and, SEEN!

Chains, not silk (Duel Reality, Old Globe)

We hang upside from a trapeze for 5 minutes to see this show. On the Annie to Endgame Theatre Difficulty scale, this show is as challenging as Mystere. West Coast premiere A production by The 7 Fingers Directed by Shana Carroll Originally produced and created in collaboration with Virgin Voyages The triumphant return of the company that brought Globe audiences last summer’s smash hit Passengers. Love, honor, and betrayal come to life through a blend of acrobatics, theatre, and music in this one-act romp perfect for all ages. Two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last. While the two groups face off, cheered on by their side of the audience, a pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. The exhilaration and danger of competition provide the thrilling backdrop to The 7 Fingers’s one-of-a-kind daredevil theatrical extravaganza.

rich peoples’ money [Derecho (La Jolla Playhouse)]

We would walk 20 minutes in a rainstorm to see this show. This show is about as challenging as Glass Menagerie. By Noelle Viñas Directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg Some storms you can’t hide from. A series of intense storms – a “derecho” – is bearing down on an affluent Virginia neighborhood near D.C., where Eugenia Silva is preparing for a crucial meeting. Eugenia is a politician hoping to join the wave of women of color elected to public office. Her sister Mercedes is a struggling musician fighting to find her way on her own terms. As winds rise and thunder cracks — and tensions between the sisters reach a boiling point — Eugenia’s political ambitions crash into Mercedes’s need to reconnect her sister with their roots.

we forgot to say it’s really really funny! {Fat Ham (Old Globe)}

We would walk a few miles carrying a styrofoam cooler with ice and beers to see this show. On the Annie-to-Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as Cabaret. By James Ijames Original direction by Saheem Ali Directed by Sideeq Heard The 2022 Pulitzer-winning, Tony-nominated sensation Fat Ham is a fresh and funny take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet that The New York Times called “a flat-out hilarious comedy.” During a Southern family cookout, Juicy is confronted by the ghost of his father, who demands revenge for his murder. But Juicy, a young, queer, Black man, has enough on his plate. James Ijames’s remarkable play uses uproarious humor and profound insight to explore the conflict between what you owe your family and what you owe yourself. “Smart, fearless, and wildly entertaining” (The Chicago Tribune). This production includes strong language, mature themes, sexual content, and mild violence.

recast the beam of light! (Ballad of Johnny and June, La Jolla Playhouse)

Book by Robert Cary and Des McAnuff Music and Lyrics by Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash and others Directed by Des McAnuff Love is a burning thing Country music royalty Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash remain to this day one of the most famous couples of the 20th Century. Created with the support of the family and told through the eyes of their son John Carter Cash, this new musical covers it all: their childhoods, their 1956 meeting at the Grand Ole Opry, the storied on-stage proposal in 1968, and the soaring highs and whiplash lows of fame, life on the road, addiction, arrests, controversies, marriage, family and devotion. This is a whole-hearted and clear-eyed telling of one of the most iconic love stories in music history, complete with a soundtrack of beloved hits — I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Hey Porter, Jackson, I’ve Been Everywhere and many more.

Covid & beans (Stir, Old Globe)

Proclaimers Scale: we would drive one hour to see this show. Globe-commissioned world premiere By Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez Directed by Marcela Lorca A Globe-commissioned, world-premiere play about family, food, and healing. Two siblings, separated by distance and circumstance, meet to share their mother’s favorite recipe. What starts as a simple project leads to surprising connection as they reminisce and reveal secrets of their own. This tender comedy from Melinda Lopez (Mala at The Old Globe) and Joel Perez (Kiss My Aztec! at La Jolla Playhouse) invites audiences to grab a seat at the table and savor the possibility of reuniting with loved ones after a long time apart. This production includes strong language and mature themes. This production features the preparation of food, including black beans, onions, garlic, green bell pepper, and spices, which will be chopped and cooked onstage and will release natural aromas into the theatre. We ask patrons with airborne food allergies to please take note of this part of their visit. Total running time: One hour and 20 minutes (one act with no intermission).

best use of accordion (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Cygnet)

We would ride an hour in a sleigh in 10 degree weather with period-appropriate fur attire to see this show. WEST COAST PREMIERE Book, Lyrics and Music by Dave Malloy. Adapted from War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Directed by Sean Murray Music Direction by Patrick Marion Choreography by Katie Banville Apr 10 - May 19, 2024 Low-priced Previews Apr 10 - Apr 13, 2024 Overview Artists Photos Talk & Events Romantic • Scandalous • Immersive Two-time Tony® Award Winner Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, is an innovative electropop opera, based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. This immersive performance tells the story of beautiful Natasha who falls for the devilishly handsome rebel Anatole while her betrothed Andrey is off at war. The thrilling, ground-breaking score melds rock, pop, soul, and folk, unlike anything you’ve heard. Join us for this Tony Award-winning spectacle that The New York Times hailed as “the most innovative and best new musical to open since Hamilton!”.

finally a catchy tune! [Ride, A New Musical (The Old Globe)]

Proclaimers scale: we would ride from our house to The Old Globe on bicycles (if we had those bike shorts with padded butts) to see this show. March 30 – April 28, 2024 Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage Old Globe Theatre Conrad Prebys Theatre Center American premiere Book, music, and lyrics by Freya Catrin Smith Music and lyrics by Jack Williams Directed by Sarah Meadows Ready, set, ride! The smash-hit London musical makes its U.S. premiere. It’s 1895, and Annie Londonderry wants to discover if a woman can ride a bicycle around the world. The problem? She’s only ridden one twice! As Annie and her unwitting secretary Martha share unbelievable adventures across four continents, they learn that no matter how far we ride, our past is always right behind us. With a high-energy score and a wildly versatile cast, this fresh and funny show is what Theatre Weekly called “an amazing piece of theatre and a must-watch for everyone.” This production includes strong language.

man bro dude guy love [King James (Old Globe)]

Proclaimers scale: we would drive across the country to see this. March 9 – April 7, 2024 Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre Conrad Prebys Theatre Center By Rajiv Joseph Directed by Justin Emeka The breathtaking career of NBA icon LeBron James is the backdrop for this energetic and funny play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph. Shawn is Black and Matt is White, and they couldn’t be more different—except for their love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The friendship that develops between them, at turns contentious and compassionate, becomes something as enduring and profound as James’s legacy itself. Interwoven with moments of camaraderie, laughter, and poignancy, King James dives into the heart of basketball fandom and highlights the profound connections that sports can cultivate. This production includes strong language and mature themes.

Chaos Menu Disorder Up (Second City Toronto)

International mini Pubisode Proclaimers Scale: 0.5 - 2 watchings of the first Austin Powers movie.

a nearly perfect show [Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (Neptune)

Proclaimers Scale: we would fly 6000 miles to see this again. Fate leads our two heroes to a tragic but inevitable end. Hamlet is turned topsy-turvy in this brilliant modern comedic masterpiece that thrusts Shakespeare’s two minor characters to the forefront with no rules except one: they are destined to die. Reality and illusion mix as bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are trapped in a universe where their lives are left to chance with the flip of a coin. Can our hapless protagonists triumph in a battle of wits, escape their fate, and make sense of a senseless world? Starring from the Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the title roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (or perhaps Guildenstern and Rosencrantz?) are Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) in this unique and stunning new production created by Halifax’s Neptune Theatre. Written by Tom Stoppard Directed by Neptune Theatre Artistic Director Jeremy Webb Starring Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan