LOS ANGELES, CA, April 13, 2023 — Theatre of Arts, Hollywood's longest-running acting conservatory, today announced that its next live theatrical production will be Zooman and the Sign, the the Obie Award-winning play by Charles Fuller.
Set in Philadelphia in 1979, the play focuses on the murder of a 12-year-old African American girl in front of many local witnesses who refuse to reveal the killer despite the family's attempts for justice. It was first produced Off-Broadway by the Negro Ensemble Company directed by Douglas Turner Ward and starring notable actors such as Giancarlo Esposito and Carol Lynn Maillard. The production earned Fuller an Obie Award for playwriting.
Starring a diverse ensemble cast of talented TOA conservatory students, the play is directed by veteran actor and playwright Amir Abdullah and will run September 9th – 18th at The Dorie Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood.
Director David Bollar comments, "Zooman and the Sign is a beautifully written black play that artistically addresses pervasive cultural tragedies which continue to afflict too many Americans today. The play shows us how gangs, broken families, and socioeconomic disparities can shatter lives and tear communities apart. I am absolutely thrilled to be directing this incredible cast of young Black actors, all trained right here at the Theatre of Arts acting conservatory."
David Conolly, Executive Director of Theatre of Arts adds, “We are excited to be staging Charles Fuller's Zooman and the Sign. Under David Bollar's inspiring direction, our conservatory actors are engaging vigorously with this thought-provoking subject matter, and I can't wait for audiences to experience their energy and passion live on stage this May.”
For more information on Zooman and the Sign, visit TOA.edu/live. Advance tickets are on sale now via Eventbrite.
Theatre of Arts is owned and operated by Campus Hollywood, a unique alliance of entertainment industry-related schools and companies linking students, educators and professionals into a thriving arts community based in the heart of Hollywood, California.
CONTACT:
David Bollar
Theatre of Arts
e: davidbollar@toa.edu | p: (323) 685-6196