Ryan Brodkin

On Saturday, January 21, 2023 during OC Theatre Guild’s membership meeting, the nominees for the second annual OCTG Theatre Awards were officially announced to the public. The awards ceremony, in which the winners will be revealed, has been scheduled for the evening of Monday, April 17, 2023 at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.

The added performances will be on Saturday, March 5th at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 6th at 3 p.m.

Nominees for the inaugural OC Theatre Awards were announced on Saturday, January 22, 2022 during OC Theatre Guild’s annual membership meeting. The awards ceremony has been scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at the outdoor amphitheater of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, proudly presents the groundbreaking musical, “Next to Normal” as the first show in its 24th Anniversary Season. Directed by Matthew McCray with music direction by Stephen Hulsey, “Next to Normal” will run January 28 - February 27, 2022 on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center. 

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, Lynn Nottage' Sweat 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.

There are two forces that can change the world, friendship, and love.  Theatre is high up on that world-changing list (if you ask me), so it’s a lovely thing that all three have come together in Chance Theatre’s sweet musical THE STORY OF MY LIFE. THE STORY OF MY LIFE is playing through June 6th.

Chance Theater presents Orange County premiere of Neil Bertram and Brian Hill’s musical, The Story of My Life will be the first show in our 23rd Anniversary Season. The musical is directed by Matthew McCray (The Other Place), with music direction by Robyn Manion (Ragtime). The show will have scheduled virtual performances through June 6, 2021. 

Chance Theater has announced that the Orange County premiere of Neil Bertram and Brian Hill’s musical, The Story of My Life will be the first show in their 23rd Anniversary Season. The musical is directed by Matthew McCray (The Other Place), with music direction by Robyn Manion (Ragtime).

There is a lot of fun, joy, and music in Chance Theatre’s A VERY, VERY CHANCE HOLIDAY CABARET now streaming for you to enjoy through January 10th.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is thrilled to announce that its production of Fun Home will be extended its run through March 8, 2020 on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

The specific highs and lows---and all the cloudy, uneasy details in between---of a failed relationship are all picked apart and analyzed by a pair of distressed former lovers in British playwright David Hare's absorbing 1995 play SKYLIGHT, currently on stage at Anaheim's Chance Theater through May 19, 2019. Directed with an appealing yet captivating casualness by Chance Theater's own artistic director Oanh Nguyen, this excellent, beautifully-acted new local revival of the Olivier and Tony Award-winning drama focuses on a pair of deeply flawed individuals who have been trying their best to move on separately with their respective lives despite the deep scars that continue to haunt them. After three years apart, could a resuscitation of their past relationship be the key to put them both back in the right frame of mind again---or is their love unsalvageable?

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, presents David Hare's celebrated drama, Skylight. Written by David Hare and directed by Chance Theater's Artistic Director, Oanh Nguyen, Skylight will preview from April 19th through April 26th; with regular performances beginning April 27th and continuing through May 19th on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Many have, of course, heard of the infamous Lizzie Borden, a young woman, who was charged with---but later acquitted of---the brutal axe murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. Strong curiosity and speculation remain til this day about the tragic events that took place more than a century ago, resulting in countless retellings of Borden's story using a variety of different mediums---everything from movies and television to literature and, yes, stage works. The latest iteration of her story is, arguably, its most out-of-the-box depiction yet: LIZZIE THE MUSICAL, an engaging, ferociously explosive punk rock opera first presented in 2010 and is now having its regional premiere performances at Chance Theater in Anaheim through March 3, 2019. While certainly not the definitive retelling for the Borden scandal, the show itself is an entertaining show elevated by a quartet of fierce women with a lot of feelings to express.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is delighted to produce the Regional Premiere of Lizzie, The Musical. With music by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt, lyrics by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner, a book by Tim Maner, with additional music by Tim Maner, additional lyrics by Alan Stevens Hewitt, based on an original concept by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner, this musical's orchestrations are done by Alan Stevens Hewitt.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is delighted to introduce Jane Austen's Emma: The Musical to Orange County for the first time as part of our 2018 Holiday Literature Series!  Book, lyrics, and music by Tony-nominated composer Paul Gordon, directed by Casey Long, and with music direction by Bill Strongin, Jane Austen's Emma: The Musical will preview from November 23rd through November 30th; regular performances will begin December 1st and continue through December 23rd on the Cripe Stage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is excited to announce the extension of its summer musical ... Big Fish. Originally scheduled to close on July 29th, Chance Theater will be adding the following performances: Friday, August 3 at 8pm; Saturday, August 4 at 3pm & 8pm; Sunday, August 5 at 3pm. All performances will be at Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is excited to announce the fourth show in its 20th Anniversary Season ... Big Fish. Written by John August with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, directed by Oanh Nguyen, choreographed by Kelly Todd, and musically directed by Robyn Manion, Big Fish will preview from June 29 through July 6; regular performances will begin July 7 and continue through July 29 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is excited to announce the fourth show in its 20th Anniversary Season ... Big Fish. Written by John August with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, directed by Oanh Nguyen, choreographed by Kelly Todd, and musically directed by Robyn Manion, Big Fish will preview from June 29 through July 6; regular performances will begin July 7 and continue through July 29 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is excited to announce the fourth show in its 20th Anniversary Season ... Big Fish. Written by John August with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, directed by Oanh Nguyen, choreographed by Kelly Todd, and musically directed by Robyn Manion, Big Fish will preview from June 29 through July 6; regular performances will begin July 7 and continue through July 29 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage.

It is nearly impossible not to be emotionally affected by the events depicted in PARADE, the stirring, Tony Award-winning 1998 musical inspired by shocking actual events surrounding the trial of a man accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl. It's certainly a heavy, morose subject to wrap an entire musical around, which is probably why PARADE is so rarely produced, despite its high-caliber book by Alfred Uhry and gorgeous music by Jason Robert Brown. But when the material is executed with emotional heft and interesting staging---as it mostly is in Chance Theater's latest production---the results can be powerful, gut-wrenching, and, most importantly, thought-provoking.