Author: Newsroom
Following successful collaborations in both film and television, Los Angeles Media Fund and Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures are extending their relationship with a joint venture focused on live theater to commission and produce new work as well as co-produce and support larger productions, all from bold, diverse, and adventurous talents.
The first three commissions have been selected and include James Ijames (Pulitzer Prize winner for FAT HAM, which was nominated for 5 Tony Awards this year including Best Play), Sylvia Khoury (Pulitzer Prize finalist for SELLING KABUL) and Sarah Einspanier (LUNCH BUNCH recently extended off-Broadway run, and was previously a NYT Critics’ Pick).
The LAMF / Protozoa Theater Fund also co-produced Lorraine Hansberry’s THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW, which received two Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Play. It stars Oscar Isaac, Rachel Brosnahan, and Miriam Silverman, who won the Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress, and opened on Broadway for the first time in almost 60 years in April 2023.
“I have been thrilled, surprised and inspired countless times by New York’s stages. Many of my favorite screenwriters honed their craft in the theater, so it’s very exciting to be partnering with some of today’s most daring playwrights.” – Darren Aronofsky
“At this moment, as theater surges back, I am truly inspired by the ambition and excellence of the current generation of voices working in theater as exemplified by James, Sylvia, and Sarah. Based on our fruitful experiences with Protozoa in other media, I can’t think of a better partner in this endeavor.” – Jeffrey Soros, CEO of Los Angeles Media Fund
Brendan Naylor (Protozoa) and Luke Rodgers (LAMF) will oversee day to day operations.
Protozoa Pictures has a long history collaborating with theatrical talent, most recently with their film production of Samuel D. Hunter’s play THE WHALE, which Samuel adapted for Darren Aronofsky to direct. The film went on to win two Oscars and be nominated for a third. They also produced the TV series KINDRED for FX, which Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Pulitzer finalist for his play AN OCTOROON) adapted from Octavia Butler’s acclaimed novel of the same name. Aronofsky most recently directed Postcard From Earth, the first film produced for The Sphere in Las Vegas. Featuring breathtaking 18K footage, the film will be screened inside the 17,000-seat space which features over 167,000 speakers and the largest high-definition screen in the world.
Los Angeles Media Fund produced the off-Broadway, Broadway, US National Tour, Young Vic, and West End productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!, winning both the Tony Award (2019) and Olivier Award (2023) for Best Musical Revival. They also recently co-produced the West End production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which won the Olivier for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor for Paul Mescal, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Anjana Vasan; as well as A DOLL’S HOUSE on Broadway, which received 6 Tony nominations, including Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for Jessica Chastain, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Arian Moayed, and Best Direction of a Play for Jamie Lloyd.
LAMF also produced DiscOasis NYC in 2022 with Nile Rodgers and LiveNation, an open-air, immersive roller disco experience in Central Park’s historic Wollman Rink, taking inspiration from the intertwined cultural movements of disco and roller skating; and are currently producing the MAGIC MIKE LIVE North American Tour as well as CRAZY FOR YOU on the West End.
