About the Theatre
Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays as well as provocative world premiere productions, the not-for-profit organization continues to present a body of work that garners national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates and is currently helmed by Executive Director Gil Cates, Jr., Artistic Director Matt Shakman and Board Chair Adi Greenberg. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains extensive education and community engagement programs, designed to involve underserved young people and the community at large in the arts.Upcoming Shows
Purpose, directed by Phylicia Rashad, will make its Los Angeles premiere at the Geffen Playhouse from November 11 to December 13, 2026. This Pulitzer Prize-winning...
Liberation makes its West Coast premiere at Geffen Playhouse, following a successful run on Broadway. Written by Bess Wohl and directed by Whitney White, the...
The Monsters, written by Ngozi Anyanwu and directed by Awoye Timpo, makes its Los Angeles premiere at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. The story revolves...
Closing Costs is a world premiere comedy written by Grace McLeod, set to run at the Geffen Playhouse from March 31 to May 2, 2027....
Wine in the Wilderness, written by Alice Childress and directed by LaChanze, takes place during the 1964 Harlem riot in the apartment of painter Bill...
Auditions
by Harker Jones - April 23, 2026
The star of the show, in the end, is Jacobson’s script, leading us toward the titular HELL MOUTH through five well-drawn characters and their existential crises that mirror our own....
by Evan Henerson - April 21, 2026
The Southland has had its share of memorable Fugard stagings, and the newly-opened revival of “MASTER HAROLD” at the Geffen Playhouse boasts an impressive roster of artists and creatives – onstage and off – who bring this tale vibrantly to life....
by Harker Jones - April 16, 2026
The MVP of the show is the dynamic Oqalile Tshetshe, who has a star-making role that he inhabits with complexity, depth, and grace....
by Michael Quintos - April 15, 2026
Now having its Southern California regional production, MEAN GIRLS - THE MUSICAL continues performances at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through May 3, 2026. Produced by McCoy Rigby Entertainment, this fun, high-energy, youthfully-targeted new iteration of the 2018 stage adaptation o...
by Melissa Heckscher - April 15, 2026
TEEN BEAT LIVE is an immersive musical ode to the 80s that's a must-see, whether or not you’ve ever used a rotary phone, worn a Walkman, or unfolded the boy-toy poster from a Teen Beat magazine....
by Shari Barrett - April 14, 2026
Brilliantly directed by Mike Reilly, Casey Morris and Carolina Rodriguez are both impeccable in their roles as teacher and student, with Rodriguez’s Susan a true master at emotional game playing....
by Evan Henerson - April 13, 2026
ENGLISH isn’t so much a play about the power of words as it is about the inextricable and very complicated bonds between language, culture and identity....
by Michael Quintos - April 13, 2026
Bursting with contagious rhythm, irrepressible heart, and an abiding sense of community pride, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning 2008 original Broadway musical IN THE HEIGHTS remains one of the most vibrant and emotionally resonant contemporary musicals to emerge from the early 21st century. F...
by Anna Jensen - April 10, 2026
“It Ends With Guinea Pigs” opens this weekend in the Elysian’s intimate 40-seat Vault space. Playwright-performer Diana Gitelman takes the audience on a path that begins with a minor parenting problem, the care and feeding of two high‑maintenance guinea pigs, and then winds its way through g...
by Shari Barrett - April 09, 2026
With a cast of ten actors portraying more than 26 characters, it was bold choice for the intimate theater. But thanks to Perloff’s direction and choice of actors, anyone with the slightest interest in Shakespeare will find the play and its characters captivating....
Past Shows
Dragon Mama is the Los Angeles premiere written and performed by Sara Porkalob, marking the second part of The Dragon Cycle. The story follows Maria...
SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA is a world premiere from playwright Beth Hyland, set to run at the Geffen Playhouse. The story follows Sally, a former acclaimed...
In the West Coast premiere of Table 17, Jada and Dallas, former fiancés, reunite for dinner to confront their shared past. As they navigate the...
Littleboy/littleman is a world premiere play that explores the complex relationship between Nicaraguan brothers Fíto and Bastian as they navigate their differing visions of the...
Am I Roxie? is a world premiere showcasing the talents of Roxana Ortega, who both writes and performs this one-woman show. Through humor and resilience,...
In contemporary Manhattan, Eric and Toby are 30-somethings who seem to be very much in love and thriving. But on the cusp of their engagement,...
Distinguished Harvard professor Charles Nichols (Emmy & Tony Award winner Bryan Cranston) finds himself in hot water after inviting an incendiary white nationalist to speak...
Can you solve the enigma? From the creator and performer of the hit virtual production Inside the Box comes an immersive experience of puzzles and...
Obie Award-winning multimedia artist Jared Mezzocchi has a harrowing story to tell: his family's frightening, true-life haunting inside a 200-year-old New England house. Flip the...
Part musical, part adventure, this inventive new play is designed to take frustrated kids in quarantine on an outrageously fun journey. After entering a door...
Hanging on by a thread after her ex-husband gets engaged to a much younger woman, Jodi (Tony Award winner Idina Menzel, Rent, Wicked) retreats to...
Mischief is afoot in the sleepy village of Edmonton and the fate of the world is at stake in this smart modern fable. When the...
The most chilling test of faith come to life on stage. This world premiere adaptation of the famous 1971 novel documenting the terror and redemption...
Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tracy Letts weaves a heart-warming and humorous tale of unlikely friendships in one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods....
Playwright and provocateur Neil LaBute’s newest play takes off from George Bernard Shaw’s quote: “All truths begin as blasphemies.” And then we meet John Smith....
Videos