ALABASTER AT THE FOUNTAIN

 

 

Audrey Cefaly's fanciful trip to Alabaster, Alabama, with shades of  romance and art  takes place where the whirlwind has reaped death, destruction and survival for June (Virginia Newcomb almost channeling Sissy Spacek).  June has spent  Three years or so..   alone.. 

except for the goats. 

In 2011, a tornado actually touched down in Alabaster, which may be the impetus for this odd tale.

Greeted by Fountain's new Artistic Director, Raymond O. Caldwell, we abandon our disbelief at the door and settle in for a psychological trip that has Tempest Tossed June and Alice (Erin Pineda) together for mutual combat and prickly banter; with what seems a current trend, with dialogue salted with FUs.

Well. F Me.. I think it works.  

June has been to Hell and Back, surviving a devastating tornado that flattened the family farm.  The former barn now supplies wooden panels that June uses to create "outsider art". Sadly, the reason that Alice  has arrived to photograph and interview June is because the tornado literally ripped June's body and spirit to shreds as it laid waste the farm. That June bears the literal scars from the storm as well as her mental and enduring psychic scars sets the scene for June and Alice's verbal fisticuffs  to reveal not one, but two poignant stories dealing with hurt and survival.

At Rise..  Weezy (Carolyn Messina)  introduces us to the devicce of talking goats.  Weezy is a goat.  Hers is another story of life and death which weighs heavily upon an odd sort of comic relief. Ms Messina created her role for the World Premiere. 

Weezy is a goat.  Not an actor in a goat suit. well she is an actor in a goat get up. .but we take her literally as a goat.  Weezy's elderly mother goat, Bib (Laura Gardner),  is slowly fading.

The  life stories of June and Alice with interjections from Weezy, sometimes in English and sometimes in Goat (baaah), move inevitably to personal revelations that draw us in to care about  both women, and the goats, as well.

As June, Ms Newcomb  finds nuance in the roar of PTSD and an inate conrary attitude which defends her from her memories and sad history.  June's solitary life seems to have channeled  the early 20th Century outsider Alabama artist Jimmy Lee Suddeth. This impresses Alice.  Alice on the phone to a friend. says that June's paintings are 'ridiculously good!'       Paintings created by  Jenine MacDonald are very very impressive!

Weezy's mom, Bib, mostly naps and bleets in her sleep..  Bib's transmogrification is highly symbolic with Frederica Nascimento's excellent set supplying a  waiting earthen  plot. 

The Fountain's use of projections is vivid and impressive. Tech for some scenes is over the top astonishing. A nightmare scene is truly a nightmare.

Casey Stengl directs with fluid motion that has Weezy into and out of ongoing scenes. Some scenes are slow and methodically   evotative with others delivered overlapping:  flashes of lightning

Welcome to Mr. Caldwell and Happy Annieversary to The Fountain  for 35 years service to art and social conscience in Los Angeles and our thirsty community.

Cast

Laura Gardner  as Bib (a elderly goat)

Carolyn Messina  as Weezy (recreating her origingal role)

Virginia Newcomb as  June

Erin Pineda as Alice

 Creative Team:

Scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; Lighting designer Alison Brummer; 

Sound designer Andrea Allmond; 

Video designer Ly Eisenstein; 

Costume designer Rebecca Carr; 

Makeup designer Krys Fehervari; and Properties designer Jenine MacDonald, who also created the paintings for the production. 

Intimacy director  Allison Bibicoff.  Assisted by Gina DeLuca..

Public Relations / Publicity Lucy Pollak

ALABASTER
• Written by Audrey Cefaly
• Directed by Casey Stangl
• Starring Laura Gardner, Carolyn Messina, Virginia Newcomb, Erin Pineda
• Presented by The Fountain Theatre

WHEN:
• Previews: Wednesday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m.
• Opening Night: Sunday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
• Thereafter, through March 30: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. (dark Monday, Feb. 17)

WHERE:
The Fountain Theatre
5060 Fountain Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90029
(Fountain at Normandie)

TICKET PRICES:
$25 – $45:
• Premium Seating: $45
• Regular Seating: $40
• Seniors 65 or older: $35 (regular seating only)
• Students: $25 (valid ID required)
• Monday nights: Regular seating ($40) and Pay–What–You–Want (subject to availability)
• Previews: Pay–What–You–Want

PARKING:
• Secure, on-site parking: $5
• Street parking available in the neighborhood north of Fountain Ave.
• No parking after 6 p.m. on Mariposa or Alexandria Avenues south of Fountain Ave.
• Allow extra time to find street parking; make sure to read all parking signs

HOW:
FountainTheatre.com
(323) 663-1525