Stepping onto the stage at Theatre 40 for the world premiere of Russell Brown's play Listing has been an incredible journey. Nestled in Beverly Hills, Theatre 40 was the perfect backdrop for a story that digs deep into the soul of Los Angeles — its real estate, its history, and the perpetual clash between preserving the past and pushing toward the future.
What Listing Is All About
At its heart, Listing revolves around Grace House — a 1925 modernist architectural masterpiece — and the complex web of human desires surrounding it. The story follows Raymond, an architect-turned-real-estate agent whose professional admiration for the house gradually becomes an obsession to protect it from development and demolition.
When the house's owner unexpectedly passes away and her heir drops a non-alteration rider for a quick sale, chaos ensues. The play tackles high-stakes dilemmas that feel urgently relevant to anyone living in Los Angeles today:
Preservation vs. Profit
How far should someone go to protect an architectural legacy?
Social and Systemic Issues
The collision between housing opportunity, privilege, and historical preservation.
Past and Present
Flashbacks to 1925 that reveal the dark, dramatic history behind the house's creation.
My Role and Personal Experience
Playing Andre, I had to live out the old adage: the show must go on. I was navigating a deeply personal chapter — losing my house in the Altadena fires — while showing up every night as the professional actor I had trained my entire life to be. That tension, rather than working against me, became fuel. One of my favorite moments on stage was the freedom to channel real emotion into a make-believe world. That's the gift theater gives you that no other medium quite replicates.
Working with the Cast and Team
Under the direction of Tom Lazarus, our cast and crew brought a complex mix of drama, dialectics, and even subtle supernatural elements to life. Sharing the stage with such a talented ensemble made every performance dynamic and fresh. The audience responses throughout our run showed just how deeply these themes resonate with people living in a city that is constantly balancing its past against its future.
"all terrific"
— StageScene LA
Final Thoughts
Being part of a world premiere is always a special experience. Shaping a character for the very first time — giving voice to a new script, finding the life inside words that have never been spoken on a stage before — is what theater is all about. Listing reminded me why I do this work.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support Listing at Theatre 40. Your energy in that room meant everything.
— Tamir Yardenne