The Fire Room
Hollywood Fringe Festival Award Winner
Summary
Set in a surreal afterlife that moves seamlessly from outer space to a 1920’s speakeasy to a run-down Van Nuys apartment, The Fire Room follows the story of J.W. and Meredith, two ghosts who have managed to find True Love amongst a sea of Died Alones. When Meredith’s volatile ex-boyfriend shows up after his earthly death, Meredith must make a choice: fight for the love she deserves, or give in to the toxic pull of the familiar.
An audience favorite, The Fire Room is a “superlative slice of Fringe” that examines love, sex, death, and the power of a good story.
Production History
Stuart Rogers’ Studio 2015 (L.A.)
Cherry Poppins Productions 2014 (L.A.)
Fugitive Kind Theater (Hollywood Fringe) 2013
cARTel Sound/Stage 2013 (radio play version)
Gallery // Photo credit: Amanda McRaven
Reviews
“Poetic and sensuous.” —The Huffington Post
“A production of great integrity at atmospheric strength.” —LAist
"Meghan Brown's script puts its heart on its sleeve, fastens it with nails, then comes at the audience full force, without worry of bruising or cuts. It's fast, funny, smart, and, in its own twisted way, incredibly sweet.”—HollywoodFringe.org
"In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mola Ram reaches slowly into a sacrifice's chest and pulls out his still beating heart. In the remarkable production of The Fire Room, writer Meghan Brown manages to do the same to the audience. Only she holds the heart up to the light, lets it feel the sunshine, and then kisses it warmly and pushes it back into your chest stronger and better. [...] It's poetic yet punk rock, lyric yet laugh-out-loud, and fearless, dynamic, and touching.”—HollywoodFringe.org
"Ms. Brown has a mighty voice, one that hints at an ability to communicate the human experience with a mastery that seems increasingly rare. [...] Ms. Brown achieves in an hour what lesser writers fail to do in 13-episode seasons.”—HollywoodFringe.org
"A superlative slice of Fringe. With inventive production design, excellent performances across the board, and solid, understated direction, it's the writing that absolute shines here. With imagination, humor and poignancy, Brown portrays a wholly original depiction of the afterlife."— HollywoodFringe.org
"The Fire Room is an inventive, highly modernized, cutting edge, in your face, sharp piece of artistry, [with] a script that is both lyric and lean, dark and funny, tight and just the right amount of esoteric."—HollywoodFringe.org
"A poetic and beautifully crafted (sort of fucked up) love story from the brilliant minds of playwright Meghan Brown and director Amanda McRaven. The cast effortlessly delivers page after page of Brown's delicious text and we as an audience slowly begin to realize what we're in for. And it's AWESOME."—HollywoodFringe.org
"A supremely lyrical work that is in turns heart-wrenching, laugh-inducing, and thought- provoking, The Fire Room will captivate you from the moment you enter the room. Meghan Brown has crafted a wonderfully unique story [...] that rages (sometimes literally) with kinetic, soulful energy. Altogether, a powerful and beautiful thing to witness."—HollywoodFringe.org