Get ready to experience the heart and soul of Once! This intimate musical, based on the Academy Award-winning film, tells the story of a Dublin street musician and a Czech immigrant whose chance encounter sparks a week-long collaboration full of music, dreams, and unexpected connection. He’s trying to move on from heartbreak, she’s a bit of a mystery, and both are a bit stuck as they deal with their own pain and loss. But together, they create songs that capture the joy, struggle, and beauty of life, music that has the power to speak to their souls and offer some healing. This unlikely friendship blossoms into something powerful, complicated, and brings the possibility of something more…

Once

Chance Theater

On the Cripe Stage… 

What does it cost to stay silent? What does it take to finally speak?

From the playwright who brought you Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess comes a gripping new play about memory, resilience, and the courage to resist hate. 

Based on real events in both our past and much more recent history, The Messenger brings together the voices of four women across generations, each wrestling with prejudice, survival, and the choice to raise their voices against hate. At the heart of the play is Georgia Gabor, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor whose verbatim testimony demands that history not be forgotten. Her story resonates alongside imagined women from 1969, 1993, and 2021, all based in Pasadena, as each faces their own battles with injustice.

The Messenger

On the Fyda-Mar Stage… 

In the aftermath of 9/11, two teenagers in Newark, New Jersey, navigate the precarious terrain of adolescence while grappling with the looming threat of deportation. When G becomes naturalized, they devise a plan to help B stay in the country. However, as time progresses, their bond is tested by the complexities of love, identity, and the harsh realities of their circumstances.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok crafts a poignant narrative that delves into the lives of undocumented youth, exploring themes of belonging, sacrifice, and the pursuit of a future in a society that marginalizes them. Through sharp dialogue and compelling characters, Sanctuary City offers an intimate portrayal of resilience and the human spirit’s capacity to endure.

Sanctuary City

On the Cripe Stage… 

Jagged Little Pill reimagines Alanis Morissette’s iconic 1995 album into a contemporary musical that delves into the complexities of a seemingly perfect suburban family. Set in the affluent town of Connecticut, the story centers on Mary Jane Healy, a mother grappling with past traumas and addiction, while balancing her family as they confront issues including sexual assault, gender identity, and societal expectations. Through powerful performances and Morissette’s evocative music that defined a generation, this award winning musical weaves together themes of family, healing, and empowerment. It’s a fearless, exhilarating celebration of hope, self-discovery, and the messy beauty of being human.

Chance Theater

Mar 27 - Apr 12, 2026

The Messenger

1 - 17 May, 2026

Sanctuary City

Jul 10 - Aug 9, 2026

Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill The Musical

Jan 23 - Mar 2, 2026

Once

Chance Theater