About the Project

“Burn Scar: A Comedy of Catastrophic Proportions”

Winter 2024 brought a hopelessness I’d never felt before: endless news of war, disaster, cruelty and a presidential election that left the country so intractably divided it seemed we’d never find a way forward. Overwhelmed and powerless, I decided that all I could do was focus on my own life, family, and work and I was determined to enter 2025 with brio.

But one week into that brand New Year – on the morning of Jan 7 – I smelled smoke.

I grabbed a go-bag, my dogs and all the underwear in the house, then spent 3 hours in traffic with 30,000 other evacuees escaping the largest fire in Los Angeles history.

What followed was a string of Airbnb’s with couches that all seemed to be stained in the same place, a deep dive into the wine selection at Trader Joe’s and exposure to insurance fuckery of such epic proportions that it seemed a perfect mirror to the ascendance of cruelty we’re seeing in the greater American landscape.

“Surviving having survived” was its own devastation – manmade, corporate, systemic.

In its face, I became hypervigilant and cynical.

I hardened.

So when I learned “burn scar” means earth that’s been scorched by fire and become hard, brittle and impenetrable, I thought: “Yep, that’s me.”

Until a single encounter changed everything.

And I won’t give it away here, but let me just say that it cracked my heart wode open, and prompted me to have a t-shirt printed that says:

“I went to a disaster and all I got was renewed faith in humanity.” 

Written & performed by Christine Dunford

At Theatre of Note: 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd  90028

June 4 at 7:15pm  /  June 13 at 4:00 pm   /  June 20 at 7:30pm

  Run-time: 55 minutes

*The theater has wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms

**Content warning: While this is a dark comedy, the subject matter is serious and features photos and film clips of the Palisades fire. This may be upsetting to some audience members, and the show may not be suitable for people under the age of 14.

*OUR RUN IS COMPLETE!

LINKS TO PRESS REVIEWS:

TO THE PRESS & REVIEWERS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SEE & WRITE ABOUT BURN SCAR:

Thank you for helping other people find their way in.

Coverage like yours is what turns a Fringe run into something that travels beyond its original walls. 

TO OUR AMAZING AUDIENCES:

This show exists because you showed up — and then kept showing up.

To every audience member who brought their full selves into the theater: thank you.

Your laughter, your silence, your willingness to be sit in an experience at once painful and funny is everything.

 

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES / BURN SCAR NEWS…

If Burn Scar has new dates, a longer run, or moves to another theater and you’d like to know, click this link to leave your email address (it will only be used to send BURN SCAR updates):

https://bit.ly/4vyye0b

I’ll also be posting any info on Instagram – You can find me at @dunfordla

THANK YOU!!!!