Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar!
For more shows visit our Calendar.
For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Greenwood 1964
“GREENWOOD 1964 is a powerful, educational two man one act show which takes us into an actual trip made by Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. Two very great friends and once industry’s most successful sought after duo. Sidney Poitier the first Black to win an Academy Award for best actor and Harry Belafonte, activist and first music artist ever to sell a million copies in the US & England. The show takes place in Greenwood Mississippi 1964, a time in which Dr. King called it “The year of promise” due to the rise of racial tension versus the quest for social equality. This brilliantly crafted fictional debate between Mr. Poitier and Mr. Belafonte eloquently explores the individual approaches on how to achieve liberation for people of color. The action takes place inside of an attic “safe-house” in the racially charged segregated deep south of Mississippi. Both men have traveled down to drop a bundle of cash for relief funds and show moral support for the civil rights workers who have been killed trying to register black voters.”
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Sins
“Can we ever stop paying for the past? Can the person we want to ever escape the person we are now and were then? What price must be paid for not only our own crimes, but those of people close to us? Sins is a frank look at what we all deal with when we cannot overcome our own failings…This show includes prop guns, gunshots, and themes of gun violence. This show includes scenes of domestic violence, gun violence, and strong language.”
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Saving Cain
“A far-right, Pentecostal helicopter-mom struggles to keep her hell-raising son on the path of righteousness as he enters his first public school. When a powerful addiction takes over her son’s life, she must accept that you can’t save everyone, and that not every miracle can be left up to God.”
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Flights of Fancy
“Imagination or reality? Elegant stagecraft or just, well… Complications? Stephanie and her best friend Tommy are flying home together, but nothing is what it seems. As we are thrown back and forth between the rehearsals for a play Stephanie has written about her troubles and her increasingly turbulent flight home, we start to wonder: can we be saved through our art or is a crash landing inevitable? ”
Women Beyond Borders
“Rubicon Theatre continues the company’s 21st “Coming of Age” season with the World Premiere of WOMEN BEYOND BORDERS, a play inspired by and loosely based on the remarkable journey of Lorraine Serena and a dynamic group of California-based artists who founded the non-profit Women Beyond Borders (WBB). Determined to “make art as if the world matters,” Serena and her friends fell upon the idea of box as metaphor: hope chest, treasure chest, womb, coffin, etc. They replicated a miniature wooden box no bigger than the size of a human heart and sent the boxes to curators and friends in other countries with the goal of encouraging dialogue, collaboration and community among women and honoring creativity. The founders of WBB were astonished at what came back to them – eloquent expressions of the enormous depth and variety, but also the universality, of women’s experiences throughout the world.”
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All in the Timing at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“Award-winning playwright David Ives, described by The New York Times as “wizardly, magical, funny, and original,” has penned six one-act comedies that examine various attempts at relationships and communication with hilarious results. Using inspired language and wordplay, Ives takes delight in pushing audiences’ smart buttons and teasing their brains. Join us for non-stop laughter and brilliant witticisms.”
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She Kills Monsters at North Coast Rep Theatre School
“A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, She Kills Monsters tells the story of high schooler Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.”
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John Denver Tribute at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“Jim Curry, returns to North Coast Repertory Theatre to perform the music of the late John Denver. The music “is like an old friend, outlasting trends and standing the test of time,” says Mr. Curry. Join acclaimed performer Jim Curry for this tribute to the music of one of the most beloved singer/songwriters ever to grace the stage.”
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Tuesday Night Comics at North Coast Rep
“Tuesday Night Comics is arguably the funniest night of comedy in San Diego. Mark Christopher Lawrence taps into his extensive list of talented comedian friends and shares the North Coast Rep stage with them. The show is comprised of talent from all over the country with late-night television credits as well as credits from Comedy Central, HBO, SHOWTIME, ETC…RATED R ”
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Taken at Midnight at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“Based on true events in 1931 Berlin, a courageous mother resists the rising Nazi party in order to free her imprisoned son. This riveting drama explores the heroic battle of the weak against the powerful, the truth against the lies, and mothers against murderers. ”
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The Price
“In Arthur Miller’s riveting masterpiece, two estranged brothers must try to make peace with their past when they meet to dispose of their late father’s belongings.”
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Mamma Mia!
“East West Players presents an all-P.O.C. production of the beloved musical Mamma Mia! The magic of ABBA’s disco-era hits brings us to a Greek island paradise where a mother, a daughter, and three possible dads take a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!”
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Sunbathe in Darkness
“In the distant past of 2007, Casey writes fanfiction for the hit Alfie Wunderkid series of books. She writes really, really, really bad fanfiction. On purpose. The plot makes no sense, the characters are inconsistent, the dialogue is at the level of a second grader who swears, and… it’s hugely popular. As the fanfiction comes to life, what started out as a joke slowly morphs into a way for her to cope…with absentee parents, an overbearing sister, and having only one friend who, let’s just be honest, is a bit of a douche.”
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Masters of the Dark Realm
“Fantasy collides with reality when Force of Nature presents the world premiere of Thomas J. Misuraca’s ‘Masters of the Dark Realm.’ When a group of long-time friends end their fantasy role-playing game, Masters of the Dark Realm, they seek out new quests in the real world.
Will a tragedy bring them together to slay their dragons, or cause their fellowship to fall apart?”
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BLUE KISS
“An SAT tutoring session takes a shocking turn when the teacher realizes that his new student is not who she claimed to be, in this intense nerve-racking drama.”
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Treason
“A dark comedy on the danger and absurdity of American politics.
Taking inspiration from the family drama of Arthur Miller and the gallows humor of Martin McDonagh, TREASON explores the entitled toxicity of our current president and his surrounding culture without relying on recent headlines. Synopsis- On a ranch in Nevada, Grant Wilson rules a made-up nation through empty shows of power and ridiculous propaganda, with his family as his only subjects. When his son takes the mission too far and his daughter questions everything, Grant fights for control in the face of family, country, and reality.”
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Chrissy Meth ~ A Dance with the Devil and a Journey Back to Self
“Chrissy Meth is a solo show written & performed by Crystal Bush with direction & development by Jessica Lynn Johnson. It centers around a motherless child “Crystal” who grows up in the western suburbs of Chicago, she finds herself stumbling from one abusive relationship to the next, pushing her into a deep drug addiction. Somehow, from the depths, of being lost forever, she finds hope and begins to put the pieces back together. Through the use of song, multimedia, humor and multiple characters, she explores, questions and challenges beliefs and social mores surrounding identity, and self-esteem while showing that it’s never too late to comeback and find one’s self-worth. ”
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VIOLENCE: The Misadventures of Spike Spangle, Farmer
“Originally written and performed in 1986, this no-holds-barred satire of militarism and media manipulation tells the story of Spike Spangle, a down on his luck farmer who gets sucked into a whirlwind of celebrity and patriotism. He joins Superman on billionaire Max Enormous’ Celebrity Space Shuttle and a nefarious plot leads to the deification of Spike Spangle as an American hero.”
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Tap Dancing My Way To The Nuthouse
“A burgeoning neurotic evolves into a full-fledged tap dance, mime, story-telling, multimedia nutcase… Come watch the trip! Does insanity win?”
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Tales By Candlelight
“A collaborative storytelling experience, driven by scent; a parcel received in the mail with a unique story-based candle.”
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Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival: Defining Moments
“Four women writer-performers will perform their stories, excerpted from larger pieces. Karen. A. Clark in The Women. In this encore excerpt and through music, poetry and storytelling, Ms. Clark reflects on the women in her family, particularly her mother, who provided a “wow” factor. Barbara Cole in Surviving Chrysalis. One woman reconciles aging in her journey toward self-actualization in this funny excerpt. Bellina Logan in Confessions of a Mulatto Child. This excerpted piece chronicles a bi-racial child’s life with her acerbic English actor/mother and the deep bond they forged. Amy Milano in Dancing with Crazies. In this excerpt from her life experiences, one woman searches for a place to call home after being uprooted from place to place as a child. Anna Maria Horsford and Ted Lange host.”
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(Anzu): Thank God for the internet and the free classes being offered by so many teachers and studios. I am also grateful for the funny memes on social media keeping me light-hearted and smiling through all this uncertainty. This pandemic has given all of us a “pause button” to reassess our beliefs, our tribes, our creative visions for ourselves as well as for the world. We are being forced to look at our individual contribution to humanity, not only as humans but as artists. This will forever change us as a society, hopefully for the best.
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