Few names loom larger in musical theatre and American music than Stephen Sondheim.
The Long Beach Landmark Theatre Company is honoring his legacy with “Side by Side by Sondheim,” an ensemble-driven revue that brings together some of his most beloved songs in a fresh, celebratory staging.
Originally created in 1976 as a London tribute to Sondheim’s expanding body of work, the revue has since become a staple for companies looking to showcase both his lyrical brilliance and his emotional range.
This production leans into that tradition while reimagining the material through a distinctly community-focused lens, featuring a large cast of 26 performers working in close harmony to highlight the wit, vulnerability, and complexity that define Sondheim.
The program draws from a wide cross-section of his career, including “Follies,” “Company,” “A Little Night Music,” ‘Gypsy,” and “West Side Story.”
American songwriter Stephen Sondheim, whose works include the musicals ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’, ‘Into the Woods’ and ‘Passion’. (Photo by Michael Hardy, Getty Images, courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse)
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American songwriter Stephen Sondheim, whose works include the musicals ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’, ‘Into the Woods’ and ‘Passion’. (Photo by Michael Hardy, Getty Images, courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse)
Rather than treating the songs as standalone numbers, the revue threads them together to emphasize recurring themes in Sondheim’s work — connection, longing, ambition, and the messy reality of human relationships.
With direction and choreography by Megan O’Toole and musical direction by Curtis Heard, the production is built around ensemble storytelling, allowing performers to shift fluidly between moments of humor, musicality, and introspection.
While Sondheim’s work is abstract and intricate, “Side by Side by Sondheim” insists that emotional experiences matter as much, if not more than, intellectual ones.
Performances take place in the historic sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach, a space whose acoustics and architecture lend themselves to the show’s choral richness and emotional scale.
The show will run from May 8 to May 17, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
For tickets, head to lblandmark.org.
‘Urinetown’
Don’t let the title send you running for the exit.
From May 8 through May 17, Act Out Theatre Company presents “Urinetown,” one of musical theatre’s sharpest and most unexpectedly heartfelt shows.
With music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, this Tony Award-winning satire turns a bleak premise into a fast-moving, laugh-filled look at power, scarcity, and what happens when basic necessities become commodities.
Set in a not-so-distant city crippled by a 20-year drought, the story imagines a world where private toilets are outlawed. Citizens are forced to use regulated public facilities run by a ruthless corporation that charges admission for access.
At the center of the chaos is a hero who decides the system has gone too far.
Yes, it’s all pretty absurd, but intentionally so, using its exaggerated world to ask real questions about what it takes to enact lasting social change.
What makes “Urinetown” even more fun is its playful self-awareness. It breaks the fourth wall, pokes fun at traditional musical theatre tropes, and still manages to land moments of sincerity and hope.
This production takes place at the Hamilton Middle School Auditorium, 1060 70th St., and you can get tickets at actoutlb.com.
New Play Project
The Los Angeles New Play Project has announced the extension of funding for its sixth annual grant cycle, supporting world premiere productions across Los Angeles County in 2026.
Focused on bold, original storytelling, the program awards support to playwrights and producing theaters developing new full-scale productions in small-to-mid-sized venues, defined as organizations with annual expenses of $3 million or less.
Both nonprofit and for-profit theaters are eligible, reinforcing the initiative’s broad approach to cultivating new voices in our region’s performing arts landscape.
Under the program’s structure, selected playwrights receive an initial $20,000 award, with producing theaters eligible for up to an additional $20,000 in support. This dual-stage funding model is designed to stabilize both the creative and production sides of new work, ensuring that playwrights and producers are supported through the full life cycle of a premiere.
The 2026 cycle continues an expanded eligibility model introduced in 2025, which allows theaters to submit work produced throughout the calendar year rather than being restricted to post-submission scheduling.
The change has been widely welcomed by participating companies, who noted that it enables them to present their strongest artistic output without artificial calendar constraints.
LANPP places particular emphasis on works that engage urgent contemporary themes, ranging from politics and American history to immigration, identity, and suspense, encouraging writers to take risks in both form and subject matter.
At a time when many comparable opportunities are shrinking, this program positions itself as a rare large-scale funding source for theatrical writing.
Applications for the 2026 grant cycle are open through June 1, with a final deadline of 5 p.m. that day. Producers must submit on behalf of both the playwright and the production, and are limited to one submission per year.
Founded in 2021 by director Paula Holt, LANPP has positioned itself as a steady force in Southern California’s new play pipeline, supporting the development of original work from early concept through full staging.
If you’re interested, head to lanpp.org for submission details and application materials.