THE MESSENGER West Coast Premiere Comes to Chance Theater

Chance Theater has announced the second show of its 2026 Season, The Messenger, written by Chance's 2016 Resident Playwright Jenny Connell Davis (Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess, The Dragon Play) and directed by Katie Chidester (What the Constitution Means to Me, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Resident Artist).

The Messenger received its World Premiere at Palm Beach Dramaworks, and Chance Theater is proud to present the West Coast Premiere as part of its 2026 Season.

What does it cost to stay silent? What does it take to finally speak? From the playwright who brought you Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess comes a gripping new play about memory, resilience, and the courage to resist hate. Based on real events in both our past and imagined history, The Messenger brings together the voices of four women across generations, each wrestling with prejudice, survival, and the choice to raise their voices against hate. At the heart of the play is Georgia Gabor, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor whose verbatim testimony demands that history not be forgotten. Her story resonates alongside imagined women from 1969, 1993, and 2020, all based in Pasadena, as each faces their own battles with injustice. This gripping new work is both remembrance and rallying cry, challenging us to ask where our own voices are needed today and reminding us that silence has never been neutral.

Jenny Connell Davis shares, “I wrote this play in 2022, and it's becoming more relevant than I hoped it would be. The Messenger is inspired by the life and words of Holocaust survivor Georgia Gabor, but the story I needed to tell wasn't just hers — it was about amplifying her message: that this can happen anywhere. History repeats itself unless we do something to change it. This is something we've fought before, and it's a fight we're still in.”

Director Chidester notes, “The Messenger brings together four stories spanning decades in Southern California, inviting us to reflect on memory, moral responsibility, and what happens when people choose silence.”

She continues, “Before starting this project, I had never heard of Georgia Gabor, the heart of this play. Since then, I've been incredibly moved by her strength and resilience. Gabor dedicated her life to sharing her experiences, not for recognition or personal gain, but because she believed deeply in the importance of understanding how and why the Holocaust happened. For her, this wasn't just history, it was a warning. She wanted future generations to see how easily these events can happen again if we are not paying attention. As a director, it's a privilege to help bring this story to the stage. Sharing this play feels like a way to honor Georgia Gabor's legacy of extraordinary testimony and remembrance.”

Joining Chidester on the design team for The Messenger is scenic and Costume Designer Bruce Goodrich (Such Small Hands), lighting designer Christian D. Henrriquez (Edges), sound designer Hunter Moody (Tick, Tick… Boom!), projection designer Nick Santiago (Once), stage manager Bebe Herrera (The Chinese Lady, Chance Resident Artist), dramaturg Jonathan Josephson (The Seagull), and casting director Shinshin Yuder Tsai (Scrooge! The Musical, Chance Resident Artist).

Community Partner for this production is Muzeo Museum & Cultural Center, whose mission to preserve and illuminate history through exhibitions and cultural programming makes them a natural collaborator for The Messenger.

Chance Theater is honored that the children of Georgia Gabor will attend select performances and participate in talkbacks, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage directly with the living legacy of her testimony. Their presence reinforces the play's central question: how do we carry history forward with integrity and action?