La Mirada Theatre – February 8, 2026
I got these tickets from Today Tix for $23 during the Black Friday sale and didn’t even realize it was for Super Bowl Sunday. Honestly, I just wanted to go because Jason Alexander was directing and he was so fabulous in Fiddler last year. I may forever forward try to book a show for Super Bowl Sunday. There was no traffic. None! So we were already in a good mood before the show even started. We came in on the wrong side of the theatre to get to will call and rather than asking us to walk around, the ticket taker found an usher to lead us through the lobby to the will call area. While she was leading us through the lobby, she pointed out where the restrooms are, told us how much time was in the first half (and recommended we use the restroom before the show), how long intermission was, and how much time was in the second half. Then she told us they had a fun photo opportunity set up and pointed it out as well. What fantastic customer service! We picked up our tickets and got in line for the step and repeat. There were props! They had a pie, razors, bloody cloths to drape over the “victim’s” shoulders and various signs. There was an usher acting as photographer who exchanged the pie for the phone and took lots of pictures. So fun! We then hit the restroom as advised and made our way to our seats. For $23, we were in the balcony. I’d gotten us the closest to center I could get, so we were several rows up. All in all, not bad seats.
Jason Alexander directed and the show was staged to be told from the perspective of inmates in a mental asylum. It was an interesting take. I’m not sure it enhanced the show, but it didn’t detract from it either. There was an actor placed at the very top of the set (so even above my eyeline in the balcony) who was clearly playing the part of “asylum inmate Sweeney” and some of the actors appeared on the sidelines as if they were in an insane asylum. The actors were all wonderful, as you would expect from an almost entirely equity cast. Standouts for me were Will Swenson as Sweeney, Lesli Margherita as Mrs. Lovett and Austyn Myers as Toby.
The power went out with about 15 minutes left to go in the first act. It took a little time to get everything up and running again, but they moved pretty quickly and the emergency lights kicked on so we weren’t left sitting in the dark. Hey – it’s live theater, things happen. The people sitting next to us got up and left and then didn’t return so we ended up with much of the row to ourselves. That was actually pretty nice considering the people in front of me kept leaning their heads together to talk and use their program as a fan which obstructed my view, so we were able to move over one seat.
The only thing that bothered me about this production was a screeching sound they used whenever someone’s throat was slit (and it’s Sweeney Todd – MANY throats were slit) that was loud and jarring. I’m fine with just jarring, but at one point I considered putting in my earplugs. Overall it was a really great show though. It’s still playing until February 22, so if you have a chance go see it!