The Fountain Theatre celebrates 35 years today!

By Terri Roberts

Today is April Fool’s Day, but this is no joke: thirty-five years ago, founding co-artistic directors Deborah Lawlor, a dancer from New York, and Stephen Sachs, a theatre director in Los Angeles, opened the doors at 5060 Fountain Avenue and introduced the Fountain Theatre to Los Angeles.

The Fountain has gone through a lot of challenges and changes since then — most notably, the death of Deborah Lawlor on May 2, 2023, the retirement of Stephen Sachs at the end of last year, and the 2025 installment of Raymond O. Caldwell as the Fountain’s new Artistic Director.

“We opened the doors of the Fountain Theatre on April 1, 1990: April Fool’s Day, an appropriate day to launch a nonprofit theatre company,” Sachs reflected in his speech at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during his retirement celebration last fall. “Today, the Fountain’s doors remain open. Wide open to folks from all walks of life to come in and see themselves and their community, see their stories told on our stage. The ripple effect of the lives that we touch at the Fountain spreads from one human being to another. In 34 years, over one million people have passed through our doors.”

It was clear, then, from the beginning, that the Fountain Theatre would not be a common, everyday theatre, relying on predictable audience favorites and settling for the workable average. Risk-taking was part of the Fountain’s DNA from the outset, as was a devotion to the highest quality possible in every element of production and a commitment to producing plays, events, and dance pieces that reflected the wide range of faces, voices and experiences of Los Angelinos.

The Fountain’s inaugural production in the early summer of 1990 was Richard Sewell’s Winter Crane, a “drama with dance” based on a Japanese fable that was produced by Lawlor, choreographed by Bonnie Oda Homsey, and directed by Anne Drektrah. It was a clear birth announcement, as it were, of the fledgling organization’s intent to focus on those two artistic forms: drama and dance. Winter Crane was followed by The Golden Gate, adapted and directed by Sachs from a 1986 novel-in-verse by Vikram Seth, which he translated into a play-in-verse-in precise 14-line sonnet form. The show was so successful that it eventually transferred to the Zephyr Theatre in San Francisco.

Over the years, familiar plays have been presented among the newer pieces. Works by such classic dramatists as Tennessee Williams, August Wilson, and Anton Chekov have graced our stage. After acclaimed South African playwright Athol Fugard came to see the Fountain’s L.A. premiere of his play The Road to Mecca, he was so impressed that he gave us his blessing to produce his future plays until his death last March.

There were dozens of new works presented on our small indoor stage-many of them penned by the prolific Sachs. Alongside newcomers and rising artists, many familiar faces from film and television have highlighted our casts: Taraji P. Henson, Simone Missick, Diarra Kilpatrick, Bud Cort, Salome Jens, Jean Smart, Jenny O’Hara, Tonya Pinkins, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Sam Waterston, Bradley Whitford, and others. The acclaimed Deaf West Theatre also started at the Fountain, bringing us such brilliant deaf talents as the late Phyllis Frelich and 2021 Oscar winner Troy Kotsur (Coda).

Dance remained a vital element of the Fountain’s programming as well. Lawlor created the popular, long-running program, Forever Flamenco, using her vast connections in the dance and Flamenco worlds to present monthly programs featuring local, national, and international talent. Forever Flamenco put the Fountain on the LA dance map, and we became widely recognized as the foremost presenter of Flamenco programming in Los Angeles. Lawlor became known as the Godmother of Flamenco, and Flamenco programming is still part of our annual seasons.

In the deadly summer of 2020, the scourge of COVID-19 shuttered all entertainment venues, and people were afraid to leave their homes. When the COVID-19 vaccine finally became available, people were eager to get back outside and find fun and enjoyment beyond their computers and television sets. Restaurants had been allowed to incorporate outdoor seating to keep their businesses alive, but most theatres didn’t have the space to offer such accommodations.

The Fountain, however, did. In the summer of 2021, we turned our parking lot into an outdoor theatre. We constructed an outdoor stage, put up scaffolding, lighting, and sound equipment, and filled the rest of the parking lot with chairs, tall tables, and a concessions stand. The Fountain Theatre was the first theatre in Los Angeles to reopen in the wake of the pandemic.

And the audiences came—that summer (An Octoroorn), and the next (ROE), and the next (Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.) We look forward to working with City officials to produce outdoors again.

  • A House Not Meant to Stand
  • Cyrano

The Fountain Theatre’s activities include a year-round season of fully produced new and established plays. We have mounted 35 world premieres and dozens of US, West Coast, Southern California, or Los Angeles premieres. Our educational outreach programs include Fountain Voices, a nine-week curriculum designed to build community and cultivate empathy utilizing the power of theatre and creative storytelling, and Walking the Beat, a creative writing, theatre, and multi-media summer workshop between police officers and teens in grades 9-12, designed to reinforce positive interactions. The Fountain also offers multi-ethnic dance shows and is recognized as the foremost presenter of Flamenco in Los Angeles. Our productions have also been seen in intimate and regional theatres nationwide, at the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival, on the West End of London, and in Off-Broadway houses.

Since 2020, the challenges facing arts communities have risen dramatically. The ever-increasing costs of materials, for example, have forced many theatres to dim down their dreams. Even formally reliable grant opportunities and funding sources have diminished.

As Sachs noted in his retirement speech last fall:

“The Fountain Theatre needs you. We need you to show up, dive in, and stay at it. Because that’s what we do. When freedom, decency, and human rights are threatened, the Fountain Theatre responds. 

When the U.S. invaded Iraq, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, we responded with What I Heard About Iraq.  

When same-sex marriage triggered national debate, we responded with Daniel’s Husband

When Michael Brown was murdered in Ferguson, we responded with Citizen: An American Lyric.

When Trump imposed his extreme border policy, we responded with Building the Wall

When Trump called America’s free press “the enemy of the people,” we responded with All the President’s Men.   

When the government started locking up immigrants and separating families, we responded with Detained.

When the Supreme Court overturned a woman’s right to choose, we responded with ROE. When Trump announced his candidacy for re-election, we responded with Fatherland.”

Much has been accomplished in the past 35 years at the Fountain, and there is much more yet to do. The world is now in a very different place than it was in 1990, and there are those in powerful places who claim that the arts have little value and that the artists who devote their lives to them are undeserving of fair and equal treatment.

We respectfully disagree. For 35 years, the Fountain Theatre has maintained a sense of integrity, fairness, and equality in all its works, and we plan to continue doing just that for the next 35 years. If you would like to help us continue creating/presenting high-quality theatre, dance, and educational outreach pieces, please consider making a donation of $35 (or more) below.

We are deeply grateful to you, our friends and patrons, for your support of the Fountain Theatre. We look forward to seeing you the theatre again soon!

Fountain Theatre mourns the loss of long-time friend and acclaimed playwright, Athol Fugard

by Terri Roberts

Director Stephen Sachs (left) with playwright Athol Fugard (center) and the cast of the Fountain’s 2012 production of The Blue Iris (L to R): Jacqueline Schultz, Julanne Chidi Hill, and Morlan Higgins

On March 8th, celebrated South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director, Athol Fugard, who was also a long-time friend and supporter of the Fountain Theatre, died at age 92 at his home in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. According to his wife, Paula, Fugard died after a cardiac event.

Fugard’s astonishing work has been recognized with countless awards over the decades, including an Obie for Best Foreign Play in 1971 (Boseman and Lena); an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 (Tsotsi, adapted from his novel); a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2011; and the Japan Art Association’s Premium Imperiale prize for theatre/film in 2014.

In 2000, the prolific writer/activist was living in Del Mar and teaching at UC San Diego when he learned that an exemplary production of his 1984 drama, The Road to Mecca, was playing at the intimate Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. “I’ve always been wary of seeing plays of mine I myself hadn’t directed,” he admitted to Julio Martinez in a 2012 telephone interview for LA Stage Times. “Eventually, I went to Los Angeles and saw this marvelous production, staged by Stephen (Sachs). I met Stephen and I met the cast of that production and found myself saying to Stephen, ‘I want my next play to be done in your theatre.’ I loved the feel of it. Everything about it felt right. — the theatre, the size of the space, the atmosphere. So when my next play was ready, I brought it to Stephen.”

That visit launched what would become a long collaborative relationship with Sachs and the Fountain that ultimately resulted in six more of Fugard’s works being presented at the theatre. The 2000 Los Angeles Premiere of The Road to Mecca was followed by Exits and Entrances (World Premiere, 2004); Coming Home (West Coast Premiere, 2009); The Train Driver (US Premiere, 2010); The Blue Iris (US Premiere, 2012); Victory (US Premiere, 2013); and The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek (West Coast Premiere, 2015.)

According to Sachs, “…the search for hope, the struggle with loss, and the fight for dignity” are classic Fugard themes-and they are all showcased in The Blue Iris, which Sachs directed at the Fountain in 2013. The Blue Iris is a three-hander that revolves around a grieving farmer, Robert (Morlan Higgins), mourning both the loss of his farm in a fire as well as the death of his wife, Sally, (Jacqueline Schultz) soon thereafter. Their housekeeper, Rieta (Julanne Chidi Hill), wants to move on from all the devastation and throughout the one-act play she encourages Robert to join her.

During the run of Blue Iris, Fugard paid a memorable visit to the Fountain to both see the show and participate in a special post-show audience talk back with the cast and Sachs. It was a remarkable afternoon in the presence of a legendary artist. (See slideshow photos above from that event.)

In response to the loss of of his friend and colleague, Sachs posted the following on his personal Facebook page:

“Athol Fugard lived a long and vigorous life of monumental achievement, reaching the age of 92. We knew the horizon was edging closer. Even so, his passing leaves an enormous hole in my heart. His artistic trust, his integrity, humanity, and his example as a socially and politically conscious theater-maker had a profound impact on my life. Athol blessed me with twelve years of theatrical heaven, trusting me to direct the premieres of his new plays at the Fountain, Off-Broadway, and the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Those were charmed years for us all — those of us who worked alongside him and the audiences who were transformed by his plays on the stage. By that time, his work explored themes of hope and mortality, the role of the artist, the emotional toll of guilt and regret, and the responsibility we hold for each other. The plays were beautiful and challenging and brought with them some of the most vivid and rewarding moments of my theater career. I honor and celebrate this great man, this colossus, this titan of world theater, and my mentor and friend.”

In a 2010 interview with the Los Angeles Times discussing the Fountain’s US Premiere of The Train Driver, Fugard described that play as the most significant of his half-century career.

“I think all of my writing life lead up to the writing of The Train Driver,” he said in the same article, “because it deals with my own inherited blindness and guilt and all of what being a white South African in South Africa during those apartheid years meant.”

Fugard also had high praise for the theatre that became his artistic home-away-from-home, and the audiences it attracts: “People come to the Fountain Theatre because they’ve got hearts that are working and they’ve got heads that are working. They use the Fountain Theatre because it puts them in touch with the world that they’re living in.”

This is community…

by Terri Roberts

Like most of us here in Los Angeles, I’ve spent much of this week watching in stunned disbelief as terrifying images of apocalyptic fires decimated LA neighborhoods, destroyed schools, centers of worship, and cultural landmarks, and redefined the landscape of LA County.

Pacific Palisades? Virtually wiped out. Altadena? Decimated. Sunset Blvd.? Wrecked. Runyon Canyon? Seared. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center? Burned to the ground. The iconic Pacific Coast Highway? Now a smokey ghost town of once beautiful beachfront homes. And the list goes on and on…

The numbers are staggering, and constantly changing. For four days now, five simultaneous fires fueled by unprecedented hurricane-strength winds, have scorched 34K+ acres of land from Altadena to West Hills to Pacific Palisades. More than 10,000 structures have been lost between the Pacific Palisades and Eaton blazes, and 180,000+ people have been forced to flee their homes, most of which are now nothing but charred rubble and smoldering memories.

But in the midst of all this devastation, there are also countless reports of goodwill that spark gratitude and hope. People voluntarily searching for their neighbor’s lost pets. Buddies showing up to fight fire with determination and garden hoses in an effort to save their friend’s homes. Firefighters from across CA and neighboring states pitching in to help weary LAFD teams. Law enforcement and National Guard protecting vulnerable property remains from looters. Grateful residents raising thousands of dollars to bring food, water and restaurant meals to hungry first responders. The Rose Bowl filling up with donations of water, food, diapers, baby formula, clothing and more. (Note: this site has now relocated to St. Andrew Church at 311 N. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena.)

This is community.

On Thursday morning I caught an interview with MSNBC anchor Katy Tur who was talking with Rabbi Mendy Piekarski and Head Rabbi Dovid Weiss of Chabad of Topanga. Not only did these men manage to rescue the sacred Torah scrolls from their synagogue, but they were also working around the clock to help anyone in need.

“Right now it’s about being there for each other, especially families with young kids and elderly people. They need a lot of love and support,�? Rabbi Piekarski said. “We’re doing our best to be there to support everyone…We’re the only synagogue in Topanga, so we take responsibility for everyone in the community to make sure they have a safe place. This is what we’ve been doing non-stop for the past 48 hours.�?

Added Rabbi Weiss, “If you’re in Topanga and you need any help, please don’t hesitate to call us: 310/455-1597.�? Katy Tur then repeated the phone number following the interview.

This is community.

Here at the Fountain, we are heartbroken to hear that so many of our Fountain Family and LA theatre friends have lost their homes or been otherwise seriously impacted by the fires. We stand ready to help however we can, such as making our surplus costume stock available to those in need of clothing. Email me at [email protected] to make those arrangements.

Additionally, our good friends over at the fabulous volunteer/service organization, Big Sunday, (“We connect people through helping”) shared with us a wonderful resource list they created. Below is an edited-for-space version of that list. More resources are available at www.bigsunday.org. May all this data be of use to you.

To our beloved patrons, colleagues, volunteers, and friends, we are here for you. Theatre folk are devoted. We take care of each other. No matter if you have performed on our stages, worked backstage, witnessed our shows, volunteered for us, or are a supporter, acquaintance or friend, we are by your side, in our hearts, and here to help.

Because this is community…

LA premiere of acclaimed comedy-drama, Alabaster, opens February 9 at the Fountain

The Fountain Theatre presents the Los Angeles premiere of Alabastera funny and poignant new play about healing and the power of women by Audrey Cefaly. Directed by Casey Stangl, this darkly comic Southern drama runs February 9 throughMarch 30, with four Pay-What-You-Want previews taking place Feb. 5 through Feb. 8.

For three years since the death of her family in a tornado that left her covered in scars, June has been living and creating “outsider�? art in an isolated Alabama farmhouse, with only her goats for company. When a New York photographer working on a series about women with scars arrives, the attraction between June and Alice is palpable — but what they need from each other transcends anything physical. Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, named to “The Kilroy’s List�? of excellent new plays by women, and winner of the Calicchio Prize, Alabaster is an irresistible comic drama about women, art and healing.

“I love the play’s edgy theatricality and deft mix of comedy and drama,�? says Stangl. “It attacks some very complex subjects — trauma, grief and the healing power of art — with a complete lack of sentimentality that is filled with humor and humanity.�? 

The all-woman cast features Virginia Newcomb (June), last seen at the Fountain in On the Spectrum and A House Not Meant to Stand, and Erin Pineda (Alice), whose L.A. credits include The Tempest, Love and Information and As You Like It at Antaeus Theatre Company. The two goats, Weezy and Bib, are played respectively by Carolyn Messina, who originated the role in the world premiere production at Florida Repertory Theatre; and Laura Gardner, known for Marilyn, Mom & Me at International City Theatre, King Charles at the Pasadena Playhouse, and Razorback at Rogue Machine.


Since its launch at Florida Repertory Theatre as part of a record-breaking, 11-theater National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, Alabaster has gone on to productions and rave reviews across the country. Reviewing that first production, Charles Runnels wrote in the Fort Myers News-Press, “First someone messaged me on Facebook. Then a text from a friend. Then a phone call. Then another message. And another. They all said the same thing: You HAVE to see ‘Alabaster’… I wasn’t planning on reviewing the show [but] finally ventured out to see what all the fuss is about… [and] Yes…‘Alabaster’ is terrific.�? The Florida Weekly wrote, “It’s easy to see why theaters from Oregon to Illinois to Texas are all lining up to stage this new play… Ms. Cefaly rips your heart out of your chest, shatters it, then mends it.�? The Chicago Tribune calls Alabaster “a nuanced, darkly comedic play… that examines how people cope with trauma and what recovery can look and feel like.�?

The creative team at the Fountain includes scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; lighting designer Alison Brummer; sound designer Andrea Allmond; video designer Ly Eisenstein; costume designer Rebecca Carr; and properties designer Jenine MacDonald. The production stage manager is Angela Park, assisted by Gina DeLuca.

“I love the play’s edgy theatricality and deft mix of comedy and drama. It attacks some very complex subjects — trauma, grief and the healing power of art — with a complete lack of sentimentality that is filled with humor and humanity.

Casey Stangl, director


The Fountain Theatre creates, develops, and produces new plays that bring to life the urgent social, political, and cultural issues of our time, reflecting the vibrant diversity of Los Angeles and the nation. Its educational outreach programs inspire young people to become engaged citizens and leaders of tomorrow. The L.A. City Council commended the Fountain for “achieving a position of leadership in the Los Angeles theatre community… producing meaningful new plays of social and political importance that enrich the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles.�? The Fountain is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle’s Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, presented for “outstanding productions of meaningful new plays and first-class performances spanning three decades.�? Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty hailed the Fountain, stating, “No L.A. theater has done a better job of asking us to reexamine our lives through the lens of acute contemporary drama.�? The Fountain Theatre’s most recent world premiere, Fatherland, conceived and directed by Stephen Sachs, just closed an off-Broadway run at Manhattan Theatre Club (New York City Center) with the original cast, where it received rave reviews as well as national and international coverage including from The New York TimesMSNBC, NPR and PBS

Alabaster opens on SundayFeb. 9 at 7 p.m., with performances thereafter on FridaysSaturdays and Mondays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through March 30 (dark Monday, Feb. 10. Four preview performances take place on Wednesday, Feb. 5; Thursday, Feb. 6; Friday, Feb. 7; and Saturday, Feb. 58, all at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25$45Pay-What-You-Want seating is available every Monday night in addition to regular seating (subject to availability); all previews are Pay-What-You-Want.

The Fountain Theatre is located at 5060 Fountain Avenue (at Normandie) in Los Angeles. Patrons are invited upstairs to relax before and after the show at the Fountain’s charming indoor/outdoor café. Secure, on-site parking is offered for $5. Street parking is available in the neighborhood north of Fountain Ave. (No parking after 6 p.m. on Mariposa or Alexandria Avenues south of Fountain Ave.) Allow extra time to find street parking; make sure to read all parking signs.

For show reservations and information, call (323663-1525 or visit FountainTheatre.com.

NOW CASTING: Los Angeles Premiere of funny and powerful “Alabaster” by Audrey Cefaly

The Fountain Theatre is now casting the Los Angeles Premiere of Alabaster by Audrey Cefaly, directed by Casey Stangl. The funny and powerful comedy/drama about healing and the power of women opens Sunday, February 9, launching the Fountain’s 35th Anniversay season.

Storyline: June lives alone in a small farmhouse in Alabaster, Alabama, three years after a tornado killed her family. June is covered with scars from the catastrophe, with only her two goats, Weezy and Bib, as companions. Alice, a noted photographer from New York, has come to take pictures of June for a photo series on women with scars. But Alice has scars of her own and is desperately trying to outrun her pain. The sensual tension/attraction between June and Alice is immediate, but what they need from each other transcends anything physical. A play about healing and the power of women.

CASTING:

[JUNE] 30 to 50 years old; woman. June’s family was killed in a tornado that left her scarred, physically and emotionally. She’s a tough farm girl who’s never left Alabama. She uses humor as a weapon and a shield, with a vulnerability she tries to hide. After the tornado, she started painting. She is an extremely talented artist who paints in the style known as “outsider art.�?

[ALICE] 30 to 50 years old; woman. Alice is a famous photographer from Manhattan doing a series of portraits of women with scars. Sophisticated and well-educated, she lives and works in elite cultural circles. She is guarded, a good listener, and passionate about art. Running from her own pain, she “sees�? her subjects with pragmatic compassion.

[WEEZY] 40 to 50 years old; woman. Weezy is a goat. She addresses the audience in a no-nonsense fashion, serving as narrator and guide. She is all-seeing and all-knowing, describing herself as “some kind of likewise Yoda, gouda, kinda thing.�?

[BIB] 60 to 80 years old; woman. Bibb is a very old goat, mother to Weezy. She’s seen a lot in her long life and is ready to let go.

NOTE: Neither Bib nor Weezy are dressed like goats. They walk and talk like humans.

Producer: Stephen Sachs/Fountain Theatre
Artistic Director: Stephen Sachs
Director: Casey Stangl
Writer: Audrey Cefaly
Casting Director: Stephen Sachs
Audition Date(s): 12/02/2024 - 12/06/2024
Rehearsal Date(s): 01/06/2025
Opening Date(s): 02/09/2025
Closing Date(s): 03/30/2025
Rate: AEA 99-Seat Contract $20 per hour for rehearsals and performances.

Submit headshots and resumes to Breakdown Express, Actors Access, or email: [email protected]

Stephen Sachs feted at Gala celebration of his 34 years of Fountain Theatre service and leadership

by Terri Roberts/Photos by Cooper Bates

Last Saturday, November 16, Fountain Theatre friends and family gathered in the Blossom Ballroom of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to honor retiring Founding Artistic Director Stephen Sachs for his 34 years of leadership and service to the Fountain and the Los Angeles theatre community at large. The occasion also marked the introduction of the Fountain’s new incoming Artistic Director, Raymond O. Caldwell, who will officially take over on April 1, 2025-the theatre’s 35th birthday.

The evening overflowed with expressions of love and gratitude for Sachs as one actor after another spoke about the impact of the Fountain on their lives and careers. Fountain favorites Tim Cummings (The Normal Heart, Daniel’s Husband) and Ed Martin (The Boys in the Band, Daniel’s Husband) co-hosted the program, and some of the Fountain’s most highly-lauded shows were represented by cast members, directors, and other creatives, including The Ballad of Emmett Till, Bakersfield Mist, In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, Cyrano, Citizen: An American Lyric, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Lifespan of a Fact, Fatherland and more.

The celebration closed out with a rousing speech from Sachs that was part gratitude, part remembrance, and, in typical Fountain fashion, part call-to-action. Enjoy these highlights from his remarks, and photos from the joyous event:

“…One night, my phone rings. It was Deborah Lawlor, a woman I barely knew. She was an independent theatre producer, renting different venues in town. She told me she had been involved in a serious car accident in upstate New York. She said, ‘Once I get back to Los Angeles, I want to get my own building and start my own theatre company. Will you run it with me?’ I did not know Deborah well. But, I had faith. We had faith in each other. 

We opened the doors of the Fountain Theatre on April 1, 1990: April Fool’s Day, an appropriate day to launch a nonprofit theatre company. Today, the Fountain’s doors remain open. Wide open to folks from all walks of life to come in and see themselves and their community, see their stories told on our stage. The ripple effect of the lives that we touch at the Fountain spreads from one human being to another. In 34 years, over one million people have passed through our doors…Today, the Fountain stands tall as one of the most highly respected theaters OF ANY SIZE in Los Angeles. The Fountain is known nationwide. Because of the Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles is a better place than it was when we started.”

“Tonight, we determine the future of the Fountain. It’s my honor to take a moment to introduce to you the guy who’s taking over my job…He has spent the last 16 years in Washington, DC as a director, writer, producer, and educator…Most importantly, his artistic vision, his commitment to new work, his focus on diversity and inclusion, his dedication to arts education, and his passion for creating theatre that opens eyes, changes minds, and touches hearts align with the mission of the Fountain Theatre. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Fountain Family … Raymond Caldwell.   

Now, I’m counting on all of you to help Raymond hold on to the core mission that has made the Fountain what it is, to offer ideas for improvement and growth, and to help him forge a new path for the future. 

The presidential election won’t make it easy. But it makes what we do even more necessary.

Because what lies ahead is much worse than we imagine…Trump Republicans will control the House and the Senate, and the Presidency…Americans will think less about “us” and care more about “me.” The America we’ve known is gone.

I’m still reeling. Many of us are in one of the five stages of loss: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Tonight, I am offering a sixth stage: Emergence. Emergence with a heightened sense of purpose. The most forceful way to discover your place in a country or community you no longer feel part of is to re-affirm who you are.”

“…Toni Morrison said, ‘In times of dread, artists must never remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no room for fear. We speak, we write. That’s how civilizations heal.’

The Fountain Theatre needs you. We need you to show up, dive in, and stay at it. Because that’s what we do. When freedom, decency, and human rights are threatened, the Fountain Theatre responds. 

When the U.S. invaded Iraq, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, we responded with What I Heard About Iraq.  

When Michael Brown was murdered in Ferguson, we responded with Citizen: An American Lyric.

When Trump imposed his extreme border policy, we responded with Building the Wall

When same-sex marriage triggered national debate, we responded with Daniel’s Husband

When Trump called America’s free press “the enemy of the people,” we responded with All the President’s Men.   

When the government started locking up immigrants and separating families, we responded with Detained.

When the Supreme Court overturned a woman’s right to choose, we responded with ROE.

When Trump announced his candidacy for re-election, we responded with Fatherland

And we will continue. In February, just 20 days after Trump’s Inauguration, we will produce the Los Angeles Premiere of ALABASTER, a play about healing and the power of women.” 

“…Hope will come. It just might be harder, and take a while longer, to get here….What we need in dark times is human connection. Empathy. Every play at the Fountain asks the same fundamental question: “What is it like to be someone else?”

I believe our humanity is enhanced if we can learn to see the world through the eyes of a migrant child. A homeless woman. A person of a color or gender not our own. We go to the Fountain to experience how someone else lives, to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. To see life through their eyes. And, thereby, see ourselves. 

None of this happens on its own. It depends on your participation. It falls to each of us to become an arts warrior. The moment demands it. 

The Fountain doesn’t think small. Even with only 78 seats, I’ve always considered the Fountain a big theatre. Not “Big” in size. Big in impact. Big in vision. Big in heart.  

And when it comes to work of the heart, the Fountain Theatre Board of Directors, led by our Chair, Dorothy Wolpert, embodies it. They are hard-working, dedicated people who are also really good human beings. They care deeply about who we are, what we do, and why we do it. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My life was changed by a teacher. Jim Gilchrist taught theater at Agoura High School when I was there. He’s here tonight. I owe my life in the theater to you.  

Some theatre companies have a staff turnover problem. At the Fountain, we have the opposite issue. Our core staff has been together for many years. Scott Tuomey, Simon Levy, Barbara Goodhill, Lucy Pollak, Terri Roberts, James Bennett, Peter Carrisoza, Nathan James. My sisters. My brothers. You’ve given years of your lives to our dream on Fountain Avenue. Thank you. 

The fierce joy of Shirley Jo Finney still lives within me. 

There would be no Fountain Theatre, as we know it today, without Deborah Lawlor. She lived her entire life shining the spotlight on others, not herself. She was our Patron Saint of flamenco, and her hand touched every play we produced. I loved her dearly. Our Fountain partnership lasted longer than most marriages.

“To all of you here — each actor, director, producer, playwright, designer, stage manager, Fountain patron, donor, professional colleague, and friend — I will be forever grateful. You inspired me, you challenged me. You made me a better artist, a better leader, and a more aware citizen. By believing in the Fountain Theatre, you changed Los Angeles. 

A meaningful life is when you discover what you love and find a way to offer it to others. It has been the honor of my life to serve as the Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre. Before I leave the stage, I do have one thing to ask of you. I’m asking you to have the same thing Deborah Lawlor had when she took a chance on me thirty-four years ago. 

I’m asking you to have faith. Even now.

My final thought comes from James Baldwin.

‘I pray I’ve done my work. So that when I’ve gone, someone finds something useful that I’ve left behind. And if I’ve done that, then I’ve accomplished something in life.'”

Raymond O. Caldwell selected to succeed Stephen Sachs as artistic director of Fountain Theatre

Incoming artistic director Raymond O. Caldwell.

The Fountain Theatre hosted a gala event Saturday night, November 16, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to celebrate the legacy of retiring founding artistic director Stephen Sachs, during which the board of directors announced the selection of Raymond O. Caldwell as Sachs’ successor.

“After a deep, nationwide search, the board is confident that Mr. Caldwell is the leader who will burnish the Fountain’s traditions and bring the creative and innovative energy needed to ensure a vibrant future,�? stated board chair Dorothy Wolpert. “We congratulate him and eagerly anticipate a thrilling partnership.�?

Caldwell’s appointment follows a national search led by an internal search committee comprised of members of the Fountain Theatre’s board of directors. The Fountain engaged Artistic Logistics to assist with the ten-month search, application, and hiring process. Artistic Logistics partners with non-profit arts organizations to facilitate strategic planning, implement structural changes and leadership succession grounded in an organization’s values.

Sachs will stay on through March 31 to assist Caldwell in the transition. Caldwell will assume duties as sole artistic director on April 1, the anniversary of the Fountain’s founding by Sachs and the late Deborah Culver Lawlor.

“As an admirer of the work the Fountain Theatre has committed to for the past 34 years, I’m deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen to be the next artistic director,�? said Caldwell. “I’m excited to continue creating work that celebrates Los Angeles’ incredible diversity, asks vital questions, provokes new ideas, and inspires civic engagement and action. It’s my belief that community-driven spaces like the Fountain Theatre are vital as we confront the greatest pandemic of our times: loneliness.�?

Now living in Los Angeles, Caldwell has spent the last 16 years in Washington, DC as a director, writer, producer, and educator. He is the 2023 SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award recipient for his creativity and deep investments in the community. He has received Helen Hayes awards for directing, writing, and producing and was a regular recipient of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Artist Fellowship.

His most recent directing credits include Romeo & Juliet at Folger Shakespeare Library, Look Both Ways at The Kennedy Center, Poetry for the People at Theater Alliance, Skeleton Crew at The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, and Passing Strange at Signature Theatre. He has written and adapted new works for Theater Alliance and the Kennedy Center, including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks from the book by 2024 MacArthur recipient Jason Reynolds. A national tour is planned for early 2025. Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience, which he created alongside renowned composer Adrienne Torf, received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Adaptation.

Caldwell was the artistic director at Washington DC’s Theater Alliance for six seasons, where he directed, developed, and produced socially conscious, thought-provoking programming that transformed the region and had global impact. Under his leadership, Theater Alliance was chosen to lead an American Arts Envoy with the US Department of State. He devised and directed the new work, A Global I.D.E.A., with 23 artists and activists from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and the U.S. that explores what “Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility�? mean on the global stage. He’s developed and led similar international programming promoting cultural preservation, LGTBQIA+ rights, disability advocacy, peacebuilding, and countering violent extremism, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. In addition to his international work as an educator, Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts. He was part of the National Arts Strategy Executive Leadership group at Harvard, holds an MFA in Acting/New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida.

The Fountain Theatre creates, develops, and produces new plays that bring to life the urgent social, political, and cultural issues of our time, reflecting the vibrant diversity of Los Angeles and the nation. Its educational outreach programs inspire young people to become engaged citizens and leaders of tomorrow. The L.A. City Council commended the Fountain for “achieving a position of leadership in the Los Angeles theatre community… producing meaningful new plays of social and political importance that enrich the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles.�? The Fountain is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle’s Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, presented for “outstanding productions of meaningful new plays and first-class performances spanning three decades.�? Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty hailed the Fountain, stating, “No L.A. theater has done a better job of asking us to reexamine our lives through the lens of acute contemporary drama.�? The Fountain Theatre’s most recent world premiere, Fatherland, conceived and directed by Sachs, just closed an off-Broadway run at Manhattan Theatre Club (New York City Center) with the original cast, where it received rave reviews as well as national and international coverage including from The New York Times, MSNBC, NPR, and PBS.

For more information about the Fountain Theatre, go to www.fountaintheatre.com.

Meet the cast of the Fountain’s U.S. premiere production of I, Daniel Blake

JD Cullum as Daniel Blake

This fall, the Fountain Theatre presents the U.S. premiere of I, Daniel Blake, a beautiful and deeply moving story adapted for the stage by Dave Johns from the Palme d’Or and BAFTA award-winning film written by Paul Laverty and directed by Ken LoachSimon Levy directs this clarion call for human decency that London Theatre calls “an ode to the working class.�? Performances take place October 13 through November 24, with Pay-What-You-Want previews beginning October 9.

JD CullumPhilicia Saunders and Makara Gamble star in a powerful, timely and poignant story about people coming together in the face of a Kafkaesque government bureaucracy that refuses to see them as human beings. Daniel (Cullum) is a caring, warm-hearted, middle-aged man who suddenly finds himself unable to work. Katie (Saunders) hopes for a fresh start for herself and her teenage daughter, Daisy (Gamble.) Together, they attempt to navigate the nightmarish unemployment and public housing system while clinging to their dignity and humanity. The Ensemble includes Janet GreavesWesley Guimaraes and Adam Segaller


I, Daniel Blake carries an heroic urgency for this election season,�? says Levy. “How many of us are literally one paycheck from disaster? It’s about people working together to help each other, to lift each other up, to not give in to despair. Daniel is a working class hero, a person of hope and humor who is moved to fight the system and stand up for himself and others.�? 

“It’s a battle cry that will lift the audience out of their seats,�? agrees Fountain Theatre artistic director Stephen Sachs. “We are all Daniel Blake.�?

I, Daniel Blake premiered at the Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2023, then followed up its sold out run with a national tour throughout Great Britain. It is the recipient of UK Theatre Awards for “Excellence in Touring�? and “Best Writer�? (Dave Johns) The UK Guardian calls the play “Chilling… highlights the realities of an inflexible system that does not recognise individual needs, nor allow space for compassion,�? and British Theatre Guide writes, “This play will resonate with many, as it did with me.�? 

“It’s a battle cry that will lift the audience out of their seats. We are all Daniel Blake.�?

-Fountain Theatre artistic director 
Stephen Sachs


The creative team at the Fountain includes scenic designer Joel Daavid; lighting designer Alison Brummer; sound designer Cricket S. Myers; video designer Nicholas Santiago; properties designer Jenine MacDonald; costume designer Michael Mullen; movement director Allison Bibicoff; and dialect coaches Carla Meyer and Victoria Hanlin. The production stage manager is Anna Kupershmidt, assisted by Gina DeLuca. Stephen Sachs and James Bennett produce for the Fountain Theatre. The executive producers are Carrie Menkel-Meadow and Robert Meadow.

The Fountain Theatre is dedicated to presenting outstanding theater that challenges thinking while shining an artistic light on social justice issues and on the diverse voices and cultures within Los Angeles. The L.A. City Council commended the Fountain for “achieving a position of leadership in the Los Angeles theatre community… producing meaningful new plays of social and political importance that enrich the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles.�? The Fountain is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle’s Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, presented for “outstanding productions of meaningful new plays and first-class performances spanning three decades.�? Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty hailed the Fountain, stating “No L.A. theater has done a better job of asking us to reexamine our lives through the lens of acute contemporary drama.�? The Fountain Theatre’s most recent production, Fatherland, conceived and directed by Sachs, starts off-Broadway previews at the Manhattan Theatre Club with the original cast on September 18. Opening Night is September 26. The show runs through November 23.

I, Daniel Blake opens on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., with performances thereafter on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 24 (dark Monday, Oct. 14 and November 8-11). Four preview performances take place on Wednesday, Oct. 9; Thursday, Oct. 10; Friday, Oct. 11; and Saturday, Oct. 12, all at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25$45; Pay-What-You-Want seating is available every Monday night in addition to regular seating (subject to availability); all previews are Pay-What-You-Want. Running time is approximately 100 minutes. There is no intermission.

The Fountain Theatre is located at 5060 Fountain Avenue (at Normandie) in Los Angeles. Patrons are invited upstairs to relax before and after the show in the Fountain’s charming indoor/outdoor café.

Secure, on-site parking is available for $5. There is street parking in the neighborhood north of Fountain Ave., however there is no parking after 6 p.m. on Mariposa or Alexandria Avenues south of Fountain Ave.
Please allow extra time to find street parking, and make sure to read, and follow, all parking signs.

For show reservations and more information, call (323663-1525 or go to www.FountainTheatre.com.

Fountain hit show Fatherland heads to NYC for Off-Broadway run

At last! The Fountain Theatre‘s hit world premiere production of Fatherland, conceived and directed by Fountain artistic director Stephen Sachs, is set to debut Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City Center Stage II (131 W. 55th St, NYC.)

Fatherland is the true story of the eighteen-year-old son who turned in his father to the FBI because of his dad’s role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Reprising their roles from the original Fountain Theatre production, the New York cast of Fatherland features Ron Bottitta as Father, Patrick Keleher as Son, Anna Kahja as U.S. Attorney and Larry Poindexter as Defense Attorney. Stephen Sachs again directs. Fatherland marks the final play Sachs has created and/or directed in his 34-year-long Fountain Theatre career.

Original Fountain designers continuing to New York include Joel Daavid (scenic design), Alison Brummer (lights), Stewart Blackwood (sound), Janine MacDonald (props), and Danyele Thomas (costumes.) Sati Thyme continues as production stage manager. Fatherland is produced by Judy Miller, J. Todd Harris / Amy Powers, Karen Kondazian, Jenny Warburg, and Sonia Friedman Productions.

The limited 10-week engagement starts previews on Sept. 18, and officially opens on Sept. 26. The performance schedule is: 7:30pm Tuesday—Saturday, and 2:30pm on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 23. Running time is approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available at 212/581-1212, at nycitycenter.org, or at fatherlandplay.com.

Fast-moving, powerful, and theatrical, Fatherland erupts, verbatim, from official court transcripts, case evidence, and public statements. Every word of the show comes from court evidence, public statements, and the official court transcript of The United States vs. Guy Wesley Reffitt, the jury trial held before the United States District Court, District of Columbia, from February 28 - March 8, 2022.

Fatherland is the true story of a young man who must summon the moral courage to speak the truth at the risk of upending his life and casting his family into turmoil,” says Sachs. “Unlike characters in a scripted play, the people you meet in Fatherland are not made up. They are real. Every word spoken comes from court testimony, public statements, and case evidence. In this urgent election year, when the fate of our nation teeters before us, Fatherland reminds us of the human cost of cult worship and dangerous ideology. A warning cry for our country, at its core, Fatherland brings home the struggle of a father and son, each called to take action without losing his soul. What would you do?”

Forever Flamenco brings four sizzling shows to the Fountain stage this summer!

Vanessa Albalos

The summer just got even hotter! The Fountain Theatre’s beloved Forever Flamenco series returns, paying homage to series founder Deborah Culver Lawlor with four blow-out performances in August.

Dubbed the “Fountain Theatre’s godmother of flamenco�? by the Los Angeles Times, Lawler, who passed away last year at the age of 83, curated the series for over 30 years, producing hundreds of authentic Spanish flamenco performances at the Fountain’s intimate, 80-seat venue.

“Flamenco comes out of the life of a gypsy,�? she once said in an interview. “It’s an extremely difficult dance form that requires years to get into your body.�?

Forever Flamenco regulars will recognize their favorite performers, many of whom were first introduced to the Fountain stage by Lawlor, as well as some exciting new faces. Four scorching performances are set for Saturday, Aug. 3; Saturday, Aug. 10; Saturday, Aug. 17; and Friday, Aug. 23. Schedule below. 

Left to right: Briseyda Zarate, Lakshmi Basile, Timo Nunez

• SaturdayAug. 3 @ 8 p.m.: “Amor,�? artistic direction by Reyes Barrios
Dancers: Yaelisa and Rocio Carrera
Singer/Dancer: Reyes Barrios
Singer: Antonio de Jerez
Guitarist: Antonio Triana
Violin: David Morales Boroff

• SaturdayAug. 10 @ 8 p.m.: “Camino, Caminas,�? artistic direction by Timo Nuñez
Dancer: Timo Nuñez
Singer/Dancer: Clare Rodriguez
Singer: Pepele Mendez
Guitarist: José Tanaka

• SaturdayAug. 17 @ 8 p.m.: “Casta Flamenca,�? artistic direction by Lakshmi Basile
Dancer: Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi�?
Dancer: Cristina Moguel
Dancer: Briseyda Zarate
Guitarist: José Tanaka
Singer: Pepele Mendez

• FridayAug. 23 @ 8 p.m.: “Caminos Flamencos,�? artistic direction by Yaelisa
Dancers: YaelisaVanessa Albalos and Alexandra Rozo
Guitarist: Jason Mcguire
Singer: Felix de Lola

All shows are performed at the Fountain Theatre on the indoor stage. Tickets range from $25-$50 and are available at www.fountaintheatre.com or by calling 323/663-1525.

The Fountain Theatre is located at 5060 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles 90029 (Fountain at Normandie.) Secure, on-site parking is available for $5. There is street parking in the neighborhood north of Fountain Ave., however there is no parking after 6 p.m. on Mariposa or Alexandria Avenues south of Fountain Ave.
Allow extra time to find street parking; make sure to read, and follow, all parking signs.