May 10 Sunday
“Home, I’m Darling,” by British playwright Laura Wade, is a witty comedy-drama about a modern woman who recreates 1950s domesticity in her home, exploring the tensions between nostalgic fantasy and contemporary reality as her retro lifestyle experiment begins to unravel.
There’s nothing accidental about the life Judy and her husband Johnny have built for themselves, but are their carefully laid plans really taking them where they want to go?
Join us for this comedic, yet heartfelt exploration of gender roles, societal expectations and the complexities of the modern age.
Whether you are looking for a fun girls’ night out, a catalyst for interesting date night conversations, or just a great night at the theater, “Home, I’m Darling,” is the ticket you’ve been looking for.
Evening performances Fridays and Saturdays through May 30. Matinee performances on Sundays through May 31.
The Western Stage is a professional community-based theater in residence at Hartnell College that has been bringing live performances to the Central Coast since 1974. We believe live theater is a transformative experience for everyone involved, those on the stage, those behind the scenes and those in the seats. Together we create stories that matter and discover new ways to understand ourselves and the world around us.
The Western Stage is committed to upholding the highest artistic standards while ensuring that our performances reflect the rich diversity of our community and speak to the lived experiences of the people of this region.
May 15 Friday
Through their belief in Ifá and the divine, three generations of women grow their relationships with each other and navigate living within their African diasporic identities in undergraduate student Alyssa Windom‘s award-winning script, Who Can I Run To? Windom is a 3rd year History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) major with the Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz and is the recipient of the 2026 Dharma Grace Creative Writing Award. The award includes a full theatrical production of their script.
In a modern, undisclosed time and a familiar yet unvisited space within the Americas, the audience meets four women, Lucia, Esme, Naia, and Aviva, three generations of the Sandorson family. The play follows each woman as they navigate how to live within the African diaspora, as well as grow their relationships with each other. Families are complex, but audiences learn this family does not have to figure out this life alone. Their belief in Ifá, and the divine, connects each woman with a guiding orisha that aids them in discovering themselves and their life paths.
Who Can I Run To? is directed by Theater Arts graduate student Darren Jackson-Wilkins.
May 16 Saturday
The Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony, under the direction of Daniel Goldsmith, performs music by Mozart, Beethoven, Fauré, Jacob Stone, and others. Concerto Competition winner Olivia Chen, age 18, performs her winning concerto. Students from the Youth Symphony’s Chamber Strings program open the concert. Bring the whole family! Treats served after the concert.
Audiences are invited to Alegria Del Mariachi, featuring international guest artist/composer Lupita Infante, granddaughter of the legendary Pedro Infante, and students performing with the UCSC Mariachi Ensemble and Mariachi Eterno de UCSC.
May 17 Sunday
May 18 Monday
May 19 Tuesday
May 20 Wednesday
May 21 Thursday