TV Refugees Replenished on Stage : Theater: American Renegade’s ‘Picnic’ and ‘Fourplay’ give actors a chance to play for a live audience.

There’s little or no money to be made in the world of small theater in Los Angeles. Why do they do it--the actors, directors and playwrights who populate a theater scene that is sometimes busier than New York’s?

Some of them are hoping Los Angeles will someday be another London, where the money is made in TV and movies during the day, and the soul is rekindled in theater at night.

That’s the story at American Renegade Theatre in North Hollywood, where the experimental Stage 2 opened last week with a set of four one-acts under the umbrella title “Fourplay” and where the group’s mainstage theater made its debut last night with William Inge’s classic drama “Picnic.”

The people at the core of Renegade allow their work before the camera to enable them to play before the alive audience they love.

“Picnic” is directed by David Cox, who formed the company with partners Scott Geyer and Elizabeth Meads, and who is producing a new film with Sally Kirkland, due for release in 1992. One of the “Fourplay” playwrights, company member Scott Williams, is also artistic director of the Most Excellent Theatre Company in West Hollywood and earns his bread as a television and commercial actor.

Directing three of the “Fourplay” one-acts--Jeffrey Hatcher’s “Downtown,” Murphy Guyer’s “The Interrogation” and Williams’ “Bat Heads”--is actor-screenwriter David Alexander, who comes from the Pacific Northwest. There he appeared in his own television show and headed a production company that turned out commercials and industrial films.

Actress-director Dena Dietrich, who is directing the fourth one-act, “Magic Morning in the Miracle Manor,” came to the group through mutual friends and says she’s found a home. Probably most familiar as TV commercial favorite Mother Nature, Dietrich has been a regular on five television series and appeared with Colleen Dewhurst in the movie-of-the-week “Baby Comes Home.” Her background, though, is on the stage; she’s appeared in eight Broadway productions, including Neil Simon’s “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” with Lee Grant.

Dietrich perhaps best explains the attraction of the Renegade complex for the professional who still likes the sound of applause. “Being a New York person,” she says, “who will always, in my off time, do theater work, acting or directing, I’d like to be involved in this group because my dream has always been to have a repertory company, people that mesh together, that get to know each other’s style.

“Everybody here, all the people, are absolutely dedicated to what they’re doing. I just got caught up in it. Before I knew it, I raised my hand and said, ‘Yes, I’ll direct that.’

“A lot of actors come out here from New York and they don’t want to be bothered anymore with having to do some hard work. Let’s face it, television is so easy. You don’t have any blood, sweat and tears. I know many wonderful actors who won’t go near the stage. I’m a theater person. I’ve done nothing but television and film for the past 16 years. I’ve made a great deal of money, but after a while your brain gets frizzled. You really want something where you have to put your heart and soul into it. That’s what I’m doing here.

“I’m a stage baby. It sounds corny, I know, but it’s just the way I feel. I’m here because of David Cox. He sets a goal, and nothing will deter him. He sweeps all obstacles out of the way.”

Cox, 54, is another stage baby. He’s been doing theater since he got the bug at 19. “While I was working at ABC in New York, I got involved with off-off-Broadway when it first got started, at Cafe Cino, directing and acting in my own plays. I’ve been at it ever since.”

He migrated to Los Angeles 14 years ago. “I started to see a lot of theater out here, but not a lot of good theater. I studied with Sanford Meisner in New York, and I started to teach that here. I just wasn’t seeing real ‘happening’ theater. I decided if you can’t find it, do it, that’s all. That was my thinking.”

In the early ‘70s, Cox was also founder and, for three seasons, artistic director of the Brandon Playhouse in Brandon, Vt. In 1987, he founded the Alliance Theatre Company, still operating in Burbank, and directed its one-act play festival and an original work called “Up Cat Creek.” It was through “Up Cat Creek” that Cox met screenwriter Tim O’Mally and began putting together the production machinery for the Kirkland film, “The Tallulah Trials.”

He then sold his interest in Alliance to form Renegade. People had told him there was a wonderful space available, and, he says, “One day I drove by and said, ‘Hey, I don’t know if I can make this happen, but I’m going to try.’ ”

The legal steps necessary for the certificate of occupancy and the thorough renovation of the building and its three theaters (including a tiny space that will be used for classes) have been ongoing since May. Renegade seems to be digging in for a long stay.

Scott Williams, whose “Bat Heads” is one-quarter of “Fourplay,” moved here from New York two years ago. A year later he found Cox and his theater company and was drawn in as an actor, he says. Then company members suggested that he try writing, and under Cox’s inspiration he formed his West Hollywood company. “We put up a couple of my pieces, and I got to test out my stuff. It was pretty well-received.”

Renegade asked him to bring his “Bat Heads” into its first Stage 2 production. “I’m making my living now as an actor, which I was never able to do in New York. I was in New York for nine years, but out here I’m doing all right.” Besides plays, he’s writing screenplays. “I want to be able to do both,” he says, “to juggle both balls.”

David Alexander, who is directing three of the one-acts, felt the same magnetic pull of theater when he saw Cox’s production of “Up Cat Creek.”

“I came down here with no idea of being involved in theater whatsoever. But if that’s where your roots are, it seems you’ll always come back to it. I think it takes a special kind of person to do nothing but film. I did the television show and produced the commercials for money. I enjoyed it, but give me a live audience, that’s what I want.”

Cox nods vigorously. “Instant gratification.”

Alexander laughs. “It’s like the old bit: ‘My uncle’s got a barn, let’s put on a show.’ We’re all kids.”

Opening Renegade’s mainstage with Inge’s “Picnic” seems like a safe choice, but Cox and his board chose it, he says, “because it’s never been done as I thought it should be done.” He says, “We wanted to start off with a piece that would involve the community. If they’ve heard of ‘Picnic’ they’d come to see it, and at the same time we could be experimental enough with it that it would be interesting.”

David Alexander turns to Cox with another chuckle. “I thought you hit it pretty well when I asked you what your approach to ‘Picnic’ was, and you said, ‘without ants.’ ”

“Picnic” plays on American Renegade Theatre’s main stage at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, through Nov. 10. Tickets: $10 to $15. “Fourplay” runs on Stage 2 at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through Oct. 26. American Renegade Theatre is located at 11305 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Reservations and information for “Picnic” (818) 763-4430; for “Fourplay” (818) 505-6579.