HERE LIES LOVE, MAMMA MIA and More Set for Center Theatre Group 2025/2026 Season
The season will feature 11 plays, musicals, and special events.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz May. 06, 2025
Center Theatre Group’s upcoming 2025–2026 season will bring eleven productions to its three stages, mixing Broadway favorites, award-winning new plays, and original works making their Los Angeles debuts. With titles ranging from the disco-fueled Here Lies Love to the return of Mamma Mia! and the world of Paranormal Activity live on stage, the season reflects a broad, eclectic approach that spans genres, tones, and audiences.
The core of the season is the seven-show One CTG subscription package, featuring a blend of celebrated Broadway transfers and timely new work, including Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Primary Trust, Paranormal Activity, & Juliet, Mamma Mia!, and a soon-to-be-announced title. A major highlight of the season is Desai’s direction of Here Lies Love—the immersive pop musical from David Byrne and Fatboy Slim that charts the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos—marking its LA debut at the Mark Taper Forum.
“As we step into our second season together, I’m thrilled to share a lineup that reflects the joy, complexity, and vibrancy of the world we live in,” said Artistic Director Snehal Desai. “Our season features some of the greatest new plays and playwrights working today alongside some of Broadway’s most stunning new musicals. I’m particularly looking forward to once again directing at the Mark Taper Forum this season, where we’ll bring Here Lies Love to Los Angeles for the first time. Part of my vision for CTG, and my commitment to LA, is to produce theatre for Angelenos and by Angelenos, and I’m excited to do that with this groundbreaking and timely musical.”
The season also includes four productions under the CTG:FWD banner: three events at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and a MUSE/IQUE concert at the Taper. These offerings include the return of Puppet Up! – Uncensored, the U.S. premiere of The Enormous Crocodile, and GUAC, the solo show by Parkland activist Manuel Oliver.
“Some of the plays and musicals we are presenting this year have played in front of the largest audiences both here in the United States and internationally,” said Producing Director Douglas C. Baker. “At Center Theatre Group, we continue our legacy of being a theatre of the moment not just here in LA, but also across the country, and on the international stage.”
“Our signature subscription offering, One CTG, offers seven distinctive and highly entertaining shows, while our CTG:FWD programming continues to be grounded in special events and community,” added Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman. “There is something about every show this season that I’m truly excited about. One of those shows is Manuel Oliver’s deeply moving and personal show GUAC at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, which will be presented to students for the first time ever as part of our longstanding student matinees program.”
Desai concluded, “CTG’s 2025/26 Season speaks to the times we live in with larger-than-life characters and stories that grapple with and make sense of the world through compassion, resilience, and sheer force of will. We hope these stories will create space for connecting with community and our shared humanity.”
The full seven-show One CTG subscription package is now available for purchase at CenterTheatreGroup.org, with CTG:FWD events available as add-on performances.
2025/26 Center Theatre Group Season
“ONE CTG” SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE
AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE AND MARK TAPER FORUM
Seventh production to be announced
& JULIET
Book By David West Read
Music By Max Martin & Friends
Choreography By Jennifer Weber
Directed By Luke Sheppard
Ahmanson Theatre
August 13 – September 7, 2025
The hilarious new musical & Juliet flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks: what would happen if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way.
Featuring songs by the legendary Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Max Martin, a book by the Emmy-winning writer from Schitt’s Creek, David West Read, direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Emmy-Award winner Jennifer Weber, & Juliet opened on Broadway in November 2022, where it continues playing to sold-out crowds and breaking box office records.
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including "Since U Been Gone‚" "Roar," "Baby One More Time," "Larger Than Life‚" "That’s The Way It Is," and "Can't Stop the Feeling!"—all from the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century—Max Martin. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.
JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING
By Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Whitney White
A Co-Production with Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre,
Chicago Shakespeare Theater and La Jolla Playhouse
In Association with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze
Mark Taper Forum
October 1 – November 9, 2025
Winner of Two 2024 Tony Awards including Best Costume Design
Step into the vibrant world of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, a beloved Harlem hotspot where West African immigrant braiders work their magic on the locals’ locks. Amidst the lively buzz of a scorching summer, love ignites, dreams soar, and secrets unravel. But beneath the surface of this riotous comedy lies a current of uncertainty, pushing this close-knit community to confront the challenges of being outsiders in their own neighborhood.
From the pen of Tony Award-nominated Ghanaian American playwright Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Kirk Douglas Theatre) and directed by Tony Award nominee and Obie Award winner and now 2025 Drama League Founders Award for Excellence in Directing Whitney White. White directed the current Broadway production of The Last Five Years starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
A NEW STORY LIVE ON STAGE
Written by Levi Holloway
Directed by Felix Barrett
By arrangement with Paramount Pictures and Melting Pot
A co-production with Chicago Shakespeare Theater,
Shakespeare Theatre Company and American Conservatory Theater
Based on the Paranormal Activity films, first written and directed by Oren Peli
and brought to the screen by Blumhouse and Solana Films
TM & © 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved
Ahmanson Theatre
November 13 – December 7, 2025
James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past…and are trapped in an original story set in the world of the Paranormal Activity film series. This new play will haunt you long after the lights go out. But we can’t say anything else.
This production is written by celebrated playwright Levi Holloway, whose Tony-nominated Grey House spooked Broadway audiences two seasons ago. Paranormal is directed by Felix Barrett, pioneering founder and artistic director of the acclaimed Punchdrunk—whose immersive Sleep No More played more than 5,000 performances at the McKittrick Hotel for a record-breaking 14-year New York run.
HERE LIES LOVE
Concept, Music, & Lyrics by David Byrne
Music by Fatboy Slim
Directed by Snehal Desai
Mark Taper Forum
February 11 – March 22, 2026
Here Lies Love is a groundbreaking musical about former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos' astonishing rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution.
From Talking Heads frontman and writer of “Stop Making Sense” and “Burning Down the House,” David Byrne; the beat master of “Praise You,” Fatboy Slim and CTG Brindell & Milton Gottlieb Artistic Director Snehal Desai comes a new production of Here Lies Love—the “sensational, one-of-a-kind musical like no Broadway show ever” (Time Out New York).
In the show, a young woman gets catapulted to a life of fame, excess, and intoxicating power after winning the hearts of two political rivals. Here Lies Love is “the most entertaining new show” (ABC7) and “an experience the likes of which Broadway has rarely if ever seen” (Variety).
Within a throbbing Karaoke atmosphere, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim deconstruct the astonishing journey of Marcos–her meteoric rise and subsequent descent into infamy. Here Lies Love is neither a period piece nor a biography, neither a play or a musical, but a wholly immersive spectacle combining disco beats, adrenaline-fueled choreography, going beyond Imelda's near-mythic obsession with shoes to explore true questions of power and responsibility.
PRIMARY TRUST
By Eboni Booth
Directed by Knud Adams
Mark Taper Forum
May 20 – June 28, 2026
Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Primary Trust is a simple and elegantly crafted story of an emotionally damaged man who finds a new job, new friends and a new sense of worth, illustrating how small acts of kindness can change a person’s life and enrich an entire community.
Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore worker in a small upstate New York town, spends his evenings sipping Mai Tais at the local tiki bar with his Best Friend Bert. When he’s suddenly laid off, Kenneth faces challenges he has long avoided—with transformative and heart-warming results. Primary Trust is a touching story of new beginnings, old (and new) friends, and finding the courage to see the world for the first time.
When Eboni Booth’s premiered in New York in 2023, The Observer said, “it will restore your faith in theatre’s elemental storytelling powers.” The Daily Beast said it’s “pretty darn near to perfect.”
MAMMA MIA!
Music & Lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
Book by Catherine Johnson
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Ahmanson Theatre
June 23 – July 19, 2026
Since premiering in London in 1999 and on Broadway in 2001, the irresistible musical now in its 25th Anniversary Production has captured the hearts of millions around the globe. The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island paradise, all unfolding to the storytelling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs, has now been seen live on stage by 70 million people across the world and turned into two record-breaking movies–Mamma Mia! The Movie and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
To date, Mamma Mia! has been seen in 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $7 billion at the box office.
Mamma Mia! played for a record-breaking 14 years on Broadway, first at the Winter Garden Theatre, then at the Broadhurst Theatre. The show also toured North America from 2000-2017 with four different touring companies spanning this period. The show returns to Broadway beginning August 2, 2025, for a limited six-month run at the Winter Garden Theatre, where it had its first Broadway opening in 2001.
2025/25 SEASON
CTG:FWD PROGRAMMING
AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM AND Kirk Douglas THEATRE
Brian Henson presents
PUPPET UP! – UNCENSORED
Kirk Douglas Theatre
July 16 – 27, 2025
Puppet Up! – Uncensored is a night of outrageous, off-the-cuff comedy for adults...
...featuring the MISKREANT puppets brought to life by a cast of world-class puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. Created by legendary puppeteer and award-winning director Brian Henson and co-created and directed by Patrick Bristow, Puppet Up! – Uncensored is never the same show twice.
Based on suggestions from the audience, Patrick and his team of expert puppeteers create a hilarious two-shows-in-one: the improvised puppet action projected live on screens above the stage and the puppeteers racing around below in full view for the audience. The show also features recreations of classic pieces originally created by Jim and Jane Henson that haven’t been seen by live audiences in decades.
Timeout said, “Puppet Up! – Uncensored combines top puppeteering talent with music, jokes and shenanigans. It’s not just about watching the puppets either—you’ll be mesmerized by the sheer skill of the puppeteers on full display, who are coming up with songs on the fly while manipulating puppets on stage. If you’re a Jim Henson buff, this show is not to be missed: you’ll see recreations of Henson classics with a twist. In case ‘uncensored’ wasn’t enough warning, make sure you leave the kids at home for this one.”
MUSE/IQUE Presents
LIKE IT LIKE HARLEM
Salsa, Boogaloo, and the Making of a New Musical Playground in New York City
Rachael Worby, Artistic Director
Presented in partnership with Center Theatre Group
Mark Taper Forum
August, 8–10, 2025
The story of East Harlem is the story of how American music is made. It's where mambo, salsa, and boogaloo converged to give rise to iconic hits like “I Like It Like That,” “Oye Cómo Va,” and “Boogaloo Blues.” It’s where cultures came together and artists who challenged the musical status quo found pride, passion, and possibility on every block.
When Puerto Ricans and Cubans arrived in New York City in the mid-20th century, they ushered in a cultural renaissance in the neighborhood that became popularly known as “Spanish Harlem,” but is also known to many simply as “El Barrio”—the neighborhood.
In this performance, MUSE/IQUE celebrates the power of community to inspire bold, authentic expression, and we pay tribute to legendary artists like Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Pete Rodriguez, and more.
GUAC
Written and Performed by Manuel Oliver
Co-Written by James Clements
Directed by Michael Cotey
Presented in Association with Change the Ref
Kirk Douglas Theatre
October 14 – November 2, 2025
GUAC is the fearless, funny, and deeply moving theatrical tour-de-force about a father turned activist. Seven years after his son Joaquin "Guac" Oliver was killed in the Parkland shooting, Manuel Oliver channels his love, loss, and rage into a powerful force for change. From pepperoni bacon pizza to air guitar solos, Oliver paints a vivid, unforgettable portrait of a vibrant life cut short—and a father’s relentless fight for a better future. Both a celebration and a rallying cry, GUAC pulls zero punches and speaks to anyone who has ever loved, lost, or dreamed of making a difference.
He vivid channels the Olivers’ home life and personalities, and the oddball swerves into the likes of air guitar, make the piece more than an issue drama. When the show is over, you miss this brave and lovable family—all of them.”
Manuel Oliver said to David Smith in The Guardian, “This is not a sad play. I have always prioritized the 17 years that Joaquin was here and not the six minutes that it took for a killer to end his life. This is more about a beautiful story of a kid, his family, how we came to this country looking for a safer and better future and then found that we were wrong. We didn’t go over all possibilities and here we are now paying the price.”
Roald Dahl’s THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE
The Musical
Book and Lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra
Music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab
Additional Music by Tom Brady
Developed and Directed by Emily Lim
Co-directed and Puppetry Design by Toby Olié
Kirk Douglas Theatre
December 5, 2025 – January 4, 2026
This mischievous musical based on Roald Dahl’s snappy book, has toe-tapping tunes by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, a rib-tickling book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, and additional music and lyrics by Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, it features a menagerie of puppets by co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié as seen at Regent’s Park London, with set and costume design by Fly Davis and puppetry co-designed and supervised by Daisy Beattie.
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