Fugard Makes La Jolla His New Theatrical Home : Stage: The American premiere of ‘Playland’ will be the third of his plays he has directed there in the last three years.

If ever there was a sign that Athol Fugard, often called the conscience of white South Africa, has found a new American home, this is it: Fugard will direct the American premiere of “Playland,” his newest play, at the La Jolla Playhouse, where it will become the third Fugard play to be directed there by him in as many years.

“I’ve had two experiences (at the La Jolla Playhouse), and God knows I can’t think of a place with a richer, more supportive feeling and compassion for the business of theater,” Fugard said. “I’ve been more than happy at the Playhouse, where they are just so incredibly supportive and committed to the sort of theater that I’m interested in. I’m very, very grateful for their presence in my life.”

For many years, Fugard made his American home at Yale, where Lloyd Richards was dean of the university’s drama department as well as artistic director of the Yale Repertory Theatre. Richards staged a lot of the South African playwright’s work himself and was instrumental in introducing Fugard to American audiences. But Richards retired from both positions last July, and Fugard has been looking for another home.

Speaking on the phone during a rehearsal break at the Manhattan Theatre Club, where the playwright-director-actor is directing a revival of his 1969 play, “Boesman and Lena,” Fugard said he had progressed enough in his first draft of “Playland” to offer its American premiere to Des McAnuff, artistic director of the Playhouse.

“Des McAnuff said, very wonderfully, ‘You have the same slot you had as last time. I’ve got a commitment to present this work in September-October next year.’ ”

Some writers are completely different in life from what they seem through their work. Not Fugard. A deeply compassionate man who always digs down to the wounded heart of his people, his conversation is filled with appreciation for the theater and for his artistic collaborators. Never mind that he is pegged as someone who might win a Nobel Prize some day. He is grateful for the kindness of others who welcome his work and never alludes to the fact that those others might be just as thrilled to be working with him.

Fugard said he was not ready to divulge the plot of “Playland,” which will have its world premiere at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, where Fugard usually premieres his plays. But he did reveal that it is a two-character play, set in contemporary South Africa, with one white character and one black.

“The play is about the politics of the relationship as well as that of the society,” he said.

The black character will be played by his old friend, Zakes Mokae, with whom he has worked for 30 years. He has not yet cast the part of the white man. Longtime friend Susan Hilferty, who independently also has a long association with the Playhouse, will design the sets.

The subject, he said, is “as relevant to the South African reality at this point in time as ‘My Children! My Africa!’ was. And I can only hope that it will be accepted the way that ‘My Children! My Africa!’ was and that it will resonate for people outside the South African experience as well.”

Because Fugard only writes in his beloved South Africa, he does not plan to resume work on the play until “Boesman and Lena” opens in New York on Jan. 22 and he can fly back to New Bethesda, a remote village where he maintains one of two homes.

There, he plans to sit with blank paper, a bottle of ink and his favorite fountain pen in his quiet room and resume the “scary” task of creating--a process that still unnerves him, even after turning out a play every other year for 34 years.

“I’m traumatized, always traumatized whenever I do a new work. My writing is the most truthful aspect of my life. It’s me in the way nothing else about me is me. More than my face.”

Fugard, who was born June 11, 1932, said this play has “an added significance” for him: “It’s my 60th birthday present to myself.”