The Fountain Theatre

LA Talk Radio Interview

LaLaLand Talk Radio Interview with Jeanie Hackett

The Illuminated Life

Autism in Love Documentary

Extended!

Must Close February 24th

BEST IN THEATER 2012

Los Angeles Times

BEST OF LOS ANGELES THEATER 2012

BitterLemons

“Just pure theatrical heaven from top to bottom, my pick to win every award that it can possibly be nominated for; lead Diarra Kilpatrick is otherworldly. Still playing. Go see it. Now.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012 THEATER

LA Stage Times

10 MOST MEMORABLE

THEATER MOMENTS OF 2012

LA Weekly

STANDOUT THEATER PERFORMANCES 2012: FOR ENSEMBLE

Back Stage

BEST PRODUCTION 2012

Eddon Awards

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - "BEYOND THE FACT THAT IT IS SENSATIONAL, THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE'S PRODUCTION OF "IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER" BY TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY IS IMPORTANT FOR TWO REASONS: IT INTRODUCES LOS ANGELES AUDIENCES TO A DRAMATIC POET IN THE PROCESS OF DISCOVERING HIS SINGULAR VOICE AND IT SHOWS HOW MAGNIFICENTLY ONE OF L.A.'s BETTER SMALL THEATERS CAN SERVE BOLD NEW TALENT... Shirley Jo Finney's production at the Fountain — featuring one of the tightest ensembles I've seen this year — has helped me to appreciate the work more deeply than I did when I first encountered it in New York... Highly poetic, song filled, experimental in its effects (stage directions are spoken along with the dialogue) and reaching out to cross-cultural myths, the play theatricalizes in almost expressionistic ways the inner world of the protagonist and the outer reality of her impoverished Louisiana existence... FINNEY'S ENTIRE CAST IS NOTE-PERFECT, A GIFT TO THESE CHARACTERS. THE ACTORS HEAR THE MUSIC OF MCCRANEY'S LANGUAGE AND SING IT TO LIFE." - Charles McNulty

RAVE! - Charles McNulty (of the L.A. Times) on his personal Facebook page - "I love this production -- even more than the one at the Public Theater. LA Theater is not to be underestimated!"

100% SWEET! - Bitter Lemons - Bitter Lemons Review - "ONCE AGAIN THE FOUNTAIN THEATER SHOWS THAT THEY ARE THE CLASS OF LOS ANGELES THEATER, BIG OR SMALL... THIS IS SIMPLY WHAT THEATER IS MEANT TO BE!... Go see it. Now. If you love theater go see it. If you hate theater go see it. If you loved theater then saw something awful and now hate theater, go see it. If you’ve never seen theater go see it. If you have friends, family or enemies who fall into any of the aforementioned categories, make them go see it. Hell, bring your dog, even he’ll enjoy it. The opening of this show was so thrilling I almost leapt to my feet and started cheering right there. I thought there was no way they could sustain something this powerful, this exciting, but they did, from the extraordinarily original and multi-layed voice of playwright Tarrell Alvin McCraney, to the stunning movement and staging of Shirley Jo Finney, to the music and song and design teams, to the almost impossibly perfect execution and commitment of the cast, to a lead performance by Diarra Kilpatrick that is so good you wonder if somehow the designers may have concocted some kind of CGI image in front of your eyes instead of a living breathing human being, her movement, range of emotion and depth of passion is so indescribable that IT WILL LITERALLY TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY." - Colin Mitchell

RAVE! - BackStage - "IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER MAKES MARVELOUS MUSIC!... For Los Angeles audiences it’s a thrilling introduction to a distinctive new voice, delivered in a production that explodes in sounds, images, and EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCES... McCraney’s play is not so much about telling a story as it is about exploring and elevating one, looking under it and inside of it through African folklore and bold theatricality... Oya’s story of hope, joy, and heartache is a song we can feel down to our bones, rendered loud and clear by an incredible ensemble... THIS PRODUCTION DRAWS US DEEP INTO THE PLAYWRIGHT'S WORLD, FINDS US GASPING FOR BREATH JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT WE WERE COMFORTABLE, AND LEAVES US WANTING MORE." - Jennie Webb

RAVE! - BlogCritics.org - "A NEW, IMPORTANT, AND ORIGINAL VOICE IN AMERICAN THEATRE!... Director Shirley Jo Finney has populated the play with a talented cast. Especially moving are Diarra Kilpatrick as Oya and Theodore Perkins as Elegba... The Fountain, known as an award-winning multicultural venue for theatre and dance, has embraced this play and given it its Los Angeles premiere... HEART-WRENCHING." - Robert Machray

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "LET ME ADD ONE MORE VOICE TO THE PRAISE already heaped upon Tarell McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water, staged by the perceptive Shirley Jo Finney at the Fountain Theatre... The ensemble performances that director Shirley Jo Finney has wrought make this play and this production so remarkable... McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water strikes at the heart of our existential distress without preaching or profundities through a labyrinth of archetypal rehearsals of humankind’s most profound dilemmas. IT IS, WITHOUT DOUBT, THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENING OF THEATRE THAT YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR." - Leigh Kennicott

RAVE! - Los Angeles Post - "MCCRANEY IS A TRULY GIFTED WRITER. HIS PLAY WILL BE ON STAGES AROUND THE WORLD FOR YEARS TO COME... This is a story touched by truths, myths, reality and pain. It’s about love, sorrow, struggle, disappointments, mistakes, and last but not least, community. A community some of us might not understand. A place where mistakes are never forgiven and destiny is hard to escape... THIS IS A MAGICAL STAGE PRODUCTION WITH BEAUTIFUL MUSIC." - Rose Desena

RAVE! - The Los Angeles Beat - "A LEGITIMATE WORK OF ART... PERFECTION... THE CASTING IS FLAWLESS... The thing that impressed me most about Ms. Finney’s directorial touch was her ability to take a story deeply grounded in culture and tradition and make it so powerfully universal. To be sure, it was going to be powerful, even without that universality. In the Red and Brown Water was going to work beautifully even if it had stayed confined to the projects and the porches of San Pere. But Finney found a way to make sure it stayed a story that finds resonance in any heart that has ever loved something outside of itelf... BRILLIANT." - James Eliopulos

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - "METICULOUS DIRECTION... ENTIRE CAST JOYOUSLY REVERBERATE LIFE... Finney's fluid staging, along with Ameenah Kaplan's terrific choreography, which never allow the actors to sit or stand still very long, are majorly responsible for making the piece soar... The entire cast is magical... DON'T MISS IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER FOR ITS RICHLY THEATRICAL STORYTELLING AND ATYPICAL BUT ULTIMATELY ALLURING STRUCTURE... McCraney has created a minor classic, and Finney and cast are a marvel to behold." - Don Grigware

RAVE! - StageAndCinema - "THEATRICAL GOLD... glorious, thrilling, and first-class... a benchmark for Los Angeles theater... With Shirley Jo Finney at the helm, and ONE OF THE BEST ENSEMBLES IN YEARS, the work of the most exciting playwright of his generation has finally arrived in the City of Angels four years after it premiered in Atlanta... current yet eternal, personal yet universal... MCCRANEY IS NOT JUST A VOICE FOR ALL PEOPLE, BUT FOR THE AGES... McCraney may have arrived late to Los Angeles, but the Fountain Theatre has ensured that his work demands the attendance of all who have been yearning for the next great American playwright." - Tony Frankel

RAVE! - Examiner.com -"THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE FURTHER SECURES ITS SPOT ON THE HIGHEST TIER OF 99-SEAT THEATERS with its production of Tarell Alvin McCraney's In the Red and Brown Water... immaculate direction. Finney gives rich life to the writer’s composite of song, stomp, movement, humor and intriguing omniscient narration, which McCraney says is there to remind the audience they are in a theater... THE ENTIRE CAST IS PERFECT." - Andrea Kittleson

GO! - LAWeekly - "A VISCERAL FABLE that rises up from the underbelly of America. Kilpatrick's portrayal embraces every bit of her feisty, soulful character, made more compelling by the intimate performance space. Brown's slick, calibrated womanizer is an aptly fashioned foil and the remaining ensemble is strong." - Deborah Klugman

RAVE! - BlogTalk Radio and Donloe's Lowdown Blogpost - "KUDOS TO FINNEY, THE CAST AND THE TECHNICAL CREW AND VARIOUS DESIGNERS... The play works well due not only to the directorial prowess of Finney, who keeps the staging tight and fluid by using space other than the stage, but because of a steady cast anchored by theater veterans Iona Morris and Peggy A. Blow... Diarra Kilpatrick is a breath of fresh air in her daring performance as Oya... Dorian Christian Baucum offers a vulnerable, quiet strength to the character of Ogun... Gilbert Glenn Brown nearly steals this show (at least as far as the women are concerned) with an explosive and arousing performance as Shango... Theodore Perkins is hilarious in the role of Elegba... Simone Missick and Maya Lynne Robinson are terrific as the neighborhood gossips and busy bodies... Stephen Marshall (O Li Roon) and Justin Chu Cary (Egungun) give good supporting performances." - Darlene Donloe

RAVE! - Carib Press - "THIS IS THE SHOW TO SEE... Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play mixes the mundane with the mythic, drawing on Yoruban influences of West Africa while setting the play in a modern urban context, a housing project in the fictional Bayou city of San Pere, Louisiana."

RAVE! - ALittleNightMusing.com - "IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED THE HIDDEN GEM THAT IS THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE THEN THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO DO SO... Tarell Alvin McCraney has written a unique piece full of dancing, singing, haunting story telling and enchanting characters... extremely funny and heartbreaking... The entire cast has completely run away with this piece. They have made it their own and are obviously having a blast performing it... IT IS A PLAY MANY AGES AND PERSONALITIES WILL ENJOY." - Mickala

RAVE! - StageSceneLA.com - "WOW!... IMPRESSIVE... OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION... any true lover of original, inventive, risk-taking theater will not want to miss this latest Fountain Theatre gem... There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Kilpatrick’s breathtakingly beautiful performance as Oya... SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY." - Steven Stanley

RAVE! - Performing Arts LIVE - “GO! The critics have said superb, sensational and electric. We agree! The acting doesn’t get any better than this. Diarra Kilpatrick gives an Award winning performance and Gilbert Glenn Brown is truly commanding. DON'T MISS THIS ONE. It is one of our FEATURED events.” - Mike Napoli

RAVE! - TotalTheater.com - "IT'S AN ASTONISHING ACCOMPLISHMENT!... The outline of McCraney's story suggests realism, but the playwright -- skilfully aided by director Shirley Jo Finney and the SUPERB CAST -- keeps working poetry, myth, dance, chanting and music into the mix. The result is a play that feels both new and old, familiar and ground-breaking... EXTRAORDINARY." - Willard Manus

RAVE! - ArtsBeatLA - "DO NOT MISS THIS PLAY!... Thanks to Shirley Jo Finney’s superb direction, there’s a sense of cohesive unity to the fine ensemble and a strong presence of music and dance throughout the show that effortlessly transports us to this lyrical world. Curiously, the stage directions are spoken along with the dialogue, yet rather than having a distancing effect, this unusual technique serves to focus our attention on what is unfolding." - Pauline Adamek

Do not miss this play!

RAVE! - ArtsInLA.com - "IT'S ABOUT TIME TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY'S WORK WAS ABLE TO BE SEEN IN LOS ANGELES. The Brother/Sister Plays, his trilogy about indigenous backwoods Louisiana folk operating under strange and magical Yoruba and Caribbean influences, has been garnering raves on both sides of the Atlantic (he has served as a house playwright for the RSC), whether performed as a unit or, as here, one at a time with the debut of In the Red and Brown Water at the Fountain Theater. McCraney is black and gay, but his work occupies no narrow niche; it’s for and about everyone... McCraney charts Oya’s disintegration masterfully and devastatingly... Shirley Jo Finney is THE PERFECT DIRECTOR for this sort of material, fearless and skillful and completely comfortable with the interweaving of indigenous ritual into a linear narrative, as she demonstrated in The Ballad of Emmett Till a couple of years back. Once again she has assembled an EXCELLENT CAST, beginning with the stunning Diarra Kilpatrick... You will be hearing a lot about him [McCraney]. You might as well START FINDING OUT NOW WHAT ALL THE SHOUTING IS ABOUT." - Bob Verini

PICK OF THE WEEK! - LA Sentinel - "Diarra Kilpatrick delivers a mystifying performance as Oya... Cosmology, sex, pain, poetry, and tragedy all come together to explore the turbulent force that is Oya... The presence of West African culture is uniquely interwoven into the theatrical fabric of the production, and is the driving force behind it... Oya’s sweet but often turbulent disposition creates a show that has won a well-deserved nod from the Sentinel." - Chelsea Battle

Huge hit at major theaters across the country, such as The Public (NY), Arena Stage (Washington, DC), Steppenwolf (Chicago), ACT (San Francisco). Part One of the Brother/Sister trilogy. This is the Los Angeles Premiere. Powerful, lyrical, moving. How far will fast, beautiful Oya go to make a mark in the world? IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER is the intoxicating story that charts a young girl’s thrust into womanhood, her family struggle, the two men vying for her heart, and her subsequent fall into the murky waters of life. Oya can run faster than anyone, but not fast enough to escape her fate. When pressed to choose between her dying mother and her dreams of escape, she makes a life-changing decision. Her journey from the promise of youth to the complicated yearnings of womanhood is a joyous, raucous, brazenly theatrical experience. Thrilling, theatrical in the mythical and ritualisitc storytelling style of BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL.

L.A. Times Article on Diarra Kilpatrick

Directed by Shirley Jo Finney

(The Ballad of Emmett Till, Yellowman, Central Avenue)

Produced by Deborah Lawlor and Stephen Sachs

Starring

Dorian Baucum, Peggy Blow, Gilbert Glenn Brown,

Justin Chu Cary, Diarra Kilpatrick, Stephen Marshall,

Simone Missick, Iona Morris,

Theodore Perkins, Maya Lynne Robinson

Creative Team

Erinn Anova (Assistant), Peter Bayne (Sound Design), Misty Carlisle (Props), Brenda Lee Eager (Vocal Arranger/Coach), Ameenah Kaplan (Choreographer), Jose Lopez (Lighting Design), Frederica Nascimento (Set Design), Terri Roberts (ASM), Naila Aladdin Sanders (Costume Design),

Scott Tuomey (TD), Shawna Voragen (PSM)

Previews begin October 13th

Opens October 20th

Extended!

Must Close February 24th

August 24 - September 16, 2012

(4 Week Limited Run)

ALL PERFORMANCES SOLD OUT.

SORRY YOU MISSED IT.

Athol Fugard turns 80 this year.

To celebrate the Fountain presents

THE UNITED STATES PREMIERE

OF HIS NEWEST PLAY

Variety - "GEM... EXEMPLARY... At 80, Fugard remains at the height of his powers... All three thesps seem fully authentic in the environment, and though their accents are thick and peppered with Afrikaans lingo (JB Blanc did the vocal coaching) helmer Stephen Sachs consistently sees to it that physicalization conveys anything we might miss in the occasional missed phrase... There are metaphors aplenty to pull out of this poetical situation (possibly political ones, too, though maybe you have to be South African to find those). Work this precise -- tiny in its details, weighty in its cumulative effect -- can only be achieved after a lifetime of artistic engagement... This little gem gets an exemplary American premiere mounting from helmer Stephen Sachs at Fugard's self-described artistic home out west, Hollywood's Fountain." - Bob Verini

CRITIC'S PICK! - Backstage.com - "RIVETING... TRANSCENDENT... In “The Blue Iris,” prolific South African playwright Athol Fugard treads delicately yet resolutely through the landscape of the heart. In doing so, the venerable 80-year-old dramatist cannot help clutching at ours, as this riveting U.S. premiere demonstrates... director Stephen Sachs, whose affinity for Fugard has never been keener, maintains a quiet, even languid, momentum that conceals raging internal conflicts. The technical aspects, including McLaughlin’s near-surreal lighting and Peter Bayne’s evocative sound, are all up to the Fountain Theatre’s high standards... PERFECTLY PITCHED ACTORS... Hill’s poised intensity, unforced ease at listening, and comic deadpan recall the emerging Viola Davis. She’s an absolute find. Higgins, one of the best actors out there, digs so deep into Robert’s regrets and rhapsodies that it’s impossible not to feel what he does. Schultz, far too long absent from our stages, surpasses herself, her merger of sensitivity and brittleness reaching hair-raising levels when past and present, theatricality and naturalism, collide at the climax... a blend of poetic lyricism and raw emotional force all but unprecedented in Fugard’s canon." - David C. Nichols

Hollywood Reporter - "YET ANOTHER LATE CAREER GEM FROM PERHAPS THE GREATEST LIVING PLAYWRIGHT IN OUR LANGUAGE... its lyricism and richness seize the moment almost instantly and never diminish... Fugard is no longer interested in story so much as the act and meaning of storytelling, its place not merely as a chronicle of history but also a narrative of individual needs. His language is unerringly clear... He is after bigger stakes than putting on a show, although the three superbly talented actors, as well as deeply sympathetic director Stephen Sachs, certainly are committed to presenting one." - Myron Meisel

Los Angeles Times - "TANTALIZING... At 80, South African playwright Athol Fugard is still turning out plays at a rate that would be daunting for a dramatist half his age. A crucial witness to the warping effect of apartheid on his country's soul, Fugard has continued in the post-apartheid era to track the difficult moral journey of characters heeding and resisting the national imperative of reconciliation... Beauty and death, love and fury, attachment and resentment — these polarities, projected onto the Karoo terrain, play out in the domestic triangle of Robert's home life... the play is bolstered by an attribute that has made Fugard such an exemplary moral guide for more than half a century — his ability to stand in judgment of himself... it provides tantalizing insight into an artist who continues to do his country and world theater proud service." - Charles McNulty

CRITIC'S PICK! - BroadwayWorld.com - "LUMINOUS... EVOCATIVE... Director Stephen Sachs lovingly nurtures three emotionally engaging performances that grow and bloom on the Fountain stage... Only the very best writers are able to utilize and sustain symbolism over the course of an entire play... Director Sachs paces his actors beautifully throughout the 75 minute piece, and each shines optimally. Higgins is the perfect match for Robert whose rugged sturdiness is betrayed by his inner crumbling sensitivity. Hill is a wondrous reactor as Rieta unraveling ever so gradually layer upon layer of complexity. Schultz, on stage for only a brief fifteen minutes, brings the spirit of Sally to fiery and tempestuous life. Resembling a young Jessica Tandy, she fills every move with a frail delicate quality that makes us experience fully Sally's depth of unhappiness. Jeff McLaughlin's set and lighting design are stupendous and add a great deal to the earthy, dismal atmosphere... After seeing The Blue Iris, it is no small wonder why Athol Fugard remains one of our greatest living playwrights. Bravo to a theatrical triple threat: great writing, great directing and great acting, creating another triumph for the Fountain Theatre." - Don Grigware

StageAndCinema.com - "FASCINATING STORY... It’s amazing that at 80, Fugard still retains a remarkable knack for both human understanding and language (some of the dialogue is in Afrikaans, South Africa’s official language), and he shows no signs of slowing down his output... [Morlan Higgins] is a privilege to watch. Mr. Higgins is far and away my favorite actor in Los Angeles... Julanne Chidi Hill makes an auspicious debut at the Fountain as Rieta. Ms. Hill’s strength and earthiness are always evident; she is a captivating actress who is also a skilled listener... [Jacqueline Schultz] range of emotions is breathtaking; she is loopy, lost, high-strung, and unpredictable... Technically superior as always." - Tony Frankel

LA Weekly - "Sachs' METICULOUSLY RENDERED PRODUCTION features a TRIO OF IMPECCABLE PERFORMANCES. These include Schultz as Sally's ghost, who arrives as though via tornado, chattering and desperate, before she's sucked away by that same wind tunnel, to explain the meaning of her painting, and of how in painting it she failed to convey that meaning. Then there's Higgins as Robert, and his fastidious, lumbering search for his own meaning amidst the remains, his world-weary eyes, the sonorous, aching tone in his voice. Hill's Rieta offers a spritely foil — she's as impatient as she is pained. Their joint decision, the only decision in the play, is whether she and Robert, both tramps and Platonic lovers, should stay or go, together or apart. And there's an allegory in that, too, about circumstantial bonds and inexorable isolation. The play is saturated in allegories." - Steven Leigh Morris

Buzzine.com - "Praise belongs to the Fountain Theater, one of the best small theaters in L.A. and Fugard’s voice in this city. The Blue Iris is a one-act play, shorter than Fugard’s usual, but powerful. It leaves an indelible impression: a recognition of the separations between nation and nation, color and color, and the yet the hope that the solution will come from the single hearts, one to one, yearning for communion." - Clare Elfman

CurtainUp.com - "Athol Fugard's The Blue Iris is EXQUISITE. Every moment ripples tellingly through multiple layers of character, South Africa's torturous history, and Fugard's sense of his own career. Its first half is cluttered by heaps of exposition, though beautifully coined and commandingly delivered. It builds to a cathartic climax of hair-raising excitement... the emotional explosions that rock Fugard's beautiful play are its best chance at surviving the test of time." - Jon Magaril

Continuing its twelve-year relationship with the playwright, the Fountain presents this powerful, heartfelt new play. Set in a burnt-out Karoo farmhouse ravaged by fire, a farmer and his housekeeper sort through the debris of their lives and find themselves confronting memories long thought dead. Fugard digs deep into the human heart, and the result is a love story full of tender, soul-touching and surprising revelations. "We should be going into people`s lives, their souls, their ways of life. Everything I have written is an attempt to share secrets with you." - Athol Fugard.

Los Angeles Times Article

BroadwayWorld

TheatreMania

Examiner.com

Interview with Fugard

LA Stage Times

KPFK Interview with Sachs and Higgins

Directed by Stephen Sachs

starring:

Morlan Higgins, Julanne Chidi Hill, Jacqueline Schultz

Produced by Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor

Production/Design Team:

Peter Bayne (Sound), JB Blanc (Dialects), Misty Carlisle (Props),

Jeffrey McLaughlin (Sets and Lights), Lucy Pollak (PR),

Naila Aladdin Sanders (Costumes), Scott Tuomey (TD)

Previews begin August 18th

Opens August 24th

thru September 16th

CLOSED SUNDAY JULY 29TH

WORLD PREMIERE!

A Fountain Theatre and Deaf West Theater Co-Production

funded by the National Endowment for the Arts

CYRANO

written by Stephen Sachs

directed by Simon Levy

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - "INSPIRED AND INSPIRING!... Performed simultaneously in spoken dialogue and American Sign Language by a mixed ensemble of hearing and deaf actors, Sachs’ MOVING ADAPTATION transposes Rostand’s archetypal heroic outsider into a gifted coffeehouse poet whose inferiority complex is rooted in his deafness rather than his perfectly normal nose. TROY KOTSUR EXCELS as this modern Cyrano... Sachs’ adaptation skillfully maps Rostand’s principals to their updated versions... Raci is by turns HILARIOUS AND POIGNANT as clueless loser Chris, and Anova invests Roxy with the sensitivity and sense of isolation she unknowingly shares with Cyrano... THE PERFORMANCES QUICKLY CATCH FIRE in Simon Levy’s well-paced and precisely focused staging. Besides offering a refreshing take on a classic, the signed/spoken presentation offers hearing folks the opportunity to appreciate sign language’s unique emotional expressiveness." - Philip Brandes

CRITIC'S PICK! - BackStage.com - "SUPERBLY CRAFTED PRODUCTION... CLEVER AND DEEPLY MOVING... It's a HAUNTING PERFORMANCE [Troy Kotsur as Cyrano], beautifully realized in the nurturing hands of Levy and complemented by A REMARKABLE CAST of deaf and hearing actors, some signing, some voicing the words of others. Paul Raci, himself a CODA (child of deaf adults), is EXCEPTIONAL as Cyrano's tattooed rocker brother Chris... Like Kotsur, Raci bridges the gap between the tale's two worlds with poignancy and A HUGE DOSE OF HUMOR." - Travis Michael Holder

RAVE! - 5 STARS! - Examiner.com - "I CAN'T RAVE ENOUGH to adequately convey my excitement and admiration for the new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac that opened this week at the Fountain Theatre. Written by Stephen Sachs and directed by Simon Levy, THIS BRILLIANT CYRANO is performed by the extraordinary actors of the Deaf West Theatre... Although Kotsur dominates the action (he never leaves the stage), he is surrounded by an ensemble (six deaf members out of 13) that is as perfect as he is. Whether dramatically voicing the words that the others are signing, or “speaking” the words with their expressive hands, THE PLAYERS ARE THRILLING TO WATCH, and under Simon Levy’s deft direction, Jeff McLaughlin’s clever set design, and Jeremy Pivnick’s creative lighting design, THE PLAY EMERGES AS A POIGNANT, INVENTIVE, RIOTOUSLY FUNNY, AND MARVELOUSLY SATISFYING MASTERPIECE!" - Cynthia Citron

RAVE! - TalkinBroadway.com - "NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING!.. Troy Kotsur was born to play Cyrano... Kotsur is Cyrano, from the second he walks on stage... He's confident, quick-thinking, and, above all, eloquent... this Cyrano is A DAZZLING ACCOMPLISHMENT, A TERRIFIC ADAPTATION which takes the essence of Rostand, makes Cyrano's physical issues so much more dramatically interesting than a big nose, throws in a dash of modern-day tech, and puts the whole thing in the hands of a very capable crew of actors, whose hands are more than up to the challenge." - Sharon Perlmutter

RAVE! - Dany Margolies, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle - "In Stephen Sachs’ INTELLIGENT, TOUCHING world premiere adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano is a modern-day deaf poet. CHARMINGLY AND IMAGINATIVELY DIRECTED by Simon Levy, the action is beautifully spoken and delivered in American Sign Language, with a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, MUST-SEE PERFORMANCE in the title role by Troy Kotsur."

RAVE! - LifeInLA.com - "ELEVATES SIGN LANGUAGE TO A BEAUTIFUL, VIVACIOUS ART FORM for Deaf and Hearing Audiences Alike... The romantic, tragi-comic Cyrano offers EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES AND DIRECTION, deaf culture from an insider’s perspective, poetic dialogue, and aesthetically gorgeous signed language... KOTSUR BRILLIANTLY AND ARTFULLY LEADS THE CAST AS CYRANO... Under the direction of Simon Levy, Cyrano harmoniously merges the realms of oral, signed, and electronic communication to craft a story that highlights the many emotional shades of adoration through poetic performance, be it brotherly, platonic, romantic, community, or self-love. Levy makes fluid use of the stage, cast, and set with careful attention to conversant and all-encompassing audience needs... A SHEER AND EXCEPTIONAL PLEASURE." - Mialka Bonadonna

RAVE! - Latin Heat Entertainment - "BRILLIANT WRITING! ... This new production, an adaptation by Stephen Sachs of Edmund Rostand’s 1897 über-romantic drama, is QUITE THE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. A co-production of the gifted Fountain Theatre and the esteemed Deaf West Theatre, this is AN EXTRAORDINARY PRODUCTION OF A TERRIFIC PLAY, both of which deserve a long life here and a longer life abroad... [Sachs] has found the poetic equivalent in ASL and the most romantic of us will fall into his vision, watching A GLORIOUS ACTOR, Troy Kotsur, make the most of his talents opposite A GORGEOUS ACTRESS, Erinn Anova... As stated above, the acting is superlative, beginning with Kotsur and Anova. And a large part of what works on us is the EXCELLENT speaking of the shadow-actors, starting with Victor Warren who voices Cyrano, Al Bernstein’s Chris, and James Babbin’s Bill, as well as the entire ensemble, including Martica de Cardenas as Roberta, who runs the hearing-poets coffee shop, along with Raci’s rocker, Chip Bent as a bully, Ipek D. Mehlum, Daniel Durant, Maleni Chaitoo and Eddie Buck. Levy helps them all in their consistently believable characterizations... GO. SEE IT AND GROW." - Dale Reynolds

RAVE! - LAist.com - "SKILLFUL AND IMPRESSIVE!... TERRIFIC PERFORMANCES... Kotsur [as Cyrano] owns the stage every moment he’s on it... in A PERFORMANCE OF GREAT CHARISMA AND WIT. The actor who provides Cyrano’s voice for the hearing audience, Victor Warren, does a superb job, merging smoothly with Kotsur’s work. Raci, a hearing actor who also performs in ASL, brings humor and sympathy to Chris, a nice guy who is unfortunately not quite the man Roxy wants. Anova is charming as the guileless Roxy, and Hiltermann is winning as the one friend Cyrano has left... Perhaps the biggest challenge of this show is logistics, keeping the interplay of deaf and hearing actors clear for the audience, juggling spoken dialogue, ASL and actors voicing the deaf performers, and director Simon Levy stages all of this complexity with admirable clarity... Jeffrey Elias Teeter’s AMAZING VIDEO DESIGN IS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN, both in conception and execution." - Terry Morgan

RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "IT'S A GREAT ROLLICKING EVENING OF THEATER!... CREATIVE STAGING... A GEM... Kotsur’s hands are a wonder: they move like birds, like leaves aflutter, like a ballet dancer’s hands, so expressive that they were the message as well as the messenger. KOTSUR'S PERFORMANCE IS REMARKABLE... THE CAST IS UNIVERSALLY GOOD... A must for anyone like me who has not been involved with “signing” and the remarkable Deaf West theater... FASCINATING ON SO MANY LEVELS." - Clare Elfman

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "A POWERHOUSE PIECE OF THEATER!... Right up front WE OFFER KUDOS to everyone involved with this SUPERLATIVE PRODUCTION. From Sachs' fine writing and Simon Levy's spot-on direction, the lead deaf characters together with the actors who speak for them, and the entire ensemble down through the spectacular design crew that includes Jeffrey Elias Teeter's video work, "Cyrano" is AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED. Troy Kotsur is ELECTRIFYING as the brilliant deaf poet who is torn apart by his pride... Paul Raci is SENSATIONAL as Chris... UPLIFTING, LIFE-AFFIRMING." - Shirle Gottlieb

RAVE! - LAStageTimes.com - "ONE OF THE MOST INGENIOUS UPDATES OF A CLASSIC I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME... The cast and designers, under director Simon Levy’s guidance, rise to the occasion." - Don Shirley

RAVE! - MadTheatrics.com - "I'M GOING TO GUSH FOR A MOMENT. THIS WAS FREAKIN' AWESOME... It's really quite magical... There's so much at work here, so many facets to what you're seeing, and Levy's direction has made it seamless...This show is worth the price of admission... A SIMPLE, YET INCREDIBLY CLEVER TAKE ON THE CYRANO STORY. - Phillip Kelly

RAVE! - alittlenightmusing.wordpress.com - "A HEART WRENCHING LOVE STORY that incorporates technology and how it can tear down barriers that may have been impossible to cross before... BEAUTIFULLY PUT TOGETHER... Stephen Sach’s Cyrano is a different experience if you have never seen a Deaf West production before, however it is one worth experiencing. It is a beautiful tale of love and the boundaries it faces in a world where boundaries are being broken every day... EXQUISITE." - MJ

RAVE! - ParkLABreaNews - "INSPIRED TRANSLATION!... With the enormous, but seemingly effortless, direction of Levy, the story comes to a lovely romantic life of love and need, power and persuasion, poetry and ineffable beauty in the speaking and the signing that brings the language of flowers into a delightful pictorial of love, desire, duty and passion, without a pang of anything less than joy. CONGRATULATIONS!" - Madeleine Shaner

RAVE! - Los Feliz Ledger - "This new interpretation by Stephen Sachs and conceived by Fountain and the Deaf West Theatre takes the story to a new level. This is a tale of miscommunication and the universal need for love and acceptance... The interaction between characters is fascinating. Troy Kotsur deftly captures the personality of Cyrano using sign language and eloquent facial expressions. Paul Raci (Cyrano’s brother) uses spoken and sign language to create his character. Erinn Anova, as Roxy—who doesn’t know sign language—is sexy and beguiling. SIMON LEVY'S DIRECTION IS BRILLIANT." - Marilyn Tower Oliver

RAVE! - SoCalTheatreBlog.com - "PERFECTION!... a heart -wrenching adaptation in which the key concept is infinitely more meaningful and true than the original tale... In the trio of Kotsur, Raci, and Anova, sharp-eyed director Simon Levy and playwright Sachs have found a connected and TALENTED CORE GROUP OF ACTORS. The emotion and comedy they convey reaches the audience and touches them for its candor and frankness. Kotsur is as POWERFUL as he is vulnerable and Anova is as absorbing as she is open. As the most pleasant surprise in the cast, in a role that could easily be rendered ineffective by a lesser actor, Raci SOARS WITH HUMOR AND FEELING. His ability to sign, communicate, and entertain bridges the gaps in a mountainous range of emotional highs and lows demanded by the challenging character. Bob Hiltermann is a standout as well in the brief but crucial role of Bill, Cyrano’s grounded confidant... Sachs’ CONCEPTUAL GENIUS and that of Levy and his remarkable design team, combined with the raw emotion delivered by the lead actors and many of the ensemble, make this show A MUST SEE. Cyrano is a treat for both the eyes and ears. Hearing or deaf, the impact of this story has never been never been louder or more touching." - Robert Lilly

GO! - LAWeekly.com Review and Article

A modern day reimagined deaf/hearing version of the classic “Cyrano de Bergerac”. The setting is present day. Cyrano is a brilliant deaf poet in a modern day city. He is hopelessly in love with a beautiful hearing woman, Roxy. But she doesn't understand sign language and instead loves his hearing brother, Chris. Can Cyrano express his love for Roxy with his hands – the source of such deaf pride and shame? Or must he teach Chris to “speak his words” for him, to woo her? ASL becomes the language of love in this modern sign language spin on a classic love story.

Los Angeles Times Feature Article

Fountain Theatre Intimate Excellent Blog

BroadwayWorld

TheatreMania.com - Marlee Matlin Visits Fountain Theatre

BroadwayWorld.com - Marlee Matlin at Opening

LAStageTimes - Article

Examiner.com - Article

PROMO TRAILER

produced by Laura Hill (Fountain), David Kurs (Deaf West), and Deborah Lawlor (Executive Producer)

ASL Masters: Ty Giordano and Shoshannah Stern

starring:

Troy Kotsur as Cyrano

Paul Raci as Chris

Bob Hiltermann as Bill

Erinn Anova as Roxy

Victoria Platt (Roxy alternate)

Deaf Ensemble:

Eddie Buck, Maleni Chaitoo, Daniel Durant, Ipek Mehlum

Brian M. Cole (Alternate)

Hearing Ensemble:

James Babbin (Bill), Chip Bent (Jim),

Al Bernstein (Chris), Adam Critchlow (Alternate),

Martica De Cardenas (Roberta), Carolina Espiro (Roberta alternate)

Scott Roberts (Alternate), Victor Warren (Cyrano)

creative and producing team:

Naila Aladdin-Sanders (costumes), Peter Bayne (sound),

Misty Carlisle (props), Brian Danner (fight director),

Bobby De Luca (ASM), Elizabeth Greene (ASL Interpreter),

Sue Karutz (PSM), Evelyn Keolian (ASM),

Jeffrey McLaughlin (sets), Media Fabricators [MFI-Rents] (multimedia), Jeremy Pivnick (lighting), Terri Roberts (PSM),

Jeff Teeter (video designer), Scott Tuomey (TD),

Abby Walla (fight director)

CLOSED SUNDAY, MARCH 11TH

WEST COAST PREMIERE

EL NOGALAR

(The Pecan Orchard)

by Tanya Saracho

RAVE! - Los Angeles Times - "THIS IS CHEKHOV PICANTE!... BEAUTIFULLY EVOKED!... VIVID PERFORMANCES!... Saracho has weeded out all the men [from The Cherry Orchard] but Lopez (Justin Huen); clearly the women are the soul of her attraction to Chekhov's last play. We meet feisty Dunia (charming Sabina Zuniga Varela) and weepy, old-maidish Valeria (sweet, endearing Isabelle Ortega) preparing the house for the return of Valeria’s mother, Maite (Yetta Gottesman), and half-sister Anita (Diana Romo), who have been living profligately in the United States while their estate has gone into debt. Valeria and Anita commiserate about their difficult mother before she appears, but the shock of Maite’s entrance is that she looks their age or younger. This statuesque knockout, as fresh-faced as the young Elizabeth Taylor, is supposed to be the faded Madame Ranevskaya? As soon as Gottesman speaks, though, you understand why she was cast; her Maite is CHARISMATIC, JOYFUL, INSANE, A FORCE OF NATURE. Saracho’s boldest update is making the dynamic between Maite and Lopez overtly sexual. After their sadistic, heartbreaking love scene, hauntingly lit by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz, I will never be able to look at Ranevskaya or Lopakhin again without blushing. This is Chekhov picante." - Margaret Gray

CRITIC'S PICK! 5 STARS! - BroadwayWorld.com & Grigware.Blogspot.com - "SPLENDIDLY DIRECTED AND ACTED PRODUCTION... sizzles with earthy passion and sensuality... The sexual tension in El Nogalar is so akin to Garcia Lorca and is most definitely Spanish, and beautifully, poetically expressed by Saracho's fine writing... Under Woolery's detailed direction, the ensemble pull out full fledged passionate work... This wonderful Nogalar, with Spanish and Spanglish phrases sprinkled throughout - that definitely do not impede listeners' comprehension - has a rich poetic hue...IT IS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND EXECUTED BY AN OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR AND CAST. A TRULY GREAT EVENING OF THEATRE! - Don Grigware

Latino Weekly - "A MUST SEE!... Have you ever watched a film and been deeply and profoundly moved, or read a book that changed your perspective? That is the type of impact that the play “El Nogalar”, written by Tanya Saracho, is having upon audiences everywhere. SARACHO'S SOULFUL WRITING LEAVES A PROFOUND IMPACT ON VIEWERS... The play artfully weaves through the intricacies of the Mexican caste system and how the drug war is affecting each person’s role within the societal unit. Saracho does this in such a poignant way that the viewer is able to see and feel each character’s point of view in a personal way. The pain and sorrow that is felt by the characters becomes universal where everyone, Latino or Non-Latino, can relate... This play has put her on the radar, and is only the beginning to a brilliant career. Saracho is definitely someone to watch for in the future." - Leah Bergman

Back Stage - "FABULOUSLY RAW AND EXCITING... The climate and circumstances are different, but there's no doubt that "The Cherry Orchard" is ripe for transplanting into modern-day Mexico, and "El Nogalar (The Pecan Orchard)," playwright Tanya Saracho's loose adaptation of Chekhov's tale of changing times and an entitled family's inability to change with them, reaches out in some fabulously raw and exciting new directions. Saracho provides a fierce focus on the feminine and an eye on how the global economy is affecting choice and cultures... On an evocative stylized set by Frederica Nascimento and aided by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz's vibrant lighting, director Laurie Woolery gives us bold strokes and colors right away... Playwright Saracho's decision to leave most of the men offstage works beautifully... AND THE NEW PLACES SARACHO GOES WITH THESE CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE QUITE WONDERFUL." - Jennie Webb

PerformingArtsLive - “THE ACTING IS TERRIFIC IN THIS IMPASSIONED PRODUCTION of EL NOGALAR. It is one of our FEATURED events.” - Michael Napoli

Examiner.com - "CROSS THE BORDER TO A CLASSIC!... THE ACTING IS TERRIFIC!... There are many comparisons between 20th century Russia and 21st century México, including economic inequality, class conflict and endlessly wondering who to trust. You are forced to place your trust in both landlords and maids, yet either or both could have the power to unearth you. And either or both are themselves subject to an even greater power, which in 1900 Russia was the State and in modern México is the mafia... This border between comedy and tragedy is just one of the many borders at issue here. There are lines between mothers and daughters, men and women, families and neighbors, bosses and workers – lines that are almost all, at some point, crossed... EXCELLENT!" - Andrea Kittelson

TheLosAngelesBeat.com - "INSIGHTFUL WRITING!... MOVING ADAPTATION... Saracho wields her artistic blade like an old master and trusts both her writing and the audiences intelligence to connect somewhere within that dreamland that is the suspension of disbelief – and her play is so much the better for it... Author Saracho’s conception may have some foundation in a theater piece observing the tumultuous world of pre revolutionary Russia, but her play is it’s own work, a timely and moving look at our modern world. In a city as diverse as Los Angeles, with our large Latino population, it also rings true as a powerful exposure to the realities of life beyond television stereotypes and the depersonalizing demagoguery that will be issuing from the political campaigns soon to be upon us. It is a human play, with culture used as seasoning, not the main course... A REVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE." - James Eliopulos

Campus Circle - "A HEARTFELT STORY...VERY ENTERTAINING... The female factor was a strong driving force of the play, creating moving dynamics between the characters... Heart wrenching until the very end... It will have you reflecting on your own family legacy and how it can be lost." - Nataly Chavez

SoCal.com - "PASSIONATE! ENDEARING! MAKES YOU WONDER ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU! Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”, Tanya Saracho gives “El Nogalar”, or The Pecan Orchard her own zesty Latin twist. There is a great parallel to both stories dealing with the rise of the proletariat and the fall of aristocracy during tough times. Throughout the play the audience can empathize with all of Saracho’s characters. From the visuals to the touching words, the cast was endearing, attractive, making “El Nogalar” an inspiring story to watch." - Monica Campos

Los Feliz Ledger - "UP TO THE USUAL HIGH STANDARDS OF THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE, THIS ALL LATINO CAST DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. Yetta Gottesman as the family matriarch is sensual and self-involved. Younger sister Anita played by Diana room is selfish and spoiled Valeria, the oldest daughter portrayed by Isabelle Ortega captures the character’s insecurities. Varela and Huen bring out the class differences that are rife in Mexican society. Director Laurie Woolery keeps the tension high as the drama moves toward its inevitable end."

Edge - "Director Laurie Woolery creates a DEEPLY AFFECTING UNIVERSE that allows for the four talented actresses to bite into their roles... Gottesman is perfectly suited to play the vivacious, matriarch Maite and Ortega is a comic delight when taking on the persona of the martyr. Valera is deliciously child-like and deceptive, while Romo’s not-quite petulant Anita is subtly layered. Huen is charming and sexy as he moves among the women, making it easy to believe why almost all of them have cast their eye on him at one point or another... Sanchez’s sexually charged text in English, Spanish, and Spanglish effectively suggests the family’s dilemma. " - Obed Medina

Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s classic The Cherry Orchard this reinterpretation charts a Mexican family’s experience as their way of life is threatened by encroaching drug cartels, violence and economic upheaval. Set in present-day Northern Mexico and infused with Spanish, Spanglish and Espanglés, it’s a comical and moving story about the choice between adapting to the changing world or being left behind.

directed by Laurie Woolery

dramaturg: Luis Alfaro

produced by Deborah Lawlor, Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy

starring:

Yetta Gottesman, Justin Huen, Isabelle Ortega,

Diana Romo, Sabina Zuniga Varela

creative and production team:

Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (Lights), Peter Bayne (Sound),

Abra Brayman (Props), Ashley Casias (Lighting Asst.),

Mitzi Delgado (Stage Manager), Ed Krieger (Photographer), Garry Lennon (Costumes), Frederica Nascimento (Sets), Lucy Pollak (PR), Scott Tuomey (TD)

VIDEO: Tanya Saracho Discusses Her New Play

LA Weekly Interview with Tanya Saracho

LAStageTimes Interview with Tanya Saracho

VIDEO: Tanya Saracho on KPFK

KPCC Interview with Tanya Saracho

pLAwriting in the city

LA Weekly's Top 10 to See in 2012

Illustration Courtesy of SEPS licensed by Curtis Licensing

A National New Play Network

Continued Life for New Plays Fund

Rolling World Premiere

BAKERSFIELD MIST

written and directed by Stephen Sachs

- A World Premiere -

FINAL WEEK! - must close December 18th

RAVES! - Goldstar Patron Reviews

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - "IT'S EXHILARATING IN THE EXTREME WHEN A WORLD PREMIERE STRIKES RICH ON EVERY CONCEIVABLE LEVEL. Such is the case with Stephen Sachs' “Bakersfield Mist” at the Fountain. Sachs, who also directs, has crafted a wry two-hander that handles highbrow artistic issues while zinging in plenty of uproarious one-liners. Sachs, the Fountain's co-artistic director, also proves canny in his casting choice. Husband and wife acting team Jenny O'Hara and Nick Ullett are the kind of polished pros that take charge of their characters from the get-go. THEIR PERFORMANCES ARE TANDEM TOUR-DE-FORCES... Sachs' play touches chords from the profoundly personal to the intensely intellectual – a perfect marriage of emotion and ideas that is rare indeed." - F. Kathleen Foley

CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage - "A TRIUMPH!... Even though the year is but halfway through, Los Angeles seems unlikely to see a more deftly crafted item than writer-director Stephen Sachs' absorbing, hilarious two-hander about the nature of art and the vagaries of human perception. And only the suicidal would hold their breath waiting to see better joint performances than those given by Jenny O'Hara and Nick Ullett, magnificent as the central combatants... Sachs' economy of means, breadth of humor, and subtlety of tone deployed here are HUGELY GRATIFYING ... recalls the classic one-acts of Coward, O'Neill, and Rattigan." - David C. Nichols

GO! - LA Weekly - "Sachs directs the two-hander with an abundance of spirit, smartly letting the OUTSTANDING ACTORS brawl and emote with delightful abandon. O'Hara brings a gleeful raunchiness to Maude throughout." - Amy Lyons

PICK OF THE WEEK! - ReviewPlays.com - "The Fountain Theatre, no stranger to winning teams, BRINGS A KNOCK OUT PUNCH to the boards in the likes of Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett (real life partners) who team together in a story by Stephen Sachs which could easily notch another win in the Fountain’s vast trophy case... There is madcap slapstick, deep introspective conversation, sexual innuendo and physical attacks, all punctuated with super clever barbs from both sides. Their quips and put-downs keep the frenetic pace going and the audience howling with laughter. ... Jenny O'Hara and Nick Ullett are such excellent actors... the STANDING OVATION at the conclusion of the play is ample evidence." - Jose Ruiz

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - "EXQUISITE WORLD PREMIERE!... Both O'Hara and Ullett are magnificent under Sachs' loving direction. O'Hara's feelings are palpable at every turn; we can feel her every need and frustration. Sachs' brilliant monologue where Percy describes Pollock's rage in painting style is so orgasmic it allows Ullett to build to a climax as he delivers it, which he does breathtakingly. A thrilling moment!... GREAT WRITING, GREAT ACTING, GREAT DIRECTION! I CANNOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE. BRAVO!" - Don Grigware

RAVE! - OnStageLosAngeles.com - "A BRILLIANT NEW PLAY... Sachs directs with a steady hand and the actors bring not only strong comedic touches to the story, but moments of tension, angst and drama... These professional actors mount the stage to create their own distinctive form of art. In the moment, O’Hara and Ullett, bring this quirky story beautifully to life. This is the Real McCoy. The Art of Theatre, when presented with such care, as this show is, is undeniable." - Michael Sheehan

RAVE! - StageAndCinema.com - "A DELIGHT!... one of the breeziest comedies I’ve laughed my way through in far too long a time, and certainly not before we have seen some of the most trenchant observations on the nature of what art is and what its real value is. But its commentary on art is second to its even stronger reflections on class. And it all matters less than the human drama that brings Maude and Lionel to a deeper understanding of each other and of themselves. The writing is consistently witty and yet, in its exploration of the two characters, warm; even wise... There are times when a reviewer sees a play and all he wants to say is, hey folks, just go, take my word for it, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME, this is just plain good writing, handled beautifully, and acted by two pros who should not be forgotten when awards time comes around." - Harvey Perr

RAVE! - Examiner.com/San Diego Jewish World - "SPECTACULAR!... If the Bakersfield Mists were a baseball team they’d be batting a thousand. And they’d be leading the league in home runs, Runs Batted In, foul calls, and lots and lots of balls. And they’d owe their success to consistently spectacular triple-plays from Sachs to O’Hara to Ullett. Instead, however, Bakersfield Mist is A BRILLIANT NEW PLAY written and directed by Stephen Sachs and starring the husband and wife team of Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett. Their ballpark: the always-wonderful Fountain Theatre... O’Hara and Ullett are IMPECCABLE ACTORS and they respond wholeheartedly to each other, to Sachs' keen direction, and to his INCOMPARABLE DIALOGUE AND HUMOR." - Cynthia Citron

RAVE! - Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press - "ANOTHER PLUM FOR THE FOUNTAIN'S TREE OF GENERALLY LUSCIOUS ART... "O'Hara is the kind of actor you want to watch forever, and again and again - she's that brilliant and hilarious, and oh so authentic. One falls in love with her every time you see her on stage and wish, or just hope, that one day you might grow up to be her. Ullett is O'Hara's match in every respect - veddy British with a touch of the poet... TERRIFIC WRITING AND DIRECTING BY STEPHEN SACHS." - Madeleine Shaner

RAVE! - WillCall.org - "ANOTHER TRIUMPH FOR THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE!... we get to know and love these diverse characters in this expertly written, superbly acted and directed play. A must see!" - Ingrid Wilmot

RAVE! - Examiner.com (2nd review) - "A LAUGH RIOT!... The battle royal that ensues is an ingenious study in contrasts—she’s loud, coarse and profane, he’s erudite, conservative and urbane—and therein lies the fun... O’Hara and Ullett milk every ounce of comic gold under Sachs’ deft direction, as the play moves from sophisticated serio-comedy to knockabout farce and back. Inspired by true events and written with the pair (who are married in real life) in mind, “Mist” is NOTHING LESS THAN AN 85-MINUTE MASTER CLASS FOR ACTORS, and an unqualified joy for everyone else." - Jordan Young

RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "ENTERTAINING AND PROVOCATIVE... Stephen Sachs’ sharp dialogue -- passionately delivered by Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett, husband-and-wife acting team -- is fast-paced and enormously clever." - Clare Elfman

RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - "YUM. OR MAYBE I SHOULD SAY, WOW! Accomplished playwright and director Stephen Sachs has taken the bones of a true story and turned it into a sharp comedy with a sneaky social commentary subtext... In real life, Ullett and O'Hara have been married for years. Their onstage timing reflects the kind of chemistry that takes years to build. They are a dynamic pair and I would rush to see any performance featuring the two of them. Given any professional reading, Sachs's writing is strong and would certainly be enjoyable. However, it is hard to imagine it packing as much of a punch as the production with O'Hara and Ullett." - Karen Weinstein

RAVE! - Larchmont Chronicle - "AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT of a one-act play pitting these two opposites against each other over a bottle of Jack Daniels, while skewering the art world, and revealing what each values the most in their lives... It is a joy to watch these TWO PERFORMERS AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME IN THIS GENUINELY FUNNY AND POIGNANT PLAY." - Patricia Foster Rye

RAVE! - StageSceneLA.com - "ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATING!... both actors are performing at the peak of their gifts.. Like Yasmina Reza’s Art, Bakersfield Mist poses questions about just what constitutes art, and you may well find yourself debating the topic with your fellow playgoers after O’Hara and Ullett have taken their bows. What you’re unlikely to be debating is what an absolutely captivating play Sachs has written. The definition of art may divide audience members, but on Bakersfield Mist, I’d venture to guess that sentiments are likely to be close to unanimous wows." - Steven Stanley

RAVE! - PerformingArtsLive.com - "Now I know why ‘Bakersfield Mist’ has been selling out every night. Two gifted actors give SUPERB PERFORMANCES combined with a fascinating well crafted story in an intimate setting make this show one not to miss! It closes on September 3rd. You might be able to get a ticket if you are lucky." - Mike Napoli

RAVE! - Examiner.com (3rd review) - "It is A WONDERFUL PIECE that explores the vagaries and vanities of the art world with great humor, energy and insight through the eyes of two distinctly different individuals... played to perfection by Jenny O’Hara... Ullett was riveting... What makes this play particularly powerful is the subtle (and not so subtle) ways dialogue and monologue reveal each character’s past... Excellence at the Fountain always includes the technical staff and Bakersfield Mist is no exception." - Candyce Columbus

RAVE! - LongBeachComber.com - "A WORK OF COMEDIC ART!... Not only does “Mist” dare crack open such age-old conundrums as “What is art?” it also refreshingly and amusingly challenges expertise. “What,” Maude queries,” makes you an authority.” Good question, after all.... Interestingly, the two players, O’Hara and Ullett, are a married couple in real-life. To witness these two journeyman actors give his-and-her, tit-for-tat performances is a rare treat that for theater aficionados, OUGHT NOT TO BE MISSED." - Ben Miles

RAVE! - The Tolucan Times - "I saw a FAST-PACED, EXCELLENT original comedy, as a guest of a friend on the weekend. Garnering rave reviews from every critic in town, it is now in its third extension. It was written and directed by Stephen Sachs, and stars two constantly “working” actors… Jenny O’ Hara and Nick Ullett. This is a hilarious battle of wits… between a brash trailer park woman and a highly respected but stuffy art appraiser. Try to CATCH THIS ONE … if you can manage to get a seat!" - Pat Taylor

RAVE! - Los Feliz Ledger - "POIGNANT, LIVELY, AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING COMEDY... While filled with comedy, the action filled one act play has more serious undercurrents as it explores the differences of social class and questions the intrinsic value of a work of art. For Maude the painting has become a part of her self identity. Lionel is caught in the snobbism of the art world and fear for his reputation... Veteran actors Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett are fabulously convincing in their roles." - Marilyn Tower Oliver

RAVE! - WorkingAuthor.com - "KUDOS!... Sachs provides an excellent arena for his two actors whose lively and meticulous performances are a celebration of that happy union of craft and talent." - Ernest Kearney

RAVE! - FrontiersLA.com - "Simultaneously provoking deep thoughts and belly laughs is no easy feat, but the Fountain Theatre’s BRILLIANT EXECUTED WORLD-PREMIERE of Stephen Sachs’ 90-minute jewel of a play does all that and more... While the script is smart and exceedingly funny, the production soars on the wings of O’Hara’s astonishing performance... With two characters, one set and 90 minutes of intellectually rich and hilarious dialogue, Sachs’ play will be on the to-do list of every professional theatre across the country (there are apparently additional productions already in the works). But here in L.A. we have O’Hara. If you love great theater, don’t miss her." - Christopher Cappiello

LA Times Interview with Stephen Sachs

LAStageTimes Interview with Jenny & Nick

KPFK Arts in Review Interview

Creative Current Interview w/Stephen, Jenny & Nick

Boston Globe Interview

Reviews - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre - August 2011

Maude Gutman, an unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, believes the painting she bought in a thrift store for three bucks is a Jackson Pollock, an undiscovered masterpiece worth millions. Is it real or a fake? When Lionel Percy, a renowned art expert from New York, arrives at Maude’s trailer to evaluate the painting, the two embark on a fiery debate over class, truth, and what we personally perceive as valuable. Inspired by true events, Bakersfield Mist is a lively and delightful serio-comedy about the meaning of art.

Starring

Jenny O'Hara Nick Ullett

Production and Design Team:

Jeff McLaughlin (Sets), Ken Booth (Lights), Peter Bayne (Sound), Shon LeBlanc (Costumes), Misty Carlisle (Props),

Terri Roberts (PSM), Doug Lowry (Fight Director),

Scott Tuomey (TD), Lucy Pollak (PR), Ed Krieger (Photographer), Diana Gibson (Subscriptions), James Bennett (Box Office)

Produced by

Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor

FINAL WEEK! must close December 18th

CELEBRATING

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS'

CENTENNIAL, 2011

A House Not

Meant to Stand

by Tennessee Williams

West Coast Premiere!

- EXTENDED! thru May 22, 2011 -

(no show 5/19)

Tennessee Williams 100th Birthday Celebration

YouTube - Scenes from the Production

RAVE! - Los Angeles Times - "A MASTER PLAYWRIGHT STANDING TALL! - Williams’ caustic 1982 swan song is remarkably forward-looking in its outraged swipes at social ills: unaffordable medicine and healthcare costs, skyrocketing insurance rates and rapacious greed... Director Simon Levy emphasizes Expressionistic grotesquerie as Williams’ characters exploit one another with relentless glee, and A FINE CAST ENSURES THE GRIM LAUGHTER IS CONTAGIOUS. Alan Blumenfeld’s splendidly belligerent patriarch, Cornelius McCorkle, faced with his wife Bella’s (Sandy Martin) slide into dementia, is concerned only with getting her to reveal where she’s hidden her grandaddy’s moonshine profits before he has to put her away for good... Williams as late-career social satirist never equaled the inward-looking dramatist with uniquely poetic insights into fragile, sensitive souls trampled by a brutishly inhospitable world. Here, the focus is mostly on those doing the trampling (the only character with the stature of Williams’ classic protagonists — the McCorkles’ gay, alcoholic son — has already died before the play begins). Nevertheless, as the play eventually delves into Bella’s unraveling mind via Martin’s haunted performance and some nifty staging effects, Williams’ language, rhythm and imagery LEAVE HIS REPUTATION AS A MASTER PLAYWRIGHT STANDING TALL."

RAVE! - Back Stage - CRITIC'S PICK! - "MUST VIEWING!... flashes of brilliance... An exceptional cast and astonishing design add to the rewards of this bracingly intelligent rendition... The performances of Blumenfeld and Martin are riveting, illuminating the craziness and torment within this toxic family, without lapsing into melodramatic clichés. As a character who's somewhat closer to sane, though hardly a beacon of class, Billet provides a good counterpoint to the adversarial parents. Newcomb has hilarious moments as the sexually liberal Bible thumper. The Fountain is to be commended for taking a chance on an imperfect but powerful piece that is MUST VIEWING FOR ALL WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES WILLIAMS AFICIONADOS."

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - CRITIC'S PICK! - 5 OUT OF 5 STARS! - "Astutely directed by Simon Levy and PERFORMED BY A BRILLIANT ENSEMBLE, this House has the symbolism and lyricism expected of Williams with the addition of a few surprising features... As in many Williams plays, humor is a staple, and House's black comedy is one of its finest assets. There is nothing more heartbreaking or funny than watching various characters scramble desperately to pick up spilled meds or swill down a plethora of pills with beer. Tennessee Williams was an original whose poetic language and multi-layered imagery, both real and surreal, of the decaying South stand the test of time. ADD A House Not Meant to Stand TO HIS LIST OF CLASSIC MASTERPIECES!"

RAVE! - StageAndCinema.com - "SUPERB!... The discovery of A House Not Meant To Stand makes this not merely AN IMPORTANT THEATER EVENT, but a revelation of just how potent Tennesee Williams’s talent was in a period that has been categorized as one of decline. And Sandy Martin’s great performance does for Bella McCorkle what one imagines Laurette Taylor did for Amanda Wingfield. What she is doing doesn’t even look like acting. What higher compliment can one pay an actor?... a career-transforming performance... House may or not come to be counted among his genuine masterpieces, but Levy has at least given us a chance to see how fecund and bountiful his talents continued to be right up to the end. He was still experimenting with structure and content; he could still create characters, with all his art at his command, who matter; he was still capable of writing those insanely beautiful arias that any actor, rising to the occasion, can take pleasure in singing... HILARIOUS... TRAGICALLY MOVING."

RAVE! - CulturalCocktailHour.com - "MUST-SEE! - The Fountain Theatre’s “A House Not Meant To Stand” deserves A STANDING OVATION. The dynamic cast, its Gothic set spewing forth leaks, and the darkly wry barbs of Tennessee Williams added up to A RIVETING PERFORMANCE of Williams’ 'Southern Gothic spook sonata.' The Fountain Theatre’s “A House Not Meant to Stand” offers a rich and worthy tribute to a master playwright. Happy Birthday, Mr. Williams."

RAVE! - Hollywood Reporter - "A Gothic tragicomedy that starts like a Tobacco Road for fallen genteelfolk, House is set in the gloriously decrepit McCorkle family home whose patriarch (Alan Blumenfeld) is out to find the hidden cash inheritance of his dementia-plagued spouse (Sandy Martin). There is an absent slatternly daughter, a dead gay son, rapacious and randy neighbors, all splayed out in conscious self-parody dedicated to the higher purpose of exposing human folly (not least the author's own) and finding transcendent values of love and fortitude without ever sentimentalizing the moral rot. Blumenfeld displays a daring brio that draws connections with his superb Father Ubu of a few seasons back, while Martin achieves the challenging catharsis from within the wife's fading consciousness. Lisa Richards makes an extraordinary original creation of an aging sensualist and, in the less demanding part of the pregnant fiancee of the sole surviving McCorkle offspring, Virginia Newcomb supplies magnetism without venturing beyond the banal... There are a great many unproduced Williams texts to be mined and, on the basis of the current offerings, they are likely to provide much of interest and beauty."

RAVE! - ReviewPlays.com - "FANS OF WILLIAMS WILL LOVE THIS PLAY AND THOSE NEW TO HIS WORK COULD NOT FIND A BETTER PLACE TO GET INTRODUCED TO ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST WRITERS... Every nuance of the original presentation has been carefully captured by Director Simon Levy who leads a superb cast that makes the characters vibrant and believable... this play is a powerful denunciation of a type of life in the South and the Fountain Theatre’s production is another example of the EXCELLENT WORK that has become a trademark of the company."

Variety - "THE FOUNTAIN PRESENTS CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF LIFE IN THE OLD BOY TO THE END IN HIS FINAL OPUS 'A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND.'... Sandy Martin's shattering central performance counters any preconception that Williams' sweet bird of youth flew off with his talent in its talons... it's quicksilver Martin, playful even in distress, who's indelible here. At first Bella lurches about like Cornelius' marionette, but once the strings are cut she emerges as a worthy epilogue to all Williams' faded Southern belles bereft of hope at the end of the Camino Real. In their best tradition, the actress keeps her comical yet ever real... As battered in reality (a truck nearly flattens her) as those heroines were metaphorically, Bella dissociates into that fugue state of memory and grief with which so many Williams plays wind up. Behind a scrim, Martin's valedictory is like the author waving from the grave... VISUALLY SPLENDID PRODUCTION!"

RAVE! - StageSceneLA.com - "WOW!... SIMON LEVY AND THE STERLING CAST HE HAS ASSEMBLED all do the kind of accomplished, multi-layered work that audiences have come to expect at the Fountain Theatre. For those willing to throw away preconceived notions of what a Tennessee Williams play ought to be, A House Not Meant To Stand is likely not only to entertain, but to spark many a discussion of just how his wild-and-crazy last produced play fits in with the rest of Tennessee’s much loved, much lauded body of work."

RAVE! - Examiner.com - 5 OUT OF 5 STARS! - "A RARE COMEDY AND MEANT TO BE SEEN!... features a superb cast... Alan Blumenfeld deliciously portrays bombastic McCorkle patriarch Cornelius... Sandy Martin’s portrayal as matriarch Bella McCorkle was mesmerizing... The Fountain Theatre’s contribution to the Tennessee Williams Centennial is NOT TO BE MISSED and with a show this splendid and a limited run, it is sure to sell out, so don’t delay."

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "YOU MUST RUN TO THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE!... Not only will you gain insight into the alcohol-soaked and pill-ravaged mind of one of the theatre’s greatest writers toward the end of his days, but you will witness what an amazingly beautiful production can be created with a script that is seemingly incapable of being produced... Thanks to Simon Levy’s luminous direction, however, this House is a Haunted Mansion I wouldn’t have missed for the world."

RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "I thank Simon Levy and the award-winning Fountain Theater for bringing me Williams’ birthday centennial... A LIVELY AND BOISTEROUS ROMP!... Tennessee Williams was a writer who always laid his own open heart naked on the table. And with this “comedy” at the end of his life, he had done the same thing. I had been given the privilege of witnessing a STRONG PRODUCTION of what was a final cry (laugh?) of despair... A House Not Meant to Stand is a darkly comedic version of Tennessee Williams’ familiar themes: the yearning heart, the frantic heart, the damaged heart, and family cruelty... an amazing performance by Sandy Martin!"

RAVE! - AssociatedContent.com - "THIS IS ONE NOT TO BE MISSED!...The Fountain Theatre HAS A MARVELOUS REPUTATION OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY THEATRICAL PROGRAMMING for the community it serves, and though it is a small theatre, it is more than capable of delivering excellence in theatrical productions. Its current run of A House Not Meant to Stand, BRILLIANTLY PRODUCED AND DIRECTED by Simon Levy (with assistant producers Deborah Lawlor and Stephen Sachs) is A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF THIS KIND OF EXCELLENCE... a fabulous look at the lives of a family in the midst of turmoil... a cast that is more than superior... An engaging and powerful production that should not be missed."

RAVE! - Examiner.com - 4 STARS OUT OF 5 - "IT IS WORTH SEEING AND SEEING AGAIN so as to fully grasp what was on Tennessee Williams' own ebbing mind... Bella is brilliantly portrayed by Sandy Martin. Her characterization is so nuanced, idiosyncratic and committed that I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. She is captivating!"

Pat Taylor in Tolucan Times - "On Saturday, I went to the Fountain Theatre as a guest of my friend Andrea, another theater critic. We saw Tennessee William’s last written play, A House Not Meant to Stand, compellingly directed by Simon Levy. Having not visited this long respected theatre in ages… it was a joy to be reminded of the dedicated and high quality of work always offered here. Kudos to co-artistic directors Deborah Lawlor, Stephen Sachs, and Simon Levy."

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - "IT WOULD BE A SHAME, INDEED, TO MISS THIS TERRIFIC PRODUCTION!... It's a fun play... SUPERB CAST!"

RAVE! - WeHoNews.com - "WHAT A HOOT! A BRIGHT, HILARIOUS HOOT SPOT-ON IN ALMOST EVERY WAY!... the only rowdy, broad and bawdy comedy (plus some darkness) I know of by Tennessee Williams... a funny but haunting and remarkable portrayal by Sandy Martin... a hilarious Alan Blumenfeld... done to perfection by Lisa Richards... Every part of this production by Simon Levy deserves praise; all the actors do fine jobs... ABSOLUTELY WORTH SEEING!"

RAVE! - Los Feliz Ledger - "A POWERFUL PRODUCTION THAT DESERVES TO BE SEEN BY THOSE WHO LOVE AMERICAN THEATER AND APPRECIATE EXCELLENT ACTING... Sandy Martin is brilliant as the fragile yet wily Bella, a character based on Williams’ aunt Bella. Alan Blumenfeld’s portrayal of Cornelius Williams, drawn from Williams’ own father Cornelius Williams, is riveting. The character of the McCorkle’s son Charlie who provides a more human counterpoint to his sparring parents is well performed by Daniel Billet. Virginia Newcomb’s interpretation of his sexually emancipated, born again fiancée Stacey’ adds humor. The play is beautifully directed by Simon Levy who was recently honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle."

RAVE! - EDGELosAngeles.com - "AS BEAUTIFUL AS ANY OF WILLIAMS' PREVIOUS WORKS... Director Simon Levy deftly navigates the many layers of this final effort of the great playwright... ALL PRINCIPLE ACTORS ARE FORMIDABLE IN THEIR ROLES, but it’s really Ms. Martin’s performance that centers the play. She balances dementia and confusion beautifully with her lucid determination to care for her remaining children... Even to the very end, the ghosts that haunted Tennessee Williams in his own life and work - his family- still resonated with him."

RAVE! - CynthiaCitron.com - "THE ALWAYS WONDERFUL FOUNTAIN THEATRE!... under the inspiring direction of Simon Levy and BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES BY A STELLAR CAST... The patriarch, Cornelius, is a blustering bully, loud, offensive, and arrogant, and Alan Blumenfeld plays him exquisitely... it’s being presented at the Fountain, which is a house that, we believe, is meant to stand for a very long time."

A theatrical event. The last full length play written by Tennessee Williams has never been seen in the Western United States until now! By special permission of the Williams Estate. Thirty years before Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, Williams wrote this spellbinding play about the McCorkles -- a blazingly dysfunctional Mississippi family you’ll never forget. This outrageous, dark, expressionistic comedy, which Williams called a "Southern gothic spook sonata," reveals the fragile state of our world and the hope and desperation of the human heart.

Playbill.com

Los Angeles Times

Directed by Simon Levy

Produced by Stephen Sachs and Deborah Lawlor

Starring:

Sandy Martin Alan Blumenfeld

Robert Craighead Lisa Richards

Daniel Billet Virginia Newcomb

Kevin High Chip Bent

Caroline Treadwell

Production and Design Team:

Jeff McLaughlin (Sets), Ken Booth (Lights), Peter Bayne (Sound), Naila Aladdin-Sanders (Costumes), Misty Carlisle (Props),

Keith Skretch (SFX), JB Blanc (Dialects), Elna Kordijan (PSM), Doug Lowry (Fight Director), Misty Carlisle (ASM), Scott Tuomey (TD), Lucy Pollak (PR), Ed Krieger (Photographer),

Diana Gibson (Subscriptions), James Bennett (Box Office)

EXTENDED! thru May 22nd

(no show 5/19)

United States Premiere!

EXTENDED THRU JANUARY 30TH!

Final Week!

The Train Driver

by Athol Fugard

OVER A DOZEN RAVE REVIEWS!

Train Driver on YouTube

GO! - LA Weekly - [Fugard's] POWERFUL NEW PLAY... Director Stephen Sachs' character-driven production is stunning, from the dusty squalor of Jeff McLaughlin's desolate, gravel-covered shanty set, to the dense, evocative acting work. Higgins' mingled rage and sorrow -- anger over being forced to kill someone he didn't know, along with his grief over the pair's death - is powerful, but it's Ward's slightly ironic, underplayed turn as the gravedigger that captures attention every moment he's on stage." - Paul Birchall

CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage - "Director Stephen Sachs gives the piece A FINE AND METICULOUS PRODUCTION on Jeff McLaughlin's wonderfully evocative set, and the two actors bring the characters to vibrant life. Higgins vividly captures the desperation of the white man as he fights for clarity and understanding. And he is well-matched by Ward, whose role is often as listener, but he listens eloquently. And his wonderful face, etched with experience, can simultaneously suggest the naiveté of an uneducated man and the wisdom of the ages." - Neal Weaver

Los Angeles Times - "A NATURAL-BORN STORYTELLER... The production, which brings Stephen Sachs' skilled directorial hand to the work of a dramatist he has served admirably in the past, has a stripped-down Beckettian ruthlessness to it... We’re close to the bone of existence, where cultural and class distinctions no longer carry any weight. Ward’s Simon — quietly watchful, full of natural grace and settled peacefully into his solitude — contrasts with Higgins’ Roelf, a frenzied being caught between worlds and at home in neither. Together they bear witness to a difficult truth: This unwelcoming stretch of South African earth ultimately makes brothers of all races... a fascinating tale." - Charles McNulty

RAVE! - EyeSpyLA - "FUGARD'S FINEST...

The two-hander play relies mightily on the shoulders of its Fugard-experienced cast, and WHAT A TRIUMPH! Adolphus Ward and Morlan Higgins perfectly compliment each other’s characters with an electric and tense chemistry... A MASTERFUL WORK BY A MASTER PLAYWRIGHT." - M.R. Hunter

RAVE! - Steve Julian - "When I left the Fountain Theatre last weekend after seeing Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward in Athol Fugard’s work, I shook my head and thought more that I had just witnessed a master acting class than a clever, interesting story, though it was both."

RAVE! - World of Stage - "Allow one of the world’s master playwrights to take you through a POETIC, HAUNTING AND BEAUTFUL JOURNEY into the world of one man’s inconsolable grief. We are a privileged city to have such an esteemed director (Stephen Sachs) and playwright offer the U.S. premiere of THE TRAIN DRIVER (Fugard directed a production in South Africa earlier this year). You would be foolish to miss the magic that comes from such lyrical dialogue; Fugard’s words reach your soul, reminding us that the human language, when constructed with such elegance, can achieve an evocative chill akin to the mournful, spiritual wailing of the dogs that howl their existence to the night." - Tony Frankel

RAVE! - CurtainUp.com - "Another searing picture of South Africa today. IT'S THE BEST THING HE'S [FUGARD'S] DONE SO FAR... As Roelf, Morlan Higgins ranges from rage through confusion to peace at the last. It's a shattering performance and Higgins holds the stage with a desperate grip that widens into illumination. Adolphus Ward's wide-eyed stare adds a touch of humor to the production and, though he's short on words, what there are are choice. He's never short on a concentrated attention to the other man and, at the end, he knows what he has to do... Stephen Sachs directs with a keen ear for the playwrights's depth and humor." - Laura Hitchcock

RAVE! - SoCal.com - "The two-man, one-act play is taut and compelling; A BRILLIANT MASTERPIECE ... Morlan Higgins plays Roelf Visagie, delivering one of the finest, most moving performances I've seen on an LA stage to date... Simon [is] depicted by Ward with elegance, grace and wisdom." - Sheryl Scarborough

RAVE! - CynthiaCitron.com - "ANOTHER FACETED JEWEL... The train driver is played by Morlan Higgins - in my view the best actor currently pacing and gracing the Los Angeles stage. He is joined in this production by another charismatic actor: the majestic Adolphus Ward... The overall excellence of this production, however, must be credited to director Stephen Sachs." - Cynthia Citron

RAVE! - LAStageTimes - "A Stephen Sachs staging of any new Fugard play, including this one, IS AN EVENT THAT SHOULDN'T BE MISSED ... the performances by Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward are big and glorious." - Don Shirley

RAVE! - ParkLaBreaNews - "BRINGS HOME TELLING PERFORMANCES... Fine performances under Stephen Sachs' well-tuned direction... hew to the intention of one more telling piece of Fugard's continuing involvement with South Africa's past, present, and, one hopes, peaceful future." - Madeleine Shaner

StageSceneLA - "BEAUTFULLY ACTED, DIRECTED, AND DESIGNED... The partnership of Athol Fugard and The Fountain Theatre has possibly led to more awards and award nominations than any ongoing collaboration between writer and theater in the Los Angeles area... Higgins and Ward give performances that transcend “acting” and enter the realm of simply being." - Steven Stanley

RAVE! - StageandCinema.com - "Any play by Fugard is an important event in the theater and The Train Driver is HEART-STOPPINGLY BEAUTIFUL... The production is as good as it is because, in Stephen Sachs, Fugard has the director every playwright dreams of finding: one who totally understands every grace note, every signpost, every unspoken gesture, and, through care and sensibility, brings them to life; in short, Sachs’s direction is sublime." - Harvey Perr

RAVE! - About.com - "Since I’ve been writing for About.com, I’ve been to almost every one of California’s regional Tony Award-winning theatres and after all of that, I'D RANK THE TRAIN DRIVER IN THE TOP HANDFUL OF PERFORMANCES I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED." - Betsy Malloy

RAVE! - Buzzine.com - "A great bravo for a memorable performance. A MUST-SEE... The deeply moving encounter between these two men, excellently played by Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward, is touching and deeply affecting... 90 powerful minutes of theater." - Clare Elfman

CRITIC'S PICK! - KCLA, KLAS, KPRO-AM, KMAX - "Director Stephen Sachs' 2 character production is so powerful and compelling from the squalor of Jeff McLaughlin's shanty set, to nuanced acting performances. This play is a must see, and my critics pick." - Gerri Garner

RAVE! - TheaterTimes.org - "THIS IS A TRIUMPH FOR FUGARD AND A BIG FEATHER FOR THE FOUNTAIN, which Fugard has called, again according to press materials, his American home." - Cristofer Gross

RAVE! - Actors Entertainment - "I highly recommend... The train driver is played by the memorable Morlan Higgins. Roelf’s transformation from the beginning of “The Train Driver” to the end is phenomenal. The role of Simon, performed by the fantastic Adolphus Ward." - Erica Mer

RAVE! - LASplash.com - "A true testament of how a talented playwright and theatre company can come together to create a story about race, rage, and redemption... the fluid direction by Stephen Sachs is absolutely flawless. But it is the acting by the play’s two stars that provide the creative catalyst... Fugard was indeed correct when he stated that The Train Driver is “the most important play I’ve ever written,” not only for himself, but also for the audiences who continue to be in awe of his work as time goes on." - Peter A. Balakas

RAVE! - Talkin' Broadway - "BEAUTIFULLY DIRECTED AND PEFORMED... Given Morlan Higgins's past remarkable work in Fugard plays at the Fountain, you can pretty much expect him to give an exceptional performance as Roelf, and he does not disappoint. It's an emotionally fearless performance." - Sharon Perlmutter

directed by Stephen Sachs

starring

Morlan Higgins

Adolphus Ward

A tormented train driver is haunted by a nightmare that has shattered his life -- until he is awakened by an extraordinary stranger. A mesmerizing, transforming and deeply personal journey into the human soul, Fugard calls The Train Driver, "The most important play I've ever written."

Los Angeles Times Article, Oct. 15, 2010

Athol Fugard on Public Radio

(interview with Stephen Sachs)

Produced by Simon Levy and Deborah Lawlor

Production/Design Team

Tanya Apuya, James Bennett, JB Blanc,

Ken Booth, Shannon Dedman,

Diana Gibson, Elna Kordijan, Ed Krieger,

David B. Marling, Jeff McLaughlin,

Jack Newalu, Lucy Pollak, Terri Roberts,

Scott Tuomey, Dana Rebecca Woods

Box Office: 323-663-1525

Group Sales (Diana): 323-663-1098

EXTENDED THRU JANUARY 30TH!

(performances in January Friday-Sunday only)

FINAL WEEK!

must close 9/26

Los Angeles Premiere

OPUS

by Michael Hollinger

WINNER OF 7 StageSceneLA.com AWARDS:

Best Production Comedy-Drama; Best Director Comedy-Drama (Simon Levy); Best Ensemble Comedy-Drama; Featured Actor Comedy-Drama (Daniel Blinkoff); Costume Designer of the Year (A. Jeffrey Schoenberg); Lighting Designer of the Year (Ken Booth); Best Sound Design (Peter Bayne)

OVER A DOZEN RAVE REVIEWS!

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - full review - "THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE SCORES WITH ITS BRISK AND ENTERTAINING STAGING of Michael Hollinger's inside look at the passions and betrayals within a string quartet... BUOYANT PERFORMANCES... A romance set to music... Simon Levy's direction moves con brio, invisible yet exact, the rhythm of the line readings creating its own musicality. Each actor offers a specific tone: Cooper Thornton's Alan is a droll Lothario, while clear-eyed but reticent cellist Carl (Gregory G. Giles) holds secrets of his own. Lebano's vain Elliot makes the hard decisions but can't hear the exquisite musical shadings that obsess Blinkoff's tremulous, childish Dorian... ACCOMPLISHED CAST... It's the smaller moments that compel, creating an intimacy that make 'Opus' A STYLISH MIDSUMMER DATE NIGHT." - Charlotte Stoudt

CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage - full review

"Director Simon Levy's LOVINGLY CRAFTED production perfectly captures the tension and the aesthetic beauty that make this INTELLIGENT PLAY take flight... Startling plot reversals keep the play fascinating up to the final melodic fadeout... The five member ensemble is rock-solid... Levy's classy production delivers a symphony of harmonious pleasures." - Les Spindle

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - full review - "BRILLIANT!... What more can be said that has not already been extoled?... Sensational work from all five actors!... Levy's direction is impeccable... With an astounding cast and direction, THIS PRODUCTION IS ONE MORE CLASSIC FOR THE CLASS-A FOUNTAIN THEATRE." - Don Grigware

RAVE! - CultureSpotLA.com - full review - "THE MUST-SEE PRODUCTION!... The characters are richly drawn, the dialogue true to life and the story compelling. The actors, all with exceptional credits in theater (and some having made recognizable TV appearances), make wonderful music together... Hollinger portrays human relationships with an accuracy and sensitivity that give it a universal appeal. That’s what makes “Opus” compelling and assures its longevity." - Julie Riggott

RAVE!- LATheatreReview.com - full review - "I CAN SUM UP MY REACTION IN ONE WORD: 'BRAVISSIMO.' Opus is an all-around professional production, with artistry, craft and attention to detail that is not lost on the audience and has become the hallmark of Fountain Theatre productions... The acting is excellent all-around." - Joel Elkins

RAVE! - ReviewPlays.com/Santa Monica Daily Press/San Diego Jewish World - full review - "MAGNIFICENT! - Exquisite play! - Impeccable timing... Gorgeous music... an altogether absorbing study of very real and very human individuals as they cope with their lives and prepare for the most important performance of their careers. A performance to which we, along with the president, can only shout “Bravo!” - Cynthia Citron

RAVE! - Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press - full review - "THERE'S LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT PERFECTION. EXCEPT THAT THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE DOES IT AGAIN!... The play is not just about a string quartet; it's about relationships, commitment, connection, survival, ambition, the individuality and the plurality in harmony, life, love and every worthwhile endeavor... EVERY PERFORMANCE IN THIS UTTERLY DELIGHTFUL PLAY IS A GEM, DISTINCT AND PURE... And there is the hallmark of meticulous directing, which always abounds in Levy's work!... 'Opus' demonstrates how working together creates beautiful music." - Madeleine Shaner

GO! - L.A. Weekly - full review - "CANNY SCRIPT... Because classical music can be such a sublime art form, one tends to regard those musicians as inhabiting a more celestial sphere than the rest of us. Playwright and classically trained violist Michael Hollinger confutes that notion with this PERCIPIENT DRAMA, which examines the political and emotional fracas within a string quartet... SOLID ENSEMBLE." - Deborah Klugman

RAVE! - L.A. Weekly (2nd review) - full review - "What happens at play's end, after the White House appearance, could be Shakespearean, were it the story of a king rather than a little-known string quartet. But it's all there: The personal intrigue, democracy, hypocrisy and tyranny walking arm-in-arm. Sometimes in four or five people, you can see the whole world. And that Hollinger has pulled that off in a somewhat minor key is no minor accomplishment. Then again, HE'S WELL SERVED BY THE ENSEMBLE, AND THE DIRECTOR, not to mention music advisers Roy Tanabe and Larry Sonderling. Frederica Nascimento's set has a quasi-expressionistic backdrop, which captures the rich veneer of the instruments themselves, and Peter Bayne's crucial sound design is impeccable." - Steven Leigh Morris

RAVE! - StageSceneLA.com - full review - "THIS IS L.A. INTIMATE THEATER AT ITS BRILLIANT BEST... Director Simon Levy adds Opus to the string of hits he’s directed at the Fountain, most recently last year’s equally gripping Photograph 51, and neither his work nor the cast he has assembled could be any better... The Fountain has a history of long-running, multi-award-winning productions, and Opus looks to be no exception." - Steven Stanley

RAVE! - Buzzine - full review "SOMETHING WONDERFUL HAPPENS WITH A PLAY THAT WORKS... It's a theater experience that doesn't always happen. It happens in Opus... all excel in this small, well-crafted play." - Clare Elfman

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - full review - "A HELLUVA THEATRE EXPERIENCE! This is one high-toned evening that should be viewed by lovers of theatre and of classical chamber music... Director Simon Levy has worked his signature magic with the entire production and the five actors are to be congratulated on such intense individual and ensemble work." - Dale Reynolds

RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - full review - "A GEM!... Sometimes it seems like the best way to review something terrific is to just lean back and say, "You must go, see for yourself. It's wonderful." "Opus" at the Fountain Theatre is just such a gem. It is 90 minutes of tightly written and meticulously acted theater, entertaining and thought provoking... Watching "Opus," it is hard to believe that the actors in front of you are not musicians, or for that matter, that they are not a real quartet performing before you... BEAUTIFUL!" - Karen Weinstein

RAVE! - Santa Monica Mirror & Splash Magazine Worldwide - full review - "THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE IS ONE OF L.A.'S MOST RESPECTED VENUES having garnered over 200 awards for production, performance, and design in its 20-year history. Its latest production is certainly destined to be yet another notch on its belt. Working with a brilliant script by Michael Hollinger, Opus, a stirring look at the behind-the-scenes drama of a string quartet, award-winning director Simon Levy put together a fabulous ensemble and created a fascinating evening of theatre... Opus is a pitch-perfect production that is an extra special treat for classical music lovers, but you don’t have to love classical music to thoroughly enjoy the performances by this gifted ensemble... A THEATRICAL BREATH OF FRESH AIR." - Beverly Cohn

RAVE! - LAStageBlog.com - full review - "A MINOR MASTERPIECE under Simon Levy's direction." - Don Shirley

RAVE! - Hollywood Reporter - full review "THE ACTING, LIKE MOST STRING QUARTETS, EXCEEDS THE SUM OF ITS PARTS. There is real teamwork, whether as characters in the play or just actors on a stage doing battle and interacting with one another... Cooper Thornton as the second violin increasingly dominates the play with his resigned sense of humor, bringing a Jason Robards Jr. sense of pathos to his work along with a split-second sense of timing. Gregory G. Giles gets bad news and delivers it as only a cellist with his feet firmly on the ground could do. Between them, Christian Lebano as the controlling first violinist and Daniel Blinkoff as his ephemeral lover and rival capture the stilted, awkward rituals classical music relationships must go through in their final stages, like black holes of mortality. The set is cleverly designed to provide the labyrinth through which all touring ensembles must continually travel... Rips open the heart of classical music." - Laurence Vittes

RAVE! - Los Feliz Ledger - full review - "HILARIOUS AND POIGNANT!... Director Simon Levy has skillfully drawn out the different personalities of the five characters... Classical music mavens and theater enthusiasts alike will savor “Opus,” an insightful look into the emotions and angst of a string quartet at the Fountain Theatre. The play was so successful in its July run that it has been extended through August." - Marilyn Tower Oliver

RAVE! - StageHappenings.com - full review - "DROP WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR 'OPUS'... exquisitely directed by Simon Levy... five superb actors... the audience sits mesmerized... This intimate production is LIVING THEATRE AT ITS BEST." - Shirle Gottlieb

Sex, drugs and chamber music! Talent and temperaments collide in this amusing and compelling behind-the-scenes look at a high-strung string quartet. A world-famous ensemble threatens to unravel as it prepares for its highest-profile performance when its most talented member goes missing and a young woman is hired to take his place. Smart, funny, entertaining and insightful -- you'll never listen to a string quartet the same way again.

Encore Magazine

Produced by Stephen Sachs

Co-Produced by Deborah Lawlor

Directed by Simon Levy

Starring

Daniel Blinkoff

Jia Doughman

Gregory G. Giles

Christian Lebano

Cooper Thornton

Creative and Production Team

Frederica Nascimento - Sets

Ken Booth - Lights

Peter Bayne - Sound

A. Jeffrey Schoenberg - Costumes

Goar Galstyan & Elna Kordijan - Props

Roy Tanabe - Music Advisor

Larry Sonderling - Music Advisor

Lucy Pollak - PR

Ed Krieger - Photographer

Mitzi Delgado - PSM

Terri Roberts - ASM

Tanya Apuya - Wardrobe

Scott Tuomey - TD

Assigned Seating for all Shows

Tickets can be purchased at:

box office: 323-663-1525

group sales: 323-663-1098

subscriptions: 323-663-1098

thru September 26th

(second and final extension)

Another Special Flamenco Event

MARIA BERMUDEZ - FLAMENCO

starring Maria Bermudez

and the Chicana Gypsy Project

July 23rd & 24th, 2010
at the Ford Amphitheatre

Ford Box Office:

323-461-3673

YouTube

Press_Release

The Fountain Theatre is excited to be a part of the Ford Amphitheatre's 2010 summer season, with its 7th presentation of MARIA BERMUDEZ - FLAMENCO. This year's program includes her "Sonidos Gitanos" Gypsy Flamenco Company and introduces its new branch, "The Chicana Gypsy Project." The entire company comes directly from Jerez de la Fronters, Spain's "City of Flamenco." The "Chicana Gypsy" is Maria herself, who sings both classic American blues/jazz and Mexican rancheras, that are set into flamenco rhythms and incorporate dance as well. Critic Damaris Solis of Flamenco Buzz writes: "Ms. Bermudez is a first-rate chanteuse, well-worn tread on her soulful chops... There were sound combinations that not even in my wildest dreams would I ever think to see performed on the same state, as they originate from different continents. However, they made complete and total sense... It was such a rich tapestry that it is hard for me to sum (it) up in words... You need to experience it for yourself... it is well-suited for a nation that celebrates diversity."

The Ford is an historic outdoor theatre nestled in the Hollywood Hills across the 101 freeway from the Hollywood Bowl. The amphitheatre provides an intimate space for dance, music, film and family events. We are proud and happy to present Maria Bermudez - Flamenco in this beautiful venue, and hope you'll join us on Friday, July 23rd or Saturday July 24th when Maria and Company will perform under the stars. Group rates are available. Fountain Theatre Members get a 10% discount.

CRITIC'S CHOICE!

Los Angeles Times

CLOSED MAY 30, 2010

The Ballad of Emmett Till

by Ifa Bayeza

West Coast Premiere

A true story. The now legendary tale of Emmett Till ignited the start of the civil rights movement. This west coast premiere, part history and part ghost story, is a poetic/lyrical//folk integration of past and present, the living and dead, factual accounts and storytelling. Chicago playwright Ifa Bayeza captures the powerful truths at the heart of the legend, creating a soaring work of music, poetic language and riveting theatricality.

A DOZEN RAVE REVIEWS!

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times - "Warm and vibrant, with a surprising quotient of laughter... Director Shirley Jo Finney’s purposeful, precisely syncopated staging is impressively specific in both movement and meaning. In the title role, the hugely likable Lorenz Arnell captures the buoyancy of his doomed character. As Till’s mother, who so bravely insisted on an open casket so that the world could see her son’s appalling injuries, Karen Malina White exudes dignity and anguish in equal measure. Bernard Addison, Rico E. Anderson and Adenrele Ojo, who round out the cast, are all superb, as are the production elements, particularly David B. Marling’s sound design and Kathi O’Donohue’s lighting. Ameenah Kaplan’s first-rate choreography augments Finney’s near-balletic blocking. The reliably brilliant Finney took over when the play’s original director, Ben Bradley, was murdered. Her luminous staging stands as a fitting tribute to the beloved Bradley, whose own incandescent career was so shockingly extinguished." -

F. Kathleen Foley

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld.com - "You heard it here, folks. The Fountain Theatre is by the far the best and the brightest that Los Angeles has to offer. Local and tourist alike will be hard-pressed to find a more inviting, entertaining, or all-around enjoyable experience anywhere else in the City of Angels. First timers, it is highly recommended that you get to the theatre early and go upstairs to the charming little café and grab a table, relax, and settle in for a fantastic night (or afternoon) of entertainment... Bayeza's writing is both fluid and lyrical, a ballad in the truest sense. And director Finney makes marvelous use of the space and sounds to create a work that is very much the song of an unsung hero. The cast is, in a word, brilliant... be sure to catch Emmett Till and the amazing Fountain Theatre, for it really is the best ticket in Los Angeles to be found. No doubt the Fountain will be adding more tiers to their wall of accolades next fall." - Amber Cassell

CRITIC'S PICK! - Back Stage - "Director Shirley Jo Finney elicits fine performances from her actors and crafts a brisk and lively production... In the hands of Bayeza and actor Lorenz Arnell, young Emmett emerges as good-humored, brash, sassy, irrepressible, and funny... This production commemorates two deaths: that of young Emmett Till but also that of the production's original director, Ben Bradley, whose life was cruelly taken away during the rehearsal period." - Neal Weaver

RAVE! - EyeSpyLA and StageHappenings - "A compact, moving tribute integrated with lyrical movement, superimposed speech, and stunning tableaus... Ifa Bayeza and director Shirely Jo Finney skillfully avoid the trappings of an iconic martyr by creating a dynamic innocent whose unique perspective should not be so unique at all, but a march for a hero who dared to be nothing less than who he was. The majority of the play is an uplifting, comical biography of a young man who refused to let his spirit be broken, despite his hardships. Although, these lovable traits will be his ultimate undoing, the character of Emmett Till literally foreshadowing his own terrible conclusion, it’s impossible not to fall in love with Lorenz Arnell’s candid expressions and infectious exuberance... the whole of this work is vital and dramatically moving. The ensemble delivers outstanding performances." -

M.R. Hunter

RAVE! - Stage and Cinema - "Taken all together, The Ballad of Emmett Till not only sings, it soars with a special music, in this fine theatrical work of serious ambition in which every single artisan involved is working at the top of his/her game. It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to see anything better for a long while." - Harvey Perr

RAVE! - CurtainUp.com - "The cast is splendid... In an incredible alignment, Ben Bradley, who loved the play and was its initial director, was murdered New Year's Day. Shirley Jo Finney, his long-time colleague, jumped in and brought the play to its seamless conclusion. Ben would be proud!" - Laura Hitchcock

RAVE! - California Crusader - "The 'Ballad of Emmett Till' is not a play you can forget. The play takes you on such an emotional roller coaster, once it ends, you’re not sure if you want to cry, laugh or applaud at the same time. Everything about the “Ballad of Emmett Till” flows with such synchronicity... Writer Ifa Bayeza does a masterful job of telling Till’s story through his own voice." - Dennis J. Freeman

RAVE! - PerformingArtsLive - “Much praise has been lavished on this production and now we know why. Playwright Ifa Bayeza provides the gripping details of this drama set in the days of the early civil rights movement. Shirley Jo Finney’s direction is on the mark and keeps you riveted to the story as told by this fine ensemble cast. The five person cast is exemplary. It doesn’t get much better! Go see this one for the story, but you will come out amazed and talking about the superb acting.” - Michael Napoli

RAVE! - Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press -

Bayeza’s star-crossed play, “The Ballad of Emmett Till”, will make you laugh, cry, suffer, burn and rejoice, separately and all at the same time... Bayeza’s script has a lovely, jazzy, hip-hoppy, extravagantly poetic, light-hearted, fun-loving Afro romp to it, so we’re connected to the story immediately... Superbly played - the ensemble is excellent." - Madeleine Shaner

RAVE! - The Collective Magazine - "The cast itself is transcendent... Beyeza’s dialogue is unlike anything you’ll ever hear at the theatre; lyrical and rhythmic with a dynamism that you can feel down to your bones.... a story that will linger in your mind." - Laura Prudom

RAVE! - Campus Circle - "The whole play is powerful. It’s an incredible showcase of the human spirit and its resilience." - Cesar Cruz

RAVE! - Daily Trojan - "The grace with which the words flowed, the incredible changes that came over the characters and the ingenuity of the play’s musical aspects had the audience wondering if Ifa Bayeza, the playwright of The Ballad of Emmett Till, was more a magician than a writer." - Kristy Pyke

Dedicated to the memory of

Ben Bradley

Starring:

Lorenz Arnell

Directed by Shirley Jo Finney

Produced by Stephen Sachs

Creative and Production Team:

Naila Aladdin-Sanders (Costumes)

Erinn Anova (Director's Asst.)

JB Blanc (Dialects)

Goar Galstyan (Props)

Ameenah Kaplan (Choreographer)

Elna Kordijan (PSM)

Ed Krieger (Photographer)

David B. Marling (Sound)

Jack Newalu (Electrician)

Kathi O'Donohue (Lights)

Caitlin O'Hare (Costume Asst.)

Lucy Pollak (PR)

Jordann Richard (Costume Asst.)

Terri Roberts (ASM)

Scott Siedman (Set)

Scott Tuomey (TD)

CLOSED DECEMBER 19TH

Los Angeles Times'

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

Article - Encore Magazine

Article - Playbill

Article - FineArtsLA.com

LA Stage Blog

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

Ticket Discount Offers

New On-Going Program!

2nd Sunday of Every Month

7:30pm

MEHFIL-E

A Series of Intimate Performances of

Kathak, Classical Dance & Music of India

Chitresh Das Dance Company

Mickie's Zoo Article

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

Fugard on Huffingtonpost.com

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

Ticket Discount Offers

thru August 29th

Closes This Saturday!

CRITIC'S CHOICE! - Los Angeles Times

Fugard on YouTube

from the theatre that brought you

Exits and Entrances and Victory

WEST COAST PREMIERE

ATHOL FUGARD'S NEWEST PLAY

COMING HOME

directed by

Stephen Sachs

(Exits and Entrances, Victory, Miss Julie, After the Fall)

Article - BroadwayWorld.com

Article - Examiner.com

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

Live on YouTube

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

Show Info

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

Ford Theatre Website

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)

HAS RE-OPENED!

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
a true story

by Bernard Weinraub

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."
full review

RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - "GRIPPING AND ENLIGHTENING!... Meticulously researched drama... disturbing, really interesting, and not well known. RIVETING!"

Playbill Article June 2008

Articles

LAStageBlog 9/5

Jewish Journal 8/15

BroadwayWorld.com 7/28

EdgeLosAngeles.com 7/17

Hillel Kook/Peter Bergson

Video

Steven Schub Interview

directed by Deborah LaVine

(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.

A moving and controversial play by veteran New York Times political reporter Bernard Weinraub.

Wikipedia Entry on

Website Dedicated to Bergson

Jerusalem Post: U.S. Holocaust Museum

Launches Bergson Exhibit

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!

must close May 31st

YouTube Video

WEST COAST PREMIERE

Anna Ziegler's

Photograph 51

Winner of the 2008 STAGE International

Script Competition!

(judged by theatre professionals and Nobel laureates)

Prize Announcement

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?

Special Ticket Discount Offers

Los Angeles Chronicle

Scientific American

written by

Anna Ziegler

website

directed by

Simon Levy

website

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

YouTube Video

Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun 2pm

(No Thursday shows after May 3rd,

except on May 28th)

Tickets can be purchased at

323-663-1525

Buy Tickets

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

BroadwayWorld.com Article

TheatreMania Article

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

Buy Tickets

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
a true story

by Bernard Weinraub

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."
full review

RAVE! - CultureVulture.net - "GRIPPING AND ENLIGHTENING!... Meticulously researched drama... disturbing, really interesting, and not well known. RIVETING!"

Playbill Article June 2008

Articles

LAStageBlog 9/5

Jewish Journal 8/15

BroadwayWorld.com 7/28

EdgeLosAngeles.com 7/17

Hillel Kook/Peter Bergson

Video

Steven Schub Interview

directed by Deborah LaVine

(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.

A moving and controversial play by veteran New York Times political reporter Bernard Weinraub.

Wikipedia Entry on

Website Dedicated to Bergson

Jerusalem Post: U.S. Holocaust Museum

Launces Bergson Exhibit

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

Previews begin July 12

Opens July 19

Closes September 14

Thursday-Saturday, 8pm

Sunday, 2pm

Tickets can be purchased at

323-663-1525

Buy Tickets

The 3rd Annual

Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance

Playreading Series

August 25-27, 2008

ADAA

Presenting...

The Top Three Finalist Plays of the inaugural
2008 William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting

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.

This year, in honor of William Saroyan's 100th Anniversary, the ADAA Reading Series will feature the three plays nominated by the $10,000 William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting, a biennial competition administered by ADAA.

Following the performances, ADAA will host a wine and cheese reception with the artists and playwrights.

Monday, August 25
FLESH AND TENDERNESS
by Kristen Lazarian
A fourth-generation Armenian American woman coming to terms with her family history.

directed by Debra DeLiso

Tuesday, August 26

THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
by Matthew 'Yazo' Yaldezian
Recounting the early life, love and writings of William Saroyan.

directed by Michael Arabian

Wednesday, August 27
NADIA
by Lilly Thomassian
About an Armenian family living in Iraq confronting the chaos of the war.

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

www.itsmyseat.com

April 25 - June 15, 2008

FINAL WEEK - LIMITED SEATS!

A NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK WORLD PREMIERE

NNPN Website

And Her Hair

Went With Her

by Zina Camblin

And Her Hair Website

directed by Diane Rodriguez

Diane Rodriguez Website

starring Tony Award Winner

Tonya Pinkins

"One of ten women in America who will

take your breath away." - Oprah Winfrey

Tonya Pinkins Website

and

Tracie Thoms

(star of "Rent" and Kat Miller on "Cold Case")

Tracie Thoms Website

Alternates:

Pam Trotter - Website

and

Zina Camblin - Website

LA Times & Tracie Thoms

LA Stage and Diane Rodriguez

KOST FM Article

Los Angeles Wave and Tonya Pinkins Part 1

Los Angeles The Wave and Tonya Pinkins Part 2

Playbill Article

2nd Playbill Article

BroadwayWorld.com Article

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

American Theater Magazine Article, March '08

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

Buy Tickets

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

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