Contact: Jeffree J Davis, Publicist, 99 Seat Production
jeffree@99seatproduction.com

John Guerra’s “Room by the Sea” Opens at Outside In Theatre in Co-Production with Coin & Ghost and After Hours Theatre Company 

A boy with a dream. A king with a secret. An island, shaped by grief and isolation. 

Directed by Brian Hashimoto 

Performances February 14 - March 10, 2026 

Opening February 22 

Los Angeles, CA (January 2026) — When does protection become a form of confinement? Room by the Sea, a new play by John Guerra and directed by Brian Hashimoto, runs February 14 through March 10, at Outside In Theatre, in co-production with Coin & Ghost and After Hours Theatre Company. The play centers on a disabled teenager in a wheelchair and his father living under a ruler who trades safety for obedience, and examines how care, fear, and power shape the lives of those caught inside that system. 

At the center of the play is a disabled teenager who uses a wheelchair and wants control over his own life. He lives with his father, an immigrant architect, under a ruler who ties safety to obedience. When the father is asked to design a sealed environment meant to contain someone deemed dangerous, his work pulls him deeper into a system that defines care through control. As the son pushes toward independence, the father becomes increasingly bound to the logic of containment. Alongside them, the ruler’s daughter observes the effects of isolation, secrecy, and inherited fear. 

Room by the Sea examines when love and protection begin to feel restrictive. The play asks how much control can exist inside care, and how fear shapes decisions made in the name of safety. Architecture and space function as tools of governance, shaping who is allowed to move freely and who is confined for the comfort of others. 

The cast includes Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Bruce A. Lemon Jr., Cole Massie, and Robert Paterno, with Tom Lucein, and Gerald Isaac Waters serving as understudies. 

This production is directed by Brian Hashimoto and written by John Guerra. The creative team includes Chu-hsuan Chang (Lighting Design), Mark Kanieff (Scenic Design), Cricket S. Myers (Sound Design), Mylette Nora (Costume Design), Kimberly Jimenez (Stage Manager), and access dramaturgs Dean Grosbard and Lee Rosen. 

The production was shaped early by access considerations. After the playwright and director, access dramaturgs were among the first collaborators invited into the process. Disability aesthetics and accessible practices informed script revisions, design choices, and rehearsal processes, with the goal of centering disabled characters as active agents rather than symbolic devices. 

Producing Artistic Director of Outside In Theatre Jessica Hanna said: 

“John Guerra's play takes something familiar and looks at it through a new lens. Its discussion of freedom and accessibility made supporting this production an easy yes. Outside In’s building was designed with access in mind, and this project activates that intention for both artists and audiences. The care and thought behind this process has been meaningful for our company.” 

Coin & Ghost Artistic Director Zachary Davidson added: 

“I’ve followed John’s writing for many years, and am always moved by his ability to find something poetic in the everyday, something fresh in the familiar. Room by the Sea is a story we know, but John - alongside the deep collaboration of this cast and creative team - have built something extraordinarily relevant from it." 

The production will be performed at Outside In Theatre’s ArtSpace, located at 5317 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042. 

The run includes preview performances February 14–21, 2026, with opening on February 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM. Regular performances will take place Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 3:00 PM, Mondays at 8:00 PM, and Tuesdays at 8:00 PM.Tickets are $45 for General Admission and $25 for Students and Seniors during the regular run. Preview performances are $25 for General Admission and $15 for Students and Seniors. Tickets are available at Room By The Sea 

TALKBACK TUESDAYS 

Select performances will include “Talk Back Tuesdays” pre-show conversations on topics including access-informed theatre and the experiences of working artist parents.“Talk Back Tuesdays” will take place on February 24, March 3, and March 10 at 7pm in Outside In's cafe & lounge The Lobby. 

CALENDAR LISTING DETAILS 

WHAT: Room by the Sea is a new play by John Guerra that explores freedom, disability, and power through the relationship between a father and son and a ruling family defined by secrecy. 

WHO: Written by John Guerra Directed by Brian Hashimoto Cast includes, Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Bruce A. Lemon Jr., Cole Massie, and Robert Paterno, with Tom Lucein, and Gerald Isaac Waters serving as understudies. Presented by Outside In Theatre Co-Produced by Coin & Ghost, After Hours Theatre Company, and Outside In Theatre 

WHERE: Outside In Theatre – The ArtSpace, 5317 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042 

WHEN: Previews: February 14–21, 2026 Opening: February 22, 2026 

Regular Performances: Saturday at 8:00 PM Sunday at 3:00 PM Monday at 8:00 PM Tuesday at 8:00 PM 

TICKET PRICES & HOW TO GET TICKETS: 

$45 General Admission | $25 Student/Senior | $25 Preview General Admission | $15 Preview Student/Senior

https://outsideintheatre.vbotickets.com/event/Room_By_The_Sea/183485