Performances will run from March 5-30, 2025.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will stage the World Premiere of Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical. This riotous romp features book, music, and lyrics by Bay Area composer/playwright/lyricist Min Kahng, whose The Four Immigrants: An American Musical Manga made its World Premiere at TheatreWorks.
Set in a senior living community, this lively musical comedy explodes misconceptions about sexuality and aging. An audience favorite at TheatreWorks’ 2023 New Works Festival, this modern work set in today’s digital world follows Gen Z influencer Jade, who becomes enmeshed in solving mysterious murders in her grandmother June’s residence, Happy Pleasant Valley Senior Apartments. Inspired by their favorite crime-solving heroines, Jade and June join forces to track down the perpetrator in this rollicking comedy which was the recipient of TheatreWorks’ Kurjan/Butler Commission. In-demand director/playwright and TheatreWorks Associate Producer of Casting & Literary Management Jeffrey Lo, who recently helmed the hit production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, directs.
Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical is presented in a co-production with Center Repertory Company, where it will appear following its TheatreWorks run. Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical will perform March 5-30, 2025 at Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.
TheatreWorks is committed to creating an environment that is accessible for all audiences in its community. American Sign Language interpretation will be available at the performance of Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical at 7:30pm Tuesday, March 18. In partnership with c2 Caption Coalition, TheatreWorks will include open captioning (a screen displaying all dialogue and a description of sound effects) for the performances 2pm and 7pm on Sunday, March 23 and 2pm Wednesday, March 26. TheatreWorks is collaborating with Gravity Access Services in offering audio descriptions to assist patrons who are visually impaired. This service will be available 8pm Saturday, March 29 and 2pm Sunday, March 30 (To utilize audio description, patrons should pre-register at 877-662-8978 after purchasing tickets). Assistive listening devices are offered at every performance with no advance registration required.
TheatreWorks will host a pre-show artist talk at 6:30pm Thursday, March 6 and will hold post-show discussions with the cast following the Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 26 performances. TheatreWorks will require face masks to be worn for the performances of Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical at 8pm Friday, March 14; 2pm Saturday, March 15 and 2pm Sunday, March 23. TheatreWorks will also team up with Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene to host an Asian American Affinity gathering before the 2pm Sunday, March 9 performance.
Photo credit: Kevin Berne
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