L.A. Stage Insider
Celebrating the Best in live Theater and Cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Written by Julio Martinez
June 4, 2025
NEWS
Ensemble Theatre Company Announces its 2025-2026 “Truth and Illusion” 47th Season of Shows, blending Hollywood drama, literary with & Rock‘nRoll (Dates TBA). The season begins with War of the Worlds, adapted by Joe Landry. Orson Welles’ infamous 1938 radio drama, which convinced listeners that an alien invasion was real, is brought to life in this reenactment. The season continuous with: The Complete Jane Austen, Abridged, written by Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast and Meghan Winch. What happens when you take the wit, romance, and wisdom of Jane Austen’s greatest works and distill them into a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud experience; The Shark Is Broken, Written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon. A behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the greatest films of all time; A Night with Janis Joplin. Created and written by Randy Johnson. This high-energy production dives into the life and music of a fearless icon who changed the sound of rock forever; and Every Brilliant Thing, written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe. A child starts a list of every brilliant thing in the world, hoping to help their mother through the depression. Season subscriptions begin June 17th and individual tickets will be available beginning Aug 1. For more information, visit www.etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.
PREMIERES
Geoffrey Lower, Nick Lunetta, Sky Palkowitz, Jessica Fishenfeld, Armand Akbari and Meeghan Holaway Photo by Jordan Gohara
International City Theatre presents the Los Angeles premiere of The Angel Next Door, a rom-com by Paul Slade Smith, the playwright behind last season’s hit comedy, The Outsider. Inspired by a 1924 drawing room comedy by Ferenc Molnar, L.A. director Cate Caplin is at the helm for a three-week run, June 13-29, at ICT’s home in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Two low-priced previews take place on June 11 and June 12. International City Theatre is located in Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center’s Beverly O’Neill Theater at 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or go to InternationalCityTheatre.org.
AROUND TOWN
Ellen Geer Willow Geer
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum presents a new production of “Strife” by Nobel Prize-winning writer and social activist John Galsworthy. Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer and associate artistic director Willow Geer co-direct, with performances joining Theatricum’s repertory season beginning June 21. In this production of Galsworthy’s 1909 play, Theatricum moves the story to 1890s Pennsylvania amidst the industrial unrest and labor movements of America’s Gilded Age. The Theatricum cast features Franc Ross as John Anthony, founder of the American Steel Corporation and chairman of its board, whose members are portrayed by Lynn Robert Berg, Alan Blumenfeld, Ted Dane, Roman Guastaferro and Andy Stokan. Members of the “Workers’ Committee,” lined up behind firebrand David Roberts (Gerald C. Rivers), are played by Tom Allard, Hunter James, Cavin (CR) Mohrhardt and Rebecca Oca–Nussbaum. Strife will run in rotation every weekend with Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, each of which open earlier in the season. Two additional productions, The Seagull: Malibu, a free adaptation of Chekhov’s classic play, and Wine in the Wilderness, by celebrated writer Alice Childress, will join the repertory season on July 12 and August 9 respectively. Theatricum will perform all five plays in repertory, making it possible, once they are all up and running. For a complete schedule of performances click here. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 455-3723 or visit theatricum.com
Mixed eMotion Theatrix Ensemble
Dance/theater company, Mixed eMotion Theatrix is returning to Greystone Mansion and Gardens with its production, “Gatsby Redux.” The City of Beverly Hills Community Services Department is hosting this site-specific dance theater production, created by director/choreographer Janet Roston. The performance invites audience members to follow the dancers on an exciting and evocative journey into the 1920's. This 90-minute outdoor performance explores themes from the novel as well as immersing the audience into Gatsby’s world amidst the stunning backdrop of the vintage gardens and mansion. Opens June 6 (7pm) (or any performance thereafter). Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Drive in Beverly Hills.
SOLO MOJO AT HOLLYWOOD FRINGE
Shelley Cooper as Lotte Lenya
The Hollywood Fringe opens this week. One show not to miss is "Rag Doll on a Bomb Site," a solo musical, exploring the early life and career of Lotte Lenya. Book, music, lyrics, choreography and starring by Shelley Cooper. Directed by Kelsey Miller. At Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038. Opens June 8 (6:30pm). Ends June 21. For tickets and more information, go here.
Arts in Review, hosted by arts journalist Julio Martinez, celebrating the best in theater and cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles area, airs on KPFK90.7fm on Fridays (2-2:30pm), streamed live around the world in real time over KPFK.org.
