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CITY LIGHTS PLANS A SEPTEMBER REOPENING AND A FULL SIX-SHOW, IN-PERSON SEASON The 39th season features two world premieres and lots of smart comedy L I N K S SAN JOSE, CA (May 21, 2021) – In March 2020, City Lights announced a new season, “The Road To…” The lineup of plays and musicals was a journey Show graphics & through comedy, drama and the universal striving for human connection. synopses, and information about A week later, all the theaters shut down. auditioning and becoming a producer Now, the City Lights team is elated to finally plan a reopening this September, are on the 2021-22 with a full six-show, in-person season. The theme: “The Road Home.” season page at “It’s been quite a road,” Executive Artistic Director Lisa Mallette said. “While we cltc.org/explore-our- aren’t presenting the same season as the one that was canceled, we have an . 2021-22-season/ exciting mix of titles we planned and titles we’ve discovered since then. As always, we hope to transport our audiences through stories that entertain, excite, challenge and open your eyes to your world and yourself.” The direct link to purchase season During the shutdown, the team has been making numerous safety and sanitary passes is improvements to the theater. A new reserved-seating system also begins this cltc.org/seasonpass. fall. Ron Gasparinetti, the production manager and resident scenic designer, (Single tickets go on has spearheaded a major renovation of the space and has been formally sale June 21.) trained as City Lights’ Covid Compliance Officer.

Fittingly, City Lights' 39th season begins in September with Coded, the play that almost opened before the pandemic hit. This world premiere by local playwright Kirsten Brandt follows a team of female video-game designers.

Up next is Karen Zacarías’ Native Gardens. In this comedy, two couples get involved in a disagreement over a long-standing fence line. Agatha Christie also brings surprising comedy in The Hollow, opening in January. It’s followed by Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone: two Vietnamese refugees navigating '70s America in a play packed with hip-hop, humor and purposeful anachronisms.

May brings the second world premiere of the season: Jeffrey Lo’s Waiting For Next. The South Bay playwright has been developing the script about a lifelong friendship with readings at City Lights, TheatreWorks and other companies.

Finally, a summer musical that’s long been on the City Lights wish list: . This refreshing, autobiographical show based on ’s graphic novel has music by and book & lyrics by Lisa Kron.

Season passes are on sale: $220 general and $200 for seniors and educators, with flex passes (choose any combination of six seats) for $240/$220. All pass prices increase on Sept. 1, and single tickets go on sale June 21. To purchase a pass or single tickets, go to cltc.org/tickets.

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The season is supported by Season Producers Nancy B. Coleman & Paul M. Resch.

Coded By Kirsten Brandt Previews: September 16-17, 2021 Show runs: September 18, 2021-October 17, 2021 L I N K S Supported by Visionary Producers Nancy B. Coleman & Paul M. Resch and Producers Marv & Bonnie Bamburg Jerrie was on her way to being a leader in the gaming industry, until a competitor Show graphics & armed with a legion of internet trolls launched an all-out assault on her, and she synopses, and was forced into hiding. Now, she’s back with a hand-picked team and a plan to information about revolutionize virtual-reality gaming. If she can keep the trolls at bay and control auditioning and over her staff, she might be able to dismantle the industry’s boys’ club. But when becoming a producer the virtual world begins to invade the real one, things get really surreal. are on the 2021-22 season page at Native Gardens cltc.org/explore-our- By Karen Zacarías 2021-22-season/. Previews: November 18-19, 2021 Show runs: November 20, 2021-December 19, 2021 Supported by Producers Christy Martin and Cindy Melter and two producers who wish to remain anonymous The direct link to Pablo, a high-powered lawyer, and doctoral candidate Tania, his very pregnant purchase season wife, are realizing the American dream when they purchase a house next door to passes is community stalwarts Virginia and Frank. But a disagreement over a long-standing cltc.org/seasonpass. fence line spirals into an all-out war of taste, class, privilege, and entitlement. The (Single tickets go on hilarious results guarantee no one comes out smelling like a rose. sale June 21.) The Hollow by Agatha Christie Previews: January 20-21, 2022 Show runs: January 22, 2022-February 20, 2022 Supported by Producers Connie & Paul Boulay There's a wife and a husband, a mistress and a movie star, and plenty of other people tangled up in romantic situations, but only one of them does the deed. And by "deed," we mean "murder." After all, this is an Agatha Christie play. With classic mystery and surprising humor, The Hollow takes audiences into a lovely English country house on one very eventful weekend. Bring your alibis.

Vietgone by Qui Nguyen Previews: March 24-25, 2022 Show runs: March 26, 2022-April 24, 2022 Supported by Executive Producers Sandra Moll & Rick Holden and Rich & Sally Braugh It's 1975, Saigon has fallen, and Quang and Tong should be grateful they've made it to the United States. But he lost his wife and she lost her brother. And Arkansas is way too weird. In this irreverent comedy told in Qui Nguyen's audacious style, these two Vietnamese refugees try to find their way home, wherever that is. In the process, they just might find each other. Modern hip-hop meets 1970s America in an exciting mashup of history and cultures.

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Waiting For Next by Jeffrey Lo Previews: May 19-20, 2022 Show Runs: May 21, 2022-June 19, 2022 Supported by Executive Producer Toggle Hagan Frank is in a school parking lot waiting for his parents (like he always is) when he L I N K S meets Marcus, who is also waiting (like he always is). What comes next is a friendship that defines both of their lives. This world-premiere play follows the boys from ages 12 to 40 as they grow up and apart and together again, Show graphics & supporting each other through school, relationships, and some of the darkest synopses, and and brightest places life can take us. information about auditioning and Fun Home becoming a producer Music by Jeanine Tesori; Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron are on the 2021-22 Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel season page at Previews: July 14-15, 2022 cltc.org/explore-our- Show Runs: July 16, 2022-August 21, 2022 Supported by Visionary Producer Jim Lewis and Executive Producer Charlie 2021-22-season/. McCollum When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose The direct link to temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past purchase season and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel passes is Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, cltc.org/seasonpass. unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires. Fun Home is a (Single tickets go on refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through sale June 21.) grown-up eyes.

About City Lights: Since 1982, the nonprofit City Lights Theater has been inspiring audiences with an exciting mix of plays and musicals. The San Jose theater is a bustling 100-seat space that attracts artists, educators, students and playgoers. The company also develops new plays, with some scripts joining a regular season. Other special events include the Lights & Music Concert Series.

Executive Artistic Director Lisa Mallette has led the company since 2001. Since then, City Lights has been recognized not only for expanding its artistic reach and achievement, but also for its sound fiscal management.

While the pandemic dashed hopes of the company ending its 17th consecutive season in the black, the team stayed busy with a new online series, The Next Stage; podcast channel Filament; and other endeavors. The theater was able to keep all regular staff employed and deployed, with no mandatory furloughs. All are grateful for the City Lights community that values and supports the arts.

While abbreviated, the 2020-21 season has featured a new one-man adaptation of A Christmas Carol, written and performed by Mark Anderson Phillips and shown on demand; with new solo plays by Vincent Terrell Durham and Jeffrey Lo coming soon to screens.

Details on all events are at cltc.org.

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