SoCal theatre, Jan. 14-21: Comic Kate Berlant, Hershey Felder as Gershwin and more
Theatre, musicals, cabaret, drag, comedy, poetry, spoken word, storytelling, books and lit for LA & OC
Welcome to the latest TV or Not TV newsletter spotlighting live theater, standup comedy, etc. on stages all around Southern California this coming week. I’m Matt Cooper, former listings coordinator for the LA Times’ Calendar section.
(For our roundup of performances marking the MLK Day weekend, click here)
The curtain rises…
Theatre
Opening…
‘The Spirit of Harriet Tubman’ Writer-performer Leslie McCurdy portrays the iconic abolitionist in this solo show. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos. 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. $10. (562) 916-8500. cerritoscenter.com
‘Tomás and the Library Lady’ Childsplay Theatre presents this kid-friendly bilingual musical based on the book by Mexican American author and educator Tomás Rivera. Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. $10; group discounts available. (805) 449-2787. bapacthousandoaks.com
‘Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone’ Felder reprises his acclaimed salute to the legendary songwriter and composer in his limited engagement. South Coast Repertory, Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 7:45 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 2 and 7:45 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays, Jan. 18-28 (no 7:45 p.m. performance Jan. 21. $60-$100. (714) 708-5555. scr.org
‘The Manor — Murder and Madness at Greystone’ Kathrine Bates’ popular, immersive, site-specific whodunit, inspired by actual events, returns for another season. Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills. 6 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 1 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays, Jan. 18 thru Feb. 3. $75; advance reservations required. (310) 364-3606. theatre40.org
‘A Mexican Trilogy: An American Story’ Students from three local community colleges will perform all three plays in Evelina Fernandez’ decades-spanning exploration of the Mexican-American experience as part of Latino Theater Company’s Impact Initiative. The Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. “Faith” (in Theater 3), 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Jan. 18-19. “Hope” (in Theater 1), 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, Jan. 18-19 and Jan. 25-26; 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27; 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. “Charity” (in Theater 2), 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, Jan. 18-19 and Jan. 25-26; 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27; 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. All three plays in order, 2 p.m. Saturday or Sunday, Jan. 20 or 21 (includes two 15-minutes breaks and one 45-minute dinner break). Pay what you can ($10-$50). (213) 489-0994. latinotheaterco.org
‘Strangers on a Train’ A random conversation between two men leads to murder in Craig Warner’s thriller based on the Patricia Highsmith novel that also inspired the classic Hitchcock film. Theatre Forty, Mary Levin Cutler Theatre, 241 S. Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 18 thru Feb. 18. $35. (310) 364-0535. theatre40.org
‘Confessions of a Prairie B*tch’ Former “Little House” co-star Alison Arngrim returns in this hit one-woman show based on her memoir. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 19 thru 28. $12-$45. (626) 355-4318. sierramadreplayhouse.org
‘(Im)migrants of the State’ This acclaimed show about life inside and outside prison, created by and starring a group of formerly incarcerated actors, returns in an updated version. The Actors’ Gang Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19 thru 28. $25-$34.99. (310) 838-4264. TheActorsGang.com
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