TOM TITUS -- Theater Preview

Something new will be added to the local stage scene this weekend as

two groups that specialize in unfamiliar entertainment mount their latest

creations, while two other theaters offer more familiar shows.

The New Voices Playwrights Workshop unveils its newest evening of

originals, titled “Scenes From a Hotel Lobby,” at the Costa Mesa Civic

Playhouse, while the Mystery Cafe, now known as the Gourmet Detective,

serves up murder as the main course in Newport Beach. Elsewhere, the

Trilogy Playhouse opens the dark comic musical “Little Shop of Horrors,”

and Vanguard University goes Southern for “Steel Magnolias.”

There are nine scenes in “Scenes From a Hotel Lobby,” one-act plays

from eight different playwrights, who concoct their stories periodically

around a preconceived theme like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, the beach or

the bedroom.

The lineup for this two-weekend presentation includes “Waiting” by

John Bolen, “Ritz Toast” by Tom Swimm, “Mixed Doubles” by John Lane,

“Albatross” by Richard Freedman -- who also coauthors “Cocktails” with

Alex Dorman -- “Knight of the Garter” by Penny Rudge, “Zing Went the

Strings of My Heart” by Jack Stanley, “Revolving Doors” by Gina Victoria

Shaffer and “Mistress of the San Sebastian Cat Hotel” by Amity Wescott.

For the first time since the “Voices” began speaking three years ago,

there will not be a new play by Christopher Trela, who founded the group

after taking a playwriting class at South Coast Repertory.

Trela and several other students from the SCR class put “New Voices”

together and have presented evenings of one-acts in the Civic Playhouse

and the former home of the Theater District, also in Costa Mesa.

“Scenes From a Hotel Lobby” will be played out at 2 p.m. Saturday and

Oct. 21, and 6 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 22 at the playhouse, 661 Hamilton

St., Costa Mesa. Call (949) 225-4125 for information.

Meanwhile, Orange County’s best dinner theater -- at least in the view

of Orange Coast Magazine -- will be back in action with an original

whodunit titled “Darling, You Slay Me.”

It’s 1929 in New York and a new Broadway musical, guaranteed to be a

hit, is opening. Beneath the charm and glitter are passions, conflicts

and ambitions of murderous intensity. At least one final curtain will be

rung down during the three-course dinner.

The three-act murder mystery -- during which the actors become waiters

and serve up the repast -- is ticketed for Friday and Saturday evenings,

indefinitely, at the Mezzanine Restaurant, 19800 MacArthur Blvd. Dinner

and curtain are at 8 p.m., with cocktails served at 7:30. Reservations

are taken at (714) 979-CLUE.

“Little Shop of Horrors” at the Trilogy Playhouse is a musical comedy

based on an old Roger Corman flick and focuses on a young flower shop

assistant’s far-out experiment in botany.

The giant plant that results possesses a ravenous appetite and a voice

to rival that of James Earl Jones.

Opening Friday the 13th, the show plays at 8 p.m. Fridays, 3:30 and 8

p.m. Saturdays and 3:30 and 7 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 29. Call (714)

957-3347, Ext. 1, for ticket information.

Finally, the popular all-female comic drama “Steel Magnolias” arrives

at Vanguard University (formerly Southern California College) for two

weekends under the direction of Susan Berkompas, chairwoman of the

school’s theater department. The play is set in a Louisiana beauty salon

and blends high comedy with emotional trauma.

Opening Friday, the show will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursdays through

Saturdays, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Oct. 22

in the Lyceum Theater on the Costa Mesa campus, 55 Fair Drive. Ticket

information is available at (714) 668-6145.

* TOM TITUS previews and reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot.

His reviews appear Thursdays and Saturdays.