Photo by Julieta Cervantes

COMING IN FEBRUARY:

“The Book of Mormon” follows two young missionaries who are sent to Uganda to try to convert citizens to the Mormon religion. One missionary, Elder Price, is an enthusiastic go-getter with a strong dedication to his faith, while his partner, Elder Cunningham, is a socially awkward but well-meaning nerd whose tendency to embroider the truth soon lands him in trouble. Upon their arrival in Africa, Elders Price and Cunningham learn that in a society plagued by AIDS, poverty and violence, a successful mission may not be as easy as they expected. Written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone, with music by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone, and directed by Jennifer Werner, it runs February 6 through February 9 at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks. For tickets visit www.BroadwayInThousandOaks.com.

“Death Of a Salesman” this iconic American drama harnesses bold realism with riveting theatricality and is a commentary on the American Dream which resonates even today. Written by Arthur Miller, and directed by Mark Blanchard, it runs from January 10 through January 26 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets visit www.onstage411.com/salesman.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

“Mean Girls” Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. Written by Tina Fey, based on the screenplay by Jeff Richmond, with music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and directed by Casey Nicholaw, it runs from January 10 through January 12 at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks. For tickets visit www.BroadwayInThousandOaks.com.

“Wish You Were Here” It’s 1978. Protests break out across Iran as five close girlfriends plan weddings, trade dirty jokes and try to live their young lives. As the revolution escalates, each woman is forced to face an uncertain future by staying in Iran or leaving it. Written by Sanaz Toossi, and directed by Mina Morita, it runs from January 12 through February 2 at the South Coast Repertory Julianne Argyros Stage in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.

“Listing” Raymond is a real estate agent with a passion for historic preservation. His dream listing arrives when the owner of one of Los Angeles’ architecturally significant homes asks him to represent her modernist masterpiece. Open houses bring bumbling buyers and development speculators. When catastrophe strikes and the terms of the sale are hijacked, Raymond’s well-intentioned hopes and plans are thrown into chaos. Even the house itself seems to have its own nefarious agenda. Tragedy, societal tension, and ghosts of the home’s past all simmer to the surface, and the home’s good bones can’t hide the bad blood. Written by Russell Brown, and directed by Tom Lazarus, it runs January 16 through February 16 at Theatre Forty in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.

“The Curious Savage” When Ethel Savage’s late husband leaves her ten million dollars, she decides to establish a fund to support dreamers. But her three greedy stepchildren commit her to a mental institution, hoping to “bring her to her senses.” In the sanitarium, she befriends the other “guests.” Meanwhile, the stepchildren discover that Ethel has hidden the family fortune and attempt to browbeat her into confessing where the money has been stashed. There is a wild goose chase where the question, “Who is really crazy and who is sane?” comes into play. With warmth, humor and dignity, this charming play celebrates those who are often overlooked, emphasizing kindness, affection and empathy in a world that too often rewards greed and ambition. Written by John Patrick, it runs from January 17 through February 23 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre (Main Stage) in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-763-5990 or visit www.thegrouprep.com.

“Sleeping Giant” When a firework-filled marriage proposal goes very wrong, the accompanying explosions wake up something very old that has been sleeping in the nearby lake for thousands of years. What follows are intimate, darkly comic and sometimes startling vignettes about the lengths people go to when they desperately want to believe in something. Written by Steve Yockey, and directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, it runs from January 17 through February 23 at the Road Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-761-8838 or visit www.roadtheatre.org.

“Here Comes the Night” When Olivia, a musician’s wife and climate science advocate, invites Maggie, an old friend turned social media influencer, to spend the weekend while she has an at-home medical abortion, she doesn’t realize that Maggie is about to throw Olivia off course. And actually, these women of different generations are about to alter each other’s lives in ways they hadn’t expected or imagined. What happens when a woman’s right to choose becomes a litmus test for all of her life choices? Written by Lisa Kenner Grissom, and directed by Hailey McAfee, it runs from January 18 through February 16 at the Moving Arts Theatre in Atwater. For tickets call 323-472-5646 or visit www.movingarts.org.

“The Seagull” On a country lake, a star-struck girl of 19 becomes entangled with a famous actress, her famous writer-boyfriend, and her troubled son. The girl rejects the romantic pleadings of the son but steals the heart of the famous writer and heads for Moscow to pursue him and pursue a life in the theatre as an actress. Written by Anton Chekhov, and directed by Bruce Katzman, it runs from January 18 through February 9 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets visit www.streetratmedia.wixsite.com/the-seagull-la.

“Eleanor” A tour-de-force solo performance by Kandis Chappell brings to life the dynamic and iconic First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Both strong and vulnerable, public and private, Eleanor Roosevelt’s fascinating story will sweep you away. Learn more about the passionate and unforgettable woman at the heart of her husband’s presidency whose impact on history cannot be understated. Written by Mark St. Germain, and directed by David Ellenstein, it runs from January 19 through February 2 at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach. For tickets call 949-497-2787 or visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

“Millennium Magic 2025” Back in 2000, magician, actor and Theatre West member George Tovar originated Millennium Magic, an annual festival of Magic Castle magicians performing for one weekend each fall at Theatre West. This year, George returns to host three amazing performances as he is joined onstage by his magical friends from Hollywood’s Magic Castle, Vegas, cruise ships and television shows. This array of great talents from the world of magic is the twenty-third annual presentation of this popular show. The line-up of magicians will vary at each performance, so one could attend all three dates and see three different programs. Nowhere else will you be able to see an array of talented magical performers of this caliber at such an affordable price. Written and directed by George Tovar, it runs from January 24 through January 26 at the Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-4839 or visit www.theatrewest.org.

“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” is based on a Norwegian folk tale. Karen, a young woman, is offered the chance to rescue her impoverished family from its dire straits if she agrees to become the companion of an enchanted bear for a year. Within the body of the bear resides a handsome prince destined to become Karen’s true love, but the Evil Queen of the Trolls has hatched a scheme to thwart Karen and dominate the bear for the queen’s own purposes. Can love prevail? Written by Kai Cofer, with music by Larry Evans, lyrics by Kai Cofer, and directed by Jon Peterson, it runs from January 25 through January 26 at the Lineage Performing Arts Center in Pasadena. For tickets visit www.our.show/eastofsun.

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“The Play That Goes Wrong” The Cornley Drama Society in Britain is putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong... does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call with hilarious consequences! Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, and directed by Eric Petersen, it runs from January 25 through February 16 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets call 562-944-9801 or visit www.LaMiradaTheatre.com.

“Jane Austen in 89 Minutes” is a comedy in which a cast of madcap ladies and gents bring all six of Jane Austen’s beloved novels to comic life and includes modern day zingers about Jane Austen’s fame, fandom, movies, and TV series. The play takes place in a wrinkle in time, the present day intermingled with England’s Regency Era, 1811-1816. At several points, Jane Austen must rein in her characters when they run amok and try to take over the show. Written and directed by Syrie James, it runs from January 29 through February 9 at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-3606 or visit www.theatre40.org.

“The Civil Twilight” A twisty thriller, THE CIVIL TWILIGHT takes place over a single night during a once-in-a-century storm when a popular radio personality winds up trapped in a motel room in the Midwest with his biggest fan and a deadly game of trust and recrimination is played. Written by Shem Bitterman, and directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, it runs through January 26 at the Broadwater Studio Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 818-761-8838 or visit www.theciviltwilight.ludus.com.