Last season, “Hamilton” was the 800-pound gorilla in Orange County’s theater line-up. This year, that larger-than-life primate would be “Dear Evan Hansen,” a musical about a high school student with severe social anxiety. Like “Hamilton,” it sounds unpromising on paper, but it took Broadway by storm last year, winning six Tony Awards, including best musical and best score, and it’s hugely popular with – you guessed it – high school students. “Dear Evan Hansen” moves into Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Jan. 1 and stays for 13 days.
It’s only one of several popular musicals playing locally in the 2018-19 season, some with star power: Leslie Uggams will appear as the legendary jazz chanteuse Lena Horne in the bio-musical “Stormy Weather” at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts this October and November.
Another new musical that made a splash on Broadway recently is “Come From Away,” Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s story about a small town in Newfoundland, Canada, that hosted thousands of people after the 9/11 attacks, when 38 commercial flights from Europe were ordered to land immediately. Think of it as a gentle reminder that our friends from Great White North are not much of a security threat.
South Coast Repertory offers musicals only rarely, but this year the theater has a great one lined up: Stephen Sondheim’s jet-black masterpiece, “Sweeney Todd,” playing on the larger Segerstrom Stage in mid-season.
If you prefer your words spoken, not sung, then you might want to indulge in a little political drama with “Kings,” a tale about a young upstart politician that was well reviewed when it played in New York last season. It’s opening in October at South Coast Repertory. Alfred Uhry’s classic examination of race, class and Dixie-style Jewishness, “Driving Miss Daisy,” appears at the Laguna Playhouse in January.
And SCR is offering “Poor Yella Rednecks” and “M. Butterfly,” highly contrasting works from two of the country’s most prominent Asian American playwrights, Qui Nguyen and David Henry Hwang. Hwang’s tale of an intimate gender-bending secret, which appears at South Coast Repertory next spring, turned him into a stalwart of the American theater; Nguyen was introduced more recently with his award-winning “Vietgone,” which told the tale of his parents’ courtship. His “Poor Yella Rednecks” continues the story.
Theater Top 10
“Kings”: A freshman Congresswoman is determined to drain the swamp; then she meets a lobbyist who can get her anything. Sarah Burgess’ play was a recent New York hit. Oct. 13-Nov. 10, South Coast Repertory
‘Stormy Weather”: Tony- and Emmy-winning artist Leslie Uggams stars as Lena Horne, one of the the jazz world’s best voices, in this bio-musical that features American Songbook standards such as “The Lady Is A Tramp,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Stardust” and “How Deep is the Ocean.” Oct. 19-Nov. 11, La Mirada Theatre
“Waitress”: Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s popular 2007 film, this musical tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who longs to leave her small town and troubled marriage. Nov. 13-25, Segerstrom Center for the Arts
“Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical”: Jane Austen’s enduring love story is brought to life as a romantic comedy in musical form. The story revolves around Emma, a well-meaning but disaster-prone matchmaker, who ignores her own romantic feelings while setting out to find a suitor for her friend Harriet. Her efforts go awry, resulting in hilarious and perplexing situations. Nov. 23-Dec. 23, Chance Theater
“Dear Evan Hansen”: This Tony-winning musical concerns a high school senior with severe social anxiety, making it painful for him to talk to people and make friends. After the death of one of his classmates, he invents a story that brings him closer to the classmate’s family, while also allowing him to gain his own sense of purpose. Jan. 1-13, Segerstrom Center for the Arts
“Driving Miss Daisy”: Alfred Uhry’s wise play about the complex relationship between an older Jewish woman and her African American chauffeur in the pre-Civil Rights Era South hasn’t been produced in O.C. for a while. Now is an excellent time for a revival. Jan. 9-27, Laguna Playhouse
“Sweeney Todd”: Stephen Sondheim’s dark tale of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of the high points of his career. Ironically, it contains some of his most achingly beautiful songs, too. SCR doesn’t often do musicals, but it usually takes pains to do them well when the occasion arises. Jan. 19-Feb. 16, South Coast Repertory
“Come From Away”: A surprise hit on Broadway, this musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 passengers stranded far from home by the grounding of all air travel after 9-11, and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Feb. 5-17, Segerstrom Center for the Arts
“Poor Yella Rednecks”: In this sequel to “Vietgone,” playwright Qui Nguyen again explores the history of his parents. Tong and Quang are building new lives in a foreign land called Arkansas, but their marriage isn’t without its hardships, and old relationships complicate things. March 30-April 27, South Coast Repertory
“M. Butterfly”: A married French diplomat carries on a 20-year affair with a mysterious Chinese opera diva who harbors a secret. Inspired by true events, David Henry Hwang’s career-making play, which debuted 30 years ago, won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. May 11-June 8, South Coast Repertory
VENUE INFORMATION
Chance Theater: 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim; 888-0455-4212; chancetheater.com
Laguna Playhouse: 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach; 949-497-2787
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts: 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada; 714-994-6310; lamiradatheatre.com
Segerstrom Center for the Arts: 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; 714-556-2787; scfta.org
South Coast Repertory: 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; 714-708-5555; scr.org
