|
Presented by A Road Theatre & BroadStage Co-Production
9/22/2026 - 11/1/2026
 Two gigantic, mythical monsters have just destroyed the city. Amid the chaos and destruction, a debate ensues. A funny and audacious takedown of the sometimes-pretentious nature of art and culture, KAIJU also presents a pointed examination of power and artistic responsibility in our current world.
THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY
and Artistic Director Taylor Gilbert
announce the First Show of its 2026-2027 Season -
A Road Theatre & BroadStage Co-Production
KAIJU
Written by DAN CAFFREY
Directed by KEN SAWYER
The Destruction (and Conversation) begins Tuesday, September 22
at the Road Theatre in North Hollywood!
The Road Theatre Company & BroadStage are thrilled to announce their first collaboration, the world premiere of KAIJU, written by Dan Caffrey and directed by Ken Sawyer. As co-producers, The Road Theatre is extremely excited to be included in BroadStage’s 2026/27 slate of exceptional works. KAIJU will begin previews on Tuesday, September 22 will open on Friday, September 25 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, November 1st at 2pm at the Road Theatre, located in The NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood.
Two gigantic, mythical monsters have just destroyed the city. Amid the chaos and destruction, a debate ensues. A funny and audacious takedown of the sometimes pretentious nature of art and culture, KAIJU also presents a pointed examination of power and artistic responsibility in our current world.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST
DAN CAFFREY (Playwright) is a Brooklyn-based playwright and pop culture critic. His play Kaiju was developed through The Road's Summer Playwrights Festival, as well as The Workshop Theater and ScriptWorks Austin. Other work includes The Amphibians (Weber State Theatre, ThinkTank Theatre, Cypress Productions, Sundown Collaborative Theatre, St. Lawrence University), The Tusk Hunters (The Civilians' Finding Series, Gloucester Stage's Water's Rising Festival, The Workshop Theater's Lab Series, cell theatre residency), and Matawan (The Ruckus, UT Austin, Atlantic Acting School, Brooklyn College). His audio drama "Mortality Rate" was commissioned by 20th Century Studios as a tie-in to the 2023 Stephen King film The Boogeyman.
Residencies and development programs include Tofte Lake Center, an MFA Scholarship at the Sewanee Writers' Conference, Cry Havoc's Playlist, UCF Pegasus PlayLab, Kitchen Dog Theater New Works Festival, The Orchard Project, and Hot Playwright Summer. He has been a Princess Grace Finalist, O'Neill Finalist, Next Forever Finalist (Princeton/The Civilians), Jerome Fellowship Semi-Finalist, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship Theatre Prize, and his work has been published/licensed by Methuen Drama, Smith & Kraus, and Gitelman & Good. Additional companies who have produced or developed his plays include Concord Theatricals, American Records, Salvage Vanguard, Northlight Theatre, Mixily Presents, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Jarrott Productions, Genesis Ensemble, Hot Kitchen Collective, and Tympanic Theatre (RIP). His work has been supported by grants from the Puffin Foundation, NYSCA, and Brooklyn Arts Council, and been the recipient of five B. Iden Payne Awards.
His non-fiction book, Radiohead FAQ, is available from Bloomsbury Publishing, and he co-hosts The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast. MFA: The University of Texas at Austin, BA: Florida State University.
KEN SAWYER (Director) is an award-winning director based in Los Angeles, California. His work has spanned a wide range of venues with projects that include musicals, plays, experimental theatre, concerts and special events. Ken most recently directed Lifeline at The Road Theatre Company where he was a founding member and former artistic board member.
Other directing projects at The Road include the award winning The Woman In Black, which had a sold out 3-month run in North Hollywood before moving to the Coronet Theatre.
His collaboration with Jon Imparato and the Los Angeles LGBT Center further built his reputation as a lover of theater that not only entertains and thrills the senses but also tackles challenging and thought-provoking issues. Highlights include The Goat Or Who Is Sylvia, a collaboration with Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner to produce a full cast version of The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In The Universe, and the immersive Hit The Wall.
Other career highlights include collaborating with Emmy Award winner Paris Barclay on the Vietnam era musical One Red Flower,…with rock icons Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go’s) and Anna Waronker (That Dog) on Lovelace: The Rock Opera starring Katrina Lenk with Stephen Schwartz and David Stern on the development of Snapshots and with Colin Escott on development of the Broadway hit, Million Dollar Quartet. Ken has guest directed at Carnegie Mellon University, USC, and California State University, Northridge and is an adjunct professor at USC. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School.
The Cast of KAIJU features: Cherish Monique Duke as “Apex/Amelia,” Leandro Cano as “Goliath/Manual,” Gloria Ines as “Lee,” Jon Snow as “Roy,” Billy Baker as “Kyle,”
Noa Lev-Ari as “Sondra,” Ann Hearn as “Maggie,” and Sapna Kumar as “Rani.”
The Design Team for KAIJU is as follows: Scenic Design by Lacey Anzelc Lighting Design by Derrick McDaniel Projection Design by Nicholas Santiago Sound Design by Ryan McRee Costume Design by Mary Jane Miller Creature Suit Costume Design by Shealyn Biron and Lee Diemer Creature Suit Costume Consultant is Cerise Preston
Properties Design by Danna Hyams. The Production Stage Manager is Maurie Gonzalez. KAIJU is produced by Danna Hyams and Taylor Gilbert.
“SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WORLD PREMIERE PLAY INITIATIVE” (SCWPPI)
In 2025, Victoria Morris introduced playwright Tom Jacobson to Eric Bloom, Associate Artistic Director of BroadStage, and Matthew Rimmer, Managing Director of BroadStage, to share a vision for a new collaboration between a major theatre and an intimate theatre in Southern California.
BroadStage’s team was intrigued by the idea and requested scripts from local 99-seat theatres that they were committed to producing on their stages in 2026. Eight scripts from five intimate theatres were submitted, and the BroadStage artistic team got excited about KAIJU, which was planned to have its world premiere at The Road Theatre Company in September 2026.
The Road Theatre Company will present KAIJU at their North Hollywood theatre with BroadStage as co-producers and will together support the production with enhanced marketing resources, casting a much wider net than is typical for a 99-seat theatre. BroadStage will leverage its relationships with large theatres throughout the country to help secure future productions of KAIJU, giving the play a stronger chance of national exposure for world premiere plays in Los Angeles intimate theatres.
Victoria and Tom’s shared hope is that this pilot collaboration marks the beginning of an enduring model—one that inspires many more partnerships, expands opportunities for new work, and further enriches Southern California’s vibrant theatre community.
“We are thrilled to partner with The Road Theatre Company on KAIJU,” said Rob Bailis, Artistic and Executive Director of BroadStage. “This collaboration is about reaching for something out of the ordinary, both artistically and in the way we build community. Together, we are bringing resources to a new creative pipeline and blurring traditional boundaries in the process. And of course, it was hard to resist KAIJU as the place to start.”
SCHEDULE AND PRICING
KAIJU will preview on Tuesday, September 22 Wednesday, September 23 and Thursday, September 24 at 8pm will open on Friday, September 25 at 8pm (press opening) and perform through Sunday, November 1 at 2pm at the Road Theatre, located in The NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood.
Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm. There will be captioned performances for the deaf and hard of hearing communities on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 17.
Tickets: $39.00 (General Admission) $25.00 (Seniors) $17.00 (Students)
Tickets available online at roadtheatre.org: or https://ci.ovationtix.com/35065/production/1280560 or call 818-761-8838.
# # #
For more information, photos, press interviews or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at davidelzer@me.com.
# # #
For more than 35 years, The Road Theatre Company has been deeply rooted in the artistic community of Los Angeles--particularly in North Hollywood--serving as a home for new work and emerging voices. With its acclaimed playwriting workshops, monthly reading series and the Summer Playwrights Festival, (one of the largest new play festivals in the country), The Road has become a major force in bringing bold, original plays to Los Angeles. At a time when opportunities for playwrights are increasingly limited, The Road fills a critical gap. The company has helped launch and support the careers of now widely recognized playwrights such as Tom Jacobson and Steve Yockey, demonstrating its impact on the field and presenting thought-provoking stories that spark conversation and resonate with audiences. At the heart of The Road Theatre Company’s mission is a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in its casting, programming, audience engagement, and community partnerships. For example, The Road is one of the only theatres in Los Angeles to regularly offer open-captioned performances, helping make its productions accessible to Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
ABOUT BroadStage
Founded in 2008, BroadStage is a contemporary performing arts presenter in Santa Monica that energizes audiences through bold and outstanding performances, personal connection, immersive experiences, and interactive educational programs. A proud partner of Santa Monica College, BroadStage’s primary venue is the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, which includes three venues: The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage, a 535-seat venue combining the warmth of a small theatre with the acoustics and staging of a grand hall, The Edye, an intimate black box space, and The Plaza an indoor/outdoor space perfect for live music, dancing, and community building. Under the leadership of Artistic & Executive Director Rob Bailis, BroadStage is broadening its impact through a new artistic vision and expanded venue footprint, celebrating our shared humanity and expanding the role the arts play in the vitality of our diverse community. To learn more about BroadStage visit www.BroadStage.org.
Editors, please note: BroadStage (a single word) is the name of the arts presenting body of The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage. The organization is named after the venue. Please do not confuse BroadStage with The Broad (two words), which is the contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles.
Venue The Road Theatre
10747 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood CA 91601
Details Regions: North Hollywood / Burbank / Glendale
Categories: Theater > Theatrical Comedy
Event Phone: 818-761-8838 Performance Dates 9/22/2026 - 11/1/2026Tuesday, 09/22/2026
Wednesday, 09/23/2026
Thursday, 09/24/2026
Friday, 09/25/2026
Saturday, 09/26/2026
Sunday, 09/27/2026
Friday, 10/02/2026
Saturday, 10/03/2026
Sunday, 10/04/2026
Friday, 10/09/2026
Saturday, 10/10/2026
Sunday, 10/11/2026
Friday, 10/16/2026
Saturday, 10/17/2026
Sunday, 10/18/2026
Friday, 10/23/2026
Saturday, 10/24/2026
Sunday, 10/25/2026
Friday, 10/30/2026
Saturday, 10/31/2026
Sunday, 11/01/2026
Performance Times Previews: Tuesday, September 22 Wednesday, September 23 and Thursday, September 24 at 8pm Opens: Friday, September 25 at 8pm Runs: Friday, September 25 – Sunday, November 1 Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm There will be captioned performances for the deaf and hard of hearing communities on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 17.
Ticket Information Tickets: $39.00 (General Admission) $25.00 (Seniors) $17.00 (Students) Tickets available online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35065/production/1280560 or www.roadtheatre.org or call 818-761-8838. Get TicketsWebsites & Social Media Event Information
|