Posted in arts organizations, Fountain Theatre, January 6, Los Angeles, performing arts, reviews, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Anna Khaja, Fountain Theatre, January 6, Larry Poindexter, Los Angeles, new plays, Patrick Keleher, performing arts, plays, Ron Bottitta, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre
This entry was posted in arts organizations, Fountain Theatre, January 6, Los Angeles, performing arts, reviews, Theater, theatre and tagged actors, Anna Khaja, Fountain Theatre, January 6, Larry Poindexter, Los Angeles, new plays, Patrick Keleher, performing arts, plays, Ron Bottitta, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre. Bookmark the permalink.
The Fountain Theatre board of directors has announced criteria in its national search to replace outgoing artistic director Stephen Sachs, who will retire at the end of 2024.
Sachs has been one of the most influential figures in the intimate theater scene in Los Angeles, not only as founding artistic director of the Fountain Theatre, but also as a playwright and director. The search seeks to find the individual best suited to honor and build upon Sachs’ legacy to lead the Fountain into the future and the next phase of its mission.
“The artistic director is the primary face of the organization, embodying and communicating the artistic vision and mission of the Fountain, and ensuring that the Fountain continues to be seen as one of the premier theaters in Los Angeles while advancing our national reputation,” states board chair Dorothy Wolpert.
Responsibilities of the new artistic director will include artistic leadership, including selecting and implementing full seasons of plays for the company; leading the development of new plays and the nurturing of new theater artists; and championing and sustaining arts education, dance and other programs, as well as administrative leadership: collaborating with the board to create and advance the organizational structure of the Fountain; supervising staff; and actively participating in all fundraising and development activities. Skills and qualifications include a B.A. or higher, preferably in the arts, and a minimum of five years experience as an artistic leader at a non-profit theater.
To find a detailed job description; a complete list of required skills, qualifications and personal leadership attributes; and information about salary and benefits, go to fountaintheatre.com/leadership-transition.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample on or before April 15 using this link. No phone calls please.
Questions can be sent via email to [email protected].
A personal message to you from Artistic Director Stephen Sachs.
Donate Here or text “FOUNTAIN” to 243725.
Posted in Arts, arts organizations, Fountain Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, non-profit organization, performing arts, Theater, theatre
Tagged #GivingTuesdayNow, artistic director, Fountain Theatre, Giving Tuesday, Giving Tuesday Now, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre
By Stephen Sachs
If Los Angeles had a Mount Rushmore, the visage of Gordon Davidson would be on it. Such a monument to the City of the Angels would include many faces, from a variety of disciplines. Politics, the arts, architecture, sports, business. With names like Mulholland, Chandler, Griffith, Bradley, Getty, O’Malley, Wright, Disney. And the name Gordon Davidson.
Starting in 1967 with the launching of the Music Center and the Mark Taper Forum, Gordon Davidson’s 38-year leadership of Center Theatre Group made him not only the Founding Father of Los Angeles theatre but one of the most influential artistic leaders in the city’s history. He planted the theatre flag in the sand for Los Angeles and put our city on the theatrical map.
With Gordon’s passing, and the loss of Arena Stage’s Zelda Fichandler this summer, the generation of bold visionaries who created, established and fought for the ideal of non-profit theater in this country, upon which all of us follow, are exiting.
For me, as a theatre artist growing up in Los Angeles, with a dream of some day creating my own theatre company, Gordon’s light was inspiring and his shadow monumental. But working with him and getting to know him revealed the kind, generous and supportive man he was. If you were a passionate theatre person, he was always on your side.
Gordon first influenced the course of my artistic life when he cast me in the world premiere of Tales from Hollywood, a new play by Christopher Hampton at the Mark Taper Forum in 1982 starring Paul Sorvino. I was twenty-three. It was my first acting job in the professional theater. I got my Equity card thanks to Gordon Davidson.
The house on Mabery Road
Gordon commissioned Christopher to write the play inspired by the history of Gordon and Judi Davidson’s home on Mabery Road in Santa Monica Canyon . The 1929 house once belonged to Austrian actress and screenwriter Salka Viertel. It became a meeting place in the 1940’s for German exiles during the war, including Bertolt Brecht, Arnold Schoenberg, Thomas and Heinrich Mann. Greta Garbo and Albert Einstein would visit. Famous actors, writers, and filmmakers of the era would gather each week for a Sunday salon in the house to eat, drink and argue politics and art. During the run of Tales From Hollywood, Gordon and Judi hosted a company party at their home where we all enjoyed an afternoon gathering and experienced the stimulating atmosphere of the notable house firsthand. The home not only held the history of the celebrated émigrés who met there years ago. It also displayed proof of the remarkable career of the man who lived there now. Among the family photos on the walls hung posters, playbills, and backstage photographs from Gordon’s extraordinary life in the theatre. I remember the framed drawing of Gordon by Al Hirschfeld in particular.
Drawing by Hirschfeld
As a young actor who grew up in Los Angeles, standing on the stage of the Mark Taper Forum in my first professional production was exhilarating. Like stepping into a dream. The Mark Taper Forum was my Mecca. The epicenter of LA Theater. For me and most actors in Los Angeles, to be working at the Taper was like passing through the portal of professional and artistic arrival. It was where you wanted to be, you needed to be. And that was all because of Gordon.
I loved being there. Not just on stage. All of it. The rehearsal rooms, the offices, the circular backstage hallway that curved around the playing area. The walls decorated with posters from Taper productions, each signed by the actors, many now famous and admired. My young hand trembled when I added my simple signature to our wall poster for Tales from Hollywood.
In the Taper hallways I would stare at the framed photographs from the 1979 world premiere of Children of Lesser God, created and performed on the Taper stage just three years before my arrival there. In the photos there was Gordon, directing John Rubinstein and Phyllis Frelich in that ground-breaking production which showed the world the power and beauty of American Sign Language on stage. Though my own commitment and contribution to deaf theatre in Los Angeles would be years away, a seed had been planted.
That same 1981-82 season at the Taper, just seven months before I appeared there, the newest play by Athol Fugard, A Lesson from Aloes, had been staged. I did not meet Athol that year, but our paths would cross nearly two decades later and an artistic partnership would be formed that would change my life. By way of Gordon Davidson and the Mark Taper Forum.
I savored my time at the Taper. I would sit in the empty arena, watching Gordon direct his company in the home he had fathered, and dream of someday creating a theatre home of my own.
When I finally opened the Fountain Theatre with my colleague Deborah Lawlor in 1990, Gordon and the Taper were entering a renewed phase of artistic achievement with the premieres of Jelly’s Last Jam, The Kentucky Cycle, Angels in America, and Twilight: Los Angeles. The Taper was riding a crest of award-winning national acclaim under Gordon’s unending passion, guidance and leadership.
Gordon Davidson, Athol Fugard, Stephen Sachs, at Fountain Theatre, 2004
Meanwhile, on Fountain Avenue, our modest theatre company was blossoming. In 2000, Athol Fugard surprised all of us by arriving one night to see our work. He offered me his new play, Exits and Entrances, in 2004 and a 12-year artistic partnership began that continues to this day. Gordon attended our world premiere production of Exits and Entrances and was beaming like a pleased uncle. So caring and supportive.
The last time I spoke with Gordon was a brief hello at the memorial service for Phyllis Frelich held at the Taper two years ago. By this time, I knew Phyllis well and had worked with her many times. She was a founding member of Deaf West Theatre, which we launched at the Fountain in 1991. Her memorial at the Taper was a gathering of the many deaf and hearing artists and friends in the community who knew and loved Phyllis. And a bittersweet reunion of the core team that had created Children of a Lesser God on that very stage: John Rubinstein, Mark Medoff, Robert Steinberg, and, of course, Gordon Davidson. Although eighty-one and moving more delicately, Gordon spoke passionately from the stage he once led about the power of theatre as a vehicle for human connection and a trigger for social change. Theatre still fervently mattered to him. Like a wise elder preaching from the pulpit, Gordon still believed.
And now he is gone. But not really. Because the hundreds of new plays he helped create, develop and produce over nearly four decades will endure forever. And the hundreds of thousands of lives he has impacted will be forever changed. Including one Artistic Director on Fountain Avenue.
The intimate Fountain Theatre is a fraction of the Taper’s size and budget. But that doesn’t matter. The words of Gordon Davidson continue to inspire and remind me that “the great thing about the theatre is that it’s dealing with the art of the possible. What’s possible is not limited by money, but by imagination, and vision.”
Gordon had the vision to see what was possible. The city, and ourselves, are forever richer for it.
Stephen Sachs is the founding Co-Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre.
Posted in artist, Arts, arts organizations, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, Theater, theatre
Tagged A Lesson from Aloes, Al Hirschfeld, Arena Stage, Arnold Shoenberg, artistic director, Athol Fugard, Bertolt Brecht, Center Theatre Group, Children of a Lesser God, Christopher Hampton, Deborah Lawlor, Exits and Entrances, Fountain Avenue, Gordon Davidson, Greta Garbo, John Rubenstein, Los Angeles, Mabery Road, Mark Medoff, Mark Taper Forum, Phyllis Frelich, Salka Viertel, Tales from Hollywood, theater, theatre, Thomas Mann, Zelda Fichandler
My Name is Asher Lev Feb 15 – April 19 (323) 663-1525 MORE
Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, Drama, Fountain Theatre, new plays, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Anna Khaja, artistic director, Brooklyn, Chaim Potok, director, Fountain Theatre, Hasidic, Jason Karasev, Jewish, Joel Polis, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Premiere, My Name Is Asher Lev, new plays, New York, performing arts, plays, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre
Posted in actors, Arts, arts organizations, Dance, Drama, Fountain Theatre, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged artistic director, Deborah Lawlor, Fountain Theatre, giving thanks, gratitude, Los Angeles, performing arts, plays, Stephen Sachs, thank you, Thanksgiving, theater, theatre
The Fountain Theatre, an Artistic Home to many for twenty-two years.
by Curt Columbus
What makes an artistic home?
An artistic home is a place where an artist can find nurture and take risk. It is a place where one can receive blunt, intense, but constructive critique, as well as new and generative ideas, generously given, wonderfully liberating, and immensely creative. Artistic home does not develop over a matter of weeks but takes years and years to take root inside the artists involved. Therefore, institutions must commit to making an artistic home a lasting place with multiple returns. This development requires casual and random contact over food, in hallways, or sometimes on the playing field (softball, anyone?). An artistic home, a true one, is always made richer and livelier by the presence of children and their incredible, life-affirming chaos. These can and should be the children of the artists involved, as well as the local community’s children, who are inevitably and inexorably drawn to any place that explores artistic potential. Like all homes, an artistic home can be filled with conflict, but at the end of the day, love is the overriding and overarching quality. (We may argue passionately, but we all kiss good night).
How can one create and/or build an artistic home for others?
Well, the real answer to that question is surprisingly simple. You create an artistic home by putting the needs of your artist collaborators ahead of your own needs or the needs of your institution, and you and your institution have to keep doing it over a long stretch of time. You commit to artists, you support their failures as well as their successes, and you put the people first, not their fame, nor their prestige, nor any other passing fad. Like family members, you love your artists for their flaws, as well as for their talents, encouraging the latter and addressing the former. You create an artistic home by playing the long game, not the short bet.
What is the artistic home of the future?
As artistic director of one of the last, long-standing resident acting companies in the American Theater, of course I am going to say a resident company! But, actually, I fervently and absolutely believe that it is true—I feel that we are returning to the resident company model in this country, for the same reason that the local foods movement and the locally made movement are starting to take hold in the United States. Resident artists feel the commitment of a community, which makes them more deeply connected to that community, which produces better art for the people in that community, and therefore, for the entire world. Resident artists are teachers, community organizers, fundraisers, and political advocates—all things that hired guns cannot do on any deeply felt or deeply understood level. I have several resident artists in my company who have been here for over forty years, and their impact in our community is profound. In fact, with one exception, all of our resident artists have been here for over a decade.
Carbon footprint is smaller if people live where they make art; larger institutional investment goes directly to artists over time, not just to administrators and support businesses; artists can make work that speaks directly to their communities, which deepens the democratic urge and its expression; and communities will have a passionately held belief in the artists in their midst, making them better places to work, to invest, and to live.
Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep in Rhode Island as artistic director in January 2006. His directing credits for Trinity include Merchant of Venice, His Girl Friday, Camelot, Cabaret, The Odd Couple, The Secret Rapture, The Receptionist, A Christmas Carol, Memory House, Blithe Spirit, Cherry Orchard, and the world premiere of Stephen Thorne’s …Poe. His plays Paris by Night, The Dreams of Antigone, and Sparrow Grass premiered at Trinity. His adaptation of Crime and Punishment (with Marilyn Campbell) is published by Dramatists’ Play Service. Curt’s translations of Chekhov’s plays are published by Ivan R. Dee, Chekhov: The Four Major Plays. The Dreams of Antigone is published by Broadway Play Publishing. Curt lives in Pawtucket with his partner, Nathan Watson.
Posted in actors, Arts, Fountain Theatre, new plays, performing arts, plays, playwright, theatre
Tagged actors, American Theater, Anton Chekhov, artistic director, artistic home, artists, arts organizations, Cherry Orcchard, Curt Columbus, Merchant of Venice, Paris by Night, resident acting company, Rhode Island, Sparrow Grass, The Dreams of Antigone, Trinity Rep
Art and commerce can make strange bedfellows in the world of nonprofit theater, especially in hard times. Can a theatre risk producing new work and still keep its doors open? When should a theatre sell its soul to please audiences? Can a theatre focus too fearfully on the spreadsheet’s bottom line and violate the bottom line of its artistic mission and the leader who guides it?
The question can be asked right here in Los Angeles. Sheldon Epps has had to program the Pasadena Playhouse with commercial, crowd-pleasing fare to lift the company out of bankruptcy. But, at least, Sheldon remains at the helm. That’s not always the case.
Jeff Zinn has stepped down after 23 years as Artistic Director at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre. Among others, one reason seemed clear: the Board decided that the cutting-edge new work that Zinn championed — and was at the core of WHAT’s artistic mission — could no longer financially support the organization and its gorgeous (and expensive) new state-of-the-art 220 seat theatre. You gotta fill seats.
Jim Petosa
Olney Theatre Center’s Artistic Director Jim Petosa knows that for sure. He has led the Maryland landmark since 1994 and directed shows there well before that. On Petosa’s watch, the sprawling 14-acre campus north of Washington DC has built a new mainstage, an intimate theater lab, and an outdoor amphitheater for summer Shakespeare.
As Olney’s artistic leader, Petosa has confronted both financial and artistic struggles. In 2010, the theater faced a $6 million debt and a 5 percent drop in subscriptions. Olney added more revivals of family-friendly shows instead of the more cutting edge theater Petosa favored. The overall tone of season 2011 at Olney has been demonstrably tried, true — and commercial. The strategy seems to be working, but for Petosa, the artistic challenges lie elsewhere.
It has just been announced that he will step down as artistic director at the end of this year.
“I think sometimes personal artistic ambitions and institutional artistic ambitions don’t necessarily meet,” he says.
The sad truth gets sadder: The family-friendly programming at Olney is not viewed by the theater’s board or its audiences as an “unconscionable compromise,” says Petosa. Indeed, they “seem to be responding to these programming ideas with enthusiasm and passion.”
This is what scares us.
Joy Zinoman, a longtime colleague and friend, says Petosa is “a beloved figure as a director — high energy, very warm, very positive; filled with ideas.”
But Zinoman, who stepped down herself in 2010 after 35 years as founding artistic director at Studio Theatre in Washington, questions the road that Petosa and Olney have taken. “Jim is not a person who just wants to do commercial work. In his heart, I don’t think he’s that at all. I would myself not agree that the way to attract an audience is to do that kind of work.”
Even in a bad economy?
“Even so,” she says. “I believe that it is possible to lead an audience. You have to lead an audience and just doing ‘The Sound of Music’ again, or ‘The Christmas Carol’ again, I’m not sure that’s the way to build a theater. I mean, it might solve your problem in the moment, but it’s not going to get you anywhere.”
Posted in Arts, Fountain Theatre, new plays, performing arts, plays, theatre
Tagged artistic choice, artistic director, Christmas Carol, financial risk, Fountain Theatre, Jeff Zinn, Jim Petosa, Joy Zinoman, Los Angeles, new plays, Olney Theatre Center, Pasadena Playhouse, Sheldon Epps, Sound of Music, Studio Theatre, Washington DC, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre
The Fountain Theatre board of directors has announced criteria in its national search to replace outgoing artistic director Stephen Sachs, who will retire at the end of 2024.
Sachs has been one of the most influential figures in the intimate theater scene in Los Angeles, not only as founding artistic director of the Fountain Theatre, but also as a playwright and director. The search seeks to find the individual best suited to honor and build upon Sachs’ legacy to lead the Fountain into the future and the next phase of its mission.
“The artistic director is the primary face of the organization, embodying and communicating the artistic vision and mission of the Fountain, and ensuring that the Fountain continues to be seen as one of the premier theaters in Los Angeles while advancing our national reputation,” states board chair Dorothy Wolpert.
Responsibilities of the new artistic director will include artistic leadership, including selecting and implementing full seasons of plays for the company; leading the development of new plays and the nurturing of new theater artists; and championing and sustaining arts education, dance and other programs, as well as administrative leadership: collaborating with the board to create and advance the organizational structure of the Fountain; supervising staff; and actively participating in all fundraising and development activities. Skills and qualifications include a B.A. or higher, preferably in the arts, and a minimum of five years experience as an artistic leader at a non-profit theater.
To find a detailed job description; a complete list of required skills, qualifications and personal leadership attributes; and information about salary and benefits, go to fountaintheatre.com/leadership-transition.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample on or before April 15 using this link. No phone calls please.
Questions can be sent via email to [email protected].
The Fountain Theatre board of directors has announced criteria in its national search to replace outgoing artistic director Stephen Sachs, who will retire at the end of 2024.
Sachs has been one of the most influential figures in the intimate theater scene in Los Angeles, not only as founding artistic director of the Fountain Theatre, but also as a playwright and director. The search seeks to find the individual best suited to honor and build upon Sachs’ legacy to lead the Fountain into the future and the next phase of its mission.
“The artistic director is the primary face of the organization, embodying and communicating the artistic vision and mission of the Fountain, and ensuring that the Fountain continues to be seen as one of the premier theaters in Los Angeles while advancing our national reputation,” states board chair Dorothy Wolpert.
Responsibilities of the new artistic director will include artistic leadership, including selecting and implementing full seasons of plays for the company; leading the development of new plays and the nurturing of new theater artists; and championing and sustaining arts education, dance and other programs, as well as administrative leadership: collaborating with the board to create and advance the organizational structure of the Fountain; supervising staff; and actively participating in all fundraising and development activities. Skills and qualifications include a B.A. or higher, preferably in the arts, and a minimum of five years experience as an artistic leader at a non-profit theater.
To find a detailed job description; a complete list of required skills, qualifications and personal leadership attributes; and information about salary and benefits, go to fountaintheatre.com/leadership-transition.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample on or before April 15 using this link. No phone calls please.
Questions can be sent via email to [email protected].
An unforgettable love story inspired by one of the most romantic movies of all time. Stephen Sachs directs Deaf actors Deanne Bray (Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, Heroes) and Troy Kotsur (title role in Cyrano at the Fountain, Big River on Broadway) in Sachs’ newest play, inspired by the screenplay for Noël Coward’s Brief Encounter. The world premiere of Arrival & Departure will open on July 14 and continue through September 30 at the Fountain Theatre. The cast also features hearing actors Jessica Jade Andres, Adam Burch, Brian Robert Burns, Shon Fuller, Kyra Kotsur, Aurelia Myersand Stasha Surdyke.
In Sachs’ new spin on the classic 1945 British film, a Deaf man (Kotsur) and a hard-of-hearing woman (Bray), two married strangers, meet accidentally in a New York City subway station. As their casual friendship develops into something deeper, each is forced to confront how their simmering relationship could forever change their lives and the lives of those they love.
“A train station is a place of transition, a place people go when they’re on their way to someplace else,” notes Sachs. “‘Arrival & Departure’ is not only a travel term. It expresses the journey of change that the people in this play are experiencing. What happens when you find your soul mate, but the circumstances of life get in the way?”
Kostsur and Bray are married in real life, and Sachs wrote the play with them in mind.
Deanne Bray and Troy Kotsur
“This is my valentine to the two of them,” he says. “But the characters they portray aren’t the only ones seeking human connection in the play. Other storylines interweave through the piece. Each character has a reason to reach out to someone.”
The 1945 classic film Brief Encounter, directed by David Lean with a screenplay by Noël Coward and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, was named “the most romantic film ever made” according to 101 industry experts polled by Time Out London. The Film Society of Lincoln Center named it “one of the most achingly romantic films ever made.”
The play is performed simultaneously in spoken English and American Sign Language with additional use of open captioning, so that both Deaf and hearing audiences can enjoy the production.
The creative team for Arrival & Departure includes set designer Matthew G. Hill, lighting designer Donny Jackson, video designer Nick Santiago, composer and sound designer Peter Bayne, costume designer Michael Mullen, prop master Michael Navarro, movement director Gary Franco and ASL masters Lisa Hermatz and Jevon Whetter. The production stage manager is Emily Lehrer. Simon Levy, Deborah Culver and James Bennett produce for the Fountain Theatre. Executive producers are Karen Kondazian; Diana Buckhantz and The Vladimir and Araxia Buckhantz Foundation; and Carrie Chassin and Jochen Haber. Producing underwriters include Dorothy and Stanley Wolpert; Suzanne and Don Zachary; Lois Tandy; Debbi and Ashley Posner; and The Howard and Helen Family Foundation.
Arrival & Departure is supported, in part, by generous grants from the David Lee Foundation, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Deanne Bray was born deaf and has been bilingual in American Sign Language and English since the age of two. She kicked off her acting career in 1991 at the Fountain Theatre, where Stephen Sachs directed her in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Bray is best known for the title role in Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, which ran for three seasons on the PAX network. She has appeared in numerous TV shows, including a recurring role on NBC’s Heroes alongside Milo Ventimiglia and Masi Oka. On stage, Deanne has been seen in Deaf West Theatre productions of Big River, Sleeping Beauty Wakes and My Sister in This House. A graduate of Gallaudet University, she has a Masters in Sign Language Education and a California K-12 Teaching Credential from CSUN. She currently teaches ASL at Oak Park High School.
Troy Kotsur has been acting and directing for over 24 years, earning multiple awards for his work on stage. Deaf since birth, he attended Gallaudet University, where he played basketball for three years before leaving to become a professional actor with the National Theatre of the Deaf. In 1994, Troy moved to Los Angeles and joined the company of Deaf West Theatre, where he has performed in countless productions. His television guest-starring roles include Criminal Minds, Scrubs, CSI: NY and Sue Thomas F.B.Eye in a recurring role (starring alongside Deanne Bray) that became a fan-favorite. In film, he stars in Wild Prairie Rose and in the upcoming Inside Track, and he has had notable supporting roles in The Number 23 with Jim Carrey, Universal Signs and Father’s Day Breakfast. He directed the award-winning independent film No Ordinary Hero: The Superdeafy Movie, the first film in the history of SAG commercial feature films to be directed by a Deaf director and to be executive-produced exclusively by Deaf executive producers. Troy’s stage credits include the Tony Award-winning run of Big River on Broadway, as well as starring roles in Deaf West Theatre productions of American Buffalo (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award nominee), Our Town at The Pasadena Playhouse, Cyrano at the Fountain (L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Award for best actor, Ovation Award nominee), A Streetcar Named Desire (L.A. Drama Critics Circle and LA Weekly awards) and Of Mice and Men (LA Weekly Award for best actor).
Stephen Sachs is an award-winning playwright, director, producer and the co-artistic director of the Fountain Theatre, which he co-founded with Deborah Culver in 1990. He recently adapted and directed a celebrity reading of the screenplay for All the President’s Men at Los Angeles City Hall starring Bradley Whitford, Joshua Malina and Jeff Perry. His stage adaptation of Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric (Stage Raw Award at Fountain Theatre) inaugurated Center Theatre Group’s Block Party at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and was chosen to represent Los Angeles theater for Grand Park’s new Our L.A. Voices Arts Festival. His play Bakersfield Mist enjoyed a three-month run on London’s West End starring Kathleen Turner and is now being produced in regional theaters across the country, translated into other languages and performed worldwide. Other plays include Cyrano (L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, Best Adaptation), Miss Julie: Freedom Summer (Fountain Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse, Canadian Stage Company, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award), Central Avenue (PEN USA Literary Award finalist), Sweet Nothing in My Ear (PEN USA Literary Award finalist) and several others. He wrote the teleplay for Sweet Nothing in My Ear for Hallmark Hall of Fame which aired on CBS starring Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. Sachs’ directing credits My Name is Asher Lev (L.A. premiere); Athol Fugard’s The Blue Iris (U.S. premiere); Bakersfield Mist (world premiere); Completeness by Itamar Moses, starring Jason Ritter; Side Man starring Christine Lahti; The Train Driver by Athol Fugard (U.S. premiere); Conor McPherson’s Shining City (L.A. premiere); the world premiere of Fugard’s Exits and Entrances at the Fountain (Ovation Award, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award) and off-Broadway at Primary Stages; Fugard’s The Road to Mecca (L.A. premiere); Arthur Miller’s After the Fall (Ovation Award); Sweet Nothing in My Ear (world premiere); Hippolytos, inaugurating the outdoor classical theater at the Getty Villa in Malibu; and many others. Sachs was recently honored with a Certificate of Commendation from the Los Angeles City Council for “his visionary contributions to the cultural life of Los Angeles.”
The Fountain Theatre is one of the most successful intimate theaters in Los Angeles, providing a creative home for multi-ethnic theater and dance artists. The Fountain has won over 225 awards, and Fountain projects have been seen across the U.S. and internationally. Recent highlights include being honored for its acclaimed 25th Anniversary Season in 2015 by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council; the inclusion of the Fountain’s Citizen: An American Lyric in Center Theatre Group’s Block Party at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and again, this year, as the centerpiece of Our L.A. Voices at Grand Park; and an all-star reading of All The President’s Men at Los Angeles City Hall. The Fountain’s most recent production, The Chosen, enjoyed rave reviews and ran for five sold-out months.
MORE INFO/GET TICKETS
Posted in actors, Arts, arts organizations, Deaf, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, love, movies, new plays, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged Adam Burch, American Sign Language, Arrival & Departure, ASL, Aurelia Myers, Big River, Brian Robert Burns, Brief Encounter, David Lean, David Lee Foundation, deaf, Deanne Bray, Diana Buckhantz, Donny jackson, Fountain Theatre, Gary Franco, James Bennett, Jessica Jade Andres, Jevon Whetter, Kyra Kotsur, Lisa Hermatz, Los Angeles, love story, Matthew G. Hill, Michael Navarro, Nick Santiago, Shon Fuller, Simon Levy, Stasha Surdyke, Stephen Sachs, Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye, theater, theatre lover, Troy Kotsur
Excitement was high and fingers were flying as the company of Deaf and hearing theatre artists gathered at the Fountain Theatre for the first rehearsal of Arrival & Departure, a new play combining spoken English and American Sign Language. The world premiere opens July 14.
The world premiere of a re-imagined modern-day stage adaptation of the classic 1945 film, Brief Encounter. A Deaf man and a hard-of-hearing woman, married to different people, meet accidentally in a New York City subway station. Their casual friendship soon develops into deeper feelings they never expected, forcing both to confront how their simmering relationship will change their lives and damage the lives of those they love forever. An unforgettable love story inspired by one of the most beloved romantic movies of all time.
Written and directed by Stephen Sachs, Arrival & Departure stars Deaf actors Deanne Bray and Troy Kotsur, with Jessica Jade Andres, Adam Burch, Brian Robert Burns, Shon Fuller, Kyra Kotsur, Aurelia Myers, and Stasha Surdyke.
The play is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language, Spoken English, and open captioning so that all audiences can enjoy the production.
Get Tickets/More Info
Posted in actors, Arts, Deaf, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, love, movies, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Adam Burch, American Sign Language, Arrival & Departure, ASL, Aurelia Myers, Brian Robert Burns, Brief Encounter, deaf, Deanne Bray, Fountain Theatre, Jessica Jade Andres, Kyra Kotsur, Los Angeles, love story, Shon Fuller, sign language, Stasha Surdyke, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, Troy Kotsur
“If you hold your hand closed, nothing good can come in. The open hand is blessed, for it gives in abundance, even as it receives.”
–Bridget “Biddy” Mason
Tonight, March 7, at 7pm, a one-night only performance of Biddy Mason: A Staged Reading will be presented at the Autry Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Annie Loui, and based on a story by Dana Johnson, Biddy Mason is presented by The Autry Theatre, CounterBalance Theater, Ebony Repertory Theatre, and the Fountain Theatre. The 90-minute reading blends video projection, music, song, movement and dramatic storytelling to bring to life the powerful and inspiring true story of an extraordinary woman.
Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born an enslaved female in 1818. Her exact birthdate and birthplace are unknown. As a teenager she was taught domestic and agricultural skills, and learned herbal medicine and midwifery from other enslaved women. At some point she was purchased by a Mississippi Morman convert named Robert Smith who moved his family and enslaved persons to the area that would become Salt Lake City. Along the long journey there, Biddy herded livestock, cooked the meals and acted as a midwife—all this while caring for her newborn child and her two young children, aged 4 and 10
In 1856, Smith decided to move again—this time to the slave state of Texas, where he planned to sell his enslaved people. Mason shared her fears of being separated from her children and never gaining her freedom to a couple of free black men. They, and others, helped her, and in 1856 Judge Benjamin Ignatius Hayes granted Mason and her family freedom.
In her new life, Biddy Mason worked as a nurse and midwife. At one point she cared for those afflicted with smallpox during the 1862 epidemic in Los Angeles. She saved her earnings and became one of the first Black women to own land in LA. She became a prosperous woman, and shared her good fortune with charities, fed the poor, and visited prisoners. She founded a traveler’s aid center, a school and day care for Black children, and the first elementary school for Black children in LA. She was also a founding member of the First AME Church of Los Angeles, and donated the land the church was built upon. Eventually she became to the community known simply as Grandma Mason.
Biddy Mason died on January 15, 1891 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights in an unmarked grave. Ninety-seven years later, her burial place was finally marked with a gravestone. She is remembered through the Biddy Mason monument in downtown Los Angeles, and her legacy lives on in the City of Angels.
The cast of Biddy Mason, pictured above, includes, from the top: Mary Hill as Biddy Mason; Leslie Lank as Mrs. Smith, Young Bandit, and Others; Kayla Quiroz as Latina Mother, Schoolteacher, Rita and Others. Bottom row: Garrett Gray as Charlie, Jeremiah and Others; April Mae Davis as the Voice of the Future, Ellen, Dana and Others; Alexander Quinones as Pio Pico, Dr. Griffin and Others; Abel Garcia as Master Smith, Judge Hayes, O’Malley and Others.
The Autry
4700 Western Heritage WayLos Angeles, CA 90027-1462
T: 323.667.2000
The Autry is located across from the L.A. Zoo at the junction of the I-5 and 134 freeways.
Take the Metro Local Line 96 to the Autry stop (if headed north/from Union Station) or to the L.A. Zoo stop (if headed south/from Burbank). Plan your best route using the Trip Planner on metro.net.
Parking is always free at 4700 Western Heritage Way, directly in front of the Autry. Overflow parking is available across from the Autry in the L.A. Zoo lot for $8-10.
Tickets
Tickets are $5 for Autry Members, $10 for the General Public. Reservations required.
PLEASE NOTE: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for an opportunity to visit the latest Autry Museum exhibitions and purchase food. Reading followed by a conversation with the creative team.
Posted in African American, Biddy Mason, CounterBalance Theatre, creativity, Dance, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, Native American, performing arts, plays, The Autry Theatre/Museum
Tagged Abel Garcia, Alexander Quinones, Annie Loui, April Mae Davis, Dana Johnson, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Fountain Theatre, Garrett Gray, Kayla Quiroz, Leslie Lank, Los Angeles, Mary Hill, performing arts, plays, theatre
How do families stay together, even when they are kept apart? The Fountain Theatre presents a gripping new docudrama, a compilation of true stories that explores the rippling impact of mass deportations on families. The world premiere of Detained, written by The Lillys 2021 Lorraine Hansberry Award-winning playwright France-Luce Benson and directed by Mark Valdez, winner of the 2021 Zelda Fichandler Award, opens February 19 at the Fountain Theatre. Performances will continue through April 10, with three public previews taking place February 16, 17, and 18 at 8pm.
Originally commissioned by immigration attorney Judy Rabinovitz of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, Detained is based on interviews with longtime U.S. residents held in immigration detention, and with their family members, advocates, attorneys and representatives of ICE. Inspired by their stories, Detained explores how families fight to stay together as increasingly cruel U.S. immigration legislation keeps them apart through mass deportations and immigration detention centers. It offers a heart-wrenching and in-depth look at the human lives behind the policies, and celebrates the strength and determination of the ordinary people who must fight against an unjust system while keeping their hope and faith in humanity intact.
“All of the stories in this play are true, and they are heartbreaking,” says Benson. “The more people I met, the more time I spent with them, the more important it became to tell their stories. When you go through trauma, you want to be seen, to be given a voice. My own family immigrated to America in the 1970s, and my father received a humanitarian award for the work he did at Krome Detention Center in the ’80s and ’90s. This is his story too, and a way for me to honor the sacrifices he made for us.”
Theodore Perkins in rehearsal for Detained.
When Rabinovitz first approached Benson, President Obama was still in office. Under his administration, more people were being deported than ever before. Since then, with harsher immigration legislation enacted under President Trump and the current Covid-19 health crisis, the situation for many immigrants has become ever more dire. As more stories of injustice persist and legislation changes, so does the play.“This play is a living document, and I’m constantly updating it,” Benson says. “People think that now that Biden is president, things are better. But thousands of people are still facing deportation every day. Many of these people have been living in this country for decades. They own houses, run businesses, pay taxes, have families.”Characters in the play include a teenage foodie aspiring “chef-lebrity,” a U.S. Veteran, and a mother of two who works as a roofer in New York City. Together, their collective voices weave a compelling and complicated tapestry.
Ensemble members, who play a range of roles, include Liana Aráuz, Camila Betancourt Ascencio, Christine Avila, Will Dixon, Jan Munroe, Theo Perkins, Marlo Su and Michael Uribes. The creative team includes scenic designer Sarah Krainin; lighting designer Christian V. Mejia; composer and sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett; media designer Matt Soson; props designer Katelyn Lopez; and costume designer Jeanette Godoy. Movement choreography is by Annie Yee. The production stage manager is Anna Kupershmidt. Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy and James Bennett produce for the Fountain Theatre. Producing underwriters include the Phillips–Gerla Family and Donald and Suzanne Zachary. Executive producers are Miles Benickes and Diana Buckhantz.
Detained was developed, with a generous grant from the Miranda Family Foundation, at Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York under artistic director Billy Carden.
Detained opens February 19 and runs to April 10. Proof of both vaccination and booster will be required for admission. Patrons must be masked at all times in the theatre, except when actively eating or drinking in our upstairs indoor café/outdoor deck. Snug, surgical grade respirator masks (N-95/KN-95/KF-94) that cover both mouth and nose, are strongly encouraged, but blue surgical masks are acceptable. Cloth masks are no longer approved.
For reservations and information, call (323) 663-1525 or go to www.FountainTheatre.com.
Posted in Acting, actors, African American, Argentina, Columbia, Detained, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti-American, immigration, Latina, Latino, Lorraine Hansberry Award, Los Angeles, Mexican American, Native American, performing arts, plays, playwright, playwriting, Politics, race, racism, stage, Theater, theatre, Trinidad, Zelda Fichandler Award
Tagged ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, Anna Kupershmidt, Camila Betancourt Ascencio, Charles McNulty, Christian Mejia, Christine Avila, Deborah Culver, Diana Buckhantz, Donald and Suzanne Zachary, Eric Garcetti, Fountain Theatre, France-Luce Benson, James Bennett, Jan Monroe, Jeanette Godoy, Judy Rabinovitz, Katelyn Lopez, Liana Arauz, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Marc Antonio Pritchett, Mark Valdez, Marlo Su, Matt Soson, Michael Uribes, Miles Benickes, Miranda Family Foundation, new plays, Phillips-Gerla Family, Sarah Kranin, Simon Levy, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, Theo Perkins, Will Dixon, world premiere
Lawrence Stallings, Pablo Castelblanco, Richard Azurdia, Peter Pasco
It was announced today that the Fountain Theatre has been nominated for seven Stage Raw Theatre Awards for two productions in the 2016 season. Our Los Angeles premiere of My Manana Comes by Elizabeth Irwin and the world premiere of Stephen Sachs’ Dream Catcher were acknowledged with the following nominations:
Full list of nominees.
Elizabeth Frances and Brian Tichnell in Dream Catcher.
The Third Annual Stage Raw Theater Awards are May 15 at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street, Downtown. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: General Admission $25, VIP reception (post-show) $100. VIP Includes: Hosted bar, passed food, trial membership to Stage Raw “Insiders Club” More Info
Posted in actors, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Brian Tichnell, Dillon Nelson, Dream Catcher, Elizabeth Frances, Elizabeth Irwin, Fountain Theatre, Jennifer Edwards, Lawrence Stallings, Los Angeles, Michael Navarro, My Manana Comes, Peter Pasco, playwright, set design, Stage Raw, Stage Raw Los Angeles Theater Awards, Stephen Sachs
Another unforgettable afternoon at the Fountain Theatre. Thirty students from Ramona Elementary School around the corner on Mariposa Street walked over to the Fountain Theatre Friday morning for a special visit that included a lesson on Native American storytelling and the making their own colorful animal masks.
Teacher Eric Arboleda’s 3rd grade class have been studying Native American culture prior to their visit. The Fountain’s current hit production of Dream Catcher offered the perfect invitation for the theatre and Ramona School to partner for the benefit of the young students. The project is made possible through Theatre as a Learning Tool, the Fountain’s educational outreach program that makes art accessible to young people.
The same class from Ramona Elementary School visited the Fountain in November during the run of The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek. For that production, the students painted their own stones in bright colors and patterns.
Sarah Boulton guides the class on Native American creation stories.
Friday morning’s visit began with the students gathering in the theatre to see Dream Catcher’s in-the-round dirt setting. Fountain colleague Sarah Boulton guided the students through a lively lesson plan exploring the creation stories from a variety of Native American tribes.
Eric Arboleda and Stephen Sachs
The students were then ushered outside where a long table covered with art supplies waited for them in the parking lot. There they enjoyed an exuberant get-together of mask making, grabbing paper and colored markers and scissors and bright vibrant feathers. It was a joy to watch the kids create their animal masks with such laughter and festive chatter, sharing in this art adventure they would not otherwise experience.
“Reaching out to young people is an important commitment for us. It’s what we do and who we are,” explains Fountain Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs. “Offering art and creative expression to students who may otherwise have no access to it. For us, there is no higher calling. Plus the pure fun and joy of it is rejuvenating for all of us.”
The Fountain will expand and enlarge its ongoing partnership with Ramona Elementary School. And, through Theatre as a Learning Tool, will continue to broaden its reach to serve young students throughout Southern California.
Posted in Art, Arts, Arts education, arts organizations, creativity, Education, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, Native American, Outreach Program, performing arts, plays
Tagged arts, Arts education, arts organizations, Dream Catcher, educational outreach, Eric Arboleda, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, masks, Native American, Ramona Elementary School, Sarah Boulton, Stephen Sachs, students, The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek, theater, theatre, Theatre as a Learning Tool
The Fountain Theatre continued its association with Native Voices at the Autry by hosting a post-show discussion Monday night following the performance of our acclaimed new play Dream Catcher by Stephen Sachs, directed by Cameron Watson.
Inspired by a true story, the powerful and thought-provoking new play dramatizes the passionate confrontation between Roy, a young engineer, and his fiery Mojave Indian lover Opal who claims the billion dollar solar energy plant Roy is helping to design is actually being built on the site of ancient tribal burial grounds.
Native Voices at the Autry is the only Equity theatre company devoted exclusively to developing and producing new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, and First Nations playwrights. Founded in 1994 by Producing Artistic Director Randy Reinholz (Choctaw) and Producing Executive Director Jean Bruce Scott, Native Voices became the resident theatre company at the Autry Museum of the American West in 1999.
After the performance of Dream Catcher Monday night, actors Elizabeth Frances and Brian Tichnell and playwright Sachs joined Reinholz and Scott for a Q&A discussion with the audience. Patrons shared their reactions to the play and examined such issues as cultural diversity, the peril of global warming, and the intersection of science and spirit.
“We had a great night,” exclaims Randy Reinholz, Producing Artistic Director of Native Voices. He hailed Dream Catcher as “Theatre about the important issues of our time.”
“Randy and I both love Fountain Theatre’s commitment to tackling difficult issues,” says Jean Bruce Scott, Producing Executive Director of Native Voices. “The production is wonderful and the cast fantastic. Superb script, acting, direction. Thank you so much for a wonderful night in the theater and for the lively and friendly talkback afterward.”
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Dream Catcher runs to March 21st. More Info/Get Tickets
Posted in actors, Arts, arts organizations, Climate Change, Fountain Theatre, Global warming, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Brian Tichnell, Dream Catcher, Elizabeth Frances, Fountain Theatre, Jean Bruce Scott, Los Angeles, Mojave Indian, Native American, Native Voices, new plays, performing arts, plays, Randy Reinholz, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, world premiere
Randy Reinholz and Jean Bruce Scott of Native Voices
Join the cast and creative team of Dream Catcher and Native Voices Producing Artistic Director Randy Reinholz, Producing Executive Director Jean Bruce Scott, and Ensemble Leader Jennifer Bobiwash in a post-show Q&A discussion with the audience after the performance this Monday night, February 22 at 8pm.
Elizabeth Frances
The panel will include Dream Catcher actors Elizabeth Frances, Brian Tichnell, director Cameron Watson and playwright Stephen Sachs. The discussion will focus on the tribal issues raised in the play, the challenges faced by Native actors in this era of diversity casting, and an assessment of how Native people are dramatized in theatre, film and television.
Dream Catcher actress Elizabeth Frances is a member of Native Voices.
Native Voices at the Autry is the only Equity theatre company devoted exclusively to developing and producing new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, and First Nations playwrights.
In Dream Catcher, construction of a billion dollar solar energy plant in the Mojave Desert is threatened to be brought to a halt when it is discovered that the plant may be sitting on a Mojave Indian burial site. Inspired by a true event, the world premiere production has earned rave reviews and runs to March 21.
More Info/Get Tickets
Posted in Acting, actors, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, playwriting, stage, Theater, theatre
Tagged arts organizations, Brian Tichnell, Cameron Watson, diversity, Dream Catcher, Elizabeth Frances, Fountain Theatre, Jean Bruce Scott, Jennifer Bobiwash, Los Angeles, Mojave Indian, Native Voices, new plays, performing arts, plays, Randy Reinholz, solar energy, solar power, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, world premiere
Looks like the Fountain may have another hit on its hands. Our world premiere of Dream Catcher by Stephen Sachs is earning rave reviews and has been spotlighted as Ovation Recommended by members of LA Stage Alliance. Broadway World hails it as “an incredible tour de force” and ShowBuzzNYC exclaims that it’s “an emotional rollercoaster thrill ride.”
Directed by Cameron Watson and starring Elizabeth Frances and Brian Tichnell, Dream Catcher is performed in a thrilling in-the-round setting (“Fountain 360”) until March 21.
Enjoy this new video highlighting the fabulous press quotes earned by this passionate production.
More Info/Get Tickets
Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, arts organizations, director, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Brian Tichnell, Broadway World, Cameron Watson, Elizabeth Frances, Fountain 360, Fountain Theatre, LA Stage Alliance, Los Angeles, new plays, Ovation Recommended, performing arts, plays, rave reviews, ShowBuzzNYC, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, world premiere
Packed house in the round for Opening Night of ‘Dream Catcher’
Our world premiere production of Dream Catcher by Stephen Sachs opened this weekend to a flurry of parties, standing ovations and enthusiastic response. A packed sold-out audience on Saturday night was thrilled with director Cameron Watson’s in-the-round staging and riveted by the kinetic performances of Elizabeth Frances and Brian Tichnell. Dream Catcher runs to March 21.
A select group of Fountain donors and board members enjoyed an early look at Dream Catcher Friday night at the final Donor Preview. They included actor Alan Mandell, Lois Fishman, Ejike and Victoria Ndefo, Nick Ullett, Ruth Tavlin, Patty Paul, Bill Butler, Susan Stockel, Dick Motika and Jerrie Whitfield, and Oscar and Nyla Arslanian. They were joined by Director of Development Barbara Goodhill, Co-Artistic Director Deborah Lawlor, producing Director Simon Levy, and members of the Fountain team. After the performance, all celebrated upstairs in the cafe for a catered party with the actors and company.
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After seeing Dream Catcher, actor Alan Mandell beamed, “A terrific performance. Very intense. Exciting theater directed by that master director Cameron Watson. A wonderful script from Stephen Sachs. Don’t miss it.”
A packed sold-out audience filled the theatre on Saturday’s Opening Night. The provocative in-the-round setting — dubbed “Fountain 360” — created heightened excitement and electricity. At the post-show reception, playwright Stephen Sachs was surprised by a special guest in attendance: Louis Sahagun, the LA Times reporter who wrote the original article in 2012 that inspired Sachs to write the play.
LA Times writer Louis Sahagun congratulates Sachs (right) on Opening Night.
Early reviews for Dream Catcher are starting to come in. The Examiner hails it as “Extraordinary! A must see!” LA Splash raves the “Stunning performances.”
Feel it. Full circle. In the round. Experience Fountain 360 for yourself.
More Info/Get Tickets
Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, arts organizations, Board of Directors, Climate Change, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Global warming, Los Angeles, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, playwriting, stage, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Alan Mandell, Barbara Goodhill, Bill Butler, Board of Directors, Brian Tichnell, Cameron Watson, Deborah Lawlor, Dick Motika, Dream Catcher, Ejike Ndefo, Elizabeth Frances, Fountain Theatre, Jerrie Whitfield, Lois Fishman, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Louis Sahagun, new plays, Nick Ullett, Nyla Arslanian, Oscar Arslanian, Patty Paul, plays, Ruth Tavlin, Simon Levy, Stephen Sachs, Susan Stockel, theater, theatre, Victoria Ndefo, world premiere
Check it out! Our world premiere of Dream Catcher. A hot new experience at the Fountain. Feel it. Full circle. In the round. Fountain 360.
Live theatre like nowhere else in LA.
More Info/Get Tickets
Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, stage, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Brian Tichnell, Cameron Watson, Dream Catcher, Elizabeth Frances, Fountain 360, Fountain Theatre, in the round, Los Angeles, new plays, performing arts, plays, playwriting, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, world premiere
Construction underway for in-the-round seating for ‘Dream Catcher’.
Director Cameron Watson wants Fountain audiences to walk into the theatre and immediately be surprised. To encounter the unexpected. For his mounting of the world premiere of Stephen Sachs’ Dream Catcher, patrons will be startled the moment they step through the lobby door: the seating has been changed to a dynamic in-the-round configuration.
Cameron Watson
“This play is volatile and exciting,” says Watson. “The muscularity of it got my attention right away.”
Watson doesn’t want audiences to experience the kinetic energy of Dream Catcher in the conventional way. Instead of sitting in the dark and watching the play as an observer, audiences will surround the playing area on all sides and be inside the world of the play with the two characters.
Dream Catcher is set in an empty stretch of the barren Mojave Desert. The construction of a huge solar energy plant in the middle of the desert is threatened to come to a halt when the sudden discovery of long-buried Native American artifacts are found on the site. Changing the theatre seating to an in-the-round configuration opens up the space to help evoke a feeling of wide expanse. It also creates a sacred circle for the audience, a sense of ritual and ancient storytelling that is central to Mojave Native culture. Even the hoop shape of an actual dream catcher is circular, signifying unity.
“I felt like it needed to be a circular, almost tribal, space,” says Watson. “I felt like it is told in a ring. Communal. That we all need to be part of the experience and commune with the story. Inclusive. The circular space echoes the vastness and isolation of the wide open space and also the circular configuration of the solar field in the desert.”
The new set is being created by award-winning and longtime Fountain designer Jeff McLaughlin. Changing the audience seating required extra effort for Fountain Technical Director Scott Tuomey and his crew.
This is not the first time the Fountain has experimented with altered seating. In 1993, The Seagull starring Salome Jens was performed in-the-round. Athol Fugard’s The Train Driver had a three-quarter setting in 2010, with the audience seated on three sides.
But this current in-the-round seating for Dream Catcher is unique and has an immediate impact on the total feeling of the space. It is kinetic, energetic and alive.
Which is exactly what Cameron Watson is wanting.
More Info/Get Tickets Now
Posted in Arts, arts organizations, designers, director, Fountain Theatre, Native American, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged Cameron Watson, Dream Catcher, Fountain Theatre, Jeff McLaughlin, Los Angeles, Native American, performing arts, plays, Scott Tuomey, set design, Stephen Sachs, theatre, world premiere
“If you hold your hand closed, nothing good can come in. The open hand is blessed, for it gives in abundance, even as it receives.”
–Bridget “Biddy” Mason
Tonight, March 7, at 7pm, a one-night only performance of Biddy Mason: A Staged Reading will be presented at the Autry Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Annie Loui, and based on a story by Dana Johnson, Biddy Mason is presented by The Autry Theatre, CounterBalance Theater, Ebony Repertory Theatre, and the Fountain Theatre. The 90-minute reading blends video projection, music, song, movement and dramatic storytelling to bring to life the powerful and inspiring true story of an extraordinary woman.
Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born an enslaved female in 1818. Her exact birthdate and birthplace are unknown. As a teenager she was taught domestic and agricultural skills, and learned herbal medicine and midwifery from other enslaved women. At some point she was purchased by a Mississippi Morman convert named Robert Smith who moved his family and enslaved persons to the area that would become Salt Lake City. Along the long journey there, Biddy herded livestock, cooked the meals and acted as a midwife—all this while caring for her newborn child and her two young children, aged 4 and 10
In 1856, Smith decided to move again—this time to the slave state of Texas, where he planned to sell his enslaved people. Mason shared her fears of being separated from her children and never gaining her freedom to a couple of free black men. They, and others, helped her, and in 1856 Judge Benjamin Ignatius Hayes granted Mason and her family freedom.
In her new life, Biddy Mason worked as a nurse and midwife. At one point she cared for those afflicted with smallpox during the 1862 epidemic in Los Angeles. She saved her earnings and became one of the first Black women to own land in LA. She became a prosperous woman, and shared her good fortune with charities, fed the poor, and visited prisoners. She founded a traveler’s aid center, a school and day care for Black children, and the first elementary school for Black children in LA. She was also a founding member of the First AME Church of Los Angeles, and donated the land the church was built upon. Eventually she became to the community known simply as Grandma Mason.
Biddy Mason died on January 15, 1891 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights in an unmarked grave. Ninety-seven years later, her burial place was finally marked with a gravestone. She is remembered through the Biddy Mason monument in downtown Los Angeles, and her legacy lives on in the City of Angels.
The cast of Biddy Mason, pictured above, includes, from the top: Mary Hill as Biddy Mason; Leslie Lank as Mrs. Smith, Young Bandit, and Others; Kayla Quiroz as Latina Mother, Schoolteacher, Rita and Others. Bottom row: Garrett Gray as Charlie, Jeremiah and Others; April Mae Davis as the Voice of the Future, Ellen, Dana and Others; Alexander Quinones as Pio Pico, Dr. Griffin and Others; Abel Garcia as Master Smith, Judge Hayes, O’Malley and Others.
The Autry
4700 Western Heritage WayLos Angeles, CA 90027-1462
T: 323.667.2000
The Autry is located across from the L.A. Zoo at the junction of the I-5 and 134 freeways.
Take the Metro Local Line 96 to the Autry stop (if headed north/from Union Station) or to the L.A. Zoo stop (if headed south/from Burbank). Plan your best route using the Trip Planner on metro.net.
Parking is always free at 4700 Western Heritage Way, directly in front of the Autry. Overflow parking is available across from the Autry in the L.A. Zoo lot for $8-10.
Tickets
Tickets are $5 for Autry Members, $10 for the General Public. Reservations required.
PLEASE NOTE: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for an opportunity to visit the latest Autry Museum exhibitions and purchase food. Reading followed by a conversation with the creative team.
Posted in African American, Biddy Mason, CounterBalance Theatre, creativity, Dance, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, Native American, performing arts, plays, The Autry Theatre/Museum
Tagged Abel Garcia, Alexander Quinones, Annie Loui, April Mae Davis, Dana Johnson, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Fountain Theatre, Garrett Gray, Kayla Quiroz, Leslie Lank, Los Angeles, Mary Hill, performing arts, plays, theatre
by Ben Brantley
Something rare and wonderful happened at the opening night of the Encores! concert production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” at City Center last week. At the end of the show, when the performers took their bows, the audience remained seated.
Let me hasten to add there was no doubt that this audience had mightily enjoyed what it had just seen. We had all beat our hands raw with clapping through a succession of showstoppers, including a tap sequence that would have made you swear the ghosts of the Nicholas Brothers had possessed its performers; an athletic series of variations on the Charleston; and a knockout rendition of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” that immortal anthem to non-liquid assets.
That number was performed by Megan Hilty, who as the gold-digging Lorelei Lee gave an original, audacious comic performance that, for the moment, wiped out memories of Carol Channing and Marilyn Monroe, her indelible predecessors in the role. It felt like one of those fabled performances (much cherished by theatergoers) that in a single, golden night thrust its leading lady into the firmament of musical stage stardom.
And at the final curtain, we stayed in our seats.
We whooped, we roared, we wolf-whistled. Our applause might well have sent tremors all the way to Battery Park. But no one, as far as I could tell, was standing up. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” had been accorded the five-star tribute of a sitting ovation.
I would like to make the case, officially and urgently, for the return of the sitting ovation. Because we really have reached the point where a standing ovation doesn’t mean a thing. Pretty much every show you attend on Broadway these days ends with people jumping to their feet and beating their flippers together like captive sea lions whose zookeeper has arrived with a bucket of fish. This is true even for doomed stinkers that find the casts taking their curtain calls with the pale, hopeless mien of patients who have just received a terminal diagnosis.
The s.o. (if I may so refer to a phenomenon that no longer warrants the respect of its full name) has become a reflexive social gesture, like shaking hands with the host at the end of a party.
Or, to put in cruder and more extreme terms, it’s like having sex with someone on the first date, whether you like the person or not, because you think it’s expected of you.
The reasons for the ubiquity of the promiscuous s.o. have been widely pondered by cultural pundits. One theory has it that it’s because habitual theatergoers have become a relative rarity. Many of the people who attend big Broadway shows are tourists whose itinerary includes, along with visits to the Statue of Liberty and the Hard Rock Café, a performance of “Wicked” or “Jersey Boys.”
For such audience members, standing up to applaud at the end has become of the Official Broadway Experience. And of course, if you’ve spent several hundred dollars for that pair of orchestra seats, an s.o. seems to help confirm that the money wasn’t wasted.
I also have a suspicion that for some people, standing up immediately at the end of the show is simply a physical relief after an hour or more of immobility. Besides, the sooner you’re on your feet, the greater your odds are for beating the crowd to the exits. And, oh yes, let’s not discount the domino effect of an s.o.: Once the person in front of you is standing, you too must stand if you want to see what’s on stage.
In London, where theater remains a larger and more natural part of the general cultural conversation, the s.o. is less epidemic. True, I have felt its sweaty presence at some of the bigger West End musicals (often imported from Broadway, so perhaps they arrived carrying the virus). But I can’t remember the last time I witnessed an s.o. at the National Theater, where the level of professional quality is consistently and rewardingly high.
Admittedly, there are some shows that deserve an s.o., which I don’t necessarily mean as a compliment. “Newsies the Musical,” in which the characters keep dancing and cartwheeling and jumping all over the place, seems so pathetically eager for an s.o. that to deny it one would be like forbidding an adorable puppy its chew toy. Similarly, Liza Minnelli – whenever and wherever she appears – must receive an s.o. It’s part of the unwritten but unbreakable contract between her and her audience (as it was with her mother, Judy Garland).
And then there are – or once were, the old ones tell us — the meaningful s.o.’s. These were not instantaneous or knee-jerk. Legend has it that on the opening night of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” the audience was so moved by what it had witnessed that it sat in sat in shocked silence, collecting itself and drying its tears, before the applause broke out.
I think that people seeing Mike Nichols’s current revival of that play may well be similarly moved by the tragedy of Willy Loman, its title character. But at the performance I attended, they were on their feet in a mega-second, as if electrodes had been applied to their legs.
So I can’t tell you how heartened I was, at the end of a packed spring theater season, to be part of that seated ovation at “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” I should point out that among audiences for musicals, those who attend the Encores! productions are probably the most sophisticated and discriminating in town. Many of them know the history, in detail, of the show they’re seeing and the resumes of those appearing in it.
But can’t we all, please, strive to be a little more like them? I’m not asking for the wholesale abolition of the s.o. That would be a sadly quixotic demand. I’m just asking you, my comrades in urban theatergoing, to think before you stand, if you must stand at all. And to remember, in an age in which the s.o. is as common in a Broadway theater as an endless line for the ladies room at intermission, that staying seated has become the exceptional tribute.
What’s your diagnosis for s.o. fever? Do you have any prescriptions for curtailing it? Or do you feel it even needs to be addressed?
Ben Brantley writes for The New York Times
By Terri Roberts
Here, in the second part of our series of conversations with Black artists who have frequently worked with the Fountain Theatre, we talk with actor and director’s assistant Erinn Anova, as well as actors Karen Malina White and Victoria Platt. More conversations to come. Stay tuned!
Erinn Anova
Actor: Central Avenue, Direct From Death Row: The Scottsboro Boys, Cyrano. Assistant to the Director: The Ballad of Emmett Till, In the Red and Brown Water
1. When/how did you first come to the Fountain Theatre?
I first came to the Fountain as the understudy for “Angel” in Central Avenue. Shirley Jo Finney had just directed me in Blues for an Alabama Sky in Northern California, and I’d recently moved to LA. She knew I was a huge jazz fan, and suggested I audition for the new play she was directing: Central Avenue. That play was so good! It went on for six months, so even as an understudy I had plenty of shows.
2. How has your experience been working here?
Great! I gained amazing friendships, and I’ve learned so much! I’ve had the opportunity to work with world-class playwrights, actors and designers. When I moved to New York, the Fountain was one of the few LA theatres that people have actually heard of. Overall, the Fountain feels like home – the quirks, the magic, the consistency. I just love it.
3. What Fountain shows that you’ve worked on hold particular meaning for you, and why?
They have all been great, but I’m going to have to go with two, for very different reasons.
First, Cyrano. It was such a gift for me, as a hearing person, to be immersed in the deaf community. In this whole new world, I learned about deafness and its power, about language and somatics, and about life. It changed me.
As far as acting goes the whole cast was amazing, but sharing scenes with Troy Kotsur (Cyrano) was something-other-else. It’s what I imagine working with another genius, Charlie Chaplin, would be like, and I’m not exaggerating. I also have to shout out Stephen Sachs for casting me – a dark brown, short-haired black woman (someone not always so “visible” in Hollywood) as the love interest, Roxy. The fact that there was never even a conversation about it was even sweeter.
Finally – very few people know this, but now’s as good a time as ever to share – a few years after Cyrano closed, and after some mysterious symptoms appeared, I was diagnosed with both hearing loss and an auditory processing disorder. It made so much of my life make sense, and now I wear hearing aids in both ears. That was a very scary time, and folks have no idea how badly regulated the hearing aid business is (that’s another story.) But because of Cyrano, I had people to reach out to. Maleni Chaitoo, one of the deaf actors, helped me tremendously with her knowledge and resources to navigate that journey, and I will always be grateful for her warm welcome into the hard of hearing/deaf community. Cyrano was a blessing.
Next, In the Red and Brown Water. For that show there was no “official” casting person – it was me! I was assisting Shirley Jo, and I believe James Bennett or Stephen gave me a general rundown of how to work the casting websites, and I was off and running. Of course, Shirley Jo gave me parameters of what to look for, but I am very proud of the amazing actors that I personally picked to come in for auditions. There were a few I even fought for: Diarra Kilpatrick, Maya Lynne Robinson, Stephen Marshall, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Justin Chu Cary and Simone Missick. Along with Iona Morris, Theo Perkins, Peggy Blow, and Dorian Baucum, this was one of the most phenomenal casts I’ve ever seen. They, along with Shirley Jo’s brilliant and elevating direction, made Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play fly. And they all turned out to be wonderful people, too! It’s been a joy to see everyone continue to shine bright in theatre, television, and film, and it’s even more of a blessing to be a part of the IRBW “family.”
One more: Direct From Death Row: Scottsboro Boys. This show has special meaning for me because Ben Bradley cast me in it. Rest in peace, Ben. Also, Mark Stein, who wrote it, and my brother, Harley White, Jr., who wrote the music, were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. They lost out to some musical called Hamilton.
4. Last summer’s civil unrest brought an increased focus on racism, both in general and within the theatre world. We also saw the emergence of the BIPOC movement. How have these issues impacted you and your work in the theatre?
My work has been impacted by the fact that that these conversations about racism are just now happening in the theatre world. At some point I stopped investing time and interest in pursuing work in “mainstream” theatres. As my grandmother would say, “Go where you’re wanted, honey.” I started in theatre very young (age 12) and in my naivete, I think I mistook the magic and camaraderie of theatre as a place where kindness and respect for humanity were built in. Often they are not. Some of my worst racial experiences have happened at theatres. No place is perfect, but I appreciate that the Fountain has always been interested in producing plays, supporting playwrights, and hiring actors from various cultures, with different abilities, and with numerous points of view — including BIPOC. It’s unique.
5. Why is Black History Month important?
It’s American history.
6. What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
I’m currently producing a documentary based on a study done by the University of California. It’s about racial disparities in marijuana arrests and the cannabis industry, and it’s called When The Smoke Clears. I’ve ot two national commercials that should start airing this spring. And I found a fantastic illustrator, so my children’s book, Pretty Bun, will finally be published this summer!
Karen Malina White
Actor: The Ballad of Emmett Till, Citizen: An American Lyric, Runaway Home
1. When/how did you first come to the Fountain Theatre?
I had auditioned for The Ballad of Emmet Till when it was being produced by The Goodman Theatre in Chicago. I was beat out by the one and only Deidrie Henry (Yellowman, Coming Home at the Fountain.) But a friend called me out of the blue to invite me to a reading of it at the Fountain. I was so excited! I hadn’t heard of the Fountain at that time but rushed and hoped I could get inside to hear the reading. I so loved the play and felt an enormous attachment to it. When I got there I saw both the playwright, Ifa Bayeza, and Oz Scott, who directed the Goodman production. I loved the new configuration with five actors playing all the parts, which was not the case in the Chicago production. Oz introduced me to Ben Bradley. Time moved on and that same friend, John McDonald. reached out to say that Ben Bradley was scrambling to find me to audition. So grateful and honored to have been a part of that life changing and bonding production.
2. How has your experience been working here?
Working at the Fountain is wonderful. It’s home now, and Stephen, Simon and Debra, the designers , (technical director) Scott Tuomey, and you, Terri, make every experience a joy!
3. What Fountain shows that you’ve worked on hold particular meaning for you, and why?
The Ballad of Emmett Till, because it was my first and because of the tragic circumstances surrounding it as well as the eternal friendships that came out of that experience. Finally working with Shirley Jo Finney, too.
4. Last summer’s civil unrest brought an increased focus on racism, both in general and within the theatre world. We also saw the emergence of the BIPOC movement. How have these issues impacted you and your work in the theatre?
I’m a company member of Antaeus, and we have been having some amazing conversations and taking major actions to be inclusive and reflect the most accurate picture of the best of America. It’s now a conscious decision to have our productions reflect inclusiveness and racial equity. We are looking forward to the work.
5. Why is Black History Month important?
Because it’s American History. African American History. So much of us know about the history of the dominant culture but not enough of other cultures. We have to remedy that.
6. What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
I have been fortunate enough to be working on The Proud Family reboot with Disney Plus Channel. Coming soon to the streaming service.
Victoria Platt
Actor: Cyrano, Building the Wall, Natural Shocks (staged reading)
1. When/how did you first come to the Fountain Theatre?
I can’t recall the very first production I saw. It was waaay back. But it was late ‘90s that I started coming to see productions there. Victory, In the Red and Brown Water, Emmet Till, The Brothers Size to name a few. The first production I was in was Cyrano.
2. How has your experience been working here?
It’s always wonderful. Simon Levy and Stephen Sachs hold this work with great care and respect. Every production I see at the Fountain is inspiring, thought provoking, and well produced. Hard to find all those elements simultaneously.
3. What Fountain shows that you’ve worked on hold particular meaning for you, and why?
Everything I’ve done at the Fountain has been important. That’s what they do there – important, meaningful work. Natural Shocks brought gun violence and violence against women to the stage. I love that Stephen chose to give the play four voices instead of the one it was written as. Cyrano was an incredible experience because I was reunited with Troy Kotsur (we performed together in Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum) and it was a co-production with Deaf West (as was Pippin.) I learned ASL for Pippin and kept it up, so the opportunity to use ASL on the stage again, to bring theatre to hearing and deaf audience members, and to work again with Troy was a trifecta of awesomeness for me. Building the Wall though was probably the most poignant for me because of the content. Seeing how it all played out in the real world was a testament to the prophetic words of Robert Schenkkan. It was an honor to tell that story at that time. After each show I spoke with audience members who were not just impacted by the work but were compelled to action. That is one of the blessings of all the productions at the Fountain. They not only educate, and enlighten but inspire. Good theatre is supposed to do that.
4. Last summer’s civil unrest brought an increased focus on racism, both in general and within the theatre world. We also saw the emergence of the BIPOC movement. How have these issues impacted you and your work in the theatre?
The issues that have emerged for some recently, have always been present within the BIBOC (Black Indigenous Bodies of Culture) community. I’m grateful to George Floyd and the countless others who shed their blood to shine a light on the injustices BIBOC have been experiencing for centuries. I’ve encountered more people willing to have real conversations about race, socio-economics and frankly all the ‘isms. And finally, the hard conversations are being had. I was accepted into Communal Consultations – a program created and run by My Grandmother’s Hands author Resmaa Menakem, which will deal with healing ancestral and racialized trauma. This training will allow me more insight into how I can use my work as an artist to bring more awareness and healing to people of all bodies.
5. Why is Black History Month important?
Unfortunately, Black History month is important because there is still grave inequality and oppression. People in Black bodies are still being murdered for no reason except being Black, and with no consequences. Black History Month is one of the necessary actions that highlight how people in Black bodies have contributed to the fabric of this nation; not just the fringe of it. In too many arenas, Black History Month is used as a performative practice, but sometimes even performative practices make their way past the ego and into the soul.
6. What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
For the past year I’ve been blessed to have recurring guest star work on NCIS, Good Trouble and Days of Our Lives. I’ve also been working as a motion capture (mocap) performer on a video game by 2K productions, which has yet to be named but due for release later this year. I can also be seen in A Cold Hard Truth, a film by Charles Murray (Luke Cage, Sons of Anarchy), now streaming on multiple platforms, and A Hard Problem, a film I also co-starred in, will release this March.
Terri Roberts is a freelance writer and the Coordinator of Fountain Friends, the Fountain Theatre’s volunteer program. She also manages the Fountain Theatre Café.
