Immersive

Super-close to all the action, but not in the show.

There is nowhere to hide at 34 West. The furthest seat from the stage is just 12 feet! With that sort of proximity to the actors, you can’t help but feel like you’re transported to the world of the story.

Nick Fancher Photography

Our stories are epic in nature — transporting you from a radio theater to the city streets to the country, as in HITCHCOCK (above), OR from a jailhouse to the bayou to a beauty pageant, as in MOONSHINE (below).

Sarah Goldman Photography

If a cabaret and a black box theater had a fling with a wine bar, you’d wake up with 34 West.

And we post a “no sing-a-long” notice at our entrance when we produce musicals, mostly because you’re so close to all the action, if feels like you’re in your living room — it’s that intimate.

There aren’t too many places in the world where you can be that close to the actors who are performing the play they wrote themselves!

For tickets to MOONSHINE,…

Sarah Goldman Photography

That's Entertainment!

More live shows. More streaming. More entertainment!

First up, we’re planning 4 live productions that will bring you to your feet and give you all the feels in 2023.

With 1 repeat hit from 2019 and 3 never-before-seen comedies, we’re certain you have all you need to plan your next several date nights :) We can’t reveal the titles just yet but we promise you’ll burst with excitement when you find out what they are.

Filming is underway for our second short film, ARDEN HIGH. Inspired by our sellout 80’s series Addicted to Love, the short follows our high school secretary as she navigates prom and single-motherhood. We’ll be submitting to film festivals around the globe in early January. And then… we’ll be pitching this story and others to our peeps in Hollywood.

Our NTLive series featuring screenings of the latest National Theatre of London productions will occur monthly and are absolutely inspired. If you’ve never attended one of these Sunday night events, think of it like “movie night” except it feels like sitting in the front row of a world-class production.

There’s a lot planned for 2023 but it’s all just the icing on an already delicious cake made especially for you to enjoy.

Because our hope is that you’ll leave happier than when you arrived. That your mouth will hurt from smiling so much. That you’ll experience something incredibly innovative and breathtaking — basically, that you’ll feel all the feels.

After all, that’s entertainment!

For tickets…

Nick Fancher Photography

Short Film Accolades!

Our recent short film LOVE POTION is racking up awards on the international film festival circuit!

It’s a pretty impressive roster of accolades so far, from small avant-garde to the larger internationally recognized festivals. The verdict is unanimous: our little 15-minute short stands out!

We always thought our popular stage shows, written by Jeff Querin and Stephen Wayne, would make a fun film or series. Last year, we took the opportunity to do just that with our highly successful production of LOVE POTION NO. 9.

The result was a quirky, black + white film about a zombie outbreak in a 1950’s diner (inspired by Pleasantville and Happy Days).

We’ve now written a pilot episode and 10 episode arc off the same story and will pitch the concept later this year!

We’re doing the same with our other poplar productions as well. ARDEN HIGH, SUPER FREAK, MOONSHINE — all had multiple “episodes” on the 34 West stage. All are being developed into their own series.

Here’s the roster of awards so far…

Independent Short Awards in LA:

Best Comedy, Best Dark Comedy, Ensemble, Sound Design

Berlin International Art Film Festival:

Best Thriller

8 & HalfFilm Awards in Rome 2022:

Best Thriller, Best Sound Design

Florence Film Awards 2022:

Official Selection

New Filmmakers NY Festival 2022: Finalist

NYC Indie Short Awards 2022:

Finalist

Actors-writers Stephen Wayne, Jeff Querin, and Becca Anderson in the fabulous closing image of LOVE POTION.

March Madness

Creators Jeff and Steve have had a full month, to say the least.

Our latest live show sold out the first four weeks, our short film hit the festival circuit, and our pilot episode is ready to pitch!

Actors-writers-directors Jeff Querin and Stephen Wayne — but why are their glasses empty??

March started with a bang (more like an explosion!) as their latest live comedy ADDICTED TO LOVE opened to riotous applause and reviews. “34 West is so on fire with Addicted” says Susan Van Bavel.

Querin and Wayne star in the fast-paced comedy along with veteran actor Becca Anderson, who recently took on a larger role at 34 West as Head of Casting and Social. Rounding out the cast is Rebecca René Kelley, who was last featured in the popular summer sellout STAYIN’ ALIVE.

“We’ve certainly found our lane,” states Querin, who co-wrote the production with Wayne. “Audiences are desperate for feel-good, underdog stories these days. This current ‘episode’ of our Arden High series is a delight.”

In the middle of tech rehearsals and opening night, our Creative Team was also submitting to dozens of short film festivals around the globe.

Based off our 2017 sellout production, LOVE POTION chronicles a zombie outbreak in a quaint 1950’s diner. Think Pleasantville meets Shaun of the Dead!

The short is already gaining the attention of a few industry execs, and more importantly, we’re accomplishing our goal of developing a “Films + TV” arm of 34 West.

Creative Team members Kristine Kuhlman, Ian Maddox, Becca Anderson, Jeff Querin and Stephen Wayne

Our Creative Team is hard at work writing the pilot episode of LOVE POTION which will be pitched as a 10 episode series based off the 15-minute short film.

“There’s so much fun and backstory to these rich characters that we weren’t able to get into before,” says Querin. “It’s been a blast fleshing out these quirky, subversive personalities.”

34 West’s goal is to develop our live shows (and their follow-up “episodes”) into several different series for the screen.

Why?

Because the characters in each story are lovable outcasts. Unlikely heroes. They beat the odds. They find hope. They makes audiences feel-good and your mouth will hurt from smiling so long!

If you haven’t seen a live show, make you’re decisions soon. We tend to sellout sooner than later. Tickets are here.

If you want to follow our progress through the film festivals this year, you can follow us here on Twitter.

March was a crazy month. Can you imagine what April will be like???

Moments after an intense weekend of writing the latest show.

Creative Team

We’ve written over 50 plays and musicals. Every performance has sold out since 2017.

All because of this motley crew!

Actor-director-producers Jeff Querin and Stephen Wayne with Becca Anderson

It takes a village. A very small, unpopulated village.

Jeff and Steve may have started the company 22 years ago with a goal of producing innovatively triumphant stories, but it wasn’t until about 2015 when the tipping point occurred.

That’s when we met Becca Anderson.

Funny, dramatic, powerhouse vocals,… and most of all — a beautiful soul.

The more shows we produced with Becca the more we realized just how valuable she was to the creative process. Her logistical approach to story and artistic perspective have shaped almost everything we make.

Creative Team members Jeff Querin, Stephen Wayne and Becca Anderson getting nothing accomplished

We then began brainstorming “what’s next” for 34 West.

Every play was artistically and commercially a success. Broadway producers and friends were telling us to expand or franchise or license our shows. Sometimes too many options can be paralyzing.

So what did we do when the world shut down in 2020??

What. Is. Happening in this pic?!

We added 34 West Films!

Our quarantine bubble played around with some short films. We eventually settled on a 15-minute version of our comedy, LOVE POTION set in a post-apocalyptic 1950’s diner.

Yes, you read that right :)

The film has won “Gold” at the Independent Shorts Awards and we’re pitching a pilot episode based off the same concept!

Today our Creative Team includes Jeff, Steve, Becca and West Hollywood residents Kristine Kuhlman (NBC/Universal and Live Nation) and screenwriter Ian Maddox (The Night Agent, Lovecraft Country, District 13).

We don’t have any pics of Kris and Ian yet, so we’ll just post another pic of this happy trio…

Our greatest asset? We’ve got nothing to lose.

Now there’s more ways to enjoy 34 West… theater AND films!

We hope you’ll take in a live show the next time you’re downtown. Our current production (below) is epically 80’s and totally rad.

You can also visit our Films page and watch our award-winning short LOVE POTION!

See actors Stephen Wayne, Becca Anderson and Jeff Querin LIVE, now through May 28!