Abingdon Square Play Los Angeles

Abingdon Square Play Los Angeles

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Recently we went to see the Los Angeles premiere of this very dramatic play written in 1984 by Maria Irene Fornes. It was premiered by The Open Fist Theater Company at a funky little theater on La Brea, a mere stone's throw from Hollywood Boulevard, in the heart of the always happening Hollywood, California.

The audience, primarily dressed in their best black, filled the 99 seat theater to capacity, and from overhearing a few random conversations, was filled with screenwriters, playwrights and students studying theater in college.

I wondered why there was such a large collective of students of theater here to view this production? Little did I know that this playwright, Maria Irene Fornes, is one of the most distinguished female playwrights in America and has written over three dozen works for the stage in the last forty years. Not only is she a talented playwright, director, teacher, translator, and lyricist, but also she has received eight Obie Awards, with one in recognition of her Sustained Achievement in Theater. In addition, Maria received a Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1990 for one of her plays, "And What of the Night?". Since her immigration from Havana, Cuba to New York in 1945, at the age of 15, she has been primarily writing, and debuting her plays on the East Coast. They are known and respected for being intelligent, thoughtful, often funny, delicate and quite profound experiences. With "Abingdon Square" having earned an Obie Award in 1988 for Best American Play, Kim and I were in for quite a theatrical treat.

What impressed me the most about the presentation of this dramatic period piece was the excellent lighting and music. Both of which easily, and often, eerily led the viewer from one emotional scene to the next. Having thirty-one linear scenes, this meant a great deal of swift scene changes in the roughly 90 minutes of theater production time. The back of the stage was uplit from behind a row of shrubs that were often hidden from view behind a curtain and hence, created ominous shadows.

The stage lighting design of Dan Reed created a sense of revolving or continuing motion as the row of uplights began on one side of the stage and crossed to the other side one by one. Like a domino effect, lights went on and dimmed. For those who have seen the amazing computer choreographed music, water and light show at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, you will understand the slick motion and emotion created when one views such majesty. In this case, there was no water, but the lighting, and resulting shadows, combined with the sound design of Tim Labor and the ethereal and often nutty period music of Janet Cline Slaughtery drew the audience in closer to the drama that was unraveling before our eyes.

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Kim and Don Tatera, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

About the Author

Kim and Don Tatera, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.