World premiere play ‘Listing’ takes on historic preservation and race in real estate

Mark Stancato and Tack Sappington / Kristin Stancato

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Racially restrictive covenants—such as the one Ronald Reagan had on his homes in Los Angeles—were once a common feature of a property deed. When it came time to sell your property you were enjoined from transferring it to a person of color or a Jew. Over time, such covenants broke down as illegal, though the language may still be seen in many such original deeds.

What if there were also a clause in your deed of sale—a “non-alteration” or “integrity” rider—saying that you could not change the design of a designated architecturally significant home, at least for an initial period of several years? Actually, in some cases, such stipulations have been made, though unless the property were legally listed as such—and even then—the clause would be difficult to enforce.

This is the premise of filmmaker Russell Brown’s first produced play, Listing, directed in its world premiere production by Tom Lazarus.

Raymond (Mark Stancato) is a real estate agent—and failed architect—with a passion for historic preservation. Alice (Mouchette van Helsdingen), who grew up in a Jewish family in one of the Silver Lake neighborhood’s modernist masterpieces dating from 1924, lists her home with him, knowing that he will do his utmost to convey its ownership only to buyers who love and respect the (fictional) Jewish Viennese architect Brunner’s (Bradley James Holzer) dream creation which she has lovingly cherished all her life. A century ago, Brunner had just come off an apprenticeship with none other than Frank Lloyd Wright on the Hollyhock House in Hollywood.

The sticking point in her plan is her son Eli (Tack Sappington), a “lowlife” with an ex, a current girlfriend and two kids, who couldn’t care less about the historicity of the home and is only out to get the most money he can out of it. “This landmarky thing destroys value.” He’d sell the house even if the new owners saw it as a tear-down.

Two couples come to see the house, one a young professional Jewish couple, Lawrence (Ian Riegler) and Barbara (Michelle McGregor), expecting a child, who profess to adore Brunner’s masterpiece. Only problem with them is they can’t meet Raymond’s asking price. The second couple, James (Sherrick O’Quinn) and Cindy (Nakasha Norwood) are Black, and they have a thriving career in film and television. This house’s asking price is actually at the lower end of their market, and they have no appreciation for the fine details of the Brunner design. Their friend and agent Andre (Tamir Yardenne) says, “Art to me is a place a single mom can afford.”

Other characters in the luxury 13-strong cast (almost unheard of in today’s economy of the stage), include Harriet and Arnold Grace (Katyana Rocker-Cook and Michael Gabiano), the quarreling couple who originally commissioned the house in 1924, Officer Capunay (Sarah Ivy) who comes to house to investigate a mysterious freak accident) and Henry Lopez (Anibal Silveyra), a reno contractor who has been hired for remodeling the Grace House. All of these appear in only one scene.

Which couple will Raymond sell to is the great question of the play. Adding to the uncertain future of the house is its mysterious past with an illicit love affair, and a vocal personality of its own, expressed in groans, rumbles, banging, knocks, electrical flashes, explosions. If anything, Listing could be counted under the “haunted house”genre.

Although this is his first play, Russell Brown is an award-winning filmmaker including five narrative features, two full-length documentaries, and a number of narrative and documentary shorts. His films have played at more than 270 festivals worldwide. Perhaps more germane to this play, and an obvious source of material for it, is Brown as founder and board chair of Friends of Residential Treasures: Los Angeles (FORT:LA) a nonprofit dedicated to building community through exploration of architecture. The LA Conservancy, California Preservation Foundation, California Humanities, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and other institutions have recognized FORT: LA’s achievements.

All the more remarkable, then, that his protagonist, the preservation-minded Raymond, is portrayed as a figure of profound inner conflict as a real estate agent. Clearly Brown recognizes the tension between historical preservation—its cost and purpose—and the dire social need for decent housing. In a better managed society as wealthy as ours, one imagines both desiderata could be handily met—beauty and utility, heritage and help. But class and globalist priorities being what they are, such treasure is siphoned off into useless and often unaccountable military excess and the fattening of billionaire wallets. A cursory glance at the composition of the new President Trump’s Cabinet will instantly confirm that neither historical preservation nor affordable housing has much of a place in their 2025 Project.

Brown’s work has many of the attributes of the old-fashioned “well-made play,” a rich, variegated cast, some very real social issues to address, and back stories that deeply inform the action we witness. To this critic, the integrity of the play breaks down with the victory of its supernatural elements, giving us a deus ex machina ending that fails to convince. But up to that point, it’s a wild ride with memorable insight into a number of issues of pressing concern.

Costume design is by Michael Mullen, and lighting and sound by Nick Foran. Theatre 40’s house set designer Jeff G. Rack is back on the job for this play. How he pulls off his magic for each play is a truly admirable phenomenon. Unfortunately, it was announced from the stage by producer David Hunt Stafford before the first act, Rack’s own home went up in flames in the recent wildfires of Los Angeles. Stafford announced that 10% of the proceeds from this production will go to fire relief.

Angelenos in particular will enjoy this work for all the local history, knowing that a portion of their ticket will go to those in dire need.

Listing plays through Feb. 16, Thurs., Fr. and Sat. at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. at Theatre Forty, 241 S, Moreno Dr., in the Mary Levin Cutler Theatre, Beverly Hills 90212, on the campus of Beverly Hills High School. Free parking is available in the parking lot beneath the theatre. To access parking, enter through the driveway at the intersection of Durant and Moreno Drives. Reservations can be had by calling (310) 364-0535 or go to ticketing here.

Talkbacks with the audience will be hosted by real estate professionals following select Sunday matinees on Jan. 26 (Crosby Doe) and Feb. 9 (Jake Lazare).

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CONTRIBUTOR

Eric A. Gordon

Eric A. Gordon, People’s World Cultural Editor, wrote a biography of radical American composer Marc Blitzstein and co-authored composer Earl Robinson’s autobiography. He has received numerous awards for his People's World writing from the International Labor Communications Association. He has translated all nine books of fiction by Manuel Tiago (pseudonym for Álvaro Cunhal) from Portuguese, available from International Publishers NY.