Here are some great new shows opening soon in our local theater scene!
The information presented in this column is the latest available at the time of printing, however you should verify it with the theater to confirm it before making definite plans. Here are the shows that have announced opening dates for this month, or are already running:
OPENING
“Little Shop of Horrors” The story follows Seymour, a downtrodden and shy florist’s assistant whose life blossoms overnight thanks to an otherworldly and hungry new plant named Audrey II. But there’s a catch — it craves blood. As fame, fortune, and love begin to bloom, so does the madness. The score includes unforgettable, passionate melodies like Suddenly Seymour and Somewhere That’s Green. Written by Howard Ashman, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, and directed by Sarah Azcarate, it runs September 3 through September 13 at the Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena. For tickets visit www.altadenamusictheatre.com.
“The Nightman Cometh + The Waitress is Getting Married” Join us for two hilarious unauthorized musical parodies inspired by the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: 1. THE NIGHTMAN COMETH Charlie recruits the gang to put on a musical in hopes of finally winning the heart of the woman of his dreams — The Waitress. 2. THE WAITRESS IS GETTING MARRIED The story continues as The Waitress prepares to walk down the aisle… but with this gang involved, you KNOW things are about to go terribly wrong. Two outrageous stories. One very chaotic night. And plenty of singing, dancing, questionable decisions, and Nightman nonsense. Written and directed by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it runs September 4 through September 6 at the Wisteria Theater in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-237-4643 or visit www.wisteriatheater.com/upcomingshows.
“Winter’s Bench” Set in a park where only one ancient tree remains, Winter’s Bench follows Gladys, an elderly woman who has spent a lifetime believing the tree spoke to her when she was a child, and who waits, even now, to hear its voice again. Blending storytelling, live music and imagination, Winter’s Bench is both a memory play and a meditation on nature, aging and hope. At a time when forests are disappearing and loneliness is on the rise, Winter’s Bench invites audiences to consider what we lose when we stop listening—to nature, to one another and to the stories that shape us. Written by Mike Kenny, and directed by Debbie Devine, it runs September 5 through October 25 at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 213-745-6516 or visit 24thstreet.org.
“Texas Sodomy: The Incredible True Story of Lawrence v. Texas” Houston, 1998. John Lawrence and Tyron Garner are arrested under Texas’s ‘Homosexual Conduct’ law. What begins as a drunken arrest grows into a constitutional battle stretching from Houston to Washington, DC. Texas Sodomy follows two ordinary working-class men and Lane Lewis—a Houston bartender and activist who becomes their closest ally and protector—as they join an unlikely coalition of lawyers and activists in a pivotal chapter of the American civil rights movement. Blending sharp comedy, gripping drama, and intimate character study, Texas Sodomy reveals the extraordinary human story behind one of the most important civil rights decisions in modern American history. Written and directed by Howard Skora, it runs September 10 through October 24 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets visit www.TexasSodomy.com.
“Bright Blue Sky: the 9/11 Musical” an original stage musical set on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower on the morning of September 11, 2001, for five performances only this September, timed to the 25th anniversary of the attacks. Bright Blue Sky is about a group of people working in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. During these desperate hours, not knowing whether the day will end as it began, the characters come together through their differences to find their shared humanity. In a series of charming, endearing, and deeply heartfelt vignettes, each character relives moments from their past, revealing an uplifting story of the hope amid tragedy and loss within love. Written by Vincent Aniceto, with music by Tim Nelson, it runs September 11 through September 20 at the Rose Center Theater in Westminster. For tickets call 714-793-1150 or visit www.rosecentertheater.com/bright-blue-sky-9-11-musical.
“Frankenstein: Resurrection – An Original Musical” In Frankenstein: Resurrection, Victor Frankenstein awakens in a secret laboratory beneath the infamous Paris Morgue, resurrected by the brilliant Doctor Seraphina Pretorius. As Victor becomes convinced that the doctor’s sister Elsa is the reincarnation of his lost bride Elizabeth, he descends into a nightmare of obsession and madness. Guided by the Monster through the Nine Circles of Hell, Victor is ultimately forced to confront a terrifying truth: the greatest monster he ever created may have been himself. Operatic, brutal and deeply human, Frankenstein: Resurrection asks one haunting question: What is the cost of refusing to let go? Written and directed by Justin Meyer, with music by Chris Thomas, it runs September 11 through November 1 at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. For tickets visit thenocturnetheatre.com.
“Othello” Shakespeare’s classic tragedy of manipulation, madness and despair that begins when Iago, a resentful, egocentric individual who feels overlooked and undervalued by his peers, is passed over by Othello for promotion and pursues his revenge against the Moor of Venice by constructing a plot fueled by betrayal and jealousy. Iago operates not with brute force, but by psychologically poisoning others, making them act as pawns in his vendetta. And as suspicion about his wife Desdemona’s fidelity takes hold of Othello’s mind, we watch him spiral downwards towards his inevitable tragic doom. Written by William Shakespeare, and directed by Christopher Aruffo, it runs September 11 through October 3 at the Westchester Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-645-5156 or visit www.kentwoodplayers.org.
“September 10” One evening a woman confesses to her husband that she’s been unfaithful. The date is September 10, 2001. The next morning, their private crisis is eclipsed by a national tragedy — best known as 9/11. As the couple watches coverage on television, and works through their relationship, we meet various ordinary people affected by the event: a sportswriter, a firefighter, a woman rediscovering her faith, a graffiti artist, a street vendor selling American flags, an evangelist, and others. Written by Art Shulman, and directed by Stan Mazin, it runs September 11 through October 4 at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City. For tickets visit onstage411.com/sept10.
“Into the Woods” When the Baker and his wife venture into the forest to break a witch’s curse, they encounter Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack (of beanstalk fame)—and familiar tales take on clever new lives. But be careful what you wish for, because “happily ever after” is never the whole story. This poignant musical comedy masterpiece celebrates its 40th anniversary with a fabulous new SCR production featuring 12 actors instead of the customary 18 or more. Written by James Lapine, with music by Stephen Sondheim, and directed by Peter Rothstein, it runs September 12 through October 18 at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
“Marisol” A dreamlike blend of magical realism, Theatre of the Absurd and Rivera’s powerfully poetic language, Marisol is a darkly funny, apocalyptic fable about survival, faith and hope. After her guardian angel abandons her to join the celestial battle against a senile God, Bronx resident Marisol Pérez must navigate a terrifying, unraveling world on her own while struggling to preserve her humanity. Written by José Rivera, and directed by Amanda Weier, it runs September 12 through October 24 at the Open Fist Theatre Company @ Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets call 323-882-6912 or visit openfist.org.
“A Killer Night in Studio City” A genre-bending production, A Killer Night in Studio City blends a classic, fast-paced comedic stage play and musical performances of 50s hits, with a fully immersive and interactive mystery experience. It’s 1958. You’re invited to a memorial for Sophia Vance. Who killed Sophia Vance, the fastest-rising young actress in Hollywood? Could it be Johnny Turner, the A-list movie star that she rejected? Could it be Ronnie Bennett, the guy who plays a detective on television? Could it be Arthur Clarkston, the make-up artist who is the custodian of all of Sophia’s secrets? Could it be Edith Sinclair, the determined gossip columnist? Could it even be Mama Vitello? Everyone has a motive. Everyone has secrets. You’ll be given the opportunity to find the murderer, as you’ll be given clues during the course of the evening at this immersive, interactive murder mystery, set at the memorial for Sophia Vance at Vitello’s, the Studio City culinary institution that’s been a favorite of Hollywood celebrities. You’ll be moving between rooms at Vitello’s, and you’ll have a sumptuous dinner with your choice of entrée: chicken, fish, or vegetarian, as well as coffee, tea, or soft drinks. Written by Kevin Allen Jackson and Kristine Dickson, and directed by Noah Blake, it runs September 15 through October 31 at Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City. For tickets visit www.akillernightlive.com/studiocity/tickets.
“The Case-Book of C. Auguste Dupin” With Edgar Allan Poe’s creation of the character of C. Auguste Dupin, the master of the macabre forever changed crime fiction. Dupin was the first modern detective. He was the archetype for literary sleuths Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, solving seemingly unsolvable crimes with logic and astonishing deductions. This play brings together Poe’s three spellbinding Dupin Mysteries: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget and The Purloined Letter for an engrossing evening of murder, mayhem and meerschaum pipes. Written by John Strysik, and directed by Edgar Allan Poe, it runs September 17 through October 18 at Theatre Forty, in the Mary Levin Cutler Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-0535 or visit theatre40.org.
“Catch Me If You Can the Musical” is a high-flying, splashy Broadway musical that tells the true story of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr., who runs away from home in search of the glamorous life. With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination, and millions of dollars in forged checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer – living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams. But when Frank’s lies catch the attention of FBI agent Carl Hanratty, Carl chases Frank to the end … and finds something he never expected. Written by Terrence McNally, with music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and directed by Michael Donovan, it runs September 17 through October 18 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets visit www.colonytheatre.org.
“A Number” Salter thought he had only two sons: the troubled child he sent away at four years old, and the genetically identical copy he had created and raised in his place. Then he discovers there are more—many more. When the truth about a long-buried cloning experiment comes to light, Salter is forced to confront the consequences of a decision made decades earlier. As questions of identity, nature, nurture, and responsibility collide, A Number turns a startling scientific premise into a gripping and deeply human family drama. Written by Caryl Churchill, and directed by James Paradise, it runs September 18 through October 11 at the Madnani Theater in Hollywood. For tickets visit events.thestagecrafts.com/15047.
“Realm of the River” Close friends enjoy a magic night out. Fun and freedom suddenly take a dark turn when an unforeseen and insurmountable circumstance invokes a mystic force, bringing everyone face to face with the true work of healing. Water runs through the story as a source of danger and restoration, carrying memory and transformation with it. Bliss’s writing creates an emotional and mystical landscape that is further brought to life through projections, music, lighting, and atmospheric stage design, transforming the venue into an immersive theatrical world. Written and directed by Jesse Bliss, it runs September 18 through September 27 at the Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts in Los Angeles. For tickets visit www.eventbrite.com/e/realm-of-the-river-a-world-premiere-play-by-jesse-bliss-tickets-1996257931210.
“LittleShopof Horrors” A deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS has devoured the hearts of theatregoers for over 40 years. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, and Aladdin) are the creative geniuses behind what has become one of the most popular shows in the world. A down-and-out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon “Audrey II” grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite. Written by Howard Ashman, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, and directed by Michael Matthews, it runs September 19 through October 11 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets call 562-944-9801 or visit www.LaMiradaTheatre.com.
“The Peterson Show” follows five former child stars who reunite as the legacy of their beloved television father collapses into scandal. With cameras swarming outside and decades of unresolved history inside, they confront old rivalries, buried secrets and the complicated bonds forged while growing up on America’s favorite sitcom. At once hilarious and heartbreaking, The Peterson Show raises a difficult question: What happens to a family when the person who held it together becomes the one who tears it apart? Written by Janine Nabers, and directed by Michelle Bossy, it runs September 19 through October 26 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets call 747-350-8066 or visit EchoTheaterCompany.com.
“Shells” In the aftermath of an unexpected encounter with a violent neighbor, Developed by Rogue Artists Ensemble. Evvy is just trying to get back to work. But now she has a wound, and the world around her may never be normal again…or maybe it never was. Inspired by a true story, Shells is an absurdist dark comedy utilizing puppetry and physical humor about coping with the farce and devastation of gun violence in an increasingly chaotic reality. Written by Amy Judd Lieberman, and directed by Stephanie O’Neill, it runs September 24 through October 11 at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets visit greenwaycourttheatre.org/tickets.
“Confessions of a Sugar Baby” (This is a live taping of a new show.) When an uninsured 29-year-old actress collapses and is given eight months to live, the hospital demands $800,000 in cash upfront at a predatory 785 interest rate, her parents have already liquidated their retirement for her father’s cancer, and her trust-fund boyfriend declines: “I don’t think it’s healthy for me to help you fix your financial needs. I’m a feminist.” She refuses to take on the debt, even if it means dying: “The moment you have debt, you’ve invited someone to own you. And I’m not interested in being owned at all.” Then a clinic nurse gives her the only useful advice of her diagnosis: “You’re a white girl with a fat ass in Atlanta. You know what to do.” So, she builds a profile on Seeking Arrangements, becomes a girl named Justine, and transforms into a high-paid, untouchable sugar baby with one strict rule: no sex, ever. Deploying her acting training, Meisner, Stanislavski, scene objectives, on custom-scripted dates, she becomes a doting plus-one at a daughter’s wedding, a fake fiancée in a hospice room, a dance partner for an 80-year-old widower in his dead wife’s dress. She pays for surgery after surgery in cash, the rule intact, until a $50,000 emergency forces her to consider breaking it. When people ask if she’s okay, she has a standard answer: “I’ll die from it, just not today.” It’s a story about medical debt, survival work, and the male loneliness epidemic, and it ends with her looking the room dead in the eye: “It’s not what you had to do to survive. It’s the fact that you DID survive.” Written by Allison Dayne, and directed by Cameron Lopez, it runs September 25 through September 26 at the Crow (in the Main Room) in Santa Monica. For tickets visit www.eventbrite.com/e/confessions-of-a-sugar-baby-tickets-1990616605854.
“Kaiju” Two gigantic, mythical monsters have just destroyed the city. Amid the chaos and destruction, a debate ensues. A funny and audacious takedown of the sometimes pretentious nature of art and culture, KAIJU also presents a pointed examination of power and artistic responsibility in our current world. Written by Dan Caffrey, and directed by Ken Sawyer, it runs September 25 through November 1 at the Road Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-761-8838 or visit ci.ovationtix.com/35065/production/1280560.
“Into The Woods” When the Baker and his wife venture into the forest to break a witch’s curse, they encounter Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack (of beanstalk fame)—and familiar tales take on clever new lives. But be careful what you wish for, because “happily ever after” is never the whole story. This poignant musical comedy masterpiece celebrates its 40th anniversary. Written by James Lapine, with music by Stephen Sondheim, and directed by Elijah Green, it runs September 26 through October 18 at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-828-7519 or visit ci.ovationtix.com/1221.
CONTINUING
“Green Corridors” explores the human cost of war, examining the harrowing yet darkly humorous realities of four Ukrainian women who have fled their country following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion: a woman who reluctantly left her pets behind, a mother adjusting to life away from her husband on the front lines, a woman bearing physical and psychological trauma, and an actress determined to share Ukraine’s story with the world. It alternates between the women’s current shared reality in crowded European refugee centers and flashbacks detailing their past lives, blending modern experiences with cinematic flashbacks of Ukrainian historical figures who also faced agonizing choices in the face of invasion. It is a story of resilience and resistance, of courage and heartache, of loss and determination. Written by Natalka Vorozhbyt, translated by John Freedman with Nataliia Bratus, and directed by Frédérique Michel, it runs through September 27 at the City Garage in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-453-9939 or visit www.citygarage.org.