By Steve ZALL and Sid FISH

The COVID-19 Delta variant continues to wreak havoc, but there have been few new restrictions placed in spite of it. Masks continue to be worn regardless of vaccination status when out in public. However, this new variant produces 100 times the viral load of the original virus, and is still sending people to the hospitals and ICU wards in ever-increasing numbers.

Most theatres are reopening and announcing their schedules. However, proof of vaccination is required by most theaters in order to attend, and masks must be worn at all times during the performances. The information presented in this column is the latest available at the time of printing; however when planning to attend a performance it is advised to first check with the theater to confirm before making definite plans.

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

“Closely Related Keys” Living in New York shortly after Sept. 11, Julia Dolan is an up-and-coming corporate attorney whose carefully constructed life begins to crumble when she learns she has a half-sister – a Muslim who has fled Iraq. Neyla plays the violin and wants to audition for Julliard, but Julia is wary. Is there more to Neyla’s story?

Written by Wendy Graf and directed by Saundra McClain, it runs through Sept. 12 at the International City Theatre Long Beach Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. For tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or visit www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.

“Kay Sedia in The Taco Chronicles” Kay Sedia’s “The Taco Chronicles” is sure to be a spicier-than-ever one-woman show as she takes the audience on a journey with stories, music and all her sexiness.

Written and directed by Kay Sedia, it runs through Sept. 11 at the Cavern Club Theater inside Castia Del Campo Restaurant in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.kaysedia.com.

“Boy Vey” An autobiographical solo show about how a Jewish girl’s quest for love unveils the bizarre connections between her misbegotten dating life and inherited Holocaust trauma. A humorous, touching and powerful theatre piece.

Written by Rachel Kaftan and directed by Dana Resnick, it runs Sept. 11 through Oct. 30 at the Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica. For tickets, call (310) 394-9779 or visit www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/boyvey.

“David Dean Bottrell Makes Love: A One-Man Show” This well received, fast-moving evening of totally true “love stories” including tales of bad choices, worse choices and other things he probably shouldn’t be talking about, returns to LA with the Tenth Anniversary Edition. Ages 16+. Current COVID protocols observed.

Written by David Dean Bottrell and directed by Guy Stroman, it runs Sept. 14 through Sept. 22 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets, call (818) 687-8559 or visit www.whitefiretheatre.com.

“As Good As Gold” Three female screenwriters, frustrated with the sexism and glass ceilings they encounter in Hollywood, decide to collaborate on a commercially surefire macho action epic screenplay with a studly hero. Now they have a script. But they’re women. How will they get a studio to buy it? They hire a young fellow to be their front. He will purport to be the author of their screenplay. Sure enough, their front/impostor becomes the toast of Hollywood, commanding millions of dollars in asking price for future scripts.

Written by Marilyn Anderson and directed by Roger K. Weiss, it runs Sept. 16 through Oct. 17 at the Theatre 40 in the Reuben Cordova Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets, call (310) 364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.

“Shaadi” Blue13 Dance Company presents an outdoor, site-specific, audience immersive contemporary and Bollywood dance spectacular. The wedding party invites the audience to share in their happiness and drama as they dance the night away at one of Southern California’s most beautiful wedding venues: Heritage Square Museum in the Montecito Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Blue13’s highly energetic and theatrical style draws from ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, Bhangra, Kathak and Bollywood to tell unforgettable stories.

Written and directed by Achinta S. McDaniel, it runs Sept. 17 through Sept. 18 at the Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.blue13dance.com.

“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” Please note: Everyone (adults and children over 12) who enters the Westchester Playhouse building must wear a face mask and needs to be prepared to show proof of vaccination.

Set in rural Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Vanya and his adopted sister Sonia live a quiet life in the farmhouse where they grew up and cared for their elderly parents while mourning their lost dreams and missed opportunities. When their often-wrong, fortune-telling maid warns of impending dangers and their movie star sister, Masha, arrives unexpectedly with her young, sexy, boy toy Spike, the family is launched into a rollicking weekend of one-upmanship, exposed nerves, and a lot of broken mugs. With wit and absurdity, the toils and troubles of celebrity, social networking and age combine into a laugh-out-loud comedy that will tickle your funny bone and stimulate your mind.

Written by Christopher Durang and directed by Susan Stangl, it runs Sept. 17 through Oct. 10 at the Westchester Playhouse in Westchester. For tickets, call (310) 645-5156 or visit www.kentwoodplayers.org.

“It’s Alive, IT’S ALIVE!” NOTE: Proof of vaccination will be required of all patrons, and admittance is limited to ages 12+. All current CDC and local guidelines regarding seating and masks will be followed at each performance.

Joined onstage by a band and two singer/dancers, Fleck uses musical numbers, dance sequences and broad characters to create a hilarious and uniquely ribald theatrical rollercoaster that skewers our fears and assumptions about everything from COVID-19 to our identity as earth dwellers at this precarious moment.

Written by John Fleck and directed by David Schweizer, it runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 9 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (310) 477-2055 Ext. 2 or visit www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

“The Wolfe & The Bird” No time to sleep. No room for error. No pleasing mom. A young girl struggles to find herself against the backdrop of 1980s small town America.

• Proof of vaccination required – no exceptions • Admittance is limited to ages 12+ • Masks required throughout the performance as mandated by the County of LA.

Written by Rachel Parker and directed by Alina Phelan, it runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 10 at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets,.com/event/5219775.

“Clue” It’s a dark and stormy night and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Rated PG.

Written by Sandy Rustin, based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, with music by Michael Holland, and directed by Casey Hushion, it runs Sept. 24 through Oct. 17 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets, call (562) 944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.

Local theme parks continue to operate at high, if not full, capacity, which is a welcome relief to many enthusiasts who are flocking to them in droves. Most require advance reservations online as well as advance ticket purchases. Guests will need an app in many to be able to take full advantage of those attractions that have reopened. Attendance is limited to California resident visitors in most parks. Please check their websites for details, restrictions and availability before planning a trip to them:

Disneyland Resort

Disney’s California Adventure

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/

Knott’s Berry Farm

https://www.knotts.com/

Legoland California

https://www.legoland.com/california/

SeaWorld San Diego

https://seaworld.com/san-diego/

Six Flags Magic Mountain

https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/

Universal Studios Hollywood

https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/

Area theaters continue to expand their online offerings with more events to experience on a virtual basis. Some of these online events are only available on a one-time basis, while others are ongoing and can be viewed anytime on-demand. Visit each of the websites below to see what they are currently offering. There is free content as well as pay-per-view options. Here are the links to websites with online offerings:

3-D Theatricals

https://3dtheatricals.org/homepage/

https://www.thereceiptswithd.com/

A Noise Within

https://www.anoisewithin.org/

Antaeus Theatre

https://www.antaeus.org/

“Blood/Sugar”

https://www.dianawyenn.com/

Boston Court Pasadena

https://bostoncourtpasadena.org/

CaltechLive!

https://events.caltech.edu/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8_xPU5epJde-Z37yHrap6ix3ZKHT0v6g

Chalk Repertory Theatre

https://www.chalkrep.com/

Coeurage Ensemble

https://www.coeurage.org/

“Dogs Are Better Than People”

https://www.whitefiretheatre.com/

East West Players

https://eastwestplayers.org/

Echo Theater Company

https://www.echotheatercompany.com/

El Portal Theatre

https://www.elportaltheatre.com/

For the Record Live

https://www.ForTheRecordLive.com/

Fountain Theatre

https://www.fountaintheatre.com/

Garry Marshall Theatre

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgS_NHHl5mY_DvxNoQ9V9ZA

Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles

https://www.gmcla.org/

Hero Theatre http://www.herotheatre.org/

IAMA Theatre Company http://www.iamatheatre.com/

http://www.woollymammoth.net/

https://www.queenstheatre.org/

International City Theatre http://www.InternationalCityTheatre.org/

“John Cullum: An Accidental Star” https://www.vineyardtheatre.org/an-accidental-star/

Kentwood Players http://www.kentwoodplayers.org/

https://www.youtube.com/kentwoodplayers

Laguna Playhouse https://www.lagunaplayhouse.com/

L.A. Chamber Orchestra http://www.laco.org/laco-at-home

L.A. Theatre Works (fee & free) https://www.latw.org/broadcasts

https://www.latw.org/black-voices

https://www.latw.org/setting-stage-learning

https://latw.org/digital-season

https://latw.org/hd-screenings

Loft Ensemble https://www.loftensemble.org/

Long Beach Opera https://www.longbeachopera.org/

“Lovers and Other Strangers” https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/52157

Morgan-Wixson Theatre https://www.morgan-wixson.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC15-mNl7vwkjJ8H1T-yOIHw

Moving Arts https://www.movingarts.org/

Odyssey Theatre http://www.OdysseyTheatre.com/

Pasadena Playhouse https://www.playhouselive.org/

Pepperdine University https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

https://www.instagram.com/pepperdinetheatre/?hl=en

Robey Theatre Company

https://www.therobeytheatrecompany.org/

Rogue Artists Ensemble https://www.rogueartists.org/rogue-lab

Rubicon Theatre https://www.rubicontheatre.org/

Sacred Fools http://www.sacredfools.org/

Santa Monica Playhouse https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/

Segerstrom Center for the Arts https://www.scfta.org/

Shakespeare Center LA http://www.shakespearecenter.org/

Sierra Madre Playhouse https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org/

South Coast Repertory https://www.scr.org/

The Actors Gang “We Live On” https://www.theactorsgang.com/

The Blank Theatre (fee)

The Blank Theatre (free)

https://www.patreon.com/TheBlankTheatre

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBlankTheatreCo

The Broad Stage https://www.thebroadstage.org/

https://www.thebroadstage.org/athome

The Geffen Playhouse (fee) https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/

The Group Rep https://www.thegrouprep.com/

The Matrix Theatre “Scraps” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdXs4A7NBw&feature=youtu.behttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdXs4A7NBw&feature=youtu.be

The Road Theatre Company https://www.roadtheatre.org/live

https://www.youtube.com/roadtheatrecompany/live

“The Romeros Quartet LIVE” https://www.stellartickets,.com/

The Soraya https://www.thesoraya.org

The Victory Theatre Center https://www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org/

The Wallis

The Wallis Studio Ensemble https://thewallis.org/

https://thewallis.org/streaming

https://www.films.dance/

Theatre 40 https://www.theatre40.org/

Theatre 68 https://youtube.com/68centcrewtheatre

Theatre West https://www.theatrewest.org/

“UnRavelled” https://www.UnRavelledPlay.com

West Coast Jewish Theatre http://www.wcjt.org/

“Who I Am” https://youtu.be/VTD8G9dOB5Q

Our best wishes go out to all of our readers as we continue to navigate these ever-changing waves of the pandemic now, so please be cautious everywhere you go and in everything you do, and follow whatever new directions that the authorities may issue regarding them. Most of all, if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, please consider the effect you are having on others by not doing so. We don’t want to lose anyone else, so please just get vaccinated today if you haven’t already!

As always, we also want to send out a very special thanks to our Public Relations representatives who supply us with this great information, and to our editors who continue to publish these columns.

Sincerely,

Steve Zall, Publisher

Sid Fish, Co-Publisher and Editor