Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar!
For more shows visit our Calendar. For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Maud//The Madness
“THE ONLY NON-ORIGINAL SOLO PERFORMANCE AT HFF19. After the suicide of his father, a young man, living alone in Victorian England, struggles to find purpose in life through a passionate romance with Maud, ultimately learning that his feelings of loneliness and violent tendencies are inescapable. ”
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CANCELLED
“Hollywood Fringe Festival and the Actor’s Company present CANCELLED, a hilarious new show created and directed by Frankie Ryan Maclaughlin. Staying relevant is a full-time job in the year of our lord 2019, and the last thing you want to be is #Cancelled. A washed up child star. An up-and-coming music producer. An “influencer-by-accident”. What do they have in common? An internet scandal big enough to break them.
CANCELLED is an energetic, fresh take on the #cancelculture dominating today’s headlines. Why do we love a good, shocking, pearl-clutching scandal? Social media, sizzling hot takes, exposed past mistakes, and the dire need to #haveitall, when combined, cook up a lethal recipe- how far would you be willing to go to “make it?” Our show examines our dumpster-fire, can’t look away, schadenfreude-esque fascination with watching stars and influencers we love fall from grace- all in the blink of an eye. CANCELLED tells the tale of three young celebs – an influencer who has it all, a rapper who had it all, and a new girl who wants it all – what will it take to get them #cancelled ?”
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Shiva For Anne Frank
“Rachel’s solo show celebrates Jewish identity, girlhood, community mourning, life, and begs the question of whether or not one Jewish comedian can and should make Anne Frank’s death about herself.”
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Walking on Eggshells in Stilettos
“Walking On Eggshells In Stilettos written & performed by Ann-Marie Lariccia & directed and developed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, is one woman’s dark comedy that edutains audiences about bipolar disorder, dysfunctional relationships, depression, child abuse, and substance abuse. Using multiple characters, multimedia, and physical comedy, we journey with Ann Marie as she steps out of negative patterns and into her own power, self love and some sexy stilettos!”
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By The Light of the Moon
“’By the Light of the Moon’ makes its world premiere this June at the Broadwater Theatre as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. We find Lila, a young British woman, alone in a hospital for the criminally insane in 1928. Abandoned by her family, society, and her only friend in the asylum, she is forced to face her deepest secrets and the dark reality of the events leading up to her imprisonment. Confronting her circumstances with levity, innocence, and a strong sense of denial, Lila takes us on a journey full of playful poetry and vivid trauma until she’s forced to confront the reality of her fate. ‘By the Light of the Moon’ presents us with questions about gender, mental health and the institutional suppression of the female voice.”
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An American Video Store
“Taking place over 3 pivotal moments in the history of the American Video Store, our intimate story of clerks and customers examines the rise and fall of a cultural phenomenon that defined a generation.”
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SIGNS W/ JONATHAN DAVID
“Jonathan David has been playing for deaf ears. Born to Deaf parents with severe substance and mental health issues, David takes us through his first hand account of his and his parents upbringing, his own troubles with addiction, and his own continuing recovery. SIGNS is a hilarious and insightful look at the external and internal forces that shape who we are. Spoken word performance with American Sign Language Interpreter.”
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Cave Girl The Musical
“Cave Girl The Musical tells the story of Gloria, a woman who leaves her life behind to live in a cave where she thinks she can finally be free. As a last-ditch effort to stay in the cave, Gloria attempts to disappear into a musical. When the music fades and the true villain is revealed, she is faced with the one thing she has been trying to avoid, the truth. McCarthy imagines, “the different path my life could have taken had I not found the road to sobriety and happiness. I hope to endear people who struggle with addiction or mental health issues to audiences who might not otherwise understand.” The show-within-a-show and parody musical tropes are reinvented as this allegory for alcoholism and suicide slams head-first into one woman’s addiction to denial.”
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The Book of Briarshire
“Good Shows is proud to present The Book of Briarshire, running for five performances in the 2019 season of The Hollywood Fringe Festival from Saturday, June 8th through Sunday, June 30th. Written by and starring Kelly Moore, directed by Colleen Doyle, and produced by Conor Hanney, The Book of Briarshire is an epic medieval fantasy comedy, where kickass women rule. With an almost entirely female ensemble cast, Briarshire subverts the fantasy genre, packed with both action and laughs. Our heroine Ylva (played by Moore) wants nothing more than to become a knight and live up to her father’s legacy, so she quests to slay The Dragon (played by Lindsey Mallard) along with her clueless sister Skittles (played by Emily Bolcik) who frequently breaks into unsolicited/undesired freestyle raps. Along the way, they encounter magic, soldiers, elves, and even… a cobbler.”
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Nancy F***ing Reagan
“David is trying to turn 50 graciously, and his best friend Maggie has even organized a Palm Springs weekend for a few friends. But the death of the former First Lady that same week provokes David’s festering anger, reminding him how the unchecked AIDS epidemic diminished his life and left him single for so many years. Gently cajoled by his friends to let go of the past, David struggles, sometimes comically, to embrace the future but not forget his history.”
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POCKETMON! A Parody Musical
“Grab ahold of your Pocketballs! The Bardic Bastards return to the Hollywood Fringe after the success of their critically derided production “The Midnight Menagerie” with Pocketmon! an adult parody musical. Hilariously funny and heartwarmingly nostalgic, Pocketmon is a 90 minute special journey into the dark and zany world of Soot Snag’em as he attempts to battle his way to the RobLo League. Supported by his fiercely loyal friends and facing off against the homicidal Team Sprocket, he’ll learn that it takes more than a strong Pocketmon to defeat the Special Three and earn the title of Pocketmon master.”
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Very Good Actor: An Acting Seminar
“Series: ‘The Five Emotions’ An Instagram legend with upwards of four hundred followers, Adam Blodgett (of @verygoodactor) can teach anyone to act—with “The Note,” the landmark Very Good Actor method—using a Single Constructive Note.
This Seminar Series, ‘The Five Emotions,’ will dedicate one show to each of the five human emotions:
JUNE 7: ‘Sad’
JUNE 14: ‘Fear’
JUNE 21: ‘Glad’
JUNE 27: ‘A Sour Mood’
JUNE 29: ‘Love’”
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Vixen DeVille ReVealed
“Burlesque, Circus, Magic, Comedy and a few home truths. British actress, Cat LaCohie reveals the truth behind her Burlesque persona, Vixen DeVille, inviting you on the journey to discovering YOUR own inner Vixen.
Embrace the freedom to express yourself, BE yourself, CELEBRATE yourself, the GOOD, the BAD and THE WOBBLY!! A show guaranteed to leave you entertained and inspired.”
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APOLLO 11 – The Immersive Live Show
“APOLLO 11 — The Immersive Live Show invites audiences to go on an epic journey to the Moon and back. The story of the 400,000 individuals it took to accomplish this mission is told through the eyes of Ben, a retired NASA Aerospace Engineer, as he recounts those heady days to his granddaughter Sydney, who finds her eyes turning away from her smartphone and up to the sky as she dreams about the endless possibilities of space. This celebration of one of mankind’s greatest achievements takes audiences of all ages on the ride of a lifetime and inspires future generations to imagine what comes next. Staged in a groundbreaking, purpose-built venue, APOLLO 11 is a truly immersive live show performed by 20 actors under 40,000 square feet of stunning 360° video projection and brought to life by world-class theatre design, a full orchestral score and life-size rockets.”
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Twelfth Night
“Mischief, madness and romance are in the air this summer when Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum presents Shakespeare’s rollicking comedy in its magical, outdoor Topanga amphitheater. Shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, and fearing that her brother Sebastian has drowned, Viola must disguise herself as a man. She falls in love with the neighboring Duke Orsino — who loves the Lady Olivia — who loves the disguised Viola. But false appearances are the norm on this Island of Misrule, where the fool is king, the court jester is a philosopher, and hijinks among the servants are wickedly delicious. Original music by composer Marshall McDaniel lends the familiar words and songs a refreshing new sound, lifting Shakespeare’s elevated language to even greater heights.”
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Moby Dick – Rehearsed
“In Orson Welles’ ingenious adaptation of the famous novel by Herman Melville, a Shakespearean acting troupe works between performances of King Lear to create a play about Moby Dick. As the actors take up their new roles, the theater is transformed from a bare stage into the yardarms, sails, masts and deck of a ship hunting the great white whale. The actors provide the action-packed adventure, and the audience’s imagination provides the ocean, period costumes — and the whale.”
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Sexual Misadventures of a Straight White Male: A Privilege Story
“Sexual Misadventures of a Straight White Male: A Privilege Story is the male response to #MeToo, bro. And like, it’s totally true. Ross is on this quest to be a real man, so he goes to the Man Make Machine to learn to be a man. Like, I don’t know bro, sounds like every other story that’s out there.”
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Hell’s Kitty: The Musical
“An exciting new creative collaboration between independent film and independent theater begins this June at Fringe Festival with an adaptation of the indie cult classic comedy horror film Hell’s Kitty! The Los Angeles theatre company New Musicals Inc. (NMI) and the entertainment production company Smart Media have teamed up to present HELL’S KITTY: The Musical is a comedy, horror musical based on the original award- winning Hell’s Kitty web-series, comic book, and movie. There’s even a musical exorcism of a cat sung mostly in Latin, with “Exorcismus Feline,” and the theme song from the film sung in ensemble humorously titled “My Pussy’s Possessed.”
Unlike the movie, the musical is more of an unrequited love story involving a lonely, struggling writer, who blames his cat for his lack of inspiration, not knowing that his cat is possessed by someone from his past. The musical like the movie, which attracted horror fans and cat lovers alike, with its uncanny array of iconic cult figures from classic eighties horror films, hopes to develop the story line further by adding new musical performances, and expanding off of what began in the film with Dale Midkiff (Pet Sematary) performing a parody of Frank N’ Furter in drag. This time, however, the actors will really be singing!”
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Magic Monday
“Spring into magic when Albie Selznick returns to the Santa Monica Playhouse with his trademark Magic Monday beginning April 1. Every Monday evening through the end of August will see a new and different lineup of world-class, award-winning magicians and outstanding variety acts. Get ready for an unforgettable season of show-stopping feats — including sleight of hand, interactive parlor magic and mind-blowing illusions. Recommended for ages 6 and up.”
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Bushwick
“It’s mid-morning in February, Obama-era, in the northeastern section of Brooklyn known as “Bushwick”. We settle in the living room of an old warehouse style apartment where Skip, Beatrix, and Byron are on the hunt for the perfect subletter. Little do they know that the events of the previous night, a muddy haze in the form of a hangover, are gonna throw a wrench in all their plans. ‘Bushwick,’ a 60 minute one-act, is an Obama-era love letter to the millennial whose constant struggle with #yolo and #fomo becomes a crippling factor in the ever-evolving need to make meaning.”
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An Enemy of the People
“Theatricum Botanicum resets Henrik Ibsen’s powerful play in a small town in South Carolina in the 1980s. Powerful people have difficult choices to make in Ellen Geer’s free adaptation of this classic — and extraordinarily timely — struggle between the interests of the individual and the welfare of society.”
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The Skin of Our Teeth
“The story of humankind told through the lives of the Antrobus family. Set in 20th century New Jersey and the Ice Age, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a whirlwind of modernity and antiquity. As relevant today as its original production in 1942, this inspiring piece of Americana uses humor, history, and mythology to highlight humanity’s drive to carry on.”
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Rant & Rave
“Rogue Machine’s Most Popular Event – Every 2nd Monday. Six local writers, one topic, and a time limit. It’s an evening of cathartic thinking by some of the most dangerous minds in the city…From Emmy winning and Oscar-nominated sitcom writer and EP Dan O’Shannon (Modern Family, Cheers, Frasier), to NASA scientist/playwright Kevin Delin, to actor/dog-wrangler Jack Sundmacher, to actor/author Mary Alexandra Stiefvater, STEAL welcomes four Rant & Rave virgins. Plus, a chance to see host Ron Bottitta roast one of the show producers, Betsy Zajko, and a budding therapist who happens to be his son, Daniel Jordan Booth.”
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The Gin Game
“Real life husband and wife Alan Blumenfeld and Kathrine James star in D.L Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. The irascible Martin Weller and self-righteous Fonsia Dorsey share a mutual love of gin rummy. As they play, they reveal secrets that get used against each other – and the game becomes a metaphor for their lives.”
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Tommy’s Room
“It’s 2008 and childhood friends, Pete and Tommy, are sophomores at the Nile Christian University. Tommy is an athlete; Pete is a nerd. But despite their differences in personality and interests, they still find ways to keep their friendship alive. But for how long? One afternoon when Pete drops by Tommy’s room, hidden truths come to light, deep dark secrets are revealed. Their reality turns upside down. Will their friendship survive the day? Will they survive? This is one afternoon that will never be forgotten.”
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Garrett Clayton: It Takes Three
“”It Takes Three” is a celebratory night of cabaret, music, and dancing. Through the hits of Broadway, pop, and some of your favorite divas, “Hairspray Live!” star Garrett Clayton and special guests Ashley Argota and Desi Dennis-Dylan tell tales of their friendship, navigating Hollywood, and their own personal awakenings — peppered with fan kicks and jazz hands!”
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Another Roll of the Dice at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“North Coast Repertory Theatre is capping its highly successful Season 37 with the World Premiere of ANOTHER ROLL OF THE DICE, a rollicking musical reuniting songwriter Frank Loesser and author Damon Runyon, creators of the legendary Guys and Dolls. In Dice, three classic Runyon stories are intertwined with hits from the Loesser songbook, including “Heart and Soul,” “I Hear Music,” “Two Sleepy People,” and “Let’s Get Lost,” performed by iconic Runyonesque characters. Audiences who may be familiar with Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide from “Guys and Dolls” will delight in meeting some of their colleagues-in-crime from Runyonland: Joey Uptown, Baseball Hattie, Tobias the Terrible, singer Georgia St George and the much-in-demand safecracker, Touch Feely. Don’t take a gamble – get your winning ticket now and be among the first to witness the birth of a sure-fire classic.”
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Tenderly at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“North Coast Repertory Theatre presents: Tenderly- The Rosemary Clooney Musical. Tenderly is based on the life of Rosemary Clooney, who was hailed as America’s favorite girl singer. In this exhilarating and inspiring new musical biography, it offers a fresh, personal and poignant picture of the woman whose unparalleled talent and unbridled personality made her a legend. We learn both the story of her successes on film, radio and TV, as well as her personal struggles. The show features many of her signature hits, including “Hey There (you with the stars in your eyes),” “Tenderly,” and “Come On-A My House.” Indulge yourself in a musical that will leave you cheering at her triumphant comeback and singing these unforgettable songs.”
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Rock Around the Clock/ Rumble on the Docks
“This Saturday and Sunday, for Father’s Day weekend, Arena Cinelounge Sunset will present FREE screenings of Rock Around the Clock and Rumble on the Docks. Both films feature the band Freddie Bell and The Bellboys. Arena Cinelounge owner Christian Meoli pays tribute to the memory of his late father, Jerry Mayo (one of the Bellboys), by offering free screenings of these movies this weekend.”
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Mount Wilson Observatory’s “Songs of the Spheres”
“Mount Wilson Observatory—the scientific marvel above Pasadena, atop Mount Wilson—is pleased to announce the third date in its Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome six-month series, to take place on Sunday, July 7, 2019. The performances are presented inside the iconic vaulted dome of the 100-inch telescope. A season of musical adventures thoughtfully curated by Artistic Director Cécilia Tsan are offered on the first Sunday of each month through October with two shows per date.”
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Wait Until Dark
“New York, 1966 – In this exciting new take on Frederick Knott’s suspenseful drama, a young blind woman is manipulated by ruthless con men as they search for a mysterious doll. Trapped in her basement apartment, she learns that her blindness can be her best defense if she can only Wait Until Dark. The original Broadway production starred Lee Remick and ran for 373 performances.”
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“Shakespeare on the Deck’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is back and this time features an LGBTQIA focused storyline. This electrifying production will transport you from the deck into the vibrant club “DRØM,” where four runaway lovers go to meet, gender-defying fairies dispute, and a group of hard-working women rehearse a play. Amongst these unlikely groups runs a mischievous Puck, armed with a wicked sense of humour and love “potion” capable of making anyone fall for the first person they set eyes upon. What could go wrong?”
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Ladies
“They were pioneers who tried to accomplish something no one had ever done before with no path, no road map, and no rules. And, in the short term, they failed spectacularly. Ladies is a fictional account of the birth of The Blue Stocking Society, the world’s first major feminist movement in 1750’s London, told through a modern lens. The ladies’ ambitious goals soon create scandal in London society and conflicts amongst themselves, escalating into a tangled knot of electric and jagged relationships. These women are emboldened by their righteous cause and burdened by being revolutionaries far ahead of their time. This deliciously funny and irreverent world premiere examines the humanity and passion of these trailblazing ladies, and inspires us to carry on the work they began. AGE & CONTENT GUIDELINES: Please note that this production contains nudity, adult content, and profanity, and is recommended for ages 15+.”
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Chrysalis
“The women who brought you ECHOES present CHRYSALIS , a collection of monologues, personal essays, and short sketches written and performed by a diverse cast of femme-identifying folks, directed by Sara Tomko. Chrysalis takes a deep dive into the transitory state of life from the femme-identifying perspective. The women involved were challenged to examine their lives and let the audience in on vulnerable aspects of their personal journeys. Chrysalis showcases the different struggles of transition while honoring the beauty in our bodies, our self-growth and discovery.”
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Lear/Loman
“Willy Loman crashes into King Lear’s tattered home in Purgatory where they examine the harsh realities of their lives. In this strange dwelling between Heaven and Hell, Lear has frequent and upsetting delusions of his Earthly life, while Loman watches the serious damage he caused his family in life and after his death. Is it too late to learn and to inspire change in those they love? [ 2Cents Theatre Group’s 2019 Best of INK @Fringe ]”
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TST Presents Sum Comedy The Set Off
“TST Presents Sum Comedy The Set Off. Who has the funniest set in LA? Come check out 7 comedians compete to be The Set Off Champ! 7 minute sets, 7 Comedians, 7 minutes to crack up the audience. Special Guest Headliner Every Night!”
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Scraps
“Set in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, three months after the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer, Scraps is a provocative mash up of poetry, realism and expressionism that chronicles the effects of his death on his family and friends.”
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Forgetting not Forgotten
“It is a multimedia, multiple character story that centers around an aspiring young performer named Petal as she takes on the role of caregiver after her mother’s diagnosis with a mental illness. Petal’s life is abruptly interrupted yet again when her neighborhood becomes gentrified and Petal and her mother have to leave their family home. The circumstances, battles and situations the Petal goes through is a rites of passage to understanding life.”
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15th Anniversary Hearts of the Arts Fundraiser Gala
“Join us for an evening of savory excellence in celebration of 15 years of live theater from One More Productions! The evening’s festivities will kick off with a Silent Auction, accompanied by delicious tray passed hors d’oeuvres and champagne. You’ll then be escorted into the theater for an intimate dining experience on the stage of The GEM. While dining, guests will be treated to a private concert by renowned Jazz diva, Debbi Ebert. Ebert is truly entertainment personified. Her repertoire is a wonderful blend of classic jazz standards; a dash of blues, a sprinkle of pop – the perfect recipe for any musical appetite. All proceeds raised from this special event go directly back into the theater to allow The GEM to remain a home for the arts.”
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A Walk in the Woods at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“NOW EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND! What really goes on behind the scenes of tense arms negotiations between powerful nations? Set in the midst of the Cold War, Lee Blessing’s gripping play, A WALK IN THE WOODS, is especially relevant today. With talks seemingly at an impasse, the American and Soviet negotiators agree to meet informally while strolling through the peaceful forest. Their revealing and absorbing conversations, laced with warmth and humor, evolve through debate and discord, exploring unexpected and uncharted territory. Nominated for a Pulitzer and a Tony Award, Blessing’s dramatic comedy was inspired by historic conversations between negotiators Paul H. Nitze and Yuli A Kvitsinsky who left the official 1982 Geneva sessions for an unofficial “walk in the woods.” For those yearning for a more enlightened world, this play is shrewdly observant and resonates with the ring of political truth.”
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The Comedy of Errors at North Coast Rep Theatre School
“The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents for FREE at three different outdoor venues in three different cities William Shakespeare’s THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus and his servant, Dromio, both of Syracuse arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their long lost twins, who go by the same names! When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession. Fast-paced comedy fun for all ages.”
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The Favorite
““THE FAVORITE” is a dark comedy about the Holmes siblings who have just lost their mother and are cleaning out their parents’ garage for the very last time. Shelby and Megan are competitive sisters with polar opposite world views; their adopted African American brother, Dylan is prone to having lively conversations with inanimate objects. They all have unresolved conflicts that get unpacked along with the mountains of boxes, bags and crates. As the family goes through the endless pile of their parents’ accumulated treasures and junk, they relive childhood milestones and touchstones, both joyous and traumatic. Things take an unexpected turn when they uncover a painting that was painted by their mother. She has left a note saying that the painting should go to her favorite child, without specifying which one of them that is. Old wounds are exposed and generously doused in salt until the afternoon comes to a climax when Shelby’s husband, Ethan makes a shocking discovery in a dusty old trunk.”
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Divalicioius! A Celebration of Women in Jazz
“One More Productions is thrilled to welcome back for the 3rd year in a row, the incomparable, Debbi Ebert, in her cabaret, DIVALICIOUS! A Celebration of Women in Jazz! This is the second of four performances in the 2019 Cabaret Series. Debbi Ebert is entertainment personified. Her repertoire is a genius blend of classic jazz standards, a dash of blues, a sprinkle of pop – the perfect recipe for any musical appetite. With her blend of musical styles and sultry stage personality, she dazzles in a variety of musical environments from concert halls to Big Bands to a classic jazzy combo. She is truly in a spotlight all her own! Tickets are $25 for general admission. This is an onstage seating event.”
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Ideation at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“Aaron Loeb brings a dark comic edge to this psychological suspense thriller, in which a group of corporate consultants work together on a mysterious and ethically ambiguous project. As the lines between right and wrong are blurred, these characters must navigate the cognitive dissonances and moral dilemmas to decide for themselves if everything is, as it really seems. Andrew Barnicle directs a cast of NCRT’s best.”
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