Chance Theater opens its doors to audience with ‘Edges’

Since shutting its doors in March last year, Chance Theater returns with its first live and in-person musical “Edges,” written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Pasek and Paul, the duo who wrote “Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman” and “Dogfight,” began their musical collaboration with a couple of songs when they were undergraduates at the University of Michigan. At the time, they were dissatisfied with the roles they were being cast in for college shows and decided to make a creation of their own to star in — “Edges.”

In the musical, four adults move through early adulthood in search of meaning, asking questions about love, commitment and identity.

The show became popular, traveling through 30 productions at colleges across the United States and had its professional premiere in 2007 at the Capital Repertory Theatre in New York.

Sarah Pierce, Jewell Holloway, and Elizabeth Curtin in the OC premiere of the Benj Pasek & Justin Paul musical, “Edges.”

(Courtesy of Doug Catiller, True Image Studio)

“All of the songs in this show feature characters that are on the figurative edge of an important moment in their lives,” James Michael McHale, director at Chance Theater, said in a statement.

“Many of them are facing an important decision or reeling from a decision that was just made for them,” he continued. “‘Edges’ is a show that reminds us that there are always many stories. It’s a show full of real, complicated humans coming from different places, different backgrounds and circumstances, that I think are all ultimately filled with hope for connection and meaning.”

Through self-attestation, theater staff will require unvaccinated audience members to wear face masks and recommend those who are vaccinated to do so as well. The venue will be operating at full capacity with no social distancing.

The theater is also offering a select number of showtimes with exclusively fully vaccinated patrons, who will also be required to wear face masks. For these shows, theater-goers must show proof of vaccination and a photo ID.

Over the past year, staff created virtual programming that is still available online, from theater show streaming with Zoom discussions, educational programming and online series like “Some Good News OC” and “Chance Encounters.”

If you go
What: “Edges”
When: July 9 through Aug. 8, various showtimes
Where: Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim
Cost: $39 to $49
Info: chancetheater.com

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