Jefferson Mays and Melinda Page Hamilton star in "The Visit," opening Pasadena Playhouse's 2026-27 season at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Friedrich Dürrenmatt's dark comedy runs through Sunday, Oct. 4. Tickets start at $40.
Mays plays Anton Schill, a man living in a struggling town. Hamilton plays Claire Zachanassian, the richest woman in the world. Zachanassian returns to the hometown she left behind and offers to save it on one condition: the townspeople must put her former lover to death. Hamilton's screen credits include "Mad Men" and "Desperate Housewives."
The production reunites Mays with director Darko Tresnjak, who directed him in the Playhouse's "Amadeus" last season, according to Pasadena Now. Both hold Tony Awards. Tresnjak won his for "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder."
In its fall theater preview, the Los Angeles Times called the pair "the dynamic duo behind Pasadena Playhouse's thrilling revival of Amadeus." The Times noted that Dürrenmatt's 1956 tragicomedy "doesn't come around all that often."
Dürrenmatt, a Swiss playwright who died in 1990, wrote the play in 1956. Maurice Valency adapted it, and his version later became the basis of the Kander and Ebb Broadway musical of the same name. A musical version by Terrence McNally, John Kander and Fred Ebb that starred Chita Rivera had a short run on Broadway in 2015.
The cast also includes Christian Barillas, Jennifer Chang, Ricardo Chavira and Lauren Worsham. Chang and Worsham both appeared in the Playhouse's "Amadeus." Alexander Dodge designed the set and Charlotte Devaux the costumes.
The Playhouse offers discounts of up to 35 percent for groups of 10 or more. Running time is two hours, including a 15-minute intermission.
Special events during the run
- Wednesday, Sept. 9: Wine Wednesday. Ticket holders can arrive early for complimentary wine before the show.
- Tuesday, Sept. 22: Talkback Tuesday at the 7:30 p.m. performance.
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Onsite childcare during the 2 p.m. matinee, with a workshop for children ages 5 through 12 led by teaching artists.
- Sunday, Sept. 27: The 2 p.m. performance is open-captioned and audio-described.
Pasadena Playhouse is at 39 S. El Molino Ave. The box office number is (626) 356-7529.
