The Open Fist Theatre Company presents their second First Look Festival Of New Plays, with new works written by Ty Taylor, Douglas Crawford, Ron West, Joseph Fisher, William Mesnik, Phillip William Brock, and Laura Richardson and directed by Martha Demson, Benjamin Burdick and Amanda Weier. The Festival will begin on Thursday, July 29 and runs through Sunday, September 18 at The NEW Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. (former home of The Actor’s Gang) in Hollywood.
The festival is a 2 month celebration of contemporary American theatre and music. Material has been carefully selected from around the country, and seven new works will be represented in production or in staged reading/concert format. There will be three full productions and four staged reading and concert events.
The works include:
STAGED PRODUCTIONS:
THE EXISTENTS
Book by Douglas Crawford and Jason Wooten
Music and Lyrics by Ty Taylor
Directed by Martha Demson
Preview: Thursday, July 29 at 8pm
Opening: Friday July 30 at 8pm
Performances: Saturday July 31at 8pm, Sunday, August 1 at 7pm, Saturday August 14 at 8pm, Thursday August 19 at 8pm, Friday August 20 at 8pm. Sunday, August 1 and August 22 @ 7pm. Matinee performances; Sunday August 15th @ 2pm & Sunday August 22 @ 2pm
A new rock musical about a band striving to be more than the sum of its parts.
A WOLF INSIDE THE FENCE
by Joseph Fisher
Directed by Benjamin Burdick
Preview: Thursday August 5
Opening: Friday August 6 at 8pm
Performances: Saturday August 7 at 8pm, Thursday August 12 at 8pm, Friday August 13 at 8pm , Saturday August 21 at 8pm , Thursday September 2 at 8pm, Friday September 3 at 8pm, Friday September 10 at 8pm , Saturday September 11th @ 8pm. Matinees: Sunday August 8 at 2pm, Saturday August 21 at 2pm & Sunday August 29th @ 2pm
Marion is a child left behind but when her Oregon public school system tries to help, both get more than they bargained for.
A LIFE OF EASE
Written by Phillip William Brock
Directed by Amanda Weier
Preview: Thursday, August 26 at 8pm
Opening: Friday, August 27 at 8pm;
Performances: Saturday August 28 at 8pm; Wednesday, September 1 at 8pm; Saturday September 4 at 8pm, Thursday, September 9 at 8pm, Thursday, September 16 at 8pm. Friday, September 17 at 8pm and Saturday, September 18 at 2pm. Matinees: Saturday, September 4 at 2pm; Sunday, September 5 at 2pm; Sunday, September 12 at 2pm; Saturday, September 18 at 2pm
STAGED READING AND CONCERTS:
PALOMA
by Anne Garcia-Romero
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 at 2pm
& SUNDAY, AUGUST 8 at 7pm
SONGS OF SIN
by William Mesnick
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 at 2pm
& SUNDAY, AUG. 15 at 8pm
A musical retelling of the nativity story, BOTH combines modern music and pop imagery with the Biblical story of the birth of Christ.
ANY RESEMBLENCE
Written by Ron West
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 at 2pm
& SUNDAY, AUGUST 29 at 7pm
LADY LIBERTY
by Laura Richardson
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 at 2pm
& SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 at 7pm
For tickets, please call (323) 882-6912 for details or visit www.openfist.org to purchase tickets online or to view complete schedule.