Chance Theater Announces Season 23
The season includes The Story of My Life, Sweat, Edges and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 04, 2021
Chance Theater is making a commitment to the Southern California community in 2021 -- it will produce five shows with local artists during its 23rd Anniversary Season. There will be no cancellations. The shows will be performed either in-person or on a virtual platform. Therefore... "No Risk. All Chance."
In 2020, Chance Theater only produced three shows -- the critically-acclaimed Fun Home (which was just nominated for 5 Ovation Awards, including Best Musical), our in-person TYA adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, and the virtual holiday offering, A Very, Very Chance Holiday Cabaret. The other seven scheduled shows had to be canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in Chance subscribers, members, and patrons receiving refunds and no hope of seeing these shows brought to life in 2020.
"Chance Staff is steadfast in its commitment to presenting exciting productions this year," said Executive Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen. "We will provide our audiences with an opportunity to engage again with thrilling, intimate theater created by award-winning local talent."
Helping to ensure that Season 23 will be a success are Season Producers Bette and Wylie Aitken. True and hearty supporters, the Aitkens played a leadership role in 2020 for the "Make Them Hear You" fundraising campaign -- including offering a matching gift -- that is helping Chance Theater survive the COVID-19 shutdown while simultaneously increasing online offerings. Joining the Aitkens as Associate Season Producers are the Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar.
To kick off Season 23 in April, Chance Theater will present the Orange County premiere of The Story of My Life, the Drama Desk Award-nominated musical that is a soaring tribute to the power of friendship and the people who change our lives forever. With music and lyrics by Neil Bertram and book by Brian Hill, the show will be directed by Matthew McCray (The Other Place) and with music direction by resident artist Robyn Manion (Ragtime, Lizzie).
Following in May will be the Orange County premiere of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner, Sweat by Lynn Nottage. Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, this acclaimed play tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while also struggling to survive economic and social forces that seek to divide and conquer. The highly acclaimed play will be directed by Elina de Santos (Seminar) and executive producers are Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller.
Coming up in July is the Orange County premiere of Edges, the first musical written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar, Grammy, Tony, and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriting team behind some of the most popular musicals in the last decade -- Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, The Greatest Showman, among many others. This Jonathan Larson Award-winning song cycle is about four burgeoning adults asking the classic coming-of-age questions about love, commitment, identity, and meaning. The show will be musically directed by resident artist Robyn Manion, and the executive producer is Elizabeth Jones.
Another Orange County premiere arrives in September with Dael Orlandersmith's Pulitzer Finalist, Yellowman. This winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is a celebration of language and the human spirit, exquisitely and provocatively explores the challenges of overcoming racism, class, biases, and prejudices inherited both from community and family. Executive producers for this show are Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield.
Wrapping up Season 23 is the Lucille Lortel nominated musical, Striking 12. This unique holiday show that is "as much rock concert as theater" (Variety) was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, but is still a hidden gem that is ready for a revival. Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Match Girl," Striking 12 uses wit, emotion, and mesmerizing musicianship to create an uplifting musical celebration of rediscovering and reconnecting to the true spirit of the holidays. The holiday show will run November thru December and be directed by Kari Hayter (Parade), executive produced by Linda and Tod White, and associate produced by Sophie & Larry Cripe, Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller, and Laurie Smits Staude.
Memberships and Subscriptions are now available for Season 23 at www.ChanceTheater.com/season23. Chance Theater is Anaheim's official resident theater company that is committed to contributing to a more connected, compassionate, and creative community through the production of powerful, socially-conscious, provocative theater experiences.
SEASON 23
April - May, 2021
ORANGE COUNTY PREMIERE
The Story of My Life
Music & Lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill
Directed by Matthew McCray
Music Direction by Robyn Manion
* NOMINATED for 4 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical
"A gem! Ninety minutes of true magic" -- Around the Town Chicago
"The power and depth of friendship and love defines this wonderful musical with special tribute to the dynamics of the human spirit." -- The Chicago Critic
To kick off Season 23, the Chance presents the Orange County premiere of the Drama Desk Award-nominated musical that is a soaring tribute to the power of friendship and the people who change our lives forever. The Story of My Life is a profoundly funny and deeply moving musical about lifelong best friends, Thomas and Alvin. As time tests the bonds of friendship, best-selling author Thomas calls on the only resource he has - his stories of Alvin - to better understand the best friend that got away.
May - June, 2021
ORANGE COUNTY PREMIERE
Sweat
by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Elina de Santos
* WINNER of 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
* WINNER of Obie Award for Playwriting
"a superb, vital contribution to contemporary drama that could not be more timely" -- New York Times
Next up is the Orange County premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Sweat. Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, this acclaimed play tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay true to themselves and each other.
Executive Producers: Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller
July - August, 2021
ORANGE COUNTY PREMIERE
Edges
Music & Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Music Direction by Robyn Manion
* WINNER of Jonathan Larson Award
"Consistently buoyant and clever songs" -- New York Times
"Benj and Justin are the freshest musical voices of their generation." -- Jeff Marx, Co-Creator of 'Avenue Q'
Before they wrote Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, The Greatest Showman, Dogfight, and many other modern musical classics, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote a thrilling song cycle about four burgeoning adults asking classic coming-of-age questions about love, commitment, identity, and meaning. For the first time in Orange County, see how the Oscar, Grammy, Tony, and Golden Globe Award-winning song team started their journey -- with a charming, witty and honest examination of adulthood that explores what happens when we're teetering on the edge of the rest of our lives.
Executive Producer: Elizabeth Jones
September - October, 2021
ORANGE COUNTY PREMIERE
Yellowman
* FINALIST for Pulitzer Prize for Drama
* WINNER of Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
"A landmark in theater history... enthralling... mind-altering" -- New York Times
The Pulitzer Prize Finalist Yellowman makes its Orange County premiere this Fall at Chance Theater. A celebration of language and the human spirit, Yellowman is an exquisite and provocative exploration of the challenges of overcoming racism, class, biases, and prejudices inherited both from community and family. Alma, a dark-skinned African-American woman, and her childhood friend Eugene, a light-skinned African-American man, have been life-long friends - yet when their friendship turns to love, the different colors of their skin raise obstacles that could be insurmountable.
Executive Producers: Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield
November - December, 2021
Striking 12
Book & Lyrics by Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda, and Rachel Sheinkin
Music by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda
Directed by Kari Hayter
* NOMINATED for the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical
"Thoroughly winning! More artfully crafted and engaging than virtually all the standard-mold musicals these days. Alive with wit, humor, and emotion." -- New York Times
Striking 12 is a unique hybrid of musical theater and a live concert. It tells the story of a grumpy, overworked New Yorker who resolves to spend New Year's Eve alone when an incandescent figure arrives at the door with the promise to chase away the winter doldrums. Striking 12 is filled with wit, emotion, and mesmerizing musicianship, creating an uplifting musical celebration of rediscovering and reconnecting to the true spirit of the holidays.
Executive Producers: Linda & Tod White
Associate Producers: Sophie & Larry Cripe, Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller, and Laurie Smits Staude
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