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Tragedy Giftshop show poster

Tragedy Giftshop at The Garage Theatre

Dates: (3/7/2025 - 4/5/2025 )

Theatre:

The Garage Theatre


251 E 7th St
Long Beach,CA 90813

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Tickets: $20-$40

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  2. Tragedy Giftshop


To kick off its 25th season, The Garage Theatre will present the world premiere of Tragedy Giftshop by Ryan McClary, directed by Matthew Anderson.

Tragedy Giftshop is set in Townesville, USA, a small community paralyzed by a recent school shooting. As these citizens are busy putting the shattered pieces of their lives back together, a new business comes to Main Street; a franchising gift shop professing to be a balm for the all-too-common American tragedy: the mass shooting. As they grapple with the hard facts - and intersections - of grief and consumerism in modern-day America, the folks of Townesville search for answers, comfort, and even community, at the Tragedy Giftshop.

Director Matthew Anderson brings together a stellar ensemble cast of returning Garage favorites, plus new faces from the Long Beach community including several students from the nearby Renaissance High School for The Arts. This is the fourth play McClary has premiered at The Garage Theatre, and his second time working with director Matthew Anderson. McClary’s past Garage Theatre accomplishments were 2022’s Private Lives of Imaginary Friends, 2015’s Wet Hot American Summer... The Play?, and 2013’s Ravens & Writing Desks co-written with Angela Lopez.

Tragedy Giftshop at The Garage Theatre Schedule

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, March 7 - April 5 Doors open at 7:30pm, show at 8pm

Cast and Creative team for Tragedy Giftshop at The Garage Theatre

Cast

Jade Dodgen

Lucy Baker
Jade (16) is currently an 11th grader at Renaissance High School for the Arts, studying theater and classical jazz music in pursuit of a career in performing. Highlight credits include Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and Father in Eurydice. This marks Jade’s first performance with the Garage Theater.


Rory Cowan

Chris Udall
Rory is delighted to continue his long association with the Garage Theatre. Tragedy Giftshop is his eleventh production with the Garage and his first as a proud company member. His past Garage productions include Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Misery, Killer Joe, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Cannibal: The Musical.


Madi Burns

Heather Morton
Madi is ecstatic to be in this production! Recently performing as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Currently working on the role of Papa Ge in Once on This Island. Madi is a sophomore in high school and studies drama at Renaissance High School for the Arts.


Sage Forsythe

Dominic Wicklow
Sage is furthering her career at Fullerton College after studying at the Stunts Performance Academy. Throughout the year, she has been seen in other roles; as Zoe at Zoe Reborn (Escapade Games) and a Reaper (FSL) at Knotts Scary Farm. Indulging her acting career even further throughout the season.


Paige Laney

Virginia Greene
Paige is making her Garage Theater debut! She first started acting in 2013 and has been a part of numerous productions throughout Long Beach. Favorite roles include Theodora in The Haunting of Hill House and Helena in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.


James Barnabas

Will Raskin
James is a stage actor, most recently seen portraying Juan Julian in Anna in the Tropics at LBCC. He has trained under Elena Vitale, Charles Tentindo, Mark Anthony-Vallejo, and Tony Carreiro, and is committed to honing his craft and expanding his artistic range. This fall, he has plans to pursue a BFA in Acting at CSUF to further develop his skills and repertoire.


Whitney Ellis

Greta Welles
Whitney is an actor, writer and director. She is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television and won a fellowship to complete her MFA at USC. She has performed at SF Sketchfest, Hollywood Fringe as well as done theater far and wide. Her work as an actor, writer and director has screened and won awards at various film festivals, most recently at the Oscar qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival.


Jerome Wallace

Declan Forrester


Creative Team

Matthew Anderson

Director


Ryan McClary

Playwright
Ryan McClary is a playwright, podcaster, and performer. He is a graduate of CSULB Theatre Department, and studied sketch writing at The Upright Citizen's Brigade. His previous writings for the Garage include The Private Lives of Imaginary Friends and Wet Hot American Summer...The Play?


Paul Knox

Stage Manager
Paul has been collaborating with the Garage Theatre since 2008, some of his Garage credits include Directing Beh, and performing in the roles of Bert in Babylon Heights, Will Blunt in Measure for Pleasure, Tom Tom in Goose and Tom Tom, Trig in Stupid Fucking Bird, Mr. Baggot/Ethics Man in Darkside, and Thom Pain in Thom Pain: Based on Nothing. Paul would like to thank everyone who has supported him as he takes on the role of stage managing this show.


Christine Lemus

Stage Manager
This is the fourth show that Christine has helped with at the Garage; She has also been a stage manager at the Long Beach Playhouse and Terrace theater. She has a love for local community theaters and the haunt community. She’s glad to be back with this new show, a world premiere, and season opener. Lots of firsts with this show and she’s excited to be a part of it.


Rob Young

Scenic Director


Ryan Young

Scenic Artist


Alyssa Felix Garcia

Props/Intimacy Choreographer


Mcleod Benson

Lighting Designer


Matari2000

Sound Designer


Matthew Julian

Production Manager


Ryan Young

Graphic Designer


Thomas Amerman

Technical Director


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