What is Presence? Do you look at children and wonder where that freedom went? Do you sometimes forget to breathe? Do you sense a fuller response wanting expression onstage but your body doesn't seem to quite know what to do? Is your voice connected to your body? Are your thoughts connected to both?
Perhaps a more physical based approach to the craft of performance would be the necessary foundation for you to collect, hone and release your experiences, perceptions and imagination into the artistic dynamo you know is percolating inside you.
With clear and practical application of the later investigations of Stanislavsky's Method of Physical Actions alongside the current adaptations of Jerzy Grotowski's research, these foundational work sessions offer actors, dancers and performing artists to investigate the technique of coordinating breath, body and voice with the freedom of being alive in the moment of performance.
"Spontaneity and discipline, far from weakening each other, mutually reinforce themselves…to become the real source of acting that glows. This lesson was neither understood by Stanislavsky, who let natural impulses dominate, nor by Brecht, who gave too much emphasis to the construction of a role." – Grotowski
FREEDOM BOUND: foundational worksessions towards your own physical approach to the performance craft Mondays 2 - 4pm [via]Corpora 6575 Santa Monica Blvd. $20
CONTACT: bryan@viacorpora.com, or call 213-249-1690.
BRYAN BROWN has studied physical theater extensively in New York City, Europe, and Los Angeles. His latest reconnaissance was 6 weeks in Wroclaw, Poland intensely working with instructors gathered by the Grotowski Institute as well as a profound worksession with Song of Goat (teatr Piesn Kozla). For almost a decade, Bryan has researched with various physical theater investigators including Stephen Wangh and Raina von Waldenburg, Shinichi Iova-Koga, Mary Overlie and other Viewpoints practitioners, the members of Odin Teatret, Commedia dell'Arte instructors, Contact Dance originators, as well as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The deepest application has been the process of creating, leading and learning with various experimental ensembles.
http://opentrench.blogspot.com/2007/10/now-playing.html
TWO AUTUMN EVENTS!
ONE NIGHT ONLY:
Reading From his Memoir, OPEN TRENCH--the inspiration for the Blog--one night only! Selections include “Whatever Happened to Cousin Mickey?” and “Mexicrap” Wednesday, NOVEMBER 7 @ 7:30 @ A Different Light Bookstore 8853 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA Part of THE PROMISING SERIES
A Different Light Bookstore
Event Location
***AND***
PISS PLAY IS ABOUT MINORITIES SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
--A Short play (along with three even shorter plays)
The Arts Council must pick one lucky recipient to win the big funding prize! Who will it be? This farce of urinary proportions sends up the ridiculous nature of arts funding and who actually gets the cash. Run by two self-involved nuts that put three applicants through the paces for the booty, only one hopeful has the courage to steel his nerve and drop trou and give what is greatly desired: A tasty stream of volatile, minority piss. This nasty farce, with its heart in its kidneys, is sure to tickle even the most politically correct.
November 1- November 18 Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8, Sundays @ 3 @ West Coast Ensemble 2106 Hyperion Avenue, Silverlake, CA
West Coast Ensemble
Location of Event WINTER WONDERETTES! In WINTER WONDERETTES,The Marvelous Wonderettes create a '60s Holiday party as only the Wonderettes can! This sequel, set six months after the end of "The Marvlous Wonderettes," find our girls returning to their hometown for a Holiday celebration with their family and friends, complete with great Wonderette renditions of '60s holiday tunes! This lively mix of rockin' holiday hits and standards will have new fans and old dancing in the aisles with the perfect show to celebrate this most "Marvelous" time of the year! And to find out how the "Wonderette" saga ends... WINTER WONDERETTES is only playing for 5 WEEKS ONLY - NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 31 and will sell out! But since you have already purchased tickets to THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, we wanted to make you a special offer! If you buy your tickets between now and November 7 - we will give you the "Suzy" discount of $5.00 off per ticket - BUT HURRY! This offer ends on November 7! THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES will continue at the El Portal through November 16 and WINTER WONDERETTES will begin on November 23 - but don't worry - THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES will return to the theatre - just after the first of the year prior to opening this spring Off-Broadway!
____________________________________________________________________________ ***NOW PLAYING***
NOT TO BE MISSED!! jr
Danny & The DeepBlueSea (Drama)
Runs Fri, Apr 20 – Sat, Sep 01 Fri & Sat 8 pm
Tickets ($20.00) for all shows Running time: 70 minutes. There will be an intermission. Nudity and non-tobacco herbal cigarettes.
Elephant Performance Lab 6324 Santa Monica Blvd. Enter at 1078 No. Lillian Way Los Angeles, CA 90038 Ample Street Parking
Reservations: (323) 960-7753 EXTENDED AGAIN!!!
The performers gorgeously conjure the sudden weightless astonishment of finding themselves attached to each other." -- LOS ANGELES TIMES CRITIC'S CHOICE " A MUST SEE!
Live-Wire Performances. The art and craft of being....volatile intimacy... impressive technique...defining their roles with precision" --LA WEEKLY GO! Critic's Choice
DeWeldon's performance is wonderfully layered, peeling Danny's years of hurt away quite painfully. Dir's Roberta is filled not only with loneliness but also with unfathomable guilt, which she shares for the first time, with Danny. Dir gives Roberta many different dimensions. -- BACKSTAGE WEST CRITIC'S CHOICE
The largest theatre collaboration in US History NOW PLAYING here in Los Angeles.
365 Days 365 Plays by Suzan-Lori Parks
50 theatre organizations will participate in this year round festival collaborating together from November 13, 2006 to November 12, 2007! For more information about 365 Days 365 Plays visit www.365inLA.com National Site: http://www.365days365plays.com/
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Office of the Mayor City of Los Angeles ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Janelle Erickson April 16, 2007 (213) 978-0741
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA SELECTS OLGA GARAY TO HEAD DEPARTMENT OF CULTURALAFFAIRS
Internationally renowned arts leader nominated for DCA General Manager, as City embarks on reassessment of its cultural master plan
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today nominated Olga Garay to serve as the City's next General Manager of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
"I am thrilled to put forth such a visionary and inspiring leader as Olga Garay to head up the Department of Cultural Affairs," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "An internationally recognized dynamo, Olga will bring just the right mix of vision, knowledge and creativity that Los Angeles needs as we reaffirm our commitment to making this the arts and culture capital of the country."
"This appointment should send a strong message to all Angelenos that we are ready to move forward quickly to build support around the arts, which are integral to our quality of life in Los Angeles."
With more than 20 years in the field, Garay comes to Los Angeles with a breadth of hands-on experience in the performing and visual arts, as a performing arts curator and grants program officer in the public sector and at a major foundation.
As Program Director for the Arts for eight years at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation - one of the country's largest performing arts donors with $1.8 billion in assets - Garay planned, designed and managed the foundation's arts program.
Working closely with artists and other stakeholders in theatre, jazz, presenting and multi-disciplinary arts-training institutions, she molded the Duke arts portfolio from its inception. Garay's innovative grant programs focused on supporting artists to develop new work, plug into residency programs and work in the community. More than $145 million in grants were awarded during her tenure.
In 1984, Garay was hired by the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council to run an NEA-funded Neighborhood Arts Program and was soon promoted to Assistant Director of the council. In addition to her council duties, Garay was picked to coordinate the administration of a board appointed by the Miami mayor to plan and build what has become a $400 million performing arts center in downtown Miami.
As Director of Cultural Affairs at Miami Dade College from 1990 to 1997, she supervised three art galleries and curated a performing arts presenting program that cemented her reputation internationally. Under her watch, the program grew from an annual budget of $200,000 to more than $1.4 million. Her focus throughout her tenure was to incorporate underserved areas of the community into the arts program, while also establishing ties with artists and arts organizations in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
"I believe in infusing the arts throughout the life of every resident," Garay said. "And I think there is enormous potential for the department to galvanize the community, to engage Los Angeles' wealth of working artists, world class arts institutions and to connect our creative economy with our vibrant neighborhoods."
Since leaving the Doris Duke Foundation in 2005, Garay has served as a New York-based independent producer and performing arts consultant and is currently working with the Lincoln Center Festival to present its first major concentration of Spanish language theatre. She is also working in strategic planning for el Museo del Barrio and with several organizations such as the National Performance Network and the Maricopa County Partnership for Arts and Culture, among others.
As General Manager, Garay - pending Council confirmation - will be in charge of developing a cultural master plan for the city and overseeing a full-time staff of 64 and an annual operating budget that totaled $9.9 million in FY07.
"Olga has a lively appreciation for the arts and artists. I see her nomination as a window of opportunity for us," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "Her task here is to nurture and develop a healthy arts ecosystem, an inclusive community that recognizes and supports any array of cultures, artists, communities and opportunities in the City."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Office of the Mayor, City of Los Angeles ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2007 Contact: Janelle Erickson (213) 978-0741
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA APPOINTS AL NODAL TO THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION
Former General Manager of Cultural Affairs Department will assume new leadership role for the City of Los Angeles - As part of his ongoing efforts to promote the arts in Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa has appointed Adolfo V. Nodal for the city’s Cultural Affairs Commission. "Los Angeles is a world-class center for arts and culture, and we must continue to promote the creativity and innovation of local artists," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "Al Nodal’s unparalleled experience, commitment, and passion for the arts will ensure that the city continues to rise in status as the country’s cultural, arts, and entertainment capital." Nodal served as General Manager of L.A.’s Cultural Affairs Department from 1988 to 2001 and is considered a national leader in the fields of multicultural arts development and arts administration. "Al Nodal loves Los Angeles, and he loves our artistic community for the myriad ways that they interpret and celebrate our great city," said City Council President Eric Garcetti. "His contributions to the Cultural Affairs Department have yet to be matched by anyone, and it’s terrific that he’s returning as a commissioner to guide the city’s nurturing of its arts." The Cultural Affairs Commission approves the design of structures built on public property and acquires works of art for the city. It also supports the contributions of local artists through the Los Angeles Endowment for the Arts and oversees community arts centers and after-school arts education activities. Nodal’s appointment must be confirmed by the City Council. ADOLFO V. NODAL BIOGRAPHY Adolfo V. Nodal currently works as Project General Manager for the Annenberg Foundation and oversees the Not A Cornfield project and the construction of other public art projects downtown. He also contributes to the cultural development and political evolution of his native Cuba, serving as president of the Cuba Culture Foundation and organizing cultural, humanitarian and religious missions to his native country. Nodal served as General Manager of the City of Los Angeles’ Cultural Affairs Department from 1988 to 2001, where he helped establish the city’s Endowment for the Arts and developed comprehensive arts and cultural heritage master plans. Prior to his position in city government, Nodal worked as executive director of several contemporary arts institutions across the country including the Washington Project for the Arts in Washington, DC, the Otis Parsons School of Art Exhibition Center in Los Angeles and the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. Nodal received a bachelor’s degree in Art from Florida State University in Tallahassee in 1972 and earned a master’s degree in Contemporary Art from California State University at San Francisco.
*****************
Arts Action Alert - President's Budget Released Arts for LA, an affiliate of Americans for the Arts, urges you to participate in this urgent action alert. Read below for details. After you take action, invite others in your address book to do the same. Danielle
President Bush today sent his FY 2008 budget request to Congress, beginning the yearly appropriations process for the nation’s cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Office of Museum Services (OMS), Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and the Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs. We urge you to write your Members of Congress and tell them to support increased funding for the nation’s arts programs.
For the first time in three years, the President has initiated a proposed increase of 3.2 percent for the NEA, which would bring it to a total of $128.4 million. The Administration’s request for an increase is its first since 2005, and therefore is a step in the right direction. Moreover, it comes in the wake of strong signals from both parties in Congress that a funding increase is needed. Nevertheless, our government is significantly under-investing in the NEA, which used to receive much greater funding: in fact, in 1992, the NEA received $176 million. Americans for the Arts urges Congress to return NEA funding to its former level as quickly as possible.
The President asked for a 1.4 percent increase for the NEH, to $143 million. An increase of this size would not make up for the effects of inflation.
For the seventh consecutive year, the President’s budget has eliminated funding for the Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs, which include funding for model arts programs and collaborations with schools, teacher professional development, and arts programs for at-risk youth. Americans for theArts President and CEO Robert Lynch responded to the Administration's budget request with the following statement:
"It disappointing to see the Administration propose zeroing out funding for the seventh consecutive year to the Department of Education’s arts education programs. One of the best ways to nurture creativity, a necessity to prepare for a 21st-century workforce, is to have children learn and actively participate in the arts. The Administration needs to understand the role of arts education in developing an innovative and creative society. Studies show that students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to participate in a math and science fair but also out-perform their peers on the SATs by 103 points."
Also, the FY 2008 budget request calls for a cut of $50 million in already-approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). As a trusted community resource, CPB uses the power of noncommercial television and radio to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services.
Finally, and on a very positive note, the President requested a funding boost of over $8 million for the Office of Museum Services, bringing the amount of funding available for grants to $40 million. A breakdown of the President’s budget request is as follows:
Federally Funded Arts Program
FY07 Spending* (in millions)
President’s Request FY07 (in millions)
National Endowment for the Arts $124.41
$128.4
National Endowment for the Humanities $141
$143
Office of Museum Services within IMLS $31.8
$40.4
U.S. Dept. of Education’s Arts in Ed $35.3
$0
Corporation for Public Broadcasting $400
$350
* FY07 funds, while not finalized, are expected to be set at FY06 levels.
As you know, the President’s budget is the first step in the appropriations process. While it serves as an important framework, Congress has the power to set its own priorities and change these funding levels. That’s where you come in.
Arts advocates can make their voices heard by writing their Members of Congress and urging them to increase funding for arts and culture and restore funding for arts in education programs. We have provided you with a customizable letter to send to your Members of Congress, as well as several talking points to help you craft your message. We recommend you add your own thoughts and stories about why the arts are important to you and your community. We also encourage you to join us in Washington, DC forArts Advocacy Day 2007, March 12-13, 2007. You’ll have the opportunity to visit your Members of Congress face-to-face and urge them to support the arts.
If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Sparks, Manager of Government and Public Affairs, at nsparks@artsusa.org. Thank you for your continued support of the arts!
***************** President Bush Nominates Six New Members to National Council on the Arts Includes two LA County residents
President George W. Bush has announced his intent to nominate six new members to serve on the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts. The nominations will be sent to the Senate when it reconvenes later this month. The appointments are:
Ben Donenberg, theater producer and arts educator, Los Angeles, CA Chico Hamilton, NEA Jazz Master percussionist, New York, NY; Joan Israelite, local arts agency executive, Lee's Summit, MO; Charlotte Kessler, arts patron, New Albany, OH; Bret Lott, author, Baton Rouge, LA; Frank Price, film industry executive, Pacific Palisades, CA.
"The National Council on the Arts provides important and invaluable advice and counsel to the Arts Endowment," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "The President has appointed a group of artists and patrons who bring the passion, expertise, and commitment necessary to perform this duty on behalf of the American people. The entire NEA staff looks forward to working with all of our new Council members."
For the complete release, please go to http://www.arts.gov/news/news06/CouncilNominees.html
*********
For immediate release: Monday, November 6, 2006
Study on how California artists manage for-profit, nonprofit, and community work
Where: Report available online at http://www.hhh.umn.edu/projects/prie/crossover.html
Who: Ann Markusen, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 218-644-3615(office) 218-591-9105 (cell) Contact: Jamie Proulx, Humphrey Institute, 612-625-9436
NEW STUDY SHOWS HOW CALIFORNIA ARTISTS BUILD CAREERS IN THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY
California artists move fluidly among commercial, nonprofit, and community sectors despite formidable barriers, finds a new study from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Artists' ability to "cross over" is a major stimulant to regional economic activity and the quality of life. The study was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, and Leveraging Investments in Creativity.
The study, "Crossover: How Artists Build Careers across Commercial, Nonprofit, and Community Work," reports how artists develop successful cross-sectoral careers in ways little understood by employers, funders, and policymakers. "Crossover" includes in-depth interviews and data from a web-based survey of Los Angeles- and San Francisco Bay-area musicians, writers, performing, and visual artists. More than 100,000 artists work in the two metros. Along with New York, the two California regions support more artists per capita than the nation's other large metropolitan areas.
Even though crossover is quite pervasive among artists, artists on average earn more arts income for time spent in commercial work than they do in nonprofit or community work. If money were not an issue, artists would cross over even more than they currently do, according to the report. Many full-time commercial artists would work more hours in the nonprofit and community sectors while others would increase their for-profit efforts. Many more would engage in community artwork.
"This demonstrates that the barriers between sectors remain high," said Ann Markusen, Humphrey Institute professor and chief author. "Employers, arts organizations, and artists themselves persist in prejudices and practices that hamper synergy."
Artists credit each sector with distinctive career growth opportunities. For-profit work raises their visibility, deepens networks and understanding of professional conventions, and generates higher financial returns. Nonprofit work helps artists explore new media and collaborate across disciplines, as well as offering greater aesthetic and emotional satisfaction. Community work ranks highest for affirming cultural identity, pursuing political and social justice goals, and enriching community life.
"Identifying the extent of 'crossover' is key to understanding the dividends that artists-as core cultural workers-generate for the entire economy," concludes Markusen. "Artists are ntrepreneurs with very high rates of self-employment and great agility in making career changes. Their activities help explain the resiliency of two California regions in the face of structural upheavals in commercial sectors." The study addresses how employers, schools, service organizations, funders, the media, government, arts advocacy groups, and artists themselves can encourage crossover.
"The arts sector needs to build the kind of relationships we see in high-tech or medicine," said Markusen, "where industry, nonprofit research and advocacy groups, government, and training institutions work together to enhance societal and economic impact."
The complete study includes profiles of several dozen artists and can be found online at www.hhh.umn.edu/projects/prie. To order copies, contact Katherine Murphy at 612-626-1074 or kmurp@umn.edu.
**********
Participation in Arts, Society Linked The Associated Press (From Washington Post) Wednesday, November 1, 2006; 2:29 PM
WASHINGTON -- People who participate in the arts, even if only reading literature, are twice as likely to volunteer in their communities as those who don't, according to a new study released Wednesday.
The study by the National Endowment for the Arts is the first to measure the connection between arts and civic engagement. It found that 51 percent of people who regularly visited art museums, plays or concerts also did volunteer work, compared 19 percent of the non-attendees.
Literary readers also were active in their communities, with 43 percent volunteering compared to 16.4 percent of nonreaders.
"Healthy communities depend on active and involved citizens," said Dana Gioia, who chairs the NEA. "The arts play an irreplaceable role in producing both those citizens and those communities."
The report was based on information from the 2002 NEA Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, which interviewed 17,135 people age 18 and older about their activities in a 12-month period.
It also found: _Readers and arts participants exercise at nearly twice the rate of those who don't. They also are more likely to engage in outdoor activities such as camping, hiking or canoeing.
_Literary reading among younger adults has dropped dramatically. While adults aged 18 to 34 had the highest reading rate among all adult age categories in 1982, today they have the lowest rate among adults under 65.
_Performing arts attendance by young adults is waning. For example, nearly 16 percent of young adults attended a jazz concert in 1982, but by 2002 this rate dropped to less than 11 percent.
"A red flag in this report is that many younger Americans are surrendering these valuable engagements," said Jonathan Katz, CEO of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, in the report.
"It will be the job of everyone, not just the arts sector, to win them back to the arts, back to education, and back to civic activity," he said.
On the Net the study can be found at:
http://www.arts.gov/pub/CivicEngagement.pdf
|