Pasadena Playhouse Fall Productions On Sale Today!

Tickets on sale today for two plays new to Los Angeles at The Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California. Native Gardens, a new comedy by Karen Zacarías and directed by Jason Alexander performing September 5 to 30 (press opening September 9), and the West End production of its reigning hit, Susan Hill's The Woman in Black, performing October 17 to November 11 (press opening October 18).

In addition, the cast of Native Gardens is announced and will feature acclaimed actors of both screen and stage: Academy Award Nominee Bruce Davison (Willard, Longtime Companion, A Song at Twilight at Pasadena Playhouse), Frances Fisher (Titanic, The Edge of Night, Resurrection), Christian Barillas (Ronaldo on Modern Family), and Jessica Meraz (TNT's Major Crimes). Full bios included below.

Tickets start at $25 for Native Gardens and Susan Hill's The Woman in Black and are available at pasadenaplayhouse.org, by phone at 626-356-7529, and at the box office at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.

For the full Halloween experience, a limited amount of premium packages will be available on October 30 and 31 for Susan Hill's The Woman in Black. This package will include best seating, a free drink before the show, and a haunted tour of the Playhouse following the show. Packages start at $125 and are only available by contacting the Box Office at 626-356-7529.

Native Gardens

Native Gardens tells the story of Pablo (Barillas), a rising attorney, and Tania (Meraz), his very pregnant wife who is also a doctoral candidate. They have just purchased a home next to Frank (Davison) and Virginia (Fisher), a well-established D.C. couple with a prize-worthy English garden. But an impending barbeque for Pablo's colleagues and a delicate disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out comedic border dispute. Horticultures clash; well-intentioned neighbors become feuding enemies in a war of the hoses. Good fences don't always make good neighbors, but they do make for a lot of laughs in this new play that was co-commissioned by the Guthrie Theatre and Arena Stage. Additional casting is to be announced.

Ben Demers in DC Theatre Scene.com said, "A laugh-a-minute comedy that has arrived at exactly the right time -- true breath of fresh comic air. Beyond snappy one-liners and garden hose fights, the play challenges audiences to look beyond petty differences and rediscover our shared decency." Rohan Preston in the Minneapolis Star Tribune said, "Zacarías' smart comedy [is] seeded with so many jokes and insights that it's easily this summer's comedy winner."

The Woman in Black

One of the most popular theatres pieces every produced, Susan Hill's acclaimed ghost novella The Woman in Black has kept London's West End on the edge of its seat for the past 28 years in an ingenious stage adaptation by the late playwright Stephen Mallatratt. Seen by an audience of over 7 million, director Robin Herford created a brilliant production of the story in which a man obsessed, believing his family has been cursed by a ghostly woman in black, tells his terrifying story to exorcise the fear that grips his soul. It all begins innocently enough, but as he reaches further into his darkest memories, he quickly finds that there is no turning back. The Woman in Black arrives at the Playhouse just in time for Halloween!

The gripping production is a brilliantly successful study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror. The Daily Telegraph said, "A real treat. Entertainment at its very best." The Guardian has called it "A masterpiece." Time Out London said, "The chills are irresistibly effective ... a delicious spell of malevolence and menace." If it sounds familiar, there was a film version of the story starring Daniel Radcliffe released in 2012.

The Pasadena Playhouse is a place where people have gathered for 100 years to experience bold and important theater. It is one of the most prolific theaters in American history with a legacy of profound theatrical impact and courageous new work. In 1937, the Playhouse was officially recognized as the State Theater of California for its contribution and commitment to the dramatic arts. Today it continues that tradition of excellence under the helm of producing artistic director Danny Feldman. Dedicated to enriching lives through theater, community programs and learning initiatives, Pasadena Playhouse is a living force in the community.

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