Alla Nazimova was one of the most prolific and highly-paid silent film actresses in Hollywood a century ago. She became one of the first women in Hollywood to write, direct, and produce films. And at her famous hotel on Sunset Boulevard, the Garden of Allah, Nazimova threw huge parties that attracted F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and other big names.
“Her fame was comparable to somebody like a Madonna or Lady Gaga of her time – meteoric,” says playwright Romy Nordlinger.
Yet, 100 years later, no one knows Nazimova’s name. “Her story lies obscured in forgotten history,” Nordlinger says.
To change that, Nordlinger is now portraying Nazimova — during her rise and fall in Hollywood — in a one-woman show called “Garden of Alla,” which she also wrote.
“Garden of Alla” is an immersive experience that includes “a lush, atmospheric video that envelops the performer” and a “sumptuous musical score,” says playwright Romy Nordlinger. Photo by David Wayne Fox.
The performance also includes ambient videos and musical scores that embody the setting of 1920s Hollywood and Nazimova’s films. “[Nazimova] is coming back to tell the story of her life by directing the film version … and the film is an immersive part of her life. … That’s where it all came together,” Nordlinger says.
“Garden of Alla” premieres on July 7 at Theatre West in Hollywood Hills, and performances take place every weekend until July 23.
“Her fame was comparable to somebody like a Madonna or Lady Gaga of her time – meteoric,” says playwright Romy Nordlinger. Credit: David Wayne Fox.