Celebration Productions Corporation

In October 2024 Celebration Theatre returned to participate in One Institutes Circa: Queer Histories Festival with a reading of Boni Alvarez play STICKY RICE at festival venue partner Los Angeles LGBT Centers Renberg Theatre. Directed by former artistic director Michael Matthews and featuring television and stage actor Reggie Lee among others. The play centers on a group of San Francisco "gaysian" friends who confront their self-hatred and prejudices to unearth gay Asian beauty outside the White gaze the journey to self-love love for community and the love of your chosen family. The one-night-only event saw 67 attendees employed 12 theatre artists and included an audience talkback with moderator playwright director and cast.

In November 2024 the theatres Celebrating New Works program presented a West Coast Premiere workshop reading presentation of FAUCI & KRAMER by Drew Fornarola a co-production with Los Angeles LGBT Center at its DavidsonValentini Theatre. Brought to life by film tv and stage veterans Sal Viscuso and Jack Plotnick with direction by Khanisha Foster the play dramatizes an imagined meeting between Americas Doctor" Anthony Fauci and playwright activist Larry Kramer who had an unlikely and complicated friendship. In the 90s both were fighting the AIDS crisis from opposite ends of the political spectrum. In this heartfelt serio-comic play after Kramers death during the Covid pandemic his spirit visits Fauci one last time. In the privacy of Faucis home office the duo discuss art power progress and where we go from here. The one-night-only sold-out event enjoyed attendance of 64 patrons and engaged 5 artists. Celebrating New Works CNW is the theatres long-running new play reading series designed to shine a light on new and emerging voices within the LGBTQ+ community and the stories about for them.

In May 2025 Celebration Theatre produced a West Coast Premiere Reading Presentation of Rajendra Ramoon Maharajs SWEET LORRAINE directed by five-time Tony Award-nominated director choreographer Camille A. Brown. Inspired by the enduring friendship of Black queer literary icons Lorraine Hansberry and James Baldwin the play offers an intimate imagining of the final conversation between best friends in Lorraines New York City hospital room in January 1965. Set one week prior to Lorraines passing from pancreatic cancer the story explores the complex dynamic and often heated relationship between these two prolific creative giants and American artist-activists. Following a developmental workshop at Los Angeles LGBT Center audiences were invited to experience this new work as part of the City of West Hollywoods free 2025 WeHo Pride Arts Festival at the Renberg Theatre brought to life for a one-night-only staged reading with the luminous talents of LA Drama Critics Circle Award winner Ashley Romans* as Lorraine Hansberry Tony nominee Ato Blankson-Wood as James Baldwin two-time Obie Award winner and Tony Award nominee Charlayne Woodard stage and screen star Steven Weber and more. The project enjoyed over 150 attendees and engaged 12 creative workers and artists with support from the Edward F. Limato Foundation.

In June 2025 Celebration presented the West Coast Premiere of ascendant stage and screen artist Vico Ortiz solo show RISE OF A KING at Greenway Court Theatre. A cosmic gender-bending joyride this burlesque extravaganza blended drag astrology and raw storytelling to untangle the mess and magic of growing upwhile rewriting the rules of who gets to wear the crown. Directed by Ismanuel Rodrguez written by Vico Ortiz and developed with Nikki Levy the piece was produced in association with BoriQueer Productions and Puerto Rico-based Tantai Teatro and presented at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe Festival during Pride Month. The sold-out run garnered 267 attendees and engaged 6 creative workers and artists over 3 performances including an ASL-interpretated performance and post-show talkback with creator Ortiz and producer Nikki Levy.