Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Theatricum Botanicum

Out, out Black Spot! Treasure Island, the quintessential coming-of-age adventure story by Robert Louis Stevenson, sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, where the rustic beauty of Topanga Canyon effortlessly transforms into the wooded island of the title and the vast expanse of the high seas. Performances begin June 20 and continue through October 3.

In this re-imagining of the novel by Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, who also directs, a young man’s romantic dream of pirates on the high seas becomes a harrowing reality. Tested at every turn, young Jim Hawkins (played by newcomer Ruben Jones) faces each challenge with courage, trusting in a moral compass strong enough to triumph — and to discover the true treasure: a life lived with integrity and purpose.

“Treasure Island is one of the greatest and most thrilling adventure stories ever written, a tale in which a young man’s romantic vision of pirates becomes startlingly real,” says Geer. “As reading declines among younger audiences, the stage offers a visceral way to share this classic with a new generation. But this is not just a children’s tale. Its excitement, complexity and sense of adventure will resonate just as strongly with adult audiences.”

The story opens at the Admiral Benbow Inn, run by Jim Hawkins’s mother (Willow Geer), where a mysterious former pirate, Billy Bones (Jeff Bergquist), has taken up residence. His uneasy stay is shattered when a fellow pirate, Black Dog (Daniel Kean), arrives seeking a treasure map in Bones’s possession. Soon after, the ominous Blind Pew (Ethan Haslam) delivers the “Black Spot,” a chilling warning that Bones’s time is running out if he refuses to surrender it. Before the threat can be carried out, Bones dies suddenly of a stroke. In the aftermath, Jim discovers the hidden map and brings it to Dr. Livesey (Aaron Hendry) and Squire John Trelawney (Steven C. Fisher). Determined to claim the treasure, they quickly organize an expedition. They set sail aboard the three-masted Hispaniola, led by the capable Captain Smollett (Arthur Hankett) and a hastily assembled crew (Sam Cowan, Jesse Corwin, Tomás François, Tim Halligan, Nik Moradieh Kashani, Christopher Miles, Matthew Pardue, Andy Stokan). Among them is the charismatic and enigmatic one-legged cook, Long John Silver (Gerald C. Rivers), whose true intentions may prove far more dangerous than they first appear.

The large ensemble cast also includes Asher Edwards, Julius Geer–Polin, Susan Stangl, Georgiana Swanson, Sky Wahl and Jessica Williams. Jason Hayes and Abbs Stoiber are understudies. The creative team includes set designer Michael Klock, lighting designer Geoff Barton, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett and costume designer Tracey Wahl. The fight choreographer is Aaron Hendry. Steve Luchsinger is prop master, Beth Eslick is wardrobe supervisor, and Sophie Edwards is the production assistant. The assistant director is Sammie Zenoz and the production stage manager is Kim Cameron, assisted by Alex Penner.

Treasure Island will run in rotation every weekend with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, each of which opens earlier in the season. Two additional productions, Waiting in the Wings by Noël Coward and The People of Pompeii by Bernardo Cubría, will join the repertory season on July 11 and August 1 respectively. Unlike most companies in L.A. that stage continuous runs of a single play, Theatricum operates in true repertory. Each of the five mainstage productions opens in rapid succession and is added to the rotation. By August, all five plays are in performance, making it possible to see the entire season over the course of a single week.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has a rich history dating back to the early 1950s when Will Geer, a victim of the McCarthy-era blacklist, opened a theater for blacklisted actors and folk singers on his Topanga property. Friends like Ford Rainey, Della Reese, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie performed on the dirt stage, igniting both artistic expression and grassroots activism. Today, two outdoor amphitheaters sit within the natural canyon, offering audiences the chance to relax and enjoy nature during a performance. From May through October, Theatricum continues to be a haven for compassion, community and the wonders of nature. The theater is a beloved historical landmark and multiple award-winner, including the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “sustained excellence” from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Treasure Island opens on Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. and continues to run in repertory through October 3. For a complete schedule of performances, scroll all the way down or visit the website.

Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 10 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.

The amphitheater is terraced into the hillside, so audience members are advised to dress casually (warmly for evenings) and bring cushions for bench seating. Patrons are welcome to arrive early to picnic in the gardens before a performance.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, midway between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 455-3723 or visit theatricum.com

“How High the Moon” by Barbara Nell Beery..

It’s July 4, 1952. The lives of two neighboring families in the San Fernando Valley will never be the same. It’s the 25^th birthday of beautiful Amy who is questioning her marriage to Russell. But Harris- Russell’s older brother and Amy’s former love interest- unexpectedly shows up and turns everyone’s life upside down.

It’s the dawn of the housing boom in the Valley. Times are changing. People have new dreams, and some old ways may be left behind, to the chagrin of folks clinging to their old traditions.

Sibling conflicts and long-buried family secrets come to the fore and decisions must be made: Will Russell follow his father’s path as a dentist or pursue his real estate dreams? Will Harris remain a member of the Silent Generation or sign a Loyalty Oath? Will it be a Happy 4^th of July?

Directed by Asaad Kelada.

Fri. & Sat. at 8:00. Sun. at 3:00.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-high-the-moon-tickets-1991900688580

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“Matt & Ben” by Mindy Kaling & Brenda Withers.

What would you do if a script that you’ve never seen before fell from the sky into your living room? And that script just so happened to the screenplay for “Good Will Hunting”? Oh, and it’s 1995 and you’re Matt Damon or Ben Affleck and you’re definitely not famous yet. Would you try to make the movie and keep its origin a secret? Would you pick a fight with your best friend? Or would you keep chugging along as if none of this ever happened?

Directed by Max Downs. Presented by Please Like Us Productions.

Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matt-and-ben-tickets-1990745462267

Ophelia’s Jump Theatre Presents a Thrill-ride of a Musical,

RIDE THE CYCLONE

written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell

LIMITED RUN, August 8 through 16, 2026

“Strap yourselves in for a bracingly funny, supremely inventive musical journey.”

The New York Times

Ophelia’s Jump Productions (OJP) is thrilled to present a limited, four performance run of the cult-favorite hit musical, Ride the Cyclone, with book, music and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Directed by Caitlin Lopez, Ride the Cyclone features Avery Norris, Coleman Payne, Spike Pulice, Kahlil Leneus, Brianna Oh, Chloe Reyes and Mohammed Mangrio. This production will be performed at the Don F. Fruechte Theatre for the Performing Arts in Claremont, from August 8 through 16, 2026.

About Ride the Cyclone

In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other

–the chance to return to life. Through a wondrously funny and touching series of songs, the teen contestants argue that they should be the ones to be saved. Told with moving insights into adolescence as well as dark comedic style benefiting the outrageousness of its premise, Ride The Cyclone is a memorable and original musical. What makes a life well-lived? Who deserves to have a second chance? Which are the memories that we will treasure? All these questions and more are answered in Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell’s stunning work.

Ride the Cyclone premiered at the Metro Studio Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 11, 2009. It then debuted off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on November 20, 2016 in a production starring Gus Halper and Alex Wyse.

‘Being Piaf’ returns to the Odyssey
for a limited 2-week engagement

WHAT:
Following a successful run in 2024, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s “Music at the Odyssey” series brings Being Piaf back for an additional two-week engagement. Actress, singer and writer Eleanora Owen channels the “little sparrow,” sharing both her life story and repertoire with the audience. Multiple award winning director Tim Byron Owen helms this original solo play with music that highlights Piaf’s joie de vivre, resilience, and triumph over a life of abject poverty and despair.

WHO:
• Written and Performed by Eleanora Owen
• Directed by Tim Byron Owen
• Presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Beth Hogan, artistic director

WHEN:
Aug. 21–Aug. 30
• Fridays at 8 p.m.
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.
• Sundays at 4 p.m.

WHERE:
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

TICKET PRICES
$35 (a $3 fee will be added to all tickets purchased with a credit card.)

HOW:
OdysseyTheatre.com
(310) 477-2055 ext. 2

BOSTON COURT PASADENA PRESENTS THE WEST
COAST PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF ELLEN
MCLAUGHLIN’S MODERN VERSE TRANSLATION OF
PERICLES BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

This August, audiences will experience a rarely produced Shakespearean epic in a striking new form when Boston Court Pasadena presents the West Coast premiere of Ellen McLaughlin’s modern verse translation of Pericles, in partnership with Play On Shakespeare, directed by Margaret Shigeko Starbuck, opening on Saturday, August 29.

One of Shakespeare’s most adventurous and least staged plays, Pericles follows a young prince forced into exile after uncovering a deadly royal secret. What follows is a sweeping journey across oceans and kingdoms marked by storms, shipwrecks, separation, survival, and ultimately reunion.

This re-conceptualization of Shakespeare’s Pericles in Ellen McLaughlin’s gorgeous translation embraces movement and music to tell a thrilling adventure tale that celebrates the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Theatricum Botanicum

Out, out Black Spot! Treasure Island, the quintessential coming-of-age adventure story by Robert Louis Stevenson, sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, where the rustic beauty of Topanga Canyon effortlessly transforms into the wooded island of the title and the vast expanse of the high seas. Performances begin June 20 and continue through October 3.

In this re-imagining of the novel by Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, who also directs, a young man’s romantic dream of pirates on the high seas becomes a harrowing reality. Tested at every turn, young Jim Hawkins (played by newcomer Ruben Jones) faces each challenge with courage, trusting in a moral compass strong enough to triumph — and to discover the true treasure: a life lived with integrity and purpose.

“Treasure Island is one of the greatest and most thrilling adventure stories ever written, a tale in which a young man’s romantic vision of pirates becomes startlingly real,” says Geer. “As reading declines among younger audiences, the stage offers a visceral way to share this classic with a new generation. But this is not just a children’s tale. Its excitement, complexity and sense of adventure will resonate just as strongly with adult audiences.”

The story opens at the Admiral Benbow Inn, run by Jim Hawkins’s mother (Willow Geer), where a mysterious former pirate, Billy Bones (Jeff Bergquist), has taken up residence. His uneasy stay is shattered when a fellow pirate, Black Dog (Daniel Kean), arrives seeking a treasure map in Bones’s possession. Soon after, the ominous Blind Pew (Ethan Haslam) delivers the “Black Spot,” a chilling warning that Bones’s time is running out if he refuses to surrender it. Before the threat can be carried out, Bones dies suddenly of a stroke. In the aftermath, Jim discovers the hidden map and brings it to Dr. Livesey (Aaron Hendry) and Squire John Trelawney (Steven C. Fisher). Determined to claim the treasure, they quickly organize an expedition. They set sail aboard the three-masted Hispaniola, led by the capable Captain Smollett (Arthur Hankett) and a hastily assembled crew (Sam Cowan, Jesse Corwin, Tomás François, Tim Halligan, Nik Moradieh Kashani, Christopher Miles, Matthew Pardue, Andy Stokan). Among them is the charismatic and enigmatic one-legged cook, Long John Silver (Gerald C. Rivers), whose true intentions may prove far more dangerous than they first appear.

The large ensemble cast also includes Asher Edwards, Julius Geer–Polin, Susan Stangl, Georgiana Swanson, Sky Wahl and Jessica Williams. Jason Hayes and Abbs Stoiber are understudies. The creative team includes set designer Michael Klock, lighting designer Geoff Barton, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett and costume designer Tracey Wahl. The fight choreographer is Aaron Hendry. Steve Luchsinger is prop master, Beth Eslick is wardrobe supervisor, and Sophie Edwards is the production assistant. The assistant director is Sammie Zenoz and the production stage manager is Kim Cameron, assisted by Alex Penner.

Treasure Island will run in rotation every weekend with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, each of which opens earlier in the season. Two additional productions, Waiting in the Wings by Noël Coward and The People of Pompeii by Bernardo Cubría, will join the repertory season on July 11 and August 1 respectively. Unlike most companies in L.A. that stage continuous runs of a single play, Theatricum operates in true repertory. Each of the five mainstage productions opens in rapid succession and is added to the rotation. By August, all five plays are in performance, making it possible to see the entire season over the course of a single week.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has a rich history dating back to the early 1950s when Will Geer, a victim of the McCarthy-era blacklist, opened a theater for blacklisted actors and folk singers on his Topanga property. Friends like Ford Rainey, Della Reese, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie performed on the dirt stage, igniting both artistic expression and grassroots activism. Today, two outdoor amphitheaters sit within the natural canyon, offering audiences the chance to relax and enjoy nature during a performance. From May through October, Theatricum continues to be a haven for compassion, community and the wonders of nature. The theater is a beloved historical landmark and multiple award-winner, including the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “sustained excellence” from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Treasure Island opens on Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. and continues to run in repertory through October 3. For a complete schedule of performances, scroll all the way down or visit the website.

Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 10 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.

The amphitheater is terraced into the hillside, so audience members are advised to dress casually (warmly for evenings) and bring cushions for bench seating. Patrons are welcome to arrive early to picnic in the gardens before a performance.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, midway between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 455-3723 or visit theatricum.com

“Matt & Ben” by Mindy Kaling & Brenda Withers.

What would you do if a script that you’ve never seen before fell from the sky into your living room? And that script just so happened to the screenplay for “Good Will Hunting”? Oh, and it’s 1995 and you’re Matt Damon or Ben Affleck and you’re definitely not famous yet. Would you try to make the movie and keep its origin a secret? Would you pick a fight with your best friend? Or would you keep chugging along as if none of this ever happened?

Directed by Max Downs. Presented by Please Like Us Productions.

Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matt-and-ben-tickets-1990745462267

BOSTON COURT PASADENA PRESENTS THE WEST
COAST PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF ELLEN
MCLAUGHLIN’S MODERN VERSE TRANSLATION OF
PERICLES BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

This August, audiences will experience a rarely produced Shakespearean epic in a striking new form when Boston Court Pasadena presents the West Coast premiere of Ellen McLaughlin’s modern verse translation of Pericles, in partnership with Play On Shakespeare, directed by Margaret Shigeko Starbuck, opening on Saturday, August 29.

One of Shakespeare’s most adventurous and least staged plays, Pericles follows a young prince forced into exile after uncovering a deadly royal secret. What follows is a sweeping journey across oceans and kingdoms marked by storms, shipwrecks, separation, survival, and ultimately reunion.

This re-conceptualization of Shakespeare’s Pericles in Ellen McLaughlin’s gorgeous translation embraces movement and music to tell a thrilling adventure tale that celebrates the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

2026 HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL:

WINNER: Fringe First for World Premiere; The StageCrafts Seasonal MiniFest Award: MythicFest

NOMINATED:Top of the Fringe; Dramatic Theatre; The Sacred Fools’ Award for Unique Theatricality; SoHo Playhouse’s International Fringe Encore Series 2026 “Hollywood Prize”

STRANGE BEINGS by Nicole Knudsen

It was supposed to be an easy job with a good paycheck. Deep-space courier contracts are always lucrative. And it was easy…

…until an unidentified alien vessel intercepts The Valkyrie on the return leg of its journey. And as luck would have it, the courier ship’s translator doesn’t seem to be functioning.

Good thing The Valkyrie’s two pilots, Mina Hansen and Caleb Cooper, work so well together. Good thing there’s no bad blood between them…

…Right?

It’s complicated.

Contending with both their dire circumstances and tempestuous personal history, Mina and Caleb must do everything they can to make it home safely. And in unearthing their past, they just might find hope for the future.

Past Lives meets Star Trek, Strange Beings examines the fragile balance between pain, grace, and choosing to forgive. With aliens!

CONTENT WARNINGS INCLUDE: Isolation; dizziness & nausea; temporary physical incapacitation; strong language; brief allusion to sexual assault; flashing lights; loud, sudden sounds.

Starring: Victoria Gluchoski & Joshua Verges

PERFORMANCES:

Sunday, September 6 @ 4:30pm
Thursday, September 10 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, September 12 @ 6:30pm

Instagram: @dayforknightproductions

Learn More at dayforknightproductions.com/

WHAT IS MYTHICFEST?
MythicFest is a themed mini-festival with a focus on sci-fi and fantasy. It’s one of several themed festivals put on by The StageCrafts throughout the year. For more information, visit https://www.mythicfestla.com/.

Theatricum Botanicum’s Under The Oaks presents a workshop presentation of

Beer! A New Musical

“A Killer Night in Studio City” by Kristine Dickson and Kevin Allen Jackson.

A genre-bending production, A Killer Night in Studio City blends a classic, fast-paced comedic stage play and musical performances of 50s hits, with a fully immersive and interactive mystery experience.

It’s 1958. You’re invited to a memorial for Sophia Vance.

Who killed Sophia Vance, the fastest-rising young actress in Hollywood? Could it be Johnny Turner, the A-list movie star that she rejected? Could it be Ronnie Bennett, the guy who plays a detective on television? Could it be Arthur Clarkston, the make-up artist who is the custodian of all of Sophia’s secrets? Could it be Edith Sinclair, the determined gossip columnist? Could it even be Mama Vitello?

Everyone has a motive. Everyone has secrets.

Directed by Noah Blake. Presented by DETNY Theatrical Productions.

:Previews Sunday, September 6 at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, September 8 at 6 p.m. Opens September 15 at 6 p.m. Regular performances Wednesday, September 16 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, September 22 at 6 p.m.; Thursday, September 24 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, September 29 at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, September 30 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, October 4 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, October 8 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 17 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, October 20 at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, October 21 at 6 p.m.; Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 31 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

https://www.akillernightlive.com/studiocity/tickets

The Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Peterson Show, a darkly funny, emotionally charged new play by Emmy-nominated playwright Janine Nabers. Directed by Michelle Bossy, The Peterson Show opens September 19 and runs through October 26 at Atwater Village Theatre, with Pay-What-You-Want preview performances September 16–18.

Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Kelly McCreary (Grey’s Anatomy), Tamberla Perry (Brilliant Minds, Clydes at the Mark Taper Forum) and John Clarence Stewart (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Brilliant Minds, P-Valley) alongside Kristen Ariza (The Fosters, StartUp), Devere Rogers (Broadway’s Chicken & Biscuits, Gloria at the Echo), Deanna Reed-Foster (The Vince Staples Show, The First Deep Breath at the Geffen) and Journee Rose (Abbott Elementary), The Peterson Show follows five former child stars who reunite as the legacy of their beloved television father collapses into scandal. With cameras swarming outside and decades of unresolved history inside, they confront old rivalries, buried secrets and the complicated bonds forged while growing up on America’s favorite sitcom.

At once hilarious and heartbreaking, The Peterson Show raises a difficult question: What happens to a family when the person who held it together becomes the one who tears it apart?

“I’ve always been drawn to provocative, unapologetic stories that wrestle with difficult truths and refuse easy answers,” says Nabers. “The Peterson Show asks whether we can hold two truths at once: that someone can profoundly shape your life while also causing devastating harm. Can we celebrate groundbreaking cultural achievements while refusing to ignore the pain left behind? And what does accountability actually look like when the people involved are family? These are no longer abstract questions. These are questions our culture is wrestling with every day.”

Like every family reunion, everyone in The Peterson Show arrives carrying old wounds, old resentments and old secrets—yet each is searching for love, acceptance and a way forward.

The creative team includes scenic designer Michael Paul Kramer, lighting designer Matthew Richter, sound designer Jesse Mandapat, video designer Shea Vanderpoort, costume designer Wendell C. Carmichael and intimacy coordinator Megan Prahl. Choreography is by Patrick McCollom. The production stage manager is Erin Newsom. Chris Fields and Meghan McEnery produce for the Echo Theater Company.

Nabers is an Emmy-nominated writer, playwright, producer and showrunner whose television work includes co-creating and executive producing Swarm with Donald Glover. The series won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Limited Series, and Nabers earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series. Her credits also include Atlanta, Watchmen, Away, Dietland, UnREAL and Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce. As a playwright, she became the first Black woman to receive the Yale Drama Series Prize for Serial Black Face. She is a graduate of Juilliard’s Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship.

Founded in 1997, the Echo Theater Company has built a reputation for producing and developing adventurous new work. Under the artistic leadership of Chris Fields, the company has produced and commissioned numerous world premieres and introduced Los Angeles to playwrights including David Lindsay-Abaire, Adam Rapp and Sarah Ruhl. The Echo has won multiple Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, LA Weekly and Stage Raw awards, and is frequently cited on end-of-the-year “Best” lists. The LA Weekly named the Echo the “Best Bet for Ballsy Original Plays,” and a “Kilroy Cake Drop” honored the company’s efforts to produce women and trans writers. KCRW declared that “Echo Theater Company is on a fierce journey,” and Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty called it “the most vital center for offbeat drama in Los Angeles.” The Echo was honored by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle with the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “Excellence In Theatre.”

The Peterson Show opens on Saturday, Sept. 19, with performances continuing through October 26 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 4 p.m.; and Mondays at 8 p.m. (no performance Saturday, Oct. 3). An additional performance will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. Three preview performances are set for Wednesday, Sept. 16; Thursday, Sept. 17; and Friday, Sept. 18, each at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $50.

Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (747) 350-8066 or go to EchoTheaterCompany.com.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Theatricum Botanicum

Out, out Black Spot! Treasure Island, the quintessential coming-of-age adventure story by Robert Louis Stevenson, sails off the page and onto the outdoor stage at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, where the rustic beauty of Topanga Canyon effortlessly transforms into the wooded island of the title and the vast expanse of the high seas. Performances begin June 20 and continue through October 3.

In this re-imagining of the novel by Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, who also directs, a young man’s romantic dream of pirates on the high seas becomes a harrowing reality. Tested at every turn, young Jim Hawkins (played by newcomer Ruben Jones) faces each challenge with courage, trusting in a moral compass strong enough to triumph — and to discover the true treasure: a life lived with integrity and purpose.

“Treasure Island is one of the greatest and most thrilling adventure stories ever written, a tale in which a young man’s romantic vision of pirates becomes startlingly real,” says Geer. “As reading declines among younger audiences, the stage offers a visceral way to share this classic with a new generation. But this is not just a children’s tale. Its excitement, complexity and sense of adventure will resonate just as strongly with adult audiences.”

The story opens at the Admiral Benbow Inn, run by Jim Hawkins’s mother (Willow Geer), where a mysterious former pirate, Billy Bones (Jeff Bergquist), has taken up residence. His uneasy stay is shattered when a fellow pirate, Black Dog (Daniel Kean), arrives seeking a treasure map in Bones’s possession. Soon after, the ominous Blind Pew (Ethan Haslam) delivers the “Black Spot,” a chilling warning that Bones’s time is running out if he refuses to surrender it. Before the threat can be carried out, Bones dies suddenly of a stroke. In the aftermath, Jim discovers the hidden map and brings it to Dr. Livesey (Aaron Hendry) and Squire John Trelawney (Steven C. Fisher). Determined to claim the treasure, they quickly organize an expedition. They set sail aboard the three-masted Hispaniola, led by the capable Captain Smollett (Arthur Hankett) and a hastily assembled crew (Sam Cowan, Jesse Corwin, Tomás François, Tim Halligan, Nik Moradieh Kashani, Christopher Miles, Matthew Pardue, Andy Stokan). Among them is the charismatic and enigmatic one-legged cook, Long John Silver (Gerald C. Rivers), whose true intentions may prove far more dangerous than they first appear.

The large ensemble cast also includes Asher Edwards, Julius Geer–Polin, Susan Stangl, Georgiana Swanson, Sky Wahl and Jessica Williams. Jason Hayes and Abbs Stoiber are understudies. The creative team includes set designer Michael Klock, lighting designer Geoff Barton, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett and costume designer Tracey Wahl. The fight choreographer is Aaron Hendry. Steve Luchsinger is prop master, Beth Eslick is wardrobe supervisor, and Sophie Edwards is the production assistant. The assistant director is Sammie Zenoz and the production stage manager is Kim Cameron, assisted by Alex Penner.

Treasure Island will run in rotation every weekend with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, each of which opens earlier in the season. Two additional productions, Waiting in the Wings by Noël Coward and The People of Pompeii by Bernardo Cubría, will join the repertory season on July 11 and August 1 respectively. Unlike most companies in L.A. that stage continuous runs of a single play, Theatricum operates in true repertory. Each of the five mainstage productions opens in rapid succession and is added to the rotation. By August, all five plays are in performance, making it possible to see the entire season over the course of a single week.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has a rich history dating back to the early 1950s when Will Geer, a victim of the McCarthy-era blacklist, opened a theater for blacklisted actors and folk singers on his Topanga property. Friends like Ford Rainey, Della Reese, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie performed on the dirt stage, igniting both artistic expression and grassroots activism. Today, two outdoor amphitheaters sit within the natural canyon, offering audiences the chance to relax and enjoy nature during a performance. From May through October, Theatricum continues to be a haven for compassion, community and the wonders of nature. The theater is a beloved historical landmark and multiple award-winner, including the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “sustained excellence” from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Treasure Island opens on Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. and continues to run in repertory through October 3. For a complete schedule of performances, scroll all the way down or visit the website.

Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 10 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.

The amphitheater is terraced into the hillside, so audience members are advised to dress casually (warmly for evenings) and bring cushions for bench seating. Patrons are welcome to arrive early to picnic in the gardens before a performance.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, midway between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 455-3723 or visit theatricum.com

“A Killer Night in Studio City” by Kristine Dickson and Kevin Allen Jackson.

A genre-bending production, A Killer Night in Studio City blends a classic, fast-paced comedic stage play and musical performances of 50s hits, with a fully immersive and interactive mystery experience.

It’s 1958. You’re invited to a memorial for Sophia Vance.

Who killed Sophia Vance, the fastest-rising young actress in Hollywood? Could it be Johnny Turner, the A-list movie star that she rejected? Could it be Ronnie Bennett, the guy who plays a detective on television? Could it be Arthur Clarkston, the make-up artist who is the custodian of all of Sophia’s secrets? Could it be Edith Sinclair, the determined gossip columnist? Could it even be Mama Vitello?

Everyone has a motive. Everyone has secrets.

Directed by Noah Blake. Presented by DETNY Theatrical Productions.

:Previews Sunday, September 6 at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, September 8 at 6 p.m. Opens September 15 at 6 p.m. Regular performances Wednesday, September 16 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, September 22 at 6 p.m.; Thursday, September 24 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, September 29 at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, September 30 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, October 4 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, October 8 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 17 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, October 20 at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, October 21 at 6 p.m.; Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 31 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

https://www.akillernightlive.com/studiocity/tickets

The Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Peterson Show, a darkly funny, emotionally charged new play by Emmy-nominated playwright Janine Nabers. Directed by Michelle Bossy, The Peterson Show opens September 19 and runs through October 26 at Atwater Village Theatre, with Pay-What-You-Want preview performances September 16–18.

Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Kelly McCreary (Grey’s Anatomy), Tamberla Perry (Brilliant Minds, Clydes at the Mark Taper Forum) and John Clarence Stewart (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Brilliant Minds, P-Valley) alongside Kristen Ariza (The Fosters, StartUp), Devere Rogers (Broadway’s Chicken & Biscuits, Gloria at the Echo), Deanna Reed-Foster (The Vince Staples Show, The First Deep Breath at the Geffen) and Journee Rose (Abbott Elementary), The Peterson Show follows five former child stars who reunite as the legacy of their beloved television father collapses into scandal. With cameras swarming outside and decades of unresolved history inside, they confront old rivalries, buried secrets and the complicated bonds forged while growing up on America’s favorite sitcom.

At once hilarious and heartbreaking, The Peterson Show raises a difficult question: What happens to a family when the person who held it together becomes the one who tears it apart?

“I’ve always been drawn to provocative, unapologetic stories that wrestle with difficult truths and refuse easy answers,” says Nabers. “The Peterson Show asks whether we can hold two truths at once: that someone can profoundly shape your life while also causing devastating harm. Can we celebrate groundbreaking cultural achievements while refusing to ignore the pain left behind? And what does accountability actually look like when the people involved are family? These are no longer abstract questions. These are questions our culture is wrestling with every day.”

Like every family reunion, everyone in The Peterson Show arrives carrying old wounds, old resentments and old secrets—yet each is searching for love, acceptance and a way forward.

The creative team includes scenic designer Michael Paul Kramer, lighting designer Matthew Richter, sound designer Jesse Mandapat, video designer Shea Vanderpoort, costume designer Wendell C. Carmichael and intimacy coordinator Megan Prahl. Choreography is by Patrick McCollom. The production stage manager is Erin Newsom. Chris Fields and Meghan McEnery produce for the Echo Theater Company.

Nabers is an Emmy-nominated writer, playwright, producer and showrunner whose television work includes co-creating and executive producing Swarm with Donald Glover. The series won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Limited Series, and Nabers earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series. Her credits also include Atlanta, Watchmen, Away, Dietland, UnREAL and Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce. As a playwright, she became the first Black woman to receive the Yale Drama Series Prize for Serial Black Face. She is a graduate of Juilliard’s Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship.

Founded in 1997, the Echo Theater Company has built a reputation for producing and developing adventurous new work. Under the artistic leadership of Chris Fields, the company has produced and commissioned numerous world premieres and introduced Los Angeles to playwrights including David Lindsay-Abaire, Adam Rapp and Sarah Ruhl. The Echo has won multiple Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, LA Weekly and Stage Raw awards, and is frequently cited on end-of-the-year “Best” lists. The LA Weekly named the Echo the “Best Bet for Ballsy Original Plays,” and a “Kilroy Cake Drop” honored the company’s efforts to produce women and trans writers. KCRW declared that “Echo Theater Company is on a fierce journey,” and Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty called it “the most vital center for offbeat drama in Los Angeles.” The Echo was honored by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle with the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “Excellence In Theatre.”

The Peterson Show opens on Saturday, Sept. 19, with performances continuing through October 26 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 4 p.m.; and Mondays at 8 p.m. (no performance Saturday, Oct. 3). An additional performance will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. Three preview performances are set for Wednesday, Sept. 16; Thursday, Sept. 17; and Friday, Sept. 18, each at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $50.

Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (747) 350-8066 or go to EchoTheaterCompany.com.

DrumatiX brings an interactive, high-energy performance that transforms recycled and found objects into rhythmic and musical soundscapes. Using tap dance, body percussion, drumming, humor, and inventive choreography, this family-friendly show celebrates creativity, sustainability, and the joy of making something new from what already exists.

Each family event features a pre-concert activity and participatory artmaking.

10am: Interactive activities and curated art-making in collaboration with LA Commons

11:30am: Performance

Best for: Ages 3–11 (and their adults!)

Attendee tip: These are daytime events and can get sunny. Don’t forget your sunscreen and sun hats! Due to the natural shift of the sun during this morning performance, as available, audience members can shift into shaded locations.