{"id":207546,"date":"2026-03-06T16:29:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T16:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207546\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T16:29:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T16:29:09","slug":"hollywood-pantages-announces-a-buzzy-2026-27-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207546\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollywood Pantages announces a buzzy 2026-27 season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Hollywood Pantages Theatre on Thursday announced its 2026-27 season, which contains a whopping seven L.A. premieres including \u201cMaybe Happy Ending.\u201d The hugely buzzy show about the complicated love between two humanoid helperbots was originally developed and staged in South Korea, and won six Tony Awards last year including musical, direction (Michael Arden), leading actor (Darren Criss) and book and original score (Will Aronson and Hue Park).<\/p>\n

An early version of the show was first staged in Seoul in 2015, seven years before the rollout of ChatGPT and the ensuing AI doomsday alarm that platform sparked about the rise of hyper-intelligent robots. It will be interesting to watch \u201cMaybe Happy Ending\u2019s\u201d lead robot characters, Claire and Oliver, contemplate their existence during a time when Elon Musk says his Optimus humanoid robots will be in widespread use by the end of next year. <\/p>\n

Five shows will be staged at the Pantages before \u201cMaybe Happy Ending,\u201d starting with the season-opening L.A. premiere of \u201cWater for Elephants.\u201d Based on Sara Gruen\u2019s 2006 novel, this musical about the dramatic life of a traveling circus performer during the Great Depression premiered on Broadway to mixed reviews in 2024 and closed after 300 performances.<\/p>\n

Next up: The L.A. premiere of \u201cThe Outsiders,\u201d based on S.E. Hinton\u2019s iconic 1967 novel about the conflict between two gangs of disaffected youth. The show opened on Broadway in 2024 and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards \u2014 it ultimately won four including for musical and direction.<\/p>\n

After that a new revival of the beloved rock opera \u201cThe Who\u2019s Tommy\u201d will take to the stage. Given the show\u2019s 30-plus-year history of destroying audiences (in a good way) with its classic rock grooves, it\u2019s sure to remain a steadfast crowd-pleaser.<\/p>\n

Get your dancing shoes on for the L.A. premiere of \u201cBuena Vista Social Club,\u201d which was co-produced by John Leguizamo and opened on Broadway last year, garnering 11 Tony nominations and five wins, including a special Tony Award for the Buena Vista Social Club band. Based on the lives of musicians in Havana from the 1950s through the 1990s, and featuring plenty of infectious Latin music presented in Spanish, the show is set to launch its North American tour in Buffalo this fall before making its way to the Pantages.<\/p>\n

The L.A. premiere of \u201cOperation Mincemeat: A New Musical\u201d is up next. The World War II-themed comedy about a British plan of deception premiered on Broadway last year and was nominated for four Tonys including musical.<\/p>\n

Rounding out the L.A. premieres are a lavish production of \u201cThe Great Gatsby\u201d and the season closer, \u201cDeath Becomes Her,\u201d both of which are based on hot properties with plenty of audience recognition.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a classic, fear not: \u201cHamilton\u201d and \u201cThe Lion King\u201d are returning next season to do what they do best: Thrill audiences and sell out shows.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m Arts editor Jessica Gelt contemplating a season pass. Here\u2019s your arts and culture news for the week.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re reading Essential Arts The week ahead: A curated calendar<\/p>\n

FRIDAY
From John Doe to Lonesome Rhodes: Anti-fascism From the Archive
A double bill of \u201cArch of Triumph\u201d (1948), a tragic romance set in 1938 Paris starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton, and \u201cVoice in the Wind\u201d (1944), a low-budget B-movie with Francis Lederer as a persecuted Czech concert pianist, opens this short series of films that were restored by the the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The series continues with Saturday\u2019s pairing of \u201cThe Burning Cross\u201d (1947) and \u201cOpen Secret\u201d (1948) and \u201cA Face in the Crowd\u201d (1957) on March 20.
7:30 p.m. Billy Wilder Theater, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

SATURDAY
Nuun to Midnight
A 37-film, 12-hour festival that merges music and visual arts serves as a fundraiser for curated arts presenter Middle Ear Project.
Noon-midnight. Automata Theater, 504 Chung King Road, Chinatown. automatala.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Sarah Davachi + Robert Takahashi Novak: New Commissions
The Broad lobby\u2019s unique characteristics will be utilized to create a deep listening experience for newly commissioned compositions by electroacoustic and minimalist organist Davachi and conceptual sound and contemporary electronic music artist Novak.
8 p.m. The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. thebroad.org<\/a><\/p>\n

The Great Wall of Los Angeles
Judy Baca\u2019s iconic mural inspired Gustavo Dudamel and Gabriela Ortiz to gather composers Juhi Bansal, Nicol\u00e1s Lell Benavides, Viet Cuong, Estevan Olmos, Xavier Muzik and Nina Shekhar for this salute to the city, augmented by a video installation created director Alejandro Gonz\u00e1lez I\u00f1\u00e1rritu and cinematographer Emmanuel \u201cChivo\u201d Lubezki.
2 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Alexander Malofeev
The young Russian pianist performs a program featuring works by Sibelius, Grieg, Rautavaara, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Arthur Louri\u00e9 and Prokofiev.
7:30 p.m. Broad Stage, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. broadstage.org<\/a><\/p>\n

The Opera Buffs
Emerging musical artists from Southern California perform six mini-operas.
8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Wild Up
The orchestral collective Wild Up performs \u201cThe Odes,\u201d a program highlighting experimentation across the ages, featuring works by French Baroque composer Jean-F\u00e9ry Rebel, English dramatist Henry Purcell and Soviet modern polystylist Alfred Schnittke, as well as modern artists. The group will be joined by guest vocalist and composer Julia Holter, students from the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts and special guests.
8 p.m. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org<\/a><\/p>\n

TUESDAY
Beetlejuice
The Broadway musical based on Tim Burton\u2019s 1988 horror-comedy makes a local stop on its national tour.
Through March 22. Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. broadwayinhollywood.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Malice: Stories of Injustice
The Odyssey, in partnering with Mar Vista Voice and West Los Respuesta Rapida, presents a program of monologues based on the true stories of families and communities impacted by ICE, with proceeds benefiting the two charities.
8 p.m. Tuesday (in English) and Wednesday (in Spanish). Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Rilke Project
Piano Spheres presents pianist Vicki Ray performing works by Bernstein, Ives and E\u00f6tv\u00f6s, as well as pieces from Los Angeles-based composers Steuart Liebig, Andrew Tholl, Joseph Pereira and David Rhodes, and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke.
8 p.m. 2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd. pianospheres.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Six
The national tour of the Broadway musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, a modern pop take on the sextet of women who were the wives of Henry VIII.
7:30 p.m. Tuesday-March 13; 2 p.m. Saturday. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 300 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org<\/a><\/p>\n

THURSDAY
Turning Points
Guest conductor Dinis Sousa leads the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in Huang Ruo\u2019s \u201cTipping Point,\u201d Schumann\u2019s \u201cViolin Concerto\u201d with solo violinist Isabelle Faust, and Mendelssohn\u2019s \u201cSymphony No. 4,\u201d a.k.a. the \u201cItalian.\u201d
7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; 7:30 p.m. March 6. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 220 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laco.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Arts anywhere \"Kevin <\/p>\n

Kevin Kline and Laura Linney in the series \u201cAmerican Classic\u201d on MGM+.<\/p>\n

(David Giesbrecht\/MGM+)<\/p>\n

American Classic
The limited series (eight 30-minute episodes) stars Kevin Kline as an out-of-control Broadway star who returns to his Pennsylvania hometown. Featuring a fine supporting cast that includes Laura Linney, Jon Tenney, Tony Shalhoub and Len Cariou, Times TV critic Robert Lloyd calls the show<\/a> \u201ca love letter to theater, community and community theater.\u201d Streaming on MGM+<\/a> (free 7-day trial available).<\/p>\n

KUSC
Local classical music fans know very well the treasure we have in Classical KUSC, one of the few all-classical music stations left on the planet. And, indeed, people from all over the world listen online. But what if you\u2019re just \u201cclassical curious\u201d and don\u2019t know where to start? With round-the-clock programming, multiple specialized streaming channels devoted to movie scores, seasonal sounds and more, plus live concerts and knowledgeable hosts, this is the place for enjoyment, enlightenment and education. And remember, it\u2019s listener-supported! If you can afford to give, please do. Listen at 98.7 FM and stream at kusc.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The jacket of the book \u201cTrue Color\u201d by Kory Stamper.<\/p>\n

(Knopf)<\/p>\n

True Color
Kory Stamper chronicles the life of I. H. Godlove, an eccentric scientist who infused the midcentury Merriam-Webster dictionary with a shockingly kaleidoscopic array of colors using only words. The worlds of color science, color psychology and color production provide a vivid backdrop for a journey across the 20th century. Knopf (March 31 release): 320 pp. $32<\/a><\/p>\n

Culture news and the SoCal scene \"People <\/p>\n

People gather outside for pre-show drinks before Public Assembly theater\u2019s show at the Women\u2019s Twentieth Century Club on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. <\/p>\n

(Carlin Stiehl \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

The roving company Public Assembly Theatre,<\/a> which develops three one-act plays monthly in unconventional L.A. spaces, got an up-close look via a fascinating story by freelancer Emma Madden. Madden spent the better part of a month tracking the development process, read-throughs and final show, and tells the story of a tiny company that is making major waves with a Hollywood-weary crowd.<\/p>\n

Freelancer Solvej Schou tells the difficult but ultimately uplifting story of an Altadena shop owner <\/a>who closed twice during the last year: Once because of the Eaton fire, and again because of heavy flooding the following year. In the wake of all the trauma, the owner, Adriana Molina, hired a local muralist to paint a colorful outdoor mural of Altadena as a way to boost morale in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Dalia Stasevska, a Ukranian-born conductor who is making her L.A. Opera debut with Philip Glass\u2019 \u201cAkhnaten,\u201d poses for a portrait at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. <\/p>\n

(David Butow \/ For the Times)<\/p>\n

The Ukrainian-born conductor Dalia Stasevska made her L.A. Opera debut last weekend<\/a>, conducting Philip Glass\u2019 opera \u201cAkhnaten,\u201d which runs through late March. Times freelancer Tim Greiving sat down with Stasevska to write an in-depth profile that delves into her early love of opera and classical music as well as her efforts to raise money for humanitarian aid in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Malia Mendez got the skinny on a Christie\u2019s auction in New York that features the $1-billion guitar collection of the late businessman Jim Irsay<\/a>. Items on the block included Kurt Cobain\u2019s 1969 Fender Mustang and the Beatles drum head from the band\u2019s legendary appearance on \u201cThe Ed Sullivan show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Artist Ulysses Jenkins is photographed at his studio in Inglewood on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. <\/p>\n

(Christina House\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Mendez also penned a lovely obituary for Ulysses Jenkins<\/a>, a pioneer of Black experimental video who died last month at the age of 79.<\/p>\n

Enjoying this newsletter? Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times<\/p>\n

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Chiura <\/p>\n

Chiura Obata, \u201cFull Moon, Pasadena, California,\u201d (1930) Verso, Asian American art<\/p>\n

(The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, Gift of the Obata Family)<\/p>\n

The new theme for the fourth edition of the Getty\u2019s PST ART<\/a> has been announced. The 2030 survey will explore \u201cthe artistic and cultural exchange between Los Angeles and the Pacific Rim,\u201d according to a news release. PST ART launched in 2011 and has since established itself as one of the region\u2019s most timely and expansive art showcases \u2014 with participation from every corner of Southern California. <\/p>\n

\u201cPST ART is now an established and central part of Southern California\u2019s cultural landscape, with each edition exploring key aspects of our past, present, and possible futures,\u201d said Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, in a statement. \u201cWith our large diasporic communities from around the Pacific Rim, Los Angeles is the perfect place to explore the far-reaching and varied impact of transpacific culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jessica Gelt<\/p>\n

And last but not least<\/p>\n

Who doesn\u2019t love a good breakfast sandwich? <\/a>I\u2019m resurfacing this list of where to find the best in the city. You\u2019re welcome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Hollywood Pantages Theatre on Thursday announced its 2026-27 season, which contains a whopping seven L.A. premieres including…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":207547,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[10242,10246,10247,10243,48,52,51,47,50,49,63,10244,10239,10241,1406,10245,10240,1860,3044,430,1968],"class_list":["post-207546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-design-columnist-carolina-a-miranda","tag-existential-questions","tag-group-show","tag-l-a-museum","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-los-angeles-times","tag-matthew-lopez","tag-opera","tag-pauline","tag-performance","tag-private-jet","tag-schindler-house","tag-show","tag-story","tag-week","tag-work"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/207547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}