Bela Lugosi Meets Edna St. Vincent Millay

About the Project

Widely acclaimed and award-nominated So Cal actress Rose London spins a zany, improbable tale about Bela Lugosi (1882-1956), the iconic star of Dracula, and Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950), the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet of the Jazz Age—how the poster girl for Women’s Lib, who burns the candle at both ends as she sleeps her way through Greenwich Village in the Roaring ‘20s, meets up with (or does she?) the actor/activist and political refugee from Hungary who’s determined to leave his mark—preferably on your neck. Written by award-winning playwright Jordan R. Young. Directed by by award-winning director Christine Cummings.

Recommended in Stage and Cinema’s Fringe Blast!

“Wildly imaginative one-woman show that brings together the iconic Dracula star and the dazzling Jazz Age poet… this smart, funny, and thought-provoking piece explores passion, politics, poetry, and fame with razor-sharp wit.”

— Craig Tyrl, The Wayward Artist 

“There is definitely a lot of juice in this piece, with genuinely delicious, nostalgic, even important old Hollywood topics like the blacklist, subversion, actor exploitation and sex.” 

—Tracey Paleo, Gia on the Move

“Rose London is a marvel with the soul of a Redgrave… a very engaging play, and a can’t-miss for lovers of Hollywood history. A truly wonderful production.”

— Logan Crow, founder of Frida Cinema

“A tour de force for Rose London… a stunning solo performance.”

— Laura Foti Cohen, Larchmont Buzz

“ ‘Bela Lugosi Meets Edna St. Vincent Millay’ creates an unlikely but fascinating intersection of two cultural figures who never actually met…avoids the weaknesses of biographical plays through sharp comic timing and unexpected contrasts.” 

— James Scarborough, What the Butler Saw: An Arts Magazine

“If you want to see some riveting theater, check out Rose London’s tour-de-force performance in Jordan Young’s innovative play…I know I’m deeply affected by a night at the theater when I go home and fall into deep rabbit holes researching all of the real-life characters.”

— Danny Miller, freelance journalist  

“It’s a love letter to Millay and Lugosi. It’s woven together beautifully…and it’s got teeth.”

— Miranda Jonte, solo performer/playwright, Good & Kissed

“A wild ride through the lives of two modern freethinkers of the mid-20^th Century, whose passion for expression churned within them, realized through vivid artistic creations that grew out from under them… We feel ourselves caught up amid the Hollywood/Greenwich Village glitterati, living for that brief, most precious moment in which that candle continues to burn.” 

—Tim Mooney, solo performer/playwright, Moliere Than Thou

“Not to be missed. Jordan Young taps his prodigious knowledge and life experience to create a showcase, peppered with one-liners and a keen sense of life’s coincidences, for the indefatigable force of nature that is Rose London.” 

— Bob May, writer-director, Are You Kidding? 

“Rose London became the characters she was portraying, solely becoming a multitude of historic personalities.  She genuinely got into their skin and was very believable.”

—John Franceschini, playwright

Performing at the Broadwater Black Box, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd.

Thu 6/5 @ 8pm, Sun 6/15 @ 12:30pm, Tue 6/24 @ 6:30pm, Sat 6/28 @ 4pm and 7pm.

Shows will start on time. Allow extra time for parking.

$15. $20 at the door. $10 student rush 15 minutes before show time.

PARKING TIPS

All the streets east of Wilcox, as far as Vine Street, and south of Santa Monica Blvd, are unmetered parking—including not only Vine and Cahuenga but the side streets Cole, Lillian, Eleanor and Romaine. You do need to read the signs very carefully—meter maids are zealous about ticketing and towing. And I’m told parking can get crazy during the Fringe, so extra time is your friend. Parking is reportedly better south of Santa Monica but I have parked on Lexington north of the blvd. for an entire day in the past. There’s a parking garage at 6311 Romaine; further away one at 6344 Fountain and valet parking behind Hudson Theatres at Hudson & Santa Monica.

There’s a film screening at Hollywood Forever on June 28 (gates open 7:15 pm, film at 9 pm) that will likely result in heavy traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. between Western & Gower (east of the Broadwater).