Vanished -- a trail of clues

“My Wandering Boy,” a drama from L.A. playwright Julie Marie Myatt premiering at South Coast Repertory, traces the odyssey of a charismatic young man who went missing after college. For the retired cop (played by Charlie Robinson) hired to find him, every clue leads to more mystery. The search begins when a down-and-outer is found to be wearing the vanished young man’s boots. It leads to men and women who fell under his spell as he moved on for reasons unknown. Bill Rauch directs.

“My Wandering Boy,” South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Opens 8 p.m Friday. $28 to $60. (714) 708-5555. www.scr.org * Runs 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Sundays, 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; ends May 6.