“Fefu and Her Friends” Set to Open in Celebration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th Anniversary

– Photo by Eniko Czomba

Barnsdall Art Park Foundation and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Present “Fefu and Her Friends” at UNESCO-Nominated Hollyhock House

Taking place throughout the month of May, the pioneering play promises a one-of-a kind evening, marking the first time a production has ever taken place at Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Hollyhock House in the heart of Barnsdall Art Park. In association with Circle X Theatre Co., J.U.S.T. Toys Production presents Fefu and Her Friends, written by Maria Irene Fornes, a Cuban immigrant and LGBTQ rights activist, and directed by Kate Jopson with choreography by Zsófia Nemes and musical composition by Daniel Szabo. This production is sponsored in part by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Set in 1935—a little over a decade after Hollyhock House was built for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall—the play provides a unique reference point to the period. Fefu and Her Friends will take place inside the House, transitioning throughout the historic quarters and ending in the central courtyard. With just 20 guests admitted to each of the 12 performances, attendees will enjoy a truly intimate front row experience at the play, which previews for press on Friday, May 5 and will open officially on Saturday May 6 at 8:00 p.m. and runs through Sunday, May 28.

The original play explores the pressures on women to conform to an ideal of femininity and meekness. With questions about gender wage gaps, sexist political rhetoric, and women in leadership roles still plaguing our society, Fornes’ 1978 play is eerily resonant of current times. FEFU will feature an international and diverse cast of women to highlight the universal nature of their internalized repression.

The synergies between Aline Barnsdall and the women in Fefu and Her Friends are uncanny, leading to wonderful historical resonances between the rich history of the House and the play. Fefu is a strong, eccentric, upper-class woman, who deliberately defies convention and could have easily been based on Aline. The playwright, Maria Irene Fornes, fits the type of artist Aline envisioned commissioning for her experimental theatre complex had it come to fruition. Now in her 80s, Fornes reframed feminism in the 1970s and her work continues to inspire new generations of artists.

A significant part of Los Angeles’ storied architectural history, Hollyhock House is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most magnificent masterpieces marking his first foray into architecture in Los Angeles and is now among a group of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings that are nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

With generous support from the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation, a portion of the proceeds from the performances will go towards the restoration of the guesthouse, Residence A that is currently underway.

Tickets are available: http://circlextheatre.org/fefu/

Hashtag: #FefuHollyhock

Public Performances are at 8:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• May 6,7,8
• May 13,14,15
• May 20,21,22
• May 26,27,28

Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90014 www.barnsdall.org

Please contact Emma Haber at: emma@blinkcreativegroup.com for more information.

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