Vichet Chum’s Bald Sisters is set to kick off San Jose Stage Company’s 2023-2024 season. The play revolves around two sisters who have been at odds since birth and marks its West Coast premiere. Jeffrey Lo directs.
In total, five productions are featured in the theater’s 41st season including three West Coast premieres and a to-be-announced musical scheduled for next summer. See below for the full details.
“We are proud to unveil our 41st season, which brings another bold and diverse set of voices to The Stage that resonate with heart, humor, and hard truths,” said Artistic Director Randall King. “These plays are more than entertainment; they’re a testament to the unbreakable bonds that hold us together in a world hell-bent on tearing us apart. This collection of thoughtful, intelligent works invite us to explore the transformative power of connection and compassion. The plays align with our primary mission of creating impactful, thought-provoking works that engage our community in moments of joy, laughter, and meaningful conversation, while fearlessly exploring the complexities of human nature.”
Season 41 kicks off September 13, 2023 with Bald Sisters and concludes with Martin McDonagh’s Hangman in April, 2024.
BAY AREA STAGE
SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY • 2023-2024 • SEASON 41
BALD SISTERS
By Vichet Chum
Directed by Jeffrey Lo
September 13 – October 8, 2023Vichet Chum’s captivating new play revolves around two sisters who have been at odds since their birth. Now, tasked with the responsibility of organizing their strong-willed, quick-witted mother’s affairs, they must also come to terms with their family’s Cambodian heritage, intricately woven into the complexities of their American present. Through a mix of irreverent humor and heartfelt moments, the story delves into the bonds formed by history, spirituality, and the power of laughter.
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
By Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
Directed by Kenneth Kelleher
November 15 – December 10, 2023This multi-award-winning comedy is a hilarious mash-up of Monty Python madness and Sherlock Holmes-Agatha Christie mystery. On opening night for the Cornley University Drama Society’s newest production, “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” things are quickly going wrong. Very, very wrong. This 1920s-style whodunit-farce hybrid has everything you’d never want to witness on stage from an unconscious leading lady and a corpse that can’t play dead, to actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Against all odds, the accident-prone thespians battle through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences!
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE
By Anthony Clarvoe
Directed by Benny Sato Ambush
January 31 – February 25, 2024Drawing on the volatile conditions of the mid-century South, rife with segregation and other civil rights inequities, cultural oppression, and exploitive workplace practices, Anthony Clarvoe draws on actual events and crafts a compelling narrative. Six ordinary people gather to share their lived experiences and confront their relationships and their place in the path of our country’s checkered history. What they must confront bears disturbing parallels to our currently divided state.
HANGMEN
By Martin McDonagh
Directed by James Reese
April 3 – 28, 2024When the United Kingdom abolishes the death penalty in 1965, all eyes in Oldham turn to Harry, the second-best hangman in the country, for his thoughts on this historic development. In a gripping tale, the news turns Harry’s pub into chaotic hub of locals and reporters seeking his reaction. Amidst the frenzy, a mysterious visitor arrives with a darker agenda. Sixth in the line of Martin McDonagh plays to grace The Stage (following “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” “The Pillowman,” “The Lonesome West,” “A Skull in Connemara,” and “The Beauty Queen of Leenane.”), this darkly comedic exploration of justice and punishment will have audiences laughing out loud, simultaneously shocked and delighted by its twists and turns.
Summer Musical Extravaganza
TITLE TO BE ANNOUNCED
June 5 – 30, 2024
Press Opening: June 8, 2024
Exciting musical smash hit to be announced.
Tickets are now available at the San Jose Stage Company web site with season packages ranging from $135 – $270.
Stark Insider hopes to see you there!