Welcome to Theater News, a regular column by longtime reviewer Anita W. Harris. Look for it most Thursdays. Or sign up for our Eat See Do newsletter to get it in your inbox.
“April is the cruelest month,” wrote poet T.S. Eliot, but that’s only because there’s so much going on — especially at Long Beach theaters.
Here’s what’s on stage at a theater near you:
The Garage Theatre
It’s the final two weeks of “The Tragedy Giftshop” at the Garage Theatre, a world premiere play written by Ryan McClary and directed by The Garage co-founder Matthew Anderson highlighting the “intersection of grief and consumerism in modern day America.” It continues through April 5.
You can read more about the theater marking its 25th season in a previous column in which The Garage co-founder Eric Hamme amusingly reflects, “Anyone who chooses to drive to a little sketchy part of 7th Street and park their car and walk into this little storefront and hand over their money — it’s incredible.”
The Garage Theatre is at 251 E. Seventh St., with metered parking available on surrounding streets. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the theater’s box office 30 minutes before each show or online at TheGarageTheatre.org.
International City Theatre
Now in its 40th season, International City Theatre (ICT) is revving up to perform “The Violin Maker” from April 23 through May 11.
Written by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak, and directed by ICT artistic director caryn desai [sic.], the play is based on “Violins of Hope” — a project by Israeli violin-maker Amnon Weinstein to restore and play violins collected since World War II that belonged to Jewish musicians during the Holocaust.
The play, which ICT describes as “powerful and uplifting,” relates the stories behind some of those violins, interwoven with music curated by Dr. Noreen Green of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony.
ICT’s “The Violin Maker” will perform at the Beverly O’Neill Theater, 330 E. Seaside Way, with shows Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Paid parking is available at garages across from the theater. For tickets, call the box office at 562-436-4610 or visit ICTLongBeach.org.
Long Beach Playhouse
Comedy is on tap beginning April 5 at the Long Beach Playhouse with Neil Simon’s “God’s Favorite” — a 1974 retelling of the biblical story of Job in which a successful businessman’s faith is sorely tested by his family.
“The jokes and tests of faith fly fast and furious as Simon spins a comedy like no other in this hilarious contemporary morality tale,” says the Playhouse.
“God’s Favorite” will perform April 5 through May 3 at the Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Free parking is available in the lot behind the theater and surrounding streets. For tickets, call the box office at 562-494-1014 or visit LBPlayhouse.org.
Long Beach Shakespeare Company
Get lost in a fairy-filled forest with William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Long Beach Shakespeare Company until April 13. Love potions, star-crossed lovers, love triangles, lover’s quarrels and… a donkey? As they say, what happens in the forest, stays in the forest.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” continues through April 13 at Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Blvd., with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Metered parking is available on surrounding streets. For tickets call the box office at 562-997-1494 or visit LBShakespeare.org.
Musical Theatre West
Visit another kind of forest in Musical Theatre West’s “Into the Woods,” beginning this weekend through April 13.
With music and lyrics by legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, the musical takes you back to fairy tale characters you learned as a child — Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack (and his beanstalk), Rapunzel, a baker and his wife — but gives them the adult “reality” spin you’ve learned since then.
“As their desires intertwine, consequences unfold in unexpected ways as the characters explore the complexities of wishes and the responsibility of storytelling,” according to the theater.
The theater also notes that the stories use the original Brothers Grimm versions that are “darker” and less “happy-ending” than Disney movies, including violence. In other words (having seen it before) this one’s for mom and dad, not the kids.
Musical Theatre West’s “Into the Woods” performs March 29 to April 13 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., with shows Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. Paid parking is available in a lot in front of the theater. For tickets and information, call 562-856-1999 or visit Musical.org.