Tag Archives: Cost of Living

Meet Barbara Herman and Susan Stockel, Executive Producers for An Octroon

Barbara Herman (L) and Susan Stockel (R)

by Barbara Goodhill

Philanthropists who dedicate their giving to arts organizations like the Fountain Theatre are a special breed.  They are people who understand the value of the arts, love live theatre, and believe in its ability to open hearts and elevate our understanding of the world.  Barbara Herman and Susan Stockel, Executive Producers of An Octoroon, are two such philanthropists. They are extraordinary people who are dedicated to giving back, and it is the Fountain’s great good fortune that they choose to support our work.

Barbara Herman is an enthusiastic member of LA’s philanthropic community. She has many passions. Like her mother before her, Barbara is passionate about supporting ground-breaking medical research. Having been a member of The Cedars-Sinai Women’s Guild for over 50 years, Barbara is proud of her many accomplishments. She is, however, particularly proud to have helped launch The Cedars-Sinai’s Neurology Project, created to support innovative research and education for the understanding and treatment of complex neurological disorders. The Women’s Guild is honoring Barbara this September at their annual gala. Barbara is also passionate about the arts, and she is a pillar of support to both the Fountain Theatre and The Broad Stage, on whose board she serves. 

Barbara Herman enjoys opening night of Citizen: An American Lyric at the Fountain Theatre in 2015.

“I have always loved going to the theatre. One of my most treasured memories is going to the theatre with my parents when I was a little girl. Several years ago, I was thrilled to discover the Fountain, a little gem of a theatre in Los Angeles. One of my favorite things to do is gather a group of friends and take them to the Fountain. We have so much fun! We have dinner at Marouch and then go to the Fountain to enjoy whatever is on the stage. It’s always memorable.”

“To me, the Fountain Theatre offers one of the best cultural experiences in Los Angeles. There are just so many reasons. The first, of course, is the excellence of the productions. Everything is done beautifully. Total artistry. The directing, acting, and sets are consistently excellent. I’ve never seen a show that I didn’t either love or like. Now that’s quite a track record! But what’s equally remarkable is the consistent sensitivity and timeliness of the plays presented. Every play the Fountain mounts is relevant and thought-provoking. My friends and I love to discuss the plays after the show, whether we do it on the sidewalk or up in the cafe.”

“But for me, the Fountain is more than a theatre. It is a community. Everyone — from Joe in the parking lot to Simon, Stephen, Barbara and James— greets me by name and makes me feel welcome. It’s a very personal place, not an institution. And that warmth, that personal connection is very unique, and refreshing. Everything at the Fountain seems to come from the heart.”

Barbara’s philanthropy is guided by a simple principle that she learned from her parents: “I’m a firm believer in leaving the world a better place than I found it. If I see a need, I try to fill it. If I see a problem, I try to fix it. And I always encourage people to join me.”

A passionate theatre lover, Susan Stockel becomes filled with excitement when she speaks about theatre — especially when she is describing a play that has truly touched her. Susan’s love for theatre finds her frequently traveling to New York, London and beyond to experience the magic. A wonderful supporter of the Fountain, Susan has executive produced several plays with us, including Cost of Living and Citizen: An American Lyric. Her family foundation funds a variety of organizations: some grants aid low income families who have children with special needs, other grants aid organizations that are working in innovative ways to slow global warming and help indigenous people protect their lands from deforestation and illegal mining. The foundation also supports children’s theatre programs that introduce theatre to youngsters who have never seen live theatre.

Playwright Martyna Majok and Susan Stockel at the Fountain Theatre’s VIP dinner in celebration of Cost of Living, 2018. 

“The magic happens when the children take out their notebooks and read a scene that they have prepared and rehearsed!” Susan beams with pride when she remembers this, and talks about how she first learned to give back from her parents.

“I learned about how important it was to share what I had with others who were in need by watching my father. He was a first-generation American — one of six children, and the only one to finish college. He had to work to help his family and went to night high school. Thankfully, in those days, New York had tuition-free city college that opened up learning to an entire generation of students. He worked days in a clothing factory. My father always provided for his siblings when they needed help, and would pull out his checkbook and loan money to friends with never a due date on the loans. And, of course, he took care of his mother when he lost his father the month before his graduation from dental school. My husband and I also believed in continuing that tradition. We worked as a team when deciding what donations to make, and taught our values to our children. In my husband’s honor, I established a family foundation, and I feel great joy working on the foundation’s projects with my children and grandchildren, knowing that the work will continue, and the family will always be there for each other and for others.”

Susan’s love of theatre began when she was a young girl, and she has a keen eye for great theatre.

“When I was a little girl I loved to perform. I loved telling stories, and I still do! I am a passionate lover of the spoken word. The Fountain Theatre was introduced to me many years ago. An intimate space on a tight budget — the Fountain was an unexpected surprise. Excellent plays, always well-cast and directed, with a loyal diverse audience from all over the city, who brave the traffic to attend!” 

“I chose to produce An Octoroon because I saw the play when it was first produced in Brooklyn at Theatre for a New Audience. I loved it. An Octoroon is a unique play.  It is funny, sad, clever, quirky and wonderful. Just like any piece of great historical fiction, An Octoroon peels back the layers of civilization to reveal the cruelty and hypocrisy often hidden beneath the facade. An Octoroon shows us powerful men behaving ‘civilly,’ but cruelly. They are willing to do anything to further their own self-interest. Narcissism is revealed as a cruel but powerful driver of history. I am particularly drawn to the depiction of Zoe, our heroine. Despite being beautiful and admirable in every way, she becomes an outcast because she is an Octoroon. I love the story and I knew the Fountain would do a tremendous job with this play, so was happy to join the team.”

“Thank you all for your interest and support of the Fountain, Our Magic Place!  May we grow and thrive.”

Barbara Goodhill is the Director of Development for the Fountain Theatre.

Fountain Theatre wins 6 Ovation Awards including Best Season and Best Production of a Play

2020 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards

Stephen Sachs accepts Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play for “Cost of Living”

The Fountain Theatre dominated the 2020 LA Ovation Awards Monday night, January 13th, by winning six awards, including the prestigious Best Season and Best Production of a Play.  The LA Times has referred to the Ovation Awards as the “highest-profile contest for local theatre.”

Hosted by LA Stage Alliance, The Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles, created to recognize excellence in theatrical performance, production and design in the Greater Los Angeles area. Over 300 theatrical productions have competed each year in 35 different categories to be recognized as Ovation Awards recipients. These productions are evaluated by a pool of 250 vetted Ovation voters, all of whom are working theatre professionals of Greater LA.

The Fountain Theatre was honored with the following Ovation Awards:

Best Season
Fountain Theatre Cost of Living, Daniel’s Husband, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play

Best Production of a Play — Intimate Theater
Cost of Living, Fountain Theatre

Acting Ensemble of a Play
Cost of Living, Fountain Theatre

Featured Actress in a Play
Xochitl Romero, Cost of Living,  Fountain Theatre

Video/Projection Design — Intimate Theater
Nicholas Santiago, Cost of Living, Fountain Theatre

Ovations Honors Recipient
Music Composition for a Play – Romero Mosley, Hype Man, Fountain Theatre

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Full list of Ovation Award nominees and winners.

Fountain Theatre earns 18 Ovation Award nominations including Best Season

LA STAGE Alliance announced yesterday that the Fountain Theatre has been honored with 18 Ovation Award nominations, the largest number of any intimate theatre for the 2018/19 season.  The Fountain’s nominations include Best Season for overall excellence.

The Ovation Awards are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles, created to recognize excellence in theatrical performance, production, and design in the Greater Los Angeles area.

During the 2018-29 season, there were 278 total productions registered for the Ovation Awards from 124 different producing bodies, resulting in 199 total nominations for 64 distinct productions presented by 43 organizations. These productions were voted on by 272 Ovation Awards voters — vetted individuals from the Greater Los Angeles area who are working theatre professionals.

The Fountain Theatre received the following Ovation Award nominations:

BEST SEASON
Fountain Theatre
Cost of Living
Daniel’s Husband
Hype Man: a Break Beat Play

BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (Intimate Theatre)
Cost of Living
Daniel’s Husband

ACTING ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY
Cost of Living
Daniel’s Husband

DIRECTION OF A PLAY
John Vreeke – Cost of Living

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Tim Cummings – Daniel’s Husband
Felix Solis – Cost of Living

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Katy Sullivan – Cost of Living

FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Tobias Forrest – Cost of Living

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jenny O’Hara – Daniel’s Husband
Xochitl Romero – Cost of Living

LIGHTING DESIGN (Intimate Theatre)
Chu-Hsuan Chang – Hype Man: A Break Beat Play
Jennifer Edwards – Daniel’s Husband
John Garofalo – Cost of Living

SCENIC DESIGN (Intimate Theatre)
Deanne Millais – Daniel’s Husband

SOUND DESIGN (Intimate Theatre)
Malik Allen – Hype Man: A Break Beat Play

VIDEO/PROJECTION DESIGN (Intimate Theatre)
Nicholas Santiago – Cost of Living

OVATIONS HONORS RECIPIENTS MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A PLAY
Romero Mosley
Hype Man: A Break Beat Play

This year’s ceremony will be held at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on Monday, January 13th, 2020. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, December 3rd, and full information can be found on OvationAwards.com.

The complete list of all nominees.

Fountain Theatre wins 5 Ticketholder Awards including Best Production of a Play in 2018

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Deanne Bray and Troy Kotsur, “Arrival & Departure.”

Two acclaimed Fountain Theatre premieres — Arrival & Departure and Cost of Living — have been named Best Production of a Play in 2018 by veteran LA theatre critic Travis Michael Holder on TicketHoldersLA.com.  Now in its 27th year, Travis’ Ticketholder Awards celebrate the 100+ Los Angeles theatre productions reviewed by Holder in 2018 in large houses and intimate.

Our Deaf/hearing world premiere of Arrival & Departure, written and directed by Stephen Sachs, won Best Production, Best Adaptation (Sachs) and a Special Achievement Award to movement director, Gary Franco. 

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Katy Sullivan and Felix Solis, “Cost of Living.”

Cost of Living by Martyna Majok was also named Best Production, and Tobias Forrest was awarded Best Supporting Actor. 

The following were also acknowledged as a runner-up:

Arrival & Departure

  • Runner-Up, Best Actor – Troy Kotsur
  • Runner-Up, Best Actress – Deanne Bray
  • Runner-Up, Best Supporting Actor – Shon Fuller
  • Runner-Up, Best Supporting Actress – Jessica Jade Andres
  • Runner-Up, Best Supporting Actress – Stasha Surdyke
  • Runner-Up, New Discovery 2018 – Aurelia Myers
  • Runner-Up, Best Direction – Stephen Sachs
  • Runner-Up, Best Set Design – Matthew G. Hill
  • Runner-Up, Best Sound Design – Peter Bayne
  • Runner-Up, Best CGI/Video Design – Nicholas E. Santiago

Cost of Living

  • Runner-Up, Best Actress – Xochitl Romero
  • Runner-Up, Best Actress – Katy Sullivan
  • Runner-Up, Best Playwright – Martyna Majok

Full list of Ticketholder Award winners

Screenings at Fountain Theatre showcase filmmakers with disabilties

Disabilty Film Challenge 1

2018 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

by Nic Novicki

On December 12, The Fountain Theatre graciously hosted a special screening of films from the Easterseals Disability Film Challengean annual weekend film competition where participating teams have 55 hours to create a short film.

Beyond props, locations and genre, the most important rule of the film challenge is that one participant on every team must have a disability. The goal of the film challenge is to create opportunity and generate film-making experience for the disability community in front of and behind the camera.

I created this film challenge six years ago, as a response to a problem I was all too familiar with in Hollywood – a lack of inclusion. I’m a little person, and have been an actor and comedian for most of my life. While I have been fortunate and have acted in many TV shows and films, the reality is that people with disabilities are still the most underrepresented community in entertainment today.

Disabilty Film Challenge 3People with disabilities represent 25% of the U.S. population, but are seen in less than 3% of on-screen speaking roles. Some 61 million adults in the United States identify as having a disability, and still, we are not seeing ourselves being represented.

Beyond acting, I have always produced my own content as well. I believe that work leads to more work, and that if you aren’t given opportunities you need to create them for yourself. These projects have been so critical in building my career, and six years ago I was tired of seeing the same old statistics – why weren’t more people with disabilities taking their career into their own hands?

Six years later, and it’s amazing what the film challenge has become. I have partnered with Easterseals Southern California, the largest disability services provider in the state, whose mission is to change the way the world defines and views disability. Their support has helped the challenge grow each year, and I am so excited for what the future will bring. The 2019 film challenge will mark Easterseals’ 100th Anniversary of supporting this vibrant community.

The industry is taking notice, our supporters are growing and we’re seeing our participants getting hired for recurring roles on TV shows. Casting directors and producers are reaching out to us about the participants, because they recognize the importance of inclusion and the talent in this community.

Disabilty Film Challenge 4

Fountain Outreach Coordinator Jeffrey Arriaza

At the Fountain Theatre, we screened the four winning films from the 2018 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and three films featuring actors from the Fountain Theatre’s acclaimed Cost of Living.

In the panel that followed, past participants consistently referenced the strong community that the challenge builds. While the challenge lasts one weekend out of the year, the real impact is seen when participants continue to work together year round. Attendees at the event stuck around and caught up long after the last film played, and even after the theatre closed for the night.

Nic Novicki portait

Nic Novicki

The Fountain Theatre is a perfect partner, because they also recognize the importance of stories from underrepresented communities. Together, we can inspire change in entertainment and create opportunities for all.

We hope you participate in the 2019 film challenge! Learn more here

 

 

Nic Novicki is an actor and comedian. 

Fountain Theatre’s ‘Cost of Living’ hailed “Best in Theater in 2018” by Los Angeles Times

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Katy Sullivan and Felix Solis in ‘Cost of Living’.

The Fountain Theatre’s acclaimed west coast premiere of Cost of Living by Martyna Majok has been named by Los Angeles Times theatre critic Charles McNulty as “Best in Theater in 2018.”  McNulty writes, “The Fountain Theatre’s production of Majok’s “Cost of Living” confirmed just how indispensable 99-seat theaters still are to a healthy theater ecology.” 

“Martyna Majok’s searing drama,” McNulty continues, “about the relationship between disabled persons and their caregivers was bravely essayed by the Fountain in a production directed by John Vreeke that revealed just how acutely this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama exposes some vulnerable truths at the heart of the human condition.”

Cost of Living features Tobias Forrest, Xochitl Romero, Felix Solis and Katy Sullivan. The run ends this Sunday, December 16.

More Info/Get Tickets 

‘Cost of Living’ playwright Martyna Majok asks you to support the Fountain Theatre

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Playwright Martyna Majok.

Friends of the Fountain,

Thank you for bringing Cost of Living to Los Angeles. This is the first production the play has received after its NYC premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club in June 2017 and the world premiere at Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2016. 

I’m grateful to The Fountain for investing in this story and for continuing its life. I’m grateful also for the beautiful, thoughtful production that you and the wonderful team of artists created. And I’m thrilled for the kind welcome that the play and production have received in LA—and the chance to showcase the talents of some truly incredible actors.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting The Fountain Theatre by making a Year End Gift today.

Martyna Majok

Click here to donate.

VIDEO: ‘Cost of Living’ actor Felix Solis wants you to join the ‘caravan of magic’ at Fountain Theatre

 

Students respond to the power and honesty of ‘Cost of Living’ at the Fountain Theatre

“It captured me from the very first scene.”

The Fountain Theatre believes students and young people must have the opportunity to engage and consider meaningful human issues through the experience of live theatre.  We love having students in our audience. They are the artists, arts patrons and arts leaders of tomorrow. 

We’re always delighted when teacher Alan Goodson brings his students from Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising to the Fountain Theatre. They recently enjoyed our funny and poignant West Coast Premiere of Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, Cost of Living.  Here are some of the reactions written by the students: 

“Overall, the play was an excellent representation of everyday life, not just for one with disabilities, but for those who crave to be pulled out of loneliness. The way that Majok portrayed the play through the eyes of two characters in wheelchairs, as well as their caretakers, was an excellent way to grab the audience’s attention. It was an on-edge performance, with exceptional acting skills. While showing someone with disabilities can be a touchy subject for most, it’s important for others to see that they aren’t the only ones in life that may need a little extra love, or caretaking.”

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Tobias Forrest and Xochitl Romero in “Cost of Living”

“Whether it be bathing, eating, or taking part in social life, Cost of Living is a reenactment of what millions of people go through. This thought-provoking piece allows the audience to be vulnerable, uncomfortable, and also gives people a chance the be thankful for the simple things that are often taken for granted.”

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Cost of Living was a production that completely changed my perception of those that are disabled. I believed that many were strong, and had to carry on with their lives after an incident happens, or even from birth. However, I didn’t realize the actual struggle that these people had to face in daily life, when it comes to daily, normal activities. I not only had sympathy for them, but I also saw their strength and courage and how it can be hard to accept help from others, especially when they see others carrying on their lives normally, when they physically are not able to do so. If the play was able to change my views, it’s able to change many others’ as well.”

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“I believe the director and actors were able to show and bring to life that feeling of what the characters cost of living was. Personally, I can relate to the production in that I have a disability that at times hinders my ability to live life to my fullest. I try not to let it, but at times there is nothing I can do about it being my cost of living.”

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“The play is about disabilities with people, not the other way around. The message of the play is that the biggest disabilities we can have are the ones that every person encounters at some point—loneliness and fear. The worst disabilities are not about having someone bathe or shave you, it’s the ones that make us human and make us all alike in some way. Personally, I found myself somewhere in this play, as I’m sure many others did. It captured me from the very first scene, and made me feel for each character and I related it to struggles in my own life.”

Theatre as a Learning Tool is the Fountain Theatre’s educational outreach program, making theatre accessible to students and young people throughout Southern California. 

More Info/Get Tickets to Cost of Living 

Martyna Majok shares with Fountain audience how she almost missed phone call of Pulitzer win

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Martyna Majok and “Cost of Living” cast

Playwright Martyna Majok almost missed receiving the call from her agent on winning the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, Cost of Living. She was supposed to be serving jury duty that day.  Instead, she had postponed it.  She was, therefore, home in her New York apartment to receive the call that would change her career forever.

Sharing the story with our Fountain Theatre audience in a post-show Q&A discussion Saturday night, Martyna explained that her husband, actor Josiah Bania, had the day off work that day. They were planning on doing their taxes. He was taking a nap on the couch when Martyna’s phone rang around three o’clock. Her agent was on the phone screaming, “You won the Pulitzer!” Her reaction? She was furious. “How dare you!” she yelled back. “You know how much this means to me. This is not funny!” For nine minutes on the phone, Martyna’s agent tried to convince her. But she would have none it. It wasn’t until the texts began flooding in from friends — including one from her playwright pal Stephen Adly Guirgis — that she accepted that her wish had come true.

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Since that fateful phone call, her life has spun into a whirlwind of national attention. Yet the work remains the same. The Fountain Theatre is proud to be producing the West Coast Premiere of her funny and beautiful play, and we’re pleased to now call her our friend and a member of our Fountain Family.

Cost of Living is earning rave reviews in a limited run to Dec 16th. More Info/Get Tickets