Written by Jez Butterworth
Directed by Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco
In association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
October 9, 2025: The Huntington Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts
Cast
- Allison Jean White – Veronica/Joan
- Amanda Kristin Nichols – Gloria
- Aimee Doherty – Ruby / Mrs. Smith
- Karen Killeen – Jillian
- Kate Fitzgerald – Young Joan
- Meghan Carey – Young Gloria
- Chloé Kolbenheyer – Young Ruby / Patty
- Nicole Mulready – Young Jillian
- Kyle Cameron – Dennis / Jack Larkin
- Jack Greenberg – Tony / Mr. Halliwell / Mr. Smith
- Patrice Jean-Baptiste – Penny / Biddy
- Mike Masters – Bill / Joe / Fogg / Dr. Rose
- Lewis D. Wheeler – Mr. Potts / Luther St. John
“The Hills of California” is a song. And a song is a dream. And Veronica Webb, a single mother raising four daughters in a guest house in the seaside resort of Blackpool, has a dream. Veronica’s dream is that her daughters become pop stars, and she drills them in becoming a close harmony vocal act. The play begins on a blistering hot day in 1976, and Veronica is off-stage, dying of stomach cancer. Her youngest daughter, the timid Jillian, is now in her early 30s and has sacrificed her life to care for her mother and the guest house. She anxiously awaits the return of her sisters to say their goodbyes.
Arriving first is Ruby, who vacillates between being the peacemaker and just checking out of the family strife. Next comes Gloria, full of rage at past offenses and her current misery. But the eldest Webb sister, Joan, is still missing. Having fled to America for a music career 20 years earlier, she has maintained minimal contact with her family. Still, it’s clear that Jillian and Ruby look up to Joan with hero worship, while Gloria’s venom targets their absent sister.
It’s not until the play flashes back to 1955 that we finally see Joan, as a teenager. While not necessarily a troublemaker, 15-year-old Joan is willing to push boundaries by arriving late for rehearsal, smoking, and making wisecracks at the dinner table. As Veronica navigates the somewhat unsavory world of showbiz, it’s nevertheless clear that the Webb Sisters share her dream and enjoy singing together. The problem is that for all their talent, they’re really just an excellent Andrews Sisters cover group. And in 1955, that musical style is rapidly falling out of fashion.
This becomes apparent when they audition for a sleazy American talent scout. I won’t get into spoilers but the circumstances of that audition go a long way to explaining both Joan’s absence and Gloria’s rage. And then the third act begins with something unexpected in live theater – a needle drop. The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter” plays on a jukebox as Joan finally arrives. With the four sisters together again there is a catharsis, with the script delicately balancing the fact that there is deep love in this family, but also not offering a joyful (and artificial) reconciliation.
This is a remarkable production and it starts with the set depicting the interior of the public lounge of the Sea View Guest House with a long staircase extending all the way to the top of the proscenium arch. This set is so massive and solid it feels like you could live in it. But the bigger surprise comes at the first flashback to 1955 when the entire set rotates revealing the Webb’s private kitchen and rehearsal space. The intricacies of this set and how the cast move through it (and move through time) is key to the play.
But a play cannot succeed just on an excellent set and is blessed with all-around excellent performances by the entire cast. Allison Jean White stands out as the vivacious Veronica and later as the adult Joan. Silly me, I didn’t realize she was playing a double role until I looked at my program at the end of the show. As good as the adult cast is, I think I like the young actors who play the Webb Sisters in the 1950s even more (and they’re all graduates of collegiate arts programs in Boston). Kate Fitzgerald stands out as Young Joan (coincidentally as Young Joan stands out in the Webb Sisters) capturing the innocent carelessness of a teenager who thinks she’s more ready for the world than she is.
The Hills of California is not a musical, but it has many musical elements, and the harmonies and performances of the Webb Sisters young and adult are quite enjoyable. The show runs longer than typical plays – around 2 hours, 40 minutes – but it doesn’t feel long and I could’ve spent more time with these characters.
The Hills of California runs at The Huntington Theatre through October 12. But! If you’re reading this and happen to live in actual California, this production is moving to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre where it will run from October 31 through December 7.
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