Morna Martell

WARRIOR QUEEN ANAHIT THE BRAVE – Burbank

A young peasant woman becomes a warrior who saves her entire kingdom in this new, family-friendly musical inspired by an Armenian fairy tale. Filled with song, multi-media, interactive elements and spectacle, Warrior Queen reinvents Ghazaros Aghayan’s 1881 fable “Anahit” to recount the transformation of a young, peasant rug weaver to sword-wielding Queen of the Armenian Highlands.

Written and directed by Armina LaManna, with original music by Shahen Hagobian, it stars Kyle Caldwell, Ani Marderosian, Alistair McKenzie, Nathan Mohebbi, Christianne Holly Santiago and Sophia Vitello

Says LaManna, “The dark force, the antagonist in the play, is the demon Apep. He is fierce and is a fantastic rapper. His transformation into a five-foot gold serpent at the end of the play is epic. The kids will lose their minds!”

An Imagine Theatre presentation. At Colony Theatre, 555 N 3rd Street, Burbank (free parking). For information email smat@imaginetheatreca.org.

ACCORDING TO THE CHORUS – North Hollywood

In the basement quick-change room of a Broadway theatre in the mid-1980s life is full of drama as the production may close at any time and the chorus women are at war with the wardrobe department. Will the new dresser, with her own uncertain future, be able to navigate this minefield? Here is a funny, behind-the-scenes look at a period in Broadway where women’s issues and the AIDS crisis played out through the everyday lives of Equity performers and Union dressers.

Written by Arlene Hutton and Directed by Emily Chase, the cast includes Samantha Tan, Avery Clyde, Amy Tolsky, Juan Pope, Maria Spassoff, Cherish Monique Duke, Jacqueline Mesaye, Julia Manis, Gloria Ines, Kristyn Evelyn, Sorel Carradine, Mara Klein, Danny Lee Gomez, and Fox as Olivia the Dog.

At The Road Theatre, 10747 Magnolia Blvd., NOHO. Sunday Performances are Pay-What-You-Can. Tkts: 818-761-8838 or www.roadtheatre.org

9 TO 5 the Musical – Westchester

If you enjoyed the hit 1980 movie, starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, here’s a live musical version to enjoy. It tells the same story of three female workmates who are pushed to a boiling point by their sexist and egotistical alpha-male boss. It’s funny, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic. Here is a musical about friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era that humorously reveals that long before there was #MeToo, there were Dolly, Jane and Lily as #WeThree!

The book is by Patricia Resnick, and music and lyrics are by Dolly Parton herself, with rights secured from Music Theatre International. Directed by Kirk Larson, musical direction by Catherine Rahm, choreography by Marie Gleerup, and produced by Jeremy Palmer and Bouket Fingerhut for Kentwood Players.

At Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue, LA. Tkts: call (310) 645-5156 or email boxoffice@kentwoodplayers.org. Free parking.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER – A Play – Beverly Hills

Here is Todd Kreidler’s stage adaptation of Stanley Kramer’s controversial 1967 film, that starred Sidney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy and Beah Richards. The story deals with the issue of interracial marriage – then illegal in many Southern states. In it a progressive white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her Black fiancé home to meet them. But, when they meet the young man’s parents, they’re surprised to find they aren’t the only ones with concerns about the match.

Directed by Cate Caplin, the cast includes Larry Eisenberg, Diana Angelina, Abigail Stewart, Marc Antonio Pritchett, Fred Dawson, Crystal Jackson, Patty Lewis, Jenn Robbins and David Hunt Stafford. At Theatre Forty, 241 S. Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills, on the campus of Beverly Hills High School. Free parking. RESERVATIONS: (310) 364-0535 or https://theatre40.org