2025 Season
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2025 Main Series
See below for more details about all of the upcoming shows in 2025, including the return of a TYA Family Series production and a second holiday show. Also, check out our 2025 OTR New Play Reading Series featuring two new plays by 2025 Resident Playwright Benjamin Benne (writer of Chance’s 2024 production of Alma), as well as new plays by 2018 Chance Fox Fellow Khanisha Foster, Ravi Kapoor, 2018 Resident Playwright Joanna Garner, and 2023 Resident Playwright Keiko Green.
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Dear Friends,
We cannot say how excited we are for another season of live theater. Before we get started, we really want to thank the unsung heroes… the Chance Company Members themselves. When this pandemic hit, Chance Theater was on an unbelievable roll – receiving awards and recognition from across Southern California. After the world shut down, the Chance impressed us with how they rallied — creating virtual shows, holding free Zoom conversations with audiences about online shows, bringing Broadway shows into our homes with lively post-discussions, moving their education outreach programs to an online platform, all while the staff sacrificed by taking cuts in their salaries and simultaneously taking on additional responsibilities.
It’s unbelievable to think that this great theater is now finally going to return to where it belongs – as a great theater in Southern California. No longer “the hidden gem.” Chance Theater is the gem.
Space does not allow us to acknowledge the amazing contributions of so many but you know who you are and you know you are loved. We often get more recognition than we deserve, but let us assure you that we receive more than we give.
So if you love the Chance as much as we do – go forth and tell the story, shouting it out from every rooftop. Your love and support will move the Chance mountain.
We look forward to seeing you soon! And all the new family members we recruit!
MAIN SERIES of exciting plays and musicals
2025 Season Producers
Bette & Wylie Aitken
2025 Associate Season Producers
The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
Tick, Tick… Boom!
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Script Consultation by David Auburn
Directed by H. Adam Harris
Music Direction by Lex Leigh
January 24 – February 23, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Cripe Stage
» Before Jonathan Larson wrote Rent, he had to pay it.
Get ready to experience the electrifying mind behind Rent! Before Jonathan Larson revolutionized Broadway, he was a young man struggling to make his mark. This autobiographical musical, set in 1990, is a raw, humorous, and heartfelt journey of a composer on the brink of turning 30—waiting tables and wondering if he’ll ever write that soaring song that will change everything. His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city, and his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue. Will he give up his dream and sell out just to keep the lights on? Will he lose the love of his life? Scored by music that redefined a genre, tick, tick… BOOM! takes you on the writer’s journey that led to a Broadway blockbuster. It’s a must-see for anyone who’s ever chased a dream. If you loved Rent, this show will speak to your soul. Don’t miss the chance to experience the genius of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson in a whole new way!
NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language.
Such Small Hands
Written by 2011 Resident Playwright Adam Szymkowicz
Directed by James Michael McHale
February 28 – March 23, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Fyda-Mar Stage
» World Premiere of a 2023 Chance Theater OTR Staged Reading
Paul and Marie wake in the morning, Marie makes coffee, black, Paul asks for sugar, Marie says the sugar is out of reach and they drink it black, Paul questions “do we drink it black because the sugar is out of reach or because we like it that way?” And so begins the daily routines of this long-married couple, filled with small quibbles, but an extraordinary amount of love, laughter, and memories. This hilarious and moving World Premiere play about love, aging, selfishness, and selflessness from Chance Theater’s Resident Playwright Adam Szymkowicz, is sure to resonate with audiences with its laughter and heart.
The Chinese Lady
Written by Lloyd Suh
Directed by Shinshin Yuder Tsai
May 16 – June 8, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Cripe Stage
» Regional Premiere of the 2022 New York Times Critic’s Pick
In 1834, 16-year-old Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America, sailed into New York Harbor to be featured in a museum. She sees herself as a representative of China, here to educate and entertain. Or, in the eyes of the paying public, is she merely a display to be mesmerized by? Moving and sharply funny, this play follows the idealistic Moy as she travels through America as a living exhibit for decades. Over the course of her travels, The Chinese Lady shares her impressions of a young country struggling to define itself. Inspired by a true story, Lloyd Suh’s critically acclaimed play, The Chinese Lady, is a poetic, whimsical tale that paints a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of this remarkable young Chinese girl.
NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language.
Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik
Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater
Based on the Play by Frank Wedekind
Directed by Jocelyn A. Brown
Music Direction by Robyn Manion
Choreography by Mo Goodfellow
July 11 – August 10, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Cripe Stage
» Regional Premiere of the 8-time Tony Award-winning musical
Based on Frank Wedekind’s groundbreaking play, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s brilliant rock score and searingly emotional book bring the story of sexual awakening, youth revolt, and self-discovery into a new century. It’s 1891, and the grown-ups hold all the cards. Headstrong Melchior and naive Wendla stumble into each other’s arms, passionate and curious, while anxious Moritz struggles to live up to the stringent expectations of society. With only each other for guidance, this group of young men and women travel the fraught and rocky path of adolescence, discovering their bodies, their minds, and themselves along the way. Winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening features an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality, and rock and roll, delivering a story that packs a powerful emotional punch.
NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language.
What the Constitution Means to Me
Written by Heidi Schreck
Directed by Katie Chidester
October 3 – October 26, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Cripe Stage
» Orange County Premiere of the Winner of NY Drama Critics’ Circle for Best American Play & Pulitzer Prize for Drama Finalist
Heidi Schreck’s timely, hilarious, and deeply felt play breathes new life into our country’s most important document. Fifteen-year-old Heidi paid her college tuition by speaking in (and winning) debate competitions across the country. Now older, she resurrects her teenage self to tell the story of four generations of extraordinary women in her family whose lives were shaped by the Constitution. Nominated for two Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Schreck’s boundary-breaking play reimagines our founding document and considers how it will shape the next generation of Americans.
NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language.
Anne of Green Gables
Book by Joseph Robinette
Music & Lyrics by Evelyn D. Swensson
November 28 – December 21, 2025
at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center
on the Cripe Stage
» Back by Popular Demand based on the acclaimed novel
Generations of readers have adored Anne of Green Gables, and now you can see the classic story come to life in this musical adaptation. The Cuthberts expect to adopt a boy, but receive, instead, a red-haired, wide-eyed orphan girl. Though clever young Anne Shirley has a penchant for getting into trouble, she works her way into the hearts of her adoptive parents as well as the residents of rural Prince Edward Island. It’s a heartwarming story for the whole family.
OTR NEW PLAY READING SERIES
A New Play
by 2025 Resident Playwright Benjamin Benne
February 12, 2025
» Staged Reading of a New Play
Benjamin Benne (he/him) was named part of “LA Vanguardia: The Latino innovators, instigators, and power players breaking through barriers” by the Los Angeles Times. His produced plays include Alma (Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, American Blues Theater, ArtsWest Playhouse, Curious Theatre Company, Central Square Theater, The Spot, Chance Theater), In His Hands (Mosaic Theater Company, First Floor Theater), Manning (Portland Stage), and What / Washed Ashore / Astray (Pillsbury House Theatre). Additionally, his work has been developed at the Colorado New Play Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, The Public, Roundabout, Playwrights Realm, Denver Center, The Old Globe, Two River, New Harmony Project, and SPACE on Ryder Farm, among many others. He has been awarded Ojai Playwrights Conference’s Dr. Kerry English Award, Portland Stage’s Clauder Competition Grand Prize, American Blues Theater’s Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Arizona Theatre Company’s National Latinx Playwriting Award, and KCACTF Latinx Playwriting Award, among others. He is a Playwrights’ Center Core Writer and has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Seattle Repertory Theatre. MFA: David Geffen/Yale School of Drama. www.benjaminbenne.com
A Commissioned Play
by 2018 Chance Fox Fellow Khanisha Foster
April 2, 2025
» Staged Reading of a Chance Commissioned Play
Khanisha Foster’s playwriting has earned her commissions from Penumbra Theatre, 1st Stage, and 2nd Story, along with writing opportunities with K&L Productions, Julie Hébert (The Man in the High Castle), and Electric Shepherd Productions. Her solo show Joy Rebel, directed by Obie Award-winner Lou Bellamy, received critical acclaim. The Star Tribune called her writing “risible and heartbreaking.” A former Fox Fellow, she has been named one of American Theatre Magazine’s “6 Theatre Workers You Should Know.”
Tea for Toofi
by Ravi Kapoor
April 9, 2025
» Staged Reading of Tea for Toofi
Based on Molière’s Tartuffe, Tea for Toofi by Ravi Kapoor is a mad-cap farce set in 1980s Orange County, CA and tells the story of a retired computer engineer who invites a Hindu priest into his home to put his godless family to rights.
Ravi Kapoor is an actor/writer/director based in LA but hailing from Liverpool, UK. He directed and co-wrote the feature Miss India America as well as a number of award-winning short films. Some of the plays he has written and directed include Oh Sweet Sita, which played in both London and Toronto and was named a top ten play of the year by London Time Out. He was a series regular on the shows Gideon’s Crossing and Crossing Jordan.
A New Play
by 2025 Resident Playwright Benjamin Benne
June 4 & 8, 2025
» LAB Workshop & Staged Readings of a New Play
Benjamin Benne (he/him) was named part of “LA Vanguardia: The Latino innovators, instigators, and power players breaking through barriers” by the Los Angeles Times. His produced plays include Alma (Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, American Blues Theater, ArtsWest Playhouse, Curious Theatre Company, Central Square Theater, The Spot, Chance Theater), In His Hands (Mosaic Theater Company, First Floor Theater), Manning (Portland Stage), and What / Washed Ashore / Astray (Pillsbury House Theatre). Additionally, his work has been developed at the Colorado New Play Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, The Public, Roundabout, Playwrights Realm, Denver Center, The Old Globe, Two River, New Harmony Project, and SPACE on Ryder Farm, among many others. He has been awarded Ojai Playwrights Conference’s Dr. Kerry English Award, Portland Stage’s Clauder Competition Grand Prize, American Blues Theater’s Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Arizona Theatre Company’s National Latinx Playwriting Award, and KCACTF Latinx Playwriting Award, among others. He is a Playwrights’ Center Core Writer and has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Seattle Repertory Theatre. MFA: David Geffen/Yale School of Drama. www.benjaminbenne.com
A Commissioned Play
by 2018 Resident Playwright Joanna Garner
July 30 & August 3, 2025
» LAB Workshop & Staged Readings of a Chance Commissioned Play
Joanna Garner is a playwright, immersive experience designer, and creative strategist focused on lighting up projects that have the power to shift the world. Her work has been developed nationally and internationally. Her political drama about Iran, The Orange Garden, was a winner of the 2018 Izzy Award, the Keene Prize for Literature and included on the Kilroys List. She was Chance Theater’s 2018 Playwright in Residence and has an MFA in Playwriting from The University of Texas at Austin.
A New Play
by 2023 Resident Playwright Keiko Green
October 22, 2025
» Staged Reading of a New Play
Keiko Green is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and performer. Her plays have been produced/developed by the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, the Kennedy Center, National New Play Network, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Atlantic Theatre Co, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Playwrights Realm, Seattle Rep, the Old Globe, ACT, and Cygnet Theatre, among others.