World Premiere of Dark Comedy “Shells” to Open at Los Angeles’ Greenway Court Theatre This September

Inspired by a true story, Amy Judd Lieberman’s debut play utilizes puppetry and physical humor to navigate the aftermath of gun violence.

Rogue Artists Ensemble and Greenway Arts Alliance are proud to announce the world premiere of Shells, an absurdist dark comedy opening on September 24, 2026, at the Greenway Court Theatre. Previews for this highly anticipated production begin on September 19, 2026.

Coping with Chaos Through Puppetry and Humor

Written by playwright Amy Judd Lieberman and marked by the directorial debut of Stephanie O’Neill with Rogue Artists Ensemble, Shells tells the story of Evvy, who is simply trying to return to work in the aftermath of an unexpected encounter with a violent neighbor. Finding her world permanently altered, Evvy must navigate a newly chaotic reality.

The play utilizes puppetry, physical humor, and surrealist elements to address the heavy and pressing realities of gun violence. The story is deeply personal, inspired by Lieberman’s real-life experience of being shot, unprompted, by a neighbor, and the lasting impact of that violation. Lieberman—a former sideshow performer and puppeteer turned attorney and harm reduction advocate—presents this story as her first play.

A Collaborative Community Effort

Produced by Rogue Artists Ensemble, known for its immersive and design-forward hyper-theater, Shells features a talented cast including Zachary Bones, Sol Marina Crespo, Eric Fagundes, Liesel Hanson, Caeden Healander, Sarah Mass, and Napoleon Tavale.

The production is also featured as part of the Greenway Reads Program. This fall, the Greenway Arts Alliance will lead the Fairfax High School community in a five-week educational residency and community reading paired with this professional production, hosting special morning student matinees followed by post-show cast discussions.

Performance and Ticket Information

The world premiere of Shells will be performed at the Greenway Court Theatre, located at 544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Previews are scheduled for Saturday, September 19 at 8 p.m., Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m., and Tuesday, September 22 at 8 p.m., leading up to the official opening night on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 8 p.m. Following opening night, regular performances will run Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Special morning student matinee performances will take place on Wednesday, September 30, Monday, October 5, and Wednesday, October 7 at 10:30 a.m. The production will run through Sunday, October 11, 2026, closing after the final 2 p.m. performance.

General admission tickets are available for $40 and can be purchased online at Greenway Court Theatre website. Audience members should note that this play contains accounts of gun violence and mass shootings that some may find disturbing, and toy guns will be present on stage during the performance. Attendees are encouraged to consider this before attending the show and to prioritize personal self-care.