THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE to Open The Actors' Gang 2026/2027 Season

The Actors' Gang has announced its full eight show 2026/2027 season, including new productions of two modern classics, two popular plays returning from last season, two original new works, family friendly shows, and new late night Fridays attractions.

The season is highlighted by two shows that are both recent acclaimed works – and both were introduced to Los Angeles in productions from The Actors' Gang. 

The first is The Women of Lockerbie, written by Deborah Brevoort and directed by Christina Harris, in a production in association with the Sonder Theatre Company of San Gabriel Valley, opening the season September 10 to 27.  The Women of Lockerbie won the silver medal in the 2001 Onassis International Playwriting Competition and the 2005 Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays award.  It was first presented by The Actors' Gang in 2007.

The Exonerated, written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, and directed by Susan Dalian, closes the season in a new production May 6 to June 19. In 2002.  The Exonerated had its first staged production at The Actors' Gang in April, 2022, where it was nominated for five Ovation Awards and won Best World Premiere play.  It also received three NAACP nominations.

The off-Broadway production that followed The Actors' Gang production in October 2022 won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway play, and the Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards for Unique Theatrical experience. The New York Times said that The Exonerated was the #1 play of the year … “intense and deeply affecting.”  

Five More Plays in the 2026-2027 The Actors' Gang Season

The season includes two new plays Put You on Blast! (October 8 to 24), written and directed by JR Reed, and Further Fractured Fables (April 17 to May 29), directed by Adam J. Jefferis and written and directed by Rynn Vogel. Put You on Blast! was originally developed for The Actors' Gang robust Late Night Friday series, which continues with entertainments through the season from September through May. Further Fractured Fables is a continuation of Fractured Fables, a hit from the 2025-2026 season. 

Jefferis and Vogel also created Two Gentlebots of Verona, which continues its run at the very beginning of the season at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank.

Two plays from last season which attracted large audiences return due to popular demand. The family friendly Children of the Winter Kingdom, written by Adam Dugas and Mary Eileen O'Donnell and directed by Adam Dugas will be performed during the holiday season (November 19 to December 19) and The Adding Machine, written by Elmer Rice and directed by Cihan Sahin returns from (January 21 to March 13). Both plays found large and enthusiastic sold-out audiences – and many of our patrons were unable to obtain tickets to see these two notable productions.  

A new play to be announced will also be part of the season April 1-17. 

Artistic Director Tim Robbins said, “The Actors' Gang eight show season presents a robust series of plays that exemplify the variety and diversity of stories that we what we want to present to our audience – starting with two modern classics The Women of Lockerbie and The Exonerated that are both searing dramas that speak to the endurance of the human spirit – and to remind us that we hold this same power within us.”

“We are quite familiar with The Women of Lockerbie, having produced it to great acclaim in 2007,  and when word reached us of the quality of the Sonder Theatre production in San Gabriel Valley last year, we were excited to invite them to present the play for an entirely new audience here in Culver City.”

*The Actors' Gang was an important part of the history of The Exonerated, widely considered one of the best theatrical experiences of 2002.  As an actor, I had participated in the initial readings of the play in New York City and after seeing how it resonated with audiences, I invited Erik and Jessica to LA to present their first staged production of the play.”

“The Actors Gang regularly produces original plays – and three of this season's shows are written by company members: Put You on Blast!, Further Fractured Fables, and the uplifting holiday tale for the entire family, Children of the Winter Kingdom”

“Due to sold out performances and popular demand,  Winter Kingdom returns for another run this season along with a stunning production of Elmer Rice's American classic The Adding Machine, directed by Cihan Sahin that became the breakaway hit of our season last year.”

The Women of Lockerbie

Written by Deborah Brevoort
Directed by Christine Harris
In association with The Sonder Theatre Company
September 10 to 27, 2026
 
The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort – from 2005 – is a modern classic.  Loosely inspired by a true story, a mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie, Scotland, looking for her son's remains seven years after he was lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie, who are fighting the United States government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane's wreckage. They want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victims' families. Written in the structure of a Greek tragedy, this is a poetic drama about the triumph of love over hatred.
 
The Women of Lockerbie is the winner of the silver medal in the 2001 Onassis International Playwriting Competition and the 2005 Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays award.
 
This production, directed by Christina Harris, features the entire Sonder Theater production cast from May 2026 (in alphabetical order) Libby Baker, Lacy Blake-Vetter, Christina Harris, Scott Harris, Michael Klug, Vanessa Mizzone, Luca Nicoletti, Donna Jo Thorndale, and Suzanne Voss. Matthew Herrmann is general manager for Sonder Theatre Company.
 
Steven Leigh Morris said in Stage Raw, “It's a kind of anti-war play, a theme-and-variation on The Trojan Women -- a tragedy employing chorales, poeticism, and excavates the many permeations of grief.  Its anchor is a married American couple, Bill and Madeline (Scott Harris and Libby Baker), who have grown estranged losing their 20-year-old son, their only child, who was on Flight 103, on the seat over the bomb.  Seven years after the cataclysm, the couple has decided to visit Lockerbie for a vigil.”
 
Morris continued, “Sonder Theatre Company's production is also as deeply moving as it is probing.  Madeline's grief emerges as primal; the play opens with her wandering the fields of Lockerbie, semi-crazed, searching for any shred of evidence about her son. Her despair is like that of an ancient Greek Fury, while Bill attempts in vain to return her to her senses, for which she lashes out at him with contempt. He suffers no less than she but exhibits a coping mechanism that would seem, at first glance, to be more rational — certainly more self-contained. And this duality, over the processing of grief, is one of many in a play that traffics in dualities.”
 
This engagement came about after the Sonder Theatre Company received resounding acclaim from its production – and were looking for ways to remount it elsewhere. Actor Scott Harris of the cast has been a member of The Actors' Gang for almost two decades and approached the Gang's Artistic Director Tim Robbins with the idea of performing it in Culver City. Two other Lockerbie castmates, Vanessa Mizzone and Donna Jo Thorndale, were also members of the Gang, and share in the joy of this exciting collaboration.
 
Director Christina Harris said, “We are thrilled to hold communal space with The Actors' Gang to showcase this story about the complex nature of grieving, and that with the support of your community, you can find a path towards catharsis and healing.  The overwhelming response from audience members was the profound realization of the resilience of the human spirit.  I think this play has a lot to do with embracing and holding space within your community, and through that communal support, one is able to engage emotional strength and ultimately leads to hope. As a new non-profit theatre company, we feel very fortunate to be continuing this show with one of Los Angeles' most established theaters.”
 
Deborah Brevoort (Playwright) is the author of numerous plays and musicals, including Blue Moon Over Memphis, The Poetry of Pizza, Mixed Blood, The Blue-Sky Boys, The Velvet Weapon, Signs of Life (winner of the Jane Chambers Award and Gold Medal Pinter Review Prize for Drama), Into the Fire (winner of the Weissberger Award), and The Comfort Team (commissioned by Virginia Stage Company).
 
Christina Harris (Director) is an award-winning dancer, actor, singer, writer, and choreographer and has performed throughout Minnesota, Phoenix, Chicago, and Los Angeles. She founded Acting Up! Workshops for Kids and Teens, and co-founded the Chicago-based theatre company ITC, as well as Outrance Films. A champion of theatre arts education, Christina has been the Drama Director at the Frostig School in Pasadena for 20 years and a School of Theatre instructor for the California School of the Arts (CSARTs-SGV) for 10 seasons. She has collaborated or directed for Sierra Madre Playhouse, Jewish Federation Players, Ark Theatre Company, The Gooden School, Interact Theatre Company and California School of the Arts – SGV. Christina is the Founder and Artistic Director of Sonder Theatre Company.

The Exonerated

Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen
Directed by Susan Dalian
May 6 to June 19, 2027

The season ends with a second modern classic, The Exonerated (May 6 to June 19) written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jansen and directed by Susan Dalain. 

The Exonerated was originally presented by the Actors' Gang in association with The Culture Project, April 19, 2002, directed by its authors Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen with supervision by Bob Balaban. The production later transferred to Off-Broadway at 45 Bleecker Theatre on October 10, 2002, directed by Bob Balaban, where it ran for 600 performances.

During the summer of 2000, Jensen and Blank traveled to interview 40 former death row inmates who had been freed by the state after having served as much as 22 years in prison.  Culled from interviews, letters, transcripts, case files and the public record, The Exonerated tells the true stories of six wrongfully convicted survivors of death row in their own words. Moving between first-person monologues and scenes set in courtrooms and prisons, the six interwoven stories paint a picture of an American criminal justice system gone horribly wrong—and of six brave souls who persevered to survive it.

Creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen received the Champion of Justice Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the production was honored with Court TV's Scales of Justice Award  The Exonerated was later adapted into a film starring Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, and Brian Dennehy.

Put You on Blast!

Written and directed by JR Reed
October 8 to 24

Put You on Blast! is one of two new The Actors' Gang productions in this season that is about fun about a low-budget, homespun podcast involving eccentric malcontents all vying to justify their various ideologies in a battle royale of wits and nuttiness.

Set in the basement of the Gen-X host's distant cousin - whom he lives with after getting laid-off and unable to find gainful employment - he, his college student co-host, and various provocative guests have plenty to say about the status quo and the many injustices that exist to hold them and “good folk” down.

This world is not one of partisan adherence but moreover, one illuminating the core grievances and radical ideologies that hover outside political party realms and which color the current landscape of modern countercultures.

Written and directed by JR Reed who first appeared with The Gang in The Good Woman of Setzuan. Other notable AG acting credits include Peer Gynt, The Orestia, Broadway and  Swan Ride. As a writer and director, he helmed The World of Wrestling, Cool Cops!, The Kick-Ass Militia! and Tagteam Lovefest 2000. JR was a long-time collaborator and toured extensively with Tenacious D, and fronted the southern-rock character band Trainwreck. He would like to gratefully acknowledge his inspirational theatre gurus – Tim Robbins and The Gang, Michael Sargent, and the late-great David Schweizer.

Reed is an Actors' Gang Vanguard member, a group of TAG performers who have been with the company for longer than 20 years.  The Put You on Blast! Company features several other Vanguard performers with decades of involvement with the company. 

Two Gentlebots of Verona

Now through August 23, 2026
Further Fractured Fables
April 17 to May 29, 2027
Directed by Adam J. Jefferis
Written and Adapted by Rynn Vogel 

Director Adam Jefferis and writer Rynn Vogel are integral parts of The Actors' Gang company; the 2026-2027 season begins with their Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families of Two Gentlebots of Verona which plays through August 23 at the Media Park Downtown Culver City and then August 29-30 at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank.

Jefferis and Vogel are creating another show for the 2026/2027 season, Further Fractured Fables (April 17-May 29)– a continuation of Fractured Fables, one of the hits of the 2025-2026 season – and another evening devoted to fun! 

Since 2006, The Actors' Gang has connected new and younger audiences to Shakespeare with Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families by pairing those stories with popular characters – including Harry Potter Hamlet, Toy Story Tempest, Much Ado About Pooh, The Comedy of Arrs and last summer's Roswell That Ends Well. 

Rynn said, “The rewarding part of Shakespeare in the Park is not just introducing Shakespeare to young audiences but to theatre itself. For many, this is the first play they have ever seen – and then this first experience is Shakespeare, as has been the case for 500 years.  In our adapting these stories – with relatable references   We find ways that the stories are not about women being helpless -- and not every happy ending is about getting married.  Lessons learned can be about finding forgiveness, friendship, and the redemption that is already part of the story.”

The Fractured Fables are a new theatrical adaptation of fairy tales from Aesop to Grimm to Hans Christian Andersen, which draws inspiration from story theater, popular culture and rock and roll -- and promises to be just more enjoyment for the entire family.

Jefferis said, “With tales of transformation, bravery, trickery, wonder and wisdom – we are seeking to use these very human traits to tell them. Collective imagination between our company members and teen performers is at the heart of this creative show.”

“The show is a fresh look at fables and tales. We're re-awakening these stories through the magic of a Teen Ensemble working side-by-side with The Actors' Gang company members. Using movement, storytelling, invention, and music – they are forming a collective imagination!”

Audiences of ages 6 & up can expect a lively and engaging theatrical experience that celebrates creativity, mentorship, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Rynn Vogel (Writer, Costumes) Rynn has written the last five Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families adaptations.  She feels it is important to show children representations of themselves in performances of Shakespeare. She also featured a gender non-conforming character in her adaptation of As You Like It (As Boo Like It), has worked with Spanish-speaking actors to incorporate a dual language aspect to the storytelling, and added gender blind casting. In addition to the Shakespeare adaptations, Rynn designed costumes for The Adding Machine (2026), Topsy Turvy (A Musical Greek Vaudeville) (2024/25), Ubu the King (2022/23), and many other productions at The Actors' Gang.  She also co-wrote The Actors' Gang's original shows Aphrodite's Holiday Show and Hot Chocolate Holiday Club.

Adam  J. Jefferis (Director, Actor) Since 2008, Adam has performed in over 30 productions at The Actors' Gang and toured the world with Topsy Turvy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tartuffe, and Harlequino: On to Freedom. In 2019, he was nominated for Best Male Comedy Performance at Los Angeles' Stage Raw Theater Awards for his performance in Accidental Death of an Anarchist. He most recently performed in both The Adding Machine and Put You On Blast in the 2025-26 season.  Adam has been an essential part of The Gang's Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families performing in 13 of the 18 adaptations, notably as Eeyore/Benedict in Much Ado About Pooh (2023) and Woody/Prospero in Toy Story Tempest (2019), providing set design and directing for As Boo Like It, Much Ado About Pooh, The Comedy of Arrs, and Roswell That Ends Well.  Adam is also the Director of Education at The Actors' Gang, infusing theater arts programming into school classrooms, after-school programs, and offering camps and classes to youth in Los Angeles.

Children of the Winter Kingdom

Written by Adam Dugas and Mary Eileen O'Donnell
Directed by Adam Dugas
November 19 to December 19, 2026
 
This holiday season, The Actors' Gang is returning its holiday entertainment for the entire family, Children of the Winter Kingdom – The Bonkers Adventures of Holly and Spruce, an original fantasy fairy tale for the theater written by Adam Dugas and Mary Eileen O'Donnell and directed by Dugas (November 19 to December 19).  
 
Children of the Winter Kingdom is filled with music, puppetry and theatrical wonder – a kaleidoscopic journey  for the entire family that will grab your heart and fill your cup.  The performance is a holiday picaresque in a style that only The Actors' Gang can offer.
 
When orphan twins Holly and Spruce escape from the circus, they get lost in a wintry forest in an enchanted kingdom, Glassenvale, that is in chaos.  While being pursued by an evil circus queen and her strongman accomplice, the children meet a series of extraordinary characters in the forest: a king and his dragon, a wild girl, a crow, a sorceress, and an ice spider.
 
Dugas said, “When I was seven, I dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West – so there is a great villainess, Zelda, who is an evil slumlord circus queen -- but there is also a benevolent sorceress, a king who has lost his confidence wandering the realm with his dragon partner, a wild girl of the woods, a kind crow, and a trio of characters referred to as the Bonkers.  Audiences will feel the familiar but yet it is all new.  We worked hard to find a place that is sincere, but not saccharine, and equal parts wide-eyed, sharp-edged and warm hearted.”
 
Adam Dugas (Director and Playwright Holiday Show) is a writer, composer, director, and performer. Original theatrical musical shows include Dueling Harps, Chicken in the Snow, and Unholy Night: A Krystmasse Rock Fantasia. Film work includes the feature Dust, puppet web series WTF 2020—co-founder of The Citizens Band, a political cabaret collective.  Adam joined the Gang in 2022, appearing in Night Miracles, Ubu the King, Roswell That Ends Well, Comedy of Arrs, Commedia Palooza, Open Workshop, and is proud to work as a teaching artist in the Education Department.

The Adding Machine

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