Studio Ghibli fans, rejoice! A Spirited Away stage play is headed to Los Angeles.
After debuting in Tokyo, Japan, in 2022, and receiving four Oliver Award nominations and winning the Best New Play at the 2025 WhatsOnStage Awards for its sold-out stint in London, the reimagined stage play based on Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic film is going global.
Spirited Away will run in L.A. from September 2, 2027, through October 27, 2027, at the Ahmanson Theatre.
The story seems to follow the movie closely. According to the Center Theatre Group website, Spirited Away “tells the enchanting tale of Chihiro who while traveling to a new home with her family, stumbles into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. When her parents are turned into pigs and she is put to work in a magical bathhouse, Chihiro must use her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents, and return to the normal world.”
Directed by Tony Award-winner John Caird, the show features a live orchestra performing Joe Hisaishi‘s beloved film score, as well as massive puppets depicting the iconic mystical characters.
The production will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles. It’s a three-hour show, including one intermission. Ticket prices begin at $37.95, and the presale begins in the summer of 2027.
📍 Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
