Press Release: 2024-25 Season Announcement
SOUTH COAST REPERTORY ANNOUNCES 2024-25 SEASON
Featuring Little Shop of Horrors, a new play about Joan Rivers and a contemporary hit by a Pulitzer Prize winner
With Special Offerings, including Hershey Felder in Rachmaninoff and The Tsar and A Christmas Carol
COSTA MESA, Calif. (May. 8, 2024)—South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei) announced its 2024-25 season today, featuring a lineup of three world premieres, a play written by a Pulitzer Prize winner and Orange County native, a Broadway cult classic, a mouth-watering children’s story, and the return of popular pianist and actor Hershey Felder.
“Our touchstone programming continues to thrive as we offer three world premieres, a commitment to our Theatre for Young Audiences and Families series, our annual holiday offering, a cult classic musical and a modern masterpiece all connected to the world around us,” Ivers said. “Join us for a season of breadth and scale as we continue to engage and entertain the world around us.”
“Each offering in our season promises to not only entertain audiences but also give rich, diverse opportunities to connect with the stories and the artists who create them,” Tomei said. “This connection is what SCR is all about, and with the support of the audience, South Coast Repertory can continue making an impact in the Orange County community and beyond.”
The 2024-25 season begins with Little Shop of Horrors, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken, based on the film by Roger Corman and screenplay by Charles Griffith. This pop-culture and Broadway favorite about a sneaky succulent’s quest for human blood runs Sept. 21-Oct. 19, 2024 on the Segerstrom Stage. Directed by Jenn Thompson, Little Shop of Horrors features a lively score bursting with the sounds of doo-wop and Motown.
The second season of the American Icons series follows with the world premiere of Joan by Daniel Goldstein. The American Icons series celebrates the artists, personalities and figures who changed our world. This year, SCR spotlights to legendary comedian Joan Rivers, who made and remade her career through triumph and tragedy. Directed by Ivers, Joan takes you up close and personal with this edgy, fearless and loving American icon. It runs Oct. 27-Nov. 24, 2024 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.
A Christmas Carol, Orange County’s holiday tradition, returns for its 44th season Nov. 30-Dec. 24, 2024 with SCR Founding Member Richard Doyle once again picking up the top hat and red scarf as Ebenezer Scrooge. Jerry Patch adapted the Charles Dickens classic, directed by Hisa Takakuwa.
The new year begins with Wish You Were Here by Pulitzer Prize winner and Orange County native Sanaz Toossi. Running Jan. 12-Feb. 2, 2025 on the Julianne Argyros Stage, this enlightened comedy chronicles a decade of life in Iran, as five best friends become friends long lost, searching for the bond that once defined them. Mina Morita directs.
A year after his wildly popular engagement, George Gershwin Alone, played to sold-out audiences, Hershey Felder returns to SCR with a new musical play—Rachmaninoff and the Tsar, book by Felder and directed by Trevor Hay. Running Feb. 18-March 2, 2025 on the Segerstrom Stage, Felder plays composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff alongside Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Tsar Nicholas II. Featuring Rachmaninoff’s most beloved compositions, this promises to be another mystical, musical journey in the Hershey Felder style that audiences have come to know and love.
On March 3, Felder will give a one-night only, special presentation of his Great American Songbook Sing-Along, which takes audiences through 100 years of American music—beginning with Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and more. The performance features Felder’s signature engaging style along with lots of audience participation.
SCR’s popular Theatre for Young Audiences and Families series takes the Julianne Argyros Stage Feb. 28-March 16, 2025 with The Incredible Book Eating Boy, book by Madhuri Shekar, music by Christian Magby and lyrics by Christian Albright. Based on the book by Oliver Jeffers and directed by SCR’s Artistic/Audience Engagement Associate H. Adam Harris, this hilarious family musical tells the story of a young boy named Henry, who loves books, but doesn’t like reading them. He eats them, devouring knowledge with every bite.
The spring brings two world premieres, starting with The Staircase by Noa Gardner. Featured at the 2023 Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF) as a reading, The Staircase is one of two anchors for the 2025 PPF. Mother and her son spend their evenings playing cards and telling stories about Hawaiian legend. When the son’s former sweetheart resurfaces, the pair must choose how they will embrace the future in this tale of holding on, letting go and the curious force that pulls us back home. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, The Staircase runs April 27-May 18, 2025 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.
Another world premiere play to be announced runs April 5-May 4 on the Segerstrom Stage, joining The Staircase as the second anchor for PPF. The annual showcase of new plays, part of The Lab@SCR, runs May 2-4, 2025.
Subscriptions for the 2024-25 season are now on sale and range in price from $22 to $415. Subscribers may also purchase A Christmas Carol and Rachmaninoff and the Tsar starring Hershey Felder and Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along at this time. Single tickets go on sale July 22 and range in price from $30 to $116. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555.
2024-25 Season
Little Shop of Horrors
Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman/Music by Alan Menken
Based on the Film by Roger Corman. Screenplay by Charles Griffith
Originally Produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director)
Originally Produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City, by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and the Shubert Organization
Directed by Jenn Thompson
Sept. 21-Oct. 19, 2024
Segerstrom Stage
At Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists, down-on-his-luck Seymour pines for his beautiful co-worker, Audrey, not knowing the feelings are mutual. When he stumbles across a strange and interesting new plant, it looks like Seymour may get everything he’s ever wanted. But first, he’ll have to tackle the sneaky succulent’s unquenchable thirst for human blood in this thrilling creature feature bursting with the sounds of doo-wop and Motown!
Age 13 and up
Joan
By David Goldstein
Directed by David Ivers
Oct. 27-Nov.24, 2024
Julianne Argyros Stage
Part of the American Icons Series
Comedian. Trailblazer. Force of nature. From Greenwich Village nightclubs to “The Tonight Show” to Hollywood’s red carpets, Joan Rivers made and remade her career through triumph and tragedy. This is the story of a pioneer and the story of a mom—who were one and the same. Get up close and personal with the famously edgy, fearless and loving legend in this hilarious and heartbreaking account of an American icon.
Ages 16 and up
Charles Dickens’
A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Jerry Patch
Directed by Hisa Takakuwa
Nov. 30-Dec. 24, 2024
Segerstrom Stage
Orange County’s favorite yuletide tradition continues! From the first “Bah humbug” to the final “Wassail,” this timeless classic is sure to rekindle our family’s holiday spirit. Join all your favorite Dickens characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchits, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come, and of course, everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge.
Ages 6 and up. Children under the age of 6 will not be admitted.
Wish You Were Here
By Sanaz Toossi
Directed by Mina Morita
Jan. 12-Feb. 2, 2025
Julianne Argyros Stage
Protests break out across Iran as five close girlfriends plan weddings, trade dirty jokes and try to live their young lives. As the revolution escalates, each woman is forced to face an uncertain future by staying in Iran or leaving it. In this enlightened comedy, Pulitzer Prize winner and Orange County native Sanaz Toossi chronicles a decade of life, as best friends become friends long lost, searching for the bond that once defined them.
Ages 16 and up
Rachmaninoff and the Tsar
A New Musical Play
The Music of Sergei V. Rachmaninoff
Book by Hershey Felder
Hershey Felder as Sergei Rachmaninoff
Jonathan Silvestri as Tsar Nicholas II
Directed by Trevor Hay
Feb. 19-March 2, 2025
Segerstrom Stage
Hershey Felder's newest musical play will feature him in the role of composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff alongside British-Italian actor Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Tsar Nicholas II. Having safely left Russia during the 1917 revolution, Rachmaninoff eventually made his home in Beverly Hills, but always longed for the Tsarist Russia that he knew and loved as a young man. Featuring Rachmaninoff's most beloved compositions, this promises to be another mystical musical journey in the Hershey Felder style that patrons have come to know and love.
Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along
One Night Only – Monday, Mar. 3, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Segerstrom Stage
With his signature style and lots of audience participation, Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along takes audiences through 100 years of American music—beginning with Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim ... The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Showboat and more! Audiences are encouraged to sing along with Felder as he leads them through the familiar notes of their favorite songs.
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Book by Madhuri Shekar
Music by Christian Magby
Lyrics by Christian Albright
Based on the book by Oliver Jeffers
Directed by H. Adam Harris
Feb. 28-March 16, 2025
Julianne Argyros Stage
Theatre for Young Audiences and Families
Henry loves books, but doesn’t like reading them. If only he could learn new things without deciphering long, complicated words. One day he tries nibbling on a page—and it works! Soon he’s chomping his way through the school library, getting smarter with each bite…until the facts get all jumbled up and his tummy hurts. Celebrate the joys of reading with a hilarious family musical almost good enough to eat.
Ages 4 and up
The Staircase
By Noa Gardner
Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch
April 27-May 18, 2025
Julianne Argyros Stage
Part of the Pacific Playwrights Festival
Mother and Son spend their evenings playing cards and retelling stories of Hawaiian legend. Better those than their own, which lurk below the surface. When Son’s former sweetheart resurfaces, both he and Mother must choose how they will embrace the future. A mysterious tale about holding on, letting go and the curious force that pulls us back home.
Ages 14 and up
A World Premiere to be Announced
April 5-May 4, 2025
Segerstrom Stage
Part of the Pacific Playwrights Festival
We’re holding a spot for a thrilling new work coming through our play development program, The Lab@SCR. With so many exciting voices and plays-in-progress, we can’t choose just yet. So, stay tuned for an exciting announcement.
Location: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Boulevard.
Complete information is available at www.scr.org.
ABOUT SOUTH COAST REPERTORY: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964, is led by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei. SCR is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern plays and musicals, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program—The Lab@SCR—which includes one of the nation’s largest commissioning programs for emerging, mid-career and established writers. Of SCR’s more than 500 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres. SCR-developed works have garnered two Pulitzer Prizes and eight Pulitzer nominations, several Obie Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, Calif., SCR is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. www.scr.org