By Shari Barrett
Developing the courage to ask the love of your life to marry you can be the most difficult journey of your life, or perhaps the easiest – and those who read romance novels certainly know about that process! But when it comes to movies about love, it’s the Rom-Com that lures us to theaters or screens at home to live vicariously as two people discover how they cannot possible live without each other, no matter how difficult it is to be together. But what about the love that got away? If your ex called, would you answer the phone, especially if you were already involved with someone else?
Fresh off its hit Off-Broadway debut and from the creative minds of playwright Douglas Lyons and director Zhailon Levingston, Table 17 is a witty new play that serves up romance, regrets, and the unexpected possibility of second chances.
Playwright Douglas Lyons shares, “Table 17 is inspired by the 90s/early 2000s black rom-coms. So, we’re talking Poetic Justice, Love and Basketball, Love Jones, Two Can Play at That Game, among many others. I grew up with them and it’s how I was raised with the comedy that offered me my first glimpse into black love. And I felt there was a lack of that for the American stage, and Table 17 is that.”
Now at the Geffen Playhouse, the rom-com centers around Jada and Dallas (impeccably portrayed by Gail Bean and Biko Eisen-Martin) who were once engaged and are now meeting for dinner to untangle the past and hopefully move forward with their lives. We meet them as they individually prepare for their “date” as each wonders aloud if the other really still loves them or it’s finally time to move on with their new “involvements.” And, of course, what to wear to impress! Between cheeky waiters, old wounds, and the undeniable spark that still lingers between them, their “casual” reunion may ignite a bomb neither of them can defuse.
And what fun it is to watch them go at it verbally, emotionally, and physically, especially since the audience is given the go ahead to yell at the characters to express their opinion about how things are going! I mean, just think of the times you have been inspired to scream at the characters in a movie to get them to pause and really think about what’s going on, especially if you feel they are being told lies. So be ready and shout it out any and every time you want to try and get them to see things as you do!
With these two extraordinary actors grabbing attention, I must admit I also really enjoyed watching Michael Rishawn as River, the gay restaurant host wearing bright pink, sparkly boots who always speaks his truth with lots of attitude while wondering why he can’t find a man to be in love with him – and then as Eric, the upstanding man Jada is now seeing. And just as Jada and Dallas are about to reunite, Eric shows up and attempts to set the record straight to win her back. But should he do that or let her go? All I can guarantee is that you will laugh from start to finish at all the antics taking place, especially during sides spoken directly to the audience asking for your opinion. Go ahead and give it to them to see if you can influence which man will finally win Jada’s heart. And will all three finally acknowledge “I am enough” and deserve to be loved wholeheartedly for who they really are without having to compromise? And don’t we all deserve that?
With Bianca’s Restaurant disco-influenced scenic design by Jason Sherman, fabulous lighting design by Ben Stanton to spotlight important moments, and costumes designed by Devario D. Simmons to highlight Gail Bean’s extraordinary legs, Table 17 performances continue at the Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles 90024 through December 7, 2025. Runtime is 85 minutes, no intermission. Please note this production contains profanity, strobe lighting effects, loud music, with aisles used for actor entrances and exits. Age recommendation 12+ with no children under 10 admitted.
For this production, cocktail table seating is available onstage to give audience members a unique, up-close perspective of the play. Tables 1, 2, 3, and 4 are located on the main floor, lower than the stage. Tables 5, 6, 7, and 8 are located on stage, with one ADA accessible seat at Table 8; patrons will be escorted through the backstage corridor to access these seat locations. No late seating.
For tickets visit https://secure.geffenplayhouse.org/overview/table-17, visit or call the box office at (310) 208-2028 Tues–Sun 12pm – 6pm or email boxoffice@geffenplayhouse.org. Dig deeper into the show at Talkback Wednesdays, join the celebration at Black Partners Appreciation Night, connect with community partners at Community Meetup Nights, or learn more about Accessible performances.
Chromolume Theatre’s final production of its 2025 Season of Musicals: A Season of Love and Romance (and Adultery) is the Broadway musical Passion with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, and directed by James Esposito with music direction by Joshua Bartley. After opening on Broadway in 1994, it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning four including Best Musical. But given the vocal and acting demands on the cast, it is not one performed very often. So special kudos go to James Esposito of Chromolume Theatre for his brilliant direction, moveable scenic design, and sound design of the current production at the Zephyr Theatre through November 30.
Passion is a one act, two-hour musical adapted from Ettore Scola’s film Passione d’Amore, itself adapted from the novel Fosca by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti. Set in Milan and a remote Italian military outpost in 1863, the story follows Giorgio (exquisitely portrayed both vocally and emotionally by Paul Luoma), an army captain, his mistress Clara (lovely soprano Mary DeLan) in Milan, and the seriously ill Fosca (Nora Elkind who will absolutely make you both hate and feel sorry for her at the same time) who is the cousin of Giorgio’s commanding officer at the outpost. Lonely and desperate for love, she falls obsessively in love with the handsome Giorgio, who is deeply in love with his mistress in Milan, who we meet in the first scene as the two are cavorting in bed, perfectly staged by intimacy director Mary Zastrow. Their love triangle is incredibly complex with hidden secrets revealed that challenge the very nature of true and unconditional love.
The talented supporting cast features (in alphabetical order) David Callander, Lisa Dyson, Gavin Michael Harris, Tyler Marshall, Lia Peros, Richard Rosales, John Sala, Chris Spangler, and Jack Stuhley (with understudies Renee Cohen, Lyla Ross, and Elias Wygodny). Each is an accomplished singer, their voices blending to perfection and their characters all fully realized as true individuals. And in Sondheim musicals, timing and maintaining vocal pitch can be challenging when lyrics overlap, but musical director Bartley, who accompanies the cast on piano with Tony Jones or David Derge on drums, succeeds in molding the cast into exquisite harmonies during the most difficult of the musical’s twenty songs.
Lighting design by Devin Harris focuses attention artistically and costume design by Shon LeBlanc includes many lovely and incredibly detailed gowns. Cast members assist stage managers Mara Aguilar and Izaiah Martinez who are kept very busy moving scenic elements on and off stage between scenes. And producer/director James Esposito deserves high praise for overcoming such an array of technical challenges in creating so many different scenes in such a small theater. Be sure to see this one and mark your calendars now for his Chromolume production of Sondheim’s rarely performed musical Road Show in November 2026.
Passion continues through November 30 with performances on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., with an additional performance on Sunday 11/23 at 7 p.m. at the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 90046. Tickets are $40, available online at www.chrtheatre.com or at the box office prior to each performance. Street parking only so plan accordingly and read all parking signs carefully.
