken aback, while her smart-ass younger brother (Adam) loves the idea that he can now become the number one child in his parent’s eyes. Her Father (David) is concerned that his daughter’s religious studies class is making her question her Jewish heritage. But is this a rouse to lighten the impact of bringing home her college boyfriend? The conversation about getting Roz to move into a retirement community and back into “the real world” after having lost her husband a year ago, takes a back seat to the new guest of honor. With a nod to “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” when the boyfriend shows up discussions get a little heated and nothing is off-limits. From the Midwest to the Middle East is there really any one-sided truth or does the truth live somewhere in the middle. Written and directed by Gary Lamb, it runs September 2 through October 8 at the Crown City Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-605-5685 or visit www.crowncitytheatre.com.

“A Tale of Two Cities” set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and many unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same period. Written by Charles Dickens, adapted by Mike Poulton, and directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, it runs September 3 through November 19 at the A Noise Within in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-356-3100 or visit

www.anoisewithin.org.

“Liner Notes” Rita Wilson brings her vocal and songwriting talents to the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse for the third time. For eight shows only, Wilson is joined by guest songwriters performing and telling the stories behind their songs. Liner Notes is performed in a cabaret setting for a relaxed and intimate experience. Guest artists to be announced. Written by Rita Wilson, it runs September 7 through September 17 at the Audrey Skirball Theater at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-208-5454 or visit

www.geffenplayhouse.org.

“Blackbird” Inspired in part by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker (though in no way a literal dramatization of actual events) the play depicts a young woman meeting a middle-aged man 15 years after being sexually abused by him when she was 12 years old. Written by David Harrower, and directed by Don Bloomfield, it runs September 8 through October 1 at the MET Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-4412 or visit www.blackbirdhollywood.com.

“Disney’s Aladdin, Dual Language Edition” everyone in the fictional city of Agrabah used to be able to speak two languages. The show is based on the Arab-style folktale “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp” from One Thousand and One Nights; the musical includes iconic songs like “A Whole New World” and “Friend like Me.” When the evil Jafar, the Sultan’s Grand Vizier, first finds a Genie’s magic lamp one day, he wishes to divide Agrabah by language so that the people of the palace speak one language and the people in the streets speak another (hence, Spanish and English respectively). However, Jafar speaks both languages, giving him more power. Before making another wish, Jafar, annoyed with his pet parrot, Iago, throws the lamp out the window, and while doing so, he spills some magic “fluency” dust on Iago. The lamp’s dust also enables two other animals, Princess Jazmín’s pet tiger, Rajah, and Aladdin’s pet monkey, Abu, to also speak human languages. To help the audience follow this class conflict adventure, Royal Translators serve as narrators and facilitate official state communication, while the multi-lingual animals translate more intimate conversations. As the story starts Princess Jazmín is running away from the palace, unwilling to be betrothed to yet another snobbish suitor. Aladdin, a street rat, and Princess Jazmín become friends and fall in love, but Jafar has Aladdin apprehended. Later Aladdin befriends at Magic Carpet, as well as a Genie who makes his wishes come true. Written by Jim Luigs and José Cruz González, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and directed by Rigo Tejeda, it runs September 8 through September 17 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.thelatc.org/events.

“Farragut North” is a 2008 political thriller written by Beau Willimon (House of Cards), loosely based on former Governor Howard Dean’s 2004 Democratic primary election campaign for U.S. President. Set in Des Moines in the weeks leading up to Iowa’s statewide caucuses, the play is “a classic tale of hubris set against a contemporary landscape – about the lust for power and the costs one will endure to achieve it.” No trick is too dirty, no lie is too outrageous, no spin is too ingenious if it gets your candidate over the top, including the dirty tricks and brutal backstabbing of those conducting the spin war for aspiring presidents as they attempt to reignite our tapped-out passion for political one-upmanship. Written by Beau Willimon, and directed by Sherry Coon, it runs September 8 through October 14 at the Westchester Playhouse in Westchester. For tickets call 310-645-5156 or visit www.kentwoodplayers.org.

“Lost in Yonkers” This touching coming-of-age story set in Yonkers, New York, centers around two brothers whose mother has died, who are forced to live with their grandmother and their mentally challenged aunt, while their father travels, desperately trying to scrape together enough money to pay off his debts to a loan shark. Written by Neil Simon, and directed by Larry Eisenberg, it runs September 8 through October 22 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-763-5990 or visit www.thegrouprep.com.

“Marion Bridge” This comedy-drama follows three headstrong sisters who converge on their ancestral home to find they have everything and nothing in common. Written by Daniel MacIvor, and directed by Don Boughton, it runs September 8 through September 24 at the Son of Semele Theater in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-422-3462 or visit www.sonofsemele.org.

“The Meeting” imagines a conversation between two of modern political life’s most visionary leaders Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A provocative clash of wills, political philosophies, and literal arm strength. Jeff Stetson’s “The Meeting,” offers a rare glimpse into the shared humanity of not just two national icons, but two fathers who are ready to die for their beliefs. Written by Jeff Stetson, and directed by Bill Cobbs, it runs September 8 through September 17 at the Theatre 68 “The Flex” in North Hollywood. For tickets visit www.malcolmmeetsmartin.com.

“Daytona” Haunting and humorous, Daytona is a play with two love stories at its heart. Joe and Elli were childhood friends who survived the Holocaust. They found each other, after the war, and have been married almost 50 years now and living in New York. The couple created a world for themselves to forget the past…until the day an unexpected visitor arrives, fracturing the relationship that took a lifetime to build. How do we forgive ourselves, and others, and live with what we have done? Written by Oliver Cotton, and directed by Elina de Santos, it runs September 9 through October 30 at the Rogue Machine Theatre (in The Met) in Los Angeles. For tickets call 855-585-5185 or visit www.roguemachinetheatre.com.

“La Razón Blindada” triply inspired by the classic novel “El Quixote” by Cervantes, “The Truth about Sancho Panza” by Franz Kafka, and testimonies from Chicho Vargas and other political prisoners held in Rawson Prison during Argentina’s “Dirty War” of the 1970s. Jesus Castaños Chima and Tony Durán reprise their roles as political prisoners who are allowed to interact with one another for one hour a week — but must remain in their chairs and never stand. As they entertain each other with stories of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, we witness the power of theater to transport them, and us, into the realm of the imagination, despite repressive conditions and even as we remain bound to our seats. Written and directed by Arístides Vargas, it runs September 9 through October 15 at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-745-6516 or visit www.24thstreet.org.

“Under the Jello Mold” is Jennie’s Fahn’s one-woman show about how she dealt with her very colorful character of a mother during what turned out to be the final act of her life. Jennie’s mother was a force to be reckoned with: a former dancer, never content to merely rehash her past, there was always a story to be embellished, always a name to drop, and always a lesson to teach. From the inevitability of aging, to criminal acts, to life-changing decisions, Jennie survived the onslaught by finding comedy in every possible tragedy. If anyone could make something ridiculous out of the banal, it was certainly her mom; particularly when it came to where she hid the instructions for what to do in case of her death. Told in anecdotes, characters, and even a little song, the show is full of laughs and a lot of heart. In addition, in an unexpected twist, Jennie learns that her mom had more than just burial instructions hidden. Written by Jennie Fahn, and directed by Tom Cavanaugh, it runs September 9 through November 12 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3053655.

“Walking to Buchenwald” Cultural, national and gender identity; politics; marriage; death; and the mutability of theater are some of the many motifs that run through Jacobson’s deceptively sweet story in which a soon-to-be-married couple, Schiller and Arjay, take Schiller’s parents on their first trip to Europe. A protean comedy with shattering consequences. Both couples learn what it means to be American in a world that no longer admires the U.S. Guinea pigs playing cricket, dead bodies that talk and an unexpected trip to a concentration camp lead to a shocking yet poignant conclusion. Written by Tom Jacobson, and directed by Roderick Menzies, it runs September 9 through October 14 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets call 323-882-6912 or visit www.openfist.org.

“Grey Nomad” a funny, engaging comedy about two retired couples who have dedicated their lives to Rving around Australia. It’s a comic road show that captures the unique sense of camaraderie and almost supernatural devotion to a lifestyle of perpetual circumnavigation led by the free range, baby boomers of Australia who call themselves “grey nomads”. Written by Dan Lee, and directed by Iain Sinclair, it runs September 11 through October 8 at the Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.australiantheatrecompany.org.

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City” Sitting bedside at Memorial Sloan Kettering has never been so entertaining. While their ailing mothers share a hospital room, Karla and Don discover truth in the old cliché that opposites attract…and repel…and attract. Written by Halley Feiffer, and directed by Trip Cullman, it runs September 13 through October 8 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-208-5454 or visit www.geffenplayhouse.org.

“I’d Enjoy Being a Girl … On Broadway!” brings writer, performer, and dancer Mark C. Reis to the Colony with his solo show. Through an abundance of music and dance, the Broadway veteran explores how to continue surviving in his career and ponders how different his success in musical theatre might have been had he been a girl. Written by Mark C. Reis, with music by Scott Harlan, and directed by Michele Lynch, it runs September 14 through September 17 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.colonytheatre.org.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and The Drowsy Chaperone begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight. Written by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, with music by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and directed by Donna M. Manfredi, it runs September 15 through September 24 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www.elportaltheatre.com.

“Ain’t Misbehavin” Join five sensational performers on a journey through the timeless music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. You’ll be jumpin’ and jivin’ with memorable songs such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Black and Blue,” “This Joint is Jumpin’,” and “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling.” One of the most popular, well-crafted revues of all time, the sometimes sassy, sometimes sultry show has moments of devastating beauty that are simply unforgettable. Written by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz, with music by Thomas “Fats” Waller, and directed by Ken Page, it runs September 16 through October 8 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets call 562-944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.

“Incognito” Four actors play 21 characters in interwoven stories (some based on true events) that examine the extent to which our identities and our choices are governed by the complex and delicate mechanisms of the brain. The first of the interconnected stories in INCOGNITO is based on a true story about Thomas Harvey, a doctor who steals Albert Einstein’s brain and risks everything he holds dear in the hope of doing future research and understanding the nature of genius. The second story introduces the audience to Henry Molaison, a young man who experiences short-term memory loss after a brain operation. Unable to form any new memories, Henry is hopelessly caught in a never-ending loop of confusion, with fleeting moments of awareness of his situation. In the third story, a clinical neuropsychologist who prides herself on understanding other people’s needs for human connection, struggles with her own. Written by Nick Payne, and directed by Katharine Farmer, it runs September 16 through October 1 at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura. For tickets call 805-667-2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org.

“Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” This funny, sad, lyrical and highly original coming of age story from emerging playwright Kevin Armento features an unconventional narrator — the cell phone belonging to a troubled teen. As Red’s phone gets sucked into a breakneck journey from pockets to purses, it offers a fresh and unique perspective on human interaction and relationships. Written by Kevin Armento, and directed by Peter Richards, it runs September 16 through October 8 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-4429 or visit www.plays411.com/PEMDAS.

“Runaway Home” Three years after Hurricane Katrina, the unhealed wounds of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward continue to fester. In this powerful, funny and deeply moving mother-daughter story, 14-year-old runaway Kali embarks on a journey to pick through the wreckage of what used to be her life, rhyming, stealing and scamming her way through the still-destroyed neighborhood. While the rest of the country’s attention drifts, the community’s residents are left to repair the damage from the inside out. As their attempts at renewal leave a path of destruction in their wake, Kali bears witness to what the floodwaters left behind. Written by Jeremy J. Kamps, and directed by Shirley Jo Finney, it runs September 16 through November 5 at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-663-1525 or visit www.FountainTheatre.com.

“Fixed” A fierce and funny new play by Los Angeles’ own Boni B. Alvarez, Fixed is the story of Miracles Malacañang, a ladyboy masseuse working in the infamous Malacañang Massage Parlor in Los Angeles’ historic Filipinotown. When Miracles’ forbidden love affair sparks tensions between the city’s hottest political family, two families must come together to understand the power of desire, identity and honor. Written by Boni B. Alvarez, and directed by Rodney To, it runs September 17 through October 22 at the Echo Theater Company – Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets call 310-307-3753 or visit www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.

“Vino Veritas” The play takes its title from the Latin proverb, which literally translated: “in wine, the truth,” suggests that people reveal their truest feelings under the influence of alcohol. On Halloween night, two middle-aged couples prepare to attend a friend’s annual party. Though the evening begins as usual, familiar traditions slowly unravel when the foursome share a bottle of South American ceremonial wine made from the skin of blue dart tree frogs. Under the influence of this tribal truth serum, they share an unpredictable and hilarious night of unbridled honesty that stretches the bounds of their friendship and their relationships forever. Written by David MacGregor, and directed by Michael Karm, it runs September 21 through October 15 at the Theatre 40, in the Reuben Cordova Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.

“The 39 Steps” This madcap comic thriller follows our dashing would-be hero Richard Hannay as he is unwittingly lured into a nefarious plot regarding the “39 steps” by a bewitching female spy. When she is murdered in his apartment, Hannay is forced to run for his life while trying to clear his name. Based on the Alfred Hitchcock classic film, this hilarious whodunit has double-crossing secret agents, death-defying chases, and devastatingly beautiful women. Written by John Buchan, and directed by Kevin Chesley, it runs September 22 through October 29 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-462-8460 or visit www.ActorsCo-op.org.

“Master Class” Inspired by world-renowned Opera diva Maria Callas’ magnificent Juilliard master class series, this play spotlights the tour-de-force artist and vulnerable woman known as La Divina. Callas relentlessly coaxes, prods, and edifies her young students, motivating them to give the performances of their lives, while revealing her humor, her demons, and her genius. Carolyn Hennesy stars. Written by Terrence McNally, and directed by Dimitri Toscas, it runs September 22 through October 22 at the Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 818-955-8101 or visit www.GarryMarshallTheatre.org.

“Stupid Kid” After 14 years in prison for a crime he swears he didn’t commit, Chick returns home to find his flat-broke family under the thumb of his dangerous Unclemike. A rollicking Gothic Western tale of a family isolated by shame, this tale explores power, guilt and the limits of maternal love. Written by Sharr White, and directed by Cameron Watson, it runs September 22 through November 12 at the Road on Magnolia in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-761-8838 or visit www.roadtheatre.org.

“’Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism” Aubrey Manning is back as the irrepressible Sister! After teaching countless students about the saints, venial sins, limbo and more, Sister is now offering up hilarious lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and the Last Rites, including her own wacky version of the Newlywed Game. Classroom participation is a must, so bring along your sweetie and your sense of humor for a session with the country’s feistiest couples counselor! Written by Maripat Donovan with Marc Silvia, it runs September 22 through October 1 at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in Sierra Madre. For tickets call 626-355-4318 or visit

www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.

“The View Upstairs” is a gripping, heartfelt and provocative new musical that pulls you inside the world of historic 70s New Orleans bar The Upstairs Lounge. This forgotten community comes to life when a young fashion designer from 2017 buys the abandoned space, setting off an exhilarating journey of seduction and self-exploration. Written by Max Vernon, with music by Max Vernon, and directed by Michael A. Shepperd, it runs September 22 through October 29 at the Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com.

“Br’er Cotton” Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by all the recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14 year old “militant,” incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boys’ anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton field, and no one seems to notice but him. Written by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm, and directed by Gregg T. Daniel, it runs September 23 through October 29 at the Zephyr Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-7745 or visit www.lower-depth.com/on-stage.

“The Dance of Death” On an isolated island, military captain Edgar and his wife Alice, a former actress, live a bitter life, their marriage soured by hatred. As their 25th anniversary approaches, the two face off in a fierce battle of wills. When Alice’s cousin, Kurt arrives, he is quickly ensnared in the couple’s wicked game. Written by August Strindberg in a new version by Conor McPherson, and directed by Ron Sossi, it runs September 23 through November 19 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-477-2055 Ext. 2 or visit www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

“Our Town” is a 1938 metatheatrical three-act play that tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners between 1901 and 1913 through the everyday lives of its citizens. Rediscover it in this groundbreaking new production of the iconic play, co-produced with Tony-nominated Deaf West Theatre. Come together to experience this timeless classic as powerful today as when it won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize. Acclaimed actress Jane Kaczmarek stars in this American masterpiece. Written by Thornton Wilder, and directed by Sheryl Kaller, it runs September 26 through October 22 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-356-7529 or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

“Freddy” Set in Greenwich Village in 1964 and based on a true story, Freddy fuses theater, music, dance and video to capture the explosive spirit of a passionate artist and a turbulent era. A naïve young woman falls under the spell of Fred Herko, a brilliant ballet dancer of extraordinary charisma and talent and a fiery denizen of Andy Warhol’s Factory. This hybrid dance/theater work by Fountain Theatre co-artistic director Deborah Lawlor will be presented at Los Angeles City College, inaugurating a new partnership with the LACC Theatre Academy. Written by Deborah Lawlor, and directed by Frances Loy, it runs September 27 through October 14 at the Caminito Theatre Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-663-1525 or visit www.FountainTheatre.com.

“With Love and a Major Organ” pushes on the ever-stranger phenomenon of physical human interaction in the age of technology. Why is it that we are ever more connected and yet we have never felt more alone? During her morning commute, a young woman falls in love with a total stranger she meets on the subway. After giving the man her actual beating heart, he disappears —leading this unlikely heroine on a quest to retrieve her heart, accidentally cracking open those of others she meets along the way. This is an eccentric, edgy comedy about what it costs to give your heart away, and what happens when you discover you actually have one. Written by Julia Lederer, and directed by Jessica Kubzansky, it runs September 28 through November 5 at the Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-683-6801 or visit www.BostonCourt.com.

“The House on Mango Street” centers around the life of young Latina Esperanza Cordero, as she undergoes her personal journey into adulthood. As she matures, Esperanza encounters the harsh realities of puberty as well the hardships witnessed in her family and her Mango Street neighborhood. Despite all she witnesses and endures, Esperanza seeks hope and persists toward a better future. Written by Amy Ludwig, based on the novel by Sandra Cisneros, and directed by Alexandra Meda, it runs September 29 through October 28 at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-673-0544 or visit www.GreenwayCourtTheatre.org.

“The Woman in Black” is a chilling classic ghost story in its purest form. A lawyer who has experienced a recent tragedy and believes his family is cursed hires a skeptical but enthusiastic actor to help him tell his tale and hopefully exorcise the fear that paralyzes him. With the actor’s help, he shares his story of that dark and stormy night when he first saw a horrifying specter, one that haunts the neighborhood where her illegitimate child was killed. As they prepare their performance, they experience something unsettling as they learn more about what happens to those who have witnessed The Woman in Black. Written by Stephen Mallatratt, based on the book by Susan Hill, and directed by Jacob Smith, it runs September 29 through November 4 at the Belfry Stage Upstairs at the Crown in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-849-4039 or visit www.theatreunleashed.org.

“Resolving Hedda” Ibsen’s characters from Hedda Gabler, who know the play insanely well after centuries of performances, try desperately to keep the play afloat. At the same time Hedda, just as desperately, tries to sabotage the plot in order to avoid her demise. The misadventures that ensue continue to raise the stakes of hilarity to a fevered pitch. And if Hedda succeeds in her quest to live, will this classic theatrical work ever be performed again? Written by Jon Klein, and directed by Maria Gobetti, it runs September 30 through November 12 at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank. For tickets call 818-841-5421 or visit www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org.

“Time Alone” traces the parallel journeys of a young man convicted of killing a gang rival, and a woman whose son – a police officer – is murdered in the line of duty. Both end up in places of extreme loneliness — a solitary confinement prison cell, and the silent house of the bereaved. As time itself seems to unravel, their tales both contrast and mirror each other, providing answers to each other’s questions — until they find new doors to life. Written by Alessandro Camon, and directed by Bart DeLorenzo, it runs September 30 through October 29 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-489-0994 or visit www.bellerevetheatre.com.

“Honky Tonk Laundry” is chock-full of your favorite songs including “These Boots Were Made For Walkin’,” “Stand By Your Man,” “Before He Cheats,” “Independence Day” and many more! Starring Bets Malone and Misty Cotton. Move over, Thelma and Louise! When Lana Mae Hopkins, owner and proprietress of the Wishy Washy Washateria, hires Katie Lane Murphy to help out in the Laundromat, they soon find themselves up to their elbows in soap, suds, and cheatin’ hearts. Take a ride to Nashville heaven as you watch these two country angels join forces to turn their good ol’ Laundromat into a boot-scootin’ honky-tonk, exacting a touch of revenge against those that done ‘em wrong, and all while guaranteeing each and every customer a good, clean time! Written and directed by Roger Bean, it runs through October 1 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-7773 or visit www.plays411.com/honkytonklaundry.

“Footloose” A ban on dancing in a small farming town puts Ren, the new kid in town, at odds with the town council and the local minister. Incredible dancing, a melodic and energetic score, and a great story make the GCT reprise production the perfect show for the whole family. All we can say about this show is “WOW!” You, your family and friends are going to love this one! Written by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, with music by Dean Pitchford, Kenny Loggins, Tom Snow, Sammy Hagar, Jim Steinman, and Eric Carmen, and directed by Martin Lang, it runs through October 7 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale. For tickets call 818-244-8481 or visit www.glendalecentretheatre.com.

Enjoy life more – see a show tonight!

Steve Zall and Sid Fish of Scene in L.A. know a lot about L.A. theatre and are ready to share with CV Weekly readers.

  Sid FISH, Steve ZALL