Geffen Playhouse 19/20 Season Brochure

S U B S C R IP TIO N S ST A R T A T J U ST $120

G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8 10 8 86 L E C O N T E AV E N U E, L O S A N G E L E S, C A 9 0 024

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R E , T A E H T AT PL AY! Geffen Playhouse has captured the creative spirit of Hollywood with beloved and innovative theater, delighting audiences for 24 years. Join us for Artistic Director Matt Shakman’s vibrant new season of comedies, new adaptations, and wildly theatrical productions at one of the most beautiful theater venues in Los Angeles.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY • Enjoy the best seats in the house • Save up to 30% off single tickets • No service charges • Unlimited free exchanges up to showtimes

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

WITCH WEST COAST PREMIERE

08.20 – 09.29.2019 JEN SILVERMAN DIRECTED BY MARTI LYONS

WRITTEN BY

INSPIRED BY THE WITCH OF EDMONTON BY ROWLEY, DEKKER & FORD

Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory), Vella Lovell (Crazy ExGirlfriend), and Maura Tierney (ER) are featured in this fiendishly funny new play by Jen Silverman (The Roommate, Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties). A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought.

CAST B R I A N G E O R G E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sir Arthur Banks S I M O N H E L B E R G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cuddy Banks R U Y I S K A N D A R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Thorney V E L L A L O V E L L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winnifred M A U R A T I E R N E Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Sawyer Additional casting to be announced.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

GIL CATES THEATER

SKINTIGHT WEST COAST PREMIERE

09.03 – 10.06.2019 JOSHUA HARMON DIRECTED BY DANIEL AUKIN

WRITTEN BY

Hanging on by a thread after her ex-husband gets engaged to a much younger woman, Jodi (Tony Award winner Idina Menzel, Rent, Wicked) retreats to her dad’s swanky Manhattan townhouse.

But rather than the comforts of home, she instead finds her aging father’s new live-in boyfriend, Trey—who is 20. In his new comedy, Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews, Significant Other) brings neurotic family drama to the forefront as father and daughter contend with the age-old questions of how to age gracefully in a world obsessed with youth and where love fits into it all.

CAST W I L L B R I T TA I N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trey E L I G E L B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Cullen H A R R Y G R O E N E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elliot Isaac K I M B E R LY J Ü R G E N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orsolya I D I N A M E N Z E L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jodi Isaac J E F F S KO W R O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeff

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY 10.22 – 12.01.2019

LARISSA FASTHORSE DIRECTED BY MICHAEL JOHN GARCÉS WRITTEN BY

How does one celebrate Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Month at the same time? In Larissa FastHorse’s biting satire, this is the question facing three “woke” white thespians tasked with devising an elementary school pageant about the first Thanksgiving while avoiding any culturally appropriative missteps.

A roast of the politics of entertainment and well-meaning political correctness alike, The Thanksgiving Play puts the American origin story itself in the comedy-crosshairs.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

GIL CATES THEATER

KEY LARGO WORLD PREMIERE ADAPTATION & GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE COMMISSION

11.06 – 12.08.2019

JEFFREY HATCHER & ANDY GARCIA PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH FRANK MANCUSO & ANDY GARCIA ADAPTED BY

BASED ON THE PLAY BY MAXWELL ANDERSON AND THE WARNER BROS. FILM; PRODUCED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH WARNER BROS. THEATRE VENTURES.

Welcome to the eye of the storm! Key Largo is a bold reimagining of Maxwell Anderson’s Broadway hit that became the iconic noir film starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Returning from World War II, disillusioned Frank McCloud travels to a hotel in Key Largo to pay his respects to the widow of a fallen friend. What McCloud doesn’t count on is an entirely different battle with mobsters who have overtaken the hotel, led by the ruthless Johnny Rocco (Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia).

As a hurricane barrels toward the Keys, McCloud must face his demons in order to take down a monster.

CAST A N D Y G A R C I A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnny Rocco Additional casting to be announced.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G

GIL CATES THEATER

REVENGE SONG WORLD PREMIERE & GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE COMMISSION

A VAMPIRE COWBOYS CREATION 02.04 – 03.08.2020 QUI NGUYEN DIRECTED BY ROBERT ROSS PARKER WRITTEN BY

A rousing, romping, music-filled look at the real life of Julie d’Aubigny, a queer 17th century French swordswoman and opera singer, Revenge Song is a heroine’s journey toward self-discovery and acceptance. In this world premiere Geffen Playhouse commission, conversations about gender and sexuality blend together with the outrageous fun and superhero style of the Vampire Cowboys to create a genre unto itself—a hilarious, historical comedy with epic fight scenes and a punk rock attitude.

Major support for this world premiere production provided by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Production Fund.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

NIGHTFALL WORLD PREMIERE & AUDIBLE / GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE CO-PRODUCTION

03.03 – 04.12.2020

MARISELA TREVIÑO ORTA DIRECTED BY JAIME CASTAÑEDA

WRITTEN BY

Survival becomes the name of the game for Karla and her stepdaughter Olivia when their fraught family camping trip is interrupted by news of a mysterious outbreak causing the humans in nearby San Francisco to become...well, bitey. With little information to go on, the two women must identify the biggest threat to their safety—the supposedly deadly virus, the stranger who stumbles into their campsite, or each other.

Nightfall is an Audible Theater Emerging Playwrights Commission.

A co-production with Audible, Nightfall will be released as an audio play simultaneously with the premiere of the Geffen Playhouse production.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G

GIL CATES THEATER

BERNHARDT/ HAMLET WEST COAST PREMIERE

04.07 – 05.10.2020 THERESA REBECK DIRECTED BY SARNA LAPINE

WRITTEN BY

It’s 1899, and the legendary Sarah Bernhardt shocks the world by taking on the lead role in Hamlet. While her performance is destined to become one for the ages, Sarah first has to convince a sea of naysayers that her right to play the part should be based on ability, not gender—a feat as difficult as mastering Shakespeare’s most verbose tragic hero.

Fresh off its Broadway triumph, Theresa Rebeck’s shrewd comedy puts the spotlight on a woman who used her singular talent to challenge whether a woman’s place was “to be or not to be” in the greatest role ever written.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

THE ENIGMATIST WEST COAST PREMIERE

05.05 – 06.14.2020

WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY

DAVID KWONG

Can you solve the enigma? Prepare for an immersive experience of puzzles, cryptology and illusions by renowned magician and New York Times crossword constructor David Kwong in the intimate Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. Clues are everywhere, so keep your eyes open and be ready for surprises behind every flip of the card.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G

GIL CATES THEATER

MACBETH 06.16 – 07.19.2020

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIRECTED BY MATT SHAKMAN

WRITTEN BY

“Something wicked this way comes.” Three witches, a prophecy and the ambitious general Macbeth (Emmy Award nominee Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones) set the stage for Shakespeare’s timely and timeless tragedy about the dangerous allure of power. As Macbeth violently sets forth to fulfill his fate, he and his wife find themselves mired in murder and cover-up in a bloody attempt to hold onto the throne.

Following a triumphant collaboration on Game of Thrones, director Matt Shakman and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau reunite for Shakespeare’s most cinematic play.

CAST N I KO L A J C O S T E R - WA L D A U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macbeth Additional casting to be announced.

S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

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WE ARE A NON-PROFIT THEATER

We are deeply committed to serving our community and can’t do it without your support. Your contributions sustain our work in the community and inside our theater. As a thank you, we invite you to enjoy a variety of donor benefits, including special recognition and invitations to exclusive events.

Geffen Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is distinguished by a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Donations are tax-deductible.

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Each season, Geffen Playhouse serves more than 15,000 community members, including veterans in need of connection, seniors challenged by economic circumstances or disabilities, and many students—for most, this is their first theater experience.

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9-PLAY FULL SEASON PACKAGE PREMIUM

SECTION

A

SECTION

B

SECTION

REGULAR

$756

$ 511

$406

$270

PREVIEWS

$630

$ 428

$343

$270

C

5-PLAY GIL CATES THEATER PACKAGE PREMIUM

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A

SECTION

B

SECTION

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C

4-PLAY AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER PACKAGE PREMIUM

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A

SECTION

B

SECTION

REGULAR

$384

$224

N /A

$120

PREVIEWS

$320

$192

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$120

C

I T′S E A S Y T O S U B S C R I B E! G E F F E N P L A Y H O U S E.O R G · 310.2 0 8.2 0 2 8

GIL CATES THEATER

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

STAGE

STAGE

9-Play Section B package includes Gil Cates Theater Section B and Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater Section A. Events, artists, dates, and times are subject to change. Seating locations may change depending on production design.

Season Photography by Yann Rabanier. Creative Direction by Base Design.

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