October | 2013 | Intimate Excellent
Rev. Kathy Cooper-Ledesma
Continuing its ongoing series of post-show Q&A Talkback discussions immediately following performances of The Normal Heart, the Fountain Theatre will host a conversation on “Religion, AIDS and the LGBT Community” this Friday night, Nov 1st. Led by Rev. Kathy Cooper-Ledesma of the Hollywood United Methodist Church (aka the Red Ribbon church) and Rev. Joe Shore-Goss of MCC in the Valley, the post-show audience discussion will also include members of the cast and the director.
Rev. Joe Shore-Goss
The Fountain Theatre is committed to reaching out and serving the wide variety of diverse communities that create the vibrant fabric of Los Angeles. At the Fountain, we encourage our audiences to not only watch a play but also engage in the conversation. Please join us for these invigorating, inspiring and thought-provoking discussions. See our acclaimed and powerful production of The Normal Heart this Friday and stay for the conversation.
The Normal Heart has been extended to December 15th! MORE
Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Gay, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, AIDS, Fountain Theatre, gay, Gay community, HIV, Hollywood United Methodist Church, Joe Shore-Goss, Larry Kramer, LGBT, LGBT community, Los Angeles, MCC in the Valley, performing arts, plays, post-show discussion, religion, Rev. Kathy Cooper-Ledesma, Simon Levy, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre
An aspiring actress on the Fountain Theatre stage.
By Lisa Phillips
There are many things I don’t know about life and how the world works, but there are two things I know for certain. The first is that many young people are less prepared for the working world than they were 20 years ago. The second is that there is something we can do about it!
Don’t get me wrong, young people today are energetic, caring about the environment and passionate about social justice. However, when it comes to the skills they need to conquer the competitive nature of the working world, there is some work to be done. Success skills such as effective communication, accountability, finding solutions to challenges, and adaptability are just some of the areas that many members of the current generation are lacking.
So where can they learn them?
In those “nice to have, but not need to have” programs that our school boards seem to be cutting like they were last year’s fashions…THE ARTS!
If parents, educators and policy makers would just LOOK and see what I see, they would recognize an untapped opportunity to catapult 21st century students toward achieving their goals in life. I would like to offer six reasons why the arts offer excellent opportunities to develop these vital success skills.
1. The Arts Don’t Focus on Right & Wrong
The simple fact is, if we learn mainly in an environment in which we pump out answers that are either right or wrong, with no middle ground or room for creativity, we will begin to see the whole world as black and white. We will expect every problem to have aright answer. Participation in the arts opens up our mind to the possibility that the world is full of color and there is more than one way to achieve a goal. When the pressure of needing to find the right answer is removed, it becomes easier to take a risk and try – and trying is the only way to succeed.
2. The Arts are Inherently Creative
The desire to employ creative people is not unique to Apple. The most successful companies assemble teams of people who are able to see the big picture, to make connections and to predict market trends. Even in a fiercely competitive job market, these skills will always be in demand. Unfortunately, our traditional systems of education are not designed to produce people with these skills. In arts education children are constantly being asked to try new things and think of alternatives. This kind of thinking goes a long way toward developing the essential success skill of creativity.
3. The Emphasis on Practice
In the arts, it is understood that you will not be able to learn an instrument or be an incredible dancer over night. Developing these skills takes effort and hours and hours of practice. The arts environment encourages persistence through challenges towards mastery, a skill very much needed to thrive in the 21st century. When children participate in the arts, they will not shy away from learning things in their adult lives that are challenging, or take lots of time and effort. They would have already experienced the benefit of that level of practice through their arts training.
4. The Focus on Feedback & Critique
Feedback is a constant part of the learning process in the arts. This helps children understand that feedback should not be taken personally, but that it is meant to challenge them to push beyond what they think they are capable of achieving. A good arts teacher’s critique is specific; it tells the student what works, what does not, and what they can do to improve. If we are used to seeing feedback as fuel for improvement, our natural reaction when receiving feedback will not be to make excuses, but to ask for more feedback about how we can improve our performance.
5. The Moment of Success
Each discipline within the arts has its own method of performance or presentation – an art exhibit, a play, a dance show etc. This gives children a sense of accomplishment after all of their effort and practice. This acknowledgement translates into a strong boost of confidence and enhances their drive to continue learning and improving. They have experienced a moment of success and when that happens they are typically motivated to seek even more success.
6. The Coping Mechanisms for Handling Stress
Mental health is a growing concern in our society and often people can become overwhelmed with stress. It is important to find ways to calm ourselves during those moments. Dancing, painting or playing the piano can be a great stress reliever. These activities help us let out our frustrations, and express ourselves without needing to use words. If children develop these skills early, then as adults they will naturally gravitate toward these and will have a way to deal with stresses that come up in their lives.
The world is changing so rapidly and the rules in the job market are requiring a different set of skills in order to find success. Long gone are the days when a university degree was enough to guarantee a great career. We need to wake up to the realization that the arts have a critical role to play in the development of the skills young people need to not only survive, but to thrive in the 21st century.
Lisa Philips is the author of “The Artistic Edge: 7 Skills Children Need to Succeed in an Increasingly Right Brain World”.
Posted in Arts, arts organizations, Fountain Theatre
Tagged art teacher, arts, Arts education, arts learning, arts organizations, arts training, creative process, creative thinking, Creativity, Dance, drama, Fountain Theatre, Lisa Philips, Los Angeles, performing arts, theater, theatre, young people
Timo Nunez
With only 80 seats in four rows, the Fountain Theatre, named “the foremost venue of flamenco in Los Angeles” by the LA Weekly, is the perfect place to view flamenco. Each show features a roster of world-class dancers, singers and musicians drawn from the rich pool of Flamenco artists in Southern California, with additional guest artists brought from San Francisco, Albuquerque and Spain.
This month artistic director/dancer Timo Nuñez will be joined by dancers Clara Rodriguez and Briseyda Zarate; singer Jesus Montoya; guitarist Gabriel Osuna; and percussionist Joey Heredia.
Passionate. Exhilarating. World class flamenco in an intimate setting.
Forever Flamenco Sunday, Nov 10 8pm (323) 663-1525 MORE
Posted in Arts, arts organizations, dancer, flamenco, performing arts, singer, Theater, theatre
Tagged Briseyda Zarate, Clara Rodriguez, Dance, Deborah Lawlor, Flamenco, flamenco dancing, flamenco guitar, flamenco music, Forever Flamenco, Fountain Theatre, Gabriel Osuna, Jesus Montoya, Joey Heredia, Los Angeles, theater, theatre, Timo Nunez
Jeff Witzke, Bill Brochtrup, Verton R. Banks
Actors from our acclaimed production of The Normal Heart participated in the Models of Pride LGBT Youth Conference today at the University of Southern California (USC). This one-day conference is presented by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s LifeWorks program and focuses on the concerns and interests of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth up to age 24, and their allies.
The Models of Pride conference offers over 100 workshops, a huge resource fair, exciting entertainment, lunch and dinner, and an evening dance with DJ. The workshops cover many areas of life that are experienced by LGBT youth transitioning to adulthood including but not limited to LGBT issues.
The Normal Heart actors were joined at the conference today by Fountain Co-Artistic Stephen Sachs and Associate Producer/ASM Terri Roberts . The Fountain hosted a table at the outdoor event. The group handed out flyers, interacted with hundreds of young people, and networked with dozens of other organizations. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and a very productive day.
Reaching out to young people is a vital goal and ongoing process for the Fountain Theatre and the company of The Normal Heart. The smash hit production has educational, historical, cultural and artistic importance for young audiences who were born after the initial AIDS crisis exploded on the scene in the early 1980’s. The Fountain was determined to be at today’s LGBT Youth Conference. To keep AIDS and Gay Rights awareness alive in young minds and remind young people that the battle is not over. And to encourage them to see an important play that brings these issues — and so much more — dramatically and passionately to life.
Enjoy These Snapshots from Today’s Conference
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The Normal Heart Extended to Dec 15th (323) 663-1525 MORE
Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Gay, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, AIDS, AIDS awareness, Bill Brochtrup, Fountain Theatre, HIV, Jeff Witzke, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Larry Kramer, LGBT, Los Angeles, Models of Pride, performing arts, plays, Simon Levy, Stephen Sachs, Terri Roberts, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre, University of Southern California, USC, Verton R. Banks
Lily Brown and friend chat with actor Tim Cummings
All of us at the Fountain Theatre feel it is important for young people to see our current production of The Normal Heart. Larry Kramer’s powerful, funny and deeply moving chronicle of the dawn of the AIDS crisis in 1981 has been named one of the 100 Greatest Plays of the Twentieth Century by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. Our production has earned rave reviews and overwhelming audience response and has just been extended to December 15th.
An entire generation of young people have grown up with little or no awareness of AIDS. Many think the AIDS crisis is “old news” and something that happened “back then” with no relevancy today. Not true. More than 30 million people have died worldwide from the AIDS virus so far, with over 1 million people still dying every year — today, now — in 2013.
Our acclaimed production of The Normal Heart is not a history lesson. It is a riveting drama, a heartfelt love story, a compelling political thriller. It is powerful theater, life-changing theater, necessary theater. With the force to inspire and open the eyes and hearts of young people. As this message from college student Lily Brown states so eloquently:
There have been so few times in my life that a piece of theater has moved me so much as to push me to the point of tears. Tears for heartbreak, tears for sorrow, tears for pure rage and tears for lost time and lost lives. But more than deeply moved, I was deeply inspired. As a 20-year-old college student working to get a degree in political theater and Spanish, there is nothing more valuable to me than getting to see the type of work that I aspire to make brought so wonderfully and vivaciously to life. It gives me hope for the future of theater and hope for the future of my career — I can only hope to make something so powerful someday. Thank you for an evening not soon forgotten.
All my love and appreciation,
Lily Brown
The Normal Heart Extended to Dec 15 (323) 663-1525 MORE
Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Gay, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, AIDS, AIDS awareness, AIDS crisis, college student, drama, Fountain Theatre, HIV, Larry Kramer, Lily Brown, Los Angeles, new plays, performing arts, Simon Levy, students, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre, Tim Cummings, young people
Special Guests from LA Unified School District HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit to Discuss AIDS and Young People
This Thursday, Oct. 17, immediately following the 8 p.m. performance of The Normal Heart at The Fountain Theatre, guest speakers Timothy Kordic, Project Manager of the LAUSD HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit, and Nancy Ramos, Positively Speaking Facilitator, will host a special talkback with high school students and audience members about the reality of AIDS in 2013 and living with/preventing the disease. Director Simon Levy will moderate the discussion.
The Normal Heart is Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking drama about public and private indifference to the onset of the AIDS crisis, and one man’s fight to awaken the world to its urgency. The title of the play is taken from a line in a poem by W.H. Auden.
The Fountain Theatre is committed to reaching as many high school and college students as possible with the show. According to Advocates for Youth (www.advocatesforyouth.org), a national organization that champions efforts to help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health, almost 40 percent of new HIV infections in the United States occur in young people ages 13 to 29. This generation is also the first one to have never known a world without AIDS.
“I think it is important to educate our youth on the effect HIV had in the past and why the AIDS movement historically gained so much traction early on,” says Kordic. “It now needs to be put into perspective for this generation why the fight is not over.”
Special $12 student tickets are available for the Oct. 17 performance only. (Student discount is regularly $25.) The talkback is included in the ticket price. Mention “LAUSD” when calling to make reservations in order to get the reduced price. Adult tickets are $34.
The Normal Heart is directed by Simon Levy and features Verton R. Banks, Bill Brochtrup, Tim Cummings, Matt Gottlieb, Fred Koehler, Stephen O’Mahoney, Ray Paolantonio, Lisa Pelikan, Dan Shaked and Jeff Witzke.
MORE INFO
Posted in actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, director, Drama, Gay, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Advocates for Youth, AIDS, Bill Brochtrup, Dan Shaked, Fountain Theatre, Fred Koehler, HIV, Jeff Witzke, Larry Kramer, LAUSD HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit, Lisa Pelikan, Los Angeles, Matt Gottlieb, Nancy Ramos, performing arts, plays, playwriting, Positively Speaking, Ray Paolantonio, Simon Levy, Stephen O’Mahoney, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre, Tim Cummings, Timothy Kordic, Verton R. Banks
Jacqueline Schultz, Terri Roberts, Barbara Goodhill, Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy
The Fountain Theatre joined more than 25,000 others yesterday for the 2013 AIDS Walk LA in West Hollywood. The event raised $2,520,684 for AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and more than 25 other critically important AIDS organizations. These funds will enable APLA and its community partners to continue their far-reaching prevention and advocacy work, as well as provide urgently needed food, access to dental care, counseling, linkages to safe housing, and other crucial direct services to thousands of people in need living with HIV/AIDS.
The Fountain raised $910 on its AIDS Walk team page. The Fountain Team had a terrific time at the AIDS Walk on Sunday, passing out flyers for our acclaimed AIDS drama The Normal Heart and raising money for AIDS research and services. The actual walk itself stretched 6.2 miles and wounds its way through West Hollywood. In addition to the tens of thousands of people walking the route, streets were lined with thousands more cheering on the walkers. The festive, Mardi Gras atmosphere made it a lively, exhilarating and unforgettable day of community.
Members of the Fountain Theatre Team at the AIDS Walk were staff members Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy, Barbara Goodhill, Terri Roberts; actor Verton R. Banks from The Normal Heart; and Fountain Family members Jacqueline Schultz and Heidi Singh.
Enjoy Some Fountain Snapshots from the AIDS Walk LA
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The Normal Heart Extended to Dec 15 (323) 663-1525 MORE
Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, Drama, Fountain Theatre, performing arts, plays, Theater, theatre
Tagged AIDS, AIDS Project Los Angeles, AIDS Walk LA, APLA, Barbara Goodhill, Deborah Lawlor, Fountain Theatre, Heidi Singh, HIV, Jacqueline Schultz, Los Angeles, performing arts, plays, Simon Levy, Stephen Sachs, Terri Roberts, The Normal Heart, Verton R. Banks
Tim Cummins, Bill Brochtrup in ‘The Normal Heart’.
“This production at the Fountain Theatre certainly exemplifies that great theatre is alive and well in Los Angeles. “
The Fountain Theatre’s exclusive L.A. revival of The Normal Heart, which received extensive critical acclaim and has been playing to sold-out houses, will extend through Dec. 15. The Normal Heart is Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking drama about public and private indifference to the onset of the AIDS crisis, and one man’s fight to awaken the world to its urgency. Although it first premiered in 1985, the play was so ahead of its time that many of the core issues it addresses — including gay marriage, a broken healthcare system and, of course, AIDS — remain strikingly relevant today.
Verton R.Banks, Stephen O’Mahoney, Fred Koehler
In its “Pick of the Week” review, the LA Weekly calls the Fountain revival “A deeply moving production… performed by a deeply committed ensemble.” BroadwayWorld says, “Critic’s Pick… directed with meticulous detail …. The Fountain Theatre knocks [it] out of the Park.” EDGE Los Angeles raves, “Passionate and powerful… the Fountain’s thoughtful and moving production of this classic qualifies as a must-see,” and LAist finds The Normal Heart to be “A strong, smart, character-driven play… a theatrical triumph for all involved, and a must-see for all theatre lovers.”
In 2000, The Normal Heart was named “one of the 100 greatest plays of the 20th century” by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. The Fountain Theatre production marks the first time the play has been seen in Los Angeles in over 16 years.
The Normal Heart is directed by Simon Levy and features Verton R. Banks, Bill Brochtrup, Tim Cummings, Matt Gottlieb, Fred Koehler, Stephen O’Mahoney, Ray Paolantonio, Lisa Pelikan, Dan Shaked and Jeff Witzke.
Performances continue at the Fountain Theatre through Dec, 15. For reservations and information: 323-663-1525 www.FountainTheatre.com.
PHOTO SLIDESHOW: The Normal Heart
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Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, Gay, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, AIDS, AIDS crisis, Bill Brochtrup, Dan Shaked, Deborah Lawlor, Fountain Theatre, Fred Koehler, HIV, Jeff Witzke, Larry Kramer, Lisa Pelikan, Los Angeles, Matt Gottlieb, performing arts, plays, Ray Paolantonio, Simon Levy, Stephen O’Mahoney, Stephen Sachs, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre, Tim Cummings, Verton R. Banks
Reverend Ed Bacon, All Saints Church, Pasadena
Rev. Ed Bacon of the All Saints Church in Pasadena will host an audience talk-back immediately following the 8 p.m. performance of The Normal Heart on Friday, Oct. 11 at the Fountain Theatre.
The Normal Heart is Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking drama about public and private indifference to the onset of the AIDS crisis, and one man’s fight to awaken the world to its urgency. The title of the play is taken from a line in a poem by W.H. Auden: “We must love one another or die.”
“We have invited Rev. Bacon to talk about the important issues dramatized in the play, including gay rights, the continuing AIDS crisis, same-sex marriage equality and the importance of social activism,” says Fountain Co-Artistic Director and producer Stephen Sachs, who will moderate the discussion.
In 2000, The Normal Heart was named “one of the 100 greatest plays of the 20th century” by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. The Fountain Theatre’s exclusive L.A. revival, the first time the play has been seen in Los Angeles in over 16 years, has been receiving rave reviews (“Critic’ Pick” – BroadwayWorld, “Pick of the Week” – LA Weekly, “A Must See” – EDGE) and playing to sold out houses since it opened in September.
Tim Cummings, Bill Brochtrup in ‘The Normal Heart’.
Ed Bacon is the rector of All Saints Church in Pasadena, Calif., a 4,000-member multi-ethnic urban Episcopal parish with a reputation for energetic worship, a radically inclusive spirit and a progressive peace and justice agenda. His energies focus on leadership in anxious times; peacemaking; interfaith relations; integrating family, faith and work systems; articulating the Christian faith in non-bigoted ways; and the belief that “political activism is in the DNA of the church.” He is a passionate advocate for peace and justice in the community, the nation and the world. He has received several honors for his peace and interfaith work. He is a founder of Beyond Inclusion and Claiming the Blessing (working for justice for the LGBT community) and a co-founder of the Abrahamic Faiths Peacemaking Initiative. He serves on Human Rights Watch California Committee South and on other national and community boards. Ed has been a guest on Oprah’s “Soul Series” on XM’s Oprah & Friends Radio and on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
The discussion with Rev. Ed Bacon will follow the performance on Friday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. and is included in the ticket price. For reservations and information, call 323-663-1525 or go to www.FountainTheatre.com.
Posted in Acting, actors, AIDS, Arts, arts organizations, director, Fountain Theatre, Gay, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, All Saints Church, Beyond Inclusion, Bill Brochtrup, Claiming the Blessing, Deborah Lawlor, Ed Bacon, Fountain Theatre, Larry Kramer, LGBT, Los Angeles, Pasadena, performing arts, plays, Simon Levy, The Normal Heart, theater, theatre, Tim Cummings
“In the Red and Brown Water”
The Fountain Theatre has been nominated for ten NAACP Theater Awards for two of its acclaimed productions in its 2012 season: the Los Angeles Premiere of In The Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney and the United States Premiere of Athol Fugard’s The Blue Iris.
NAACP Theater Award nominations for the Fountain Theatre are:
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
- Best Producer – Stephen Sachs and Deborah Lawlor
- Best Director – Shirley Jo Finney
- Best Lead Actress – Diarra Kilpatrick
- Best Supporting Actress – Iona Morris
- Best Supporting Actor – Gilbert Glenn Brown
- Best Choreography – Ameenah Kaplan
- Best Costumes – Naila Aladdin Sanders
- Best Lighting – Jose Lopez
THE BLUE IRIS
- Best Costumes – Naila Aladdin Sanders
- Best Lighting – Jeff McLaughlin
“We’re very pleased and delighted by these nominations,” beamed Fountain Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs. “And we’re proud that both of our nominated productions were premieres of new plays by two important, acclaimed playwrights — one a rising new voice in the American Theater, the other a master on the international stage.”
The Los Angeles 2012-13 theater award season is off to another good start for the Fountain Theatre. It was recently announced that the Fountain also earned 8 Ovation Award nominations including Best Season and Best Production of a Play.
“The Blue Iris”
The NAACP Theatre Awards is presented by the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Branch. Ron Hasson is Branch President and Tia Boyd is the Executive Producer for the NAACP Theatre Awards Show. The prestigious star-studded gala is produced for the purpose of honoring artists among the best in the field of entertainment.
This year’s awards show will be held on Monday, November 11, 2013, at 6:00 P.M. at the historical Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California, formerly known as the Fox Wilshire Theatre. Here is the full list of all nominations.
Posted in Acting, actors, Arts, arts organizations, designers, director, Drama, Fountain Theatre, new plays, performing arts, plays, playwright, Theater, theatre
Tagged actors, Ameenah Kaplan, Athol Fugard, Deborah Lawlor, Diarra Kilpatrick, Fountain Theatre, Gilbert Glenn Brown, In The Red and Brown Water, Iona Morris, Jeff McLaughlin, Jose Lopez, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Premiere, NAACP Theater Awards, Naila Aladdin-Sanders, new plays, performing arts, plays, playwriting, Shirley Jo Finney, Stephen Sachs, Tarell Alvin McCraney, The Blue Iris, theater, theatre, United States Premiere