The Fountain Theatre

PRESENTS

The World Premiere of

DETAINED

written by France-Luce Benson
conceived and co-created by Judy Rabinovitz

with

Liana Aráuz, Camila Ascencio, Christine Avila, Will Dixon,
Jose Fernando, Jan Munroe, Theo Perkins, Marlo Su

Directed by
Mark Valdez

Executive Producer
Miles Benickes, Diana Buckhantz

Producing Underwriters include
Suzanne & Donald Zachary, The Phillips-Gerla Family, Laurie & Robert Silton

Produced by
Stephen Sachs, Simon Levy, James Bennett

CAST

* Member of Actors Equity Association
the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States

Detained is presented in 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.

TIME AND PLACE
The Land of the Free.
Today.

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

My mother was brought to this country from Budapest, Hungary, when she was sixteen. Her parents were fleeing the Hungarian revolution against the communist government in 1957. New to America, she spoke little English. She met a young man of Irish descent. Soon, I was born, placed for adoption, and raised by a young married couple ─ a mother whose family came from Europe and a father whose parents had emigrated from a shtetl in Lithuania.    

All of us who live in this country have an immigrant story. Everyone here comes from somewhere else.

The startling reminder in France-Luce Benson’s Detained is that for many, once here, their home is not guaranteed safe – no matter how long they’ve lived in the U.S. Many residents can still be removed from their family, confined, and expelled from the country. Even if they’ve paid taxes for years, have a green card, or have served in the military defending this nation.

Based on true stories, Detained premieres on the Fountain stage at an urgent time in our nation’s history. I believe theatre has the power to wake us up, open our eyes, shake us out of complacency. The Latin root of the word “actor”, from Ancient Greek, means to do, to drive, set in motion, get things done. My hope is that experiencing Detained triggers in you the need to take action. As these real-life human stories in this powerful new work remind us, there is much to be done.

Onward

Stephen

FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT

Whenever I am asked, “Where are you from?” I hesitate. Both the question and the answer are loaded with years, decades, generations of struggle, sacrifice, oppression, persecution, and a complicated mix of pride, shame, grief, and gratitude. The best way to answer is…I am not from here. I moved to Los Angeles from New York in 2018. I moved to New York from Miami, Fla, in 2000. I moved to Miami from Boston, MA, when I was seven. To Boston from Canada as a toddler. To Canada from Africa, where I was born, as an infant. And both of my parents are from Haiti. I am not from here. This has always been my reality. I understand, profoundly, what it feels like to exist in a place that is both home and not home. Even as an American Citizen, grateful for the freedom of artistic expression, the right to vote, and the countless privileges I often take for granted – my connection to this country still feels precarious; my identity ambiguous. What I am certain of is I am among the majority. Like the characters in this play, like most of us in this country, my family came to America for a better life, and in that pursuit, make America better. As I have gotten to know the people in this play, including the many whose stories you will not get to hear, I am not only humbled by their resilience, but by the contributions they continue to make to our society. Oftentimes, racially charged conversations about immigration focus on what “they take” but rarely on what is gained. I hope that this play will speak to the full spectrum of the immigrant experience in America, and most importantly, help us to understand what is lost. When mothers, fathers, children, siblings, students, farmers, Veterans are detained and deported, we lose so much more than the sum of their lives and their future contributions, which are already immeasurable. But we lose the backbone, the heart, and the soul of our country. Because the majority of us are not from here. For many of us, our American story began long before we arrived, and without us, America as we know it today would not exist.

-France-Luce Benson

FROM JUDY RABINOVITZ

The idea for “Detained” grew out of my work as a lawyer at the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project over the last three decades, witnessing how immigrants who had lived in the United States for years were facing deportation and detention in ever-expanding numbers and wanting their stories to be told.

The dramatic increase in deportation and detention directly resulted from harsh laws enacted by congress in 1996 and signed into law by then-President Clinton. Under these laws, longtime legal residents -- including those who had served in the U.S. military -- faced mandatory deportation and detention for relatively minor crimes. Even when they had committed those crimes years before, had served their sentences (assuming they had even received a prison sentence), and were fully rehabilitated contributing members of their communities.

Much of my work at the ACLU focused on challenging portions of the 1996 laws which required mandatory detention of individuals. I argued the issue before the Supreme Court in 2003 and lost by a vote of 5-4. Mandatory detention continues to this day, meaning immigrants are locked up without the most basic right to a bond hearing

Describing my idea for a play in 2015, I wrote that: “Deportations of immigrants have reached record levels. Yet despite the scale and its devastating impact – 400,00 people deported each year, 1100 each day, and hundreds of thousands locked up in immigration jails around the country – what is taking place and who is being affected is largely unknown to the general public”.

Although I had worked in documentary film before becoming a lawyer, I thought theatre would be a more powerful medium for telling this story. So, I started collecting material — stories of people I was representing who were locked up without a bond hearing; and letters from the immigration detainees who wrote us describing the conditions they faced in detention, desperate for a lawyer to help them fight their cases. (Because of the fiction that deportation is not “punishment,” -- but merely the withdrawal of a privilege -- the government does not provide lawyers to people in deportation proceedings. Thus, immigrants are locked up facing permanent banishment from their homes and separation from their families, without even a lawyer to advise them.)

I began interviewing some of the people you see in the play -- Melida, her daughter Mercedes, Warren Joseph, the Gulf War veteran -- and collected other statements that I thought would add some needed humor. Like Ravi’s story of his electronic monitoring device going off, he told during a detention conference in which we were both featured panelists.

The stories you see in the play are just a tiny fraction of the stories I collected, and those, in turn are just a small fraction of the millions of immigrants deported and detained in the last 25 years.

At some point, I realized I needed the help of a playwright to turn these stories into a compelling piece of theatre. This led me to France-Luce. I can still remember our first meeting, back in 2014, sharing my goals for the play and handing over to her several huge ring binders with the material I had collected. France-Luce embraced the project as her own. And in the years that followed, the play evolved. We conducted more interviews, some of which made it into the final script, and others didn’t but helped shape the play. Then Trump was elected. Then COVID. Now Biden. The play kept changing into the one you are seeing today.

But the goal always remained the same: to create an emotionally compelling and thought-provoking piece of theatre that would further public awareness of what is occurring – both humanizing the people who are affected and stimulating a broader questioning of the laws and policy choices that are fueling it. I hope it has accomplished that.

CREW

WHO’S WHO

LIANA ARÁUZ is a graduate from the New Actor Theatre Workshop Conservatory where she studied directly with Oscar wining director Mike Nichols and Second City Founder Paul Sills.  Her numerous stage credits include productions with The Public Theatre, The Controversy of Valladolid, CV Rep La Gringa, Clean House,  Repertorio Espanõl Meskins, IATI Good Sex and Good Day, Monarch Theatre Fur. In 2019 she won the GVII International award for her performance in Akabal Theatre’s premiere of  Rayuela a dark comedy about the taboo topic of suicide. Some of her on screen credits include TV shows S.W.A.T. (CBS), Gentefied (Netflix), Party of Five (Hulu) and the films The Pilgrim (PBS), Better Half (Amazon) the Emmy/Oscar winner short Stealth and the upcoming feature Solidarity, More info available at  www.imdb.me/liana.arauz   and  www.LianaArauz.com

CAMILA ASCENCIO is thrilled to be making her Fountain Theatre debut. She is so grateful that her first theater production post COVID is with such an incredible group of people who care so deeply for the work and the world. She studied at Stella Adler Studio (NY) and received her BFA from CalArts where she majored in acting and minored in voice, and film production. Aside from productions at these institutions she has performed with companies including Golden Thread, New Conservatory Theater, ACT, The Marsh, Shinbone, and Teatro Línea de la Sombra. She currently works for Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theater, where she tours theater and facilitates workshops on social emotional health at schools throughout California. At CalArts she helped lead the Latinx identity group on campus, Mi Gente, was a singer for the CalArts Salsa band, and was on the board for the New Works Festival. She also produced and curated The Umbrella Series, a festival of interdisciplinary original works by artists from underrepresented populations. She speaks Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. She would like to thank France Luce and the incredibly brave people who have shared their hearts and stories with the world. Let’s fight to change this broken system.

CHRISTINE AVILA is an award-winning actress whose credits include the original cast of Zoot Suit, and La Posada Majica. Other Theatre: Merchant of Venice (L.A. Women’s Shakespeare Co.), Coyote Cycle (Padua Hills Playwrights), Agamemnon (Stephen Berkoff, Director). She is a seven-time participant at the Sundance Playwrights Festival. Tv/film: Undone, Switched at Birth, Bosch, 24, House.  Narration: The Book of Unknown Americans, by Cristina Henriquez (Random House-Audio File citation for one of the 10 best narrations of 2014. Other Awds; 1992 Teacher of the Year Award, UCLA Extension. She is a member of the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity. www.christineavila.com.

WILL DIXON is from the Big Sky state of Montana, currently living and working out of Los Angeles and couldn’t more excited to help present this important new work at the iconic Fountain Theater. Will was a regional winner of the American College Theater Fest and later studied at the Seattle Freehold before moving to LA and turning pro.

His theater credits include, Hotspur in Henry IV, Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Trinculo in The Tempest, (twice) Cassio in Othello, (twice) and Earnest in the Importance of Being Earnest, Gabe in No Place to be Somebody, Steve in The Peacock Men. More recently, the title role in Macbeth in the park with NY Classical Theater, Moffat in The Judas Kiss at Pasadena’s own Boston Court.   His television appearances beyond his many commercial spots include a recurring role on   Scandal, Seinfeld, 90291, Charmed, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, Vegas. His movie credits include You’ve Got Mail, Secret Santa, I Got the Hookup, The Reckoning and Risking It All, Will is also the director of 3 short features and the writer and director of the award winning short Trailer Talk, voted Best in Show at the Williamstown Film Festival. willdixon.actor.com Imdb:willdixon

JAN MUNROE has been involved with the creation and performance of new work since early studies with Marcel Marceau and Etienne Decroux. A founding member of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo-Boingo (Oingo-Boingo) in L.A. and The Theatah of the Apres-Garde in the Bay Area, other original work includes Alligator Tails (published in West Coast Plays), Little Monsters (for 5 performers and 27 TV sets) and Woodworks (for 7 dancers and a percussion ensemble). As an actor, he has appeared numerous times on TV (This Is Us, Criminal Minds, Brooklyn 99) and in movies (A Few Good Men, Catch Me If You Can, Ford V Ferrari). On stage, he most recently appeared in John O'Keefe's Ghosts with the Open Fist Company for whom he also designed and directed O'Keefe's All Night Long and Don’t You Ever Call Me Anything But Mother. He recently designed Playwrights Arena's A Hit Dog Will Holler and his early childhood memoire The Dementia Cookbook: What I Remember Before I Forget (available at LULU.COM.) was published in June, 2021. He is a recipient of eleven L.A. Weekly and Drama-Louge awards, an Ovation award, two NEA Theatre fellowships, a CAC "New Genre" fellowship and a Rockefeller Playwright's fellowship.

THEO PERKINS is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble (EYTE). For his work, Theo was honored by the Union County Urban League Young Professionals of New Jersey, recently featured in Oxygen Network’s 2020 Unsung Heroes.

As an actor, his television credits include guest star appearances on Fox, TNT, and CBS. On stage, he has performed on Broadway and regionally at NJPAC, Kirk Douglas Theatre, International City Theatre, Boston Court Theater and now returning to the Fountain Theatre, where he serves as member of the Board of Directors. Most recently, wrote and produced 14 Days, which will hit the festival circuit in 2022. Theo is a graduate of Morehouse College, UCLA’s MFA Acting program and the Executive Arts Leadership Program at the University of Southern California. Currently, Theo serves as an Advisor and Arts Coordinator at UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance.

This performance is dedicated to Sidiki Fofana, who my character Amadou represents. Sidiki would have been 33 years old today. Rest in power, brother! “Stay the course!”

MARLO SU is a trilingual actress from San Francisco, California. Marlo is known for recent roles in It Bears Repeating directed by Elle Vernee, Permanent Collection directed by Jeffery Lo and Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale with the African American Shakespeare Company. She has worked with Piano Fights’ Pint Sized Plays and FoolsFURY Theater in San Francisco and the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles. Marlo is also known for short films Strength and Fortune  (Eimanne El Zein) Invisible Men (Nina Rayes Rosenberg), SlipDrive and The Knock (Paul Johnstone). She has written and performed in youth theatre with the Almeida Theatre and Royal Court Theatre in London, England. Marlo trained at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles and the Academy Drama School in London. She holds a BA in French and Spanish and MA in Caribbean and Latin American Studies from the University of London.  

Marlo Su is thrilled to make her Fountain Theatre debut with Detained! @marlolsworld

JOSE FERNANDO (they/he) is honored to be returning to the Fountain Theatre's mainstage. Their first show at the Fountain was Daniel's Husband. Fernando grew up on stage, and studied theatre and musical theatre at Penn State and Columbia College Chicago, respectively. Now he is focused on pursuing a career in film and television. Jose has starred in and created content for various outlets; Disney Channel, Lionsgate, NBC, ABC, IGTV, Google, and Snapchat to name a few. Always up for a cup of tea - follow him on ig @spacemoneky.

CREW WHO’S WHO

France-Luce Benson is the 2021 winner of the Lily’s Lorraine Hansberry Award, a 2022 Bay Area Playwright’s Festival semi-finalist, and was just awarded a new play commission from the Atlantic Theater Company, supported by NYSCA's Individual Artist Award. Additional honors include Sony Pictures Television Diverse WritersFellow, Zoetrope Grand Prize for  Caroline’s Wedding; Miranda Family Foundation grant recipient for Detained, Alfred P. Sloan New Play Commission for The Devil’s Salt, Princess Grace Award runner up for Boat People, Dramatists Guild Fellow 2016-17, Sam French OOB Festival Winner, and NNPN Award for Risen from the Dough. Residencies include The Camargo Foundation in France, Sacatar Institute in Brazil, Djerassi Foundation, and Space on Ryder Farm. Her plays have been produced and/or developed by The Ensemble Studio Theatre NYC where she is a company member, Atlantic Theatre Company, The Billy Holiday Theatre, The New Black Fest, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Crossroads Theatre Company, City Theatre of Miami, Juggernaut Theatre, and The Playwrights Center, among others. Publications include Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, and Routledge Press. She is currently a television staff writer for Viacom/CBS.  www.francelucebenson.com

MARK VALDEZ is a director, writer, and cultural organizer who partners with communities, organizations, civic institutions, and others, using theater and creative tools to address community needs and to lift up community voices and stories. His work has been seen at community venues and professional theaters across California, from a tomato field in Grayson to a de-commissioned Catholic cathedral in downtown LA; from the stages of La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley to the stages of the Ricardo Montalban Theater/CTG in Hollywood. Nationally, Mark has worked at theaters such as the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, Arizona’s Childsplay Theater, and Trinity Rep in Providence. His play Highland Park is Here, won the Audience Award at the Highland Park Film festival and was featured in the Re:Encuentro, the national Latina/o/x Theater Festival.  

Mark is the recipient of various grants and awards, including a Legacy Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council, a Princess Grace Award, and the 2019 Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities. Presently, Mark is working on The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe, a multi-city project that aims to influence housing policy utilizing performance, cultural organizing, and creative community development strategies.

RACHELE EKSTRAN is overjoyed to join the Fountain Theatre for Detained as the Assistant Stage Manager! Past stage management credits include Peter Pan, Snow Angel, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Sisters Rosensweig, SHREW, Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, A Christmas Carol 2017, and Curve of Departure (South Coast Repertory), The Lion in Winter and Yoga Play (Laguna Playhouse), The Tempest, Raisin in the Sun, Richard III, Henry VI: Parts 2/3, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, and Much Ado About Nothing (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company), The Fair Maid of the West and Pericles; Prince of Tyre (Riverside Theatre), and the second national tour of Out of Bounds (Working Group Theatre). She is also a staff event technician at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and freelances as an electrician and followspot operator around Orange County and Los Angeles. She is a proud alumna of the University of Iowa with a degree in Theatre Arts focusing in Stage Management and Arts Entrepreneurship.

JEANETTE GODOY is an Interdisciplinary Artivist (Actor, Costume Designer, Director and Social Justice Educator). She was raised in Inglewood, California and received her BA in Liberal Studies with a Specialization in Chicana/o Studies from San Diego State University. In addition, Jeanette holds a BCLAD Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and an MFA in Theater with a double focus in Acting and Costume Design from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. Most recently, Jeanette has directed ensemble productions for the Acting and Performance Summer Institute (APSI) at UCLA, the Hollywood Fringe Festival and Southern Rep Theatre. As an Actor and Costume Designer, Jeanette has worked with: Cornerstone Theater Company, Frida Kahlo Theater, CASA 0101, Theatricum Botanicum, Hollywood Fringe, NYU Fringe, A Noise Within Theater, 13EXP, Theatre of Note, AFI, Outfest Fusion, Film Independent - Project Involve, Ghetto Film School, and now The Fountain Theatre. She is founder of TIZAPAPALOTL Productions and owner of LA PACHUCADA, which specializes in vintage and recycled clothing. You can follow her work at IG: @misskahlo “Nimitz tlacuiquilia ica noche nohc yohlotzi, ome yocan”- OMETEOTL.

SARAH KRAININ is a scenic designer and object artist. Selected Los Angeles credits: different words for the same thing (Center Theatre Group); Cowboy Elektra (Rogue Artists Ensemble at the Getty Villa); Flowers for Algernon (Deaf West); Our Class (Son of Semele Ensemble; Invisible Cities (object design, The Industry at Union Station); Clouded Sulphur (AUTOMATA-LA); Trojan Women and The Persians (props artisan, SITI Company at the Getty Villa). Sarah is a recurring guest artist at Duke University, developing concepts and “living scenery” (scenery that is brought to life by puppeteers) for Torry Bend’s original puppet theater productions, including Paper Hat Game (3-Legged Dog Art & Technology Center, NYC) and Dreaming: Little Nemo in Slumberland (LaMAMA). Other New York credits: Richard Foreman’sKing Cowboy Rufus Rules the Universe and The Gods Are Pounding My Head AKA Lumberjack Messiah (props artisan, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre). Sarah develops original works of object theatre that challenge perceptions of everyday objects. She is Assistant Professor and Head of Design in the Department of Theatre and New Dance at Cal Poly Pomona. www.SarahKrainin.com

ANNA KUPERSHMIDT is happy to be returning to The Fountain Theatre, where her previous production was ‘Walking the Beat 2019’.  Other credits include being the Co-Stage Manager and Prop Master in ‘Four Dogs and a Bone’, which was presented by Nueva Estrella Entertainment at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

She is a Graduate of The LACC Technical Theatre Academy, where she Stage Managed: Stand & Deliver 2020 (Zoom), Student Directed One Acts 2020,  Post Pinocchio, Hot L’ Baltimore, Autoplay 2018 and Pride and Prejudice. 

Katelyn Lopez is a Technical-Theatre Major at California Polytechnic Institute who has experience both on and off the stage. An artistic designer, Katelyn has worked

as a Costume Designer for The Thanksgiving Play and is debuting her props designs in Detained.

CHRISTIAN V. MEJIA is a California-based lighting and digital media designer. Exploring creative storytelling techniques in order to reveal the shifting landscapes of human emotion is central to his work. 

His design practice includes theatre, architecture, and immersive entertainment. Christian holds an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. www.christianvmejia.com

MARC ANTONIO PRITCHETT is a working Actor, Director, Fight Coordinator and Session Singer in the Los Angeles area. He is also one of the Artistic Directors at Sacred Fools Theatre Company. Recent sound/music credits include The Mousetrap at Theatre Palisades, The Latrell Show at IAMA Theatre and Sweat at the Chance Theatre. He is represented by Nucleus Talent Management. For additional info visit: www.marcantoniopritchett.com

MATT SOSON is excited to make his Fountain Theatre premiere with this wonderful and timely production. You can see more about Matt, and his work, at mattsoson.com

ANNIE YEE is thrilled to return to the Fountain Theatre where she choreographed The Children directed by Simon Levy and An Octoroon directed by Judith Moreland, winning Best Choreography from Broadway World Los Angeles.  Other choreography: M. Butterfly at South Coast Repertory directed by Desdemona Chiang, winning a Scenie Award for Best Choreography of a Play, King of the Yees at Baltimore Center Stage and at ACT Theatre in Seattle directed by Desdemona Chiang, The Golden Dragon at Boston Court Pasadena directed by Michael Michetti, winning a Scenie Award for Outstanding Choreography of a Play and nominated for an Ovation Award and Broadway World Los Angeles for Best Choreography, The World of Extreme Happiness at Seattle Public Theater directed by Desdemona Chiang, Made in Bangkok at the Mark Taper Forum directed by Robert Egan and I Don’t Have to Show You No Stinking Badges at Los Angeles Theater Center directed by Luis Valdez.  She was the first Chinese American Los Angeles Laker Girl and Los Angeles Rams Cheerleader.  Annie serves on the Executive Board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers union.  She thanks her parents Tommy and Nancy Yee her biggest inspirations and her loving husband actor Stan Egi.

 FOUNTAIN THEATRE STAFF

JAMES "VENDING MACHINE SANDWICH ENTHUSIAST" BENNETT joined the Fountain team in 2007 and has smiled and whistled, much to the irritation of everyone else, every day ever since. James enjoys chatting, hobnobbing, and wine sipping with all the theatre's many fine friends, family, and patrons. For work, he can be found running the whole stack of theatre activities, whether that's toiling on a pile of paperwork, coiled into a pretzel in the tech booth, or producing fabulous Flamenco shows. He's enjoyed co-producing the Fountain's Rapid Development Series and is looking forward to many more scrumptious seasons to come. He's compelled to the theatre by its immediacy, its intimacy – the visceral impact of being so close to real humans with real sweat and real spit. In a world that's increasingly disjointed, behind glass, and far away – theatre becomes more powerful than ever. Terran Fighting!

BARBARA GOODHILL has been Director of Development at The Fountain Theatre since 2013. Prior advancement positions include Sinai Akiba Academy, Inside Out Community Arts and PS#1 Elementary School. Barbara’s wealth of experience, innovative thinking and dedication have resulted in significant growth in The Fountain’s donor community and strengthened relationships with the funding community. A passionate believer in the power of live theatre to open hearts and encourage empathy, Barbara is deeply committed to The Fountain, its vision, mission and future goals. “Institutions like The Fountain Theatre are vital to the health of a diverse, compassionate society.” Barbara loves the opportunity to meet the many wonderful patrons who form The Fountain Theatre’s family and is always thrilled to receive your calls and greet you at the theatre. Barbara received her B.A. from UC Berkeley and her Masters from UCLA.

JOSE FERNANDO is thrilled to be the Social Media & House Manager for the Fountain. If they look familiar you might have seen them as Trip in the Fountain’s Daniel’s Husband, on The Disney Channel, sleuthing in the New Hardy Boys or across your TV and social media feeds. Don’t be a stranger, say hi! @spacemoneky

SIMON LEVY has been Producing Director of the Fountain Theatre since 1993. The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle honored him with the Milton Katselas Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing. Recent shows he’s directed at the Fountain include: Daniel's Husband and The Chosen. His stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (Finalist for the PEN Literary Award in Drama) is produced widely. It is the only stage adaptation authorized by the Fitzgerald Estate, and is published by Dramatists Play Service, along with his adaptations of Tender is the Night (winner of the PEN Literary Award in Drama) and The Last Tycoon. Prior to coming to Los Angeles, he lived in San Francisco where he was the General Manager of Beach Blanket Babylon, Artistic Director of The One Act Theatre Company, and Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area. He belongs to many theatre, human rights, and political advocacy groups. www.simonlevy.com

LUCY POLLAK has been providing publicity services to the Los Angeles performing arts community for the past 28 years, and is honored to have represented the Fountain Theatre since 2008. Prior to becoming a publicist, Lucy spent ten years as the production manager/staff producer at the Odyssey Theatre, earning an L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Award, an L.A. Weekly Award, 4 Drama-Logue Awards, and a Women in Theatre Recognition Award.

TERRI ROBERTS wears many hats at the Fountain Theatre, including the care and repair of production costumes; the on-going maintenance of in-house prop and costume stock; coordination of the Fountain Friends Volunteer Program; and serving Fountain patrons as manager of both our brand new (outdoor) concessions station and our charming (indoor) Fountain Theatre café. Terri also works in stage management (production/assistant stage manager on 20 fabulous Fountain shows thus far), and loves every opportunity to also serve as casting assistant, props designer/assistant/set dresser, and coach for actors.

In addition to her work at the Fountain, Terri is also a freelance theatre/entertainment writer. Her works have appeared in Variety, Performances, Back Stage West, Ross Reports, LA Weekly, LA Parent, The Sondheim Review, ShowMag.com, TheaterMania.com and Examiner.com. She also frequently writes for Intimate Excellent, the Fountain Theatre blog.

STEPHEN SACHS is an award-winning playwright, director, producer and the co-Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre, which he co-founded with Deborah Culver in 1990. He is the author of eighteen plays that have been produced at the Fountain and across the country, in London, and beyond. Sachs was instrumental in the launching of Deaf West Theatre at the Fountain in 1991. He wrote the screenplay for the film version of his play Sweet Nothing in my Ear for CBS starring Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. He inaugurated the Outdoor Classical Theater at the Getty Villa in Malibu in 2006 and directed several premieres of new plays by Athol Fugard in Los Angeles, New York and the UK. As playwright, director, and producer Sachs has received every theatre award in Los Angeles. He was recently honored by the Los Angeles City Council for “his visionary contributions to the cultural life of Los Angeles.”

SCOTT TUOMEY has been Technical Director at the Fountain since its inaugural production of Winter Crane in 1990. He has overseen virtually every Fountain production, on and off site, including their numerous flamenco shows, and has appeared here on our stage in Declarations: Love Letters of the Great Romantics, and the Fountain’s hit productions of Master Class and Joe Turners’ Come and Gone. Scott's talents as actor-singer-guitarist were also seen in the Shakespeare Festival L.A. productions of As You Like It and Twelfth Night at the Globe Theatre in West Hollywood and in the film A Day in the Life of Sunny Paradise.