For our 35th Anniversary Season, we look to “Those Better Angels,” a theme inspired by Lincoln’s call to our best selves. This season explores empathy and the enduring human capacity for compassion. These stories remind us of the power of choosing connection, understanding, hope, and better instincts that guide us toward one another.

Single-show tickets will be available Tuesday, June 9, excluding A Christmas Carol, which goes on sale July 14. For early access, become a Subscriber by calling the Box Office at (626) 356-3121.

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM

By August Wilson
Directed by Gregg T. Daniel §
March 21 – April 18, 2027

As part of our commitment to presenting August Wilson’s work, we bring you our seventh production of his American Century Cycle: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom unfolds with tension, music, and truth. As legendary blues singer Ma Rainey arrives to record, underlying conflicts rise among her band, exposing deep wounds, ambition, and the realities of race in America. With sharp dialogue and unforgettable characters, Wilson crafts a powerful, intimate portrait of artistry, identity, and control. Both electric and deeply human, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a gripping exploration of faith, joy, and the cost of being heard.

AUGUST WILSON’S MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

COME FROM AWAY

Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott
October 4 – November 1, 2026

Hit musical Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 airline passengers stranded in a small Newfoundland town on 9/11. As fear and uncertainty give way to compassion and connection, a community opens its doors to the world. With a soaring score and deeply human storytelling, this production reflects A Noise Within’s distinctive approach to musicals and offers a rare opportunity to experience it in an intimate setting. Come From Away is a moving and uplifting celebration of kindness, resilience, and the power of coming together in extraordinary times.

COME FROM AWAY is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Geoff Elliott
November 28 - December 24, 2026

The region’s longest-running holiday tradition returns with new magic and beautifully reimagined scenic design! Perfect for all ages, this timeless story of redemption is filled to the brim with music and merriment. Create cherished memories with your whole family by witnessing Ebenezer Scrooge’s joyful transformation. It is a perfect burst of boundless good cheer for the season—and beyond!

A Christmas Carol is not included in PremierPass packages but can be added on.

AS YOU LIKE IT

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Susan Angelo
February 7 – March 7, 2027

Shakespeare’s As You Like It is a witty and richly layered comedy exploring love, identity, and the freedom to redefine oneself. It is a play about love and the transformative power of forgiveness. When Rosalind is banished from court, she escapes to the Forest of Arden, where disguises, mistaken identities, and unexpected romances unfold. As characters step away from the constraints of court life, the play shines a light on the necessity of escaping such forces, with a determination to live in harmony with self, nature, and one another. Highlighting our differences not to divide us, but to celebrate them, As You Like It is a timeless reflection on connection and self-discovery.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Neil Bartlett
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
March 21 – April 18, 2027

Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations returns to the stage in Neil Bartlett’s bold and theatrical adaptation. As part of our anniversary season, we revisit this seminal piece of our theatre’s history. This coming-of-age story follows Pip, an orphan whose life is transformed by unexpected fortune and the pull of a world beyond his beginnings. Along the way, he encounters Dickens’ most unforgettable characters, each shaping his journey. As Pip navigates ambition, love, and self-discovery, he faces the cost of becoming someone new.

TROUBLE IN MIND

By Alice Childress
Directed by Gregg T. Daniel §
May 2 – May 30, 2027

Alice Childress’s Trouble in Mind is a sharp and insightful dramatic comedy set behind the scenes of a Broadway rehearsal room. A multiracial cast comes together to rehearse a new play, where rivalries, egos, and humor collide with questions of representation and the realities of the industry. Led by a seasoned actress ready to claim her place in the spotlight, the company must navigate ambition, compromise, and the tensions between lived experience and the story being told. Both funny and unflinching, Trouble in Mind is a rich and lasting play that “lingers in one’s memory long after its conclusion.” – New York Times.

TROUBLE IN MIND is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals Corp. www.concordtheatricals.com 

§ The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.

Header Image:

Rafael Goldstein in Metamorphoses. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

Shows Images:

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: Taína Estévez. Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.
Come From Away: Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.
A Christmas Carol: Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.
As You Like It: Hope Matthews. Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.
Great Expectations: Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.
Trouble in Mind: Taína Estévez. Photo by Abe Portillo. Art Direction by Matt Matsumoto.

Visit our event calendar to plan your next visit to the theater.

A Noise Within is conveniently located within steps of the Metro A Line Sierra Madre Villa station.

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