Bette Aitken News

Chance Theater is excited to announce that we are entering the final push in our bold new home capital campaign drive, thanks to a $50,000 challenge gift from a group of Chance supporters - community leaders Wylie & Bette Aitken, Larry & Sophie Cripe, Mary Kay Fyda-Mar, and Tod & Linda White. 'So many people have worked so hard and given so much to help make this dream come true,' says Mary Kay Fyda-Mar, immediate Past Chair of the Chance Theater Board. 'They say it takes a village, but I like to say that it takes a family.'

Chance Theater has announce that it will be adding a performance of Fancy Nancy, the musical on Thursday, June 4th at 7:30pm on the Main Stage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater is very excited to announce the extension of the highly theatrical comedy Samsara. The show, which is written by Chance Theater's 2015 resident playwright Lauren Yee, and directed by Benjamin Kamine, started performances on April 30 and was set to close today, May 31. However, due to overwhelming demand and positive reviews, Samsara will add two performances - Saturday, June 6 at 8pm and Sunday, June 7 at 7:30pm on the Second Stage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater will present the West Coast premiere of the highly theatrical journey Samsara. Written by Chance Theater's 2015 resident playwright Lauren Yee, and directed by Benjamin Kamine. Samsara will preview from April 30 through May 7, regular performances will begin May 9 and continue through May 31 on the Second Stage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater is delighted to present the Southern California premiere of powerful drama about a fragmented family After The Revolution.

Chance Theater is delighted to present the Southern California premiere of powerful drama about a fragmented family After The Revolution. Written by Pulitzer finalist Amy Herzog (4,000 Miles), and directed by Chance Theater Founding Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen. After The Revolution will preview from April 10 through April 17, regular performances will begin April 18 and continue through May 10 on the Main Stage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

On Saturday, February 7, Chance Theater's Board of Directors, staff and resident artists held a special event to honor their major capital campaign donors and give them a literal standing ovation. The guest of honor at the event was community leader, Bette Aitken, whose husband Wylie surprised her last year with a $250,000 gift to the Chance to name the theater's new home after her.

There was a moment in Chance Theater's LOCH NESS, a new musical, when I realized I had fallen completely in love with it; when everything suddenly came together in the most wonderful of ways - the glow of the lighting on a handful of heart wide open actors, the lyrical swell of their singing voices soaring with hope, a fog rising from a sea of imagination brought to life with unexpected delight - all of it morphed into what can only be described as pure magic.

We've got a first look at the official press photos for the world premiere of Loch Ness, a new musical, which is the newest show from Ovation Award-winning writer/director Marshall Pailet and Ovation Award-winning choreographer Kelly Todd. The musical opens tonight and runs through March 1 at Chance Theater.

Chance Theater will present the world premiere of the bright, imaginative flight of fancy Loch Ness, a new musical. Music and book by Marshall Pailet, lyrics and book by AD. Penedo, with direction by Marshall Pailet, choreography by Kelly Todd and music direction by Mark Sonnenblick. Loch Ness, a new musical will preview from tonight, January 30 through February 5, regular performances will begin February 6 and continue through February 28 on the mainstage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater will present the world premiere of the bright, imaginative flight of fancy Loch Ness, a new musical. Music and book by Marshall Pailet, lyrics and book by AD. Penedo, with direction by Marshall Pailet, choreography by Kelly Todd and music direction by Mark Sonnenblick. Loch Ness, a new musical will preview from January 30 through February 5, regular performances will begin February 6 and continue through February 28 on the mainstage at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater is proud to present the fifth show in its 16th season -- the Tony Award-Winning golden age delight, She Loves Me.

Chance Theater has announced its sixth and final production for its 2014 Season - an original musical celebration for the holidays, A Celtic Holiday with Craic in the Stone. Written by resident artists Jocelyn A. Brown, David McCormick, James McHale, Jennifer Ruckman and Bill Strongin, along with Aimee Gomez, Karen O'Hanlon and Scott B. Well. A Celtic Holiday with Craic in the Stone will preview on Tue, December 9. The press performance is on December 10. Regular performances begin tonight, December 11 and continue through December 23 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

The appeal of trading in the hustle and bustle of a 21st Century lifestyle for a 1955 throwback downgrade is the focus of Jordan Harrison's wonderfully intriguing play MAPLE & VINE, now having its Los Angeles/Orange County premiere production at the Chance Theater in Anaheim Hills through October 19. Directed by Mark Ramont, the dark dramedy traces the story of an interracial married couple and the drastic steps they take on to not only escape their respective present-day ruts but to further ignite their hopeful pursuit of happiness.

Chance Theater will present the fourth show of its 16th Anniversary Season - the clever and sharply drawn fantasy, Maple and Vine. Written by Jordan Harrison, with direction by Mark Ramont. Maple and Vine previews through tonight, September 25, with regular performances beginning tomorrow, September 26 and continuing through October 19 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Chance Theater will present the fourth show of its 16th Anniversary Season - the clever and sharply drawn fantasy, Maple and Vine. Written by Jordan Harrison, with direction by Mark Ramont. Maple and Vine will preview from September 19 through 25, with regular performances beginning September 26 and continuing through October 19 at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center. The company recently held a design preview party for the show, and BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

Lively and electrified by its talented, winsome lead actors, this new admirable local production of the Tony Award-winning IN THE HEIGHTS has just been extended for additional performances in its Anaheim Hills home through August 8---and deservedly so. Overall, this new OC production crackles with an electric, infectiously appealing pulse, offering a genuinely entertaining, praiseworthy go at Lin-Manuel Miranda's multi-layered material.

Chance Theater has announced that it will be extending its production run of In The Heights through August 10 with six more performances. The show was originally scheduled to close on August 3. In The Heights is adding performances on Thursday, August 7 at 8pm, Friday, August 8 at 8pm, Saturday, August 9 at 3pm and 8pm, and Sunday, August 10 at 2pm and 7pm at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Chance Theater will present the third show of its 16th Anniversary Season -- the groundbreaking 21st century musical, IN THE HEIGHTS. Written by Pulitzer Finalists Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes, the musical will feature direction by Chance Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen, choreography by resident artist Kelly Todd and music direction by Robyn Wallace. IN THE HEIGHTS opens tonight, July 11, and continues through August 3 at Chance Theater at Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

Chance Theater will present the third show of its 16th Anniversary Season -- the groundbreaking 21st century musical, In The Heights. Written by Pulitzer Finalists Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes, with direction by Chance Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen, choreography by resident artist Kelly Todd and music direction by Robyn Wallace. In The Heights will preview from tonight, July 3 through 10, regular performances will begin July 11 and continue through August 3 at Chance Theater at Bette Aitken theater arts Center.