Name: The Lifespan of a Fact — The Fountain Theatre
Start: 2023-02-15T20:00:00-0800
End: 2023-04-30T14:00:00-0700
Location: The Fountain Theatre

Written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell
Based on the book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal
Directed by Simon Levy
Starring Ron Bottitta, Inger Tudor*, Jonah Robinson

*Kathryn Kelley assumes the role 4/10-4/30

EXTENDED! Until April 30th

OVER A DOZEN RAVE REVIEWS!

Los Angeles Times - “ENGAGING COMEDY… The play is based on a book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal that recounts their EPIC JOURNALISTIC BATTLE over the meaning of truth… the intensity of the fighting is fierce… thanks to the ROBUST PERFORMANCE of Ron Bottitta [as John D’Agata]… [Jonah] Robinson is perfectly persnickety as [Jim] Fingal… THE CONFLICT IS RATCHETED UP FOR COMIC EFFECT. The play’s authors don’t take sides. D’Agata’s position is hardly defensible on literary grounds, but the obsessiveness of Fingal can make it seem that no piece of information can withstand his relentless scrutiny… Sweating the small details at a time when authoritarians are blurring the line between fact and fiction is URGENT BUSINESS. But so too is reexamining our assumptions about these categories, which may not be as discrete as we think.” - Charles McNulty

BroadwayWorld - “SIZZLING PERFORMANCES AND SOME TASTY BRAIN FOOD… a smartly-acted brain-tickler that makes its points and LANDS ITS BLOWS WITH HUMOR AND INTELLECT… Truth vs. embellishment. Ethics vs. essence. Article vs. essay. What I as a journalist might label a fact - something knowable and verifiable - a creative writer could transform into something untrue but still utterly beautiful. These contradictions construct the rabbit hole that is THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT… The time spent with author D'Agata, fact-checker Fingal and editor Emily Penrose should make any thinking theatergoer eager to start reading, start writing or at the very least, hop the next flight to Las Vegas… Levy taps the push-pull dynamic between these two men [Bottitta and Robinson] for all its potential both COMIC AND DRAMATIC.” - Evan Henerson

Splash Magazines - “YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS PRODUCTION… this clever story proves to be timely and – in the midst of laughs – profound… PROVOCATIVE AND CHALLENGING… HUMOROUS AND WITTY as it pits these two men against each other, resulting in a HILARIOUS SLUGFEST between “facts” and “truth.” It is also a RIVETING psychological study of two men diametrically opposed to each other’s views – and a possible (or at least hopeful) mediator trying to salvage the situation. This is a stimulating analysis – not only of an idea, but also of the people willing to defend that idea at all costs. The actor’s energetic approach to the topic is also REFRESHING AND HIGHLY ENTERTAINING.” - Elaine Mura

StageSceneLA - “WOW!… VERY FUNNY — and very discussion-prompting… Fountain audiences get treated to a MULTITUDE OF LAUGHS (and some tense, emotion-packed dramatic moments as well), all of this under the assured directorial hand of Simon Levy… Bottitta delivers yet ANOTHER MEMORABLE STAR TURN as a man so set in his ways and so convinced of the rightness of his literary mission that he’s not about to let some inexperienced upstart dictate what he should and should not write… TALENTED NEWCOMER Robinson proves himself more than capable of giving Bottitta as good as he gets, and their verbal combat ignites ABUNDANT COMEDIC, DRAMATIC SPARKS. Tudor completes the STELLAR TRIO to razor-edged perfection as a woman caught in the middle, both figuratively and quite literally in the play’s stunning fade to black… I FOUND IT BOTH COMPELLING AND ENTERTAINING.” - Steven Stanley

Culver City News - “A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING, VERY FUNNY and extremely well written and presented play… THOUGHT-PROVOKING with zinging one-liners, the play explodes into a HILARIOUS SLUGFEST between “facts” and “truth,” making it hard to imagine a play being timelier, given how suspect sources of facts can be these days… BRILLIANTLY DIRECTED by Simon Levy… all THREE TALENTED ACTORS expertly handle the push me-pull you aspects of the tightly-wound script to its full advantage, generating laughs as well as knowing grunts of recognition as thought-provoking questions are asked… EXCELLENT PRODUCTION.” - Shari Barrett

Larchmont Buzz - “AN EDGE OF THE SEAT THRILLER… about fact-checking… an intellectual battle between fact and story that’s so COMPELLING that you might never look at an essay the same way again. It pits accuracy against “truth” in ENTERTAINING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING ways that are BEAUTIFULLY STAGED by director Simon Levy, in a perfectly designed set by Joel Daavid [with] EXCEPTIONAL ACTING.” - Laura Foti Cohen

Hollywood Progressive - “HARD-HITTING… WITTY… vividly brought alive by a cast of TOP NOTCH THESPS…. EXPERTLY, TAUTLY HELMED by Simon Levy… demonstrates once again that the Fountain Theatre remains one of L.A.’s BEST, SOCIALLY RELEVANT THEATER COMPANIES dedicated to timely, edgy topical productions.” — Ed Rampell

The World Through Night Tinted Glasses - “EXTREMELY FUNNY… follows the misadventures of when an intern Fingal (Jonah Robinson) for a magazine is tasked to do the final fact check on an essay… makes for VERY GOOD COMEDY, but even better drama.” — David MacDowell Blue

On Stage Los Angeles - “This WONDERFUL FOUNTAIN THEATRE PRODUCTION… based on a true story… flows nicely with three very disparate characters working together: at odds from the get-go: to find their way to the Facts, ma'am, just the Facts?… director Simon Levy guides his actors smoothly through the sticky wickets of well crafted staging… I LOVE THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS PIECE and hope that The Fountain will have, with patrons in attendance, all full houses. DON’T MISS IT!” - Michael Sheehan

Donloe’s Lowdown - “RAPID AND WITTY… a heady, THOUGHT-PROVOKING piece that nudges the audience to think… What’s more important: writing the truth, telling a good story – or somewhere in between. It takes an intimate look at accuracy, truth, judgment, and ultimately creative license… WHAT REALLY MAKES THIS PLAY WORK ARE THE ACTORS… Levy has directed A SHARP PLAY. The movement around the stage keeps the pace going forward. The repartee between the trio is rapid and witty… The comedy/drama is a case study in the ethics of storytelling.” - Darlene Donloe

Angeles Stage - “TIMELY… MERITS THE LAUGHS it gets under Simon Levy’s direction.” — Don Shirley

Discover Hollywood - “ENTERTAINING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING… under Simon Levy's fine direction [and] the usual fine Fountain Theatre ensemble performance… [the] fast moving script by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell makes for AN ENJOYABLE PLAY THAT GETS THE THOUGHT PROCESSES GOING.” - Nyla Arslanian

Glamgical - “HILARIOUS… A CAPTIVATING PLAY that makes us take a closer look at the avalanche of information to which we are exposed. Media interests, personal opinions, personal experiences, and ethics are all displayed on stage in AN ENTERTAINING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE.” - Joe Mosqueda

Stage Right… or Not (podcast) - “REALLY RESONATES… a fine version with THREE EXCELLENT PERFORMERS... this production succeeds.” — Michele Willens

People’s World - “CRISP, SPARKLING DRAMA… In our era not merely of “truthiness” but of outright lies purveyed in our media and by elected leaders of our country, The Lifespan of a Fact COULD HARDLY BE MORE TIMELY… what’s more important: writing the truth, or telling a good story?… The audience is simultaneously entertained by these HILARIOUSLY WRY CHARACTERS, and mentally prodded by their intellectual predicament… THE FOUNTAIN HAS STRUCK GOLD ONCE AGAIN. DON’T MISS IT.” - Eric Gordon

RUBICON THEATRE PRODUCTION (with original cast): October 4 - October 21, 2023:

BroadwayWorld Press Release

RAVE! - Santa Barbara Independent Review

RAVE! - BroadwayWorld

RAVE! - VC Reporter

In our era not merely of “truthiness” but of outright lies purveyed in our media and by elected leaders of our country, The Lifespan of a Fact could hardly be more timely. The Fountain Theatre presents the West Coast premiere of the Broadway hit play, The Lifespan of a Fact. Based on the nonfiction book named “Best of the Year” by the Huffington Post, this highly entertaining, funny new play follows young intern Jim Fingal, whose first assignment at an elite New York magazine is to fact check an essay written by a highly celebrated and cantankerous author. What Jim finds turns his world upside down. Thought-provoking, with zinging one-liners, The Lifespan of a Fact explodes into a smart, funny slugfest between “facts” and “truth,” making it hard to imagine a play ever being more timely.

BroadwayWorld - Extension of THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT - March 21, 2023

Pasadena Weekly - Interview with Simon Levy for THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT - February 16, 2023

The Actor’s Choice - Interview with Inger Tudor for THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT - February 14, 2023

BroadwayWorld - Interview with Simon Levy for THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT - February 7, 2023

BroadwayWorld - Press Release - THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT - January 23, 2023