Boston Marriage at Santa Monica Playhouse

Set in the late Victorian era, Anna and Claire are involved in a "Boston marriage"—a 19th-century term for a real social phenomenon where two educated women choose lifelong female companionship, living together independently of financial support from a man… often as lovers. Anna, prone to poetic fits of passion, has become the mistress of a wealthy man who supports her luxurious lifestyle, which she hopes can woo her longtime companion Claire to move in with her. However, the cool-yet-lascivious Claire has become infatuated with a much younger woman and wants to enlist a jealous Anna's help to arrange a rendezvous. Creative Coven LLC and Heather Renee Wake present Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet’s Boston Marriage, a wickedly sharp drawing room comedy. Performances run October 2–24 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.; and one Thursday evening performance on October 22 at 8 p.m. at European House LA in Studio City.

One of, if not THE most obscure of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's plays was written, as theater legend tells it, to prove that he could, in fact, write for women and write heightened language. It remains one of the few plays written by a male playwright that exclusively includes lesbian characters. Mamet's play gives us his trademark blunt language and scheming characters, set rather unusually among the Victorian female intellectual set.

This new and exciting site-specific production promises to truly be a one-of-a-kind experience as it takes place in an actual house where every room is a curated masterpiece, blending Baroque opulence, Rococo artistry, and Old Hollywood sophistication. European House LA is a private sanctuary, an exquisitely decorated hidden gem tucked away in Studio City, where audience members can feel the thrill of actually being transported INTO the world of the play. With an intimate seating capacity of up to 30 seats per show, theatregoers are guaranteed a unique, intimate experience.

Both lead actors, Nicole Pacent (Criminal Minds, Marvel’s Wolverine for Insomniac Games) and Heather Renee Wake (American Housewife, Nashville, Bethesda Games), will switch roles each night. On Saturdays, there will be a special “Coin Toss Night,” where a selected audience member—and fate—will literally toss a coin to decide who will play which role.

Performances run from October 2 through October 24, 2026. Opening night is Friday, October 2 at 8 p.m., and continues on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. and there is a Thursday evening performance at 8 p.m. on October 22. Tickets are $50.

European House LA is located at 12355 Rye Street, Studio City, CA 91604. The venue is in a residential area with ample street parking. Ridesharing is encouraged. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.ticketsource.com/boston-marriage.