The sun is shining down on the stage this summer.
From the return of Tony Award-winning classics to the release of animated films set to concert, the new season forecasts an array of theater productions across Los Angeles.
Read on for the Daily Bruin Arts contributors’ selection of summer shows.
Phantom of the Opera (Pantages Theatre)
This summer, give yourself over to the darkness of the music of the night.
The newest production of “Phantom of the Opera” is haunting the Pantages stage from June 24 to Aug. 9 before it’s set to swoop down on the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, California, and the San Diego Civic Theatre for the remainder of the summer. The iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical boasts seven Tony Awards and was a mainstay on the Great White Way for 35 years until 2023 – a favorite of tourists and theater buffs alike. The thrilling story depicts a mysterious masked figure and a young opera singer who he obsessively haunts and has captivated audiences for decades. Fans can fear no more: The beloved musical is back already and better than ever.
“Phantom of the Opera” has theatergoers covered this summer with two and a half hours of enchanting vocals, dazzling costumes and sets, and yes, even a falling 2,000-pound chandelier. The show is a true spectacle of magic and mystery, and its grand, gothic vibes are sure to satisfy all your summerween desires.
Take a seat in Box Five and beware the “Phantom of the Opera,” if you dare.
– Kiara Mack
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How to Train Your Dragon in Concert (Hollywood Bowl)
The Hollywood Bowl is transforming into Berk for one night only.
As part of the venue’s Sunday Sunset Concerts series, the event presents a special screening of DreamWorks’ 2010 film “How to Train Your Dragon,” scored by John Powell. On Sunday, attendees can experience the film with a live soundtrack performed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The show will be conducted by renowned film composer David Newman.
Alongside his work in film soundtracks, Newman has a decade-long experience in music-to-film concerts under his belt. Most famous for conducting the score of the classic movie-musical “West Side Story,” his experience led him to work on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 iteration of the musical, earning Newman his second Grammy nomination. Now, taking over Powell’s acclaimed score, Newman and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will bring the epic film soundtrack to life, featuring elements of Nordic and Scottish folk music, as well as accents of Celtic music, transporting theatergoers into the story of Hiccup and Toothless in the Viking village of Berk.
The audience is sure to have a magical viewing of the film as the sun sets in the open-air venue.
– Ana Camila Burquez
[Related: TV preview: Summer shows bring action, book adaptations to the small screen]
Beauty and the Beast (Pantages Theatre)
Pantages is bringing new life to a tale as old as time.
From Aug. 12 to Sep. 6, a live production of “Beauty and the Beast” is showing at LA’s iconic theater. Kyra Belle Johnson and Fergie L. Philippe will star as the titular roles. The pair began performing the show in June at the Proctors Theater in Schenectady, New York, before moving to the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chicago the following month. The familiar story of a bookish young woman from the French countryside redeeming the heart of a cursed prince returns in a two-hour-and-30-minute production for its 30th anniversary.
“Beauty and the Beast” has received both Academy Awards and Tony nominations for its score. Several members of that accolade-holding team will be returning for the production, including composer Alan Menken. Menken wrote the score for numerous Disney films, from “The Little Mermaid” in 1989, to “Tangled” in 2010. Menken has also received the prestigious EGOT – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony – making him one of only 22 people to have achieved that status.
This summer, Pantages is inviting all of LA to be their guest.
– Julia Kinion
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