Theatre returns to Culver City landmark with world premiere of Alma’
By Sam Catanzaro
After more than two years, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City has reopened.
On March 6, theatre at the Kirk Douglas Theatre–9820 Washington Blvd in Culver City–returned with the world premiere production of ‘Alma’
“18 years ago, we unveiled the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, which became our home for adventurous new work. It’s where we do the most World premieres, play with conventions, and take risks. On March 6, after more than two years of the theatre being closed, the Douglas reopens with the World premiere production of ‘Alma’ by emerging playwright Benjamin Benne!” the Theatre wrote in a social media post announcing the opening.
Tickets for the show range from $30-$75, and are on sale on the Center Theatre Group’s website, the organization that has operated the Kirk Douglas Theatre since 2004. The performance length is approximately 1 hour 16 minutes without an intermission and runs through April 3.
The production, written by Benjamin Benne and directed by Juliette Carrillo, stars Cheryl Umaña as Alma and Sabrina Fest as Angel.
“Alma and her daughter, Angel, made sixteen wishes long ago: good health, love, carne asada every day, perfect SAT scores, and a spot at UC Davis, to name a few. But now that Angel is 17, she’s got a different vision for her future than her immigrant single mom,” reads the synopsis from Center Theatre Group. “Featuring the powerfully fresh, homegrown L.A. voice of playwright Benjamin Benne, winner of the National Latinx Playwriting Award, Alma is a poetic, funny, and timely World premiere filled with lots of amor and a touch of symbolism. It begs the question: what does the American Dream mean today—and who does it belong to?”
