CalArts School of Theater and Institute welcomes Alice Tuan

Posted February 8, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

CalArts School of Theater and Institute welcomes

the New Head of Writing for Performance

Alice Tuan

with a reading of Tuan’s play

Hit

Thursday, February 11 at 5pm

The Coffeehouse Theater

with reception following

Originally commissioned by The Public Theater, Hit is a severely contemporary play about Los Angeles.  Mank, an out-of-towner, hits Korean adoptee Kim in a car accident and gets pulled into her perverse world.  Caution:  This play is not for squeamish people with weak stomachs.

Directed by Robert Cucuzza (MFA 2, writer/director Hellzapoppin’)
Produced by Ashley S. Walden (MFA2)

with MFA and BFA actors
Jenny Greer
Matt Valladares
Gabriela Trigo-McIntyre
Evan Hyde
Tatiana Williams

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South Africa Cultural Arts Exchange

Posted February 8, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

We are seeking a group (male and female) of dynamic actors, dancers, and singers to join Dr. Shondrika Moss-Bouldin in South Africa for a unique collaboration this fall 2010.

(Must be 18 years old by September 2010)

Dr. Moss-Bouldin is an Off-Broadway producer, director and choreographer who received her PhD in Performance from Northwestern University. Currently, she is creating a piece based on women of color and their everyday experiences with HIV/AIDS. We invite you to be part of this theatre for social change.

The personal costs to each artist will average about $6000 (Airfare, housing, administrative fees, food, and vaccinations).

An interested candidate should send a resume, head shot, and 2-minute video of his/her talents to casting@soulploitation.com by March 1, 2010.

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An Evening with Anna Deavere Smith: Stories from the Front Lines of Care

Posted February 8, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m.

The California Endowment’s
Center for Healthy Communities
1000 N. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

A director of a South African orphanage comforts a teen infected with AIDS. A doctor in a New Orleans public hospital evacuates patients after Hurricane Katrina. Lance Armstrong and Gov. Ann Richards battle cancer. These are just a few of the stories Anna Deavere Smith brings to life in her new, acclaimed one-woman play, Let Me Down Easy, a collection of firsthand accounts of health care from those who have experienced it most intimately. Join us as Smith—playwright, actress, New York University professor and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient—performs excerpts from Let Me Down Easy and discusses what the project taught her about health, mortality, the human body and the care we give it.

Click here to R.S.V.P.
http://www.calendow.org/Article.aspx?id=2680

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Congratulations to our LADCC Awards Nominees

Posted February 7, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

CalArtians are well represented by nominations for the LADCC awards for 2009:

Featured Performance

  • Hugo Armstrong (BFA 98 acting) in ”Land of the Tigers,” The Sacred Fools Theater Company & Burglars of Hamm in association with Frantic Redhead Productions at Sacred Fools Theater

Lighting Design

  • Lap-Chi Chu (Faculty) for “Our Mother’s Brief Affair,” South Coast Repertory
  • Dan Weingarten (MFA 05 Lighting Design), “Stranger,” Bootleg Theater

Musical Direction

  • David O (aka David Ossmann, BFA 92 Theater) for Musical Direction of The Wasps , The Lost Studio

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre for the year 2009.  The 41st Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awardsceremony will take place on Monday, March 22 at the Colony Theatre, thanks to the generous donation of the Colony’s management.  The theatre is located at 555 N. Third Street, in Burbank.    The doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a catered reception (with no-host bar) and silent auction.  The show commences at 7:30 p.m. Click here to reserve tickets to the awards.

The show will be hosted by L.A. theatre favorite Jason Graae (recipient of the 2007 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre) who will be joined by everyone’s favorite LADCC Awards co-host, critic Wenzel Jones.  Performing at the event, in addition to Mr. Graae, will be the cast ofLife Could Be A Dream (3 nominations, including production).  Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

Awards will be given in twenty categories, honoring excellence in theatre over the past year.  Eight special awards will also be given, including an award honoring Kirk Douglas for his lifetime contribution to Los Angeles theatre; and the new Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction, sponsored by Katselas Theatre Company.  The LADCC is grateful to the organizations who have graciously agreed to sponsor some of our special awards this year.

See the special award recipients and nominees >

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24th Street Theatre is hiring an Arts Administrator

Posted February 6, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

24th Street Theatre, a reputable, bustling, mid-sized arts organization and one of LA’s premiere 99-seat theatres working both locally and internationally in theatre, education, and community outreach, seeks an experienced bi-lingual Arts Administrator.

JOB DESCRIPTION

This is a permanent position averaging about 20-30 hrs per week on weekday afternoons with occasional evenings and weekends, with the potential of becoming a FT position. This is an ideal position for a motivated self-starter who is interested in pursuing a career in Arts Administration, non-profit management, or theatrical producing. The Administrator provides support to the Executive Director, Artistic Director, Executive Assistant, Grants Manager and other 24th Street staff in the day-to-day operations of the theatre. This position is at the core of the organization and interfaces directly with the public, board members, artists, politicians, arts and community leaders, in addition to regular interaction with our immediate neighbors in North University Park. Pay is $15 per hr. with vacation time and other perks.

Suitable applicants must be bilingual (English/Spanish), must have strong time management skills and a proven ability to work efficiently in a busy environment. 24th Street Theatre is a dynamic working environment in which staff are expected to approach challenges with flexibility and creativity. Ideal candidates are highly motivated, highly organized, and possess a ‘can-do’ attitude with an unwavering desire to solve problems and improve upon any situation into which they enter.

RESPONSIBILITIES include:

* Handling incoming and outgoing correspondence for the organization, including telephone, email and fax
* Creating systems for the organization
* Assisting in program administration for 24th Street’s after school program and other programs.
* Executing marketing and audience development strategies for 24th Street’s productions.
* Assisting in the preparation, documentation, and follow-through for events, classes, and other projects taking place at the theatre
* Managing box office for and during events.
* Maintaining theatre’s database
* Errands including shopping for office and event supplies
* Assisting other staff with keeping the theatre clean

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS include:

* Bilingual (Spanish and English) to serve our wide variety of constituents
* A valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle
* College Graduate and 1-3 years nonprofit administrative experience
* Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook functions and Adobe Creative Suite
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Well organized with excellent time-management skills
* Experience working with the public and children

For consideration, please email your resume and cover letter to theatre@24thstreet.org. Thank you.

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Moveable Piece Theater seeks full-length plays for Staged Readings

Posted February 5, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

Moveable Piece Theater of Los Angeles, CA seeks full-length plays for its monthly Staged Reading in a Bar series.

What we seek:
* New or under-produced scripts
* At least ~40 mins long
* To be read in the back room of a bar
* SoCal playwrights preferred
* Playwrights are requested to attend reading

What we offer:
* One night of a professional staged reading in a public bar
* Honorarium for the writer
* Staged reading marketing services (at the playwright’s discretion)
* AEA contract – actors’ expenses are covered
* Generally one to two rehearsals (up to 13 hours of rehearsal at director’s discretion)
* Script feedback/development is not the focus but professional dramaturg available at the writer’s request.
* Professional directors may be provided at writer’s discretion
* Professional actors and/or auditions will be provided

We are also seeking writer-director teams.

Please submit your full-length script via our online form (preferred):
http://www.moveablepiece.com/playwrights-get-staged-reading/
or email it to moveablepiece@gmail.com

(Plays are screened by a committee consisting of professional directors, dramaturgs and performers from Moveable Piece.)

Contact:
Eve Zappulla, Artistic Director
Moveable Piece
moveablepiece@gmail.com
www.moveablepiece.com

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Rogue Artists Ensemble seeking Video, Scenic and Puppet Designers for their newest project

Posted February 5, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

Rogue Artists Ensemble is seeking out a Conceptual Artist, Video Designer, Puppet Designer and Scenic Designer to take part in developing the world premier of HYPERBOLE: origins.

The show will be a music, movement, and mask-based exploration into the origin of all things (creation stories, invented mythology, and natural world phenomena).  Shows created by Rogue Artists Ensemble strive to expand the boundaries of theater by integrating traditional theater disciplines with modern technology including sophisticated performance and audience integration systems, digital projections and effects.

The approach to creating this new work will be highly collaborative and challenge artists to think outside the box. HYPERBOLE: origins will workshop at the University of California, Irvine in May before moving on to preview as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June with a full production slated to begin in the fall. Designers should be available to begin collaborating immediately and be available for the production during those months.  Time commitment will vary greatly throughout the production process.  This project will be a wonderful opportunity to create a truly spectacular piece of original theater and will be a showcase for design driven story-telling.

Ideal Video Designer:

Excels in working in a highly collaborative approach to creating new works

Has experience incorporating live video feeds into a production

Is fluent in the computer software Q-Lab

Has experience in collage-based media creation/ work

Has explored stop motion or object based animation or other stylized animation styles

Ideal Puppet Designer:

Excels in working in a highly collaborative approach to creating new works

Has experience creating many different puppet forms including mechanized, hand/rod, sculptural, foam/latex

Has a distinct aesthetic

Can build puppets that are easy to operate when needed, light weight and durable

Ideal Scenic Designer /Conceptual Artist:

Excels in working in a highly collaborative approach to creating new works

Strong vision and ability to draw quickly

Unique aesthetic that may incorporate non-traditional materials

Has found object/ assemblage approach

Able to incorporate video displays and is interested in multi-media storytelling approach

Has experience building a tour-able, minimalist scenic design relying on soft goods to define a space

All material costs will be paid for and a small stipend is offered. However, the real reward will be creating a truly astonishing piece of theater.

Interested parties please send resume any relevant examples of other work to:

rogue@rogueartistsensemble.org or call 213.596.9468

Additional information about Rogue Artists Ensemble

Rogue Artists Ensemble differs from many theater companies; it is a collective of multi-disciplinary artists and designers rather than by actors, writers or directors runs it.  The Rogues are known for creating their own brand of “Hyper-theater,” an innovative hybrid of theater traditions, puppetry, mask work, dance, music, and modern technology.

The Rogues Hyper-theatrically adapted Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel, The Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch, promising to “make audience members feel as though they had opened up the graphic novel and wound up trapped deep inside” – and they delivered on their promise, earning rave reviews for the company and garnering three Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards for adaptation and design.  Now, the Rogues will be prominently featured in a new book entitled “Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman“: an entire chapter is dedicated to interviews with ensemble members.

The Rogue’s recent adaptation of three Nicolai Gogol tales entitled, Gogol Project received critical and audience praise being nominated for six Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards.

More information available at www.rogueartists.org or via e-mail at rogue@rogueartists.org

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1st Annual West Coast CTI Producing Conference

Posted February 4, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

For years, the Broadway community has run workshops called the Commercial Theater Institute to provide the basics in how to produce a commercial production. I’ve gone to both their 2-1/2 day workshops and their extended 11-week program, and the networking is phenomenal. Jed Bernstein, the longtime head of the League of Broadway Producers and a terrific marketing guy initially, now heads CTI and is planning a two-day workshop out here on Friday, February 26 – February 27.

Conact Carol Bixler here at the School of Theater for Possible Discounts.

1st Annual West Coast CTI Producing Conference

February 26 – 27, 2010

AGENDA & SPEAKERS

Friday, February 26th

9:00am – 10:00am  REGISTRATION/COFFEE

10:00am – 10:15am WELCOME REMARKS

10:15am – 10:45am  WHY PRODUCE AT ALL?

10:45am – 12:00pm PRODUCTION BUDGET ANALYSIS & ROYALTY POOLS

12:00pm – 12:15pm Coffee Break I

12:15pm – 1:00pm THE CARE AND FEEDING OF INVESTORS

1:00pm – 2:15pm  Lunch On Your Own

2:15pm – 4:00pm  LEGAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCING

4:00pm – 4:15pm  Coffee Break II

4:15pm – 5:00pm  THEATRE DEVELOPMENT FROM ANOTHER MEDIUM

5:00pm – 6:30pm  Networking Reception

Saturday, February 27th

9:00am – 9:45am  ARTIST RELATIONS: HOW TO DEVELOP THE WORK

9:45am – 11:00am  TOPIC TBA

11:00am – 11:30am Coffee Break III

11:30am – 12:45pm MOVING SHOWS TO NEW YORK

12:45pm – 2:00pm Lunch On Your Own

2:00pm – 3:00pm SCRIPT AND STORY DEVELOPMENT FOR MUSICALS

3:00pm – 4:00pm FRONT EDGE THEATRICAL MARKETING TECHNIQUES PANEL

4:00pm – 4:30pm Coffee Break IV

4:30pm – 5:00pm WHAT MAKES A GOOD PRODUCER?

5:00pm – 5:15pm CLOSING REMARKS

5:15pm – 6:30pm Networking Reception

*Please note: Speakers and Topics subject to change without notice*

Speakers & Panelists

Please note: the following list represents speakers who have indicated they would like to and are planning to be with us, their schedules permitting.  Obviously this will change over the next few weeks, but it will give a good ideal of the high level of quality presenters that we expect to have.

  • Gail Berman, BermanBraun
  • Charles Dillingham, Center Theatre Group
  • Sheldon Epps, Pasadena Playhouse
  • Michael Filerman
  • David Lee, Grub Street Productions
  • Jeff Loeb, Pantages Theatre
  • Neil Meron, Storyline Entertainment
  • Clint Mitchell, William Morris Agency
  • Steven Lee Morris, LA Weekly
  • Ken Novice, Geffen Playhouse
  • Michael Ritchie, Center Theatre Group
  • Michael Rosenberg, La Jolla Playhouse
  • Jim Stern, Endgame Entertainment
  • Lou Spisto, The Old Globe
  • Paula Tomei, South Coast Repertory
  • Jack Viertel, Jujamcyn Theaters
  • Craig Zadan, Storyline Entertainment

Accommodations

For the convenience of those travelling to our event, CTI has set up a discount code at Hotel Angeleno (170 N. Church Lane, Los Angeles, CA  90049).  Rooms will be $109 and can be accessed by visiting http://www.jdvhotels.com/angeleno and clicking the “Check Availability” button on the center of the page.  From there click on the Group link at the top of the page and enter the code 1001COMMER.  Or you may access the information directly by clicking here.

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The School at Steppenwolf

Posted February 4, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

Application Deadline: February 12, 2010

Notification of Audition Status By: February 26, 2010

Chicago Audition Dates: March 8 – March 12, 2010

New York City Audition Dates: March 15 & 16, 2010

Notification of Acceptance Status By: April 23, 2010

Program Dates: June 7 – August 13, 2010

Taught by members of Steppenwolf’s world renowned ensemble and guest teachers intimate with our work, The School at Steppenwolf is a ten week residency for experienced actors who want to learn more about the ensemble traditions, values and methods that make Steppenwolf unique.

This summer’s residency will be held in Chicago from June 7th to August 13th, 2010. The 10 week period is divided into 3 trimesters, 3 weeks each, culminating in a tenth week of cross-discipline explorations and class presentations. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 6:00pm.

The Steppenwolf School curriculum is both broad and diverse, dedicating time to the ensemble actor as well as the individual performer. Our teachers approach the craft of acting through the emotional, physical, intellectual, and instinctual – from the brain and from the heart.

While our program is certainly a great opportunity to work with experienced industry professionals and to hone your technical performance skills, a majority of the summer will be spent in our core group classes of Meisner, Improvisation, and Viewpoints – disciplines that we have found the most effective for fostering the ensemble studies atmosphere we are striving to create.

Meisner
Based on the work of Sanford Meisner, one of the most influential American acting teachers of the last century, this class focuses on strengthening the actor’s emotional honesty and imagination. At the beginning of the program, the class focuses on listening, following impulses, trusting your instincts, working from moment to moment and working off of an acting partner. Through the course of the summer, the class completes a rigorous series of improvisational exercises designed to flex the actor’s imagination and practice commitment to high stakes circumstances. Toward the end of the program, the technique is applied to two person scene work.

Improvisation
In this class we do not play games as comic improvisers might for the purpose of learning how to be funny or to create sketch material but to develop spontaneity and truth in text based performance. The improvisation class uses improv games and exercises to help the students become more aware of what’s going on between them and to help them develop skills common to text work: inner and outer wants, subtext, obstacles, and physicalizing character. Towards this end, much of the class is devoted to playing games that increase understanding of what the other players are playing in the moment.

Viewpoints
Based on the work of Steppenwolf ensemble member Tina Landau, this class encourages students to explore the physical and vocal possibilities of time and space. Central to forming a working, fluid ensemble, Viewpoints begins on day one and continues through the entire summer. Coursework covers the nine Viewpoints and their application to composition and scene work. This training helps students become more physically present, emotionally open, and free. Viewpoints has proven to be a profoundly important tool for developing ensemble skills.

Feldenkrais
Many actors have physical habits that affect their work in ways they may not be aware of. This class gently encourages you to be aware of, gain control and expand upon your physical self. Taught in two methods, group classes and individual sessions, Feldenkrais encourages you to find “Awareness Through Movement” (or ATM). Your body will re-align and reconnect, resulting in more emotional openness and physical grounding. During the one-on-one sessions (Functional Integration or FI) the instructor is able to guide you out of your habitual patterns of movement, towards a freer form of movement.

Text Analysis
During the first trimester of the program, students work without text. We have learned that this releases you from the natural inclination to simply repeat what you already know about how you perform. Text work is slowly introduced into the curriculum in a careful and progressive approach. This second Trimester course encourages students to expand their critical thinking and investigation skills, vocabulary, and familiarity with new types of plays. Classes often start with discussion, leading to incorporation of the actor’s first staging instincts, progressing from the table to up on your feet. Texts used in this class range from Shakespeare to commercial copy. This is truly text analysis for the actor, focused on mining a text for active choices and emotional inspiration.

Voice
Voice is one of the actor’s primary expressive tools. Exploration of breathing, alignment, resonance, vocal variety and range, and clear articulation help the students create honest, free sound while connecting to the meaning of the text and expressing that meaning to the audience. Emphasis is also placed on training extended voice use, projection, and vocal extremes in a way that will keep the voice safe and healthy. Through large group, small group, and individual coaching students learn to integrate and apply the techniques to scenes, monologues, and text from other classes.

On-Camera
This third semester course will cover acting techniques specific to on-camera auditioning situations for film, television, and commercials. In addition to valuable on-camera experience and instruction from a leading Chicago casting director, this class will cover student’s questions regarding the business, audition “do’s and don’ts,” audition etiquette, and the audition “interview.”

Monologues
Every actor working in theatre needs a repertoire of monologues that they can perform with skill and confidence. This course helps students find monologues that work; pieces that show off their strongest qualities, in an honest and grounded way. Even more importantly, this class gives students a chance to work on their monologues as they would any other text or monologue within a play, searching for active choices that connect the actor emotionally to an imaginary “partner.”

Professional Seminar
A working actor must be trained to develop professional skills, as well as artistic ones. In a casual discussion setting, this third trimester course introduces students to industry professionals, casting directors, agents, and Steppenwolf ensemble members. By asking questions from other actors and industry professionals, we hope these seminars serve to de-mystify the audition and casting processes, and help our students embrace their careers as professional actors – both practically and financially.

Guy Adkins
Jane Alderman
Joan Allen
Kevin Anderson
Randall Arney
Tom Aulino
Krikor Azaryan
Adam Belcuore
Jonathan Berry
Ron Bieganski
Alex Billings
Robert Breuler
Michael Canavan
Shannon Cochran
Gary Cole
Joe Dempsey
Kate DeVore
Abby Epstein
Audrey Francis
K. Todd Freeman
Frank Galati
Jeff Ginsberg
Marina Gillman
Francis Guinan
Moira Harris
Tim Hopper
Jennifer Hubbard
Tom Irwin
Tina Landau
Martha Lavey
Luda Lopatina
Kathleen Maltese
Bob Mason
Mariann Mayberry
Robin McFarquhar
Laurie Metcalf
Amy Morton
Sally Murphy
Cecilie O’Reiley
Sheldon Patinkin
Austin Pendleton
Jeff Perry
Ron OJ Parson
Monica Payne
Yasen Peyankov
Martha Plimpton
Brian Posen
Rondi Reed
Molly Regan
Kim Rubinstein
Joanie Schultz
Kimberly Senior
Anna D. Shapiro
Claire Simon
Eric Simonson
Gary Sinise
Lois Smith
Rick Snyder
Mary Ann Thebus
Suzanne Thompson
Michael Patrick Thornton
Jim True–Frost
Alan Wilder

If you have further questions regarding The School at Steppenwolf, please contact the School Coordinator: Jamie Abelson at (312) 654-5667 or by email at jabelson@steppenwolf.org.

Train with Steppenwolf ensemble members and artists at Steppenwolf West.

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24700 » Pee-wee Herman’s Return to the Stage

Posted February 4, 2010 | No Comments | Print This Post

After an almost two-decade hiatus, actor-comedian Paul Reubens (BFA Theater 73) has brought the iconic character of Pee-wee back—this time from the little screen to the stage at Club Nokia @ L.A. LIVE for a limited 4-week engagement, through Feb. 7. Nostalgic audiences–and critics–have welcomed their Saturday morning hero with open arms.

From Variety’s review:

Today’s secret word is … delight — especially for fans of Paul Reubens’ iconic man-child, Pee-wee Herman, who has reemerged in an adaptation of the stage show that started it all almost 30 years ago. It’s a trip down memory lane for many and an introduction for a new generation to the multilevel style of humor the ersatz kiddie show provided in the CBS series that sprang from the original production of “The Pee-wee Herman Show” at the Groundlings Theater in 1981.

The audience for Wednesday’s official opening night reacted to every bit of nostalgia on display, cheering wildly as the curtain opened on the familiar playhouse that is home to Pee-wee’s collection of puppet friends, faithfully re-created by the design team. When Reubens strides onto the stage in his Pee-wee guise, it seems as if no time has passed at all since the character’s retreat from the limelight.

The basic story is the same: Pee-wee wishes he could fly like his friend Pterri the pterodactyl. When given the opportunity for his wish to be granted, though, he decides to use it for his friend, Miss Yvonne (original cast member Lynne Marie Stewart), instead. Along the way, the audience is treated to classic Pee-wee lines such as “I know you are, but what am I?” and “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?” and double-entendre humor.

Directed by Alex Timbers, The Pee-wee Herman Show features familiar faces from the TV show Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1986-1991).

The cast includes Lynne Marie Stewart as Miss Yvonne, Phil LaMarr as Cowboy Curtis, Jesse Garcia as Sergio, a new character, Josh Meyers as Firefighter, John Moody as Mailman Mike, John Paragon as Jambi, Drew Powell as Bear, Lance Roberts as King of Cartoons, and Lori Alan and Maceo Oliver as voices. The talking chair Chairry, Pterri the pterodactyl, Conky the robot, Magic Screen, and Randy, will also be on stage at Club Nokia.

Pee-wee’s taken over the LA airwaves lately to promote the live show, but one of the funniest bits we’ve seen is his explanation of the Conan O’Brien/NBC rift on one of the host’s last nights with The Tonight Show.We’ve posted the video above (after the intro commercial).

The Pee-wee Herman Show
Through Sunday, Feb. 7
7:30 pm
Tickets: $29.50-$125.00
All Ages

via 24700 » Blog Archive » Pee-wee Herman’s Return to the Stage.

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