Drama / 2m, 4f Based on police case-files, Beachwood Drive is a smart, character-driven drama that tells the story of Nadya, a Ukrainian prostitute and single mother smuggled into Los Angeles. Nadya attempts to free herself from the snares of both the Russian Mafia and the Los Angeles Police Department after she's arrested in a sting operation. The mystery of Nadya's disappearance unfolds Rashomon-style, as the story is retold from four different perspectives: first, that of Hansonia, Nadya's African-American novelist neighbor who baby sits Nadya's 10 year-old daughter; the story gets re-imagined through the eyes of Rocky, Nadya's Native-American client, a meat-packer and family man from El Monte, grappling with an identity crisis; Crowell, a crusty vice detective with literary aspirations has his take; and finally, there's the angle of Vera, the Russian woman running the prostitution ring who is both protector and monster. Before its New York premiere, Beachwood Drive was invited to perform in the Lublin International Theatre Festival, it was also developed in Los Angeles by Playwrights Arena and Theatre of NOTE, with the assistance of the LAPD and the U.S. Department of Justice. It's an unflinching, erudite and dramatic look at slavery in its many forms. In New York, it triggered vigorous discussions from organizations opposing human trafficking and rights abuses. "...intelligent...[a] theatrical presentation of human connection in the digital age...mines the strange dynamics of unexpected pairings...Lena Starostina is just the right mix of beautiful and faded - her stillness sets her apart: at times it reads like fierce self possession, at others like a consuming loneliness...compelling and mysterious..." - The New York Times
