This week's THEATER FEATURE on Pasadena Playhouse's demise, and what it means for the arts community. 

THIS JUST IN At 9:20 p.m. on Sunday, February 7, after the final performance of Camelot at the Pasadena Playhouse, Artistic Director Sheldon Epps and Executive Director Stephen Eich will take the stage to say a final farewell, together with the staff, the Board and the friends of the Pasadena Playhouse.

PREDICTIONS ON A RAINY FRIDAY: Almost nothing can be known for certain, but with some hubris, barring a natural disaster, and with the help of https://weather.com, I predict that by Monday afternoon 1) the sun will be shining across Southern California, 2) the nominees for the 31st annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards will appear at this URL, and 3) Ed Harris will have opened to the press in Neil LaBute's Wrecks at the Geffen Playhouse. (Ed is pictured below in a photo taken by Andrew Southam.) I also predict that if you click the Continue Reading tab at the bottom of this section, you'll be cyber-lifted to a complete list of local theater productions being reviewed this weekend by the largely esteemed and sometimes disdained theater critics of the L.A. Weekly.

law logo2x bA reminder (in case I haven't plugged this enough), Theatre of NOTE is hosting a Town Hall meeting for the Hollywood Fringe fest, Monday eve Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. The theater's press rep Ezra Buzzington warns that it's going be packed. (That's another prediction, by the way)

TEN TOPS! Ten performers get seven minutes apiece to do anything they want at Sacred Fools Theatre Company, Monday, 8 p.m. (signups at 7:30 p.m.)

LOVE, SEX, BEER AND ROCK 'N' ROLL: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CUPID One day before the performance (which would be today), writers are given a topic and gallons of caffeine. Their plays, written over 24 hours, are being presented at The Sherry Theatre, 11052 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, Saturday, Feb. 6, 9 p.m. Info here

RANT & RAVE Rogue Machine presents local, vocal writers spouting off about this and that. Monday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. Featuring: Ralph Brunea, Katherine Cortez, Douglas Kearney, Julio Martinez, Michael O'Keefe, Debora Puette, Michael Redfield and Betsy Zajko. 5041 Pico Blvd. (near La Brea)

ON EXISTENCE: A VISUAL POEM, A STUDY IN BEING Dawn Kasper's performance “that combines slapstick and monologue to ask questions about life and death.” Saturday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. at Sea and Space Explorations, 4755 York Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 982-0854.

For a list of plays being reviewed this weekend, press the Continue Reading tab directly below.

CHECK BACK HERE MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR AN ANNOUCEMENT OF THE 31ST ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEES, PLUS REVIEWS OF THE FOLLOWING THEATER PRODUCTIONS:

COOL NEGROES Tony Robinson's dramedy about the African-American
generation gap. Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.; opens Feb.
6; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; thru Feb. 28. (323) 465-4446.

COUSIN BETTE Antaeus Company presents Jeffrey Hatcher's adaptation
of Balzac's novel. Deaf West Theatre, 5112 Lankershim Blvd., North
Hollywood; opens Sat., Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.l perfs Thurs-Sat., 7:30 p.m.;
Sun., 4 p.m.; thru March 21. (818) 506-1983 or https://antaeus.org

HAMLET The Porters of Hellsgate present Shakespeare's tragedy. Flight
Theater at The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A.; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.;
thru Feb. 14. (951) 262-3030.

THE PEACOCK MEN Ronald McCants' portrait of black men, from pro
athlete to ex-con, from slave to music mogul. Company of Angels, Alexandria
Hotel, 501 S. Spring St., L.A.; opens Feb.  5; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7
p.m.; thru March 7. (323) 883-1717.

PARADISE STREET Title3 theater company presents the world premiere of a
new play by Constance Congdon. The Attic Theatre and Film Center, 5429 W.
Washington Blvd., L.A.; opens Jan. 29; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; thru
Feb. 21. (323) 525-0661.

SOUVENIR Stephen Temperley's comedy about talentless soprano Florence
Foster Jenkins. Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr., Burbank; opens Feb.  5;
Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.; thru Feb. 28. (818) 955-8101.

TWELFTH NIGHT Chalk Repertory Theatre opens their second season with
Shakespeare's comedy. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd.,
L.A.; opens Feb.  5; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; thru Feb.
28, www.chalkrep.com. (800) 838-3006.

WHO IS CURTIS LEE? World premiere of Ashford J. Thomas' play set in
1950s North Carolina. MET Theatre, 1089 N. Oxford Ave., L.A.; Fri.-Sat., 8
p.m.; thru Feb. 28. (323) 957-1152.

WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM Christopher Durang's satire about America's “homeland insecurity.”. Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.; opens Feb.  6; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.;
thru March 14, www.TheBlank.com. (323) 661-9827.

WRECKS Ed Harris stars in Neil LaBute's dark study of human nature.
Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood; opens Feb.  4; Tues.-Fri.,
8 p.m.; Sat., 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; thru Feb. 28. (310) 208-5454.

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