SoCal theatre, June 3-10: ‘A Strange Loop,’ ‘Batette Follies of 1939,’ a salute to Judy Blume and more

Theatre, musicals, cabaret, drag, standup comedy, poetry, spoken word, storytelling, and books & lit for LA & OC

Malachi McCaskill, center, and company in “A Strange Loop” (Alessandra Mello)

Welcome to the latest TV or Not TV newsletter spotlighting live theater, cabaret, 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.

The curtain rises…

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Theatre

Opening this week…

‘Pride Live: Pride Anthems’ Musical theater veteran Kevin Smith Kirkwood, cabaret artist Amy Jo Jackson and singer-actor Marty Thomas perform inspirational songs by Queen, Madonna, George Michael, et al. in this celebration of LGBTQ community. Segerstrom Center's Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, June 4-5. $69 and up. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org

‘Batette Follies of 1939’ The Batman franchise gets an unauthorized, unofficial and Prohibition Era-style makeover in this world-premiere mashup of cabaret, vaudeville and burlesque from “Empire Strips Back” creator Russall S. Beattie; for ages 18 and up only. The Montalbán Theatre, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. 8 p.m. Thursdays, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, June 6 thru July 14. $39-$154. batettefollies1939.com

‘Super Freak: The Rick James Story’ The life and turbulent times of the flamboyant funk and R&B star are recalled in this new bio-musical; includes adult language and content. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6-8. $39. and up. (323) 468-1770. broadwayinhollywood.com

‘Duran DurAntony & Cleopatra’ Shakespeare’s tragic romance meets the songs of English pop band Duran Duran in Troubadour Theater Company’s latest musical-comedy mashup. Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third St., Burbank. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 7 thru 16. $55-$60. (818) 558-7000. troubie.com

‘Highways 35th Birthday!’ This longtime home for cutting-edge alternative theater, music, dance, film, etc. marks a milestone with a program that includes transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey’s new work “The Lost Art of Dreaming” and a salute to LGBTQ activist group the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 7-8. $25, $35. highwaysperformance.org

‘Lion Eyes’ An aspiring actress learns about the dark side of Hollywood in this new drama from veteran writer-performer Tanna Frederick. Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. 8 p.m. Friday, June 7. $25. whitefiretheatre.com

‘Machinal’ A young woman pushes back against societal expectations in Brandon Slezak’s immersive update of Sophie Treadwell’s classic 1920s-era Expressionist fable; for ages 13 and up. Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. 8:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, June 7 thru 29; 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, June 8 only (no evening performance). $20, $25. zombiejoes.com

‘Queens of the Pop Age: Madonna, Whitney, Gaga and Taylor’ Performers from 5-Star Theatricals take the stage in a new edition of Thousand Oaks’ annual city-wide Pop-Up Arts & Music Festival. Canada Park, 1619 Calle Zocalo, Thousand Oaks. 7 p.m. Friday, June 7. Free. bapacthousandoaks.com

Solo Fest L.A.-based performers Lise Porter, Sonja Marie, Ernie Silva and Pamela L. Paek are featured in separately-ticketed solo shows in this three-day event. Antaeus Theatre, 110 E. Broadway, Glendale. 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, June 7-9. $20 and up. glendalearts.org

‘The Spy Who Went Into Rehab’ A James Bond-style secret agent reluctantly gets help for his drinking, gambling and womanizing issues in Gregg Ostri’s new comedy. Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Blvd., Venice. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, June 7 thru July 7. $12-$35. (310) 822-8392. pacificresidenttheatre.org