[photo credit: Discover Los Angeles]
This August, 413 Repertory Theater transforms Madeline Garden Bistro in Pasadena into the setting for Neil Simon’s uproarious farce “Rumors,” creating an immersive theater experience where audience members sip tea while watching a dinner party spiral into magnificent chaos.
The venue at 1030 E Green Street served as the U.S. Navy Undersea Research and Development Center from 1946 to 1987, including reported atomic bomb research.
Now, the elegant bistro provides the backdrop for this “high-society home turned battleground of confusion.”
Running Aug. 15 to 31, the production follows four couples who arrive at what was supposed to be an upscale dinner party, only to discover their hostess missing and the deputy mayor having shot himself in the head.
As “arguments, misunderstandings, and flat-out lies ensue,” guests navigate the chaos while enjoying a full English high tea service.
Simon’s 1988 comedy, which originally premiered at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, now gets new life in an intimate, participatory format.
The immersive production weaves performers between tables as audience members dine, creating what organizers promise as “a night of chaos, cocktails, and comedy.”
All tickets include the high tea experience, with VIP admissions offering “seating on a cozy sofa with premiere views and a glass of champagne.”
The production promises “a laugh-out-loud experience where the only thing more ridiculous than the truth… are the lies trying to cover it up.”
“Rumors”—A High Tea, Immersive Theatre Experience will run Aug. 15 to 31 at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m. Sundays. Madeline Garden Bistro, 1030 E Green Street, in Pasadena. For more call (626) 795-5599 or visit https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/event/2025/08/15/rumors-a-high-tea-immersive-theatre-experience. Tickets: $75 to $105.
