Curtains Rising for Dozens of New Stage Productions

The year may be drawing to a close, but theater openings continue fast and furious throughout November. The openings include:

Today: Shay Duffin performs “The Importance of Being Irish” and “Brendan Behan: Confessions of an Irish Rebel,” on alternate nights at West L. A.’s Odyssey Theatre.

Monday: African actress Akuyoe traces her path from Ghana to England and America in her solo work “Spirit Awakening,” at Hollywood’s Barnsdall Gallery Theatre.

Monday: “The Good Doctor,” nine comic vignettes by Neil Simon--adapted from and suggested by the stories of Anton Chekhov--comes to Beverly Hills’ Theatre 40.

Wednesday: Child abuse is the subject of Ara Watson’s “Final Placement,” at the Tiffany Theatre in West Hollywood. The production, which benefits Children USA, will feature a different celebrity host for each performance.

Wednesday: Shakespeare, L. A. presents its second production, “Richard II,” at the Richard Basehart Playhouse in Woodland Hills, with Al Rossi in the title role.

Thursday: “Entanglements,” Naomi Feldman’s romantic comedy about a middle-aged couple and love the second time around, opens at Hollywood’s Court Theatre. Robert Mandan stars and directs.

Friday: “Lover’s Rumba,” “Savage Love” and “The Legacy” make up “An Evening of Romance,” at the Gardner Stage in Hollywood.

Friday: “Black Water Rising,” Dutch Parker’s treatise on apartheid, opens at Studio City’s Company of CharActors.

Friday: Justin Vyor’s family drama, “Michael,” premieres at The Complex in Hollywood.

Friday: “Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story,” a reading of 12 short works of fiction, has four performances at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu.

Saturday: A young man questions his religious beliefs upon his father’s death in Charles Avakian Freericks’ “Eight Miles from New York” at Hollywood’s West Coast Ensemble, where it won the 1992 full-length play competition.

Saturday: Aline Brosh’s “Inside Lois,” a new comedy about a magazine writer, her poet boyfriend and rival love interest, opens at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood.

Saturday: Tina Howe satirizes social conventions in “The Art of Dining,” at the Tracy Roberts Theatre in West Hollywood.

Nov. 10: The World War II internment of Japanese-Americans is the subject of Wakako Yamauchi’s “12-1-A,” a co-production of UCLA and East West Players, at UCLA’s Playhouse.

Nov. 10: Adelaide Mackenzie’s one-acts “The Fire Museum” and “Holding Down White” premiere under the umbrella title “Town and Country,” at Theatre/Theater.

Nov. 12: A second-rate circus disbands in Los Angeles circa 1952 in Ric Krause’s black comedy, “Why Things Burn,” opening at the Road Theatre in Sun Valley.

Nov. 12: Ernie Mirich and Rooster Mitchell satirize TV in “The Late Late Late Show starring: MR. Puppethead,” at The Complex.

Nov. 13: L.A. Connection’s newest comedy show, “Welcome to the Cheap Seats,” debuts at the Comedy Theatre in Sherman Oaks.

Nov. 13: Bridget Hanley is the preacher in James Dickey’s epic poem, “Sermon,” premiering at Studio City’s Theatre West.

Nov. 14: Steve Tesich’s black comedy “Square One,” tackles the issue of artistic responsibility and government subsidies, at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood.

Nov. 17: It’s baaaack. Michael Bennett’s multiple award-winning audition musical, “A Chorus Line,” returns to the Shubert Theatre in Century City for a two-week run.

Nov. 18: “The Double Dealer,” William Congreve’s 1693 expose of the rich and foolish, opens at the Globe Playhouse in Hollywood.

Nov. 19: “Goose and Tom Tom,” David Rabe’s brutal comedy about a pair of small-time hoods, opens at Hollywood’s Open Fist Theatre.

Nov. 20: “An Unfinished Song,” a musical by James J. Mellon about a group of people who gather to go through a dead friend’s belongings, premieres at the Tiffany Theatre.

Nov. 28: Pam Gems’ essay on the lives of four successful women, “Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi,” has a revival at the Open Fist Theatre.