Long Beach Shakespeare Company's New Works Festival to Come to a Close With 7 New Works

The Long Beach Shakespeare Company's 2026 New Works Festival will come to a close with seven new works. Th festival is a dynamic celebration of original plays that amplify new voices and reimagine timeless themes, ranging from student-written shorts and psychological thrillers to reimagined Shakespeare.

Shav Versus Whitmore and The Ghosts of The Globe Theatre

September 18 at 8 PM and September 20 at 4 PM

Shav Versus Whitmore

A one-act by Thomas M. Copeland

Can one man rewrite Shakespeare? One room, two men, and a battle of pride, relevance, and wit.

The Ghosts of The Globe Theatre

By Arthur Allison

We are told the true story of how The Globe Theatre burnt down. Back when ghost lights weren't a thing, ghosts had to perform their plays side by side with the players. On June 29, 1613, the performance of Henry the 8th was haunted—not only by ghosts, but also by horrible actors. When the players perform horribly and hog the audience, there is nothing the ghosts can do but feel angry.

Tucked Away

By Joni Ravenna

September 19 at 8 PM and September 20 at 1 PM

Adult content warning.

Four very different young women held captive on the top floor of an abandoned building with no electricity or running water as part of a human trafficking ring must find a way to connect in order to finally break free.

Student New Works

September 20 at 8 PM

With 'Meh' Power Comes Some Responsibility

By Hannah Ko

What happens when five D-list superheroes can't make the cut? Well... they get cut. DUN DUN DUNNN.

This Play Is About Bugs

By Zach Scrima

A dung beetle attempts to talk a mosquito out of entering a human home. A ten-minute play that reimagines the ancient fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper" in a contemporary context, exploring the nature of lateral violence within a marginalized community.

You Into Bad Girls?

By Mara Swanson

A confident sister pretends to be her shy sister at a bar, but her attempt to impress the bartender her sister likes backfires when she leans too far into a fake "bad girl" persona.

Triggerfish

By Mateo Tomas Hercules Gonzalez