Get your tickets now for LA’s hottest shows! This theater season is ablaze with award-winning musicals, hit comedies, and popular plays, many not far from Circa. You won’t want to miss LA Opera’s West Side Story, Les Miserables at the Pantages, or the thrilling theatrical production of Paranormal Activity at the Ahmanson. For a more intimate experience, you’ll find countless live performing arts theaters in almost every part of town, such as the El Portal, Odyssey Theatre, Zephyr Theatre, and Garry Marshall Theatre. Here are some upcoming highlights, curated with something for everyone to enjoy! Check websites for dates and other details.
LA Opera West Side Story Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 135 N Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Opens Sept 20 Countless fans know and love Leonard Bernstein’s landmark work with songs like “America,” “Somewhere” and “I Feel Pretty,” but few have seen it like this. Originally conceived as an opera, LA Opera is paying tribute to Bernstein’s impact, with James Conlon leading the brilliant LA Opera Orchestra—not to mention a magnificent cast in top vocal and physical form. Director Francesca Zambello dives into one of the most emblematic works of American theater with this elevated, maximalist take that incorporates the iconic original choreography created by the legendary Jerome Robbins.
LA Opera in the Park Loma Alta Park 3330 N Lincoln Ave. Altadena, CA 91001
Sept 27 Gather your blankets and lawn chairs, pack your picnic, and experience the music and drama of West Side Story under the stars! New York City’s West Side is split between the Jets and the Sharks—but these warring gangs never imagined that two of their own could fall in love. This event is free to attend and open to all ages. Hungry? Support Altadena small businesses and build your perfect plate. Plus, quench your thirst at the beer garden by West Altadena Wine + Spirit. Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed.
Eureka Day Pasadena Playhouse 39 S El Molino Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101
Opens Sept 10 When a mumps outbreak hits a progressive private school in Berkeley, the well-meaning Board of Directors descends into full-blown chaos trying to create a perfectly inclusive vaccination policy. Spoiler: it does not go well. As passive-aggression turns into a hysterical meltdown, Eureka Day brilliantly taps into the current American moment. Don’t miss this razor-sharp, 2025 Tony Award-winning satire from Jonathan Spector that Time Out New York calls “comic gold.”
Am I Roxie? Geffen Playhouse10886 Le Conte Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024
World Premiere Opens Sept 10 In this fiercely funny one-woman tour-de-force based on her own life, writer/actor Roxana Ortega (Nickelodeon’s The Casagrandes, The Groundlings) navigates the chaos of her mother’s mental decline with outrageous humor and unbreakable spirit. Playing everything from a mermaid-obsessed aunt to a prickly sherpa, Roxie takes us on a wild ride into an opera house, up a killer mountain, and through the doomscape of her own mind. Heartfelt and hilarious, Am I Roxie? explores duty, destiny, and how facing your darkest fears can reveal who you truly are.
One Man, Two Guvnors A Noise Within 3352 E Foothill Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107
Closes Sept 28 A fast-paced, laugh-out-loud farce set in 1960s Brighton, England, Tony Award-winning One Man, Two Guvnors follows Francis Henshall, a down-on-his-luck man who finds himself working for two bosses at the same time – without either of them knowing. As he scrambles to keep up the act, comic chaos, confusion, and hilarious misunderstandings unfold. Packed with physical comedy, quick wit, and a live skiffle band, this modern take based on Goldoni’s masterpiece Servant of Two Masters is a wildly fun night at the theatre.
Les Miserables Hollywood Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
Opens Oct 7 Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award- winning musical phenomenon, Les Miserables. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Miserables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of Les Miserables includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more.
Center Theater Group (CTG) is the heartbeat of the LA theater scene, producing exceptional shows at the Ahmanson Theatre. Mark Taper Forum, and Kirk Douglas Theatre. As one of the nation’s largest and most influential not-for-profit theatre companies, CTG proudly continues their nearly 60-year tradition of using the art of theatre to broaden horizons and illuminate new perspectives.
GUAC Kirk Douglas Theatre 9820 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Opens Oct 14 at the historic Kirk Douglas Theatre. GUAC is a fearless, funny, and deeply moving theatrical tour-de-force about a father turned activist. Seven years after his son Joaquín “Guac” Oliver was killed in the Parkland shooting, Manuel Oliver channels his love, loss, and rage into a powerful force for change. From pepperoni bacon pizza to air guitar solos, Oliver paints a vivid, unforgettable portrait of a vibrant life cut short—and a father’s relentless fight for a better future. Both a celebration and a rallying cry, GUAC pulls zero punches and speaks to anyone who has ever loved, lost, or dreamed of making a difference.
Paranormal Activity Ahmanson Theatre 135 N Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Opens Nov 13 An original story set in the world of the terrifying Paranormal Activity film franchise, this thrilling new play is from celebrated playwright Levi Holloway (Broadway’s Grey House) and originally directed by Punchdrunk’s Felix Barrett (Sleep No More) with illusions by Tony Award-winner Chris Fisher (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child). This world premiere play will haunt you long after the lights go out.
Photo Credits:
Photo #1: LA Opera / Karli Cadel, Glimmerglass Festival
Photo #2: LA Opera / Todd Rosenberg, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Photo #3: LA Opera
Photo #4: Pasadena Playhouse
Photo #5: Geffen Playhouse
Photo #6: A Noise Within
Photo #7: Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Photo #8: Center Theatre Group
Photo #9: Center Theatre Group / Elijah Pelton
Photo #10: Center Theatre Group
