Fall is finally here now and the weather is cooling off, which means it’s time to go see one or more of these fabulous shows playing currently in our local theaters!

  COVID protocols continue to be dictated by each individual venue so bring a face mask to wear during the show in case the venue requires it. It’s a good idea to check with the theater before attending a show to find out what is their current policy. 

  The information presented in this column is the latest available at the time of printing; however, it should be verified with the theater beforehand before making definite plans. 

   Here are the shows that have announced opening dates for this month, or are already running:

Opening

“Haunted Soiree: Vampire” A Halloween party set in a world of seductive shadows and eternal night. A vampire-themed immersive experience with cocktails, theatre and dark delights. Roam through the hauntingly beautiful world of “Haunted Soiree: Vampire,” an immersive Halloween party in Los Angeles where craft cocktails, live performances and a vampire-themed theatrical experience create a night unlike any other. This isn’t a haunted house or a pop-up bar. It’s immersive Halloween entertainment for adults featuring interactive vampire characters, live music, illusionists, aerial performers and cinematic creature effects built by artists who live for the night. This is Halloween reimagined – elegant, immersive and dripping with blood-soaked glamour.

General admission allows attendees 90 minutes in the venue. Premium admission allows attendees two hours in the venue, plus a welcome drink. Inner Circle admission has all the perks of premium admission plus exclusive happy-hour pricing at the bar and an exclusive character-led ceremony that ends with a special vampire elixir served to guests. Only those aged 21 and over with a valid ID can enter. 

Conceived and created by Meyer2Meyer Entertainment, it runs through Nov. 1 at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. For tickets, visit www.hauntedsoiree.com.

“Disney’s The Little Mermaid” Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch Ursula to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends – Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab – to restore order under the sea. 

Written by Doug Wright with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and directed by James Esposito, it runs through Oct. 12 at the Zephyr Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.chrtheatre.com.

“anthropology” This high-stakes AI thriller is wrapped in emotional urgency while questioning just how far we’ll go to uncover truth and what technology can and can’t help us resolve in our relationships. Merril is one of Silicon Valley’s leading software engineers but her life disintegrates when her younger sister Angie vanishes on her way home from college. A year later, when the police have long abandoned its search, Merril assembles all the digital material Angie has left behind and sets about building herself a digital simulation of her sister. The resultant “virtual Angie” offers her some solace – until, that is, it starts to reveal new details about the real Angie’s disappearance. 

Written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by John Perrin Flynn, it runs through Nov. 9 at the Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (855) 585-5185 or visit www.roguemachinetheatre.org.

“I’ll Give You My Heart” Five years after her fiancé is killed on their wedding day, a traumatized young woman fights to keep her promise to never leave him while protecting her grief-stricken heart from opening for a familiar stranger. 

Written by Tamara Steren and directed by James Mellon, it runs through Oct. 19 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. For tickets, visitwww.colonytheatre.org.

“The Little King of Norwalk” is a modern barrio fable about power, politics and the price of survival set against a real-life scandal that unfolded last year when Norwalk imposed a ban on shelters, supportive housing and businesses that traditionally serve the poor. Following a DUI, Juan attends his first mandated AA meeting – where he’s mistaken for someone powerful and influential who might be of use to the ambitious mayor and his inner circle. Juan wields his new power to benefit himself but soon goes too far. Can he find redemption by confessing the truth? 

Written by Israel López Reyes and directed by Geoffrey Rivas, it runs through Nov. 2 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.

“An Evening with Eartha Kitt Live Tribute” “An Evening with Eartha Kitt Live Tribute” honors the life and work of Eartha Kitt. Slip into the velvet-draped world of Eartha Kitt. A sensual, subversive and unforgettable icon brought to life in this electrifying one-woman cabaret starring Broadway’s Thomasina Gross (“Mamma Mia!,” “Hairspray Live!”). Gross channels the legendary icon with smoldering vocals, biting wit and magnetic charm – all backed by a sensational live band. From the sultry purr of “Santa Baby” to the delicious defiance of “I Wanna Be Evil,” it’s an evening of raw glamour, intimate storytelling and timeless allure. It’s a celebration of everything she was – and everything she dared us to be. Thomasina E. Gross brings Eartha Kitt back to life. Unapologetic. Fierce. Fearless. “An Evening with Eartha Kitt Live Tribute” includes original monologues and dramatizations based on publicly available information. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Eartha Kitt estate.) 

Written by Thomasina E. Gross and directed by Nohely Quiroz, it runs through Oct. 9 Upstairs at Vitello’s in the Velvet Martini Lounge in Studio City. For tickets, visitwww.vitellosrestaurant.com.

“Littleboy/Littleman” When Nicaraguan brothers Fíto and Bastian clash over their visions of the American Dream, their choices send them on a collision course with fate – risking not just their futures but their bond. Fíto, a poet, is impulsive and ambitious, willing to take risks to get what he wants. Bastian, a telemarketer, is steady and principled, holding onto caution as a guide. Blending poetry, live music and ritual, this electrifying tale of brotherhood and belonging pulses with rhythm and emotion, pulling us into a world where family is everything, but dreams come at a cost. 

Written by Rudi Goblen and directed by Nancy Medina, it runs Oct. 9 through Nov. 2 at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood. For tickets, call (310) 208-2028 or visit www.geffenplayhouse.org.

“Hairspray” Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad’s dream to dance on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local TV dance program based on the real-life “Buddy Deane Show.” When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show’s integration. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and “downtown” rhythm and blues. 

Written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the John Waters film, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and directed by Marissa Jaret Winokur, it runs Oct. 10 through Oct. 26 at the Scherr Forum Theatres at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks. For tickets, call (805) 449-2787 or visitwww.Ticketmaster.com.

“A Life Behind Bars” As a young man in New York, establishing himself as a writer and actor, Dan took on a bartending job to pay his rent and groceries until his big break comes. He found he had a certain proficiency for bartending and was in demand. He also enjoyed the social aspects of it: meeting people, talking to people, the party atmosphere, the occasional gay fling. Being behind the bar put him in proximity to the adult beverages his clientele loved. He enjoyed the libations, too – sometimes too much. 9/11 happened. The gentrification and Disneyfication and Giulianification of Manhattan followed. Dive bars ceased to be in fashion. New York wasn’t fun anymore. There are eight million stories in the naked city, and Dan will introduce you to a bunch of colorful characters in the course of his narrative. New York was a party, and you’ll get to join in on the fun. 

Written by Dan Ruth and directed by Tanya Moberly, it runs Oct. 10 through Oct.  17 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets, visit www.whitefire.stagey.net/projects/11435?tab=tickets.

“The Great Lover” The Duke de Richelieu proposes a wager: he can – and will – seduce the first beautiful woman who crosses his path. Women have always found the silver-tongued rascal irresistible and rarely has he failed in his conquests. But this time, the clever Marquise de Prie has pledged to protect and mentor the virginal Gabrielle de Belle-Isle. Complicating matters further, both Gabrielle and Richelieu are drawn to the newly commissioned nobleman Lieutenant Raoul Sevran. The promise of passionate love proves difficult to restrain once temptation opens the door. The game is afoot, and it is impossible to predict who will triumph in this playful labyrinth of foreplay, intrigue and danger. This delightful romp unfolds in the château of Chantilly, 17th-century France. 

Written by Alexandre Dumas. English translation by Barnett Shaw and directed by Ben Guillory, it runs Oct. 11 through Nov. 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre Four in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit www.therobeytheatrecompany.org.

“Mascogos” (pronounced Mahs-KO-gohs) are descendants of Black Seminoles who escaped slavery in Florida and Georgia to settle in northern Mexico, predominantly in Coahuila. There the Mexican government granted them land in exchange for military service: they helped defend the northern frontier from raids. In 1852, the Mascogos established Nacimiento de los Negros, a village that still exists today. They lived alongside Kickapoo, Seminole and Mexican neighbors, developing a unique Afro-Indigenous-Mexican culture. They retained English and Gullah-influenced songs, dances and oral traditions while also adopting Spanish and Catholic practices. In this bold, historical sci-fi drama, 18-year-old Jamari is fighting an unknown illness that takes him through worlds he’s never seen before, time-traveling from 1864 Mexico to today’s West Side of Chicago. Unsure of where he belongs, trapped in a historical cycle, Jamari and his loved ones – his 15-year-old cousin Gechu, Mama Luz and Padre Jose – seek answers as they try to break free from the shackles of time. 

Written by Miranda González and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, it runs Oct. 11 through Nov. 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (213_ 489-0994 or visitwww.latinotheaterco.org.

“Amerika or The Man Who Disappeared” Arriving in New York City on a steamer, 17-year-old Karl Rossmann strives to make his own way even as he encounters a series of increasingly strange and bewildering experiences that turn his world upside-down. 

Written by Dietrich Smith from the novel by Franz Kafka, and directed by Dietrich Smith, it runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 22 at the Open Fist Theatre Company at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets, call (323) 882-6912 or visit www.openfist.org.

“Breathe” is a story of two sons from different families involved in separate acts of violence. The consequences they face are based not only on evidence but also on the color of their skin. Not only must the sons rationalize their actions for themselves but their families must now find a way to break through the social prejudices and differences in order to assist each other in their efforts to pin down a catalyst for their sons’ violence and find enough answers to move forward with their own lives. This play reminds us of our shared humanity and the differences that continue to keep us apart. 

Written by Javon Johnson and directed by Levy Lee Simon, it runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 at the Mark Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets, visit www.marktheatre.com.

“Hello Dolly!” follows the larger-than-life matchmaker Dolly Levi as she sets out to arrange the romantic affairs of New York’s elite while plotting a match of her own. With unforgettable Jerry Herman songs including “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “It Only Takes a Moment” and the iconic title number, this Tony Award-winning classic is a joyous celebration of love, laughter and the indomitable spirit of one legendary woman. 

Written by Michael Stewart, with music by Jerry Herman, and directed by Cynthia Ferrer, it runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 at Musical Theatre West in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. For tickets visitwww.musical.org.

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B” In this fast-paced and wildly entertaining comic escapade, the classic tales of Sherlock Holmes get a sharp, sassy twist thanks to what writer Kate Hamill calls her “cheerful desecration” of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective series. 

Written by Kate Hamill and directed by Amie Farrell, it runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 at the International City Theatre in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in Long Beach. For tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or visit www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.

“UnRavelled” centers on Dr. Anne Adams who, in her 50s and at the height of her prestigious career, exhibited radical personality changes abandoning her life’s work to paint. Starting out with simple subjects – houses, strawberries – she became suddenly inexplicably obsessed with Maurice Ravel’s symphonic masterpiece “Boléro,” launching into a wildly different and masterful painting style. Through her stunning paintings, Dr. Adams’ work may offer clues to unlocking mysteries about the brain’s networks and creativity. Similarly, Ravel’s most famous work, his captivating, single-movement, orchestral piece “Boléro” deviated significantly from his deeply honed musical style. He composed it as a ballet for Russian dancer Ida Rubinstein in 1928, when Ravel himself was experiencing dramatic shifts in his personality. “Boléro” was one of the last works Ravel completed before dementia ultimately stripped him of his ability to compose. FTD is the most common form of dementia in people under age 60, which manifests with behavioral alterations – not memory loss or paralysis typical of other types of dementia. FTD is the same kind of dementia that afflicts actor Bruce Willis. 

Written by Jake Broder, with music by Mark Grey, and directed by James Bonas, it runs Oct. 17 through Oct. 19 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. For tickets, call (310) 746-4000 or visitwww.unravelledplay.com.

“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” Set in a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1911 during the Great Migration, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” introduces us to a group of men and women teetering on the brink as they search for lost family, identity and purpose in the aftermath of slavery. Owners Seth Holly (Alex Morris) and his wife Bertha (Veralyn Jones) play host to a makeshift family as residents come and go during a time when descendants of former slaves were moving North in large numbers. When tormented Herald Loomis (Kai A. Ealy) arrives with his young daughter, Zonia (Jessica Williams), he is a free man after seven years of hard labor on Joe Turner’s chain gang. Loomis is looking for the wife he left behind (Tori Danner), believing she can help him reclaim his identity. But through his encounters with the rootmaker Bynum (James. T. Alfred) and the other residents (Brandon Gill, Briana James, Nija Okoro), he comes to realize that what he really needs is to “find his song” – and it will take more than the local people finder (Bert Emmett) to discover it. Also in the cast is Jared Bennett as the neighbor boy Reuben. 

Written by August Wilson and directed by Gregg T. Daniel, it runs Oct. 18 through Nov. 9 at A Noise Within in Pasadena. For tickets, call (626) 356-3100 or visitwww.anoisewithin.org.

“नेहा & Neel” Neha (नेहा), an Indian immigrant and single mom, worries that she’s failed to pass her language and traditions down to her 17-year-old American-born son Neel (नील). Could a cross-country college tour be her last shot? If only she can convince Neel to visit the historic Hope Diamond and witness a piece of Indian history for himself, perhaps it will turn their trip into something more. A funny, heartfelt, intergenerational tale about love, family and heritage. 

Written by Ankita Raturi and directed by Lily Tung Crystal, it runs Oct. 18 through Nov. 16 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or visit www.latinotheaterco.org.

Steve Zall, Publisher, Scene in LA 

Sid Fish, Co-Publisher & Editor, Scene in LA