Like a box of chocolates, here's a rich and varied collection of L.A. theatrical, comedy, magic, and variety shows, readings, and classic films to enjoy for your Valentine's, Galentine's, or Palentine's Weekend--and beyond--currently registered on Better Lemons' Calendar.
Rest your feet after all that shopping, get out of that L.A. holiday traffic for a few hours, and slip into a cozy theatre or concert venue during the Holidays!
Los Angeles theatre is alight with dozens of musicals, comedy, cabaret, magic, live radio plays, film and live mash-up productions, classic Dickens, music, dance, variety, and family-friendly shows themed to get you into the spirit of the season.
Here's is a healthy collection of shows available now and until you are just about ready to ring in the New Year.
ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY (ETC) presents the second show of its 2019-20 Season, the can’t-miss, holiday event of the season, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY, adapted by Joe Landry, from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra & Jo Swerling and directed by ETC’s Director of Education and Outreach, Brian McDonald.
Actors Co-op Theatre Company is proud to present the Los Angeles premiere of a new adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play, based on the 1947 Lux Radio Hour, adapted by Lance Arthur Smith, original songs and arrangements by Jon Lorenz, directed by Joseph Leo Bwarie.
"Miracle on 34th Street" brings a heartwarming and classic tale of faith, love, and the gift of miracles to the holiday season, featuring live Foley effects and a score of holiday carols this beautiful story is sure to ring in Christmas for all. OVATION RECOMMENDED PRODUCTION!!! At the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre.
A Christmas Carol: The One-Man Play - The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Company presents Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: The One-Man Play, directed by frequent Porters collaborator Drina Durazo. "Charles Dickens was known for being a performer of his own works; his novels were written with such vivid theatricality that they were almost like plays," says Durazo. "We're aiming to recreate the experience of Dickens' public recitals with a A Christmas Carol, The One-Man Play, and it's been a great joy exploring this beloved classic by way of Krieger's dynamic performance."
Having most recently taken on the roles of Theseus in The Two Noble Kinsmen and director of Romeo and Juliet, Associate Artistic Director Gus Krieger portrays over thirty characters in this telling of Dickens' classic tale. Having assumed iconic roles for the company including Richard III, Shylock, Benedick, and King John, Krieger is thrilled to return to the boards of North Hollywood.
A Los Angeles holiday tradition is back with some show veterans for just a few dates in a special engagement! It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play takes place at KAWL, a struggling 1940s radio station that good-hearted owner Michael Anderson is barely keeping alive. He calls on some old friends (with big personalities) and some less-than-professional station employees to offer up a live radio version of Frank Capra’s touching masterpiece It’s a Wonderful Life in what might sadly be the station’s last live show. But it’s the holidays, a time when miracles can happen…
TROUBADOUR THEATER COMPANY continues its 25th SILVER ANNIVERSARY SEASON with "A CHRISTMAS CAROLE KING." Musical Direction by Derrick Finely, Directed and Adapted by Matt Walker, in a limited Engagement opening Friday, December 13, 2019, at The El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood!
For their 18th annual holiday offering, The Troubies have combined the soulful sounds of songstress Carole King with one of the most enduring stories of our time – Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” – and the result is SO FAR AWAY from what you'd expect!
Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol, at A Noise Within, Directed by Geoff Elliott & Julia Rodriguez-Elliott.
ANW’s delightfully festive, musically merry holiday tradition returns! Families love the inspirational story of Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Scrooge—the perfect burst of boundless good cheer for the season, and beyond!
“Only a die-hard humbug could remain unmoved by so charming a yuletide treat.” – Los Angeles Times
A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory. This is the 40th year for the beloved Orange County holiday classic—and marks the final time that Hal Landon Jr. will portray everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. Nineteenth-century London comes to life when your family joins the SCR family for the holidays. Recapture the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with this timeless Dickens classic and all your favorite characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come. No children under the age of 6, please.
Instead of performing Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told -- plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung. A madcap romp through the holiday season! An outrageous holiday romp for the whole family (except those who still believe in Santa!) Written by Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald and John K. Alvarez. Music by Will Knapp. Directed by Gary Lamb. Musical director: Sean Paxton.
Yippie ki yay, theatre goers! We're settling the debate, once and for all. Yes, "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie. But when John McClane meets Ralphie from "A Christmas Story," let's just say more than just your eye might get shot out! What better way to end the year than by mashing up classic Christmas movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" with characters from some of your favorite "Not A Christmas Movie" movies like "Batman Returns?" Mix in a few iconic movie props, a team of talented writers, directors and actors and let the holiday drama and hi-jinks ensue! The way only our RUSH play festival can! Great for the whole family!
Written by Tyler Bianchi, Evan Baughfman, Jeff Folschinsky, Holly Sidell, Samantha Grace, Adam Neubauer, Samantha & Lilia Marquis, Directed by Jonathan Fahn, Jennifer Novak Chun, Holly Witham, Corey Chappell,
Randy Marquis, Tom Jones & Stacy Ann Raposa. At the Actors Workout Studio.
Developed in the Antaeus Playwrights Lab, Eight Nights is the heartfelt, lyrical portrait of a German Jewish refugee haunted by her past...witnessed over the course of generations of the same family that inhabits a single apartment from 1949 to 2016. Set during the eight nights of Chanukah, and spanning eight decades of the protagonist’s life, Eight Nights weaves together heart-aching moments with life-affirming humor to call out the trauma experienced not only by concentration camp survivors, but by African American descendants of slavery, by interned Japanese Americans, and by current victims of war in Africa and the Middle East.
Dysfunctional Family Christmas - Misunderstandings, Mistaken Identities, and Holiday Chaos create a fun-filled Christmas Morning at the Logan Home.
Before they sell the family home, Dean and Joanne Logan want one perfect final Christmas with their adult children. Although, once Grandpa is found dead, their plans go haywire as they attempt to hide the body from the family.
"A sardonic, merrily subversive tale—just the antidote to bright-eyed joy before too many shopping days have passed. Worth more than a photo album full of Santas!" NY Newsday. When it was first broadcast on National Public Radio, The SantaLand Diaries generated more requests for tapes than any story in This American Life’s history except the death of Red Barber. Timothy Olyphant brought the story to life on stage off-Broadway, and for the fourth year in a row Patrick Censoplano dons the candy-cane tights for a Santa Monica Playhouse holiday celebration in this outrageously funny one-man play from NPR’s well-loved humorist David Sedaris about the author’s experiences as an unemployed writer taking a job as an elf at Macy’s department store in New York City, taking a wry look at how the holiday season brings out the best – and the worst – in us all. Toast the Holidays! Your ticket includes a pre-show glass of champagne or non-alcoholic eggnog.
The story of Sugar Plum Fairy, based on Loh’s original tale on This American Life, follows a 12-year-old Sandra and her over-the-top dream of landing the lead in the inevitable dance school production of The Nutcracker. Loh and friends are pitted against the vicious hierarchy of desirable roles in this well-weathered ballet, while she desperately yearns to be recognized as a pre-teen queen in her own right. The play features Shannon Holt and Tony Abatemarco in a rotation of quirky characters from her misfit friends to a rigid Russian ballet instructor, as well as being co-conspirators in spreading some literal holiday cheer around the theater. Wittily set to a classical music score (a la Disney’s Fantasia’s hippopotamus ballerinas), Sugar Plum Fairy is knitted together with moments of audience participation, and attendees are encouraged to dress in their most festive outfits, prepare for sugary showers of candy, and get photos for the ‘gram with Yuletide-themed set designs that include reindeer, an animatronic Santa, and even, if you’re lucky, Frosty the Snowman.
Use code "Jingle10" at checkout for 10% off tickets valid Thursday evenings, Friday evenings, and Saturday matinees on all 3 seating sections. Cannot be combined with any other discounts.
Sixteen actors play nearly 30 characters in a holiday spectacular that will put you in a festive mood! A play-within-a-play, this fast-paced comedy follows a small, LGBTQ+ community theatre as it struggles to pull together its annual holiday pageant.
Written by Joe Marshall, directed by Bree Pavey. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Cassandra Carmona, Matt Caudel, Noah Copfer, Andrew Cottrell, Madylin Sweeten Durrie, Dan Ellis, Javier Flores, Barbera Ann Howard, Sean James, Corey Klemow, Katy Laughlin, Ignacio Navarro, Alejandro Baquero Sanchez, Scottie Smith, Luke Sookdeo, and Bart Tangredi.
Colin can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone so he hires some company. Unfortunately, the girl who turns up is not the goddess he was hoping for.
Can this mismatched couple make it to Boxing Day without killing each other?
Back in LA for the fourth time, "The Christmas Present" is the heart-warming story of a hooker, a hotel room, and some holiday magic.
Rubicon Theatre audiences are invited to “rejoice and be plaid” this holiday season as Ventura’s non-profit professional theatre company presents the hilarious and heartwarming musical comedy PLAID TIDINGS in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District. The production is directed by the original creator STUART ROSS, and the cast for PLAID TIDINGS includes SEAN BELL, ADOLPHO BLAIRE, JOSHUA DAVID CAVANAUGH and ZACHARY EDWARDS, all making their Rubicon Theatre debuts. The show includes holiday favorites such as “Cool Yule,” “Let it Snow,” and “Joy to the World”; a hysterically funny speed-date version of “The Ed Sullivan Show” featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks and The Vienna Boys Choir; and other memorable hits from the era, like “Sh-Boom,” “Fever” and “Hey There.”
The Los Angeles Times called PLAID TIDINGS “a many splendored thing.” Variety described the show as Musical utopia…the perfect show. And the Daily News called the show “heaven-sent holiday fare.”
“SANTASIA - A Holiday Comedy” created by Shaun and Brandon Loeser, directed by Shaun Loeser, is celebrating its 20th year. At the Whitefire Theatre, this Off-Broadway Hit and Critics’s Pick laugh out loud annual holiday romp, is the perfect blend of Yuletide snark and sentiment, and has been compared to "The Carol Burnett Show", "The Kids in the Hall", "In Living Color", "Saturday Night Live" and Vaudeville. This multi-media holiday special has it all including classic Rankin and Bass Claymation inspired movies, musical parodies, and heartfelt holiday moments.
The Wallis & For The Record’s biggest, record-breaking hit returns this holiday season! The multimedia concert celebration of one of the most beloved holiday films of all time is back by popular demand, now as a not-to-be-missed Los Angeles tradition. The team behind LA’s award-winning series For The Record transforms The Wallis’ Bram Goldsmith Theater into an immersive cinema, where the modern classic written by Richard Curtis is reborn as a revolutionary stage and screen event. To tell the story, the film and live action seamlessly intertwine throughout the London setting. Iconic scenes on screen share the stage with an all-star cast of singers and a 15-piece orchestra, as they reimagine the film’s hit soundtrack including “Christmas is All Around” and “Trouble With Love." Love Actually Live is a first-of-its-kind, theatrical cinema experience.
WARNING: This production features theatrical haze effects, adult content, and brief nudity. It is recommended for ages 13+.
The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale is excited to bring back one of the most anticipated concerts of the season, our annual holiday sing-along concert! Joining us on stage this year will be the delightful San Fernando Valley Youth Chorus, under the direction of Sean Carney.
Led by Artistic Director Charlie Kim and accompanied by Bob Remstein, expect to hear your favorite holiday classics along with John Rutter's "Gloria" accompanied by a brass quartet. And lots of audience participation! Join us for a night filled with fun, music, and holiday cheer for the whole family. All ages are welcome.
Ugly Sweater Contest: Oh, and don't forget to bring your ugly sweater! This year SFVMC will give away free tickets for a future concert to the audience member who brings the ugliest holiday sweater.
The Merry Little Christmas Show - BroadwayWorld Critics’ Pick and StageSceneLA Award-winner Scott Dreier, star of last season’s acclaimed hit "Doris and Me," returns to The Colony Theatre with his holiday concert. Featuring special guest Kurtis Simmons and music director Andy Langham. Dreier will take audiences back to the feel of cherished, classic, holiday TV specials hosted by Perry Como, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and others — paying homage while also providing his modern take with pop and jazz interpretations of holiday treasures. The performance will include holiday classics including "Sleigh Ride," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "O Holy Night," "I’ve Got Your Love to Keep Me Warm," "Merry Christmas Darling," and many more. This show will transport you back to your living room sitting around the fireplace telling stories and sharing songs of the season.
How did a nice Evangelical Christian girl from Arizona wind up doing a one-woman comical cabaret show at Jewish Women’s Theatre (JWT) in Santa Monica? Audiences will laugh and maybe even sing along, as they learn the secrets of Anna Abbott’s dual life in her new solo show, "A Very Goyisha Hanukkah," playing two performances only at The Braid, JWT’s art and performance space.
The Group Rep presents A Twisted Christmas Carol, a world premiere comedy written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York, a Texas-style spoof of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Talk-backs are after Sunday shows 12/21 and 01/04. Upstairs at the Group Rep on the second floor of the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood 91601. The Upstairs venue is not handicapped accessible.
The Eight: Reindeer Monologues by Jeff Goode, Directed by Jerry Pilato & Erica Livingstone
Santa's Reindeer Tells All! With each deer's confession, the truth behind the shocking allegations becomes clearer and clearer and seems to implicate everyone from the littlest elf to the tainted Saint himself. Don't miss this expose of North Pole Naughtiness.
Starring David Janisch as Dasher, Eric Trigg as Comet, Christine McCoy as Dancer, Andrew Walters as Hollywood (Prancer), Mclain Parker as Cupid, Melanie Mino as Blitzen, Michael Adler as Donner and Kellen Gold as Vixen.
A Workshop Production of a new TST Christmas comedy with music, written by Glen Philip and Alisa Murray, and Directed by Nancy Cheryll Davis, ast the Stella Adler Theatre.
Travelers get stranded on Christmas Eve at Angel Airlines where nothing is free, even a picture with Santa. Hilarious and fun, it's the perfect show for the holidays. One Night ONLY!
At the Stella Adler Theatre. Admission is Pay What You Will, which includes TST Christmas Party immediately following the show. Bring an unwrapped toy for the Children's Toy Drive.
Emmy Award-winner Leslie Jordan returns to Catalina Jazz Club with his hilarious holiday show "Deck Them Halls, Y’All" for one performance only. Best known for his stand-out roles in "Sordid Lives," "American Horror Story," "The Help," as the beloved Beverley Leslie on "Will & Grace" (for which he is currently shooting the final season), and most recently as Sid on the Fox series "The Cool Kids," Leslie Jordan has charmed fans for over four decades.
His hilarious holiday tales are not to be missed. Jordan’s special guest will be country-pop singer Brandon Stansell.
Los Angeles Times calls Impro Theatre “Amazing!” One of the funniest evenings as the troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes. Starting with an audience suggestion, the troupe creates completely improvised, full-length plays in the styles of the world’s greatest writers. Join us this holiday season for a hilarious comedy inspired by the works of Charles Dickens. Comic portrayals, cruel melodrama and heartbreaking tenderness explode onto the teeming streets of Victorian London. A fun and festive evening of comedy.
Laguna Playhouse brings back its holiday tradition! A Special, Stripped Down to the Abs, Musical Event! "The Skivvies: I Touch My Elf" at Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach!
With Special Guest Appearances by Broadway’s Nick Adams, jackbenny and more! Ho, Ho, Ho, you don’t want to miss this show!
Broadway stars Lauren Molina (Rock of Ages, Sweeney Todd) and Nick Cearley (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All Shook Up) return to the Laguna Playhouse for two nights of the most outrageous holiday show of the season. This undie-rock, comedy pop, award-winning duo perform stripped-down, mashed-up versions of holiday favorites and more. Expect to see ukulele, electric cello and an array of zany instruments.
BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are back in an all-new two-queen holiday extravaganza at The Montalbán!
After last year’s wildly successful "To Jesus, Thanks for Everything," Jinkx and DeLa return to the stage this holiday season in a high-spirited scramble to maintain your interest! DeLa is all sugar and Jinkx is all spice — but how do these two very different gals deal with the stress of the holidays? A little song, a lot of eggnog, and theatres full of people looking at them. Yup ... all they want for Christmas is attention!
Returning to Hollywood by popular demand, platinum-selling recording artist and Tony Award-nominated actor Sam Harris brings his new holiday show to Catalina Jazz Club for one performance only. Led by his longtime musical director Todd Schroeder, Harris will perform Broadway, pop, and holiday fare.
The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by Charles M. Schulz, based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson Stage Adaptation by Eric Schaeffer, and by Special Arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Persson.
When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism he sees among everyone during the Christmas season, Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown accepts, but this proves to be a frustrating endeavor. When an attempt to restore the proper holiday spirit with a forlorn little Christmas tree fails, he needs Linus’ help to discover the real meaning of Christmas.
The Nutcracker from critically acclaimed Inland Pacific Ballet,celebrating 25 years. The Nutcracker comes to life with this magnificent ballet comprised of beautiful sets, dazzling costumes, and more than 80 dancers on stage. The Nutcracker tells the story of a young girl who receives a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve and sets out on a wondrous journey to the Land of the Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Toy soldiers, life-sized dancing dolls, and a fantastic dream with battling mice, dancing snowflakes, waltzing flowers, and the delightful Sugar Plum Fairy stir the imagination. Meet the cast after the performance for photos and autographs. This is family entertainment at its best.
Experience the joy of the season as Jenny Wong, GMCLA’s interim Artistic Director and Associate Conductor of the LA Master Chorale, leads GMCLA in choral classics, timeless Christmas carols, a medley of hits from the beloved film Love Actually, Broadway bonanzas, and Mariah Carey’s anthem – it’s all you’ll want for Christmas. A Los Angeles tradition for the entire family, this concert will be truly Spectacular!
Curated by Performances à la Carte, Jazz ‘n Paz continues with its’ seasonal intimate jazz series showcasing some of Los Angeles’ finest jazz musicians. To ring in the holidays, the December concert, Carols of the Belles, features the vocals of the iconic Barbara Morrison, Jamie Perez, and Renee Myara, at Pasadena’s Neighborhood UU Church. In a jazzy program of standards and holiday favorites, the musicians behind the angelic voices feature Michael Ragonese on piano, James Yoshizawa on drums, Danny Janklow on sax and flute, and Luca Alemmano on bass...A Holiday Champagne Party will follow the concert and may be added to any concert ticket purchase online for an additional $12. The party will feature appetizers, desserts, champagne and non-alcoholic punch along with music, dancing, comedic holiday improv antics and capped off with a Holiday Sing-A-Long.
L.A.’s largest holiday spectacular celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019 is at The Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Join this year’s co-hosts, internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán and actress Marissa Ramirez (Blue Bloods), for this free, three-hour holiday show featuring 25 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from the many neighborhoods and cultures that make up L.A. Once again, PBS SoCal will host a live broadcast of the event that has been a Los Angeles holiday tradition since 1959, while KCET will air the program twice on Christmas Day.
Legendary Cuban jazz trumpet player Arturo Sandoval, accompanied by his world-renowned band, will kick off this year’s celebration with a medley of holiday songs. Returning favorites include Hālau Keali’i o Nālani & the Daniel Ho Trio, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, gospel choir Greater LA Cathedral Choir, Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Academy and folklorico troupe Pacifico Dance Company. Some of this year’s newcomers include Latin folk band Cuñao, the dancers and drummers of African Soul International and a cappella group Street Corner Renaissance.
All-female, two-time GRAMMY award-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea will team up with their “brother” band Mariachi Espectacular, and Jewish cultural revival band Mostly Kosher will share the stage with Urban Voices Project, a choir made up of men and women surviving homelessness on Skid Row. Those who can't make it to The Music Center on Dec. 24 can watch the live broadcast on PBS SoCal starting at 3 p.m., with the rebroadcast on KCET on Christmas Day from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., or online at pbssocal.org/holidaycelebration.
Theatrical shows, Film Festivals, Musicals, Dance, Solo, and Awards Showsregistered on the Better Lemons calendar!
For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
One Night Only
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SkyPilot Theatre Company presents "One Night Only - A showcase of highlights from company members". Join us for an evening that promises to entertain and get the laughs going. Join us for an evening that promises to entertain and get the laughs going. https://t.co/ZlTYETXXy9pic.twitter.com/G7nnzOrdyK
MERMAID OF THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH
When an idealistic marine biologist captures a mermaid, they realize mermaids are much different than the fairy tales say. https://t.co/havNJr3rKapic.twitter.com/8uYGUS5Kf4
DEFENDERS - The lines between myth and reality become increasingly blurred in Defenders. When Iceland was threatened with invasion by Germany in WW2, the allies decide to step in. https://t.co/WbXsZkujB8pic.twitter.com/GolQZHmwvZ
The Blank Theatre and Marc Huestis Presents offer a multimedia event to celebrate the release of the audio book of Marc Huestis’s memoir "Impresario of Castro Street," narrated by actor/activist and Blank Theatre Artistic Director Daniel Henning. https://t.co/1hdbvbZNphpic.twitter.com/qdYObzUYum
4 Times Entertainment (creators of The Company Men) in association with The Montalbán is pleased to announce the World Premiereof "The Soul of Broadway - Impossible Dreams" starring Terron Brooks with musical direction by Mark Vogel on Sunday, November 3. https://t.co/U9GlmM3u53pic.twitter.com/9lJPCG2zMa
A special one-night-only concert, Levi Kreis’s "Home for the Holidays" will infuse gospel, country, rockabilly, and jazz into an exuberant and spirit-lifting collection of Christmas classics and holiday favorites. https://t.co/a5aXwwX5NJpic.twitter.com/BnGPuYdGGD
“SOMETHING ROTTEN!”
It’s the 1590s in London, and brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play, but they are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star, William Shakespeare. https://t.co/DliGFExLC9pic.twitter.com/vv84ziIdIl
You can’t beat City Hall, but you can try. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy-drama by Stephen Adly Guirgis, ex-cop and recent widower Walter ‘Pops’ Washington has made a home for his newly paroled son in his sprawling, rent-controlled New York City https://t.co/no74bnhToa
THE WRONG KIND OF PEOPLE - Theo, an African-American law student, needing privacy to study for the California Bar Exam during 1942, checks in at the exclusive Guardian Hotel located in downtown Los Angeles. https://t.co/w4Sn9KAGpMpic.twitter.com/CMyWr9dqRl
Second City/NBC Bob Curry Fellowship Showcases 2019
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2019 Bob Curry Fellows to Perform Showcase at Second City Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA (August 2019) - On October 17th, the 2019 Bob Curry Fellows will share their talents in the first of three performances. https://t.co/nnG9HuOtrmpic.twitter.com/hMpNa9jLYF
“The Double V” is a new play examining how a 1942 letter to the Pittsburgh Courier, asking whether black men should be asked to fight for a country that considers them “half-American,” sparked the Double V campaign and, many believe, the civil rights move https://t.co/o7ag2J7LW8pic.twitter.com/hdmym3Y4Lo
Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival - Our Fantasia and On the Terrace
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Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival presents a special event: The World Premieres of two short plays by John Patrick Shanley: Our Fantasia, directed by John Hindman and starring Nora Garrett and Graham Sibley; and On the Terrace, directed by Jackie Diamond https://t.co/1LvqnjLHt8
October, 23, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. Little Women. Family/Romance. Directed by George Cukor. Adapted for the screen by Sarah Y. Mason and Victor Heerman.Based on thenovel by Louisa May Alcott. Directed by Merian C. Cooper. From RKO Radio Pictures. https://t.co/lBpvLf4kyXpic.twitter.com/vs6WV2xH2o
"An Excuse to Behave Badly – The Variety Show!" is a one-hour variety show with a mix of stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival hit and Encore! Producers’ Award-winner "An Excuse to Behave Badly" by Jenni Halina. https://t.co/FdLeznuhropic.twitter.com/9ce13PsmWG
The Hollywood Police Activities League Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 16th Annual Hollywood PAL Awards Gala on Tuesday, November 12th from 6-9:30pm. https://t.co/WcPtj6TjUbpic.twitter.com/TbFrUwyoRG
CIRCA: HUMANS - Internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company Circa comes all the way from Australia to make its debut as The Wallis’ first foray into contemporary circus with Humans. https://t.co/ZgUwQbFZnB
Chills & Thrills at Little Fish Theatre
Oct 30 - Nov 3
Our handpicked bag of eight short plays, filled with twisted treats and tricks that scream Halloween. https://t.co/kiAbBDCmxG
TAP DANCING MY WAY TO THE NUTHOUSE - A burgeoning neurotic evolves into a full fledged tap dance, mime, story-telling, multi media nutcase... Come watch the trip! Does insanity win?
Discounts to Better Lemons subscribers & seniors: $5 off regular price https://t.co/dPwWM7d45T
The Eight: Reindeer Monologues by Jeff Goode
Santa's Reindeer Tells All! With each deer's confession, the truth behind the shocking allegations becomes clearer and clearer and seems to implicate everyone from the littlest elf to the tainted Saint https://t.co/IeHHs3EFstpic.twitter.com/2NhcQPjr97
UPDATE: The notorious play, DISROBED, is moving to a monthly residency at Studio C, which is along Theatre Row in central Hollywood, along with 3 new actors! The heartfelt comedy was nominated for Best Immersive Show at this year’s 2019 Fringe Festival! https://t.co/aCH80Pbso6pic.twitter.com/xgQUJBnrJD
"Aliens, Immigrants & Other Evil Doers" - A sci-fi “Latino noir” satire, inspired by interviews with immigrants who crossed the border to escape economic despair and war, that spotlights anti-immigrant hysteria. https://t.co/Vui7E9g4EJpic.twitter.com/dg2W11ZblE
Soaring Solo Artist Award Squeeze My Cans by Cathy Schenkelberg
Dear Jeff by Callie Ott
Mr. Yunioshi by Jonathan Cho Mandy Picks A Husband by Amanda Broomell
The One-Man Improvised Musical by Conor Hanney
Lemon Butter is a bi-monthly column featuring choice restaurants, lounges, Happy Hours, and other spots where hospitality is offered, that are convenient to theatre venues throughout Los Angeles. For distances and times given traffic and parking are not factored in. Where available, contact all hospitality venues for valet or parking information and/or reservations.
[tweet https://twitter.com/LemonadeLA/status/1086329199403528194 width='425' align='right'] The counter-service restaurant features a variety of salads, sandwiches, bowls, and hot entrées–items like a Curry Apple Chicken Salad with whole grain mustard & golden raisins, Thai Chicken Meatballs in green curry sauce, a Roasted Mango Chicken with sautéed kale & seasonal vegetables, served over warm, seasoned white or brown rice, or a spicy Pineapple Chicken Green Bean with toasted coconut, jalapeños & jerk dressing.
There are Asian-inspired bowls, like the Ahi Tuna Avocado with ahi tuna, avocado, radish, tangerine, and sesame served over warm, seasoned white or brown rice. served with ginger, shallots, seaweed, & furikake or the Thai Ginger Salmon sweet soy-ginger salmon poke with Thai peanut noodles, served with ginger, shallots, seaweed, & furikake. Sandwiches such as a Turkey ‘El Tijuana’ with jicama slaw, queso fresco, avocado, pickled jalapeños, and jalapeño aioli.
The Classic Mac and Cheese and Avocado and Cherry Tomato salad at Lemonade in Larchmont Village. Photo by Monique A. LeBleu.
Lemonade also has an assortment of vegetarian hot and cold items, such as a Tomato & Mozzarella sandwich with basil, pesto, and balsamic or a Classic Grilled Cheese with aged cheddar cheese, the Grilled Artichoke Asparagus with snap peas, manchego, arugula, pine nuts, & lemon artichoke vinaigrette, Curried Cauliflower with golden raisins & almonds, New Mexican Chili Roasted Butternut Squash with white corn, lime corn nuts, & scallion ranch dressing vegetarian, or Beet Couscous with red onion, baby spinach, goat cheese, dill, & creamy herb dressing.
For vegans, a Snap Pea Edamame with Watermelon Radish, Carrots, & Sesame Vinaigrette, Avocado Cherry Tomato with pine nuts & lime-cilantro vinaigrette, kale farro, or Red Kale Quinoa with sunomono vegetables, gala apple, colored cauliflower, scallions, & white miso vinaigrette, and a Southwest Vegan Chili with zucchini, squash, red beans.
Lemonade - 626 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004 – (323) 464-0700
[tweet https://twitter.com/Wehobistro/status/810588850946850817 width='425' align='right'] Cozy for brunch, in time for Pride Month, and nearest the Marilyn Monroeat Lee Strasberg, McCadden Place Theatre,LGBT Center, and just a short jaunt from Theatre Row, the WeHo Bistro starts the day right with an eye-opener like Wicked Bloody Mary or an endless Mimosa to pair with brunch items such a Croissant French Toast made with a fresh croissant dipped in eggs and butter, grilled, then topped with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream, or their Croque Madame, a French-style sandwich made with ham and melted Emmental Swiss cheese on grilled brioche bread with a sunny side up organic egg on top.
For a leisurely dinner, start with their French Onion Soup dripping with melted and toasted Emmental Swiss cheese and homemade croutons, a French Pate Platter with pork rillette, duck pâté with pistachio, chicken liver pâté and pâté de champagne, or Lamb Sliders prepared with cucumber, lettuce, tzatziki, feta cheese and onions. For sample entrées, there's a Genoa Pasta made with jumbo tiger shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil and tossed with spaghetti al dente in a creamy pesto sauce or a Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Sauce comprised of an 8oz Prime Grade Angus Filet Mignon topped with tiny onion rings and served with potatoes Dauphinoise and tomato Provençal.
And for a quick cocktail between shows, you can have a kiki with Jerry’s Kiki cocktail made with Redemption Bourbon Whiskey, or a gild the lily with a WeHo Bistro’s signature Gold Blend, egg white, lemon with gold flakes on top.
Gallery photos by Velvet Media & Marketing.
WeHo Bistro - 1040 North La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069 - (310) 657-9696
Distance to Marilyn Monroeat Lee Strasberg - 1.5 miles via Santa Monica (10 min. drive)
Distance to McCadden Place Theatre- 2.3/2.5 miles via Santa Monica (11 min. drive)
Distance to LGBT Center- 2.3 miles via Santa Monica (11 min. drive)
Distance to Theatre Row - 2.7 miles via Santa Monica (11 min. drive)
The restaurant and full bar features a Happy Hour from 4 -7 p.m. daily, and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, lunch and dinner.
Several unique and Traditional Peruvian dishes are offered such as the Mixto ceviche cocktail, to start, of striped bass, shrimp, octopus, squid, lime juice, onions, choclo – a giant Peruvian corn, and rocoto – a spicy chili pepper. For entrées, there's the Lomo Saltado – a sauteed beef filet with onion, tomato, Lee Kum Kee sauce, Kennebec fries, and rice on the side, the Sudado De Pescado – a poached Mediterranean Sea Bream with tomatoes, cilantro, chives, onions, chicha de jora – a Peruvian corn beverage, the Clasico Striped bass with lime juice, onions, choclo, and rocoto pepper, an Agnolotti De Seco – a homemade ravioli stuffed with lamb, cilantro beer sauce, finished with rocoto aioli, or a traditional Arroz Con Pollo of chicken confit, cilantro rice, salsa criolla, and creamy huancaina sauce.
Los Balcones also has a few vegetarian dishes. To start, there's a Baby Kale Salad with gooseberries, red radish, red apples, walnuts parmesan cheese, and lemon vinegar. Then, for entrées, the Solterito De Quinoa with quinoa, queso fresco, choclo, fava beans, heirloom carrots, cherry tomatoes, red wine vinegar dressing, or the Coliflor A La Nortena – a pan-seared cauliflower with cilantro sauce.
For dessert, the Picarones, a Peruvian sweet potato beignet, tropical fruit syrup or a Chicha Morada, a traditional Peruvian beverage made from purple corn & spices.
Los Balcones - 1360 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA - (323) 871-9600
Within walking distance to The Montaban and the Pantages is 800 Degrees in the Sunset + Vine mall. The street-level restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating with a dog-friendly "Bark Park" patio. Also, tucked away upstairs above the restaurant, is Sunset and Vinyl, a cozy speakeasy bar that features you-pick-and-play-it vinyl. The bar is a warm and comfortable, circa 1970s, living room-style atmosphere, complete with window views that looks upon one of the city's most famous intersections.
800 Degrees makes hand-stretched, wood-fired Old World pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and Rotisserie Chicken served with their signature sauces and a host of sides, such as Roasted fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts, hummus, farm Greens, and Quinoa Tabbouleh.
There are six different “in-house” sauces made to accompany their roasted chicken – the Peruvian Jalapeno-Cilantro Sauce (reminiscent of a Peruvian "Aji" sauce) made with jalapeños, cilantro, lime, mayo and garlic, a Barbecue Sauce, a Tahini Sauce of tahini paste, garlic and olive oil, the Spicy Tomato of uncooked Roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and Calabrian Chile, and the Calabrian Chile Aioli includes with the Italian chilis blended with herbs, spices and aioli, and the Piri Piri Sauce – a blend of citrus, chilis, garlic, onion, herbs and olive oil.
The local-made Burrata cheese makes a good starter and is served with the Cherry Tomato & Pesto, the Prosciutto & Strawberry or the Beets & Balsamic.
There a several signature pizzas to order from, such as the Quattro Formaggi – their “Bianca” with mozzarella, smoked provolone, gorgonzola & fontina, finished with wildflower honey, a BBQ with rotisserie chicken, BBQ sauce, smoked provolone, peppadews, red onions, and cilantro, a Tartufo of a Bianco with truffled pecorino, wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, and arugula, or a Prosciutto & Burrata – a lassic Margherita topped with Prosciutto di Parma and local burrata.
Gallery photos by Monique A. LeBleu.
Or you can make a custom pizza from a large selection of unique toppings, such as Bianca pizza with butternut squash and caramelized onions or a Margherita topped with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and roasted garlic. Good for keeping away the vampires!
They also has a selection of beer and wine for the inside and patio dining.
Sunset & Vinyl has craft cocktails such as the Master Cleanse of gin, ginger, carrot and lemon or a Dance or Die with Mezcal, pineapple, Aperol, and lemon, and a daily Happy Hour from 6 - 8 p.m. with $5 well drinks and draft beer and $6 for a glass of wine.
Films and Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar! For more shows visit our Calendar. For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
HISHI-KEN 〜 THE PATH OF SOUL TRANSCENDENCE〜
“The SAMURAI kills with his sword for the first time. His values broke away when he faced to the reality at the field of death." What am I?" "Why do I take my sword for? " ''What is 義/Gi？'' He gets the greatest sword after struggling to over come his weakness, what is the greatest sword? This play asks us what is the true meaning of a life. The audience will experience his journey of becoming the real SAMURAI.”
“Imogen and Frederick have come to this national park on their 24th anniversary in a desperate attempt to rekindle their passion. Frederick, who is played by a femme-identifying actor, is looking forward to the perfect anniversary: hiking the park’s trails, wading in the lake, and, most importantly, tracking the whereabouts of a particular bird: the Dickinson Blue-Breasted Warbler. But for Imogen, who is played by a masc-identifying actor, the woods are an entirely undesirable and ultimately unromantic place to spend an anniversary. In the very same campsite, October has arrived for a family campout to find that no one else in her family has shown up. Rather than go home, she decides to use this time to tackle the personal demons she has been running from. Meanwhile, a pair of camp hosts, Mumbo & Jumbo, are working with Ranger Dave to find the party responsible for a string of apparent campsite robberies. A true ensemble play, The Last Croissant employs magical realism, clowning, and whimsy to tell the story of nine crowded campers who hope to find what they’re looking for in the woods. .”
“The world has become numb to unspeakable tragedies… but how does one stay numb when terror strikes so close to home? New Concepts Theatre Company brings a new story to the stage at the Lounge Theatre this June. Winners of last year’s Hollywood Encore Producers’ Award, playwright, Nicholas De Los Santos and producer, John Mulhern, are excited to announce WAITING as their next production, presented as part of the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Tickets go on sale, May 1st. Don’t miss a chance to see the world premiere of this ensemble theatre piece, which dives into the world’s new normal: mass casualty incidents.”
“The Circle Table” explores vignettes threading characters and relationships via FaceTime calls and asks: how does digital communication hamper or enhance love, family, depression, self-exploration and fulfillment?. A formerly dorky actor reconnects with a high school crush. A friend group falters when their pal goes to a different college. That pal is clinically depressed. An aspiring fashion blogger tries not to bum out her mother. A temporarily long-distance couple flubs FaceTime sex.”
“To begin her first novel, a cynical writer must resist the temptation to fill the void left by the nonsensical death of her admired brother. However, her only writing apparatus is her indentured Humanoid—a personal robot stocked with Netflix, porn, and existential angst.”
“Moral Fixation is a dark comedy that tracks Caleb and Claire as they learn what it means to be sober, grown up people in a time when morals and ideals seem to be culturally taboo. When Claire discovers that Caleb dallied with sex workers in the past, she becomes fixated on the symbolism of his actions and struggles with whether or not they define his character. And it sure would be a lot less confusing if she didn’t have her own closeted skeletons. With the help of a relative and friends, they debate whether someone deserves to be judged by the actions of their past. A dark comedy with (a wounded) heart. Use discount code BTRLMN for 10% off regular ticket prices.”
“A socially awkward young man asks his neighbor, a Broadway dancer whose career has been sidelined by an injury, to teach him enough dance moves so he can survive an appearance at an awards dinner. What follows is a bumpy road of self-discovery in this sweetly witty and touching romantic comedy!”
“'HAPPY HOUR' is an immersive sketch comedy in 60 minutes or less! A wild sketch show that takes the audience on a crazy roller coaster ride of hilarious ensemble sketches! Smelly yoga classes, clones, funeral cake, a bar dj and a roller coaster are just a few of the tricks that are up the sleeve of this show! 'Happy Hour' is the newest immersive sketch show from fringe veteran Nina Childs, who wrote, directed and produced the 2017 hit Fringe show, Hotcombs, Homegirls,and Homicides. This time the boundaries of the immersive elements have been pushed even further with several delights that you can taste, touch,hear and smell! See you at Happy Hour where the show is happening all around you!”
“In 'Drowning,' recently retired Army Veteran Matthew struggles with integration back into society, the results of a recent job interview and the relationship with his little daughter, who his ex-wife is questioning whether to allow him to see or not. Will these events take him further down an approaching hole that has no escape?
'Black n Blue' see’s Tom struggling with the fallout of the most devastating event in his marriage, and whether the rift between him and his wife can be repaired. Is there any hope that their love is stronger than his pride.”
“Grace Jasmine's new full-length black comedy throws the audience head-first into a surreal world of #MeToo "what ifs." A female-centric play with a strong LGBTQ lead, The Masher explores the "new now"-a society where the rules of due process are gone, and something gruesome lies beneath the unassuming surface at a mundane factory job. Three totally different women, brought together by fate, discover a hidden malevolent secret and take justice into their own hands. The Masher uses grim humor to deliver an important message and explore a fantasy world that makes us ask questions about our own. What would we do to defend a friend, or a lover? How would we set wrongs right if every rule we took for granted was suddenly gone? The story ricochets between comedy and tragedy and drives home the importance of women protecting one another, and of knowing when to protect ourselves.”
“Buckle your seat belts as the creatures of Vanessa’s inner world take you on the flight of her life! A disturbance triggers violent weather in Vanessa’s inner world, endangering matriarch Elda, the elder tree, the voice of Vanessa’s wisdom. Elda leads Vanessa’s inner creatures on a journey to remind Vanessa of her strength. Uprooted eight times for her father’s career, Vanessa struggled to find the place she calls home. At five years old she embraced Hong Kong as her home where her family thrived on a magical adventure. But when her Dad accepts a job in Buffalo, NY, the home Vanessa knew disappears...Her mother’s depression weighs on Vanessa’s young heart as she faces unexpected turbulence at her middle school...Vanessa’s demons take control of the flight and her mind as she is moved again and again, facing bullies, saying unexpected goodbyes to friends, and hoping for the day to come where she’d get to choose where home is. But is home a place or a feeling?...Uprooted is a young woman’s resilient story of growing into the strong, rooted woman she is meant to be.”
“When the zombie apocalypse hits, the truest danger will not come from outside.
From They Played Productions (creators of last year’s immersive hit “God: the Apologies Tour” and HFF16’s horror musical “Nothing Bad”) comes a brand-new immersive horror tale that you will experience entirely by yourself. Alone on the streets of Hollywood, you will face a darkness that may devour you whole. A darkness that will give you nowhere to turn as it’s all happening directly…to…you. Note: This is a horror immersive experience for a solo audience on the streets of Hollywood. It is intended for audiences 18+ only. Audiences will need to be able to listen to audio and traverse a sidewalk for 30-40 minutes for this particular production.”
“It's time to FACE the music... (mostly)musicals is BACK on June 3, with Gregory Nabours at the piano, the open mic afterparty hosted by Mark Jacobson, and lots of awesome performers singing songs about anatomy! You'll be HEAD over HEELS for returning favorites including Michael-Leon Wooley (B'way: LITTLE SHOP, film: THE PRINCESS & THE FROG, TV: "Grace & Frankie"), Amanda Kruger (UMPO Series at Rockwell), Bella Hicks (BRONCO BILLY world premiere), Cornelius Jones Jr (RAGTIME at Pasadena Playhouse), Erica Hanrahan-Ball (SWEENEY TODD at South Coast Repertory), James Olivas (UCLA's STEEL PIER), Kelley Dorney (SINGING IN THE RAIN at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts), Kristina Weston (JERSEY BOYS), and Will Collyer - and open your HEART to exciting first-timers including Bryce Charles (RAGTIME at Pasadena Playhouse), Dino Nicandros (3-D Theatricals' THE SECRET GARDEN), Kevin Bailey (B'way THE LION KING), Leslie Rubino (LIZZIE at Color and Light Theatre Ensemble), and Michael Noah Levine (FUGITIVE SONGS at 2Cents Theatre Group)! We will also feature a sneak peek at The 2nd Annual Trump Family Special featuring TV, film, and B'way star Mary Birdsong with writer Tor Hyams! Keep your EYES open and your EAR to the ground... we'll have more to announce soon!”
“... “Baccalaureate” is an autobiographical solo show focusing on one summer in the life of Saurabh Kikani, who at the age of 16 was invited to Oxford University to participate in a program for the world’s top high school students. He was also the shyest, most awkward teen in the world. Experiencing first love, bullies, and intense classes, he was in over his head. But a viewing of that summer’s hit movie, Mission:Impossible starring Tom Cruise, changed his life. Inspiring Saurabh and his nerdy friends to overcome their fears, they attempted to pull off the biggest “heist” they could conceive of – break curfew, escape out of Oxford, and take the Chunnel to spend a day in Paris. This is a coming-of-age story with jokes…and espionage.”
“When an Asian girl tells her parents that she doesn’t want to be a doctor anymore, she wishes on a shooting star for supportive white parents. Running time: 30 minutes.”
“Jessie’s Messy Mind was created by artist, activist and mother, Jessie Knowles. It brings the audience inside the world of her experiences with bipolar and schizophrenia using authentic life stories, original music, humor and hope. You'll follow Jessie as she searches for the truth about herself using the characters that makes up her inner experience, watch as Jessie goes through the rise and fall of hypo-manic love, listen as Jessie communicates with the voices in her head, and learn what really happens as she tries to express the thought process of an actual delusional state. With wild humor and enduring positivity, Jessie opens the door to a part of herself that most people still keep hidden. Jessie has struggled with the way our culture addresses and talks about mental health. She hopes that Jessie’s Messy Mind encourages people to change the way they look at their own journey and begin to talk about mental health in a new way.”
SELFIE: Making It About Me / A Minnie Riperton Cabaret Revue
“SELFIE is first a cabaret revue of eclectic 70s chanteuse, Minnie Riperton’s, music (“Lovin’ You,” “Memory Lane”) that spans the genres of soul, funk, folk and rock. Second, it’s a celebration of the ego of singer/songwriter, Aisha Kasmir, and her fight to play any part she wants and be seen in a white-washed world. SELFIE takes you on a lighthearted, humorous and uplifting trip through self-discovery – self-doubt, self-destruction, self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-actualization.”
“With a run time of only 25 minutes, 45 Milligrams is a hyper-short one act that symbolically examines anxiety and depression and the different ways we cope with trauma. The show centers on Joey and Denny, two roommates in a mental institution fixated on a terrifying and silent man who may or may not be real. With occasional input from their doctor, the two struggle to make sense of this mysterious third roommate through verbal sparring and physical violence. What results is a theatrical fever dream that ranges from absurdly comedic to deeply disturbing.”
“Staged reading of a play by Lanford Wilson. Directed by Christian Lebano. Book of Days is about the people of a small Missouri town confronted by a violent death and forced to reconsider the truths they thought they knew. When the owner of the cheese plant dies mysteriously in a hunting accident, Ruth, his bookkeeper, suspects murder. Cast as Joan of Arc in a local production of Shaw's St. Joan, Ruth takes on the attributes of her fictional character and launches into a one-woman campaign to see justice done.”
Four Clowns Presents: Shakedown at the Dusty Spur!
“Winner of 7 Hollywood Fringe Awards, Four Clowns makes their triumphant return with Shakedown at the Dusty Spur! They’re dishing out their signature fare of physical comedy, this time with an old western twist. The Dusty Spur Saloon is in danger! The dastardly Dallas Devereaux is threatening to shut it down. Marybeth and Maybelline Maynard have no recourse but to hire a good ol’ fashioned gunslinger to help protect their bar. Will they succeed? Or will Dallas and his henchman be too formidable to foil? It’s a rootin’ tootin’ cowboy shootin’ romp of a show that will have you cheering the heroes, booing the villains, and laughing your chaps off! ”
“A modern Freud makes an irreverent analysis of ’The Gay’ (deconstructing four archetypes, tribalism, & internalized homophobia) while prescribing the need to label others as a way of self-identity–until his experiment spins wildly out of control! ‘Tell Me About Your Daddy’ follows the stories of the sweet and naïve Tim the Twink, ex-Mormon gogo boy Jared the Jock, the gregarious drag queen Luscious, and the secretive and affluent Sugar Daddy Don as they struggle with the notion that ‘you are worth only as much as what others think they can get from you’. Playful, thought-provoking and unapologetically sassy!!! Plus some penis jokes. A lot of penis jokes.”
“The characters of nearly every beloved animated movie musical (from “The Little Mermaid” to “The Lion King” to “Frozen”) have not always been under the same house of mouse: they began in fairy tales and stories from the public domain.
But what about the public domain characters who have never appeared in an animated movie? In “Public Domain: The Musical,” characters from the bottom of the barrel audition with original songs to show why they deserve to have their own time in the spotlight.”
“A bank heist, a corpse and a crazy cast of characters. Joe Orton’s darkly comic masterpiece continues to shock and delight over five decades later. Two young friends, Hal and Dennis, rob a bank next to a funeral parlor… and what safer place to hide the money than in the coffin of Hal’s recently deceased Mum? But with the coffin full up, there’s no room for the corpse, which keeps reappearing at the most inopportune times — especially when the police inspector comes calling. Nothing is safe from Orton’s savage wit, whose targets include religion, social attitudes towards death, police brutality and corruption, and everything in between.”
Challenge Accepted - a one man motivational musical
“[This] one-hour, family-friendly motivational musical stars its writer and director Carlos Heredia. The one-man show features a musician and actor who recounts his past successes and failures — including his transition to fatherhood and battle with depression — to evaluate where he is today. This toe-tapping family friendly musical is a motivational masterpiece that will talk to your soul, and leave you with a feeling that yes, it is possible. Challenge Accepted first premiered as a semi-staged reading in the 2019 Greensboro Fringe Festival, and has been performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in NYC. ”
“Gustav befriends Adolph whom he really wishes to physiologically disassemble because Gustav has ulterior motives that unfold like a snake slowly eating its prey; it’s anything but a clean kill, though. Gustav claims he can help Adolph with some developing concerns growing worse in Adolph’s life because Gustav “was once as weak” as him, which solidifies the trust Adolph eventually finds in this stranger whom he now needs to put his life back in order as a real man would ... What connects Gustav and Adolph … what originally peaked Gustav’s interest in this fragile man he doesn’t know? Tekla, Adolph’s current wife and Gustav’s ex-lover. In truth, this is one of the most toxic love triangles in all of modern theatre with enough strange notions of masculinity, femininity and gender expectations to make a modern audience nausea ... Cynicism is salvation for Strindberg in Creditors, burning down the foundation and exposing our worst angels is how a cynic goes about reconstructing a soul from the ashes: plant a seed of doubt in the mind of a weak individual and watch it grow into a fatal existential crises, and then see how his or her lover feels about the beloved once bewitched by malevolence.”
“One man’s journey to the edge of the Flat Earth and back. James Kirkland is looking for the truth in a world saturated with lies. His curiosity about the nature of the cosmos has led him down many rabbit holes: through the looking glass of hallucinogens, inside an ayahuasca sex cult and deep into the muck and mire of Youtube conspiracy videos. But in his search for answers he only discovers more questions. Like: Can you become addicted to having your mind blown? If we are spinning at 1000 miles an hour why can’t we feel it? Where [in] hell was the damn curve? How do you date on the flat, still plane(t)? Can a person who ‘trusts no one’ find that love is out there? Familial relationships become strained to the point that, for James, the only way out of The Flat Earth that he finds himself on, is by pushing himself all the way to the edge. A one person show about one man who tries to save his very soul, before he succumbs to the LORD OF THE LIE.”
“A madcap multi-media solo show about Wayne, an optimistic serial killer who, in order to avoid capture by a local sheriff, must feed his victims to a pit of goblins in the woods. ”
“It’s 1985 and rock star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. He’s the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie vows to make every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. But as luck would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever. With an electrifying pop score that pays loving homage to the 1980s, 'The Wedding Singer' takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer was the coolest guy in the room.”
“'Keith Moon: The Real Me' explodes on the stage with the turmoil and excitement of the wildest drummer in rock and roll. A living legend during his lifetime, Keith Moon still stands as the pinnacle of rock-star extremism—both in life and music. The play explores the mind of Keith Moon, as he attempts to save himself from the unbearable burden of living up (or down) to his self-created legend of ‘Moon the Loon'. As Keith attempts to save himself, he takes the audience on a journey through his early struggles, his joining The Who, and their rise as one of the world’s greatest rock bands. By the show’s end, the audience intimately knows the man behind the myth—his acute vulnerability and insecurity, and his struggle to escape the ever-looming rock and roll crash landing.”
“Straight up stand-up from two of L.A.'s hottest comics, Tabitha Brownstone and Joy Gohring. Joy and Tabitha are two brilliant, gorgeous, and humble women who will share their comedic tales of life in Los Angeles, cats, dating, and traveling the world.”
“Sixth smash year! Can’t decide which shows to see? Looking for expert advice to weed through the hundreds of shows at the Hollywood Fringe Festival? Are you looking to get experience of all this Fringe Madness, but don’t have the time? Check out Combined Artform’s Pick of the Fringe, to provide you with a taster show, featuring the best of the Fringe. Our experienced, independent judges see tons of productions across every genre then we choose, and present highlights from, 5 of the best shows at each of the Pick of the Fringe performances. Come see what all the buzz is about!”
“The Montalbán, a theatre in Hollywood with a rich history, announces its June screening schedule for its popular Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán. In addition, the venue is also rolling out a new creative curation initiative: weekly themed 'Binge Weeks' for the rest of the season. The venue will also host pop-up screenings during holidays and special rooftop events between November and the first quarter of 2020. Rooftop screenings will run five nights per week—now scheduled most Wednesdays through Sundays—with double features screening on certain weekends. Doors open at 6:00pm and films start screening 10 minutes after sunset … The rooftop screening experience is meant to foster a date-night atmosphere so most nights are meant for guests who are 18-years of age or older....Posted screenings may be subject to rescheduling on certain occasions for special public or private events, so please always check the online calendar athttps://www.themontalban.com/rooftopmovies ...Please be advised that access to the 4th floor roof is via an outside staircase ONLY. There is no ADA-compliant access (yet) since this 90+ year old theater does not have an elevator at this time.”
"Jawbreaker"
“Three of the most popular girls at Reagan High accidentally kill the prom queen with a jawbreaker when a kidnapping goes horribly wrong.”
"Bridesmaids" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef. ”
"West Side Story" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.” A multiple Oscar-winning classic contemporary (of the time) re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, directed by Robert Wise, with Broadway's Jerome Robbins' iconic award-winning choreography.
"La La Land" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.” An homage to classic Hollywood musicals.
"Beauty and the Beast (Live Action)" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“A selfish prince is cursed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he learns to fall in love with a beautiful young woman he keeps prisoner. ”
"The Hunt for Red October" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“In November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine Captain in their newest sub violates orders and heads for the U.S. Is he trying to defect or to start a war? ”
"Armageddon" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
“After discovering that an asteroid the size of Texas is going to impact Earth in less than a month, N.A.S.A. recruits a misfit team of deep core drillers to save the planet.”
"Top Gun" Screening @ Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
Feel the need for speed. “As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.”
Classic Movie Musicals Series at the Sierra Madre Playhouse
“During the run of its live stage musical 'Dames at Sea,' itself an homage to the optimistic movie musicals of the 1930s and 1940s, the Sierra Madre Playhouse will offer a series of screenings of classic movie musicals. The series is curated by Rich Procter, an expert in the history of American cinema and a Sierra Madre Playhouse board member. Prior to each screening, Mr. Procter will comment on an aspect of this glorious film genre, the American musical of the 30s and 40s, and cast members of Dames at Sea will sing a live musical number.”
42nd Street - Classic Movie Musicals Series at the Sierra Madre Playhouse
“['42nd Street' stars] Ruby Keeler, Warner Baxter, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Bebe Daniels, George Brent. Peggy’s rise from showgirl to star is the stuff of show business dreams. '42nd Street' is full of crowd-pleasing tap dances, popular musical theatre standards, and show-stopping ensemble production numbers.”
Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar! For more shows visit our Calendar. For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Too Blunt!
“Your typical Midwestern-African American-Gay-Cat Loving-Sagittarian-Coming-of-Age Story in Los Angeles. A Black gay boy from Missouri shares his long and liberating journey to weight loss, dating in the gay-app era, while unpacking the complex intersectionality of race and sexual orientation– and the twisted heartbreak and humor that ensues.”
“CLEMENTINE celebrates the exhilaration of motherhood, balancing poetic passages with humorous detours into the modern realities of raising small children...[moving] forward and backward through time, exploring the pressures and the promises of parenthood. Unapologetically feminist and powerfully tender, CLEMENTINE studies a matriarchal family's traditions, exploring the connection between generations through Wish's lens as both a mother and a daughter...In this dynamic and often hilarious piece, April Wish has crafted a love letter to her daughter, Clementine, as well as to the little girl she used to be herself.”
“Please enter the Opposite of Longing Chamber and state your primary symptom of longing. And where do you feel it in your body? And how much do you feel it on a scale of 1 to 10? And are you running out of time? The Institute for The Opposite of Longing can cure that thing deep in the pit of your body. But what happens when its owners and operators can't let go of the little boy they had to give back? And can't stop reenacting the day they packed his bags and watched him go. Or tucking him in at night or talking to his empty shoes or unpacking the bag of his things they keep hidden. What happens when these are the women who are responsible for curing that thing, that thing you feel deep in the pit of your body? Please enter the Opposite of Longing Chamber. We can help you. The process is simple.”
“'Radicals' is a Bollywood Musical about a love story struggling to survive in the war-torn valleys of Kashmir, aimed at tackling Islamophobia and the trauma of warfare on civilians.”
“The siren call is driving me to my end, like a ship to wreck on rocks”. Two frustrated actors accidentally kidnap their favorite movie star… or is it really her? What is identity in a world where myths are stronger than we dare think? A dramedy about identity and oneness, frustrated actors, classism, depression, myths and a quote by Albert Camus.”
“'Love, Madness and Somewhere in Between' is a no holds barred glimpse into a mystical journey filled with love, pain, insanity, and redemption. Scattered along the way is a sprinkling of ironic comic commentary that can only come from a true survivor. “Jimmy” is not so much a hero but more a human being traversing an abusive childhood, a descent into alcoholism and finally plunging into a world of fantastical personifications which dwell amidst humanity's darkest sins. Will closure, forgiveness, and healing come in the unlikely form of the “angel warriors” – patients on the pediatric cancer ward of Children's Hospital? Does pure love, in fact, transform and redeem, or are some lives beyond salvation?”
“In 'Tattered Capes,' it's Kevin and Stephanie Connolly's fifth wedding anniversary, and Kevin has a night of celebration planned for them. Of course, this means he won't be going out on his regular patrol of Metro City as his alter-ego, M-Pulse, the self-appointed Eminence of Electromagnetism. But things should be fine without him for one night, right? Wrong. One would think that there could be no secrets left between a husband and wife after five years of matrimonial bliss, but when a powerful supervillain's attack interrupts Kevin and Stephanie's date, a hero's unmasking bears significant consequences for the Connollys…consequences that will resonate and redefine their relationship forever. ”
“A true journey in to and out of Scientology. 'Moving, hilarious, heart-breaking and redemptive.' Lets you experience for yourself how Scientology devours money and lives.' -Chicago Reader 'Schenkelberg easily switches characters and time periods with dizzying energy, that is both exhilarating and electrifying.'- Edge Media 'At the top of the best performed, brilliantly written, elegantly directed one person shows I have ever seen.'- Buzz News”
“On a bitterly cold London evening, schoolteacher Kyra Hollis receives an unexpected visit from her former lover, Tom Sergeant, a successful and charismatic restaurateur whose wife has recently died. As the evening progresses, the two attempt to rekindle their once passionate relationship only to find themselves locked in a dangerous battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires. Can they find their way back to each other, or has the time for their tumultuous romance reached its end? ”
“'Tigers Be Still' — a ferociously funny play from New Girl writer Kim Rosenstock — centers around the infinitely-trying-to-be-optimistic Sherry Wickman, who has earned her art therapy degree and promptly moved back in with her family. Matters take a turn for the better once she gets hired as a substitute art teacher. Now if only her mother would stop hiding upstairs, her sister would stop watching Top Gun from the couch, her petulant patient would do one of his assignments, her boss would leave his gun at home, and someone would catch the tiger that escaped from the local zoo, everything would be just perfect.”
“Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to keep your dream alive. CORINA: FROM LAP DANCE TO SUNDANCE is a one-woman show about finding purpose and direction to a life long dream in the least likely of places. A story of family, tradition, and perseverance.”
“The performers include: Florence LaRue, an original member of The 5th Dimension, the pop group that so often dominated the charts in the 60s and 70s with their hit songs, will perform some of the award-winning singing group's big hits. Freda Payne will perform an excerpt from her show Ella Fitzgerald, First Lady of Song, bringing to life the immortal Ella Fitzgerald and her revered career as an extraordinary jazz singer. Sheetal Gandhi in BAHU-Beti-Biwi (Daughter-inLaw, Daughter, Wife). A tour-de-force excerpt combining dance, stirring vocalization, and percussive text that glides between humorous portraiture and active resistance. Juli Kim shares two dance works. Five Drum Dance exemplifies Korean traditional music with a touch of Western influence. New Leaf, deeply rooted in Korean “Han,” symbolically unfolds the innocence of the new leaf when there is change in life.”
“This joyfully irreverent black comedy entwines issues of identity with pop culture icons to tell a truly unique mother-daughter story. Sterling Milburn's mother is dying and Sterling is falling apart. She attempts to keep it together by rewriting the past with the help of two titans of the American theater and the world's greatest heavy metal band — but Sterling's mother refuses to follow the script. A love letter to those who shape our lives, hold us together and break our hearts.”
Dancing to the Edge of a Cliff: One Woman's Musical Mythological Journey toward Self-Acceptance
“Incorporating music, multimedia, humor, a touch of mythology, and embodying over twenty characters, Margaret whimsically puts her psyche on stage to explore her struggle with self-acceptance and her experience of two mental breakdowns. Margaret explores not only what outside influences molded her personality when she was growing up and as an adult, but also confronts two internal voices, representing the competing compulsions of artistry (Puella) and perfectionism (Miss Perfect). Realizing in the end that what she has been taught her whole life was right, doesn't work for her.”
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Dancing to the Edge of a Cliff: One Woman's Musical Mythological Journey toward Self-Acceptance https://t.co/QLsSnZE8H0
“Elliott and Michael are best friends. They're of different temperaments. Elliott is boisterous and outgoing. Michael is more tentative and shy. One day, Elliott dies in an accident. He's allowed to come back to earth, where he can only be seen by Michael. Elliott is tasked with finding Michael a new best friend. Only then will Elliott earn his angel wings and be allowed to ascend into Heaven. Michael wants to be friends with Ciara. Will Elliott be able to help Michael connect with Ciara, or will he mess things up for them all? Will Michael and Ciara ultimately become friends? Will Elliott earn his angel wings? The cast is unique in the fact that most of the performers are differently-abled: John JT Tucker Jr. (Elliott), has Down syndrome. He is the star of the A&E tv series Born This Way. Domonique Brown (Michael) has autism and recurs on the Netfiix series Atypical. He's the nephew of Marvin Gaye. Spencer Harte (Ciara) has autism and also recurs on Atypical. The supporting players include Coby Bird who has autism and will be a regular on a Netflix series to be announced; and Caley Versfelt, who has Down syndrome.
The rest of the cast is neurotypical and includes Brendan McCay, Stanson Chung, Alexa Russo and Callie Ott.”
“Scotty D, just a city boy from South Detroit, invites you on a Journey, showing you how karaoke saved his life, and how it can save yours, too. With stories, power ballads, big anthems, and cheesy pop, and a bit of bopping, we might even save the World. Don't stop believing!”
“Texas. 1964. Following a deadly car crash, four cheerleaders navigate through the afterlife. Both Lucifer and God herself pay a visit, and High School drama turns into madness in this strange nightmare of a story – a never-ending fight song.”
“Isaac Easton, a recently retired boxer, and his former sports manager open a gym together to help advance the popularity of female boxing. When their first female boxer gets into trouble only three weeks from the fight, they scramble to find a new fighter to train. Enter Zoey Jones, a young and shy fighter who has never fought in the professional circuit. Easton and Jones take a crash course in trusting and learning from each other over three weeks in preparation for the fight, and the two often butt heads. Can Jones pull out a win and save Easton's reputation and gym? Through voice-overs and grueling workouts in preparation for the fight, this one-act play shows the audience how intimate a platonic relationship between a man and woman can be, the beauty of physical strength, and what happens when you are stuck in fight or flight mode.”
Five Pieces of Paper: Stories My Hungarian Grandmother Refused to Tell Me and Other Family Tales
“Moti Buchboot, the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, created this show in response to the 2017 Charlottesville riots. He reveals lessons learned from his Hungarian grandmother who began her life in a village in Hungary, survived the Holocaust, and eventually settled in a small town in Israel. Buchboot's tale unfolds through storytelling, Yiddish song, puppetry, and baking.”
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Five Pieces of Paper: Stories My Hungarian Grandmother Refused to Tell Me and Other Family Tales https://t.co/z0ruFDoifB
“The power of positive thinking goes hilariously wrong when a new neighbor teaches two dispirited best friends an Ancient Peruvian Self Help Philosophy. Instead of their lives being transformed they end up held hostage by two inept kidnappers. 'Be careful who you wish for' has never been more appropriate.”
“Set in the fictional British-ish kingdom of Crumpeton, POCKETS spins the tale of Bellamina Crumbledunk, a noble preteen, who becomes a pickpocket to win the attention of her overextended mother, the Duchess. Bellamina's misadventures take her into the underbelly of society, where she accidentally becomes the leader of a criminal uprising, but will she have the heart to sabotage her mother's well-laid plans for Crumpet Day? #CheckYourPockets for tickets to this fast-paced, funny, and touching period piece to find out!”
“Five short comedies exploring the middle age white male struggle to fit in during these confusing times.
FANDOM – navigating politics
POLITE RACISM – analyzing ethnicity
SUICIDE PACT – tolerating millennials
BRITTLE TROMBONE – contemplating economics
FANTASY FOOTBALL – grasping identity”
“Selected as an Honorable Mention for the Hollywood Fringe 2019 due to it's cultural theme, “Girl From Schenectady” is a story about a 38-year-old Nigerian Woman from Schenectady New York who is still a Virgin. Her story begins with her Journey to finding True Love. However, her plan is to find Mr. Right and to lose her Virginity before she turns 40. The story takes place at the Airport, while Ayo is waiting for her next flight to take off, she describes the metaphoric places she has traveled to Find True Love. She takes the Audience on a ride to her past and her Nigerian family traditions, Culture, and Values. She struggles to break free from her Nigerian Generational Cycle, Parental Divorce, Failed Marriages and to keep history from repeating itself. Ayo also takes the Audience on her dating journey starting with a Nigerian Man. She also dates a Mexican Man, an Italian Man and an African American Man. After several attempts to finding True Love and Losing her virginity before 40, she goes on a self-discovery, and Lands in the last place she ever thought she would find True Love.”
“Ruby gets off the bus from Utah with “nothing but tap shoes in her suitcase and a prayer in her heart.” As fate would have it, she is immediately cast in the chorus of a Broadway show. When the theatre is forced to close, Ruby's songwriting sailor boyfriend persuades the Captain of his ship to allow the show to move on deck. Voila! Dames at sea! When the show's lead gets seasick, Ruby may have to go on for her. Will Ruby come back a star? Do you need to ask? Dames at Sea at once pays affectionate homage to and sends up the optimistic early Broadway musicals of the 30s and 40s. It's filled with songs, tap-dancing and romance from start to finish. It is suitable for general audiences.”
“During the height of The Troubles, in a rural pub on the border of Northern Ireland, Mary Friel, a barmaid, strives to maintain harmony amongst the men in her life. Ancestral legends and secrets are revisited and a cycle of violence is revealed: can they forgive injustice and cruelty from their past, or will the cycle continue? Enjoy a Guinness and whiskey as a group of actors take you to Neil Friel's pub–a safe place for a good story–until it isn't. In this bare-bones production of Rory and the Devil you can enjoy the best of what Irish storytelling has to offer.”
“It's 1981! The corpse of disco, the flames of punk, the plastic smell of new wave, and the balls of rock ‘n' roll, all converge and merge on a seemingly peaceful street in West Hollywood, CA, along with the stories of a 12-year-old boy raised by a pill-popping single mother and the many gay men in their life...Against a backdrop of music, 'JOHNNY '81' weaves together a collection of stories based on a 12-year-old boy's experience of living in West Hollywood during the early 1980s. These semi-autobiographical tales bring to life the humor and drama of how a group of gay men became strange and amazing surrogate fathers to a pre-teen boy and his younger brother...'JOHNNY '81' is like spending the day listening to an old record album, or like being at a concert, with stories that make us reflect on our lives and the world we live in, or tales that make you just want to get up out of your seat and dance!”
“'Voice from the Village'...is based upon one of Los Angeles greatest playwrights, Lynn Manning and his in real time visit to Skid Row Studios on Monday, August 26, 2013 for an interview on “The Qumran Report”, hosted by Melvin Ishmael Johnson to talk about his life growing up in Watts and turning a tragic situation into an art form.”
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Voice From The Village - A play about Lynn Manning by Melvin Ishmael Johnson https://t.co/XcKn1W7weB
“It's Saturday night, and Erik and Connor are looking to get laid. When they try their luck on a hook-up app, the night takes a turn they never expected and their true desires are revealed.”
“When 85% of the world is afflicted with a mysterious case of 'The Flake,' one man volunteers to travel through space and time to stop it. 'A Time Traveler's Guide to the Present' is a far-out, amped-up, one-man show about the hunt for human connection. ”
“'The Scorpion and the Frog: a time-killer' is a comic interpretation of the oft-told story/fable/allegory/whatchamawhoositz about a frog who agrees to take a scorpion across a river. Will the two make it to the other side of said river? Will they learn anything? Will they grow as [an] intelligent species? Will these questions entice you to actually leave your homes and see this play?”
“In 'Uprooted,' the creatures of Vanessa Boss' inner world take you on the flight of her life! A disturbance triggers violent weather, endangering matriarch Elda, the elder tree, the voice of Vanessa's wisdom. Elda leads Vanessa's inner fantasy creatures on a journey to remind Vanessa of her strength, but Vanessa's demons take control of the flight and her mind as she is moved, again and again, facing bullies, saying unexpected goodbyes to friends, and hoping for the day to come where she'll get to choose where home is. But is home a place or a feeling? Full of exciting adventure, triumph, and heartbreak, Vanessa frees herself from the restraints of her inner demons and proclaims her power to define her own fate. Uprooted is a young woman's resilient story of growing into the strong, rooted woman she is meant to be. ”
“Orangutan is a haunting and absurd one-woman show about the mother of a brutish (slightly orange) would-be dictator, and the tribalism that's tearing our country apart. Deutch's provocative dark comedy was inspired by Bill Maher's challenge to Donald Trump's outrageous Obama “Birther” claims. Maher offered to donate five million dollars to the charity of Donald Trump's choice if Trump produced a birth certificate that proved he was not half-ape. Trump's lawyer responded: 'Attached hereto is a copy of Mr. Trump's birth certificate, demonstrating that he is the son of Fred Trump, not an Orangutan.' Trump then sued Bill Maher for five million dollars…”
“In this new play, Neil, a mediocre musician, and Kurt Cobain wannabe, moves to Los Angeles to “make it” as a rockstar. Through the constant ups and downs of LA living, Neil struggles between pursuing his passions or taking the practical path in life. Should he keep chasing his dreams or stop? This 60-minute three-person show explores idealism vs. cynicism, the practicality of pursuing art in a capitalist society, and millennials' struggle with mental health.”
“Aren't you tired of going to the theater and seeing the same old shit? Check out 'Naked Man Rising,' a crowd favorite from the Solo Creation Festival. We're talking sold out, folk. This tale of revenge rips through the stage like a Grindhouse film and features a balls-to-the-wall performance by Canadian Wildman and naturalist Kyle Durack. Not for your Grandma…unless, she's a badass. Winner of the Hollywood Fringe Scholarship for first-time Producers, Kyle is thrilled to bring 'Naked Man Rising' to the 2019 Fringe Festival. The writing is crisp and the play moves along at a deft pace. But the words are simply a vehicle for Kyle Durack's powerful interpretation. The Canadian actor was born with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, and in this piece, he sheds his disability along with his clothes to reveal the inner strength concealed by a “weakened” body. 'Naked Man Rising' mixes humor and action. Durack uses his physicality well as he tells the story.”
“The cult of Abaddon has a problem. The Angel of the Abyss, the figure with which they worship, is demanding a new leader. But not just anybody will qualify. Only the darkest, most demented contestants stand a chance at obtaining total power. A sadist, a murderer, and a predator, all share one common goal: to become the leader of the finest cult, the Ascendants of Abaddon. There's only one problem. In order to obtain this position, they must go up against each other in a riveting competition to impress the cult's current leader: Adam. He's spectacularly charming and possesses the uncanny ability to influence all those who cross his path. With secrets spilled and matches met, the three contestants grow more and more daring with their desperate attempts to gain total power. However, no matter what happens, no matter who lies and who cheats, Adam always calls the final shots.”
“The hilariously touching tale of a tall man in tight spaces, finding clarity and avoiding a quarter-life crisis in Southeast Asia, all while wearing strappy velcro sandals except to the wedding of the century. Tired of the monotony of New York City corporate life, Royce, an ambitious 20-something, trades in his promising media research career for a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia. In this live one-man show, Royce brings you on an 8-country adventure toward self-discovery. During 'Not Here Right Now,' audiences are treated to true stories and experiences of Royce's inspiring journey from corporate citizen to world traveler. The original production of Not Here Right Now was successfully funded on Kickstarter thanks to the support of 165 people from around the world.”
“A raucous evening of comic stories, told by a woman who has seen a few things. Actress and humorist Jennifer Brown examines how the truth can play out in a variety of ways. What exactly is “the truth”? And when you are asked to tell the truth, whose truth do you stand in?”
“A comedic romp through depression, eating disorders and self-loathing! Crack Whore, Bulimic, Girl-Next-Door is a one-act play chronicling one woman's journey through her depression and bulimarexia. It is a painfully funny look at body image, addiction, and the obsession with fitting into society's ideal of beauty and thinness. It is part poetry and prose, part sketch and part narrative with a few snappy dance numbers mixed in. Three actresses portray one woman in various stages of her eating disorder and crippling depression. They are joined by one male actor portraying various influences in her childhood development, teenage years and young adulthood. This autobiographical theatrical experience intimately exposes the perils of womanhood, the rawness of living through sexual trauma and culminates in discovering the inner strength to live comfortably in one's own skin ”
“Previous Fringe award winners team up for this year's Hollywood Fringe to create the First official Bouffon/Clown troupe “MIL GRUS” led by world-renowned physical theater artist Dean Evans of “Honeybuns” fame. Be prepared as this motley crew of miscreants crawl out of the gutter to make you question reality in the most exhilarating way. This timeless satire features improvised feats of physical and existential comedy that defy explanation and provoke unfettered, eery glee. Come see what's behind the curtain, starting June 9, 2019, at The Mccadden Place Theatre”
“As seen on America's Got Talent (quarter-finalists) and countless television shows around the world! Prepare for a fountain show like you've never seen before! The Human Fountain's hilarious choreographed water spitting routines will keep you laughing and thirsty for more. Always making a splash on stage, literally — the group has endless tricks up their sleeves (and in their mouths) giving you performances that are one-of-a-kind. Inspired by the world's most famous fountains, the comedy group adds a human touch to give you one of the most unique experiences you've ever seen. They couldn't be more excited to premiere their full-length show for Hollywood Fringe.”
“Cast members from the National Tour of 'Les Misérables' (now at the Pantages Theatre through June 2) will perform in a very special cabaret concert to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and PAWS/LA. Patrons will support two great causes as they enjoy an intimate evening of cabaret-style performances. The evening will also feature a silent auction, allowing audience members to bid on items graciously donated by the Broadway community and local businesses.”
“What would you do with only a month left to live? What would you look back on with nostalgia or regret? With laughter as the best medicine, Funeral Potatoes is a dark comedy about death and friendship, examining what makes it all worth it when you've spent your entire life planning for a future you won't have.”
“Somebody Feed Phil: Dublin' LA FOOD BOWL FEATURED EVENT. Join Phil Rosenthal, creator, writer and producer of the hit comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond” for a special screening of his Netflix hit 'Somebody Feed Phil: Dublin' and a conversation with Phil. This fantastic event will be teamed with none other than Nick Shipp (Upper West) who will be teaming the event with a specially curated Irish themed assortment of food! Specialty drinks provided...Screening with talk-back 75 mins. Nick Shipp Meal With Phil 75 minutes will be followed by a Q&A with Phil and Arena Cinelounge-Clamorhouse-LA Times-Phil Rosenthal event.”
Food and Film - The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover
“NC-17 LA FOOD BOWL FEATURED EVENT MON. MAY 20 - The 1989 crime drama is arguably Peter Greenaway's most famous (or infamous) film, which first shocked audiences at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival and then on both sides of the Atlantic. A gang leader (Michael Gambon), accompanied by his wife (Helen Mirren) and his associates, entertains himself every night in a fancy restaurant that he has recently bought. Having tired of her sadistic, boorish husband, the wife finds herself a lover (Alan Howard) and makes love to him in the restaurant's coziest places with the silent permission of the cook (Richard Bohringer). Sergio Corbia of Ciabatta Bar and Fabiolus Cafe crafts a specialty menu that complements Greenaway's paradoxical comments on the relations between eating and sex, love and death.”
“the 2nd annual trump family special original musical comedy' parodies [the] First Family in “yuge” way. What if the First Family put on a live musical TV special – just like the Brady Bunch – starring Ice Princess Ivanka, her numbnut brothers, a still-not-caring Melania, and a host of ex's and deplorables.”
“A child's birthday party takes an unexpected turn when the scheduled magician doesn't show and the job is filled by a drunk and wayward vagrant. There are prizes. You should come. Use discount code BETTERLEMONS for 20% off their regular ticket price of $15”
“As their final show of Season 27, Actors Co-op Theatre Company is proud to present Lucas Hnath's The Christians, directed by Thomas James O'Leary, produced by Carly Lopez. When the pastor of a megachurch unilaterally decides to enlighten his congregation with his own personal revelation, he is faced with doubt and dissension among his flock. Hnath's Obie Award-winning play examines the schism in today's church and the role of faith in America. ”
“The Group Rep presents StoryTime, a story salon produced by Patricia Willson, featuring fresh, live personal stories as entertainment – – an evening of joy, sadness, and a touch of comedy on Sunday, May 12 at 7:00 pm, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, CA, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.
Authors performing their stories include Vince Cefalu 'Eyes of A Child,” Devon Curry 'Mach Two,' Jana DiMaggio 'Conventional Wisdom,' Rick Hall 'Mom's Home Cooking,' Tripp Mills 'A Rainbow God Box,' Madeline Morgan 'Salute to Storytellers,' Candace Nicholas-Lippman 'Don't Get It Twisted, I Love My Mama,' Lila Silvern 'This Sperm is For You,' Jonathan Leigh Solomon 'Hello in There,' Lan Tran 'Overpolite, Shanghai'ed and Homeless in Vietnam,' and Pat Willson 'Momma.' ”
“The Whitefire Theatre Musical Mondays is proud to present...the musical spoof SHAME OF THRONES: The Musical returns to L.A. for more hilarious re-imagining of the show's backstabbing siblings, clever imps and dragon mamas, all set to an addictive rock score that'll stick in your head (unless the king orders it off, natch)...Watch your favorite daring and most despised characters sing and dance towards epic plot twists and the coveted Iron Throne.”
“The Group Rep presents AVENUE Q...This fresh and unusual Tony-award winning musical is a coming-of-age parable, addressing and satirizing the anxieties associated with entering adulthood. Its characters lament that as children, they were assured by their parents, and by Sesame Street, that they were 'extraordinary' and 'could do anything'; but as adults, they have discovered, to their surprise, that in the real world their options are limited, and they are actually ordinary like everyone else. This quirky musical ranks 24th on the list of the longest running shows in Broadway history. Avenue Q is notable for the use of puppets, animated by unconcealed puppeteers. ”
“In remembrance of the 20th Anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, Loft Ensemble and the Whitefire Theatre are co-producing and reviving Paul Storiale's award-winning drama The Columbine Project directed by Bree Pavey. An atemporal retelling of the events leading up to, during and following the April 20, 1999 shooting at Columbine High School, the play challenges what we think we know about the victims, families, teachers and the shooters themselves. Praised by LA theatre critics, survivors and families of the victims. The Columbine Project was created from direct correspondence with people involved in and affected by the event”
“Let's Write a Musical is an emotional rollercoaster ride of music, laughter, and tears. David Hamilton decides to write a musical after he is diagnosed with cancer. While the couple deals with the ups and downs of their cancer journey, so are the characters in the musical on a rollercoaster ride of mishaps and shenanigans.”
“When the world has gone to the birds, the cuckoo is king. Two shiftless con men scheme to exploit the power of the birds by encouraging them to build a fortress in the sky, from where they can lord over mankind and Gods alike. Aristophanes' classic comedy THE BIRDS is about corruption, weakness, and power; how easily people are exploited based on fear, ego and greed; and how even noble ideas may be corrupted if those who have power are irresponsible and/or selfish. (Sound like anything going on now? Hm? Too soon?) Or, as John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton said to an Anglican bishop, 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…'”
“Welcome to the school of hard Glocks. Jordan Maverick is one of the nation's most highly-trained teachers – an excellent marksman, a black belt in Jujitsu, and an engaging History teacher. But when he transfers to one of the most dangerous schools in the country, he'll face one of his biggest fears: co-teaching with the loose cannon Miss Pitts. Can they find a way to work together in time to solve the school's problems? This favorite from Season 13 of Serial Killers at Sacred Fools returns as a complete production at this years Hollywood Fringe.”
“'Every day's a goddamn audition.' Based on the 'Serial Killers' 2018 Playoffs winner, 'COME BACK' is the hilarious yet touching story of Edie and Petey Stevenson, an overbearing stage mother and her hapless son, attempting to stage a 'comeback' performance. One of three shows Sacred Fools is proud to present as part of this year's Hollywood Fringe.”
The Drag Queen of the Year Pageant Competition Award Contest Competition
“Who is the best Drag Queen in the whole wide world? Now's your chance to find out — at the first ever Drag Queen of the Year Pageant Competition Award Contest Competition. Millions of the best Drag performers from around the world applied, but only eight will compete, carefully chosen by a mysterious group of anonymous Drag Elders. ▪︎ The contestants are (in alphabetical order) Abhora (Miami, FL); Astrud Aurelia (Phoenix, AZ); Calypso Jeté (Los Angeles); Lyle (Los Angeles); Gigi Monroe (Juneau, AK); Kat Sass (Chicago, IL); Sabbyiana (Montebello, CA); and Aurora Sexton (Los Angeles). ▪︎ Judged upon the criteria of Presence, Energy, Nuance, Integrity, and Stunningness, this is a pageant for everyone — Drag Queens, Drag Kings, Trans Artists, Hyper Queens, Bio Queens, AFAB Queens — from first-timers to established pageant powerhouses. ▪︎ The celebrity guest host is Jackie Beat. The judges are (in alphabetical order) Nicole Byer, Jiggly Caliente, Landon Cider, Gia Gunn, Sharon Needles, Peppermint, and Willam.”
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The Drag Queen of the Year Pageant Competition Award Contest Competition https://t.co/PJ9PiRjMRp
“During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride's younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent and touching celebration of the women's spirit.”
“'Hide Your Fires: Butoh Lady Macbeth' brings the audience alongside the accursed spirit of Lady Macbeth to experience her nightmare of stifled ambition, unfulfilled desire, and ultimate loss. Telling the story solely through her perspective, this production fuses Japanese Butoh dance, movement, and various texts to take you inside the mind and body of one of Shakespeare's most famous villains.”
Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar! For more shows visit our Calendar.
For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Not That Jewish
“EMMY Award winner Monica Piper Returns to The Braid From Her Off-Broadway Triumph
Monica Piper performers her hit Comedy 'Not That Jewish,' (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award nomination “Best Solo Performance”) for a limited run, at The Braid where it was originally developed and ran for almost a year. On stage with the passion that has navigated her career to an Emmy Award win, Golden Globe nomination, American Comedy Award nomination as one of the Top Five female comedians in the country, and secured her as one of Showtime Network's “Comedy All Stars,” Monica Piper brings her authentic humor and autobiographical journey to audiences in Los Angeles.”
“'Hot Flashin' is a 'Feel Good Musical Comedy' that tells the story of a group of five women in their 'middle to later years, who have seen it all!' These female characters have grown children and limited incomes, and are working through the challenges of life in the midst of rising living costs. Somehow they each have the ability to find humor in the stressful moments they confront by their unique life situations...The show offers plenty of physical comedy, funny repartee, and hysterical songs, with titles such as 'Hot Flashes,' 'Dump that Chump,' 'My Feet Hurt' and 'Boob Operation,” among them. After the audience gets to know the plights and challenges of each of the five women, the play ends with the women becoming an official singing group. During the course of the play, the audience learns that the women's performances have been streamed live over the Internet, and they've become a smash.”
“A rare revival of Cicely Hamilton's romantic comedy, an unexpected hit of the 1908 London season. When poorly paid worker Diana inherits enough money to free her from a lifetime of drudgery, she impulsively decides to spend it all on a madcap, month-long taste of the high-life. But what she learns about love, money and society is as timely in 2019 as it was at the turn of the 20th century.”
“This new take on the classic story of the rise of the King of Scotland examines the sacrifices and consequences women face in their quest for power and recognition, as inspired by the Norse tradition against the backdrop of the Viking invasion. “On these Captains, who had the bodies of women, nature bestowed the souls of men.” – Saxo Grammaticus ”
“Funny, profound, and provocative, this adventurous road trip through memories conjures up the choices we make that shape our lives forever – and the friendships that hold us up when we can't walk on our own. The Lost Virginity Tour is a comedy about four women recalling their first time, mining the importance of female issues, and the progress made in the past few decades.”
“Shakespeare's most patriotic and inspiring play tells of a young King Henry V who seeks to unite his beloved England. After laying claim to French lands and being ridiculed, Henry marches off to war. Although sorely outnumbered, Henry rallies his troops and achieves a decisive victory in the famous Battle of Agincourt.
For audiences seeking quality, family entertainment, Shakespeare by the Sea's free performances can't be beat. Pack a picnic, a blanket and beach chair, gather loved ones, and settle in under the stars for a night of classic entertainment. The tales are timeless, the admission ticketless, and the experience priceless.”
“A classic romp of mistaken identity! Two young visitors arrive in the city unaware that their long-lost twins already live there. Over the course of a single day, everything that can go wrong does go wrong: a marriage at breaking point, a missing gold chain, an unpaid debt, and a dubious arrest.
For audiences seeking quality, family entertainment, Shakespeare by the Sea's free performances can't be beat. Pack a picnic, a blanket and beach chair, gather loved ones, and settle in under the stars for a night of classic entertainment. The tales are timeless, the admission ticketless, and the experience priceless.”
“Six friends head out of the city on their annual weekend retreat. With no social media, no cell phones, no internet allowed at all, this leaves them with one thing to do… look up from their screens and talk to each other. When the liquor starts flowing and the tongues loosen, no conversation is uneventful and no topic is off-limits. In these polarizing times, what does it mean to come to the table and at what cost? Will it bring us together or reveal how far apart we really are?”
“Six friends head out of the city on their annual weekend retreat. With no social media, no cell phones, no internet allowed at all, this leaves them with one thing to do… look up from their screens and talk to each other. When the liquor starts flowing and the tongues loosen, no conversation is uneventful and no topic is off-limits. In these polarizing times, what does it mean to come to the table and at what cost? Will it bring us together or reveal how far apart we really are? ”
“In this “barnburner of a play” (The Washington Post), two extraordinary women square off in a high-stakes academic debate over race, reputation and who gets the final word on how American history is written. When university professor Janine and her brilliant student Zoe don't see eye to eye, their routine office hours discussion unexpectedly careens off course—and threatens to derail their careers, lives and the status quo.”
“A solo performance written and performed by Jim Loucks
Booger Red survives a rough childhood to become a renowned Hellfire and Brimstone Southern Baptist preacher. How can Preacher's Kid Jimmy find a way out from under Booger Red's larger-than-life shadow as he grows up and finds his own voice? If you've had a dream or a daddy, Loucks' new solo performance is for you.”
“Winner of multiple Tony Awards and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Play, this electrifying family drama ALL MY SONS, by Arthur Miller, remains as timely as it is timeless. A gripping American classic reveals the lethal consequences of deceit and greed. In the aftermath of WWII, Joe Keller and his family struggle to stay intact while planning for their future as a long-hidden secret begins to tear them apart—forcing a reckoning with truth, guilt, and repentance.”
“The dance, music, theatre and visual arts academies of Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts aka: Grand Arts, present the musical Broadway production of HAIRSPRAY. This is a tremendous effort that provides opportunities for students on stage and behind the scenes to experience a full scale production that brings industry professionals to campus to donate time to ensure the audience has a complete Broadway experience.”
“The regular season of Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán opens on Tuesday, April 2 and will run through Thursday, October 31, 2019. The venue will also host pop-up screenings during holidays and for special events between November and the first quarter of 2020...Doors open at 6:00pm and films start screening 10 minutes after sunset. Food service starts when doors open. Prices run $18 for general seating or $50 to reserve one of the limited loveseats. Loveseat guests also receive a Prosecco toast and unlimited popcorn throughout the night. The rooftop screening experience is meant to foster a date-night atmosphere so most nights are meant for guests who are 18-years of age or older.
Please be advised that access to the 4th floor roof is via an outside staircase ONLY. There is no ADA-compliant access (yet) since this 90+ year old theater does not have an elevator at this time.
Doors open at 6:00 pm, which allows attendees to DRINK an exclusive hand-crafted Ramos Sangria (or beer, wine, mix drinks); DINE thanks to Umami Burger who continues as the venue's rooftop culinary partner (serving Impossible Burgers much to the delight of many vegetarians); SNACK on freshly baked cookies by Duidough Cookie Lab; PLAY a game of giant Jenga or ham-it-up in the selfie-friendly Simple Booth area; or CHILL in a relaxing Adirondack chair or loveseat while listening to a hand-selected musical soundtrack through the KV2 Audio system and Sound Off™ 3-channel/stereo wireless noise-cancelling headphones until the movie begins just after sunset.”
Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán - Cinema Paradiso
“A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.”
Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar! For more shows visit our Calendar.
For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Bright Star
“From Grammy, Emmy and Academy Award-winning Steve Martin & Grammy Award – winning Edie Brickell, Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past – and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tight in its grasp, Bright Star is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.”
“From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written. Shakespeare's timeless classic story, Romeo and Juliet, is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the American “Jets” and the Puerto Rican “Sharks”. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time.”
“Enjoy schadenfreude at its finest as you safely experience other people's mistakes (all of them all too true.) in the world premiere of Jerry Mayer's latest play. Continuing Santa Monica Playhouse's
NOBODY'S PERFECT! But mistakes can be fixed, between husbands and wives, girlfriends and boyfriends, fathers and sons. This world premiere romantic comedy will have you laughing, crying, and racing to fix that one mistake that's been gnawing at you for years!”
“Arthur Miller's “The Crucible” will begin performances at Camarillo Skyway Playhouse on April 5, 2019. Using the historical and controversial subject of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, “The Crucible” presents an allegory of events from the McCarthy Hearings of the 1950's. Reason and fact become clouded by irrational fears and the desire to place blame for society's problems on others. Especially women. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Drama from 1953, it is still a show with timely themes. Death threats, alcoholism, a women's place in society, truth vs. lies, adultery, rich vs. poor, those in power and those not, faith in God…all leading to an ending like no other. It is still considered to be one of the most powerful and important works in American drama.”
“24th Street Theatre, renowned for presenting sophisticated, emotionally rich and provocative theater that can be enjoyed by both adults and kids, separately or together, presents Dwayne Hartford's stage adaptation of the novel by Kate DiCamillo. In this powerful and highly stylized story, Edward Tulane is a porcelain rabbit who must learn the meaning of love: what it is to love, what it is to lose that love and how to find the courage to love again. For adults and kids 4 and up.”
“In this funny, timely, historic and political play, Karl Marx gets a chance to stand in front of an audience for one hour and clear his name. Starring Gera Hermann and directed by Ye'ela Rosenfeld, this one-man show will make you wonder about our society and leave you with questions and ideas for many weeks to come.
The play is followed by a conversation about Marxism, lead by expert speakers and accompanied with free wine and snacks. Don't miss this opportunity to debate with strangers the future of our country and the world. This entire experience is “pay-what-you-can” and the seating is very limited.”
“Joey Brant is a Jewish divorce lawyer in his 60s. He has never had a bar mitzvah ceremony. He feels the need to get one now, before his grandson has his bar mitzvah. For reasons which will become clear in the story, Joey's bar mitzvah ceremony must take place at the synagogue he attended five decades ago. Joey, a thoroughly secularized man, must now re-connect with the faith of his ancestors. He promptly alienates the synagogue's regular instructor, which means that Joey must now go to the temple's rabbi for his bar mitzvah lessons.
Rabbi Michael Levitz-Sharon, a woman, finds her faith challenged at the same time that Joey is rediscovering his spiritual roots. her 11-year-old devoutly Jewish daughter has contracted terminal cancer. The daughter, Rachel, wants nothing more than to live long enough to be bat-mitzvahed. The impending tragedy is taking its toll on Rabbi Michael's marriage.
Will Joey at long last have his bar mitzvah and find his faith? Can Rabbi Michael retain her beliefs?”
“Doris and Me is subtitled One Man's Obsession with Doris Day. That man is Scott Dreier, the co-writer and star of this show. It's not hard to understand Scott's devotion: At the height of her career, Doris Day was THE biggest star in show business. She starred in 39 films, was the number one female box office star for four years, won three Golden Globes®, was nominated for an Oscar® and starred for five years in a successful TV series. She received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Cecil B. deMille Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. She recorded 20 albums, the last released in 2011. Many of her recordings are classics of the Great American Songbook. Blessed with wholesome beauty and a curvy figure, graced with an exquisite voice and loved by the camera, Day had a career unique in the annals of show business. Since 1975, she has famously devoted herself to the cause of animal welfare.
Doris and Me is Scott Dreier's loving tribute to Day, who will have her 97th birthday during the week that this engagement opens. Dreier, himself a gifted vocalist, sings her hits with piano and bass accompaniment: Secret Love, Que Sera Sera, It's Magic, Everybody Loves a Lover, Sentimental Journey, and many more. He seamlessly weaves behind-the-scenes stories and over 75 curated images and clips from the iconic superstar's film and recording career with her beloved song hits.”
“One year after the death of a loved one, a family of actors gathers in their Berkshire home during the Williamstown summer theater season, wrestling with fame, art, and as always, each other. But when the events of the weekend go off-script, secrets are spilled and bonds are broken – threatening an already fragile foundation of a home brimming with old memories, new love, and discarded dreams.”
“Working is a fast-paced look at how people view their jobs, their opportunities, and themselves. With delightful pop music, laugh-out-loud jokes, and touching discoveries, it's a show you will not want to miss. Based on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers, Working paints a vivid portrait of the men and women that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason and the housewife, just to name a few. Nominated for six Tony Awards, this classic has been updated for a modern age, featuring new songs by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as favorites by Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia and James Taylor.”
“While on a first date, Stacy's date innocently asks her if she wants red or white wine. This “trick” question immediately sets off a tsunami of Stacy's insecurities, fueled by a history of being shot down after speaking her mind. In the instant it takes to answer that “red or white?” question, Stacy takes us on a hilarious journey of her failed relationships with men, starting in the fifth grade, when she beat her first boyfriend at wall ball during recess. After that he broke up with her. So begins an unintentionally competitive pattern with men that whenever Stacy wins at life, she loses at love. With both sides of Stacy's psyche weighing in like a comical Greek chorus, Stacy tries to figure out what men really want in a women before she answers that all important first date question, “Would you like red or white wine?”
“The regular season of Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán opens on Tuesday, April 2 and will run through Thursday, October 31, 2019. The venue will also host pop-up screenings during holidays and for special events between November and the first quarter of 2020...Doors open at 6:00pm and films start screening 10 minutes after sunset. Food service starts when doors open. Prices run $18 for general seating or $50 to reserve one of the limited loveseats. Loveseat guests also receive a Prosecco toast and unlimited popcorn throughout the night. The rooftop screening experience is meant to foster a date-night atmosphere so most nights are meant for guests who are 18-years of age or older.
Please be advised that access to the 4th floor roof is via an outside staircase ONLY. There is no ADA-compliant access (yet) since this 90+ year old theater does not have an elevator at this time.
Doors open at 6:00 pm, which allows attendees to DRINK an exclusive hand-crafted Ramos Sangria (or beer, wine, mix drinks); DINE thanks to Umami Burger who continues as the venue's rooftop culinary partner (serving Impossible Burgers much to the delight of many vegetarians); SNACK on freshly baked cookies by Duidough Cookie Lab; PLAY a game of giant Jenga or ham-it-up in the selfie-friendly Simple Booth area; or CHILL in a relaxing Adirondack chair or loveseat while listening to a hand-selected musical soundtrack through the KV2 Audio system and Sound Off™ 3-channel/stereo wireless noise-cancelling headphones until the movie begins just after sunset.”
Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán - Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning film Get Out
“In Universal Pictures' Get Out, a speculative thriller from Blumhouse...and the mind of Jordan Peele, when a young African-American man visits his white girlfriend's family estate, he becomes ensnared in a more sinister real reason for the invitation...as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined.”
“As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.”
Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán - 'The Big Lebowski'
“Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.”
Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán - 'The Transporter'
“Frank is hired to "transport" packages for unknown clients and has made a very good living doing so. But when asked to move a package that begins moving, complications arise. ”
“Mercenary Frank Martin, who specializes moving goods of all kinds, surfaces again this time in Miami, Florida when he's implicated in the kidnapping of the young son of a powerful USA official.”
Theatrical shows registered on the Better Lemons calendar! For more shows visit our Calendar.
For shows with a LemonMeter rating, visit our LemonMeter page.
Attack of the Second Bananas
“Who killed beloved stage stars Ruby Moss and Andrea Hammond? Find out as the LAPD detective on the case pieces together the clues. Attack of the Second Bananas is a comedy noir about the ultimate price of fame. Running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. WORLD PREMIERE.”
“In this electrifying exploration into the soul of an American icon, Tony and Olivier Award nominee Colman Domingo and Patricia McGregor imagine Nat “King” Cole as he faces the final Christmastime broadcast of his groundbreaking variety show and weighs the advice of his friend Sammy Davis Jr. to “go out with a bang.” Cole's hit songs, such as “Nature Boy,” “It's a Good Day” and “Smile,” underscore this boldly original homage to the renowned performer who struggled to break through America's color barrier in the early days of television. A feast for the eyes, ears and soul, the musical incorporates lively choreography by Broadway veteran Edgar Godineaux and dazzling tap dance steeped in politics and pizzazz created by renowned hoofer Jared Grimes.”
“An unemployed, divorced theoretical physicist has an online relationship with a man claiming to be a Syrian refugee. When the relationship goes offline, it paradoxically becomes less real.”
“You think you know your friends, your neighbors, your spouse, but what happens when you suddenly find out they have a garage full of guns? This new dark comedy explores the complicated issue of gun proliferation when two young liberal couples are forced to confront their assumptions about who should own a gun and why. The time of easy answers regarding this issue is long gone. In the wake of current events, we are all forced to reexamine our strongly held beliefs about gun ownership. Friends With Guns explores the question of what we can compartmentalize…and what we can't. It examines what happens when guns enter the conversation. It pulls the curtain back on liberals with guns. It asks what happens when suddenly one person in a marriage does a 180 on the gun issue. And it does all of this through a female lens.”
“A sensory experience that follows the Little Prince in his interplanetary journey that will leave audiences inspired to explore their inner child for we all have one deep inside.”
“A sensation in its New York premiere at the Actor's Studio, this searing drama by one of America's leading writers retains all its power to this day. Richard, a black man who is a former junkie returns to his parochial southern town and infuriates the denizens with his incendiary talk and actions. When he is killed by a poor, illiterate, white man, the murder, the eulogy, the trial, and the acquittal are presented in an abstract dramatic form of time, fury, and passion.”
“Featuring Corryn Cummins, James Hal Hardy and Maxi Witrak, PORTRAIT OF A SOUL is the story of a young woman whose life is shadowed by sexual assault experienced in her teenage years. The encounter with her abuser, a now famous artist, gives her a chance to confront him face to face, and she'll find unexpected closure from the unusual relationship they develop.
A new way of making theatre that'll catapult the audience into a world of art, mental illness and broken relationships, while offering a chance to meet other creative souls.”
“Earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos and the unforgettable songs of the ‘70s take center stage in Broadway's side-splitting homage to classic disaster films. Disaster! is a new musical straight from Broadway, featuring some of the most unforgettable songs of the ‘70s. “Knock on Wood,” “Hooked on a Feeling,” Sky High,” “Mocking Bird” and “Hot Stuff” in a “hilarious tribute to the era of bell-bottoms, platform shoes and the hustle. With larger-than-life characters, snappy dialogue and some of the most recognizable songs of the ‘70s, Disaster! will have you dancing in your seat and rolling in the aisles.”
“Nine is the story of a celebrated film director Guido Contini and his attempts to come up with a plot for his next film as he is pursued by hordes of beautiful women, all clamoring to be loved by him and him alone. Flashbacks reveal the substance of his life which will become the material for his next film: a musical version of the Casanova story. Based on Italian director Federico Felini's comic masterpiece of biographical filmmaking, 8 1/2. Maury Yeston's sultry and enchanting musical follows the life of this world famous film director as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life. Contino is also, after recent box office failures, drifting towards a nervous breakdown, from which he is held back only by the support of his wife, Luisa. As his sanity disintegrates, he drifts into nostalgic reverie, eventually focusing on the formative sexual encounter of his life, which occurred at the age of nine.”
“An explorer visits an island where blind conformity has no rational connection between crime and punishment. Kafka's ingenious metaphor about man's inhumanity to man is heightened by Glass' hypnotic score. Witness the internal conflict of the innocent bystander; to act or to do nothing.”
“Experiences of formerly incarcerated persons. The Rising Scholars Justice Lab comprises individuals who are now pursuing academic degrees. They will discuss the trauma of being in jail, their personal trust issues, and having a criminal record. The California Innocence Project takes on cases of wrongful incarceration. The event also includes performances by artists affiliated with LBO.”
“Mr. Tyler was the youngest person ever convicted of the death penalty and was incarcerated in Angola prison for 41 years before having his sentence overturned and being released in 2016.”
“Acclaimed composer Anthony Davis shares his inspiration for writing The Central Park Five, which will receive its world premiere at LBO June 15, 2019. He is joined by performers from the opera. The panel explores how music and art are used in activism and how classical music can more effectively participate in activism.”
“World premiere opera composed by Anthony Davis. In 1980's New York, five African American and Latino teenagers were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were unjustly convicted of a Central Park crime but exonerated through DNA evidence thirteen years later. Davis' opera is a passionate story about an issue that still rocks America today.”
“Crazy Woke Asians, the sold out comedy show presents a Solo Performance Festival at Santa Monica Playhouse. This year's festival showcases over 15 Asian American comedians, actors and writers. The shows range from touching autobiographical stories to stand-up comedy acts, from clown burlesque to magic with music, poetry, and more Thursdays through Sundays, March 14-24, 2019.
Each night will feature two or three performers, with special guest stars to round out the evening. All tickets come with a complimentary glass of wine, and there is a Festival Pass ticket available for those who want to attend several (or all!) shows. Plus, the first Friday and final Sunday of the festival will have post-show celebrations featuring food from Ish Kitchen.”
“Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, these 16- and 17-year-olds navigate big questions and wage tiny battles with the ferociousness of a pack of adolescent warriors. New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley calls Sarah DeLappe's extraordinary debut play “theater that keeps you on the edge of your seat.” Co-winner of the American Playwriting Foundation's inaugural Relentless Award and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Yale Drama Series Prize.”
“Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, Tony Award-winning MATILDA THE MUSICAL will dazzle audiences of all ages at the Civic Arts Plaza this spring! With inspiring and fun songs and lyrics written by Tim Minchin, this extraordinary girl will show you how a sharp mind and vivid imagination can help you change your destiny!”
Kentwood Players Presents Sunday In The Park With George
“Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and multiple Tony Awards, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, was inspired by the life of French pointillist, George Seurat. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, the plot revolves around the creation of his masterpiece, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” George, an intense and passionate artist, struggles to not only create his paintings but also to maintain a relationship with his long-time mistress, Dot. The second act connects to the first while focusing on another George, Seurat and Dot's great grandson, also struggling to find meaning in art and the need to connect to the past, present and future. A white canvas, so many possibilities.”
“Actors Co-op presents Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias, directed by Cameron Watson, produced by Lauren Thompson. Set in a small town beauty salon in Louisiana, Steel Magnolias celebrates the bond of friendship between six women in the midst of life's challenges. Based on the playwright's upbringing, and later adapted into the critically acclaimed film, Steel Magnolias is a humorous, yet devastating journey of friendship, loss, and love.”
“The Group Rep presents a long-lost Agatha Christie play The Secret of Chimneys, directed by Jules Aaron, produced by Kathleen Delaney & Kevin Hoffman, Jr. In this mystery, a cosmopolitan adventurer on a mission discovers more than he bargained for when he arrives at an English country house and finds himself in the center of a murderous international conspiracy. This sinister plot of stolen diamonds, secret oil concessions and exiled royalty unfolds under the purview of both Scotland Yard and the French Surete. Chimneys is Christie at her best: a comedy of manners laced with murder!”
“MB Artists and the Whitefire Theatre present the world premiere of BRUSHES: A Comedy of Hairs, written by Cathy Hamilton and Carol Starr Schneider, directed by Kevin Bailey. BRUSHES untangles the hysterically complicated relationship between women and their hair since time immemorial. Brushes with disaster, vanity, envy, self-doubt, sex, death – even the law – are explored in hilarious and poignant style. In a series of vignettes, the follicular follies flow from the Bad Hair Days Inn to a new salon on the block called Blow Me Now.”
“It's survival of the fiercest when Kimmy Chi (RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 finalist Kim Chi), a home-schooled transfer student from South Korea, moves to an American high school ruled by drag queen girl-gang The Plastics, led by the terrifying Willam George (RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 firebrand Willam, currently stealing scenes opposite Lady Gaga in Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born), and her ignorant band of loyal followers, Peaches “Swallows” Wieners (Peaches Christ) and stoner dingbat Laganja Smith (RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 standout Laganja Estranja, also seen in the Netflix series Dancing Queen). Will Kimmy fit in with these mean gays, or will they throw her under the school bus? Mean Gays is a hilariously irreverent live musical parody of the 2004 cult classic film Mean Girls starring Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, and Rachel McAdams.”
Break the Floor Productions, longtime producer of the Capezio A.C.E. Awards, in partnership with The Montalbán, brings MOVES at The Montalbán, a three-day festival celebrating emerging talent in dance, to Los Angeles, Friday, March 15 – Sunday, March 17, 2019.
The dance festival offers audiences the chance to see new talent in the world of choreography and dance. The inaugural festival's three-day engagement inside the historic theatre will host engaging, world-premiere live dance performances inside the historic theatre.
After each performance, audiences can gain access to an exclusive Rooftop After Party featuring talent from the show and more live dancing.
The festival will feature all styles of dance, with pre and post-show entertainment, during the entire weekend.
According to a statement, MOVES at The Montalbán will feature a line-up to include "winners of the coveted Capezio A.C.E Award for outstanding choreography"--awards presented each year to the top choreographers of the future." The festival with include performances by recent Capezio A.C.E Award winners Entity Contemporary Dance Company, co-directed by Marissa Osato and Will Johnston, tap company Rhythmatic, directed by Nick Young, and contemporary choreographer Lukas McFarlane. The festival will also feature veteran choreographers of various backgrounds providing attendees a body of work and teachings from a variety of disciplines.
Will Johnston by Mike Esperanza.
“We wanted to create a dance festival here, in Los Angeles, for years and we're thrilled that the recent winners of the Capezio A.C.E. Awards will be able to show off their talents to all of the dance fans in LA," said Nikole Vallins, a producer with Break the Floor Productions in a statement. "Presenting this festival at the iconic Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood just adds to the amazing opportunity for these outstanding choreographers and dancers.”Led by owner Gil Stroming, Break the Floor Production is a dance entertainment company with a reach of over 500,000 dancers annually. The company has produced tours of Travis Wall's Shaping Sound shows "Dance Reimagined" and "After the Curtain," and this summer Al Blackstone's "Freddie Falls in Love" will be performed for New York audiences at the Joyce Theater.
Founded by Nick Young, Rhythmatic recently appeared on the NBC hit competition show "World of Dance." Since then, Young and his dancers have performed in Bermuda, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
Los Angeles-based Entity Contemporary Dance, founded in 2009 by choreographers Will Johnston, Marissa Osato, and Elm Pizarro, "interweaves modern, jazz, and hip-hop dance techniques" with a desire to "forge connections between the Southern California hip-hop and contemporary dance communities." The Company has produced two full-length works, "Braxon vs. Oregon" (2014/2015) and "PEEL" (2016/2017), which ran in Los Angeles, and toured San Francisco, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Locally, they hold open company class every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood.
25-year-old Creative/Choreographer Lukas McFarlane, from Canada, was crowned the UK and Ireland's best dance act, winning Sky1's hit TV show, "Got to Dance" in 2013 at just 19. Now assistant creative director to Brian Friedman on "The X Factor," he is also a choreographer on the show. He's choreographed for the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing," ITV's "The Voice UK" and "Change Your Tune.," and has worked on "So You Think You Can Dance" in four countries, including here in the U.S. and is a teacher and Creative Director of his London-based dance company UnTitled Dance Company.
Located just south of the world-famous Hollywood & Vine intersection, The Montalbán is Hollywood's classic theatre reborn for a new era of performing arts, and screened entertainment. In 1999, Emmy Award-winning actor Ricardo Montalbán and his Foundation bought the building in 1999, with a goal to provide "inspiration and employment for young Latinos as well as other underrepresented people throughout the community," in Hollywood. Since 1927, the classic Beaux Arts building was the first "legitimate live Broadway-style theater in Hollywood" and is one of the few remaining mid-sized and fully equipped proscenium theaters in Los Angeles, featuring orchestra, mezzanine, loge, and balcony seating. The rooftop space, with a bar, concession stand, and full kitchen, hosts contemporary and classic films screened throughout the year. Once owned by Howard Hughes, CBS Radio, A&P grocery chain heir Huntington Hartford, and the Greek Theater's James Doolittle, The Montalbán is now under the direction of Montalbán's son-in-law Gilbert Smith.
MOVES at The Montalbán is located at 1615 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028. Tickets are $40/$65 nightly, and festival passes are available for $80/$120 (general admission/VIP packages), Friday, March 15 - Sunday, March 17, 2019. For more information or for tickets, please contact the box office at 323-461-6999 or visit MOVES at The Montalbán.
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