South Coast Reperatory or other nearby theaters

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:20am

Do any of you Southern Californians ever go to this theater?  I'll be out there for work and my office is right next door. There's a play called The Siegel playing and it says it's a world premiere. (But A Doll's House Part 2 plays later in April and also says it's a world premiere...  which I also find confusing because it's on Broadway as of tomorrow?  But I digress...)

 

Anyway, let me know if anyone thinks it's worth checking out or has other theater recommendations in the area. (There is nothing at the Segerstrom Center while I'm there.)

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 2:01am

I've probably seen 4 or 5 productions at South Coast Rep and they do a great job. Just saw Moby Dick there last month and it was great. Re: A Dolls House, I'm guessing when SCR announced their season last year, it was going to be a world premiere and the Broadway run was scheduled after their announcement or maybe it's scheduled to actually open at SCR before the Broadway opening in late April and the opening date rather than the date of the 1st preview is what qualifies it as a world premiere. Don't know for sure. But it's a quality theater and they offer some ticket deals so check discounts on their website as well as Goldstar. Other L.A. area theaters I regularly see things at are Center Theater Group (3 theaters there), Geffen Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, La Mirada Theater, Odyssey Theater and touring shows at the Pantages. Also there are loads of smaller theater companies like The Road Theater and Echo Theater Co. that are doing some interesting and offbeat stuff.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 7:34pm

I highly recommend South Coast Repertory. They are one of the nation's top 10 regional theatres.  You can usually score rush tickets for 1/2 price between 6pm and showtime. The shows rarely sell out. 

There is some great stuff playing in Los Angeles but the traffic is insane during the week. 

A Doll's House part 2 was supposed to be a world premiere. SCR commissioned the play. Since a commercial producer showed interest in mounting it on Broadway, SCR relinquished the world premiere rights out of respect for the playwright...and probably fear of litigation. 
 

[conealpetterson]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 8:21pm

I haven't been to South Coast Repertory, but hear they put on fantastic productions.  As for other theaters in the area, Musical Theater West in Long Beach is doing a production of Carousel that is getting great reviews.  I am seeing it on Sunday.  Their past productions have been top notch.  La Mirada Theater is doing a production of West Side Story starting later in April.  I have been really impressed by the shows I have seen there as well.  Traffic is horrible on the freeways on weekday evenings, but a little lighter on the weekends.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 8:31pm

I don't what they are doing while you are there, but I've seen good work at The Laguna Playhouse, which is an easy drive from Costa Mesa.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 8:49pm

South Coast Repertory was a past Tony winner for Regional Theatres and has first class productions with many actors that perform in feature movies or television shows.  Their current production on the main stage The Siegel features Amy Aquino (Bosch); Matthew Arkin (The Whale); Ben Feldman (Superstore); Devon Sorvari (Gilmore Girls) and Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep's daughter).  I'm going just to see Mamie.

I also recommend La Mirada Theatre and Musical Theatre West where they just opened "Carousel" and it's fantastic!  I'm going for a 2nd time at the end of the run which is on April 9th.  La Mirada's "West Side Story" is at La Mirada from April 21-May 14.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 9:04pm

BroadwayBaby6 said: "A Doll's House part 2 was supposed to be a world premiere. SCR commissioned the play. Since a commercial producer showed interest in mounting it on Broadway, SCR relinquished the world premiere rights out of respect for the playwright...and probably fear of litigation. 
 

If South Coast rep commissioned it, I can't imagine why they would have any fear of litigation or what they could even be sued for. Their website is still promoting it as a world premiere and any current articles including one on BWW last week refer to the B'way production as the Broadway premiere, and SCR as the world premiere. Perhaps it is in fact based on the date of the first non-preview performance.

 

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 9:38pm

Okay, maybe not litigation but a) they're a very playwright-centric theatre and I can't see them saying NO to a playwright who gets his big chance on Broadway and b) those of us who have had any dealings with Scott Rudin know that this is the one person you don't say NO to!