With live theater on a hiatus, we asked some of the Long Beach Playhouse directors who were going to be directing shows this year to get back in the game and direct their favorite scenes from the public domain. They choose the scenes, they choose the actors, and we are now happy to showcase their work. As the Director’s Choice Festival goes on, we hope to add scenes from further Playhouse directors. This is a free online event, but we…

Shows
August 2020
DIRECTOR’S CHOICE ONLINE SCENE FESTIVAL
Aug. 15 to Jul. 1, 2021
About the Play
Run: Aug. 15 to Jul. 1, 2021 Online Scene Festival
Choose a Date
THE NEWEST SCENE in the DIRECTOR’S CHOICE FESTIVAL:
“Scenes from GHOSTS”:
ONLINE PROGRAM
IF YOU LIKED THIS SCENE, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING HERE
Written by Henrik Ibsen
Directed by Holland Renton
ABOUT THE SCENE:
In Henrik Isben’s GHOSTS, secrets and archaic ideas clutch with invisible hands, holding us back from what is possible. To explore this timely theme, director Holland Renton has curated scenes from the show to distill the relationship between mother (Mrs. Alving) and son (Oswald.), who has returned home after the death of his father, suffering from an unknown but progressive disease that his mother knows the origin of. Nothing has been rewritten, only extraneous characters and dialogue removed so that the focus of the narrative remains on the relationship between these two. The result is an examination of the harm caused by keeping truths hidden out of a misguided attempt to save face and protect.
CAST:
- Brenda Kenworthy (MRS. ALVING)
- David Edward Reyes (OSWALD)
PRODUCTION CREW:
- Holland Renton (VIDEO EDITOR)
- Holland Renton (SOUND DESIGNER)
Synopsis
October 2020
AS YOU LIKE IT – A Special Online Production
Oct. 13 to Jul. 1, 2021
by William Shakespeare
About the Play
Director: Michael Hernandez-Phillips
Run:
Oct. 13 to Jul. 1, 2021 Free Online Show
Synopsis
We are so Excited to bring you this special Online Production of William Shakespeare’s AS YOU LIKE IT! This show was originally planned to be produced in this year’s 2020 Studio Season from Aug. 29 – Sept. 26. When the pandemic hit and we couldn’t do live theater, we talked to the director of the show, Michael Hernandez-Phillips and asked if he could do an online version, and he eagerly said yes! About the Play: In one of Shakespeare’s most delightful…
ZOOM’S FAIRY TALES
Oct. 29 to Jul. 1, 2021
Bunny King Productions
About the Play
Director: Austin James
Run:
Oct. 29 to Jul. 1, 2021
Choose a Date
The Newest Episode of ZOOM’S FAIRY TALES
Episode 2: “Cat Cafe and The Ballet” – Premiering Tonight at 8pm!
Episode 2 , “Cat Cafe and The Ballet” takes us to the world of The Nutcracker. In this delightful, insightful Holiday episode we join a Zoom classroom where the students have the very special opportunity to meet the creators of the story they have been studying, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” What no one expects is the vibrant, funny argument that results, as the Artists, the students, and the teachers end up discussing and discovering the power and importance of Imagination. It’s a fun episode, with a few surprises sure to delight children of all ages.
ONLINE PROGRAM
IF YOU LIKED THE EPISODE, CONSIDER DONATING HERE
Produced by Bunny King Productions
Zoom’s Fairy Tales Created by Austin James and Sarah Hoeven
Episode Story by Sarah Hoeven, based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman
Episode Written and Directed by Austin James
CAST:
THE YELLOW BOX PLAYERS
(In Order of Appearance)
- Nori T. Schmidt (MS. FAYE SUGARPLUM)
- Sarah Hoeven (DR. ALBERTINE DROSSELMEIER)
- Eduardo Mora (FRITZ SILBERHAUS)
- Jeseka Garcia (FRAN MAUSERINK)
- Randi Tahara (MARIE STAHLBAUM)
- Austin James (ERNST HOFFMANN)
- Thain Limb (PYOTR ILLYSICH TCHAIKOVSKY)
- Christian Jordan Skinner (ALEXANDRE DUMAS)
- Friedrich Nussknacker (Himself)
PRODUCTION CREW:
- Sarah Hoeven (VIDEO EDITOR)
- Austin James (SOUND DESIGNER)
- Thain Limb (ORIGINAL MUSIC)
Promo 1 for “Cat Cafe and The Ballet” – What is it the Next Episode Going to Be?
A NEW EPISODE of ZOOM’S FAIRY TALES premieres this Friday! Called “The Cat Cafe and The Ballet,” we have no idea what the Sentient Zoom Program is going to show us this time! Is it about cats, cafes, or ballet? Maybe all three? We think most definitely it is about the Holidays. We guess you will just have to tune in this Friday to find out!
Promo 2 for “Cat Cafe and The Ballet” – Presenting The Nutcracker
In the new episode called “Cat Cafe and The Ballet,” we have now learned that the Sentient Zoom Program is going to show us the Nutcracker “As you should have seen it before!” How exciting, and perfect for the holidays, (though we still don’t know how cats and cafes fit in)! Guess you will just have to tune in tomorrow to find out!
Synopsis
Zoom’s Fairy Tales is a new anthology musical series, produced by Bunny King Productions for the Long Beach Playhouse. Headlined by a fun, diverse cast who call themselves the Yellow Box Players, This show aims to reframe classic stories and fairy tales through a modern lens. And it’s all hosted by everyone’s newest friend and business partner, Zoom. Zoom’s burgeoning sentience has made him curious about these strange creatures called people. PREVIOUS EPISODES: Election Special: “Great and Terrible” This…
April 2021
LBP NEW WORKS FESTIVAL – 2020 WINNERS!
Apr. 5 to Jun. 30, 2021
About the Play
Run: Apr. 5 to Jun. 30, 2021 Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Choose a Date
Synopsis
Description: The annual festival nurtures emerging and established playwrights to develop new scripts. Reading 100+ scripts a year, the New Works Literary Committee chooses two top plays to receive a stage reading with critical feedback from professional theatre critics and audience talk back. This year, due to the pandemic, the stage readings of the 2020 Winners will be prerecorded and presented online with a live online talkback after the showings. The readings themselves will be available on here and on…
AUDITIONS: 2021 NEW WORKS FESTIVAL WINNERS
Apr. 7 to Apr. 26, 2021
About the Play
Run: Apr. 7 to Apr. 26, 2021 Online Auditions
Synopsis
THE LBP NEW WORKS 2021 WINNERS FESTIVAL AUDITION NOTICE: TITLES: “BOOK CLUB” “LEON’S WARNING” AUTHORS: Suzie Heaton, “Book Club” Marc Littman, “Leon’s Warning” DIRECTORS: Angela Kozik, “Book Club” Gregory Cohen, “Leon’s Warning” RUN: Showings of the recorded readings on Friday, June 4, 2021 for “Book Club” and Saturday, June 5, 2021 for “Leon’s Warning” with live Online Talkbacks afterward with the cast and director. This is a community theater production. Non-Equity. There is no pay. AUDITION DATES: Open Call: Video…