“Life of Pi” comes to LA stages

The anticipation is over—the Tony Award®-winning phenomenon LIFE OF PI is sailing into Los Angeles for a strictly limited run at the Ahmanson Theatre, May 6 to June 1, 2025, after which the production will transfer to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for June. Prepare to be transported on a breathtaking journey of survival, imagination, and heart. Tickets are now on sale at CenterTheatreGroup.org and  SCFTA.org.

After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.   We all know this as the story as LIFE OF PI, one of the best-loved works of fiction, winner of the International Booker Prize, and a very popular film directed by Ang Lee.

But could it be put on stage as a live performance?  The resounding answer is yes! Adapted by the brilliant Lolita Chakrabarti from Yann Martel’s international best-seller, LIFE OF PI has enchanted audiences from London’s West End to Broadway—and now it’s taking the U.S. by storm on a spectacular national tour. With more than 15 million copies sold worldwide, Martel’s Booker Prize–winning novel comes to life on stage in a way you’ve never seen before.

The Story: When a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific, 16-year-old Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with four unlikely companions: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. What unfolds is a story of astonishing resilience, breathtaking beauty, and the power of storytelling itself.

LIFE OF PI promises to be so much more than simply a play—it’s a visually mind-blowing theatrical experience. With jaw-dropping puppetry, award-winning stagecraft, and emotional storytelling, this production redefines what’s possible on stage.

The production’s dazzling puppetry—led by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell—is so lifelike, you’ll swear Richard Parker is real. Three puppeteers bring the tiger to life in every breath, leap, and growl.

The production stars Taha Mandviwala as Pi, leading a remarkable ensemble under the original direction of Max Webster and tour direction by Ashley Brooke Monroe. With Tony and Olivier Award-winning designers across lighting, sound, scenic design, and video projection,  is a true collaboration of international talent.

Highly acclaimed, the show originally made its premier at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 2019. LIFE OF PI went on to take London by storm, winning five Olivier Awards. It continued its meteoric rise when the production transferred to Broadway in 2023, capturing three Tony Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Don’t miss your chance to experience this unforgettable theatrical adventure. Whether you’re a lifelong theater lover or new to the stage, LIFE OF PI is a rare, magical event that speaks to the child, dreamer, and survivor in us all.

LIFE OF PI

CENTER THEATRE GROUP AHMANSON THEATRE

Ahmanson Theatre, 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012

Dates:               Tuesday, May 6 to Sunday, June 1, 2025

Schedule:       Tuesday through Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m.

Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Added Performance Thursday, May 29 at 2.p.m.

Note: No performance Wednesday, May 14.

Tickets:          Prices — begin at $40.25

CenterTheatreGroup.org

Phone — Audience Services at (213) 628-2772

In person — Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre)

at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012

Groups —centertheatregroup.org/tickets/groups-and-corporate-offers

SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Dates:                      Tuesday, June 3 to Sunday, June 15, 2025

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays at 7:30pm

Saturdays at 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Sundays at 1:00pm and 6:30pm

Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall

Tickets start at $44.07

In-Person –

Box Office

600 Town Center Drive

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Monday 10am to 2pm

Tuesday through Friday 12pm to 5pm

Saturday and Sunday: Closed

Phone – Monday – Friday 10am to 5pm (714) 556-2787

Online – SCFTA.org

Group Sales – (714) 755-0236