PLUNGE

 , &ldquo,Water is a vivid metaphor in Los Angeles. We live in a desert beside an ocean, an existence of simultaneous want and plenitude.  ,  ,Another, lesser-known water source inspires The Ballad of Bimini Baths, a trio of plays by local playwright Tom Jacobson. Bimini was a popular swimming and spa complex at the site of hot springs one block east of Vermont Avenue between 1st and 2nd streets, operated from 1903 to 1951.  ,  ,Jacobson makes this the nexus of a wide-ranging tale that pulls together events in L A history, some of which occurred at the baths, others not. His theme is sins in need of being washed away&mdash,racism as well as other moral failings.  ,  ,The intriguing result is being staged by three small theaters, all running different plays ranging from 55 minutes to 1½, hours.  ,  ,The final play is an inspiring tale of people working together to try to redeem the past and re-chart the future. The first two, though, take on disturbing topics that can be difficult to watch and aren&rsquo,t easily resolved in brief, short-story-like formats&hellip,  ,  ,Jacobson&rsquo,s fascination with mercurial/chameleonic human nature&mdash,seen in such plays as TAINTED BLOOD, OUROBOROS and THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY WAY&mdash,takes daring forms in these first two Bimini plays.  ,  ,The introductory piece, PLUNGE, introduces [Everett C] Maxwell [a historical figure