HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO
Written by Jiehae Park
Directed by Jennifer Chang
Produced by The Fountain Theatre in association with East West Players
Producing Underwriters: Diana Buckhantz and The Vladimir and Araxia Buckhantz Foundation · Wendy Chang · Jean Christensen & Steve Warheit · Lorraine Evanoff · Laurie & Robert Silton · Jerrie Whitfield & Dick Motika
Starring Jennifer Chang, Hahn Cho, Monica Hong, Wonjung Kim, Gavin Lee, Jully Lee
BroadwayWorld – “ENLIGHTENING… TOUCHING… a solid acting ensemble, complemented by vividly effective video visuals… The realistic scenes of the reunited family at the family condo and the hospital waiting room will tug your heartstrings… Kudos to scenic/video designer Yee Eun Nam for her wonderfully effectual video images of the various settings HANNAH takes place in… a dream within a dream within a dream.” — Gil Kaan
Larchmont Buzz – “MAGICAL… Jiehae Park’s Hannah and the Dread Gazebo, currently at the Fountain Theatre, is undeniably ambitious. It is whimsical and deep, historical and mythological. It takes us into a realm between reality and fantasy, North and South Korea, Korea and the U.S., insider and outsider, life and death. Even the stage veers between bare and richly decorated, using a clever combination of projections and moving pieces. Its cast list also includes “Shapeshifter” (the impressive Jully Lee)… Jennifer Chang directs Hannah with creativity and elan.” — Laura Foti Cohen
OnStage Blog – “UNIQUE… ENTERTAINING… What I also liked about the show was the magical realism of this play. Thanks to magic consultant Dominik Krzanowski, pieces of paper ignite into flames and props just disappear.” — Jill Weinlein
On Stage Los Angeles – “FLUID SCRIPT… SMOOTH STAGING… The Fountain Theatre in partnership with East West Players again charms us with socially relevant issues that go beyond the obvious. This experience is just right for Los Angeles… located only a few blocks from Koreatown, from where, we hope a native audience may come to enjoy native language, myth and fairy tale … and garlic. Everybody else should come, too.” – Michael Sheehan
StageSceneLA – “TERRIFIC PERFORMANCES AND A DAZZLING PRODUCTION DESIGN… added snaps to magic consultant Dominik Krzanowski’s “How do they do that!” bits of magic.” — Steven Stanley
Los Angeles Times – “AN EPIC FABLE incorporating the origin myth of Korea… The production, directed by Jennifer Chang, makes vivid use of urban landscape projections on Yee Eun Nam’s darkened set… it’s left to the actors to ground the play’s magic in realism. Cho and Song lend Hannah’s parents personal textures that keep them from being just generic types. Gavin Lee’s liveliness draws out Dang’s slacker charms so he’s more than a hip-hop cliché. And Hong offers the occasional glimpse of Hannah’s inner life as her control-freak character slowly learns that stories themselves are a kind of wish that our belief makes true.” – Charles McNulty
Stage Raw – “COMPELLING… ENTERTAINING… The play contains quite a few profound and commendable plotlines that enhance the story… combines Korean culture and politics with a unique, yet relatable story about spirituality and identity.” — Lara J. Altunian
Theatre Notes – “MAGICAL… the performances are wonderful–potent with some delightful whimsy, serious in basic plot, with an affecting, soft basso ostinato of genuine grief… The show has a capstone, an unexpected, utterly brilliant moment of pure theatrical. I say no more!” — Paul Myrvold
TicketHoldersLA – “SOMETHING LOVELY TO BEHOLD… Impressively magical and beautifully mounted… a wonderfully accomplished cast… Hopefully, the Fountain-East West collaboration on Park’s poetic though perhaps too ambitious play will spark a new desire to explore issues that touch people whose stories are often overlooked in the quest to shout out about more universal topics overwhelming our society. In that effort, this sincere and well-groomed production should be heralded and congratulated for opening those doors.” — Travis Holder
Los Feliz Ledger – “BOTH HUMOROUS AND TRAGIC… offers valuable insight into problems faced by Korean-Americans in today’s world.” — Marilyn Tower Oliver
Nerds of Color – “A PRODUCTION SO WONDERFUL, MAGICAL, AND FULL OF HEART… a mix of unexpected whimsy, delightful comedy, profound despair and more than a little bit of magic… the success of this play is that the themes are universal and will speak to anyone… It is a riveting tale woven with heart, humor, and care and it is for that I cannot give a strong enough recommendation to immediately watch this play if you’re in the Los Angeles area. P.S. This production may have one of the most delightful final curtain bows so be sure to witness that in all its glory.” – Edward Hong
Cultural Weekly – “SMART, FUN AND WACKY… quite different from anything else you may have seen lately… breathlessly directed… credit the cast for work that is solid, energetic and appealing.” — Sylvie Drake
Korea Times – “FUN AND IMPRESSIVE… the original story, the rhythmical acting, and the acting were all remarkably good… this play is the wish of a family, the wish of a country, and ultimately of humanity.” — Sookee Chung
Hannah is two weeks away from becoming a neurologist when she gets a strange package in the mail from her grandmother in South Korea, who may or may not have just ended her own life. A surreal, funny and heartbreaking adventure leads Hannah on a journey back to her homeland and the forbidden Demilitarized Zone that divides South and North Korea. A startling comedy about a daughter, a mother, a grandmother and the mystery that connects them.
August 14 – September 29
Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, and Pay What You Want Mondays at 8pm.
Jiehae Park’s plays include peerless (Yale Rep premiere, Cherry Lane MP, Marin Theatre Co, Barrington Stage, First Floor, Company One, Moxie), Hannah and the Dread Gazebo (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Here We Are Here (Sundance Theater-Makers residency, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Princess Grace Works-in-Progress @ Baryshnikov Arts Center), The Aves (McCarter Spotlight Festival), and contributions to Wondrous Strange (Humana/Actor’s Theatre of Louisville). Her work has been developed through the Soho Rep Writer-Director Lab, the Public’s Emerging Writers Group, p73’s i73, Playwrights Horizons, CTG Writers Workshop, NYTW, Atlantic, Old Globe, Dramatists Guild Fellowship, Ojai Conference, BAPF, and the amazing Ma-Yi Writers Lab. Awards: Leah Ryan, Princess Grace, Weissberger, ANPF Women’s Invitational; two years on the Kilroys List. Commissions: Playwrights Horizons, Yale Rep, Geffen, OSF, Williamstown, MTC/Sloan. Residencies: MacDowell, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, McCarter/Sallie B. Goodman. As a performer, she most recently appeared in Ripe Time/Naomi Iizuka’s adaption of Murakami’s SLEEP (BAM Next Wave, Yale Rep) and Celine Song’s ENDLINGS (ART). TV: staff writer, season one of Marvel’s RUNAWAYS. She is a NYTW Usual Suspect, Lincoln Center Theater New Writer in Residence, former Hodder Fellow, and current New Dramatist. BA, Amherst; MFA, UCSD.
Creative Team:Directed by Jennifer Chang
Production Stage Manager Bryan P. Clements
Scenic & Video Design by Yee Eun Nam
Sound Design & Original Compositions by Howard Ho
Lighting Designer by Rebecca Bonebrake
Properties Design by Michael Allen Angel
Costume Designer by Ruoxuan Li
Magic by Dominik Krzanowski
Asst. Director – Reena Dutt
PRESS
Korea Daily – Article – August 26, 2019
Rafu Shimpo – Panel Discussion and Show – August 22, 2019
BroadwayWorld – Opening Announcement – August 16, 2019
@This Stage – Video Promo – August 15, 2019
The Actor’s Choice – Interview with Jully Lee – August 15, 2019
Park LaBrea/Beverly Press – Featured – August 15, 2019
Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative – Interview w/Playwright & Director – August 13, 2019
Los Angeles Time – Weekend Featured – August 9, 2019
YouTube – Interviews – August 6, 2019