WestFest to Open in September At Theatre West

When Theatre West was founded sixty-three years ago, its initial purposes included serving as a laboratory situation where writing, acting and directing could be developed and perfected. This included the development of new and exciting works, works of a non-commercial and experimental nature, with an eye to enhanced performances but presented with minimalist production design. At least once each year, Theatre West has included a festival of such works, providing audiences an opportunity to experience a wide variety of new work developed within the company. WestFest has become among Theatre West's most enduringly popular attractions.

WestFest 2025 presents four full weekends of shows, a different presentation each week, to entice the loyal audiences who have returned for WestFest every year, as well as to introduce new audiences to the richly varied work of the city's longest-running, continuously operating professional company. Each week's program runs about 85 minutes, no intermission. A reception with food and beverage follows each performance. The calendar of events follows:

Week One September 26-28

Let the Sun Shine In

Directed by Victoria Lavan

With the artists of Theatre West's Musical Theatre Workshop

Come dance in the aisles and sing along with our vocalists as they perform the songs of the 60s and 70s.

Home Depot

Written and directed by Clara Rodriguez

With Anne Leyden and John Combs

There's no place like Home Depot, except maybe for Lowe's

Tequila Sunrise

Written and directed by Clara Rodriguez

With Bonnie Kalisher Dukes and Donald Moore

When is the next downtown train coming? None of your business.

Week Two October 3-5

Clive and Cecily Face the Music and Dance

Written by Tom Walla

Directed by Michael Van Duzer

With Connie Mellors, Michael Van Duzer, Jeanine Anderson, David Mingrino, Beto Ruiz.

Dire circumstances force an English aristocratic couple to embrace a highly unusual plan of action.

In Whose Eyes

Written by George Kappaz

Directed by Bill Sehres

With George Kappaz, Meagan Truxal, Dan Frischman, Walter Rodriguez, Anibal Silveyra, Kathie Barnes

A man stands trail for the actions of his life and faces an eternity of consequences

Week Three October 10-12

Amanda Doesn't Date Much Anymore

Written by Steve Nevil

Directed by Elayne Heilviel

With Danielle Weeks and Daniel Korth

Welcome to a night when 'Save the Date' may have a whole other meaning.

Hence the Confusion

Written by Jeanine Anderson

Directed by Bill Sehres

With Jeanine Anderson, Bryan Siu, Meg Lin

A play about a son, two mamas, confusion, and rice.

Current Resident

Written by Ben Scuglia

Directed by Charlie Mount

With Allen Schack, David Mingrino

Shadow of Thunder

Written by Monika Vidakovic

Directed by Thomas Mendola

With Monika Vidakovic, Peter D. Michael, Paula K. Long, Lily Cadot, Mustafa Hamoudeh

After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, Serbian princess Olivera is sent to marry Sultan Bayezid, known as The Thunderbolt, the man who killed her father. Torn between vengeance and duty, she enters his harem.

Week Four October 17-19

An Evening of Laughter at the Ellen Idelson Comedy Celebration

Ellen Idelson (1961-2003) was a Theatre West member, writer, producer, and actor who gained her greatest prominence as a comedy writer for television (Ellen, Holding the Baby, Grosse Pointe, Will & Grace, Dream On, Suddenly Susan, The Nanny, Caroline in the City, and more). Our annual comedy writing competition is named in her memory.

The Loan

Written by Mark Wilding

Directed by Michael Van Duzer

With Connie Mellors, Dina Morrone, George Tovar

It's do or die for Caroline Morgan as she begs her humorless and extremely devout sister for a loan---money that could change Caroline's life forever.

Table for Three

Written and directed by Tom Walla

With Anne Leyden, George Tovar, Matthew Gademske, Meg Lin

The course of true love never runs smoothly, but this is ridiculous.

The Heartbreaker

Written by Bryan Siu

Directed by Angela Bruning

With Artin Karimi and Apurv Khanna

Andy is about to get broken up....not by their soon-to-be-ex who's ready to call it quits, but by a professional named Charles, hired to break his heart.

That Time of Life

Written and directed by Elayne Heilviel

Cast TBA

After years together, a woman and her husband each decides to tell it like it is....But who's listening?

Leaky Brain Syndrome

Written and directed by Clara Rodriguez

With John Combs and Clara Rodriguez

A brain leak is the least of Maggie's problems.

Comedies, dramas, music; plays about nations at war and warring couples; people searching for love and companionship while others run away from the same

Produced by Donald Moore for Theatre West.

At Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, in Los Angeles, CA 90068. This is near Universal City, North Hollywood, and Studio City. There is parking available on the street and in a privately-operated parking lot across the street (Fee charged, credit card only).

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 pm. Admission is a suggested donation of $20, at the door.

Website: http://theatrewest.org

As some of these works are experimental or works-in -progress, WestFest is not being submitted for critical review.

Established in 1962, Theatre West is celebrating its 63rd year as the oldest continually running professional theatre company in the city of Los Angeles. It is a membership collective of actors, playwrights, directors, and technicians. Theatre West's alumni members include Ray Bradbury, Beau Bridges, Richard Dreyfuss, Sally Field, Betty Garrett, Martin Landau, Lee Meriwether, Jack Nicholson, Carroll O'Connor, Sherwood Schwartz, Joyce Van Patten, Jim Beaver, and Paul Winfield. Theatre West has produced more than 300 plays and musicals. Of these plays, nearly 70% are original works developed in its workshops and many have led to Broadway, regional tours, and feature films including A Bronx Tale by Chazz Palminteri; A Very Brady Musical by Lloyd Schwartz and Hope Juber; Our Man in Santiago by Mark Wilding that transferred to Off-Broadway in the Fall of 2022; and our co-production of Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground that went to Broadway in 2023.. Theatre West is supported in part by The Ahmanson Foundation, California Arts Council, Peter Glenville Foundation, The Green Foundation, Kaplan-Loring Foundation, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Sidney Stern Memorial Trust, Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, and L.A. Parent Magazine.