ThisWeekInSoCal.com

Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two seminal events — 50 years apart — in the same north Chicago house.

The world premiere of a gritty and savagely humorous live-on-stage action adventure that is part theater and part graphic novel. In Furious Theatre Company’s bold exploration of the way junk news and media hype thwart the best efforts of real life heroes, no good deed goes unpunished when teen illustrator Josh Jackson transforms into a superhero – only to face mortal consequences for his actions in an epic battle of good vs. evil. (Mature audiences)

Haunting and Hilarious: a 16 year old girl ages 7 times faster then normal. Self-absorbed parents. A scam artist, aunt. Twists and turns ultimately provide the joy to the girls last days. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire. Starring Katharine Ross. Directed by Graeme Clifford.

Much more than a concert, this is a unique musical love story told entirely through a masterful selection of the greatest songs ever written for the stage. Funny, passionate, intimate and utterly unforgettable, this is an evening no fan of musical theater–or of two of the most acclaimed performers of our time–can afford to miss.

Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s classic The Cherry Orchard, playwright Tanya Saracho charts a Mexican family’s experience as their way of life is threatened by encroaching drug cartels and economic upheaval. Set in present-day Northern Mexico and infused with Spanish, Spanglish and Espanglés. West Coast premiere.

Miller’s gripping tale of corporate greed versus social responsibility remains as electrifying today as when first presented in 1947, but producer Joseph Stern and director Cameron Watson have upped the ante, presenting this non-traditionally cast version as the third play in a trilogy examining race in America through the lens of different playwrights.

Haunting and Hilarious: a 16 year old girl ages 7 times faster then normal. Self-absorbed parents. A scam artist, aunt. Twists and turns ultimately provide the joy to the girls last days. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire. Starring Katharine Ross. Directed by Graeme Clifford.

The life of the Buddha in his own words — the evolution of his thought, his triumphs, and the rarely portrayed tragedy at the end of his life. John C. Reilly directs the West Coast premiere of Evan Brenner’s moving and enlightening one-man play, Buddha: Triumph & Tragedy In The Life Of The Great Sage.