Gloria

by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Marya Mazor

Awards and Recognition

  • 3 ½ stars out of 4 OC Register
  • 9.5 out of 10 Orange Curtain Review
  • PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST

Reviewer Quotes

“ Whoa, how the creative ambition impresses here! ”

OC Register

“ WOW! a production design that is the Chance at its regional theater best ”

StageSceneLA

» See this show for free when you Subscribe for $15/month!


Executive Producers
Linda & Tod White

Associate Producer
Laurie Smits Staude

Executive Season Producers
Bette & Wylie Aitken

Associate Season Producer
The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar

On the Cripe Stage… 

Style. Status. Success. A group of twentysomething editorial assistants are pursuing it all at one of New York’s most esteemed cultural magazines. When a seemingly normal day at the office turns out to be anything but, these aspiring journalists recognize an opportunity to seize a career-defining moment. Who has the right to tell whose story? Simultaneously funny and shocking, Gloria is an adrenaline rush of a show as MacArthur “Genius” grant winner Jacobs-Jenkins skewers the cutthroat, opportunistic culture of modern media.

Please be aware: “Gloria” includes violence, intense themes, scenes, events, and sudden loud noises that may be unsettling to some viewers. Click here for more details.

 

*** FINALIST for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama

“In live theatre, it’s rare for everything to work, from the look to the acting to the script, but this is one of those casts; it just works.”
Orange Curtain Review

“The Orange County premiere of ”Gloria‘, the Pulitzer Prize finalist by the exceptionally gifted Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, is a theatrical triumph at Chance Theater.”
FanBoyNation

“A dramatic and hilarious journey not to be missed. It’s another amazing staging added to the successful 2024 season of Chance Theater”
Glamgical

It’s taken almost ten years for Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Gloria to make its Orange County debut, but Chance Theater’s absolutely brilliant OC Premiere of this edgy edge-of-your-seater makes it more than worth the wait.
StageSceneLA

“A whip-smart satire! A sharp-toothed comic drama with a whole lot to say”The New York Times

“A shocking, hilarious, and spectacularly honest play” Chicago Tribune

“Provocative, sharply observant and playfully theatrical. This thought-provoking work continues its talented young writer’s winning streak” The Hollywood Reporter


Community Partners


Show artwork designed by KC Wilkerson, kcwdigital.com.


 

This production includes:
  • Violence
  • Use of a Prop that Fires
  • Suicide
  • Strong Language
  • Intense Workplace conflict and trauma
  • Graphic Discussion of the aftermath of violence
For those who prefer full disclosure (spoiler warning), including prop details, please check this page.    

3 Special Events:

  • Community Night

  • LGBTQIA+ Night

  • Wine Night

 

COMMUNITY NIGHT

Join us before and after the performance for a happy hour and get to know our community partners. Schedule is subject to change. Friday, October 11 starting at 7:00 PM.
  • 7:00 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks. Be sure to meet our Community Partners!
  • 8:00 PM - Gloria begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
  • 10:15 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and our Community Partner.
  • 10:45 PM - Don't leave just yet! We have a second round of bites and drinks.
  • 11:30 PM - Last call! The event comes to an end.

WINE NIGHT

Back by popular demand, Wine Night features a signature wine for the first 50 patrons in the door. Members and their guests receive priority access. Schedule is subject to change. Friday, October 18 starting at 7:00 PM.    
  • 6:45 PM - Check-in Starts
  • 7:00 PM - Wine Night starts. Enjoy free exclusive wines!
  • 7:45 PM - Wine Night ends. Get prepared for the show!
  • 8:00 PM - Show starts, feel free to bring in your cup!

LGBTQIA+ NIGHT

Join us for our LGBTQIA+ nights, where theater lovers who share an identity can connect over refreshments and conversation before enjoying a performance. Schedule is subject to change. Saturday, October 19 starting at 7:00 PM.    
  • 7:00 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks.
  • 8:00 PM - Gloria begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
  • 10:15 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and each other.
  • 10:45 PM - Don't leave just yet! We have a second round of bites and drinks.
  • 11:30 PM - Last call! The event comes to an end.
Are you part of a Community Organization? Contact us at shinshin@chancetheater.com for information on special discounts and fundraising opportunities.

IN PERFORMANCE

IN REHEARSAL

DESIGN PREVIEW PARTY

Articles & Reviews

Read More on the Blog

Audience Buzz

    1. Enjoyed all the way around.

      — Wendy L
    2. The performance was riveting, its messages so poignant for anyone involved in a workplace environment and concerned about the deterioration of personal interactions.

      Theater’s opportunity to entertain is basic to its survival, but when combined with its opportunity to educate, the experience becomes invaluable. The great sage Hillel wrote:

      “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
      And if I’m only for myself then what am I?
      And if not now, when.”

      We should strive to treat our family, our friends, and our co-workers with kindness and empathy and realize that people beyond their employment have a life, as complex as ours.
      Branden Jacobs -Jenkins in his two hour play is asking us to go home and look in the mirror.
      GLORIA is an educational opportunity that shows us what could happen when we fail to be “human.”

      — Rob Greenfield MD
    3. The performance was exceptional. The cast did a great job. I thoroughly enjoyed the production. The set and the sound quality was quite impressive. I will be back…even if my son is not performing. 🙂

      — Sonya
    4. good show

      — Anonymous
    5. Great acting, sets, and show! really enjoyed it!

      — Bridget
    6. Great writing; staging; exploration of interesting ideas around loneliness, writing, depression, guns, the damage done by being too self involved.. Great gem of a theater. Grateful for it being conveniently located; affordable; producing interesting plays. We have been theater goers for over 50 years in LA and OC. Your productions seem to be getting better and better.

      — Anonymous
    7. It was interesting, education, and entertaining

      — Carrie McFarlane
    8. A near-Pulitzer with superb, superb acting. What more can you ask for?

      — Eve Fudge

Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center

Bette Aitken theater arts Center
5522 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA  92807
More Information Get Directions
Venue Amenities
  • Full-Service Bar
  • Free Parking
  • Conveniently Located

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