PAST SHOWS AT THE FOUNTAIN | |||||||||||||
|
CLOSED DECEMBER 19TH TOP TEN PRODUCTIONS OF 2009 "An absolutely glorious new play... as close to perfection as contemporary playwriting gets." - New York Times LOS ANGELES PREMIERE 2006 Tony Nomination for Best Play! SHINING CITY by acclaimed Irish playwright Conor McPherson directed by Stephen Sachs
RAVE! - Los Angeles Times - "Better acted than the play's 2006 Broadway premiere at the Biltmore Theatre. Credit the Fountain’s frighteningly good ensemble." - Charles McNulty RAVE! - GO! - LA Weekly - "This is a moving portrait, in every sense: delicate, comical, desolate and profoundly humane... Director Stephen Sachs' meticulous attention to detail manifests itself in the specificity with which Ian places his chair, in the sounds of offstage footsteps on the almost abandoned building's stairwell (sound design by Peter Bayne), in the ebbs and flows of verbiage and silence, in Higgins' hulking tenderness, and in the palate of emotions reflected in the slender Hurley's withering facial reactions... a production of such rare beauty." - Steven Leigh Morris RAVE! - ReviewPlays.com/Santa Monica Daily Press - "THIS IS DEFINITELY A MUST-SEE! Morlan Higgins is one of my favorite actors currently working in L.A. theater. I’ve never given him anything but a rave review. And this is another one. MESMERIZING... outstanding Fountain Theatre company... EXCELLENT." - Cynthia Citron RAVE! - CurtainUp.com - "IF YOU SEE ONE PLAY THIS YEAR, LET IT BE THIS ONE!... Stephen Sachs directs this production with his customary passion. Morlan Higgins plays John in A TOWERING PERFORMANCE underlined by its naturalness." - Laura Hitchcock RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - "PROFOUNDLY GOOD! - The play is deceptively rich and nuanced, excelling at every level of production. Arguably one of the best the west coast theater has ever seen... The performances are, in a word, spectacular... Obviously a tremendous amount of credit for the performances goes to director Stephen Sachs, but he must also be commended for his staging." - Amber Romina Cassell "ABSORBING!" - Los Angeles Times - "A good tale for fall’s slide into winter darkness, “Shining City” casts an eerie light on the human heart, caught between connection and loneliness... Director Stephen Sachs works his dependable magic in the Fountain’s intimate space." - Charlotte Stoudt RAVE! - Examiner.com - "GRIPPING!... Ghost story and more, as directed by Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs this tale is driven by Irish storytelling at its best, superb acting and a bravura performance by Higgins... Satisfying on many levels and offering a few surprises along the way, this show is bound to be one of the fall season's best." - Candyce Columbus RAVE! - LASplash.com - "A PLEASURE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE!... Higgins' portrayal is dynamic, humorous, and heart wrenching... WONDERFUL DIALOGUE... SUPERIOR ACTING." - Peter Balaskas "SUBLIME AND LUMINOUS!" - StageHappenings.com - "... a shining example of The Fountain Theatre’s extraordinary talents and original staging to rival this play’s West End and Broadway productions. The infallible Stephen Sachs gently sets a solid pace... Morlan Higgins is pitifully sympathetic and William Dennis Hurley gives an electric performance... RIVETING!" - M.R. Hunter RAVE! - EyeSpyLA.com - "A shining example of the right way to do a play in the Los Angeles local theater scene... Director Stephen Sachs does a magnificent job breathing life into this modern ghost story. The cast is spectacular." - Mike Buzzelli RAVE! - Gerri Garner's Entertainment File - CRITIC'S PICK OF THE WEEK! - "Director Stephen Sachs does a fine job of getting INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES out of his cast." - Gerri Garner RAVE! - Examiner.com - "Rich and layered... in assembling the play’s L.A. premiere at the Fountain Theatre, director Stephen Sachs has the great good fortune to reunite Morlan Higgins and William Dennis Hurley who spun such magic for the Fountain in Athol Fugard’s 'Exits and Entrances'... MARVELOUS." - Evan Henerson "HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED ACTORS!" - Back Stage - "Hurley creates a convincing portrait of a therapist who's more emotionally blighted than his patients, and Blaisdell convincingly captures the pain and confusion of a woman whose marriage has inexplicably blown up in her face. Higgins, whose long monologue constitutes much of the play, eloquently embodies the tortured man whose absurd, unconsummated affair with another woman destroyed his marriage, and Keepers creates a touching vignette of a man driven to hustling because the accident that destroyed his hand made other employment impossible...SKILLFUL DIRECTION." - Neal Weaver RAVE! - EDITOR'S PICK! - BlogCritics.com - "INCOMPARABLE!... Director Stephen Sachs does a masterful job of getting the most out of this beautiful and riveting play. He has some terrific actors to help him achieve that end... The play is a gripping meditation on regret, guilt, and confusion told through McPherson's poetical and lyrical lens." - Robert Machray RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "A MUST SEE!.. intriguing and verbally amazing... remarkable play... Morlan Higgins - absolutely amazing... William Dennis Hurley - excellent performance... count on the Fountain Theater, which always solidly delivers." - Clare Elfman starring
Morlan Higgins (After the Fall, Exits and Entrances, Victory)
William Dennis Hurley (Exits and Entrances, The Accomplices)
Kerrie Blaisdell
Benjamin Keepers Creative Team Peter Bayne (Sound), Ken Booth (Lights), JB Blanc (Dialects), DJ Higgenbottom (Master Carpenter), Elna Kordijan (PSM), Judi Lewin (Hair & Makeup) Shaun L. Motley (Set), Kathi O'Donohue (Master Electrician), Caitlin O'Hare (Costume Asst), A. Jeffrey Schoenberg (Costumes), Scott Siedman (Graphics), Scott Tuomey (TD) Produced by Bennett Bradley and Deborah Lawlor A modern-day ghost story from one of Ireland's hottest and most important young playwrights. Set in Dublin, a middle-aged businessman seeks help from a new therapist, claiming to have seen the ghost of his wife who was recently killed in a car crash. What begins as an unusual encounter between strangers becomes a struggle between the living and the dead that will redefine both men for the rest of their lives. A haunting, amusing, and deeply moving new play about the fragile ache of the human heart. Assigned Seating Tickets can be purchased at 323-663-1525 group sales: 323-663-1365 thru December 19th Fri & Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm
|
 |
2nd Sunday of Every Month 7:30pm MEHFIL-E A Series of Intimate Performances of Kathak, Classical Dance & Music of India India Post - RAVE! - "MESMERIZED THE AUDIENCE with their unpredictable rhythmic exchange, storytelling, creative strengths and innovation... PASSIONATE... LUMINOUS... It was a feast for the senses... an explosive double bill, BRILLIANT!" - Prem Kishore Buzzine Bollywood - RAVE! - "THRILLING!... ENTHRALLING!... uncanny and intense display of percussive footwork and rhythmic storytelling... MESMERIZING!" - Parimal M. Rohit The Fountain Theatre expands its commitment to dance on the second Sunday of each month, partnering with Chitresh Das Dance Company and internationally renowned Kathak master and guru Pandit Chitresh Das.
"We are calling the series Mehfil-e, which literally translated means an evening of courtly entertainment in an intimate setting," explains Fountain Theatre co-artistic director Deborah Lawlor. "Audiences will be able to experience this thrilling art form in The Fountain's charming, up-close venue."
Kathak dance is characterized by lighting fast footwork and pirouettes, rhythmic interplay, and nuanced, graceful movements. Highly unpredictable and risky, the traditional performance is considered the highest level of mastery in Kathak and a deep physical, mental and spiritual undertaking. Years of direct training under a guru are required, as well as tremendous skill in each of the four elements of Kathak: tayari (stunning technique in footwork, pirouettes and movement); layakari (performing and improvising intricate rhythms); and khoobsurati and nazakat (beauty and subtlety of movement and expression).
Rotating group of 6 dancers: 2 of them will perform in each show. Additional guest musicians will sometimes join the core group of Ben Kunin on sarod, Javad Butah on tabla and vocalist Antara Bhardwaj. 2ND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 7:30pm Next Performance: December 13th Dancers will be: Rina Mehta & Seibi Lee
Produced by Deborah Lawlor & Ben Bradley Assigned Seating CALL 323-663-1525
|
 |
thru August 29th Closes This Saturday! CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times from the theatre that brought you Exits and Entrances and Victory WEST COAST PREMIERE of ATHOL FUGARD'S NEWEST PLAY COMING HOME Stephen Sachs (Exits and Entrances, Victory, Miss Julie, After the Fall) RAVE! - CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - "The West Coast premiere of “Coming Home” at the Fountain Theatre showcases [Fugard's] artistry in an optimum production... Director Stephen Sachs has elicited pitch-perfect performances from his cast... [Fugard's] masterly contrast of simple lives and elemental struggle, however, is resonantly humanistic, and in keeping with that tone Sachs keeps things emotionally straightforward and laceratingly truthful." - F. Kathleen Foley - full review RAVE! - PICK OF THE WEEK! - L.A. Weekly - "masterfully drawn characters and deeply embedded humor. Under Stephen Sachs' direction, Henry shines, while Silcott is equally outstanding. As Mannetjie, whom we watch evolving into manhood, Taylor and especially Elam both impress; Adolphus Ward skillfully fashions the ghost of Veronica's grandfather... LUMINOUS!" - Deborah Klugman - full review RAVE! - Back Stage - ECSTATICALLY RENDERED! - Veronica Jonkers (Deidrie Henry) is coming home, as it turns out, to die in the village of her youth, where her beloved grandfather, Oupa Jonkers (the sensational Adolphus Ward), lived and died before her. As Veronica, Henry is totally stunning, in stature and in her singing, which chills the heart as it warms the soul in that heartbreaking way that gives one shiver-inducing foreknowledge of inevitable pain. Accompanying her is Mannetjie (a sweet Timothy Taylor), her 5-year-old son: a surprise for the neighborhood but a key reason for Veronica's return. In later scenes, the 10-year-old Mannetjie (a talented Matthew Elam) is feistily played for his anger at an unkind world. Greeting Veronica, with the past in his pocket, is Alfred (an adorable Thomas Silcott), her friend, neighbor, and local joke. Highly emotional, ecstatically rendered, this production is rare medicine for Los Angeles theater." - Madeleine Shaner - full review RAVE! - ReviewPlays.com; Santa Monica Daily Press; AirsLA.org - "ANOTHER WINNER FROM ATHOL FUGARD!... Once again, Stephen Sachs, co-artistic director of the Fountain, has taken on the pleasant task of directing Fugard’s play with one of the best teams of performers to be seen on any stage in a very long time... It’s a brilliant tour de force a trois right before your eyes... I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS PLAY AND ITS PERFORMERS, and how emphatically I recommend it to you." - Cynthia Citron - full review RAVE! - Hollywood Reporter - "WONDERFUL! ... a powerful, eloquent performance [Deidrie Henry] - a daring tour de force [Thomas Silcott] - charismatic... magnificent [Adolphus Ward]... Markedly less controversial than the work that made Fugard famous, "Home" might signal a developing interest, in the manner of Shakespeare's Prospero, at reflecting on the alchemy of his art. Perhaps he, like his characters, also is seeking a new beginning." - Laurence Vittes - full review RAVE! - BC: Blog Critics - "GO SEE THIS ONE! - Stephen Sachs does a brilliant job of capturing just the right tone and look for telling this story. He has also assembled a REMARKABLE CAST. To denote the passage of time, two separate actors play Mannetjie: Timothy Taylor is the sweet-faced boy at five, while Matthew Elam plays the more serious intelligent Mannetjio at ten. Adolphus Ward is a kindly and moving presence as Oupa the grandfather. Thomas Silcott is terrific as Veronica's dimwitted but kind-hearted friend. Deidrie Henry is magnificent as the pretty Veronica who slowly descends into despair and death. Her performance stirs the heart." - Robert Machray - full review RAVE! - Edge Los Angeles - "Fugard’s latest play is a sweet, quiet, and deeply affecting play that reflects the sentiments of the playwright about his homeland, South Africa... Fugard is keen on chronicling the state of his homeland in his plays... the political issues brought to the fore are not imposed upon, but are clearly stated in the way they affect the daily lives of his characters. Veronica and Alfred remain stark contrasts to how dreams play out in a political context: Henry’s impressive singing attests to Veronica’s deeply rooted desire to make it on her own and the level of success she is capable of; while Alfred’s less lofty goals perhaps shielded him from the harsh realities of life. In any event, and in part by the careful and nuanced direction of Stephen Sachs, the play never becomes overwrought. It also maintains an ever-present theme of Veronica’s hope." - Obed Medina - full review RAVE! - EyeSpyLA.com - "COMPELLING PRODUCTION!... Fugard is on top of his game here. It’s a meticulously tight play. The writing is crisp, focused, funny and melancholy. He masterfully pulls at heart strings without making the audience feel manipulated...The cast is brilliant. Henry is a dynamic performer. She is strong as an actor and singer. When she sings it’s glorious. Silcott is marvelous as well. Luckily, the gifted actors are evenly matched, because the majority of the play rests on their talented shoulders... Fugard is a staple at the Fountain Theatre, probably because of the exceptional acting, directing and set designs. With luck, Fugard will always be coming home to the Fountain." - Mike Buzzelli - full review RAVE! - KCLA, KLAS, KPRO-AM, KMAX-AM - "OUTSTANDING!... Stephen Sachs captures the look and feel of this touching story. The cast is outstanding, and this is all played out on Laura Fine Hawkes acccurate squalor shanty setting." - Gerri Garner - full review RAVE! - Los Feliz Ledger - "The high level of acting lives up to the well-known standards of productions at the Fountain Theatre. Fugard’s use of language and metaphor make the play A MUST SEE for serious playgoers." - Marilyn Oliver - full review RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "Manipulating time through his characters is one of Fugard’s brilliant abilities as a storyteller and commentator... Stephen Sachs proves once again to be up for the task that Fugard sets out for him. Seamlessly transitioning time and space, Sachs delves the text with feeling sensitivity while providing plenty of identifiable tension and moments of splendid release in Veronica’s songs... Two young actors play the dual role of Mannetije, irresistible Timothy Taylor at age five, and Matthew Elam at age 10 is strong and versatile, more than holding his own in his scenes with Alfred and Oupa. Thomas Silcott fleshes out the comic Alfred with enjoyable enthusiasm and layers of subtle complexity. Deidrie Henry is nothing short of extraordinary and is one of the best to play Fugard’s strong female roles. Oupa is the magic in both plays, and Adolphus Ward is mesmerizing." - Robert Machray - full review RAVE! - California Chronicle - "POWERFUL AND MOVING! - The script is beautifully written with every word designed to touch the watcher emotionally... Stephen Sachs´ direction draws exceptional performances from each of the actors. Henry is eloquent and haunting as Veronica. Her voice so enchanting, we wished for more songs. Silcott´s performance of Alfred is flawless...Ward´s portrayal of the old (and deceased) Oupa is both poignant and powerful... "Coming Home" is a play that will stay with you for days, as you mentally review scenes, catching nuances and meanings that you missed. You might even want to take a friend and see it again!" - Jackie Houchin - full review
Athol Fugard Winner of the Tony, Obie and New York Critics Circle Awards; hailed by TIME magazine as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world." The Fountain Theatre continues its unique relationship with one of the world's greatest living playwrights (Exits and Entrances, Victory, Road to Mecca). Achingly beautiful, full of the humanity and wisdom we've come to expect from Mr. Fugard's work, his newest play exposes life in contemporary South Africa through the unforgettable love of a mother for her child and the promise of a new world. starring
Deidrie Henry (Yellowman)
Thomas Silcott (Master Harold & the Boys, Colony Theatre)
Adolphus Ward (Joe Turner's Come and Gone & Gem of the Ocean) with
Matthew Elam
Noah Murtadha
Timothy Taylor creative and production team Peter Bayne, JB Blanc, Christian Epps, Goar Galstyan, Laura Fine Hawkes, Ed Krieger, Shon Le Blanc, Liz McGavock, Scott Siedman, Scott Tuomey Produced by Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor Previews begin June 13th Opens June 20th Closes August 29th
|
 |
LA Weekly Dance Pick of the Week! FOREVER FLAMENCO AT THE FORD LA Olé! all-star flamenco extravaganza Saturday, August 1st 8:30pm One Night Only! Ford Amphitheatre Los Angeles, CA The Fountain Theatre brings a taste of its popular series to the Ford for a night of intense Gypsy passion under the stars. Since 2003, Forever Flamenco! at the Fountain Theatre has been presenting a roster of world-class Flamenco 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. Forever Flamenco: LA Ole will be an all-star performance with eleven great Flamenco artists representing both the new wave of young talent and seasoned, classic performers. Presented by The Fountain Theatre Produced by Deborah Lawlor and Ben Bradley Artistic Director: Antonio Triana. Guitarist: Antonio Triana Special Guest Guitarist: Ricardo Marlow Special Guest Artist Singers: Jesus Montoya and El Yiyi Special Guest Artist Dancer: Antonio Granjero Dancers: Roberto Amaral, Fanny Ara, La Genoveva, Timo Nunez, and Briseyda Zarate order tickets at: 323-461-3673 for more information please call 323-663-1525 (note: Fountain Subscribers receive a 10% discount - just mention you're a subscriber and give them your membership # on back of card) |
 |
a Guest Production at The Odyssey Theatre in association with The Israeli Leadership Council April 25 - June 14, 2009 Special $5.00 Discount for Fountain Subscribers! Nominated for the 2007 New York Drama Desk Award for Best New Play The Fountain Theatre's Production of THE ACCOMPLICES
ARTICLE - All About Jewish Theatre - April 18, 2009 ARTICLE - BroadwayWorld.com - March 31, 2009 RAVE! - LA Weekly - "GO! - A GRIPPING PRODUCTION! - Deborah LaVine skillfully melds a FINE CAST." RAVE! - Hollywood Reporter - "A POWERFUL PLAY that will get your blood racing and brain thinking, SKILLFULLY ACTED AND DIRECTED!" RAVE! - Reuters & MSNBC - "Former New York Times correspondent Bernard Weinraub tells the PROVOCATIVE STORY in a balanced but no-holds-barred manner that lets the uncomfortable facts speak for themselves... Director Deborah LaVine's cast does a SPLENDID JOB." RAVE! - LACityBeat.com - "Weinraub brings a seldom-dramatized chapter of history to VIVID LIFE. Director Deborah LaVine navigates the docu-dramatic details in a consistently lucid and FAST-PACED PRODUCTION." RAVE! - Santa Monica Daily Press & San Diego Jewish World - "POWERFUL AND GRIPPING! It is intelligent, emotionally charged and well constructed. What's more, the incidents ring true. Director Deborah LaVine has wrought STIRRING AND AFFECTING PERFORMANCES." RAVE! - American Radio Network - "STIRRING PLAY!... "Deborah LaVine's staging is superb with sharp interactions between the vividly drawn characters brought to life by this accomplished ensemble of brilliant actors... OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION!" RAVE! - Edge Los Angeles - "A DRAMATIC TOUR DE FORCE!... Director Deborah LaVine does an excellent job... Another particular strength of "The Accomplices" is the acting... EXPLOSIVELY DRAMATIC!" RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "RIVETING!... Some plays are so powerful you can feel them in the pit of your stomach. Like timeless dramas of Greek tragedy, they become even more gut-wrenching when based on truth that has been hidden from the public... EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED!... The cast outdoes itself." RAVE! - StageHappenings.com (2nd) - "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!... a gripping and emotional story. It is a lesson in history that everyone should know and never forget." RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "AN EXCITING AND ENLIGHTENING EVENING OF THEATRE! Steven Schub’s dynamic, empassioned portrayal of Bergson carries the action." RAVE! - RandomLengthsNews.com - "A UNIFORMLY GRIPPING CAST! Directed at white heat by Deborah LaVine bites into Bernard Weinraub’s unremitting dramatization of a painful chapter in American history." RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - "GRIPPING AND ENLIGHTENING!... Meticulously researched drama... disturbing, really interesting, and not well known. RIVETING!" Articles Video
(director of A Shayna Maidel and Kindertransport) produced by Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor President Roosevelt. Rabbi Stephen S. Wise. The State Department. American Jews. A conspiracy of silence and inaction. The true story of Hillel Kook (aka Peter Bergson). The FBI spied on him. The State Department wanted him deported. Jewish leaders tried to stop him. Yet despite this intense and sometimes frenzied opposition, firebrand activist Peter Bergson succeeded in shattering the wall of silence that surrounded news about Hitler's annihilation of the Jews. Jerusalem Post: U.S. Holocaust Museum starring Brian Carpenter, Dennis Gersten, Gregory G. Giles, James Harper, William Dennis Hurley, Elizabeth Karr, Annika Marks, KC Marsh, Stephen Marshall, Donne McRae, Steven Schub, Malachi Throne, Time Winters creative team JB Blanc, Dean Cameron, Christian Epps, Shon LeBlanc, Jeremy A. Levin, Judi Lewin, Dave Marling, Caitlin O'Hare, Virginia Parron, Scott Siedman, Scott Tuomey, Amy Weiss
Thursday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday, 2pm thru June 14th a Fountain Theatre Guest Production now performing at the Odyssey Theatre Odyssey Theatre Info & Directions All Seats are $30.00 For more information: 323-663-1525 Special $5.00 Discount for Fountain Subscribers! |
 |
FINAL WEEK!
WEST COAST PREMIERE Anna Ziegler's Photograph 51 Winner of the 2008 STAGE International Script Competition! (judged by theatre professionals and Nobel laureates) PICK OF THE WEEK! - L.A. WEEKLY - "Director Simon Levy efficiently orchestrates the manipulation of time and space, turning vast leaps into imperceptible segues, and inspiring POWERFUL PERFORMANCES from his actors. The entire cast sparkles behind Alpert, whose portrayal of Rosalind's ruthless efficiency, biting wit, and deep pain is a tour de force that brings to mind Meryl Streep's take on Anna Wintour. This tribute to a woman who helped crack the Pyrex ceiling reminds us of the need to reexamine "his"tory, and SHOULD NOT BE MISSED." - full review RAVE! - STAGE SCENE LA - "WOW! - fast-moving, funny, suspenseful, and ultimately deeply moving train ride of a play about the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure. As British scientist Rosalind Franklin, Aria Alpert gives an absolutely commanding, charismatic performance. Director Simon Levy deserves highest marks. Photograph 51 captures the joy and excitement felt by scientists on the verge of both discovery and the fame and financial gain that can come from it. IT IS AN ASBOLUTELY SMASHING 90 MINUTES OF SIMPLY GREAT THEATER!" - full review RAVE! - SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS/SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD/AIRSLA.ORG -"ENTHRALLING! The fascinating story of Ms. Franklin’s grueling research, carried out in spite of the carping and ridicule of her male colleagues, is told exquisitely in Anna Ziegler’s new play “Photograph 51”, currently on stage at one of the very best theatres in Los Angeles: The Fountain. Impeccably directed by The Fountain’s Simon Levy, the play stars Aria Alpert as the driven, competitive, and morbidly secretive Rosalind Franklin, whose work, apparently, was all-consuming... an important slice of history, beautifully acted and intriguingly presented. AN EXCITING ADVENTURE ALL AROUND." - full review RAVE! - CURTAINUP.COM - "This STUNNING PRODUCTION of Anna Ziegler's prize-winning play is whipped into a tightly-paced 90 minutes by director Simon Levy at The Fountain Theatre... Ziegler superbly sculpts the humanity and emotional lives of these scientists into their race for the prize. The play was the winner of the 2008 Stage International Script Competition for Best New Play About Science and Technology. It well deserves the honor and this production does it justice." - full review RAVE! - BACKSTAGE - "IMPECCABLE! - Ziegler uses considerable ingenuity to explicate dense scientific information; create clever, credible characters; and tell a story that won't conform to standard notions of plotting. Director Simon Levy gives the piece an IMPECCABLE PRODUCTION, with an admirable young cast. Alpert combines Franklin's brusque authority with vivacity and charm." - full review RAVE! - STAGEHAPPENINGS.COM - "MAGICAL! - Anna Ziegler’s award winning play sharply focuses and brings to light the shadowy figure of a brilliant, female physicist... The cast is excellent with Alpert a shining star of subtle transparency that gives Franklin a heart and soul through her biting remarks and quietly assertive expressions. Daniel Billet makes Wilkins a likable misfit and Ian Gould is wickedly charming with eager energy and a smugness that sizzles... Simon Levy’s outstanding direction heightens the engrossing intimate moments that further fleshes out the characters. Mining scenes of their physical humor and wit, Levy makes the scientific inquiry magical and approachable." - full review RAVE! - SOCAL.COM - "INGENIOUS! - I marveled at playwright Anna Ziegler’s effective methods of showing different sides of Franklin [and] Ms. Alpert brought to life a multifaceted Franklin... Simon Levy’s perceptive direction captured the human being and the scientific history without losing the nuances of either." RAVES! - Goldstar Patron Reviews - Read Reviews RAVE! - PARK LA BREA NEWS/BEVERLY PRESS - "A BRILLIANT PLAY! - "Playwright Anna Ziegler has... produced a brilliant play that’s not so much about esoteric proofs and obscure equations, but about emotion, striving, and a laboratory of one’s own... THE WRITING IS SUPERB... Aria Alpert portrays Rosalind to perfection... What a great evening! Terrific play, formidable actors." - full review RAVE! - EXAMINER.COM - "EXCITING! -This play which is making its West Coast premiere, moves swiftly, concentrating on a great race and the failure of collaboration for an intermissionless 90 minutes. INTENSELY EXCITING AND PROVOCATIVE, the themes transcend gender and science and surely will fuel many probing conversations." - full review RAVE! - CALIFORNIA CHRONICLE - "OUTSTANDING! - Presented in the stark black & white reality of an X-ray image, "Photograph 51" is a play that will stay in the mind for some time. The drama of the race and the twist of circumstances that placed the honor of discovery into another´s hands is thought provoking... And after an hour and twenty minutes – which seems far shorter – they will rise with applause in appreciation for the OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE they have just witnessed." - full review VARIETY - "TERRIFIC! - Polished and entertaining... Director Simon Levy directs the show smoothly, segueing from straight drama to narration to the lead character's private imaginings with admirable clarity. Attention clearly has been paid to the actors' performances...Alpert is terrific as Franklin, full of astringent authority and tart humor, a woman in full control of herself, if not her world." RAVE! - LA CITYBEAT - "ABSORBING AND TOUCHING! - The no-nonsense Franklin is seen here not simply as a casualty of sexism but also, more dimensionally, as a woman whose loner obstinacy might even have irritated other women scientists – if any of them had been in the labs. Partially because of her premature death at age 37, from a cancer that Ziegler suggests might have been caused by her work in the lab, she assumes a tragic stature that elevates the play and Simon Levy’s staging into an absorbing and touching event."
Who Really Discovered the Secret of Life? The story of British biophysicist Rosalind Franklin, whose groundbreaking study led to the historic discovery of the structure of DNA. But did her male colleagues (including Watson and Crick) steal her data and claim credit for themselves? written by Anna Ziegler directed by Simon Levy starring Aria Alpert, Daniel Billet, Joe Delafield, Ian Gould, Kerby Joe Grubb, Ross Hellwig, Graham Norris creative team JB Blanc, Dean Cameron, Elna Kordijan, Shon LeBlanc, Judi Lewin, Travis Gale Lewis, Kathi O'Donohue, Scott Siedman, Peter Stenshoel, Scott Tuomey produced by Ben Bradley FINAL WEEK! must close May 31st Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun 2pm (No Thursday shows after May 3rd, except on May 28th) Tickets can be purchased at 323-663-1525 Special Ticket Discount Offers |
 |
EXTENDED AGAIN! THRU FEBRUARY 22ND! From the creative team of JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, and one of America's greatest playwrights, winner of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize, we're proud to present the Los Angeles Revival of: AUGUST WILSON'S beloved play GEM OF THE OCEAN RAVE! - Talkin' Broadway - "A MASTERPIECE! - PERFECTLY REALIZED CHARACTERS! - In the hands of lesser actors, or a director with less vision than Ben Bradley, Gem of the Ocean could be two different plays—the living history lesson of African Americans of different ages and economic levels trying to make their way; and the unsettling dreamscape of Citizen Barlow's journey. But Bradley brings it all together in one sweeping theatrical whole. It's August Wilson's brilliant poetry and philosophy of the common man; it's history and your place in it; it's what you do with the hand you're dealt and what your responsibility might be to the other players. And it is a masterpiece." CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Back Stage West - "A CRI DE COEUR , jabs at the soul and cracks the heart open at this moment in history when the possibility exists of an African American becoming president... wonderfully staged by director Ben Bradley!" RAVE! - Los Angeles Times - "HEART, BUSTLE AND SWEAT!... Director Ben Bradley's appealing production achieves a tactile feel that earns its big metaphorical set piece: Citizen's spiritual baptism, a ritualistic sequence that puts him in anguished, liberating touch with his ancestors... Wilson was a giant, and his early death at 60 reminds us how precious it is to have a great artist around to write the rich, troubled language of American souls." RAVE! - Variety - "A SUREFIRE CROWDPLEASER!... A VIGOROUS REVIVAL!... keeps shifting smoothly into the rhythms and joys of life... a veritable acting class." RAVE! - Socal.com - "TRANSCENDENT PRODUCTION!... The relationships are rich, tense, and powerful, a strong credit to [Ben] Bradley's vision... My humble congratulations to Bradley, cast, crew, and venue for this SPECTACULAR PRODUCTION... You have honored Wilson's life... this show will add to your quality of life." RAVE! - Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press - "A 'GEM' OF A PLAY!... a stunning cri-de-coeur... THE ACTING IS SUPERB!" RAVE! - Buzzine - "A MUST-SEE!... EXCELLENT CAST... SPELL-BINDING! August Wilson died a few years ago. He was a “gem” of American theater. Catch all of his plays, if you can. But at least sample Gem of the Ocean — a really great evening of theater." RAVE! - Random Lengths - "OVERWHELMING!... Beautifully cast and pungently directed... DON'T MISS THIS!" BroadwayWorld.com, November 2008 KPFK Radio Interview, October 2008 Audience Reviews - Goldstar - October 2008 Audience Reviews - LA Times - October 2008 directed by Ben Bradley (OVATION Award Best Director and Best Production Joe Turner's Come and Gone) produced by Stephen Sachs Pittsburgh. 1904. Citizen Barlow, a tormented young man, appears at the home of Aunt Ester, a legendary 287-year-old healer and "soul cleanser." She sends him on an unforgettable journey in search of healing, love and hope for a new life. The masterpiece that begins August Wilson's 10-play cycle dramatizing, decade by decade, the African American experience in the 20th century. Wikipedia Entry on August Wilson starring Rico Anderson, Keith Arthur Bolden, Carlease Burke, Rodney Gardiner, Juanita Jennings, Stephen Marshall, Tene Carter Miller, Jeris Lee Poindexter, Adolphus Ward design and production team Nicki Aikire, Jenn Archuleta, JB Blanc, Dean Cameron, Tim Davis, Christian Epps, Ed Krieger, Jeremy A. Levin, Judi Lewin, Travis Gale Lewis, Mike Mahaffey, David B. Marling, Jack Newalu, Lucy Pollak, Katy Proietti, Marc Rosenthal, Naila Aladdin Sanders, Scott Siedman, Scott Tuomey EXTENDED AGAIN! THRU FEBRUARY 22ND! Friday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday, 2pm Tickets can be purchased at 323-663-1525 |
 |
EXTENDED! thru September 14th OVER A DOZEN RAVE REVIEWS! WEST COAST PREMIERE Nominated for the 2007 New York Drama Desk Award for Best New Play THE ACCOMPLICES
RAVE! - LA Weekly - "GO! - A GRIPPING PRODUCTION! - Deborah LaVine skillfully melds a FINE CAST." RAVE! - Hollywood Reporter - "A POWERFUL PLAY that will get your blood racing and brain thinking, SKILLFULLY ACTED AND DIRECTED!" RAVE! - Reuters & MSNBC - "Former New York Times correspondent Bernard Weinraub tells the PROVOCATIVE STORY in a balanced but no-holds-barred manner that lets the uncomfortable facts speak for themselves... Director Deborah LaVine's cast does a SPLENDID JOB." RAVE! - LACityBeat.com - "Weinraub brings a seldom-dramatized chapter of history to VIVID LIFE. Director Deborah LaVine navigates the docu-dramatic details in a consistently lucid and FAST-PACED PRODUCTION." RAVE! - Santa Monica Daily Press & San Diego Jewish World - "POWERFUL AND GRIPPING! It is intelligent, emotionally charged and well constructed. What's more, the incidents ring true. Director Deborah LaVine has wrought STIRRING AND AFFECTING PERFORMANCES." RAVE! - American Radio Network - "STIRRING PLAY!... "Deborah LaVine's staging is superb with sharp interactions between the vividly drawn characters brought to life by this accomplished ensemble of brilliant actors... OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION!" RAVE! - Edge Los Angeles - "A DRAMATIC TOUR DE FORCE!... Director Deborah LaVine does an excellent job... Another particular strength of "The Accomplices" is the acting... EXPLOSIVELY DRAMATIC!" RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "RIVETING!... Some plays are so powerful you can feel them in the pit of your stomach. Like timeless dramas of Greek tragedy, they become even more gut-wrenching when based on truth that has been hidden from the public... EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED!... The cast outdoes itself." RAVE! - StageHappenings.com (2nd) - "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!... a gripping and emotional story. It is a lesson in history that everyone should know and never forget." RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "AN EXCITING AND ENLIGHTENING EVENING OF THEATRE! Steven Schub’s dynamic, empassioned portrayal of Bergson carries the action." RAVE! - RandomLengthsNews.com - "A UNIFORMLY GRIPPING CAST! Directed at white heat by Deborah LaVine bites into Bernard Weinraub’s unremitting dramatization of a painful chapter in American history." RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - "GRIPPING AND ENLIGHTENING!... Meticulously researched drama... disturbing, really interesting, and not well known. RIVETING!" Articles Video
(director of A Shayna Maidel and Kindertransport) produced by Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor
President Roosevelt. Rabbi Stephen S. Wise. The State Department. American Jews. A conspiracy of silence and inaction. The true story of Hillel Kook (aka Peter Bergson). The FBI spied on him.
The State Department wanted him deported. Jewish leaders tried to stop him. Yet despite this intense and sometimes frenzied opposition, firebrand activist Peter Bergson succeeded in shattering the wall of silence that surrounded news about Hitler's annihilation of the Jews. Jerusalem Post: U.S. Holocaust Museum starring Brian Carpenter, Cheryl Dooley, Michael German, Dennis Gersten, Gregory G. Giles, James Harper, Morlan Higgins, William Dennis Hurley, Elizabeth Karr, Kirsten Kollender, Stephen Marshall, Donne McRae, Steven Schub creative team Jennifer Archuleta, JB Blanc, Ken Booth, Dean Cameron, Aric Hendrix, Shon LeBlanc, Judi Lewin, Travis Gale Lewis, Dave Marling, Caitlin O'Hare, Scott Tuomey, Amy Weiss
Opens July 19 Closes September 14 Thursday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday, 2pm Tickets can be purchased at 323-663-1525 |
The 3rd Annual Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance Playreading Series August 25-27, 2008 Presenting... The Top Three Finalist Plays of the inaugural Join Us for Three Amazing Nights with the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance's Finest Actors and Directors
Every year the ADAA Reading Series celebrates and promotes Armenian playwrights, directors, actors and like artists by presenting three fully staged readings of plays written by Armenian playwrights and/or about Armenian themes. Monday, August 25 directed by Debra DeLiso
Tuesday, August 26 THE LIVING AND THE DEAD directed by Michael Arabian
directed by Martin Bedoian 7:30pm at: The Fountain Theatre 5060 Fountain Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Tickets $15/per night/per person. Order your tickets on line before August 14 and receive a 20% discount BUY ONLINE NOW at
|
|
 |
April 25 - June 15, 2008 FINAL WEEK - LIMITED SEATS! A NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK WORLD PREMIERE And Her Hair Went With Her directed by Diane Rodriguez starring Tony Award Winner Tonya Pinkins
"One of ten women in America who will take your breath away." - Oprah Winfrey and Tracie Thoms
(star of "Rent" and Kat Miller on "Cold Case") Alternates: Pam Trotter - Website and Zina Camblin - Website Los Angeles Wave and Tonya Pinkins Part 1 Los Angeles The Wave and Tonya Pinkins Part 2 RAVE! - "If you want to catch two wicked talents get into trouble, head for the Fountain Theatre, where Tony winner Tonya Pinkins and "Cold Case" actress Tracie Thoms are tearing it up in And Her Hair Went With Her." - Los Angeles Times GO! - "Energetic, skillful portrayals by these fine performers under Diane Rodriguez’s astute direction." - LA Weekly CRITIC'S PICK! - "Pairing two versatile powerhouse actors -- veteran Broadway and TV star Tonya Pinkins and her younger, multicredited colleague Tracie Thoms -- elevates this enjoyable dramedy to a higher level, each scene more captivating than the preceding one. All their characterizations are impressive and distinctive." - Back Stage West RAVE! - "Two extraordinary actresses in a play that is original, intelligent, and hilarious. Could you spend a more delicious evening in the theatre? Not very often. Congratulations!" - CurtainUp.com CRITIC'S PICK! - "A must see! The range of both actresses is phenomenal. What an exciting production!" - American Radio Network WOW! - "Theatrical magic!... a darned fine piece of writing, directed to perfection." - StageSceneLA.com RAVE! - "A two-actor tour de force comedy that celebrates the African-American woman and their own perceptions of identity as expressed through their hair... played in top comedic form by Pinkins and Thoms." - Edge Los Angeles RAVE! - "Pinkins, a regular on “All My Children,” and Thoms are on their “A” game. They are exceptional as they effortlessly weave (pun intended) in and out, playing not only the salon owners, but also their overthe- top customers – with only the help of a wig." - L.A. Watts Times Producers: Stephen Sachs and Ben Bradley Director: Diane Rodriguez Asst. Director: Ben Bradley Playwright: Zina Camblin Set/Props/Costume Designer: Sandra Burns Lighting Designer: Tony Mulanix Sound Designer: Adam Phalen Publicist: Lucy Pollak - lucy@lucypr.com Performer Schedule: (this show is cast with alternates; if you're coming to see a particular performer, please check with the box office at 323-663-1525 for latest scheduling) May 9-11 (Tonya & Tracie) May 15-18 (Pam & Tracie) May 22 - June 15 (Tonya & Tracie) Performs Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm Tickets can be purchased at 323-663-1525
|
 |
CLOSED Sunday, March 23rd
From the creative team and author of Exits and Entrances! THE U.S. PREMIERE OF ATHOL FUGARD'S NEWEST PLAY VICTORY Directed by Stephen Sachs Starring: Morlan Higgins (Exits and Entrances) Lovensky Jean-Baptiste Tinashe Kajese Produced by Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor American Theater Magazine Article, March '08 L.A. Times Article, February '08
RAVE! - L.A. TIMES - "UTTERLY GRIPPING! What distinguishes "Victory" isn't the novelty of its engaging plot, but the all-encompassing humanity with which it is observed. It's a piece, in other words, for actors to bring to three-dimensional life, and that is exactly what Sachs' trio manages to trenchantly achieve." - Charles McNulty RAVE! - VARIETY - "Trio of superb performances and Stephen Sachs' exquisitely nuanced staging bring the play alive on three distinct levels of appreciation." - Bob Verini RAVE! - WALL STREET JOURNAL - "One of California's best drama companies! - supremely well acted... staged with relentless intensity... worth a trip from wherever you may happen to live." - Terry Teachout ***GO!*** - L.A. WEEKLY - "Three performances of ravishing subtlety, under Stephen Sachs' thoughtful and loving direction." - Steven Leigh Morris RAVE! - HOLLYWOOD REPORTER - "Profoundly intimate and rocked by emotional explosions. The play is a model of precise, efficient construction, calculated so carefully that the flow of the story and its mostly small twists and turns function as organically as fiction ever can, setting the stage for three outstanding performances." - Laurence Vittes ***RECOMMENDED!*** - L.A. TIMES - "COMPELLING! SHATTERING! Stephen Sachs directs a strong cast." - Charlotte Stoudt ***3 1/2 STARS!*** - DAILY NEWS - "Throat-clutcher of a production! Important play by an important playwright." - Evan Henerson ***CRITIC’S PICK!*** - BACK STAGE WEST - "Director Stephen Sachs achieves a brilliant ensemble effort. In a physically meticulous portrayal, Higgins expertly plays a man well beyond his own years. He also masters the regional accent (supported by dialect coach JB Blanc) and achingly conveys the tragedy of a once-powerful but now-broken-down individual. Jean-Baptiste is at once terrifying and pitiable in a performance brimming with intelligence and finely focused energy. Kajese is a heartbreaker as the good girl gone astray, giving a superbly nuanced characterization." - Les Spindle RAVE! - CURTAINUP - "Under Stephen Sachs' taut direction, the play singes with suspense and fear." - Laura Hitchcock RAVE! - PARK LABREA NEWS & BEVERLY PRESS - "A splendid work of art!... Superb dialogue and even better performances make this a document to be seen, and re-seen, and discussed, and thought about, and considered, and see again." - Madeleine Shaner RAVE! - ENTERTAINMENT TODAY - "Under the sharp directorial skills of the Fountain’s co-artistic director Stephen Sachs... once again this durable theatre venue has stepped up to the plate bigtime. The design elements, from Travis Gale Lewis’ gloriously detailed set to the precise regional dialects coached by JB Blanc, are exceptional and the acting is first rate - probably why Fugard refers in the program to the Fountain as “his home in America.” - Travis Michael Holder RAVE! - L.A. CITY BEAT - "Stephen Sachs is an expert at extracting every drop of drama from a racially charged script. Victory had me literally on the edge of my chair." - Don Shirley RAVE! - TALKIN' BROADWAY - "STELLAR! A taut and intense piece, and director Stephen Sachs never lets the tension lag. But more than being about three characters, a break-in and a gun, Fugard's script is about the experience of South Africa today. And, even more than that, Fugard's play transcends South Africa and is easily relevant to any society in which there is a racial or class divide." - Sharon Perlmutter SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS - "Another emotional blockbuster from South Africa’s Athol Fugard." - Cynthia Citron RAVE! - CULTUREVULTURE.NET - POWERFUL! BEAUTIFULLY CAST! Victory is as tight and complete as the room where the post-apartheid tragedy plays out. This is a drama with story and character development leaving nothing that could be edited out, nor anything that need be added. It is rewarding to see such a meaningful subject handled with the dexterity of a surgeon. - Karen Weinstein RAVE! - WHAT THE BUTLER SAW - "SENSITIVE AND POWERFUL!...This ensemble cast is stupendous, top notch." - James Scarborough This is the U.S. Premiere of the new play by internationally acclaimed playwright Athol Fugard (Master Harold and the Boys, The Island, Blood Knot, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, Exits and Entrances, and the Academy Award-winning Best Foreign Film, Tsotsi). A powerful and moving drama about the betrayal of hope in the "New South Africa." L.A. Times Article 1/21/08 TheatreMania Article 1/22/08 Wikipedia Entry on Athol Fugard “Spellbinding!” – Johannesburg News Agency
“The play is at once a contained and savage thriller and a political microcosm. The sense of lives lived side by side yet worlds apart, and of the insidiousness of hierarchical social patterns, continually reasserts itself… fiercely beautiful.” – London Times
“A tight and fascinating look at captive and captor … all three characters share a chronic and enduring lack of understanding which perpetuates the divide between them. A political statement about the dichotomy between the privileged and the deprived in South Africa today.” – British Theatre Guide
“Thought-provoking and brutally honest … Fugard is still finding much to say about the ironies and divisions inherent in the birth of the ‘New South Africa’ … Stunning … a powerful and disturbing picture of a victim of political and cultural change.” – The Stage, UK
“Latest play shows true mastery of Fugard … This is vintage Fugard at his best, teasing Sophoclean debate and drama from a gritty human situation. In dialogue as sharply honed and pared down as his best.” – The Independent, UK “Fugard’s latest play erupts with emotion … goes right to the heart of contemporary South Africa’s impasse. Go and see this play!” – Cape Times
“South Africa is in denial about its problems, busy blaming the past while taking no responsibility for the present … South Africans want to cling to the moment when the miraculous happened, and not deal with the squalor and betrayal of the present.” – Athol Fugard, on Victory
Set Design - Travis Gale Lewis Lighting Design - Christian Epps Sound Design - WavMagic (David Marling) Costume Design - Shon Le Blanc Prop Design - John Minchin Makeup Design - Judi Lewin Fight Director - Doug Lowry Dialect Coach - JB Blanc Publicist - Lucy Pollak Production Stage Manager - Kerrie Blaisdell Technical Director - Scott Tuomey
Previews began 1/17 Opened 1/25 Closes 3/23 Running time is 70 minutes No Intermission Tickets can be purchased at: 323-663-1525 or online at http://fountaintheatre.com/buytickets.html |
 |
EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND! MUST CLOSE 11/18 NOT SEEN IN LOS ANGELES IN OVER 25 YEARS! Tennessee Williams' THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE ANYMORE L.A. Weekly - GO! - "SUPERB! - Director Simon Levy and a terrific cast headed by Karen Kondazian do a magnificent job of bringing this black comedy to life. In a passionate performance, Kondazian plays Flora Goforth, a drug-addled, wealthy widow holed up in an Italian villa. She’s ostensibly writing her memoirs with the help of her devoted secretary, Blackie (Lisa Pelikan), but it’s not going well and their work is interrupted when a young man trespasses on the grounds to deliver a book of poetry to Flora. His name is Christopher Flanders (Michael Rodgers), but as the Witch of Capri (Scott Presley in drag) warns Flora, the young man has been nicknamed The Angel of Death in light of his past visits to aging divas. The production design is as superb as the cast. Shon Le Blanc’s costumes evoke both the excesses and reserve of the early 1960s. Kathi O’Donohue’s gorgeous lighting suggests the beauty of the Italian coast as reflected on Travis Gale Lewis’ multi-functional set." - Sandra Ross
Back Stage West - CRITIC'S PICK! - "Fascinating production! - Karen Kondazian blows out the fenestration and lets the bats barrel-roll out of her belfry as she wrestles with the role of 'Georgia swamp bitch' cumfaded, oft-married international beauty Mrs. Goforth... If there's a bold choice Kondazian missed, I couldn't spot it. - Helpmate and secretary to the moribund Mrs. Goforth is the crisply efficient Blackie, brought to life by Lisa Pelikan in a most engaging way. She never once runs out of ways to react to the compounding weirdness around her. - Director Simon Levy skillfully manages to make this world of isolation, privilege, deception, lust, and hallucination work as a richly textured whole." - Wenzel Jones L.A. Times – “TALENTED CAST! – The Fountain Theatre’s new production lunges into this problematic play with energy and enthusiasm… the cast is deliciously game.” – David Ng CurtainUp.com - "Even in the sad last years of his life when drugs, drink and the death of his longtime companion Frank Merlo had blurred his focus, Tennessee Williams could craft wonderful lines. Nor had he lost his sense of theatre or his gift for creating full-blooded many-faceted characters. - It's getting the best performance it's likely to have at the Fountain Theatre under the direction of Simon Levy, whose intuitive understanding of the playwright has earned him exceptional privileges from the vigilant Williams estate. - Karen Kondazian as Sissy has the exceptional range to contrast the flamboyance, sensuality and power of an international celebrity with the vulnerability of a lonely child and Michael Rodgers catches the disillusioned spirituality of Christopher Flanders with dry gallantry. As Blackie, Lisa Pelikan , looking like a young Deborah Kerr, gives the play a sense of balance, playing the audience's advocate with a yearning delicacy." - Laura Hitchcock IN Magazine - "COURAGEOUS! - Levy's handsomely staged production (awesome set by Travis Gale Lewis, fine costumes by Shon Le Blanc, marvelous lighting by Kathi O'Donohue, superb sound effects by David B. Marling) is crisply professional. Kondazian is a consummate actress... Rodgers is superb... Pelikan brings welcome down-to-earth realism to her role... Rhino Michaels, Dominic Acosta and Lauren Silvi offer fine support. Valiant production under Simon Levy's assured direction." - Les Spindle
This is the Los Angeles revival of Tennessee Williams’ rarely-produced black comedy. Flora Goforth, immensely wealthy and outrageous and living high atop her Italian villa overlooking the Mediterranean and the Divina Costiera, dictates her memoirs to her secretary, Blackie, when they are disrupted by the violent and mysterious arrival of a handsome and charismatic poet known as the “Angel of Death.” Mrs. Goforth wants him as a lover, but he’s there for other reasons. Starring as Mrs. Goforth as Blackie
Scott Presley Michael Rodgers as The Witch of Capri as Christopher Flanders
and featuring:
Dominic Acosta Travis Michael Holder Rhino Michaels Lauren Silvi
Christopher Smith Travis Michael Holder will perform on 11/9-11/11 Scott Presley will perform on 11/16-11/18 Christopher Smith will perform on 11/9-11/18
The director, Simon Levy, is known for his acclaimed Fountain Theatre productions of Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke, Orpheus Descending and The Night of the Iguana. Producers - Ben Bradley and Diana Gibson Set Design - Travis Gale Lewis Light Design - Kathi O'Donohue Costume Design - Shon LeBlanc Sound Design - David B. Marling Prop Design - John Minchin Hair & Makeup - Judi Lewin Technical Director - Scott Tuomey Dialect Coach - Larry Moss Publicist - David Elzer/Demand P.R. ASMs - Sheldon Patrick & Daniel Seidner & Scott Tuomey Production Stage Manager - Elna Kordijan & Nick Frumkin EXTENDED! thru November 18, 2007 (No Performances 11/8 & 11/15) Fri - Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm Box Office: 323-663-1525 Group Sales: 323-663-1365 To Buy Online: Purchase
|
 |
August 17 - 26, 2007 (7 Performances Only!) TAKING FLIGHT written and performed by Adriana Sevan Hollywood Reporter - "Sevan... an energetic, endearing, enthusiastic performer mixes comedy with tragedy as she craftily blends the art and power of the spoken word." CRITICS' PICK! - Back Stage West - "Sevan is a remarkable actor and storyteller!" CRITIC'S PICK! - San Diego Union Tribune - "Sevan joins the ranks of the best!" TAKING FLIGHT is a one-woman show exploring the depth of friendship in the face of disaster, and the restorative power of forgiveness and redemption. In the hilarious and powerful piece, actress/writer Adriana Sevan - herself a striking and passionate Armenian/Dominican hybrid - portrays a mixed ethnic variety of several unforgettable characters: the Latina Esperanza Middleschmertz (an outrageous mixture of Carmen Miranda and Dr. Phil "in the hood"), a Haitian cab driver, a hilarious Jewish fashion-maven from Long Island, and a 90 year-old sexy grandmother. In the midst of one of America's most cataclysmic events, the diverse central characters in TAKING FLIGHT are all forced to question and confront issues of friendship, loyalty, spirituality, and love. Tickets: 323-663-1525 Group Sales: 323-663-1365 To Buy Online: Purchase
|
 |
August 13 - 15, 2007 CELEBRATION OF BERGE ZEYTUNTSYAN: A Reading of 3 of His Plays Born and Died (directed by Bianca Bagatourian) The Saddest of Sad Men (directed by Martin Bedoian) Unfinished Monologue (directed by Michael Arabian) Translated by S. Peter Crowe Featured Actors Include: Vaz Andreas, Raffi Anoushian, Shant Bejanian, Michael Goorjian, Alex Kalognomous, Buck Kartalian, Karen Kondazian, Ludwig Manukian, Anoush N’Vart, Anahid Shahrik, Loraine Shields, Lory Tatoulian, Shake Tukhmanian, Landon Vaughn, Gregory Zarian
Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
This is the Second Annual ADAA/Fountain Theatre Reading Series, and is the first time Berge Zeytuntsyan's plays are being presented in English in the U.S. Mr. Zeytuntsyan was born on July 18, 1938, in Alexandria, Egypt. In 1948, he repatriated to Armenia. Zeytuntsyan graduated from the Pyatigorsk Institute of Foreign Languages in Russia. He went on to also graduate from the Advanced Courses for Screenwriters in Moscow. In 1956, his inaugural collection of works, His First Friend, was published. From 1966-68, Zeytuntsyan worked as a script editor at Armenfilm, and then from 1968-75 he was the chief editor at the Yerevan Studio of TV films. He served as secretary of the Writer's Union of Armenia from 1975-86 and from 1990-91 as the acting Minister of Culture in Armenia. Berge Zeytuntsyan is the author of many plays, some of which have been translated into different languages and staged in countries around the world. Tickets: 323-663-1525 Group Sales: 323-663-1365 To Buy Online: Purchase |
 |
June 7 - July 29, 2007 20th Anniversary Revival of SOJOURN AT ARARAT Created by Gerald Papasian and Nora Armani Directed by Nora Armani Starring Korken Alexander Mary Kate Schellhardt For Reviews, please visit Press Los Angeles Times - "A labor of love!... The production, with chameleon-like grace and exquisite craft, achieves a vast scale with a lightness of being... [an] epic dramatic paean to the Armenian people." The Scotsman - "In this splendid show, Armenians light up their homeland, and with it, all humanity." The Armenian Observer - "A high caliber theatrical experience!" PICK OF THE WEEK! - LA Weekly - "Beautiful staging!" The international award-winning sensation seen on four continents and now returning to Los Angeles for a 20th Anniversary Revival. This beloved show brings to beautiful life the romance and soul of the Armenian people through its poetry and literature. It is the centerpiece of the Festival. Saturdays, 8pm Sundays, 2pm Tickets: 323-663-1525 Group Sales: 323-663-1365 To Buy Online: Purchase Ticket Prices: $25.00 - Saturday & Sunday $23.00 - Seniors (over 62) on Sundays $18.00 - Students with ID/All Shows |
 |
"Flamenco that sets the stage afire!" - L.A. Times The 2007 Sonidos Gitanos Southern California Tour! Sonidos Gitanos ("Gypsy Flamenco") returns from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain in a brand new show FlamenColores starring: dancer Maria Bermudez dancer Rafael Compallo singers Ani de los Reyes & Miguel Rosendo guitarists Jesus Alvarez & Nino Jero violinist Bernardo Parilla palmero/percussionist Luis de la Tota VENUES: Japan America Theatre, Los Angeles, July 21st Mandeville Auditorium, San Diego, July 22nd Majorie Luke Theatre, Santa Barbara, July 25th SEATING/DIRECTIONS/PARKING: Japan America Theatre Mandeville Auditorium Marjorie Luke Theatre Purchase Tickets for all shows: 323-663-3779 To Buy Online: Purchase Ticket Prices: $25, $40, $55, $75, $100 |
 |
SUMMER ARMENIAN FESTIVAL PART (one) ON THE COUCH WITH NORA ARMANI Directed by Francois Kergourlay 3 Weeks Only May 18 - June 3 A tour-de-force performed to worldwide acclaim! Rare L.A. appearance! Don't miss this funny and touching world-eye view of life from this enchanting Armenian-Egyptian-American actress, poet and storyteller. A woman's journey of belonging and not belonging, of being and discovering. "Superb! A truly fascinating theatre piece." - Talkin' Broadway. "Theatrical magic." - LA Weekly. "A spirited and spiritual journey." - Boston Globe Ms. Armani has performed the play in: This is a co-production of The Fountain Theatre and PEMART Productions. For more information about Ms. Armani, please visit www.noraarmani.com Thursdays-Saturdays, 8pm Sundays at 2pm |
 |
February 1 - May 6, 2007 CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times August Strindberg's MISS JULIE Dangerous. Forbidden. Erotic. Set during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. (Real Life Emulates Art - see AP news article) AP Report on Mississippi Arrest See RAVE REVIEWS at CRITIC’S CHOICE! “A riveting new adaptation of Strindberg's classic about forbidden desire. Director-writer Stephen Sachs transposes the action to 1964 Mississippi, where stirrings of the civil rights movement threaten the Old South status quo … the actors seize hold of the play’s operatic emotional scale … Middendorf, a capricious seductress in a tight red dress, dominates the show, veering from imperiousness to despair, improbably turning self-hatred into an aphrodisiac … Chuma Gault is brooding and graceful … Judith Moreland strikes a strong counter note … As a trio, they lure us into Strindberg’s masterful liebestod, a dark ballad to the hungry forces within that both liberate and destroy. ” - Los Angeles Times CRITIC'S CHOICE! - "Adapter and director Stephen Sachs re-sets August Strindberg’s 1888 play in 1964 Mississippi. The tension in the original – in which a young, upper-class woman and her servant sexually cross the class divide – is multiplied by adding the racial divide. Miss Julie is white, and the servant is her father’s black chauffeur. For American audiences, the play is much more harrowing than usual. Tracy Middendorf (Summer and Smoke and After the Fall at the same theater) is a human lightning rod. Chuma Gault deftly parries her advances as the ambitious chauffeur, and Judith Moreland is superb at embodying the repressed rage of the household cook and would-be wife of the chauffeur." - Los Angeles City Beat GO! - RECOMMENDED! - "...an ensemble that’s sublime." - LA Weekly “EXCELLENT!” The talented Middendorf ably conveys Julie's enjoyment of power and manipulation … Gault is excellent, showing how the desire for Julie and a feeling of empowerment could cause John to put his life at risk, and he commands the stage with a smooth grace. Moreland is thoroughly convincing.” - Variety "FIRST CLASS! Smoldering ... a gripping piece of theater... Middendorf, with her painfully frail body, wilting beauty and halting sensuality ... she flings her body about carelessly as if she were a puppet on a perilously thin string, and her gaudy smiles are masks through which her terrible inner hopelessness and fear hauntingly glare...Gault is excellent as the chauffeur who is of two minds about rising out of his class, eloquently moving the story forward with both word and deed ... the wonderful Moreland uses her expressive body and beautiful voice to great effect ... The production is first class all around." - Hollywood Reporter “WOW! There’s no other word for Stephen Sachs’ new adaptation of the August Strindberg classic, “Miss Julie,” now having its world premiere at the Fountain Theatre. It is an intense and powerful play, flawlessly acted by Tracy Middendorf as Miss Julie, Chuma Gault as John, and Judith Moreland as Christine, the cook. Each of them goes from strength to strength under the sure hand of Stephen Sachs, who directed as well as providing this adaptation. Yet another triumph for the always-excellent Fountain Theatre.” – ReviewPlays.com “POWERFUL! The Fountain Theatre's Miss Julie is a dream come true! Sachs' adaptation breathes new relevancy into the story … Tracy Middendorf's Julie is brash, sultry, and seductive … It is Chuman Gault's John who drives the story and owns the stage as both protagonist and the most powerful presence on the small Fountain Theatre stage. He and Judith Moreland's Christine project a strength and longing that makes the transformation into simmering servitude in Julie's presence painful to watch. “ – Epinons.com a bold new adaptation written and directed by Stephen Sachs (Exits and Entrances, After the Fall) starring Chuma Gault Tracy Middendorf (After the Fall, Summer and Smoke) Judith Moreland (Ms. Middendorf's final performance is 4/20/07) alternates: Alexa Alexander, Jared Poe, Stephanie Stearns Set Design, Travis Gale Lewis Lighting Design, Kathi O'Donohue Costume Design, Shon Le Blanc Sound Design, David B. Marling Prop Design, Goar Galstyan Fight Director, Josh Gordon Voice Coach, Larry Moss Friday & Saturdays, 8pm (no Thursday performances) Sundays, 2pm Box Office and Group Sales: 323-663-1525 THERE IS NO LATE SEATING FOR THIS SHOW!
|
 |
RETURN ENGAGEMENT! ONE NIGHT ONLY! PART OF A WORLDWIDE READING MARCH 20, 2007 8:00 PM ALL SEATS $25.00 Call: 323-663-1525 for Reservations The Guardian (UK): "Every war has its antiwar classic, and here is Iraq's." WHAT I HEARD ABOUT IRAQ (A Cry for 5 Voices) adapted and directed by Simon Levy based on Eliot Weinberger's world-renowned article starring: Marc Casabani, Darcy Halsey, Tony Pasqualini, Bernadette Speakes & Ryun Yu WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS FRINGE FIRST AWARD EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL, AUGUST 2006! To See Information on 2007 Performances and Events, click here WHAT I HEARD ABOUT IRAQ - Future Productions & Events The performance is 75 minutes long and there will be a post-show discussion with Special Guest, Ivan Goldman, of MFSO (Military Families Speak Out) MFSO.org. Ivan Goldman, editorial writer and journalist, lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., and is a columnist for The Ring magazine. His son is serving in Iraq. |
 |
MASTER CLASS by Terrence McNally Revived for 4 Performances Only Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara Produced by Santa Barbara Theatre January 4-7, 2007 directed by Simon Levy Winner of the L.A. OVATION Award for Best Production of the year. Beverly Hills Outlook Theatre Award: Stage Actress of the Year (Karen Kondazian). Back Stage West GARLAND Awards: Best Actress (Karen Kondazian), Best Direction (Simon Levy), Best Sound Design (John Zalewski). Reviews www.sbtheatre.org |
 |
West Coast Premiere! October 19 - December 3, 2006 TAXI TO JANNAH A Bumpy Ride to Paradise by Mark Sickman directed by Deborah Lawlor produced by Diana Gibson Los Angeles Times - " A kind of 'It's a Wonderful Muslim American Life'. Director Deborah Lawlor keeps the pace up, and the likable Jahan offers a committed, starry-eyed performance in keeping with the play's unabashedly sweet tone." Hollywood Reporter - "AN EXCELLENT CAST AND AN IMPRESSIVE PRODUCTION (director Deborah Lawlor is the Fountain Theatre's respected producing artistic director)... As the philosophical cab driver seeking to establish a user-friendly neighborhood mosque, Jahan mixes electric energy and a magnetic stage presence... As his wife, Anna Khaja is radiantly beautiful... The actors are obviously well served by director Lawlor's steady hand at the rudder as she steers them through the activity and dialogue with hardly a misstep or even a momentary lack of confidence. Working on a stage that makes good, imaginative use of the theater's tight space, LAWLOR AND HER CREW SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE." - Lawrence Vittes The American Muslim - “Taxi to Jannah is unique. It’s a comedy with a Muslim hero, and presents a positive view of Muslims in America.”
An American comedy with a Muslim hero! This delightful and wise comedy/drama about a devout Muslim taxi driver, Nasrudeen, who dreams of creating his own storefront mosque, humanizes and honors Islamic culture and faith, as he encounters a wide range of eccentric urban characters who impact his life in wonderfully unexpected ways. featuring: Aclan Bates, Christopher David, Yaphet Enge, Avner Garbi, Alan Goodson, Mueen Jahan, Nicholas Kadi, Anna Khaja, Raqual Newton, Maggie Peach, Sloan Robinson, Archie Lee Simpson Set Design, Scott Siedman Lighting Design, Kathi O'Donohue Costume Design, Naila Aladdin Sanders Production Stage Manager, Nicholas Frumkin Assistant Director, Danielle Marie Holland Thursdays - Saturdays, 8pm Sundays, 2pm Low-cost Previews: October 19-27 Opens: October 28
Box Office and Group Sales: 323-663-1525
|
 |
READINGS OF 3 NEW PLAYS BY ARMENIAN PLAYWRIGHTS A Project of the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance in collaboration with The Fountain Theatre NOVEMBER 13-15 The Scent of Jasmine By Bianca Bagatourian Directed by Michael Arabian Monday, November 13 8:00 PM A Citizen Kane type mystery about an Armenian immigrant who becomes one of the richest men in America and the measures he takes to regain the Happiness he felt as a child in the old country. Featuring: Shaunt Bejanian Karine Chakarian Magda Harout Buck Kartalian Karen Kondazian Eddie Mekka Sona Tatoyan
The Blackstone Sessions By Lisa Kirazian Directed by Ben Bradley Tuesday, November 14 8:00 PM When young African American executive Trevor leaves for the summer and hires a housekeeper for his elderly mother – retired & reclusive poet-activist Hannah Ruby Johnson & widow of the great civil rights leader Marshall Johnson – Hannah rebels by putting the uneducated Italian-American housekeeper, Gina, through the ringer. Their love-hate ‘friendship’ results in Hannah slowly introducing Gina to her world of literature and politics, but Gina’s thirst for the education she never had results in her uncovering more of Hannah’s past than anyone knew. Featuring: Bernard Addison Tene Carter Yaphet Enge Danielle Holland Alex Kalognomos Bart Myer Iona Morris Anoush NeVart Jeris Poindexter Sloane Robinson Push By Kristen Lazarian Directed by Martin Bedoian Wednesday, November 15 8:00 PM push(poosh) v. 1. to press forcefully in order to move. 2. to move illicitly. 3. Slang. to publicize or sell aggressively. 4 n. a tie between the dealer and the player in blackjack. A tense comedic drama about love, deceit, fidelity and manipulation. San Diego Arts Online calls Push a “doozy of a date night for married couples. After the proverbial curtain falls, let the what-if line of questioning begin.” Featuring: Andrea Ajemian Michael Goorjian Richard Horvitz Karen Kondazian Salli Saffiotti Anahid Shahrik Greg Zarian |
 |
California Premiere! New York Times "Ms. Orlandersmith is wholly original. Riveting!" 3-Week Limited Engagement! 15 PERFORMANCES ONLY! September 13 - October 1, 2006 DAEL ORLANDERSMITH (celebrated author of YELLOWMAN) in her one-woman play THE GIMMICK directed by Simon Levy CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times "RIVETING AND INSPIRING! ELEGANT AND POETIC! This solo piece is guaranteed to touch the soul of anyone who's ever aspired to a better life. With understated supplemental music and lighting, Simon Levy's staging deftly showcases his performer's talents to best advantage... Orlandersmith's performance mines brutally honest anguish, longing and beauty that transcend time and place in a voice all her own. In the end, she leaves us heartbroken, stirred and above all GRATEFUL FOR LETTING US INTO HER WORLD." - Philip Brandes CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage West "INTENSELY INTIMATE AND POWERFUL! With pulsing physicality and a visceral embrace of language... Orlandersmith has such a strong connection to her material that it's impossible not to be completely drawn in; HER WORDS AND PRESENCE ARE INESCAPABLE... Simon Levy directs, and the production makes beautiful use of lighting by Kathi O'Donohue and sound by David B. Marling." - Jennie Webb Hollywood Reporter - "SPELLBINDING! POWERFUL! POETIC! Orlandersmith combines the riveting personal power of a Maya Angelou with the theatrical command of a professionally trained actress... Orlandersmith is more than a charismatic talker; she is physically gifted as well. BRILLIANT!" - Lawrence Vittes Los Angeles Sentinel - "WORDPLAY GENIUS! EMOTIONAL AND POIGNANT! Power, courage and brutal honesty are what playwright Dael Orlandersmith delivers in her one-woman show... Orlandersmith's MAGNIFICENT WAY WITH WORDS and bold expressions paint a vivid heartbreaking picture of a young black girl trying to find her way... A REMARKALBE SIGHT TO WITNESS AND EXPERIENCE!" - Mary E. Montoro LA Weekly - Writer/solo performer Dael Orlandersmith spins a UNIVERSALLY POIGNANT TALE of friendship and creative aspiration... Studded with character and detail, both the piece and performer reach a STIRRING CLIMAX in depicting one teenager’s first experience of raw betrayal." - Deborah Klugman ReviewPlays.com: "The formidable playwright is A POWERHOUSE OF AN ACTRESS. Under Simon Levy’s carefully nuanced direction, Orlandersmith becomes all the people in her world, and all the emotions as well... POWERFUL!" - Cynthia Citron
"I'm gonna be a word magician." Alexis in The Gimmick Ms. Orlandersmith populates her tale with a host of extraordinary, memorable, funny, and deeply moving characters as we journey with Alexis and her best friend, Jimmy, as they come of age on the streets of Harlem. Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! EXTREMELY LIMITED SEATING!!! Box Office and Group Sales: 323-663-1525
|
 |
World Premiere! August 4 - September 3, 2006 LITTLE ARMENIA written by Lory Bedikian, Aram Kouyoumdjian, and Shahe Mankerian directed by Armina LaManna produced by Deborah Lawlor and Armina LaManna starring: Maro Ajemian, Karine Chakarian, RB Dilanchian, Johnny Giacalone, Hunter Lee Hughes, Jade Hykush, Jack Kandel, Ludwig Manukian, Salem Mikhael, Anoush Nevart Associate Producer: Anahid Shahrik Assistant Director: Loraine Shields Production Stage Manager: Eleanor Wood Set Designer: Scott Siedman Lighting Designer: Henrik Mansourian Sound Designer: Shahen Hakobian Prop Designer: Goar Galstyan Costume Designer: Shon LeBlanc Photographer/Designer: Yvette Khalafian Los Angeles Times - "THE PRODUCTION IS LACED THROUGHOUT BY AN INVIGORATING HUMOR LEAVENED WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF GENUINE SENTIMENT... Three major story lines, each crafted by a different playwright, vie for pride of place in this busy piece, which has been broadly but effectively directed by Armina LaManna, who keeps the action brisk... Larger issues - the Armenian genocide, the divide between the American dream and the American reality, and the fierce insularity of a beleagured but proud people - are touched upon, sometimes quite movingly." - F. Kathleen Foley LA Weekly - "INSIGHTFUL! APPEALING! AN HOMAGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDS THE THEATER." - Steven Leigh Morris CityBeat - CRITIC'S CHOICE! - "Armina LaManna's staging is remarkably concise and consistent in tone. The text balances WARM EMOTION with a few less than flattering perspectives and a WEALTH OF LOCAL COLOR - the narrator's home is on a street only a half-block from the theater." - Don Shirley CurtainUp - "Little Armenia succeeds in giving a picture of the contemporary Armenian community and, as always, the production values at the Fountain are FIRST RATE... The dialogue is deft and director Armina LaManna integrates the stories DRAMATICALLY... SKILLFULLY WOVEN TOGETHER!" - Laura Hitchcock
In 2000, the Los Angeles City Council designated the area surrounding the Fountain Theatre as “Little Armenia." In 2005, the Fountain Theatre launched a yearlong development of a new play. Our community of Fountain Theatre writers, beginning in January 2005, went into the homes and businesses of Little Armenia to talk with and interview the citizens who live here. Based on those interviews, and their own experiences, our three writers have created a fictional play that reflects the lives of Armenians in Hollywood, what it means to be an immigrant in America, and how we define "home." Funded in part by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Thursdays - Saturdays, 8pm Sundays, 2pm Low-cost Previews: August 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 Opens: August 11th Added Performances at 5pm on Saturday 8/26 and Saturday 9/2. LIMITED RUN. MUST CLOSE September 3rd. Box Office and Group Sales: 323-663-1525
|
 |
A Tribute to the Memory of August Wilson JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE (nominated for the Tony Award; winner of the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play) EXTENDED THRU JULY 21, 2006! Los Angeles Times: CRITIC'S CHOICE! - "The Fountain Theatre's production resonates as a fitting memorial to a genius whose distinctive voice was stilled too soon... Director Ben Bradley and an EXCEPTIONAL CAST maximize the humor and the folkloric sweep of Wilson's vision in a RICH, LOVING AND FORMIDABLY naturalistic interpretation... an era MARVELOUSLY EVOKED." - F. Kathleen Foley L.A. Weekly: RECOMMENDED - GO! "Like many of Wilson’s plays, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is rife with symbolism, the salient interplay of past and present, and razor-sharp dialogue. It takes a special director and cast to meld all these elements, and Ben Bradley does just that." - Lovell Estell III Back Stage West: CRITIC'S PICK! - "The Fountain's production, from start to finish, is an ELECTRIFYING REVIVAL of a powerful, unforgettable story... The Fountain is BURSTING WITH LIFE as director Ben Bradley keeps the dialogue flying and his actors in motion. Each of Wilson's plays deserves this type of treatment. And with any luck the Fountain will revisit his other works in the coming seasons." - Jeff Favre Daily News: **** (4 Stars!) - "A RARE AND SUPERB REVIVAL!... replete with spirit and magic, song and poetry, not to mention a TOP-FLIGHT CAST! Come see this fine 'Turner' before it's gone." - Evan Henerson L.A. City Beat: "STELLAR!... In the hands of director Ben Bradley, 'Joe Turner' has the stamp of a living, breathing MASTERPIECE!" - Don Shirley CurtainUp: "The production is given vitality and pace by director Ben Bradley who has assembled an OUTSTANDING CAST!" - Laura Hitchcock Orange County News Enterprise: "PICTURE PERFECT! Directed with storyboard precision by Ben Bradley... Sadly, August Wilson too has come and gone. Fortunately, he has left a singular and indelible mark on American Theater." - Ben Miles National Jewish News: "POWERFUL PRESENTATION... magnificently directed by Ben Bradley, features stunning performances by a superb cast. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION!" - Carol Kaufman Segal for full reviews, click here: Current Press and Reviews August Wilson (April 27, 1945 - October 2, 2005) was a multiple Pulitzer-winning playwright. His singular achievement and literary legacy is a cycle of ten plays, each set in a different decade, depicting the comedy and tragedy of the African American experience in the 20th century. "By writing about black people, you are not limiting yourself. The experiences of African Americans are as wide open as God's closet." - August Wilson This is the Los Angeles revival of the 3rd in Wilson's ten-play cycle. Set in a boarding house in Pittsburgh during August, 1911, African Americans from the deep and near south come north in search of loved ones and a cultural identity that was repressed by centuries of slavery, Jim Crow laws, discrimination, and Joe Turner's indentures. Estrangement and loneliness turn into connection and community in one of Mr. Wilson's most beautiful, moving and haunting plays. featuring: Bernard K. Addison, Da Shawn Barnes, Jordan Carroll, Tene A. Carter, Dele, Lorey Hayes, Nambi E. Kelley, Edwin Morrow, Adenrele Ojo, Henry G. Sanders, Scott Tuomey, Adolphus Ward, DeMont Washington, Crystal Williams Director: Ben Bradley Producer: The Fountain Theatre Production Stage Manager: Danielle Holland Set Design: Travis Gale Lewis Costume Designe: Naila Aladdin Sanders Lighting Design: Kathi O'Donohue Sound Design: David B. Marling Prop Design: Lisa Waters Dialect Coach: Larry Moss Technical Director: Scott Tuomey Publicist: Kim Garfield (kimgarla@aol.com) Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm EXTENDED thru July 21st Box Office: 323-663-1525 Group Sales: 323-663-1365 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Occasionally a play arises that is so beautifully written and so compassionately staged that we say, 'This is what theatre is all about.' Yellowman is such a play." - NEW YORK POST NOMINATED FOR THE 2002 PULITZER PRIZE IN DRAMA YELLOWMAN by Dael Orlandersmith CLOSED ON AUGUST 28, 2005 CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times PICK OF THE WEEK! - L.A. Weekly CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage West Previewed February 3 - February 10th Opened February 11th EXTENDED thru AUGUST 28th (this is the final extension!) Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm (Special ADDED SHOWS on Sunday, 8/21 & 8/28 at 7pm) directed by Shirley Jo Finney (Central Avenue, Mississippi Delta) (visit www.shirleyjofinney.com) starring Chris Butler and Deidrie Henry produced by Bennett Bradley SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE! PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST! After acclaimed runs at Manhattan Theatre Club, Arena Stage, Long Wharf, McCarter, Wilma, Berkeley Rep, and other regional theatres... The Fountain Theatre is honored to be chosen to premiere Dael Orlandersmith's celebrated play in Southern California.
Come celebrate with us one of the most beautiful and controversial plays of our time! Box Office and Group Sales: 323-663-1525
|
|
|
EXITS AND ENTRANCES CLOSED DECEMBER 19, 2005 Winner of Three 2004 L.A. OVATION Awards: World Premiere Play (Athol Fugard) Director (Stephen Sachs) Lead Actor (Morlan Higgins) The WORLD PREMIERE of a NEW PLAY by internationally renowned playwright Athol Fugard Time Magazine: "The greatest active playwright in the English speaking world." New Yorker Magazine: "A rare playwright, who could be a primary candidate for either the Nobel Prize in Literature or the Nobel Peace Prize." **** "CRITIC'S CHOICE!" L. A. TIMES **** "CRITIC'S PICK!" BACK STAGE WEST **** "PICK OF THE WEEK!" LA WEEKLY South Africa 1961. An idealistic young playwright and a fading middle-aged actor. One poised on the threshold of a promising new career. The other struggling against the shadow of being forgotten. The true story of a life-changing friendship. starring Morlan Higgins (After the Fall) and directed by Stephen Sachs (After the Fall) produced by Simon Levy May 13 - December 19, 2004 (no shows Thanksgiving weekend) ADVANCED RESERVATIONS AT |
|
MASTER CLASS by Terrence McNally CLOSED ON July 25, 2004 |
 |
DAISY in the DREAMTIME Closed on MAY 23, 2004 Los Angeles Times - ****CRITICS' CHOICE! Back Stage West - ****CRITIC'S PICK! Enter a spirit world beyond time and place. In 1913, Daisy Bates abandoned the comforts of civilization, pitched a tent in the Australian outback, lived with the Aborigines for 30 years, and fought to save a unique and dying culture. She became the first white woman to enter the magic of the "Dreamtime". A true story. Live didgeridoo music! starring (in alphabetical order): Jay Bell, Eve Brenner, Lance Guest, Anthony J. Haney, Dallas Henry, Lisa Pelikan, Suanne Spoke, and Andjru Werderitsch (on didjeridu) (Master Class & Going to St. Ives) Closed on MAY 23RD A Fountain Theatre production at [Inside] the Ford in the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre - off the 101 Freeway, Performance venue at: 2580 Cahuenga Blvd East · Hollywood, CA 90068
Hot Properties is a collaboration of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and A.S.K. Theater Projects and is supported, in part, with a generous grant from The James Irvine Foundation. |
|
| |||||||