Welcome to Your Alternative Reality w/ the Open Fist Theatre Company
Written and Directed by: Catherine Butterfield & Ron West
Starring: Lane Allison, Josh Banday, Tisha Terrasini Banker, Kiley Eberhardt, Bjørn Johnson, Dylan Maddalena, Paul Mischeshin, Beth Robbins, Emily Tuñon, & Micah Watterson.
A liberal journalist working for a right wing news program. An octogenarian stressing about the future of the planet. High level government leakers in love. A dry cleaner who might be our next president. What do they have in common? They are all stuck in this strange new post-election world we live in. “Welcome to Your Alternative Reality” is: the antidote to the low level thrum of anxiety running through all our lives. A bracing tonic of laughter and lunacy that will take the edge off your week, it’s a series of interwoven one acts and sketches about this bizarre new reality we find ourselves in.
(No performances on July 28th and 29th)
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. Sundays at 7 pm.
The Complex at Atwater Village Theatre 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039
The Gary Plays
Open Fist Theatre Company presents Mednick’s entire “The Gary Plays” series in one epic production beginning May 4 at Atwater Village Theatre. Longtime Mednick collaborator Guy Zimmerman directs.
The Gary Plays runs May 4 through June 4 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 12 p.m.; 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Preview performances take place April 26 through April 30 on the same schedule.
Part 1 (Tirade for Three, Girl on a Bed), Part 2 (Gary’s Walk, Out of the Blue) and Part 3 (DaddyO Dies Well, Charles’ Story) perform on a rotating basis on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with all three parts performed on Sundays. Go to www.openfist.org to view a complete schedule. Tickets are $30 for each two-play part, or $50 for a series pass (all three parts/six plays). Previews are $15 for each two-play part or $30 all three parts.
Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles, CA 90039. On-site parking is free. For reservations and information, call (323) 882-6912 or go to www.openfist.org.
REVIEWS AND PRESS-
- AMERICAN THEATRE | Murray Mednick Stages L.A.’s Interior Sprawl in ‘The Gary Plays’
- FOOTLIGHTS- Open Fist’s Anti-Hero
- PAUL MYRVOLD’S THEATRE NOTES-“The Gary Plays” at Atwater Village Theatre
- ONSTAGE LOS ANGELES- OPEN FIST! THE GARY PLAYS!!
- STAGE RAW- THE GARY PLAYS – PART 3: DADDY O DIES WELL & CHARLES’ STORY
- KPFK 90.7 FM LOS ANGELES- GARY PLAYS INTERVIEW (MP3)
BOTH: A Hard Day’s Silent Night
BOTH: A Hard Day’s Silent Night will perform this year at 24th Street Theatre 1117 West 24th Street Los Angeles, CA 90007
(Exit 10 freeway at Hoover and head south a few blocks)
Limited parking available in theatre parking lot across the street- Additional street parking available
Wednesday, Dec 16; 8 pm, Thursday, Dec. 17; 8 pm, Friday, December 18; 8 pm, Saturday, Dec. 19; 3 pm, Open Fist Fundraiser Saturday, Dec. 19; 7 pm, Sunday, Dec 20; 3 pm Sunday, Dec 20; 7 pm
2012 National Christmas Tree Lighting with Lighting Designer Matt Ford and Magic Lantern Creations Inc.

I would like to offer a very large thank you to Lighting Designer Matt Ford and Magic Lantern Creations Inc. for having me out as a Lighting Director on the 1st ever PBS broadcast of the 2012 National Christmas Tree Lighting from Washington DC. Thanks aslo to Matt Hudson and Dave Mikutsky, and for hard workin’ gaffer Ronnie Skopac, Mike Smallman and John Ellar for being the pros the are, and to Kristi Foley and everyone at Bounce Inc for this tremendous honor and opportunity.
The entire show can be streamed from 90 Years Of Tradition | The National Christmas Tree. Local broadcast schedules can be found at Broadcast Schedules | The National Christmas Tree.
Photos By Matt Ford
Hughie at the Open Fist Theatre

Foote Notes- Two Plays About Harrison, Texas at the Open Fist Theatre
DIRECTED BY SCOTT PAULIN
Produced by Martha Demson
Nov. 2 – Dec. 15, 2012
Reviews
CD+M Lighting at Legoland, Malaysia
Bishop TD Jakes 35th Anniversary at AT&T Winspear Opera House
The Black Glass- Padua Playwrights and the Open Fist at the Hollywood Fringe Central Mainstage
A blistering and darkly comedic deconstruction of corporate power in the age of Occupy Wall Street and internet porn by the award-winning playwright and director Guy Zimmerman. One of Los Angeles’ leading theatrical voices, Zimmerman delivers a searing indictment of the current neo-liberal mores in a story involving intrigue after hours in an office in downtown Los Angeles. In return for the CEO position at his LA-based corporation, Bentham offers his daughter to the sinister McGivern. McGivern’s two female cohorts have very different ideas, and the play takes unexpected twists and turns on the way to an explosive denoument.
Schedule- Sunday June 17 2012, 3:30 PM, Tuesday June 19 2012, 6:30 PM, Sunday June 24 2012, 3:30 PM
6209 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038 (map) Box Office 323 – 818-823-1008
Reviews
KTLA Morning News Shoot- Circus Vargus
Ah, to be back in a tent! This was worth getting up at 2:00am for…
It’s not often you get a chance to help light a genuine Ball O’ Death!
Thanks yet again to Frank Olivas for a having me aboard.
KTLA- Stage 7 Green Screen
Bites The Play- Old Bank District Theatre
Apr 27 – May 13 Thursdays–Saturdays @ 8pm), Sundays @ 5pm
Old Bank District Theatre 136 W 4th St Los Angeles
Overtone Industries- The Woman in The Wall
“Balcony scene” Below – Gretchen Johnson as Marianna. Above – Livia Reiner, Kathleen Kelso, Octavia Leclerc-Jones. Photo: Emily Brooke Sandor
March 23, 24, 30, 31 2012 – at 8 p.m.
Masonic Lodge
9635 Venice Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
map/directions
Winterfest 2012- DADSpace @ Lot 613
Big Art Labs- Smashlabs Stage
Big thanks to Kenny Abney and Crunchy for bringing me in to design and hang the rep plot for the Smashlabs (3.0?) stage. Can’t wait to see a show in there soon!
BIG ART LABS– Explaining ourselves
651 CLOVER ST LOS ANGELES, CA 90031 (323) 559-3505
Dancing with the Stars: Schnick Schnack LED
I had the unique opportunity to oversee the installation of over 1900 Schnick Schnack B-250 and C-250 LED units provided by VER and distributed by TMB into the precarious new main staircase and lovely new 360˚ balcony rails on Dancing with the Stars. Many thanks to Lighting Designer Simon Miles at VX Inc and Susan Tesh at VER for bringing me on and having me wrap my head around this project, to Jolynn Schmitt, Victor Cruz, Matt Cotter and Mo Duleasis for the smooth install process onsite, and to Melanie Lekaj, Tommy Stephanson and Stephanie Kilburg at TMB for walking the fine line between customs and customer service to pull this off.
And congratulations to James Yarnell on an truly incredible set design…
Life on This Couch
Quake at the Open Fist First Look Festival
Performance Dates: July 13- Aug 21
Theater review: ‘Quake’ at Open Fist Theatre Company – latimes.com
42nd Street at Bridges Auditorium

The quintessential “backstage” musical, Forty -Second Street traces the history of a Broadway musical comedy, from casting call to opening night. With entertaining tap numbers and underlying romantic twists, 42nd street is where Broadway dreams can become reality and is a great show for the entire family.
Forty-Second Street will run May 26th-May 28th at 7:30 pm with a 2:00 pm matinee on May 28th.
Between Us Chickens at Atwater Village Theatre
Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave.Atwater Village. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 2 p.m. Sundays. Ends June 19. $15. (323) 644-1929 or www.atwatervillagetheatre.com.
Reviews
The Green Awards at Vibiana Cathedral
A big thanks to LD Frank Olivas for bringing me on the 1st Annual Green Awards and giving me the chance to bring out the Chamsys PC Wing for lighting control, and another big thanks to great crew at Lineset10 for their excellent work the quick turnaround…
DaddyO Dies Well- Padua Playwrights at the Electric Lodge
More info at DaddyO Dies Well :: Padua Playwrights
Reviews
Return From the Ashes at Theatre 40
Photos by Ed Krieger
StageScene LA Reviews- Return from the Ashes “Nothing can be faulted in the production’s all-around terrific design elements… Dan Reed lights it beautifully… setting just the right noirish mood. By STEVEN STANLEY
Info and directions @ www.theatre40.org
CIRQUE BERZERK AT CLUB NOKIA
- Variety Reviews – Cirque Berzerk- “The one-time tent attraction, for several years part of California’s fabled, anything-goes summer festival, makes a stylish scenic transition to indoors. David Morong’s heavenly deconstruction of carnival hell – surrounding staircases and decaying canvas flaps – is raised almost to poetry as Dan Reed’s flashing lights keep breaking film noir shadows.” By BOB VERINI
- Entertainment Weekly EW.com Review- Cirque Berzerk– It’s a feast for the eyes…” by Samantha Harmon
- LA WEEKLY Behind the Scenes with Cirque Berzerk at Club Nokia
Huge photo gallery courtesy of pix courtesy Pixie @ Pixie Vision Productions- http://www.pixieonline.com