CLOSED INDEFINITELY
With a heavy heart Last Summer at Bluefish Cove has closed indefinitely. Outstanding reservations can either be refunded, converted to credits for future shows, or donated to the theatre. Those on the reservation book will be contacted in the coming days.
The box office can be reached via text, email, and phone.
Text: (323) 617-5118
Email: boxoffice@fountaintheatre.com
Phone: (323) 663-1525 x 1
NOTE CURTAIN TIME: 7pm
Written by Jane Chambers
Directed by Hannah Wolf
Starring Sarah Scott Davis, Allison Husko, Tamika Katon–Donegal, Lindsay LaVanchy, Noelle Messier, Stephanie Pardi, Ann Sonneville, Stasha Surdyke, Ellen D. Williams
Produced by The Fountain Theatre
Executive Producers: Barbara Herman, Karen Kondazian, Deborah Lawlor, David Lee Foundation
323-663-1525
Show Days: 1 1 - Curtain
Dark Days: 11 - 6
Closed Tues.
Outdoor Stage
Runtime: 2 hours
Previews: June 14 - 16
Open: Sat, June 17
Close: Sunday, Aug 27
Fri, Sat, Sun 7pm
Pay What You Want Monday 7pm
Los Angeles Times WEEKEND PICK!
Los Angeles Times CULTURE GUIDE PICK!
Beverly Press/Park La Brea News CALENDAR PICK!
Beverly Hills Courier CALENDER PICK!
RAVE! - “COMPLEX AND UNIQUE… Jane Chambers’ play was one of the first to profile healthy and happy queer women… rich and fully drawn… We know these women. We know these women. We ARE these women… Director Hannah Wolf makes great use of the space, moving focus from spot to spot fluidly. She clearly understands the fabric of the script, the relationships between the women, which is the crux of the project. It’s character-driven and she allows them to shine… Unlike most stories told about the LGBT community back then, this isn’t about homophobia, about the terror of coming out to loved ones, or about self-destruction or self-hatred. Chambers creates normalcy of life for her characters, and that makes them relatable to everyone.” — Harker Jones, BroadwayWorld
RAVE! - “EXCEPTIONAL group of veteran actors … ensemble performance at its best… sensitive direction… this fine revival of a significant modern classic is important to revisit… Take my breath away, Jane Chambers… the Fountain Theatre has accomplished breathing wonderful new life into her greatest play.” — Travis Holder, Ticket Holder LA
RAVE! - “WOW!… a SUPERB OUTDOOR REVIVAL that makes Fountain Theatre the place to be this summer In Los Angeles… a terrific piece of writing…. gorgeously designed… Every great play should get as great a production as the Fountain is giving Last Summer At Bluefish Cove.” — Steven Stanley, Stage Scene LA
RAVE! - “HEARTWARMING… alive with deep, enduring friendship, with laughter at human foibles, with examples of both mature love and short-lived flings, with self-confident women who have hopes and plans for the future… STUNNING AND LOVELY.”— Eric Gordon, People’s World
RAVE! - “STELLAR PERFORMANCES… the superb acting and the outstanding success of this staging is a manifestation of the fine direction by Hannah Wolf… The women in the play exude fascinating layers of strengths, insecurities, and charming characteristics that brings them closer to the audience’s own experiences… a poignant and touching production that enhances the already captivating script.” — Joe Mosqueda, Glamgical
RAVE! - “HIGHLY RECOMMENDED… NOT TO BE MISSED… a well-written, superbly directed and performed production which cannot fail to entertain… with a talented ensemble cast, each who plumbs the depths of her character with compassion and honesty… Congratulations are also in order for the production team, who create the ideal Bluefish Cove on the Fountain Theatre’s outdoor stage, a setting which is beyond perfect… It is also thought-provoking as it studies the meaning of friendship, humanity, love, and mortality through the lens of these fascinating women.” — Elaine Mura, Splash Magazines
“THOUGHTFUL AND ENTERTAINING… a milestone in lesbian theatre history… a setting that could only be topped by actually being at the beach… challenging and emotionally rewarding.” — Tony Frankel, Stage and Cinema
RAVE! - “KUDOS to this production… a strong ensemble… deliver[s] the goods.” — Michael Sheehan, On Stage Los Angeles
RAVE! - “TRUTH, HEART, KINDNESS AND MOST OF ALL, WIT… a beautiful night of well done character driven storytelling. The acting is exquisite and the journey is one your heart will thank you for for a long long time… the ensemble cast is flawless… Each character in this work is a joy to take in… Direction by Hannah Wolf is magical… A BEAUTIFUL TRIP THROUGH THE HEART OF A BIG LOVE.”— Michael Edwards, Discover Hollywood
1974. A group of queer women spend their summers together in a remote seaside town. Their enclave is disrupted when Eva, a naïve straight woman separated from her husband, stumbles unaware into their circle and falls for the charming, tough-talking Lil. This iconic lesbian play bursts with heartfelt friendship, laughter, and love.
BroadwayWorld Interview with director Hannah Wolf
KPFK “The Out Agenda” Interview with Hannah Wolf, Noelle Messier & Ellen D. Williams
BroadwayWorld - Jean Smart Q&A at Fountain Theatre
The Actor’s Choice Interview with Ellen D. Williams
KPFK Radio Interview with Ann Sonneville and Noelle Messier
WFMU "Bob Barth's One-Night Stand" Radio Interview with Hannah Wolf
One of the first playwrights to depict love between women as happy, healthy, and well-adjusted, Jane Chambers (1937-1983) changed the course of American drama with works informed by second-wave feminism and the burgeoning gay rights movement, including A Late Snow (1974), Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (1980) and My Blue Heaven (1981). A prolific writer, Chambers also authored novels, poetry, and essays in addition to penning scripts for film and television. She trained as an actress at Rollins College and the Pasadena Playhouse because female students were not admitted to writing classes, and enjoyed success as an off-Broadway performer. In 1964, Chambers moved to Maine where she worked for MWTW-TV as a content producer and on-air personality. During President Johnson’s War on Poverty, Chambers took a position as arts coordinator with Jobs Corp, creating theater with inner-city youths. While earning a bachelor’s degree at Goddard College, Chambers returned to New York, co-founded Women’s Interart Theatre with Margot Lewitin, and met her life partner, talent agent Beth Allen. Chambers was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died in 1983. Her pioneering spirit is honored by an annual prize given in her name: The Jane Chambers Award for Playwriting is administered by The Women and Theatre Program. Chambers’ impact on American drama is also celebrated by a reading series at TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence) Theatre.