The Elephant Theatre Company was a non-profit theatre company based in Hollywood. The company "built a reputation for championing new American plays" and ceased operation in September 2015.

History

The Elephant Theatre Company was created in 1995 by David Fofi and Lindsay Allbaugh, with classmates from the California State University, Long Beach Theatre Arts program. They moved into a space at the Angel City Brewery artist complex. The space doubled as both a studio theater and a loft apartment for the original founders. They renovated the space, creating a small theatre and living quarters and gave it the name of "Elephant Off Main". In the summer of 1997, the small 45-seat theater could no longer accommodate the productions 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. During their 1998/1999 season, the company moved to 6322 Santa Monica Boulevard, in Los Angeles' Theatre Row District. In 2015, the theatre building was sold by its landlord to a neighboring school. The last produced show ("The Great Divide" by Lyle Kessler) closed on August 23, 2015. The Elephant Theatre was left without a permanent space.

Chronology of Plays

Summer 2015
The Great Divide'' Written by:

Lyle Kessler Lyle Kessler is an American playwright, screenwriter and actor, best known internationally for his 1983 play '' Orphans''. Career Actor Born in Philadelphia, Kessler began his career as an actor. His first professional appearance was in the Ph ...

Directed by: David Fofi Produced by: Bren Coombs and Shannon McManus Spring 2015
7 Redneck Cheerleaders Written by: Louis Douglas Jacobs Directed by: David Fofi Produced by: Bren Coombs Winter 2014
Hell Cab Written by: Will Kern Directed by: David Fofi Fall 2014 Scene Workshop Showcase of various company members Fall 2014 Elephant Short Play Fest Short plays written and directed by various company members Summer 2014 Le Butte 1 One acts written and directed by various company members Summer 2014
Unorganized Crime written by: Kenny D'Aquila Directed by: David Fofi Spring 2014
Derby Day written by: Samuel Brett Williams Directed by: David Fofi Winter 2014
Twilight of Schlomo written by: Timothy McNeil Directed by: David Fofi Summer 2013
Revelation written by: Samueal Brett Williams Directed by: David Fofi Spring 2013
The North Plan written by: Jason Wells Directed by: David Fofi 2012
7 Redneck Cheerleaders written by: Louis Douglas Jacobs Original Staging by: Amy French
Re-staged by: David Fofi & Louis Jacobs 2012
Collision written by: Lyle Kessler Directed by: David Fofi June, 2011
Lovesick written by: Kristina Poe Directed by: David Fofi June, 2011
100 Saints You Should Know written by: Kate Fodor Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh Feb - March, 2011
The 10th Anniversary of Love Bites: 10 Years Together & Still No Ring Annual shorts written and directed by various company members August - Sept, 2010
Parasite Drag written by: Mark Roberts
Directed by: David Fofi May - June, 2010
Supernova written by: Tim McNeil
Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh Feb - March, 2010
Love Bites Vol. 9 Annual shorts written and directed by various company members August, 2009 - Sept, 2009
Block Nine written by: Tom Stanczk
Directed by: Emilie Beck & Pete Uribe May, 2009 - June, 2009
The Idea Man written by: Kevin King
Directed by: David Fofi Feb - March, 2009
Love Bites Vol. 8.0 Annual shorts written and directed by various company members 2008
7 Redneck Cheerleaders written by: Louis Douglas Jacobs Directed by: Amy French July, 2008 - Oct, 2008
Asleep on a Bicycle written by: Tony Foster
Directed by: David Fofi May, 2008 - June, 2008
Tooth and Nail written by: Gena Acosta
Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh Feb - March, 2008
Love Bites VI & VII Annual shorts written and directed by various company members Nov, 2007 - Feb, 2008
Anything written by: Tim McNeil
Directed by: David Fofi August 2007
One Fell Swoop written by: Robert J. Litz
Directed by: Christopher Game March 7-April 7
Love Bites Vol. V Annual shorts written and directed by various company members Jan 07-April 7
In Arabia We’d All Be Kings Written by:

Stephen Adly Guirgis Stephen Adly Guirgis is a Pulitzer Prize Winning American playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor. He is a member and a former co-artistic director of New York City's LAByrinth Theater Company.Blake, Leslie (Hoban)"Comin' Uptown" ''Theater ...

Directed by: David Fofi Dec 06
'
365 Days/Plays
'' (week 4: Los Angeles)
Written by:

Suzan-Lori Parks Suzan-Lori Parks (born May 10, 1963) is an American playwright, screenwriter, musician and novelist. Her 2001 play ''Topdog/Underdog'' won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002; Parks was the first African-American woman to receive the award for d ...

Directed by: Lindsay Allbaugh, David Fofi, and Christopher Game August-Oct 06
Seven Redneck Cheerleaders Written by: Louis Jacobs
Original Staging by: Amy French
Re-staged by: David Fofi & Louis Jacobs March 6
Love Bites
Annual shorts written and directed by various company members Nov 05-Jan 06
Los Muertos Written by: Tim McNeil
Directed by: David Fofi August 5
Seven Redneck Cheerleaders
Written by: Louis Jacobs
Directed by: Amy French May 5
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 4
One World
Written by Robert J. Litz
Directed by David Fofi April 4
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

Directed by David Fofi
Workshop Production with Lyle Kessler, not submitted for review April 3
Some Strings Attached
Written by: Amy French and Alexandra Hoover
Directed by: Gina Soto March 3
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 Lanford Wilson (April 13, 1937March 24, 2011) was an American playwright. His work, as described by ''The New York Times'', was "earthy, realist, greatly admired ndwidely performed."Margalit Fox, Fox, Margalit"Lanford Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-Wi ...

Directed by: Christopher Game and Gina Soto April 2
Love Bites
Series of one acts written and directed by various company members Dec 01
Red Cross and 4H-Club
Written by:

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any write ...

Directed by: Chris Game & Dave Fofi Nov 01
Greystone
Written by: Tony Foster
Directed by: Kristin Hanggi June 1
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: Pat McLoy and 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 Howard Korder is an American screenwriter and playwright. He is the author of the 1988 coming-of-age play '' Boy's Life'', which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nomination. His play ''Search and Destroy'' was adapted into a film in 1995. ...

Directed by: David Fofi & Anthony Roman May 99
The Actors Nightmare
Written by:

Christopher Durang Christopher Ferdinand Durang (born January 2, 1949) is an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s, though his career seemed to get a second wind in the late 1990s. ...

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 Israel Albert Horowitz (often known as I. A. Horowitz or Al Horowitz) (November 15, 1907 – January 18, 1973) was an American International Master of chess. He is most remembered today for the books he wrote about chess. In 1989 he was induct ...

Directed by: Gary Blumsack
Shooting Gallery
Written by

Directed by: Andrea C. Robbins
Stage Directions
Written by

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

References

{{Reflist Theatre companies in Los Angeles