The Ten Best Theater Productions in L.A. in 2024

It’s late December, when the events of the year are summed up and judged by the media, and why should I withhold praise? Every year has amazing theater in Los Angeles – sometimes a bit more, sometimes less – but there’s always terrific stuff. 2024 was no different. We had magnificent revivals, sharp dramas, quirky comedies and a couple of memorable musicals. Here’s a list, in no particular order, with ten of the best productions I saw this past year.

Above production photo by Matt Kamimura.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn at Moving Arts Theater – If you had told me that a one-man-show version of Mark Twain’s classic novel would on my top ten list for this year, I would have at the very least been skeptical. But that would have been before you told me that other than an amiable performance by Robert Beuth (who also adapted the book), this show also featured amazing puppets and masks (crafted by Beuth) and an intricately lovely set by Tom Buderwitz. This production was a delightful surprise.

Mercury at The Road Theatre – Playwright Steve Yockey is one of the most original voices in American theater, who brings dark humor and surreal themes to his plays. The plot concerns a devilish gift shop in which patrons buy unholy solutions to their problems in life. The ensemble in this show was fantastic, but the standout was Gloria Ines as the store’s impish proprietor, who brought plentiful charm and energy to her performance. This production was great across the board, and also featured what had to be the greatest prop in 2024 – a giant bear.

Crevasse at The Victory Theatre Center – Tom Jacobson’s play about the historical meeting of Walt Disney and Leni Riefenstahl got an excellent production at the Victory Theatre, highlighted by the outstanding performances of Leo Marks and Ann Noble. Here’s what I said in my review.

The Allstore at Theatre of NOTE – Evan Marshall’s play about the frustrations of working at a big box store received a superb production at Theatre of NOTE. Director Maddie Downes got the most from her strong ensemble in a powerful show that was simultaneously funny, enraging and tragic. Not enough American plays explore the problems in our workplaces, and this ambitious piece does a lot to address that.

Misalliance at A Noise Within – A George Bernard Shaw play getting the vibrant, smart and funny production it deserves. Guillermo Cienfuegos directed an excellent cast with high energy and intelligence, making this three-hour piece sing. For those who appreciate classics being brought back to vivid life, this was a delicious theatrical treat.

Dido of Idaho by The Echo Theater Company – Alana Dietze is always good and interesting in every show I’ve ever seen her in, but Abby Rosebrock’s intriguing character study finally gave her a strong showcase for the breadth of her talent. Her character, Nora, is selfish, makes bad decisions and blames others for her own faults. But she’s also very human, and Dietze brought her to glorious, messy life in a layered, believable performance that I think is the best acting work she’s done. Here’s a link our review.

A Strange Loop at the Ahmanson Theatre – This audacious musical gave me hope for new musicals, as an example that ground can still be broken, and original voices can still be heard. Michael R. Jackson’s play (he wrote the book, music and lyrics) is a fascinating statement of purpose about self-doubt and the creation of both art and self. It’s rare that I feel challenged by something I see at the Ahmanson, and I was glad to see it.

Human Error at Rogue Machine Theatre – Eric Pfeffinger’s comedy has a lot to say about our divided country, and even if I didn’t completely agree with its conclusions, I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless. The ensemble was hilarious, with especially great work from Lauren Burns and Kiel Kennedy. Here’s my review.

The Winter’s Tale at Antaeus Theatre Company – This was a great example of Antaeus at its best, taking a lesser-known classic and bringing it to complicated, compelling life. I admired and enjoyed this production, but the reason it’s on my ten best list is due to Ann Noble’s performance as the fiery Paulina. Noble had a great year, giving amazing performances in this, Crevasse and The Skin of Our Teeth, but this portrayal took my breath away. Describing her work in one pivotal scene, I wrote: “Moments like this are why people go to theatre.” Here’s the link to my review.

Pacific Overtures at East West Players – EWP has had a great track record with Sondheim musicals, and it’s no surprise that the company would do a good job with his piece about historical Japan. It is a surprise how dazzling this revival tuned out to be, however. I wrote that it’s “about as strong a production of this show as can be imagined,” and that was true. Here’s my review.