MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING And More Set for Golden West College Theater Arts 2025–2026 Season

Golden West College Theater Arts has unveiled its 2025–2026 season lineup, featuring four full productions to be staged in the 326-seat Mainstage Theater on the Huntington Beach campus.

With a mix of classic drama, Shakespearean comedy, a new original work, and a Tony Award-winning musical, the season offers a wide-ranging showcase of student and faculty talent.

Performances begin in October 2025. Tickets and season information are available at www.gwctickets.com.

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The Diviners

By Jim Leonard Jr. | Directed by Tom Amen
October 10–19, 2025

Opening the season is Jim Leonard Jr.’s The Diviners, a drama set in 1930s rural Indiana that centers on the unlikely friendship between a troubled young man and a disillusioned preacher. With sparse, lyrical storytelling and a focus on themes of faith, grief, and connection, the play has become a staple of American regional theater. This production is directed by GWC faculty member Tom Amen.

Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare | Directed by Martie Ramm
November 14–23, 2025

Next up is Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, one of his most enduring comedies. The play follows two intertwined love stories—one tender and threatened by betrayal, the other witty and adversarial—set against a backdrop of mistaken identity and eavesdropping schemes. Directed by Martie Ramm, the production promises a lively take on the Bard’s sharpest romantic comedy.

Eight Seconds

World Premiere by Tim Mueller | Directed by Tom Amen
March 6–15, 2026

Spring brings the world premiere of Eight Seconds by playwright and GWC faculty member Tim Mueller. Inspired by a 2015 study suggesting humans now have a shorter attention span than goldfish, the play follows Ellie, a young woman navigating online extremism and misinformation in an effort to unmask dangerous online figures. Part digital thriller, part psychological drama, the piece examines how we shape—and are shaped by—the information we consume. This production contains mature content and is intended for adult audiences.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Book & Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman | Music & Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Based on the novel by Roy Horniman | Directed by Martie Ramm
April 24–May 3, 2026

Closing out the season is the Tony Award-winning musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, a fast-paced comedy about social climbing, romantic misadventure, and... murder. When Monty Navarro discovers he’s eighth in line to inherit a family fortune, he sets out to eliminate the relatives standing in his way—with both charm and chaos. Directed by Martie Ramm, this production brings a darkly comic finish to the season.

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