April | 2017 | Intimate Excellent
Center Theatre Group‘s Block Party continues with the opening of The Fountain Theatre production of “Citizen: An American Lyric” this Sunday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Based on a book of poetry by Claudia Rankine, adapted for the stage by Fountain Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs and directed by Shirley Jo Finney, “Citizen: An American Lyric” will begin previews tonight April 28 and continue for 11 performances only through May 7, 2017.
Block Party highlights some of the remarkable work being done in other, more intimate theatres throughout Los Angeles by fully producing three previously staged productions. The three productions receive the full support of Center Theatre Group and its staff in order to fund, stage and market each production. Block Party began with the Coeurage Theatre production of “Failure: A Love Story” April 14 through 23 and will continue with The Echo Theater Company’s production of “Dry Land” running May 12 through 21.
“Citizen: An American Lyric” fuses poetry, prose, movement, music and the video image in a provocative stage adaptation of Claudia Rankine’s internationally acclaimed book of poetry about everyday acts of racism in America. Of Rankine’s “Citizen,” The New Yorker wrote that it was “brilliant… [and] explores the kinds of injustice that thrive when the illusion of justice is perfected.” The New York Times wrote that “Rankine brilliantly pushes poetry’s forms to disarm readers and circumvent our carefully constructed defense mechanisms against the hint of possibly being racist ourselves.”
The cast of “Citizen: An American Lyric” includes Bernard K. Addison, Leith Burke, Tony Maggio, Monnae Michaell, Simone Missick and Lisa Pescia. Scenic and projection design is by Yee Eun Nam, costume design is by Naila Aladdin-Sanders, lighting design is by Pablo Santiago and original music and sound design is by Peter Bayne. Anastasia Coon is the movement director and Shawna Voragen is the production stage manager.
Audiences are also invited to engage in discussion with the “Citizen” cast and company following each performance during moderated Stage Talks. There will be no Stage Talk held on opening night.
Posted in Acting, actors, African American, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, poetry, race, racism, Theater, theatre
Tagged Bernard K. Addison, Block Party, Center Theatre Group, Citizen: An American Lyric, Claudia Rankine, Leith Burke, Lisa Pescia, Monnae Michaell, poetry, race, racism, Shirley Jo Finney, Simone Missick, stage adaptation, Stephen Sachs, theater, theatre, Tony Maggio
Week one of rehearsal started Tuesday for our upcoming remount of Citizen: An American Lyric, the centerpiece of Center Theatre Group’s Block Party at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Originally created and produced in 2015 at the Fountain Theatre, last week was a happy reunion for original cast members, designers , production crew and director Shirley Jo Finney.
Citizen: An American Lyric is a searing and poetic riff on race in America written by Claudia Rankine, adapted for the stage by Stephen Sachs. The cast features Bernard K. Addison, Leith Burke, Tony Maggio, Monnae Michael, Simone Missick, and Lisa Pescia.
The company met in the rehearsal room at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and immediately got to work. Day one began with a table reading of the script. As the week progressed, the actors were soon up on their feet pacing through the blocking. Citizen opens at the Kirk Douglas Theatre for a limited run April 30 – May 7.
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Posted in actors, arts organizations, director, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, racism, theatre
Tagged actors, Bernard K. Addison, Block Party, Center Theatre Group, Citizen: An American Lyric, Claudia Rankine, director, Fountain Theatre, Leith Burke, Lisa Pescia, Los Angeles, Monnae Michael, Rehearsal, Shirley Jo Finney, Simone Missick, Stephen Sachs, Tony Maggio
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Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged actor, Bo Foxworth, Building the Wall, Fountain Theatre, Judith Moreland, Los Angeles, Michael Michetti, new play, Robert Schenkkan, theater, theatre, world premiere
Robert Schenkkan’s powerful new political thriller Building the Wall, now playing to sold-out houses at the Fountain Theatre, will open Off-Broadway at New World Stages for a limited run May 12 to July 9th. The New York production will feature Tamara Tunie (“Law & Order: SVU”) and James Badge Dale (“13 hours”, “The Departed”), directed by Ari Edelson.
“We are thrilled Robert’s play will increase the national conversation on these issues by making its New York debut, ” says Fountain Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs. “I am very proud that the Fountain Theatre has lead the charge by launching the world premiere of this urgent new play.”
The Fountain Theatre opened the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Building the Wall on March 18, directed by Michael Michetti and starring Bo Foxworth and Judith Moreland. The production has earned rave reviews and is still playing to sold-out houses. The current run continues to May 21.
Judith Moreland and Bo Foxworth in “Building the Wall”, Fountain Theatre
“This announcement comes from the core of our artistic mission at the Fountain,” says Sachs. “We are dedicated to developing and producing new plays that are later seen in theaters across the country and around the world.” Examples include Athol Fugard’s Exits and Entrances, which premiered at the Fountain and opened Off-Broadway at Primary Stages, Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, and Sachs’ own Bakersfield Mist, now being produced worldwide after a 3-month run on London’s West End.
Building the Wall at Fountain Theatre
Posted in arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles, new plays, non-profit organization, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged Ari Edelson, Athol Fugard, Bakersfield Mist, Bo Foxworth, Building the Wall, Citizen: An American Lyric, Claudia Rankine, Exits and Entrances, Fountain Theatre, James Badge Dale, Judith Moreland, London, Los Angeles, Michael Michetti, National New Play Network, new play, New York, Off-Broadway, Primary Stages, Robert Schenkkan, Rolling World Premiere, Stephen Sachs, Tamara Tunie, theater, theatre, West End, 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:
- Leading Male Performance – Lawrence Stallings, MY MAÑANA COMES
- Supporting Male Performance – Peter Pasco, MY MAÑANA COMES
- Playwriting – Elizabeth Irwin, MY MANANA COMES
- Two Person Performance – Elizabeth Frances & Brian Tichnell, DREAM CATCHER
- Lighting Design – Jennifer Edwards, MY MAÑANA COMES
- Set Design – Michael Navarro, MY MAÑANA COMES
- Production Design – Dillon Nelson, MY MAÑANA COMES
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