Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m.
The hit Off-Broadway play The Opposite of Love will make its West Coast debut with a preview performance on Thursday, July 24 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, running through August 31. The intimate drama, written by and starring Los Angeles native Ashley Griffin as Eloise, explores the unlikely bond between a trust fund beneficiary and a struggling hustler, Will, played by Evan Strand, as they navigate intimacy amid past trauma.
The production, directed by Melora Marshall, known for her work at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, opens officially on July 25. Griffin, a Santa Monica native who honed her craft at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and built a Broadway career, returns to her hometown stage after her play’s 2024 Off-Broadway run at The Royal Family Theater. Strand brings his diverse acting and dance background, including Disney’s Frozen tour, to the role.
Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., with tickets priced between $29 and $45. The story, described by OnStage as a “masterpiece” cutting to the “heart of the human condition,” tackles modern intimacy issues, as Griffin notes the need to address sexual trauma in a “cyber world where dating feels like an audition process.”
The creative team includes scenic designers Joyce Hong and You Chen Zhang, costume designer Sage Barrie, and lighting designer Omar Madkour. The theater, at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., offers valet and street parking, with performances drawing from Griffin’s early Shakespeare debut at age eight to her recent acclaimed works.
