AIN'T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.
Nominated for 12 Tony® Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, AIN'T TOO PROUD tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group's personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.
Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!), the unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.
This classic American comedic drama is every bit as touching, warm, and witty today as when it debuted off Broadway in 1978. Retired couple Ethel and Norman Thayer are spending their 48th summer at their vacation home on Golden Pond, in the woods of Maine. Their daughter Chelsea visits for Norman’s 80th birthday, bringing her boyfriend Bill and Bill’s teenage son, Billy Jr. The play explores the turbulent relationship between father and daughter, the generation gap between young and old, and the difficulties of a couple in the twilight years of a long marriage, effortlessly illustrating the hilarious, heartbreaking, human moments of which life is made. Please note: This final Limelight show of the 23-24 season will be performed at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse instead of at the Gilroy Center for the Arts.
A beautiful wintery tale adapted from the classic Aesop’s fable. Throughout the long winter, Silas sits high on a mountain, reluctantly watching over his family’s flock of sheep. His mum and grandad count on him, but he’s bored, while below, his village is full of happy knitters, clicking their needles and crafting projects for the annual knitting competition. To shake things up, Silas cries “wolf” to make the villagers come running, but what happens when they discover his trick? A gifted ensemble of actor musicians sing and dance to bring all the delightful characters to life, including hilarious sheep and perhaps a scary wolf or two!
Vanya and his niece Sonya doggedly devote their lives to managing the crumbling family farm visited occasionally by their idiosyncratic neighbor, Dr. Astrov. Then Sonya’s celebrated father and his restless, charismatic wife suddenly decide to move in, and everything falls apart as only the master ironist Anton Chekhov could foresee. The wrong people fall in love and lives unravel as the summer wanes. Opportunities evaporate and long hidden resentments come home to roost. How do you find what you’ve lost…and does it matter? Directed by Clark Lewis in a unique and intimate setting, Uncle Vanya features a stellar cast of Sonoma County actors: John Craven, Tamar Cohn, Bill Davis, Peter Downey, Dale Leonheart, Sheila Lichirie, Ilana Niernberger and Jared Wright. Don’t miss Roustabout’s Professional Ensemble production of the extraordinary playwright Anton Chekhov’s acclaimed masterpiece, Uncle Vanya, in a stirring new translation by Conor McPherson (“The finest dramatist of his generation”, Telegraph). Roustabout Theater is the longest-running Resident Theater at the LBC offering Ensemble performances utilizing professional talent from across the Bay Area and our award-winning Apprentice Program, a leading training program for actors and stage managers ages 11 – 18.
One of the most celebrated living writers of the Mexican-American experience, Octavio Solis pens a 21st-century tale inspired by John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. William Joad has no heir to bequeath the family farm to — until he learns about Martín Jodes, a young Mexican-American migrant worker descended from Steinbeck’s protagonist Tom Joad. In a reversal of the Joads’ mythic journey, William and Martín embark on a road trip from California’s migrant farm camps back to Oklahoma, where they reckon with their brutal pasts and forge an unlikely bond. Along their journey on the Mother Road, they gather a chorus of travelers. Witness Solis’ soaring poetry, gritty realism, and mythic scope as he captures the intersection of people, cultures, and migration in the American West.
Four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza stars in a dazzling world-premiere musical helmed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot, Swept Away), written by two-time Emmy winner Danny Strong (Dopesick, Empire, The Butler). When maverick scientist Galileo Galilei makes celestial observations that challenge humanity’s understanding of its place in the universe, he’s summoned to Rome to defend his discoveries before the most powerful religious institution in the world, which is facing a rebellion of its own. With an original rock score and lyrics by Michael Weiner (Broadway’s First Date) and Zoe Sarnak (Jonathan Larson Award winner), Galileo is an explosive collision of science and faith, truth and power. Galileo will likely join the constellation of world premieres that traveled from Berkeley Rep to Broadway — be the first to see it here!
Following a critically acclaimed debut in New York, Pulitzer Prize finalist Lloyd Suh brings The Far Country back to its roots in a triumphant West Coast premiere. In the wake of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Moon Gyet has arrived at San Francisco Bay’s Angel Island Immigration Station with an invented biography and a new name, both given to him by a man who made the same arduous crossing several years earlier. But passage to San Francisco — and the dream of a better life for future generations — commands a very high price. Spanning two countries and three generations, Lloyd Suh’s breathtaking account of immigration, identity, and memory has been called “Artful…an act, loving and sorrowful, of reclamation” by The New York Times.
WHY YOU SHOULD SEE THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Because it’s time to do the Time Warp, again! Because it’s the 21st celebration of this show at City Lights. Because science fiction, on a stage, is a spectacle for the eyes. Because of the antici……pation. Because last time CLTC did the show, our waiting list was around the block. SYNOPSIS In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.” Complete with sass from the audience, this deliberately kitschy rock ‘n’ roll sci-fi gothic musical is more fun than ever. City Lights had hit productions of Rocky Horror in 2003 and 2013, and we can’t wait to do the Time Warp with you again!
WHY YOU SHOULD SEE CLYDE’S Because everyone deserves a second chance. Because playwright Lynn Nottage is the most produced living playwright in America. Because if you liked the TV show The Bear, you’ll love this play. Because the perfect sandwich is a rare and beautiful thing. SYNOPSIS Past the long line of truckers waiting outside, Clyde’s Sandwich Shop is more than just a greasy spoon. It serves up a chance at redemption for its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff. Owner Clyde may be a devil of a boss, but the workers discover purpose in their lives as they find themselves banding together – and sharing a quest to create the perfect sandwich. “Fast-paced and uproariously funny, Clyde’s is a spicy feast for the senses.” –Chicago Sun-Times
WHY YOU SHOULD SEE KING LIZ Because March Madness. Because the behind-the-scenes drama of a female sports agent is sure to pull you in. Because even if you’re not the biggest basketball fan, you’ll be rooting for these characters. SYNOPSIS Veteran sports agents know they have to fight to stay on top. If you’re a woman, it’s doubly hard. With an elite client roster and a nearly unbeatable drive, Liz Rico is poised to take over the agency that she’s helped build. Then she takes on high school basketball superstar Freddie Luna. With his troubled past and a temper as hot as his talent, he could make his career and hers if she can keep things under control. But at what price?
Unplugged is a recurring platform offering a rare and candid look into the creative process of ODC's choreographers. Delve into the specifics, question the process, and learn something new during these exclusive evenings with ODC's creative force. Join ODC Founder and Artistic Director Brenda Way for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into her upcoming world premiere A Brief History of Up and Down during Dance Downtown (March 27 - 31, 2024).
Throckmorton Team: Director/Choreographer: Erin Gentry; Choreographer: Gina Chapman; Musical Director: Noah Bossert SYNOPSIS: A Chorus Line examines one day in the lives of seventeen dancers, all vying for a spot in the “chorus line” of a Broadway musical. After the first round of cuts, Zach, the director and choreographer, asks each dancer to speak about themselves. Discomfort opens into revelation, confession leads to redemption, and within the bright, outwardly homogenous chorus, the audience begins to see each dancer’s individuality. Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, as told to fellow dancer and choreographer Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest. MUSIC: MARVIN HAMLISCH LYRICS: EDWARD KLEBAN BOOK: JAMES KIRKWOOD, NICHOLAS DANTE Please double check the cast for the day you want to book - to ensure the person you want to see is on it.
Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady and her friends devise a "Revenge Party" to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. Run time: approx 2 hour and 30 minutes Child tickets available for ages 15 & younger All tickets are additionally subject to per ticket service fees which range from $3.00-$5.00 per ticket. This includes tickets purchased in person, online, or on the phone.