Jan Munroe News

Certainly, almost every American can talk about how we are descendants of immigrants who dreamed of living in a free country and did whatever was necessary to arrive on our shores. As a direct descendant of four grandparents and one parent who escaped from Eastern Europe in the early 20th Century, when I read about the Fountain Theatre presenting the world premiere of DETAINED, written by The Lily's 2021 Lorraine Hansberry Award-winning playwright France-Luce Benson, 'a gripping new docudrama composed of a compilation of true stories that explores the rippling impact of mass deportations on families,' I knew I wanted to speak with her about her inspiration and vision for the play.

Open Fist Theatre Company returns to in-person performances with a funny, intriguing and highly entertaining comedy about sex, intimacy and equality. Lane Allison directs the provocatively titled In the Next Room, or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl for a March 18 opening at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances continue through April 23.

How do families stay together, even when they are kept apart? The Fountain Theatre presents a gripping new docudrama, a compilation of true stories that explores the rippling impact of mass deportations on families. The world premiere of Detained, written by 2021 Lorraine Hansberry Award-winning playwright France-Luce Benson and directed by Mark Valdez, winner of the 2021 Zelda Fichandler Award, opens February 19 at the Fountain Theatre.

In partnership, Skylight Theatre Company and Playwrights' Arena have launched the first of four World Premiere productions for the 2021/2022 Season with Inda Craig-Galván's play A HIT DOG WILL HOLLER. Read my interview with her about the process of bringing the play to life onstage at the Skylight Theatre.

The play explores the friendship between Gina, a self-proclaimed “wordsmith” whose liberal “activism” channels through her popular podcast and a pending book deal, and Dru, the young “Banksy of the Black Lives Matter movement”.

Open Fist Theatre Company returns to live, in-person performance at Atwater Village Theatre with concurrent runs of two plays by celebrated Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor.

Rogue Artists Ensemble presents a unique, interactive, in-real-life sonic experience that guides audiences through a twisted collection of love stories, meditative romance and lost connections.

Perception is everything. Open Fist Theatre Company opens its 30th anniversary season with three programs of short works, performed in rotating repertory, by playwrights renowned for pushing the boundaries of theatrical invention. Rorschach Fest, featuring seminal work by John O'Keefe, Daniel MacIvor, Harold Pinter and Caryl Churchill, opened Feb. 14 at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances continue through April 5.

Perception is everything. Open Fist Theatre Company opens its 30th anniversary season with three programs of short works, performed in rotating repertory, by playwrights renowned for pushing the boundaries of theatrical invention. Rorshach Fest, featuring seminal work by John O'Keefe, Daniel MacIvor, Harold Pinter and Caryl Churchill, opens Feb. 14 at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances continue through April 5. Pay-What-You-Want previews begin Feb. 11.

Open Fist's clever, hilarious World Premiere musical adaptation of Neil Simon's MUSICAL FOOLS is a hilarious musical adaptation of his play, Fools, with book and lyrics by Simon, and music and lyrics by Phil Swann and Ron West, a veteran comedy genius from Chicago's Second City, who has directed the laugh fest like a Monty Python version of Fiddler on the Roof performed by the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Off-the-wall hysterical choreography by Louisa Kendrick Burton greatly enhances the comedy, with musical direction by Jan Roper often adding in the flavor of Eastern European Klezmer music.

Dumba?? dumbera?? dumbest? Open Fist Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Neil Simon's Musical Fools, an adaptation of the Simon play Fools, with book and lyrics by Neil Simon and music and lyrics by Phil Swann and Ron West (deLEARious, The People Vs Friar Laurence). West also directs, with music direction by Jan Roper and choreography by Louisa Kendrick Burton. Neil Simon's Musical Fools opens Oct. 12 at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances will continue through Nov. 17; pay-what-you-want previews begin Oct. 4.

Dumb... dumber... dumbest? Open Fist Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Neil Simon's Musical Fools, an adaptation of the Simon play Fools, with book and lyrics by Neil Simon and music and lyrics by Phil Swann and Ron West (deLEARious, The People Vs Friar Laurence). West also directs, with music direction by Jan Roper and choreography by Louisa Kendrick Burton. Neil Simon's Musical Fools opens Oct. 12 at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances will continue through Nov. 17; pay-what-you-want previews begin Oct. 4.

When is it time to give up the keys? Get ready for the laughter-through-tears magic that is Last Call by Anne Kenney. Open Fist Theatre Company presents the world premiere of this funny, sad and very human debut play by the Peabody Award-winning writer best known for her work on Switched at Birth, Hellcats, Greek, L.A. Law and, most recently, the first three seasons of Outlander. Open Fist company member Lane Allison directs for a Jan. 18 opening at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances will continue through Feb. 23. Pay-what-you-want previews begin Jan. 11.

When is it time to give up the keys? Get ready for the laughter-through-tears magic that is Last Call by Anne Kenney.

When is it time to give up the keys? Get ready for the laughter-through-tears magic that is Last Call by Anne Kenney.

When is it time to give up the keys? Get ready for the laughter-through-tears magic that is Last Call by Anne Kenney.

The thin line between waking and dreaming, the conscious and subconscious, is exposed in an outrageously funny, surreal sit-com about 18 hours in the life of an all-American nuclear family.Jan Munroe directs theSouthern California premiere ofAll Night Long by John O'Keefe, opening Sept. 14 in anOpen Fist Theatre Companyproduction at Atwater Village Theatre.

Two performances of One Year Later have been added due to popular demand! Open Fist Theatre Company's "political pop-up" features 13 short plays by writers from across the country that explore our nation's current social and political climate and how the past year has affected us. Finding it hard to get off the couch and get to the theater? Open Fist has brought the couches to Atwater Village Theatre, creating a cozy, speakeasy setting where patrons can arrive early or stay late to have a drink and a chat with the cast and fellow audience members.

One Year Later - This three-week "political pop-up" features 14 short plays by writers from across the country that explore our nation's current social and political climate and how the past year has affected us. Finding it hard to get off the couch and get to the theater? Open Fist has brought the couches to Atwater Village Theatre, creating a cozy, speakeasy setting where patrons can arrive early or stay late to have a drink and a chat with the cast and fellow audience members.

Open Fist Theatre Company presents an evening of two solo plays from the 1980s: Cemetery Man by Ken Jenkins and Don't You Ever Call Me Anything But Mother by John O'Keefe.