Elephant Theatre Company

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In the summer of 1997, the small 45-seat theater could no longer accommodate the advancing production needs or the increasing audience attendance. The Company then moved to Hollywood (and dropped the “Off Main”). David Fofi along with founding member Don Cesario continued to produce Elephant productions in various Hollywood venues before breaking ground on their eventual home, [http://www.elephantstageworks.com The Elephant/Lillian Theaters] , creating four working stages. With these additions came the necessity to form the business/producing entity called Elephant Stageworks, overseeing both venue operations and Theatre Company endeavors. The company continues to operate out of this building located at 6322 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The [http://www.elephanttheatrecompany.com Elephant Theatre Company] has presented many critically acclaimed world premieres and LA premieres including, In Arabia We’d All Be Kings, Los Muertos, 7 Redneck Cheerleaders, One Fell Swoop, Never Tell, The Sandstorm (with Operation Truth and Mark Seabrooks) Dearboys War, King of Clubs, The Puppet & Muppet Maiden, Love Bites, Holding Cell and Princess and the Peon in addition to published works and restagings that include, Search and Destroy, Serenading Louie and Sam Shepard’s 4-H Club & Red Cross.

The Story of the Name

In 1995, the [http://www.elephanttheatrecompany.com Elephant Theatre Company] was created in a loft in downtown Los Angeles. In the beginning, the theatre (which doubled as home to four of its founding members) was 110 degrees, the tech booth was in a bedroom and audiences sat on couches and beanbags.

As the founders geared up for the first production, an evening of early Sam Shepard shorts, the question arose: “What should we call this thing we have created, this group, this space?” Over a few beers and many terrible suggestions, one of the directors came across this quote:

"“When Sam (Shepard) was first starting to write plays, he was writing little, almost chamber plays. Sam was working on something and we were sitting and talking about some scene he wanted to do, and he said, ‘I don’t think that could be done anyway on the stage. There’s no point to doing it.’ And I said, ‘Look, Sam if you want an Elephant to appear on the stage without walking on from the wings, you should just write it and see what happens from it, and then see if there’s a way to do it, or a way to make it.’” -Jacques Levy"

This idea spoke to the founding members. The challenge of “The Elephant.” Hence the name, one that conjures theatrical daring, invention and imagination.

In that loft the company’s seed was planted. Now, twelve years later, the Elephant has built four theatres, which include The Lillian Theatre [http://www.elephantstageworks.com] , The Elephant Space, The Elephant Lab, and The Elephant ASYLUM. All of them with air-conditioning and real seats.

The name is a reminder of the company’s origins and captures a sense of doing, not just dreaming – of making it real, keeping it real, and keeping it coming over twelve years, two homes, forty-plus full productions, a fluid roster, and a deep bench.

Staff

Artistic Director: David Fofi
Managing Director: Don Cesario
Producing Director: Lindsay Allbaugh
Director of Development: Gina Soto
Directors of New Play Development: Gia McGinley and Cheryl Huggins
Head House Manager: Tony Foster

Chronology of Plays

August 2007
One Fell Swoop [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934255.html?categoryid=1265&cs=1] [http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/qtakes/stage/559489,0,5122772,reviews.event] [http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/la/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003613964&imw=Y] [http://www.laweekly.com/stage/theater/the-first-post-bush-bash/16884/]
written by: Robert J. Litz
Directed by: Christopher Game

March 07-April 07
Love Bites Vol. V [http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/la/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003566134]
Annual shorts written and directed by various company members

Jan 07-April 07
In Arabia We’d All Be Kings [http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/la/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003543210] [http://www.laweekly.com/index.php?option=com_lsd&task=default&id=108459&Itemid=99999999] [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933123.html?categoryid=33&cs=1]
Written by: Stephen Adly Guirgis
Directed by: David Fofi

Dec 06
[http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/cl-et-plays17nov17,0,7713461.story?coll=cl-stage-top-right 365 Days/Plays] (week 4: Los Angeles)
Written by: Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh, David Fofi, and Christopher Game

August-Oct 06
Seven Redneck Cheerleaders (Revival) [http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/396133,0,2369.event] [http://www.plays411.com/newsite/review/play_reviews.asp?show_id=683]
Written by: Louis Jacobs
Original Staging by: Amy French
Re-staged by: David Fofi & Louis Jacobs

March 06
Love Bites
Annual shorts written and directed by various company members

Nov 05-Jan 06
Los Muertos [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117928810.html?categoryid=33&cs=1]
Written by: Tim McNeil
Directed by: David Fofi

August 05
Seven Redneck Cheerleaders
Written by: Louis Jacobs
Directed by: Amy French

May 05
Never Tell
Written by: James Christy
Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh

Dec 04
Underwear For Christmas
Written by: Tony Foster
Directed by: Daniel McCoy

Oct 04
Love Bites Harder
Annual shorts written and directed by various company members

June 04
One World
Written by Robert J. Litz
Directed by David Fofi April 04
21 Stories
Written by: G.W. Stevens
Directed by: Yuval Hadid

Oct 03 One Act Festival
All Men are Whores, and Bobby Gould in Hell written by David Mamet
Not Enough Rope, and Hotline written by Elaine May
Desire, Desire, Desire, ‘Dentiy Crisis and 1-900-Desperate by Christopher Durang

Aug 03
Robbers
Written by Lyle Kessler
Directed by David Fofi
Workshop Production with Lyle Kessler, not submitted for review

April 03
Some Strings Attached
Written by: Amy French and Alexandra Hoover
Directed by: Gina Soto

March 03
King of Clubs
Written and Directed by: David Fofi

Oct 02
Zzyxx
Written by: Don Cesario
Directed by: Kimberly Brooks

Aug 02
Serenading Louie
Written by: Lanford Wilson
Directed by: Christopher Game and Gina Soto

April 02
Love Bites
Series of one acts written and directed by various company members<

Dec 01
Red Cross and 4H-Club
Written by: Sam Shepard
Directed by: Chris Game & Dave Fofi

Nov 01
Greystone
Written by: Tony Foster
Directed by: Kristin Hanggi

June 01
Dearboy’s War
Written by: Mike Ambrose
Directed by: Danny LaClair

Dec 00
Underwear for Christmas
Written and Directed by: Tony Foster

Oct 00
The Insanity of Mary Girard
Written by: Lanie Robertson
Directed by: David Brown April 00
Elephant Shorts, a Collection of Vignettes
Written by: Tony Foster
Directed by: E.O.M. Directors Nov 99
Search & Destroy
Written by: Howard Korder
Directed by: David Fofi & Anthony Roman May 99
The Actors Nightmare
Written by: Christopher Durang
Directed by: Christopher Game May 99
Gecko Chestnut Genius
Written by: Jimmie D. Hudson III
Directed by: Don Cesario

April 99
Line
Written by Israel Horowitz
Directed by: Gary Blumsack
Shooting Gallery
Written by Israel Horowitz
Directed by: Andrea C. Robbins
Stage Directions
Written by Israel Horowitz
Directed by: Pat McLoy March 99
Indian Summer of Our Despondency
Written by: Kelly Wand
Directed by: David Fofi Aug 98
Halfway There
Written by: Michael Vaez
Directed by: Christopher Game
at the Hollywood Court Theater, Hollywood

July 97
Warmth and Doubt
Written by: David Fofi
Directed by: David Fofi & Andrea Robins
The Princess and the Peon
Written by: Jimmie D. Hudson, Directed by: Christopher Game
Candlefish Theatre, Los Angeles

Feb 97
The Love of Nechron
Written and Directed by: Pat McLoy
Elephant Off Main Theatre, Los Angeles

Nov 96
Criminal
Written by: David Canales
Directed by: Jeff Walsh Sept 96
Holding Cell
Written by: Mike Vaez
Directed By: Joe Matthews May 96
Solitary Ping Pong
Written by: Jimmie D. Hudson
Directed by: Lori Lee Bush
My Only Hopeless
Written by: Jackie Apodaca
Directed by: Christopher Game March 96
King Of Clubs
Written and Directed by: Dave Fofi
Adam and Rhonda
Written by: Matthew Jones Nov 95
The Galaxy Lily
Written and Directed by: Don Cesario July 95
Sam Shepard Tribute
Red Cross
Directed by: Christopher Game
4-H Club
Directed by David Fofi
Fourteen Hundred Thousand
Directed by: Kimberly Brooks

External links

* The home page of the [http://www.elephantheatrecompany.com Elephant Theatre Company]
* The Elephant Theatre Company's [http://www.myspace.com/elephanttheatrecompany MySpace Page]