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Post-Thanksgiving Ride with Walk Bike Burbank

Lisa Bianconi
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Get out and take a bike ride this Thanksgiving weekend!

Post-Thanksgiving Ride with Walk Bike Burbank

From the fab folks at Walk Bike Burbank (get to know them!)

“The holidays are upon us, and while there’s a lot of family and feasts to be had, what better way to celebrate (and burn off some feasting) than on two wheels? Join Walk Bike Burbank for a post-Thanksgiving Day ride covering 23 miles along a very flat route as they do an out-and-back to Lake Balboa.

Riders will meet at the eastern end of the Chandler Bike Path at Mariposa on Saturday, November 24 at 9:30 AM to roll at 10 AM. At the turn around point, the ride will take a picnic break at Anthony Bielenson Park before heading back.

RSVPs are strongly encouraged to receive last-minute advisories, particularly about weather. Please email: walkbikeburbank@gmail.com.

Gobble Gobble!!”

-Walk Bike Burbank Thanksgiving Ride

Post-Thanksgiving Ride with Walk Bike Burbank via www.nohoartsdistrict.com

RIDE DAY:

Saturday, November 24

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION:

Chandler & Mariposa

DEPART BY:

10:00 A.M. Prompt

RETURN:

APPROX 2:00 P.M.

RIDE LENGTH:

23 MILES Recommended for intermediate riders age 14 and up due to the distance but route is generally flat.

RAIN POLICY:

Torrential rain, snow, earthquake, or fierce wind cancels the outing. Otherwise, we ride!

WHAT TO BRING:

A road-worthy bike, extra inner tube or a patch kit, pump, drinking water, picnic lunch, under 18s required to wear helmets. [If you don’t have all of these items, email us for assistance.]

PARKING:

The Chandler Bikeway is easy to reach by bicycle and Metro bus (Line 183) and is not far from the Metrolink train station. If you want to bring your bike by car to the start of the ride, there is plenty of street parking around the Chandler bikeway. Riders may also park at the Metro Red Line station and join the ride there (RSVP required!!)

RSVP:

Strongly encouraged, via walkbikeburbank@gmail.com, so we can send you last-minute advisories particularly about weather. This ride is open to all – waivers required! Please consider joining Walk Bike Burbank at https://la-bike.org/chapter/walk-bike-burbank/ to support more rides like this one. 

SPREAD THE WORD – FACEBOOK INVITE>>

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Midwest Soul XChange ~ “Weekened at the Asylum”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Midwest Soul XChange ~ “Weekened at the Asylum”

So…a rock opera about the Flint water crises…interesting.

Rock operas are the new black, but taking something as serious and existential as the poisoning of thousands of Americans, most of whom are poor and therefore less able to take action themselves, is creative and powerful and a meaningful use of talent.

This is an unabashed protest album.  The songs center on a group of characters struggling through the water crises in Flint with echos of Neil Young and Pink Floyd.  These songs are strong, simple arrangements, using guitars and keys and the power of voice in its purest form.

It feels like a live recording, it has that kind of freshness and honesty.  In some places they leave the glorious quirks and mistakes that always occur, turning them into magical moments connecting the audience to the artists.  It’s an ode to the great American song book, ironically enough given the duality of our history, not to mention our present.  It celebrates while it admonishes, the perfect recipe for great protest through music.

Three years in the making, this deeply poignant concept album clearly comes directly from the heart and the crafting of the album is so precise and heartbreakingly, Specificly, it’s hard to imagine that this won’t find its way to the stage at some point.  Nate Cherrier and Ryan Summers are bold songwriters who took their immense skills and put them to thoughtful and ambitious use.

Music has a power to inform, to unite, to shock us and to reach us.   Good music artfully made and purposefully focused can change minds and sometimes even the world.  This interesting and compelling album is a cry for justice in a country where so many are needed on so many days.

Band members: Nate Cherrier, Ryan Summers

Location: Chippewa Falls, WI

Websites:

Official

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“Into The Light” ~ Crooked Flower

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“Into The Light” ~ Crooked Flower

This sweet and funky EP is full of great vintage style dance tracks rounded out by the warmly gorgeous vocals of Angelina Dang.

She fronts the band with her great erstwhile blend of Gwen Steffani, Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde.  The tracks are retro and modern, very 80s but very definitively on the cooler side, no prog rock in sight.  There’s even a bit of Heart in here too for good measure.

It’s a hotly produced album, smooth and memorable, lots of space for the guitar solos, which take us back to the 80s again…in the best possible way.  I hear Duran Duran!!  I hear The Police!!!!  I hear UB40!!!!

So why listen to this music if it’s such a reminder of icons?  Because of the funk, the twist on a genre, the all-new vision of these excellent influences.  “Into The Light” is a really great EP regardless of what decade it hardens back to.  And because of this beautiful blend of aching purple rain guitar with Angelina’s soft effortlessly soulful brilliantly tough vocals you will love this EP, it’s staying on my stereo for a while!!!  (Too 80s for you?)

Accolades

2015 Song of the Year and 2015 Concert of the Year – Twirl Radio, KUBU 96.5 Sacramento

Artist Links

Website

Facebook

Soundcloud

Youtube Channel

Bandcamp

Twitter

Instagram

Music Videos

Who You Are

Too Broke To Fix

Coming Back

Contact Details

Artist Contact: contact@crookedflower.com

Press Contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Release Info

Artist Name: Crooked Flower

Location: Berkeley in San Francisco Bay Area

Label: Independent

Producer: Gordon Brislawn, Daniel Erik, and Dan Ingberman

Musicians:

Angelina Dang: Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar

Daniel Erik: Bass

Dan Ingberman: Guitar

Patrick Shields: Drums and Percussion

“Chosen Sons” by Post Death Soundtrack

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“Chosen Sons” by Post Death Soundtrack

This is the latest from the Vancouver electro-doom rock duo Post Death Soundtrack.

There are deep echos of Pink Floyd, Japanese 90s horror films and a distinct feeling that this track could swallow you whole if you let it.

It’s a bleak commentary on the twisting of ideals to suit the grim psychopathic ends of terror groups.  Steve Moore’s vocals bite with sarcasm and disgust while the music lifts and pounds and propels us through his aptly scathing commentary.  There’s nothing safe about this music, but then that’s perfectly fitting.  This is doom metal after all.

Is it fitting to say I liked it?  Not sure. But I certainly appreciated the boldness of it, the harshness of it, the cinematic soundscape of it.  What’s the point of anything at all unless we can scream out every now and then.  This is a scream, it’s a punch into the darkness of our, at times, very nasty world.  It’s powerful and melodic and searing, a shock to the oh so safe system.  “Chosen Sons” is dramatic and glistening, musically it’s a rather nice blend of space monster and dark, dank alley with a generous sprinkling of impending doom. Interested to hear more from them!

Watch the “Chosen Sons” music video on Youtube.

Playlist via Spotify. 

Bandcamp 

Post Death Soundtrack is Jon Ireson and Steve Moore

Websites:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

NoHo News: NoHo Dance Battle. Senior Pups. Z Movies. Theatre Reviews. Music. Happy Hour.

Lisa Bianconi
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NoHo News: What’s happening in the neighborhood… our picks. NoHo Life: fun in one square mile of Los Angeles.

Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood. Click on the image and to see the online version of our NoHo News…ENJOY NOHO!

NoHo News: NoHo Dance Battle. Senior Pups. Z Movies. Theatre Reviews. Music. Happy Hour.

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**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Lisa Bianconi
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Here are six advantages of bringing home an oldie but goodie!

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month and LA Animal Services wants you to know why adopting a mature orphaned cat or dog is a great way to add love to your life. 

Many people automatically think of a puppy or kitten when they contemplate adopting a pet. Kittens and puppies are cute and cuddly but they demand a lot of time, patience and energy to help them become well-mannered family members.

Older pets, however, can be just as loving and loyal as their younger counterparts and they often come with many wonderful qualities that kittens and puppies take years to grow into.

If you are considering adopting a furry friend and you are away from home most of the day, you have limited free time, you want a calm pet or you have young children, then an oldie but goodie could be your perfect match.

Here are some great advantages to adopting a grown-up four-legged companion:

1. What you see is what you get. You already know what they are going to look like and what size they will be, what their grooming requirements will be and what their personalities will be like sooner. This kind of information will help you pick the right pet for you and your family.

2. Older pets have manners. Unlike kittens and puppies, many grown-up animals have spent years living with a family and being socialized to life with humans. Many dogs are house trained and it takes a matter of hours or a day or two to help them learn the potty rules in their new home.

3. Your shoes will be safe. Older adoptive pets are usually less destructive and well past the search-and-destroy phase.

4. You can teach an old dog (and cat) new tricks. Adult dogs and cats can focus on the task at hand, are more attentive and are more eager to please their humans (unlike many of their much younger counterparts). This makes them the perfect candidates for learning basic commands.

5. Older pets are relaxing and easier to handle. Senior dogs and cats aren’t full of lots energy to burn. If you have small children in the home, a mature pet makes a lot of sense. Select an adult dog who likes kids and the transition will be much easier than adding another “baby” to the family. Adult cats can jump up on a bookcase or table when kids are being kids and observe the action from above.

6. Adopted senior pets are grateful for your kindness. Somehow, older dogs and cats seem to know you gave them a home and a second chance at love.

If you are ready to open your heart and home to a lovable senior pet, come by any of our six LA City Animal Shelters. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. To find the shelter closest to you, visit LAAnimalServices.com/shelters or call (888) 452-7381.

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Whole for the Holidays

Luckie
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Whole for the Holidays

Well… we got through Halloween. The bucket of candy by the door or the wrappers you find between the seats in your car may be a reminder of the sugar binge you went through, but don’t beat yourself up about it.

According to the New York Times, the average weight gain during the holiday season is actually closer to one pound than the 7 to 10 pounds that many people believe it is. You’re not headed down a road of calorie collisions that leaves you at the bottom of a rocky road container. Breathe…

So I can eat whatever then, right? Not quite.

The problem is that people don’t usually lose that one pound once they’ve gained it. On top of that, the average weight gain per year is two pounds which breaks down to approximately 20 pounds in a decade!

Let’s do the math.

Twenty pounds in your 30s, 20 pounds in your 40s, another 20 pounds in your 50s and all of sudden you have a big increased risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. That’s when holiday weight gain becomes a different monster.

This is the time to indulge in all the delectable treats and feasts! The champagne, pies, ham sandwiches and that extra side of mac and cheese are nothing to be ashamed of. There’s a yin to every yang though.  To stay balanced, don’t let working out or staying active get put on the back burner.

There are proven physical health benefits from dance but continuing to be mindful in other areas will improve our overall well being. During this time of family and reflection, I wanted to take a look at how we can balance those 5-6-7-8s along with daily habits that will help keep our mind and body ready for 2019 and beyond.

Stay Sharp

Sometimes when I get to the choreography section of my class, people will take a deep breath or sigh. They look up at the mental and physical hill they’re about to climb knowing it takes more than just physical ability. Interpreting which arm, which leg, which direction even, can lead to legs and arms everywhere except for the position they should be in. This can be frustrating, for recreational dancers who genuinely want to enjoy dance without any added pressure.

Every now and then, don’t be afraid to stretch your arms a little and experience a more challenging class.

I’ve been able to see the effects of Dementia and Alzheimer’s through family members of mine battling either disease. Watching a person lose all sense of self is heartbreaking. But as our bodies grow older, it’s inevitable that we experience an increased possibility of diminished brain capacity that’s directly connected to aging. To know that dance can help postpone or prevent those symptoms inspires me to joggle a few brains with the combo in class and challenge them to move outside of their comfort zone.

“The complex mental coordination that dance requires activates several brain regions: the cerebellum, the somatosensory cortex and the basal ganglia, triggering kinaesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional responses.” (World Health Organization)

Get a Massager

It would be easy to run into to Brookstone and pick up a high powered rechargeable massager but I challenge you to try something different. No batteries, just manpower. These handheld massagers are able to target key problem areas and smooth the pain away. They’re a lot cheaper and travel-friendly. Taking the time to stretch and massage your body is a sort of meditation in itself.

The right headspace

During the holidays, there’s a bit more time to take a breather and just think. Whenever you find a moment, take it. In the morning, try not to look at your phone or rush to turn music on. Be present in that space of you and your thoughts before committing your time and attention to anything else. Think about your intentions for the day to allow positive people and vibrations into your orbit.

Depending on where you live, quiet meditation may be difficult. If you have to hop in the shower with the water on “ooooh hot hot hot” then let that be your serene sauna of reflection.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people worldwide are affected by depression. With antidepressant medication use up by more than 400% in the United States, now more than ever, we need natural ways of stimulating “feel-good” hormones in the brain. Perhaps nothing can make a deeper impact on feelings of well-being and contentment than genuinely connecting with other human beings. Coming together through song and dance is one of our oldest human traditions.

So if you are bored with your regular fitness routine, dealing with circumstances that have you feeling down, or you just want to amp-up the joy in your life, dancing is an amazing activity, replete with benefits for mind, body, and soul. It’s something you can do with a partner, in a class led by a qualified instructor, or alone in your room with the radio turned up. Whether you’re dancing fast or slow, alone or with someone, the therapeutic benefits of music, movement, and connection, are free and available to everyone. So turn up the music, and dance your way to a long, healthy, and happy life!

Make your Resolutions known

Tell everyone what you’re doing, and you’ll be less likely to slip up. Your pride will get the better of you and you’ll be encouraged to keep pursuing your goal. It always helps to have a workout or study buddy, but imagine if all your Instagram followers went on this journey with you.  Connect with your Facebook friends and followers by committing to weekly online workouts, book reviews, or dance videos. Whatever suits your fancy.

To experience the benefits of anything, you have to get up, and get down!

While dancing requires a certain level of fitness and athleticism, there are no barriers to entry if you want to explore dance movement as a way to improve general health and coordination. As with all exercise programs or any life objective you may have, the key to obtaining optimal results is CONSISTENCY. Pursuing goals close to your heart is the best way to ensure that you stick with it! So if you can’t seem to commit to your resolution, knowing you have a whole army of people holding you accountable can be just the ticket to reinvigorating your commitment. You’ll start to see that same dedication and passion put into other areas of your life.

Let it GO!!

During Kym Douglas’ interview on Ellen, she talked about a 1.5 centimeter stage 3 tumor that was hidden under her breast tissue, close to her heart. She concluded the interview by saying,” … in life we can hold bitterness or hold resentment or anger towards people and sometimes that can manifest in your body so my message right now is LET IT GO. Whatever you may be holding on to, let it go”

The words sound so simple but in reality, there are things we constantly struggle with that take power over our time and thoughts. Life comes with a barrage of challenges and sharp turns. Some things last a day, others a lifetime, but there’s so much power in LETTING GO.

This year for me was all about mental and spiritual inventory and in that 4 major to dos came up.

  1. Get rid of thoughts, ideas or suggestions that don’t progress me.
  2. Put relationships that are breaking at the seams in the Goodwill bag next to the door. Focus on the people and relationships that inspire and elevate me spiritually.
  3. Let mistakes and regrets live in the past then embrace the lessons that were learned from what I’ve been through.
  4. Every day is a new opportunity to live your best life so allowing peace of mind to be your coffee in the morning will make a complete difference in how you operate.

Disclaimer: You’re not the only one. It’s all a daily process for a lot of people; a process that takes time and some uncomfortable self-reflection to come out the other side stronger.

Avoid Multitasking During Meals

I’ve noticed that I do this A LOT!! I’m rushing through my food on the phone, returning an email, or checking what the world is talking about on social media. I read a book called Peace with Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh.  In it, he talked about how to stay mindful of every bite and sip and cognizant of your level of fullness and satisfaction. If you’re eating with someone, discuss the food or the restaurant decor. It allows you to savor the overall experience.  

Spend time with loved ones

I don’t think I really need to encourage you to spend more time with friends and family but rather remind you of how important it is. Hanging out with friends keeps you calm, increases your sense of belonging, improves your mood, and even helps you live longer. Make it a point to have lunch with your BFF or plan a taco night every Tuesday.

It’s also important to identify those people in your life who are toxic and draining. Let go of those who are not beneficial; friendship is a two-way street. It’s just as important for you to feel loved as it is for you to make someone else feel the same way.  

The beginning of the year is always filled with high hopes and big ambitions. Once the winter vacation is over, those same empowering feelings tend to fade. Let’s get in the habit of a personal pat on the pack or I GOT THIS every single day. Remember to take time for yourself, make mistakes, learn the lessons and move to bigger things.

Being whole doesn’t mean being perfect. Take it one day at a time.

“FIELDS AMAZE and other sTRANGE music” by Patrick Grant

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“FIELDS AMAZE and other sTRANGE music” by Patrick Grant

Patrick Grant is a bit of a legend.

His unique career has taken him from Juilliard to Tisch School of the Arts, with stops at the equally iconic John Cage, Quincy Jones, Robert Fripp, The Louvre, a couple of operas in Vienna, Isadora Duncan and ASCAP.  He is singular and beautifully strange, which, believe me, is a compliment.  This remix of his first album “Fields Amaze“ recorded at Philip Glass’s studio in New York in 1998 is a homage to the original, yes, but it takes what he was able to create 20 years ago, with the technology that was available to him then and elevates it to a work that is much more than current and slightly less than futuristic.

“Fields Amaze and Other Strange Music” is Philip Glass meets the “Twilight Zone,” Ryuichi Sakamoto meets “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”  The sounds spiral and pinch, they swoop around you like some kind of winking pterodactyl.  At times warlike in its call and at others a peaceful echo, the sounds of keys resonating on and on minutes after his capable hands removed themselves.

This is not a dance album. Neither is it purely soundscape.  The rhythms work in the same way a train rattles onward, sometimes quickening in spite of what you might imagine them to do, always effected by the world they populate.  The harmonies complement, interact and then play at odds for a moment before they circle round again and surprise you.  It is argumentative and charmingly obtuse, but still melodic somehow…no idea how it manages that.

This is cinematic prose in music, effortlessly creating visions in your mind while it quietly blows it.  Since it’s two decades old one, can hear its influence in the music that followed.  I hear bands like Japan, David Bowie of course, but also Talking Heads, Radiohead, Missy Elliot and Mos Def.

This is a beautiful, magical, urgent and relentlessly cool album.  It will, if you allow it, become the latest soundtrack to your life. I know that it will accompany me through my world for quite some time to come. ”Fields Amaze and Other Strange Music” is visceral and contemplative and perfection.

Release Date/Label: releases October 1, 2018, via Peppergreen Media (http://www.peppergreenmedia.com/)

Production Info/Credits:

Patrick Grant: piano, keyboards, electric guitars, gamelan, percussion

John Ferrari: drums & percussion

Kathleen Supove & Marija Ilic: keyboards

Barbara Benary: additional gamelan

David Simons: Balinese percussion & theremin

Keith Bonner: flute

Thomas P. Oberle: clarinet

Darryl Gregory: trombone

Martha Mooke: viola

Maxine Neumann: cello

Mark Steven Brooks: electric bass

Alexandra Montano: vocalise

Lisa Karrer: lead vocal on If One Should Happen to Fall

All 2018 production, overdubs, revisions, and new stems recorded at Peppergreen Media, NYC and The Ferrari Factory, NJ. Mixed at Mercy Sound Studios, NYC – Garry Rindfuss: mixing engineer – Sheldon Steiger: album mastering – Patrick Grant: producer

Storybook Theatre Family

Lisa Bianconi
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I sat down with son of Sherwood Schwartz, Lloyd Schwartz, to learn more about what inspired him and his wife to create the longest running theatre company for young children in Los Angeles, Storybook Theatre.

Lloyd and Barbara live in a storybook style house in Studio City.

Danielle: When did you start Storybook Theatre?

Lloyd: Our son, Andy, was four, and we couldn’t find a children’s theatre that we liked. Barbara had been a member of the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, and she had very specific ideas about audience involvement, style, length of the show, etc. That was thirty-four years ago.

Danielle: Why did you decide to start a theatre company for young children?

Lloyd: Why not start our own theater? The first show was performed at a park near our house. It was LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. We used actors whom we knew. I directed and wrote the book and music. Barbara played the mother/narrator. Barbara was a member of Theatre West. Another member, Bridget Hanley, ran into Barbara, and they talked about what we were doing. The board at Theatre West asked to meet with us and invited us to do our show at Theatre West. It was a success, and they asked us to do a season. Since then, there have been eighteen different shows: “Little Red Riding Hood,”“Aladdin, The Princess and the Magic Lamp,” “The Jingle Bell Gang,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Cowboys and Cowgirls,” “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “Mother Goose: The Musical”“Blast Off: A Musical Mission to Mars,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Rumplestiltskin,” “Cinderella,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “The Pied Piper.”

Danielle: What are shows like?

Lloyd: The first show at Theatre West in 1985 was LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD which we recast with Theatre West members. To date, we have used one hundred and fifty-four Theatre West members in our shows. They have always been well-received and have gotten good reviews. We have won twenty-nine Valley Theatre League awards in all categories. We have also received commendations from the US Senate, House of Representatives, the City Council, Mayor etc.. as well as winning the inaugural Red Carpet Award from Women in Theatre. The audiences have always been big. One year we played to 102% capacity.

Danielle: How long has Storybook Theatre been hiring Actors Equity actors? Lloyd: We have always tried to use Actors Equity actors. Sometimes, we have used actors who have earned enough points so they could join Equity.

Storybook Theatre Family

Danielle: I know Barbara produces the shows and sometimes acts in them, what do you do?

Lloyd: I’m a writer. I also produce and direct TV and features, and some theatre. I’m most known for all variations of THE BRADY BUNCH and GILLIGAN’S ISLAND. I co-authored GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE MUSICAL and A VERY BRADY MUSICAL. A VERY BRADY MUSICAL which had its world premiere at Theatre West. I’ve produced forty-two plays including THE NEARLYWEDS which has the distinction of being the first play specifically written for dinner theatre. I’ve got two one man shows running now – AN EVENING WITH JOHN WILKES BOOTH and INDEPENDENCE. They’re both playing around the country. INDEPENDENCE is with Kathie Barnes who is a Theatre West member. It was developed at Theatre West. I’ve written, co-written, and directed all of the 18 Storybook Theatre plays. I’ve even written some lyrics and composed several of them. Oh and one last thing – I directed and co-wrote THE BABIES which played off Broadway last year.

Danielle: What else does Barbara do?

Lloyd: Barbara is a very busy actress with a wide range. She was in both of the classics HELTER SKELTER and AIRPLANE! and has won multiple Valley Theatre League Awards, most recently for ENTOURAGE, LOVE, TORCHWOOD, FRANKLING AND BASH. She won best actress in the independent film, WATCH OUT FOR SLICK and has appeared in many commercials. Barbara produces all of the Storybook Theatre plays and has appeared in several of them.

Danielle: You have two sons who have been impacted by Storybook Theatre. Tell me about that.

Lloyd: Both of our sons have a long history with Theatre West. Besides being the inspiration for Storybook Theatre, Andy worked in the box office and has gone on to his own career in TV. He was on the writing staff of SCRUBS and had his own series MIGHTY MED on the Disney Channel. Elliot has starred in many Storybook Theatre plays and received a degree in theatre from UCLA. He co-wrote and directed THE PIED PIPER for Storybook Theatre and won Best Director from the Valley Theatre League. Elliot continues to be a member of Theatre West while working at Vice Entertainment.

Danielle: You’ve got a new show opening soon. What’s it about?

Lloyd: SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. And we do it with only four actors. The children in the audience become the dwarfs. I directed the original production, and David P. Johnson will direct the revival. The play was written by Scott Martin with lyrics by Rob Meuer. The music was composed by Richard Berent. This team was also responsible for Storybook Theatre’s GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS. As with all Storybook Theatre plays, the plots are familiar, but we make it family friendly and not scary. The witch reforms, and it’s not a poison apple. It merely has tryptophan that makes Snow White fall asleep.

Danielle: What are some of your favorite memories of doing Storybook?

Lloyd: We have had a real impact on autistic children. In fact at a performance a child got onto the stage and told the Wolf not to chase Little Red Riding Hood. Later, the teacher told us that the child had never spoken before. That happened one other time. Many celebrities have come to our theatre, and it’s always funny to see Tim Allen or Channing Tatum or Gwen Stefani or Jennifer Garner off to the side while our actors sign autographs.

With only a couple of exceptions, for the last 36 years, Lloyd and Barbara have been at every Saturday performance and all the field trips. It’s not just dedication. They can’t think of any place else they’d rather be. Storybook Theatre’s SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS opens Oct 20 and runs through March 2, 2019. Saturdays at 1 p.m. $15 for adults $12 for children. Birthday parties and field trips are available. www.theatrewest.org.

storybooktheatre snowwhite

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Yard Laziness Syndrome

Bethany Wilson
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Yard Laziness Syndrome

 What is it, how to prevent it and how I still fall short of my goals.

What I have learned has allowed me to be able to see certain things with my dogs that really help guide what they need from me.

This is not just for dogs that need serious training…even your sweet family dog could suffer from this.

When you have a yard it is easy to fall into the trap of letting your dog run outside when they want, sneak in chasing a squirrel, barking the neighbor dog, etc. with no instruction.

You take more liberties by not walking your dog for constructive exercise because you are tired or have other things you need to do so you give your dog a bone, ‘free-time’ in the yard, encourage zoomies (running fun and frantic circles around the yard) or just play extra fetch.

Working with so many clients over the years in different situations AND myself having different living situations with my dogs as well as client dogs, I can PROMISE you that you will set yourself up training-wise with your dog in a better and more efficient way when you live in an apartment.

That is not because dogs don’t need space.  In fact, many issues (especially with multiple dog households) are greatly reduced when dogs have more space to breathe, BUT what about the basic rules of the house and accountability of the owner to take the dog out on a very regular basis?

2 Major basic rules for a dog to continue good listening skills should be…

Waiting at thresholds

Structured Walks where you connect with your dog

When you live in an apartment or condo, you are taking your dog out to potty numerous times a day.  This gives you a chance to constantly re-enforce that good behavior of waiting for permission for something they want.  Then, if you have multiple gates to go through, you are continually setting your dog up to pay attention to you and wait for permission.  It’s a great set up where you end up doing anywhere between 4-6x a day going out and coming back in.  Not to mention asking your dog to sit and wait while you grab the leash and leash them up calmly.   All of this good practice happening daily with no choice because you have to take your dog out.

Also when you live in an apartment type environment, you should exercise your dog more because of the lack of space (for most dogs).  This means taking multiple walks, often long ones because you can’t just do things inside to drain energy.  If you want to go to a park you have to get in your car and go, so you end up doing MORE with your dog out in public environments.

Now switch to living in a home.  You take your dog for a walk or two most days, hopefully, but the rest of the time you are just letting them run into the yard to sniff around, potty, no urgency, no waiting for permission, just doing their thing! Haha, the easy life 🙂  Even if they make great choices, they are making them on their own, no influence from you, so the habit of looking to you for all the good stuff is greatly reduced.

And then the BIG problem is you have a tired day…a tired several days, or maybe just too busy, so you end up just playing fetch for a few days.  Then you walk your dog and wonder why they are so jazzed up being outside in the world when you are trying to get them to walk decently on a leash.  You are taking away so many small moments to practice permission then reward and impulse control.  I have certainly been in this predicament myself and can tell you that those seemingly small changes end up having a HUGE impact.

This is not just for dogs that don’t behave.  If you are active with your dog or want to be, you’ll find relying on your yard too much for exercise might simply result in your dog just not having the best listening skills, isn’t as attentive and thinks for a second before listening.  It’s a slow and slippery slope of bad habits that both the owner and dog fall into.  Now do ALL dogs need this much effort?  Of course not, but this post is for the many pups that do or for owners that aren’t sure why they are struggling, this might help.

We want to prevent that as much as possible…so how?

I have a set amount of walks each week that I take my dogs on.  Not a dog walker or family member…myself.  This is to keep my relationship with my dogs sharp when it comes to the structured walk.  My dogs associate me mostly with being off-leash in parks and on trails, so you would be surprised how much they struggle on a leash in the neighborhood listening without regular practice.

As well as minimum walks, I have maximum amounts of fetch in the yard and maximum amounts of play time.  If I don’t put a cap on it the dogs learn to exhaust themselves through high drive exercise more often then slower, low key exercise.  This is not ideal for the brain and helping them be calm dogs.

Then with the few thresholds, I have I make them count!  One of my dogs even waits at the bedroom door because she is young and a little wild.  You can find other ways to make sure you are practicing impulse control with your dog.  Waiting for their food to be prepared and releasing them to eat is one way.  Make sure you don’t always indulge them when they are cute and come to you for pets.  Then one of the best ones is making sure they can lay down somewhere and stay while something else in the house is happening.  This could be you cooking, kids playing, other dogs or cats in the house roaming around and playing, etc.  They just learn to sit and watch on command.

Of course, I fall short of my own rules, but I do try to follow them as much as possible and what that has done is allow me to see very subtle signs of my dogs needing more from me.  That could be more exercise, enrichment or more leadership.  Knowing this I’m able to be in tune with them and see what they need.  I hope this helps someone else needing the same thing.

-Bethany Wilson

Bethany Wilson
Ruff Beginnings Rehab
818-732-1364

3 Essential Ways To Make an Event Successful

NoHo - North Hollywood
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For an event to succeed, you must follow several key factors.

You have to make sure that you do the perfect job possible to organize the best party possible. There will be a lot of work to do, and you will barely have time to do it. You need to stay as patient as possible and use your best assessment skills to do things in the best possible way.

Plan it

You must first sit down and plan a complete process for the entire event. Being prepared is the best possible way to do things. You must plan all the positive activities as well as any potential disasters that may occur. You must be as realistic as possible when planning an event to succeed. You must be ready for anything and keep in mind that mistakes can happen at any time during an event.

Create a timeline

You need to develop some schedule and make sure that it is strictly followed during the event planning process. You must keep everything on the list. Be prepared and ready to deal with any interruptions that may occur. Do not think that you can face anything for yourself. It’s almost impossible. You will also need to find someone trustworthy enough to help you. You will need someone else to share some of the burdens of preparing for the event. You do not have to do everything personally unless there is no one else who can do the work.

Set all the key elements

Stage lighting: Stage lighting during the event is another crucial element to consider, as the right kind of light can bring great effects during the show. Imagine a dance show without lights, everything can seem so dull. Therefore, it is essential that the experts manage the light configuration to make the sequences and performances enjoyable. The daytime hours should also be taken into account because in the case of natural daytime lighting plays the best role, while in the fact where the show takes place at night, it is better to use the effects of the daylight lighting to make the performance more beautiful.

 

Toilet: The decent amount of scary stories about outside events is causing many hesitant people, terrified of going to an outdoor event. This story, combined with the fact that external events have been solved, gives them the impression that clean offices have a rich smell and that they can never expect high-level offices and hygiene. When you hire toilets for your event in such circumstances, you will be making a wise decision that will help the people enjoy the event with greater comfort.

Music: Music takes an event performance to an entirely different level. Choosing good music and the sound quality sound are good ways to attract the crowd to perform. Rational system managers should ensure that they use good quality music and keep the song’s tone at the appropriate levels to make it fun and enjoyable for the audience.

Conclusion

Sit down and review the entire event in your mind. Once everything is planned, it is essential that you enjoy yourself. In the end, you are the one who did everything, and you surely deserve to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. You should have fun and enjoy like everyone else at your party. You will surely feel good when the day comes, and everything will work like a clock.

Album Review ~ Gideon King & City Blog ~ “Upscale Madhouse”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Album Review ~ Gideon King & City Blog ~ “Upscale Madhouse”

This album is full of some of the best musicians in the world.

Playing deep Jazz cords, lushly soulful, joy-infused sounds, mixed with dark sardonic lyrics about the duplicitous madness infused New York City and our crazy US life.  Harmonically complex, sweetly challenging, not just another “fusion” record.  “Upscale Madhouse” is strewn with gorgeous phrasing and smoothly finished subversive, questioning lyrics.

Gideon King is not your usual musician, a successful banker from Wall Street, he served his time on the musical scene learning from the likes of John Scofield and members of Steely Dan…and it shows.

But it’s not all about the instrumentation.  As a singer myself, I was pretty thrilled at how highly placed the vocals were in the tracks.  Sure there are some syncopated, lovingly produced solos.  Guitar, keys, sax, etc.  But Gideon is an excellent lyricist and he clearly values a beautiful voice telling an emotional tale.  I can hear layers of Pat Metheny and John Mayer, but there’s also a bit of Pink Floyd in there as well and definitely some Stevie Wonder, all of which are never a bad thing!

Gideon King is not a spring chicken and after a good many years of musical absorption and selective influence what comes together in “Upscale Madhouse” is a record full of the history of his journey to get there.  It’s full of melancholy and longing, there’s also quite a lot of cynicism and anger as well, which is interesting in sounds so smooth and melodic.  But there’s also joy and hope and a real depth of reverence to the craft of every song.  King produced this himself and you can feel how gently and very specifically crafted each track is.  He gives every musician a lot of space to play and find their moments and the result feels almost like live recording…it’s that honest.

This kind of jazz/soul/rock fusion isn’t for everyone, but when it’s this good and populated by these incredible musicians it’s hard to put in the “elevator” category.  Give it a listen, let it breathe a bit and it might just become part of your regular rotation…I’d love to see them perform it live, maybe next time I’m in New York!

Artist Links

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Soundcloud

Youtube Channel

Contact Details

Artist Contact: doug@wilspro.com

Press Contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Release Info

Artist Name: Gideon King & City Blog

Location: NYC

Release Name: Upscale Madhouse

Release Date: Oct 19, 2018

Label: unsigned

Producer: Gideon King

Track List:

  1. Going Straight to Hell 2. Upscale Madhouse 3. Broken & Beautiful 4. Fake it on Facebook 5. Love you Love you Love you 6. Gun to My Head 7. For Your Own Sake 8. So Evolved 9. God, I’m So Alone 10. Look Ma No Hands

Musicians:

These are musicians ON THE RECORD: Conrad Sewell, Elliott Skinner, Marc Broussard, John Scofield, Donny Mccaslin, Carolyn Leonhart, Brendan Fletcher, Grace Weber, James Genus, Kate Kelsey Sugg,

NoHo Farmers Market Picks!

Lisa Bianconi
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Did you know that every Saturday, our growing arts district has its very own Farmers Market?

The NoHo Farmers Market has an abundance of fresh, local produce, some delish products and unique vendors.

The NoHo Arts District Farmers Market is a festive, family friendly, open-air marketplace. They are a non-profit organization committed to bringing fresh, locally grown food to the surrounding neighborhood. The Certified Farmers Market (CFM) vendors are at the heart of their market experience. Here you’ll find a variety of fruits and vegetables from California farmers, as well as other foods including breads, nuts, ethnic foods, cheeses, fruit juices and cookies. The new direction for the Farmers Market is to promote healthy living and lifestyle whether it be from our organic fruits and vegetables and teas, to their fresh, wild seafood. The market is working to bring in more organic products to help promote healthy living. Come on by the NoHo Farmers Market and support your local farms and vendors.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9SMzblmz5/

WHEN:

Saturdays 9:30AM – 2:30PM

WHERE:

5331 Bakman Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

INFORMATION:

(818) 314-1312
nohofarmersmarket0513@gmail.com
http://www.northhollywoodfarmersmarket.com/

Facebook  |   Twitter  |  Instagram

Divinity Creations

NoHo Farmers Market Divinity Creations via www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Divinity Creations serves hot, fresh Japanese food such as Poke bowls, skewers (chicken, beef, pork), Gyoza, and spam Masubi. All ingredients are fresh and made to order.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnuSJSfBZ5u/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=uhq3dglb3rfp

LSG Honey

NoHo Farmers Market LSG Honey via www.nohoartsdistrict.com

LSG Honey is a locally grown raw non pasteurized honey. Eating locally grown honey helps with allergies and is a good source of antioxidants.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4jNFHh5xa/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ecgg45sge7qe

Salsas Poblanas

NOHOFARMERS SalsasPoblanas

Salsas Poblanas brings authentic flavors to the Valley. Salsa Poblanas makes their salsas Friday night to Saturday morning, making it the freshest salsas in town. They have an array of salsas such as Spicy Avocado, La Diabla, 5 Chilis and they also carry fresh guacamole. Their salsa prices run 1 for $5 or 3 for $12 and their guacamole that runs 1 for $6. Each week they carry over 15 different items, all which our delicious. The NoHo Market’s favorite salsa is the spicy avocado.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BogNB7uBwTS/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=f206lk0nsfpq

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Michael P Cullen’s “Do You Believe” (La Defense Remix)

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Michael P Cullen’s “Do You Believe” (La Defense Remix)

Isn’t it amazing how music can transport us through time to who we used to be?

This remix by timEbandit Powles (Tim Powles – famed NZ born, Australian based producer and longtime member of Australian space rock veterans, The Church) is his twist on Trip Hop, meeting the dark and moody, dusty-deep vocals of the poetic post-punk Cullen head on.  The smatterings of 80s synth and choppy beats underpin the mournful story of loss and longing.  But there’s life in this song, hope even. Hidden in the sweetness of the lyrics, a battle cry for those of us that still believe in love, even with our secular tendency for syncism and prickly candor as our happy resting pulse.

Blissful memories of early New Order and Depeche Mode with a twist of pre-icon Morrissey and a dash of David Byrne.  All those long ago gloomy halls filled with sweaty teenagers swaying to songs that really meant something to us.  This song takes me right back to that place…in the best possible way.

Michael Cullen is a deeply Australian musician with a penchant for Americana and Noir.  His music seems reverential, almost hymn like in its honesty.  Clanging out his message like a beatnik playing with Evis, he demands attention.  This remix might bring him a slightly different audience but there’s no escaping his Gothic heart…gorgeous.

Stream the single on Spotify or SoundCloud

“Do You Believe (La Defense Remix)”

Watch the video on YouTube

“Do You Believe (La Defense Remix)” Official Music Video

Artist Links

Website

SoundCloud

Contact Details

Artist

Press  james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Release Info

Artist Name Michael P Cullen

Location Sydney, Australia

Release Name Do You Believe (La Defense Remix)

Release Date July 27, 2018

LabelIndependent

Producer Michael P Cullen & timEbandit

Track List

  1. Do You Believe (La Defense Remix)

Musicians

Michael P Cullen – vocals. guitar. bass

timEbandit Powles – drums, percussion, vocals (Tim is a long time member of legendary Australian band The Church)

Styles Triphop, Gothic, Electronica,

Similar To New Order, Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen

Geoff Gibbons ~ “Fall Girl” ~ Bluecafe Music

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Geoff Gibbons ~ “Fall Girl” ~ Bluecafe Music

Geoff Gibbons writes crystal clear, cinematically sized and perfectly arranged songs.

His songs are stories, cunningly simple, universally relatable and seem to come from a place deep within Gibbons’ soul, with layers of harmonies so sweetly placed they long to be sung along to.  “Fall Girl” is the kind of song that belongs on a movie soundtrack.  It’s the kind of song that is hard to get out of your head once heard.  It keeps you tapping your feet, swaying your hips and looking up more of this brilliant artist’s work.

With a nod to Tom Petty, Loudon Wainwright and of course, The Beatles, Gibbons charms us with his sweet guitars and buoyant rhythms.  “Fall Girl” is melancholy and heartfelt with glorious, jubilant guitars and driving drums.  The rhythm is upbeat and wonderfully free from cynicism and tired excuses.  The sound is crisp and very much in the present, yet filled with a longing for the past somehow.  Perhaps it’s the Mellotronic opening or the layers of harmonies and melodies and the yearning lyrics for a love that will never be.  Either way, “Fall Girl” gets under your skin the way simple songs with subtle sounds and powerful melodies always do.

Geoff Gibbons music has developed over the many years he has spent honing his craft.  Traveling through Australia, the States and his own Canada, performing on bills with Emmylou Harris and David Crosby, you can hear where these greats rubbed off on him.  He has an iconic sound, full of wisdom and an irony that only the well travelled can afford.  “Fall Girl” is an ode to the chugging relentlessly addictive tracks born from the southern states, but owing their life to the beauty of soul music and blues.  It’s a great track, brilliantly arranged and masterfully performed…it’s just kind of perfect.

Artist Links

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Soundcloud

Youtube Channel

Contact Details

Artist Contact: info@geoffgibbons.com

Press Contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Release Info

Artist Name: Geoff Gibbons

Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Label: Bluecafe Music

Producer: John MacArthur Ellis

Musicians: Geoff Gibbons: Guitar and Vocals

Styles: Americana, Folk, Alt Country, Southern Soul

Similar To: Jackson Browne, Ryan Adams, Eagles

NoHo News: NoHo Film Fests. Music. Happy Hour. LOTS of Theatre.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood. Click on the image and to see the online version of our NoHo News…ENJOY NOHO!

The BH artSHOW. #818 Films. Junk for Joy. World Choreography Awards.

Follow NoHo News with Bloglovin

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Punk Monkey Productions Presents “Play Noir”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Punk Monkey Productions Presents “Play Noir” – An Evening of Short Noirs. 

Directed by Roxanne Jaeckel, James Elden, Jim Shipley, Shaun Landry & Paul Braverman.

Punk Monkey Productions put out their seventh annual call for new Noir short plays into the universe.

Out of the hundreds of submissions they received from all over the planet, they chose these five beauties. 

The Coming Storm
Wendy Elizabeth Abraham and Adam Slemon in The Coming Storm by Michael Robinson. Directed by Jim Shipley. Photograph by Shaun Landry.

All the plays are lovingly set in the City of Angels and they cover everything from the classic gumshoe meets dame meets sticky end to a detective novelist and his twisted muse vying for freedom.  These are some brilliant examples of the genre and the entire evening feels like something straight out of the “Twilight Zone.”

DSC0487 small
Jim McCaffree and John Conroy in Bro by Robb Willoughby. Directed by Shaun Landry. Photograph by Lemon Melon Photography.

The cast is absolutely superb and were all clearly having a ball on stage.  The plays are a mixture of funny and thrilling and the music was also brilliantly and thoughtfully curated, adding an extra depth to the show.  Punk Monkey also employed a different director for each play, which I loved.  It’s remarkable how much impact another set of eyes has on material like this, every director setting their own tone despite the similar material. 

Roxanne Jaeckel, Jim Shipley, and John Conroy in Eve by Bob Kolsby. Directed by James Elden. Photograph by Lemon Melon Photography.
Roxanne Jaeckel, Jim Shipley, and John Conroy in Eve by Bob Kolsby. Directed by James Elden. Photograph by Lemon Melon Photography.

“Play Noir” is playful but never obvious, clever but not too cerebral, ironic but true to the genre.  It’s wonderful to see such dedication to “noir” without succumbing to the temptation to modernize or make relevant to our ‘now.’

Roxanne Jaeckel, Adam Slemon, Heidi Kendrick, and James Elden in Deuce Cooper: The Bloomfield Case by Paul Braverman. Directed by Crystal Craft. Photograph by Lemon Melon Photography.
Roxanne Jaeckel, Adam Slemon, Heidi Kendrick, and James Elden in Deuce Cooper: The Bloomfield Case by Paul Braverman. Directed by Crystal Craft. Photograph by Lemon Melon  Photography.

Lord knows we can all do with some escapism and “Play Noir” is certainly that.  I love short plays, at their best they can not only give new playwrights a much-needed boost, but they can also energize, entertain and enlighten an audience. 

“Play Noir” at The Actors Workout Theatre is an evening of the very best of the short play and Noir genre and I highly recommend it!  Bravo!!

The Actors Workout Studio, 4735 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 91602

Running October 26 through November 18, Friday & Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm

Written by Jeff Pearce, Bob Kolsby, Michael Robinson, Robb Willoughby & Paul Braverman

Featuring the talents of:

Wendy Abraham – John Conroy – Rich Cassone – James Elden – Lauren Fordinal – Roxanne Jaeckel – Heidi Kendrick – Jim McCaffree – Jim Shipley Gyl Roland – Adam Slemon

Cabinet of Horrors

Raleigh Barrett Gallina
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Cabinet of Horrors

Cabinet of Horrors @ Gallery:  Track 16

You may have seen grotesque caricatures of Trump wheat pasted on utility boxes across LA – you have Robbie Conal to thank for that. Robbie Conal brings this piece of iconic LA street art to a larger, more refined exhibition at Track 16. Cabinet of Horrors is an exhibition full of satirical portraits of President Trump and his closest aides, advisors, and Cabinet Members. Cabinet of Horrors is a combination of traditional portraiture and political cartoon. Conal’s Cabinet of Horrors features a zombie cast of Kellyanne Conway with a header of “Knows Job” and Mike Pence as “Stillborn Again” among others. Robbie Conal’s Cabinet of Horrors exhibits at Track 16 from October 13th, 2018 – December 8, 2018.

Robbie Conal is hailed by Shepard Fairey as a power political commentator unafraid of public space. From the Iran-Contra Affair to the contemporary political climate, Conal has produced political artworks and infused them with humor.

Conal is clearly a talented artist, as well as deeply mindful of current events and leadership. Conal minimizes the chronic confusion and conflict our country experiences by reducing our Head of State to a caricature. An equal opportunist, Conal lambasts President Trump’s closest advisors and cabinet members. Conal reminds us that, although in a unique and scary form, our current political leadership will pass.

When President Trump was elected, my father reminded me that he wanted to leave the country when President Reagan was elected. My dad’s point was – you think the world is over, you think the rapture has come, but life goes on. History repeats itself, and at the end of the day we need to do what we can to make the world a better place, and trust that we’ll come out of this alright. This all sounds like my family is full of drama and theatrics, but the past couple of years has amplified and extended this sentiment across other like-minded families.

If we look into history, we can find two threads that objectively bind the human spirit together: perseverance and art. Robbie Conal’s artwork reminds us that while the world is dramatic right now, we have endured the same in the past. Our political headlines and art exhibitions will become pages in the yearbook of history, and do little more than show how tense a timeframe was. So to Robbie’s point – why not fine the humor in the drama?

Gallery:
Track 16

Location:
1206 Maple Ave. #1005
Los Angeles, CA 90015    

Hours:
Weds Sat
12pm – 6pm
*or by appointment

Exhibition Dates:
October 13, 2018 – December 8, 2018 

Website:
https://www.track16.com/2018/robbie-conal

 

Discovering Yourself as a Director

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Discovering Yourself as a Director

I think I may have directed about 20 short films by now. And as I am beginning to get my mind around my feature film – still working on the script – I am beginning to think about directing again and how best to do it. 

The thing about directing is that you have to be so many things to so many people.

To the cinematographer, you must be the look of the film, the essence of it, the tone, the color and the style.  To the art department and set design you must be the client essentially, collaborating with them on every location, every chair, every picture on every wall.  To the costume designers you must help them tell the audience who the characters are with each outfit.  And the composer must be sure that what they write is exactly the sound of your vision.

It’s a lot.  And that’s just these few departments and there are many many more people along the way who will ask you a million questions….and they will need answers.  In order for the film to sail true you must give all these lovely people answers to each and every choice they offer you…and quickly.

So being a director of a film is really about being the one, the only one, who decides just about everything. You are the “decider” and making those choices correctly is what separates success from failure…so no pressure then.

It’s important to know right away that directing is not just about calling “action” and watching everything work perfectly until you say “cut.”  You have to have a reason for everything and that can be the most exciting thing in the world or the worst.

I love directing and not just because I am always right about everything, although that is a big part of it I am sure.  No, I love directing because what you are in fact doing when you direct is creating a new world.  A world that you are the god of and a world that is, when everything goes according to plan, the best possible place for all the people that you have given instructions to and chosen things with to bring their perfect brilliance of everything they have done and for it all to come together and exist…to live.

So that is the film n total, but what about those who actually inhabit the world you create…the actors?

The actors are basically the most important part of the film, although it’s best not to tell them that too often I have found…makes them nervous.

Learning to work with actors is essential and, surprisingly, there are many ways a director can actually avoid this.  Which might seem very odd to the layperson, but a director could absolutely pass an entire day on set without saying much more than “action” to their actors and this happens remarkably frequently.

After all, once an actor is cast they are given their scripts and dressed and made up and possibly given a few instructions and told to show up and cameras roll that’s it…well it can be.

Some directors don’t even like actors very much, they find them to be an unfortunate necessity, a piece of the furniture with occasional lines.  This can work I suppose, especially in films with big budgets and lots of effects, but in independent films with modest budgets and short shoots there has to be something very different going on.  There has to be a real connection between the director and their cast.  They have to have some magic there and the director must inspire their actors do their work in sometimes rather stressful and extreme circumstances.

I was fortunate enough today to attend a screening of Nicole Kidman’s new film, “Destroyer.”  It’s a great film and directed by a woman, Karyn Kusama.  Kind of a homage to 70s revenge movies, but with a female protagonist and a gritty one at that.  Anyway, during the Q&A Kidman talked a lot about her process as an actor and it struck me that what she was really talking about was the space a director can give an actor to do their thing – giving them support and safety but without being clingy or intrusive.  After all, when an actor is hired to act in a film it’s a kind of unspoken contract between the director and the actor.  The actor must absorb the script and work with the director to discover the character. It’s not all on the page, it’s in the way an actor interprets and finds the role they are playing and if the director is smart and they have cast well the actor inhabits the role and the director simply captures the performance.  But there can be an awful lot between the script and the actual filming.  The director needs to find a way to coax the performance they require from the actor. It’s a game, but a very serious one for unless that performance is where the director needs it to be, nuance and approach aside…the film is lost.

How to do it then? Well, there’s no way I can describe that.  Each actor is different, each director, every piece of material, every situation, even the amount of time you have to deliver. I have had less than a day often.

Sometimes it has been the entire focus of my time as a director, sometimes I have spent very little time on it.   But then I have only directed shorts, hence my sudden interest in technique.  Since next year I am determined to direct my feature, I will have to really study how I am going to achieve my goals.

Nothing exquisite ever comes easy and it’s been a long time coming for me.  I’m 51 next week and in this my 51st year I will direct my first feature film, which I will also have written…also a first.

Scary?  No. Well, maybe a little.

Exciting?  Yes, very.

About time?  Absolutely…taking this long feels good.

So I’m in my head a lot these days, especially about working with my actors but in my head is where I work best. And as I work I plot and scheme and before I know it I will be on set putting all this work in action… I can hardly wait!!

ZED Fest Hopes To Discover the Cult Movies of the Future…

Lisa Bianconi
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The 9th Annual ZED Fest Film Festival 2018 returns to the NoHo Arts District November 6 – 9 celebrating Horror, Sci-Fi, Art House filmmakers and screenwriters.

 

You’ve heard of “B-Movies” right? The low budget second movie in a double feature.

Movies that were bad, or so bad they’re good. Movies that demand multiple viewings and you can’t help but quote. You’ve probably have never heard of “Z-Movies” have you? The Z-Movies (or as we like to call them “Zed-Flicks”) were usually the independent micro-budget with unknown cast members, and made by filmmakers that had dedication to complete their films. They were the early incarnation of Grindhouse and Drive In Flicks. “Bs” (Actually many of what is considered an old B-Movie today were actually “Zs” back when they first came out.) In The Zed Fest’s opinion the “Zs” are better.

“We will be screening the best films from 2018 sent to us from all over the world. We founded Zed Fest Film Festival to encourage and support independent low- and big- budget filmmakers who work in the horror, suspense, science fiction, drama, action, adventure, and art house genres. The festival screens feature-length, short films, super short films and student shorts. Our films are fun, artistic and innovative. Come celebrate independent films with us!.” – Wendy Medrano, Zed Fest Festival Director

For Tickets please visit: www.zedfest.org

FACEBOOK | TWITTER 

The 9th Annual ZED Fest Film Festival 2018 returns to the NoHo Arts District November 6 – 10 celebrating Horror, Sci-Fi, Art House filmmakers and screenwriters www.nohoartsdistrict.com

FILM SCREENINGS

Wednesday,Thursday, November 7,8, 2018. 6pm-12am 

Laemmle NoHo 7
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA, 91601

Underground Cinema Night/Awards Party Night (food&drinks)

Friday, November 9, 2018. 8pm-12am

Gray Studios LA
5250 Vineland Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Tuesday, November 6, 2018 9pm-12am

Meet Independent filmmakers, talent and the festival team
Tickets are $10 and include appetizer, drink and film ticket to any movie screening at Zed Fest Film Festival 2018.

The Idle Hour
4824 Vineland Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

SPECIAL PANELS

www.zedfest.org

Zed Fest Film Festival Filmmakers Panel 2018

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 8-9pm

Laemmle NoHo 7
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Hosted By: Zed Fest Film Festival

Special Guests:
Todd Tucker – Halloween Wars.Terror of Hallow’s Eve
Sean Decker – LA Slasher,The Basement
Christian Ackerman – Bethany, Deadly Reunion
Alan Maxson – The Raking,Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Shawn Schminke – Thor: Ragnarok,Christmas With Cookie
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

Zed Fest Film Festival Women in Film Panel 2018

Thursday, November 8, 2018 8-9pm
Movies start at 7pm
Laemmle NoHo 7
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Hosted By: Zed Fest Film Festival/Wendy Medrano

Special Guests:

Marilyn Ghigliotti – Clerks, Lake Eerie,Starship: Rising
Angela Relucio – Code Black,The Cabining
Jennifer Nangle – Slit,Lilith (2018)
Ashley Erin Campbell – Those Lips, Above Jewels
Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel

TICKETS>>

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Reviews – Halloween; Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Mike Peros
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Reviews – Halloween; Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Halloween; Can You Ever Forgive Me?

David Gordon Green’s sequel to Halloween, the 1978 slasher classic that brought John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Michael Myers to the forefront of the horror genre, is simply called…Halloween. It’s been forty years since Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Dr. Loomis (the great Donald Pleasance) fended off a very persistent (not to mention murderous) Michael Myers in the original film. Now both are prisoners of a kind—Mr. Myers in an institution, and Laurie, shut off from friends and family in a self-imposed isolation, both dreading and looking forward to her inevitable confrontation with the “boogeyman.” Halloween proceeds as if all the other sequels never took place—although the mystique of Meyers has intensified in the intervening years (thanks in large part to those unmentioned sequels).

I’m happy to say this Halloween is worth the wait. A tense pre-credits sequence has the institutionalized Michael (sans mask) goaded by some visiting podcasters (with the blessing of Michael’s Doctor Sartain, as the character of Loomis has died in the passing years, as has Pleasance) in an attempt to get him to speak. They don’t succeed—except in getting him mad. Cue the famous John Carpenter theme which received resounding applause from the audience I was with. From this splendid opening, it’s only a matter of time before Michael, who is being transported to another facility, manages to escape, doing some unsightly damage to his captors en route to Laurie’s fortified house out in the woods.

Halloween contains the usual supporting characters who vie for screen time in advance of their eventual slaughter, and some of these characters are fairly likable. Though their fates are not unexpected, there are a couple of shocks, and a few well-done, grim twists. However, where the film excels is in the strained family dynamic among Curtis’s brittle, haunted, resourceful Laurie, her estranged daughter Karen (Judy Greer), and Karen’s daughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). Karen is fed up with Laurie and her survivalist hysteria, while Laurie, the victim of two broken marriages and her unresolved trauma, is convinced that she has to protect the family, in spite of themselves. Allyson is caught in the middle, since she loves both her mother and her well-meaning if seemingly unhinged grandma. The three actresses do fine work, but it’s Jamie Lee Curtis’s show, as she beautifully portrays the many facets of Laurie: loving, dismissive, melancholy, concerned, hysterical, and finally resourceful and heroic. Yes it’s been forty years, but time hasn’t withered her acting skills or her edge. The actions of Mr. Meyers do provoke the more visceral audience reactions, but it’s Curtis’s Laurie that makes this sequel so satisfying.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

There is another brittle, morose, and resourceful female in the movie houses, and it’s Melissa McCarthy delivering a superb performance as the real-life writer, biographer—and literary forger Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Set in the early 1990s, director Marielle Heller, working from a script by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (adapted from Israel’s memoir), recreates a New York City both gray and dreary, and littered with bookstores and bars. It tells the true story of Lee Israel, a former best-selling author who has alienated both her publisher and her agent through her anti-social behavior which maybe stems from her alcoholism—but maybe not. Her only companion is her faithful, aging cat, and her desire to pay the bills (housing, grocery and medical) leads Israel to initially “enhance” some literary, autographed letters—and then, based on her knowledge and research of the writers, create some of her own. Her new “literary” endeavor is a success, providing the means to pay her back rent and tend to her ailing cat. Along the way, she acquires a confidant: flamboyant, larcenous, and initially loyal Jack Hock (a terrific Richard Grant); he succeeds in getting the sullen Israel to loosen up, while he proves useful when the “feds” start to suspect her (rightly) of shady doings.

Can You Ever Forgive Me does its best to present Israel warts and all. She’s abrasive, filthy, content to burn bridges, using her cutting wit to alienate those who might help her. Yet the miracle of Melissa McCarthy’s compelling portrayal is that one grudgingly likes her—even to the point of rooting for her. It’s partly because the movie creates a plausible air of desperation for its protagonist, as she can’t squeeze out a half-decent advance, while authors like Tom Clancy command in the millions. McCarthy succeeds in providing Israel with all kinds of shadings, not only finding the right notes in her antagonistic, defensive temperament, but in the moments where she tries to fend off loneliness, not only with Jack, but with a sympathetic bookstore owner (Dolly Wells) who might just be interested in a relationship with Lee. These persuasive, delicately played scenes are the heart of this intelligent, amusing and ultimately poignant film. Can You Ever Forgive Me doesn’t make any apologies for Lee Israel—in fact, she is presented as being quite proud of her literary accomplishments. Heck, it might even lead to a book (which it did).

How to Negotiate LAX with Ease

NoHo - North Hollywood
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Airports have a habit of making travelers miserable. 

From their overzealous security staff and seemingly endless queues to their weak Wi-Fi and confusing signs, these bustling travel hubs can easily squeeze the joy out of your trip before you’ve even set foot on an airplane.

In fact, even The Economist once concluded that US airports are “awful,” beset by “soggy pizza, surly security staff and endless queues.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Although security checks and getting hopelessly lost are often unavoidable, there are plenty of ways to take the pain out of making your way through LAX airport and onto your flight without bursting an important blood vessel.

Here’s how …

  1. Choose Airport Parking

We all know that traveling to the airport via public transport can be a logistical nightmare, as heavy luggage or screaming kids can make it the journey from hell—that’s why it’s often simpler to take your own vehicle and leave it at a nearby car park.

While it’s easy to imagine a dearth of parking spots available at a major airport like LAX, there’s plenty of choice for the discerning business traveller or holidaymaker.

The simplest and most convenient option is to pre-book your LAX parking spot through Looking4.com, an airport parking comparison service designed to find you the best deal and save you a whole load of hassle.

  1. Skip the Line at Check-In

There’s little worse than excitedly turning up for your holiday, only to be faced with a check-in queue that’s longer than a conga line full of millipedes. To avoid a situation like this, try to check-in online, which can usually be done 24 hours before your flight jets off.

If you’re a bit of a technophobe, however, try asking a member of staff at LAX to help you use the handy self-service facility within the terminal before leaving your bags (if you’re checking them in) at the airport’s drop off point.

  1. Avoid Queuing To Board

Some punctual folk prefer to make their way through security and immediately queue to board the plane. However, all this waiting around is unnecessary for a debonair traveller such as yourself, so wait until the last minute to board.

After all, you’ll almost always have an allocated seat on board and, unless you’re laughably late, the plane will not leave until all passengers are on board—and that means there’s plenty of time to browse the duty free, read the last few pages of your book, or make sure your kids use the toilet before the flight.

Of course, some areas of the airport lend themselves to hold-ups, but by following the tips above, you can make sure your next journey via LAX, and subsequent trips, is smoother than a penguin in a wetsuit.

What do you think?

Do you have any other tips for our readers looking to negotiate the hustle and bustle of LAX? Have you ever put any of the tips above into action? Please let us know in the comments below.  

Preatorean and The Whitefire Theatre Present “The Dogs Pond”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“The Dogs Pond” written by Travis G Baker and directed by Derek Long.

This is a difficult subject. The profound psychological toll that war inflicts on its soldiers.

Beyond the ultimate sacrifice, beyond the terrible physical maiming and beyond so-called civilian collateral damage. But this toll is one that we can surely never be exposed to enough. Our propensity to look the other way when we encounter what we don’t understand is perhaps one of our saddest of instincts.

This play, “The Dogs Pond” faces it head-on. Set in Maine at a pond, or small lake, we spend the weekend with a group of soldiers. Men who know each other because they served together in The Gulf War and Afghanistan and an uncle who served in Vietnam. One of the soldier’s brothers and another uncle, a professor are also around. The soldiers have a connection of course. But how can any of us know war if we haven’t served? The civilians know the men the war made and long for who they were before. One of the soldiers has chosen not to speak since he returned and it is his brother who has organized the trip, trying desperately to find his brother’s voice for him.

Over the weekend the men talk and drink and “do nothing,” which is why they came. But of course, there is far more to it than that. They give us small glimpses into their lives since they served. Their longing to feel normal, their stubborn pain, their avoidance of closeness, their guilt. One of the men lost an arm and a leg and battles through his existence still, too angry to die, his prosthetics state of the art, but unfortunately not bionic.

It’s a tough play. But the toughness belies a tender heart. My father was a marine. He was tough as nails but easy to love. That’s how I felt about the play and most of the characters within it. Men go to war for so many reasons, some of them not easily explained. When they come home they are always changed. Hhow can they not be, how could anyone not be? But the world they return to often hasn’t changed at all and they must feel like they’ve walked through a mirror sometimes. Honoring the struggles and the battles they continue to fight is not only right but necessary.

There is a lot of love in this play, as well as anger and hurt and a brutal kind of acceptance of each other as they are now, not as they were. We all change as we go through life, these men changed at an accelerated rate. They fell through time somehow, separating themselves forever from what they knew and from how their people knew them. But at least they did it together and that is their eternal brotherhood. The performances are absolutely excellent. Real and true and gentle and strong, very, very funny and extraordinarily moving.

“The Dogs Pond” is a lyrical, funny and furiously poetic look at a group of warriors who are just trying to find their peace…brilliant.

Running October 7th through October 28th, Sundays at 7 pm The Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 91423

TICKETS>>

Cast

Bergsey – Fred Mancuso

Stills – Josh Evans

Owen – Craig Hasenbank

Carter – Ryan de Quintal

Uncle Pete – Johnny B. Young

Gary Enfield – Ted Wells

Hiking “The Mighty Five” National Parks in Utah

Jack Witt
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Hiking “The Mighty Five” National Parks in Utah

America’s National Parks are a unique part of our country’s identity and cultural heritage.

No matter who you are, where you live, or how you live; the national parks welcome everybody as one and seem to strip away our differences and bond us together as admirers of the majestic outdoors and mother nature. Our national parks can be a force for health, healing, joy, and unity.

Our group’s goal was to find a high volume of national parks within a fairly close radius of each other and do some hiking in each one over a week’s time period. We found our ultimate destination: The “Mighty Five” in Utah – Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park.

We all met up in Las Vegas Nevada where we rented a vehicle at the airport and set out on our drive to Zion (about 3 hours). After checking into our accommodations in Springdale (the town closest to the park) we hiked up Observation Point via the east rim trail. This was quite an ambitious plan for our first hike as it’s an 8 mile strenuous roundtrip hike that packs quite an elevation gain punch. But our first choice – Angles Landing, was closed due to some heavy rains the previous week. Although more challenging than we probably would have expected, Observation Point has some glorious vistas as pay-off at the end.

The next day we put on our water shoes and waded through The Narrows. It’s the most popular hike in Zion National Park and it’s a lot of fun! Plan on getting wet as you wade through the Virgin River in water sometimes up to your waist. The cool water makes this hike through the canyon very pleasant during the hot months of summer.

After drying out and changing, we hit the road on to our next park: Bryce Canyon (about a 2 hour drive). After checking in to our accommodations in Bryce we set out to hike the 3-mile roundtrip Navajo Loop/Queens Garden Trail from Sunset Point. Bryce Canyon, in my opinion is unlike any park in our national park system, and maybe even in the world! It features thousands of these crimson-colored hoodoos, which are spire-shaped rock formations. From above on the rim it seems as if you are looking at some lost ancient city with all the natural formations. And at times, while hiking in the canyon, it’s almost as if you’re hiking through some type of Hollywood set that was built for a major blockbuster movie taking place on another planet.

The next morning we hiked the 8-mile Fairyland Loop in Bryce and took an incredibly scenic 3 hour drive up to our next destination: Capitol Reef National Park.

Often overlooked, Capitol Reef is a hidden gem in the national parks system. It’s not as crowded as the other parks and offers gorgeous scenery. Our first hike was the Chimney Rock Trail, it’s about a 4 mile roundtrip hike with a relatively easy elevation gain. There are some fantastic lookout points along the trail that perch you high above the road leading through Capitol Reef Park. You truly get a feeling of awe as you take it all in.

For sunset in Capitol Reef there’s an easy combination of short trails you can do called Sunset Point and Gooseneck Trails. Both trails combine to less than one mile and feature some breathtaking views of the gorges and the waterpocket fold (a nearly 100-mile long warp in the earth’s crust). This area is a great way to enjoy the sunset in Capitol Reef. (And for stargazing, it’s one of the best places amongst the western national parks of the system.)

Back on the road for a pleasant 2 hour drive we arrive in Moab. This somewhat touristy southwest desert town is the perfect place to explore both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. There are also plenty of restaurants, bars and shopping in Moab.

First up for us was Canyonlands National Park. At 527 square miles, it’s the largest of the national parks in Utah. It’s so mammoth, it’s divided into 3 separate districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles and The Maze. If you only have a day or two to explore Canyonlands you’ll want to stick with the Island in the Sky district, which is closest to Moab and receives the most visitors. We went around sunset for the 1 mile flat out and back Grand View trail. It goes out to an overlook with one of the finest and vastest views in the desert southwest. We unintentionally timed it so that we were actually walking back while having the final minutes of a glorious sunset on our left at eye level and the moon rising during the longest total lunar eclipse (“blood moon”) of the 21st century on our right at eye level, both virtually unobstructed views the entire way. I’ve never experienced anything like it, and it truly was a very special experience to absorb.

The next day it was time for our 5th and final park in the Mighty Five Adventure: Arches – home to more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Always crowded, but always worth it is the hike out to delicate arch. It’s a 3 mile roundtrip hike that takes you to one of the most iconic and photographed of natural arches in the world. A heads up: there is no shade on this hike so it’s a good idea to do this early in the morning or later in the day/early evening.

Another great hike we did in Arches was the Windows Loop, an easy 1 mile roundtrip walk that is great around sunset as the rocks take on a rich, warm deep reddish & orangish glow. You’ll wish this feast for the eyes would never end. But, alas our adventure had concluded as we slowly breathed in our final peaceful moments in Arches.

Our Mighty Five adventure was nothing less than epic! After a week of getting to know these splendid national parks, we all felt like we knew ourselves a little better. Feeling decompressed, rejuvenated and grateful for the incredible experience we just had, we did one last group high-five and departed company until our next adventure.

Are you ready to plan your Mighty Five Adventure or interested in exploring other parks in our national parks system? Visit FindyourPark.com to begin your journey.

* Custom small group Mighty Five Adventures are available for groups of 6 or more through my travel brand ActiveWorldJourneys.com. We’ll handle all the logistics and you’ll just show up and be ready for an incredible guided or self-guided program.

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach
Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main

NoHo News: Halloweenish issue

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’sa glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood. Click on the image and to see the online version of our NoHo News…ENJOY NOHO!

NoHo News: What's happening in the neighborhood... our picks.

Follow NoHo News with Bloglovin

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Review of “Dr. Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“Dr. Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror” written by David Lucarelli and directed by Kevin Wetmore.

Dr Zomba takes us on a journey through his strange and slightly dodgy world.

He poses as some kind of wacky magician, but really he has a lot more to tell and a lot more to hide.

3.Doctor Zomba and Eargore fight scene lowrez

Once we get past the amusing vaudevillian showmanship, the darkness of Dr Zomba’s agenda is revealed. He has somehow hypnotized the beautiful daughter of his nemesis, Sirena, and ruthlessly enslaved her, incorporating her into his spooky ghost show. His side-kick, Ear-Gore, a limping, hunchbacked, mumbling stooge with an enormous ear is an interesting twist on the traditional and there’s an encounter with a rather adorable vampire, a real vintage throwback version which is excellent. But the show really revolves around returning Sirena to her father and foiling Dr Zomba’s evil plans.

6.Sirena with bloody knifelowrez

This all leads us to the spooky ghost show of terror ending, where the lights are dimmed and the audience is invited to believe what they see with their own eyes as spirits and ghouls and ghost of all kinds dance and fly and phantasm their way around the stage and into the audience.

It’s a classic vintage vaudeville ghost show, the kind of thing that faded out years ago as audiences became more and more sophisticated and harder to fool. It’s actually a lot of fun and at this time of year, it’s perfect midnight viewing.

7.Zomba juggles skullslowrez

It’s also quite kid-friendly if you can keep them up that late, and would be a great family outing honestly!

‘Dr Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror’ is only running until November 3rd so if you are longing for some truly vintage scary Halloween fun and are into rare Americana then this is right up your haunted alley!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/doctor-zombas-ghost-show-of-terror-tickets-49229920016

Running from October 20th, 26th, 27th & November 3rd at Midnight, October 27th at 3pm

The Flight Theatre, The Complex, The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles

Cast:

David M. Beach, Kerr Lordygan, Tamara Torres & Richard Da

YEBBA “My Mind” and “Evergreen”

Lisa Bianconi
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YEBBA “My Mind” and “Evergreen”

We’re Listening to YEBBA’s “My Mind” and “Evergreen” and we will listen to anything she puts out. Meet Abbey Smith, a.k.a. (awesome) YEBBA.

We happened upon YEBBA’s Sofar NYC performance of “My Mind” while on a YouTube spiral filled with lots of delicious musical treats.  We normally check out our faves; Colors, Sofar, NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert. If there are others we should put on our list, drop us a comment.

Have you ever heard a song that makes you cry and want to punch someone? Have you ever felt the words of a song, like deep in your gut?

YEBBA’s “My Mind” simply touched a piece of our heart, and well, a bit of our mind.

We suggest you listen first. We guarantee that, with only using this sense, you will feel it in your gut. 

Songs that make us move, get out of our seats, or stop and dance are the ones we tend to choose for this What We’re Listening to music blog. But Yebba’s “My Mind” didn’t make us get out of our seat to dance. She made us get up out of our seat in jaw-dropping disbelief at her powerful, spot on, incredible vocal ability and her stage presence, both dripping with raw emotion – deep hurt and sadness but, surprisingly, an underlying strength.

Raspy, soulful and technically creative, it was like YEBBA broke the listener. The song is packed with her very own soul. She took us up, down, around and back and we were like, “What the heck did we just experience!?”

We were all in her feelings and we sort of got our minds blown.

Her latest song “Evergreen” is on our playlist as well because it’s also a technically awesome song that grabs you and pulls you in. When you know what the song is about, it takes a little piece of your heart. It’s YEBBA’s personal tribute to her mother she lost to mental illness. But listen to it because it’s a song filled with lots of love. It’s a beautiful tribute that makes you sing along. Sing for YEBBA’s mamma, y’all.

YEBBA is our reminder that life is better with music and we all need to check out the hidden gems around us and on the interwebs.

So…

1. Go see a local band.
2. Get sucked into a Youtube spiral.
3. Follow a music hashtag on instagram like #MusicMonday and #WomeninMusic. Let us know in the comments if there’s one we should follow.
4. Follow playlists on Spotify or Apple Music or wherever. The world is better when we share our music finds!

The point? Just get out and explore new music.

We’ll leave you all with this treat – YEBBA’s version of SWV’s “Weak” accompanied by a simple guitar.

Keep making music that moves us (literally and figuratively).

The Fuzzy Bottoms Theatre Company Presents “LA Horror Stories, Four Crimes”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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“LA Horror Stories, Four Crimes” written and directed by April Littlejohn.

This year’s gruesome offering from the fabulous folks at the LA Horror Stories is “Four Crimes.”

4 horror stories 2

 

Set in England’s infamous Newgate Prison in 1928 we are privy to a very special selection of the most revolting and despicable of the prison’s inmates. Four criminals whose vile journeys to this place are the subject of the play’s four acts. All lovingly introduced to us by Newgate’s own warden supreme, a towering and terrifying fortress of a woman who brings out her four worst prisoners for our amusement. But she has her own agenda, for us to listen to their sordid, dreadful tales and then judge who is amongst them the most evil and therefore who will be her new executioner.

They are all horrid of course. Mass murderers with histories as different and varied as any of us…if not a little more bloody than most.

4 horror stories 3

The Gentleman who woos his prey and kills them with not the slightest of conscience…The Deug who fulfilled his terrible destiny at the whim of a neglectful mother. The Manthis who’s cruel parents forged her murderous mind and The Dutiful Wife, whose husband has no idea his partner in crime is not at all the coy lady he supposed.

All these plays are quite brilliant, bloody and frighteningly well written and performed. The large and wonderful cast is fully committed to these fascinating and cleverly staged historical dramas. They live in these sad and violent worlds, they scuttle in the darkness and the characters they play, each in their own way, embody the wickedest and most depraved the human soul could become.

4 horror stories 4

How malevolent can any man or women really be? Where does the fault of the fractured mind of the most nefarious among us lie? Can we become something less than human or are we born that way, finding our path to turpitude whether mistreated by life or given every advantage?

These are questions criminologists and psychologists and even men of god have been asking for millennia since Adam took the fruit and we all began believing in evil. But those that find peace in death and destruction will always fascinate and bemuse us. At this time of year particularly we all fetishize horror and when horror is presented in such thoughtful and creative ways as does the LA Horror Story it’s easily excused.

4 horror stories 5

This is a bloody and violent show, but there is a kind of deep poetry to it. What is terrifying is what is possible. All these tales producing all these monsters have reason at their core. Terrible reason to be sure, but not at all easily dismissed. Real horror like this is always human and when it’s so beautifully and carefully and darkly told as this is, it is very hard to resist.

Bring someone with you that you don’t mind clutching wildly at in terror…and if you sit in the front two rows you might want to bring a raincoat…

“LA Horror, Four Crimes” is truly, horribly excellent!!!

4 horror stories 6

Running from October 12 – October 28, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 5pm.

The Sherry Theatre, 11052 W Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

https://lahorrorstories.com 

Cast

April Littlejohn, A.J. Warden, Amanda Talamantez, Jason Galindo, Josh Hedeya, Steve Fite, Kirstie McHugh, Laura Boccaletti, Nicole A. Craig, Matt Green, Jonathan Guerra, Heather Boothby, Brendan Lynch, Rommel Rojas, Dakota West, Catherine Alexis Smith, Dylan Bainter

Production Crew

Karla Davis – Assistant Director/Stage Manager

Stefan Adkins – Technical Director

Hannah Jarvis – Choreographer

Steve Fite – Fight Captain

April Littlejohn – Costume Designer

Wynn Zucchero – Lighting

Arctic Monkeys at the Hollywood Bowl

Caroline McElroy
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Arctic Monkeys at the Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl was the Mecca for the Arctic Monkeys’ fans.

The fans made the pilgrimage on Rocktober 16 & 17 from L.A., out-of-state and from other countries, which includes Canada and Mexico, to see their favorite band perform in support of their sixth album “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.”

The first night was scary packed and brought back memories of seeing The Beatles there back in 1964 when the crowd was absolutely crushing and made it difficult to maneuver around. The crowd actually crushed a car while attempting to get a look-see as The Beatles went speeding out. The second night was packed, but not a crazy herd-like packed.

The sold-out shows were to say the least like attending a Rock N’ Roll revival with attendees shining their cell phone flashlights and singing along with frontman Alex Turner as he mesmerized the audience with his acute observations of life put to lyrics and sung in a voice that has been said to be a falsetto, which is downright sexy to this fangirl.

Many of the out-of-towners came from other countries because they were not able to or could not see the Arctic Monkeys perform where they live and were afraid to wait because there was always the possibility that the band would go on another hiatus without them being able to enjoy their live performance. They all surmised that it was well worth the expense to make the pilgrimage to their “Mecca.”

The stories varied as to how their fans discovered the Arctic Monkeys. Some heard a song somewhere and went out and purchased the recording while others had the band recommended to them on streaming services because they liked The Strokes or The Vines. Some said that the suggestions bothered them and didn’t want to like the Arctic Monkeys, but in the end, they are glad they broke down and listened.

I first heard the Arctic Monkeys when I was living in Santa Barbara. While walking through the local Urban Outfitters, I heard a song that really spoke to the punk rocker in me and I stopped shopping and listened. No one in the store knew who it was so I quickly left and went to the nearby record store and asked there.

The clerk said the Arctic Monkeys rather proudly and informed me that I had heard “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor.” The tune quickly found a home on my iPod. That was in 2008. Later on, in 2011, a friend sent me a press release about them and asked me to post it on the Facebook pages of music magazines that I thought would pay attention. Then in 2012 the Arctic Monkeys performed at the Summer Olympics at the 02 Arena in London and performed a medley of Beatles songs and that sealed my fangirl status and I was hooked. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were in the audience and gave the Arctic Monkeys a thumbs-up.

For super artist manager Vicky Hamilton, her fangirl status occurred while she was rushing to work. “Do I Wanna Know” came on the radio and Hamilton had to pull over and Shazam the tune to find out who it was. Hamilton immediately rushed out to purchase “AM” and became an avid fan that owns all of their recordings.

While Hamilton considers herself a latecomer to the party, she has managed to see the Arctic Monkeys perform in Paris and wrote an article about the show. Hamilton believes that “the Arctic Monkeys are the best band out there today” and feels that “Turner is an amazing songwriter. His lyrics are clever short stories that are relatable to nearly everyone. His voice is soothing, warm and believable. Alex writes what he knows and could be this generation’s, David Bowie.”

Hamilton adds that “The Arctic Monkeys are on their way to superstardom, mark my words. I’ve been in this business a long time and very few bands inspire me to want to buy records, tickets and merchandise. I want to share them with the world.”

I could not agree more with Hamilton. I never go to see a band a second night in a row, but I did with the Arctic Monkeys and made darn sure that I was right up front. Many people in the music business, as well as music critics, have compared Turner to David Bowie and after seeing them for the first time at The Hollywood Bowl I tend to agree. While the band doesn’t put on theatrical makeup and costumes, the music speaks for itself.

These two concerts were a clear-cut demonstration as to why the Arctic Monkeys are the biggest band in the UK.

With Matt Helders, Jamie Cook and Nick O’ Malley also “bringing it,” their shows were epic by Hamilton’s standards and awesome by mine. It is magic that the guys even have “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” because several sources have said that Turner was dealing with a writer’s block of sorts. A close friend had told Turner that perhaps “not doing that for a moment” would aide him in not writing love songs this time out. Shortly thereafter Turner became inspired by Federico Fellini’s film “81/2.”

While “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” is definitely a departure from previous works, don’t write it off because it doesn’t have the edginess of past compositions. And while this work has left behind the punkish, danceable rock gems of the past and goes off into a realm of conceptual space tripping, this album is a full-blown masterpiece that has only been hinted at in prior albums.

As for the other two acts that opened for the Arctic Monkeys, it was an opportunity to hear other newer acts and their music.

Mini Mansions

Mini Mansions and The Lemon Twigs both possess their own charms, however, Mini Mansions only seemed to come alive when the Arctic Monkeys’ Helders jumped into the fray and played the drums at which point the Mini Mansions came alive. Hamilton believes that Helders is one of the best drummers in the business today. I agree up to a point, but my heartbeat still resides with Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker who is set to return to Blink 182 soon for a stint in Las Vegas.

The Lemon Twigs

The Lemon Twigs were a theatrical hoot with frontman Michael D’Addario prancing around much like Mick Jagger did back in the day and charming his audience with tales of LSD, God and a potpourri of other transcendental incidents. Michael did seem to exude a panache that reminded me of Tim Curry in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Brian D’Addario gave me a twinge of nostalgia with his presence, mannerisms and music, which brought to mind Flying Burrito Brother Gram Parsons. The music gave sway to a Ballroom Blitz by Sweet sound which is a good thing.

Their set consisted of music from “Go To School” which is a concept album about a childless couple that adopts a child. What with Michael’s sassy ’tude, the whole set was quite entertaining, especially when he unplugged another band member’s guitar which led to his sitting down in the midst of a song.

Prior to rushing over to The Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday night to see the Arctic Monkeys, Dallon Weekes of Panic! At The Disco fame was hosting an EP release party for his new band IDKHow… at The Hotel Cafe was also on our music agenda.

Weekes’ new music is melodic, danceable with a sound that reminds me of a band called “Red Heaven” whose music had a dark and erotic quality to it which should have been used as a music score for an Anne Rice “Vampire” novel turned film. Weekes summons to mind Brandon Lee in “The Crow”; deep, dark and smoldering.

With a nod to Kraftwerk this new music stands out and is heavily driven by techo. Although there are only two people in this band it sounds like there are more. Weekes plays guitar plus the assorted techno additions and Ryan Seaman is playing drums. Seaman is formerly of Falling In Reverse and The Brobecks.

Interestingly the name of the band is a line out of the film “Back To The Future.”

Standout songs include “Choke” and “Do It All The time” which have been described as bewitching but can also be described as having sarcastic, catchy lyrics with a hint of old-time burlesque pomp. Congratulations to Fearless Records for signing this very artsy band and to Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald for bringing IDKHow… to my attention.

And the World Choreography Awards Nominees Are…

Lisa Bianconi
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Save the date! The World Choreography Awards is set for Tuesday, October 23. Produced/directed by Allen Walls and Cheryl Baxter-Ratliff. 

The World Choreography Awards  (WCA) is a global annual award show celebrating and honoring the best in media choreography. The WCA recognizes choreographic achievement in Motion Picture, Music Video, Commercials, Television Episodic, Television Award Show/Special, Digital Content, Digital Content Independent and Television Reality Show/Competition. The show will also have amazing performances by the world’s top choreographers and dancers.

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 The 2018 World Choreography Awards host is KENNY WORMALD. As a dancer, you can see Kenny on the remake of “Footloose.” He has worked with artist such as Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Chrystina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez and many more! Kenny is also the co-owner of the The Playground L.A. and has toured the world teaching dance workshops. 
 
The film world has “The Oscar,” the television world has “The Emmy,” the stage world has the “The Tony,” and now the dance world has ”The Choreo.” The WCA brings the best and brightest stars of dance together for one glorious night as we salute the future, celebrate the present and honor the past.

World Choreography Awards - The Kinjaz
World Choreography Awards – The Kinjaz

The nominees for the 2018 Choreo are:

MOTION PICTURE

ASHLEY WALLEN – The Greatest Showman
EMILIE GOLDBLUM – Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
KENNY ORTEGA and TONY TESTA – Descendants 2
DANIEL “CLOUD” CAMPOS and TAMARA LEVINSON – The Greatest Showman, The Other Side
TONY GONZALEZ, Associate Choreographer CHRIS MOSS – Bring It On – Worldwide #Cheersmac

TELEVISION EPISODIC

KATHRYN BURNS – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, First Penis I Saw
ZACH WOODLEE, Associate Choreographer KELLY KONNO – The Flash
FRED TALLAKSEN – The Real O’Neals
MARGUERITE DERRICKS – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
KATHRYN BURNS – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Strip Away My Conscience

DIGITAL CONTENT

BRIAN FRIEDMAN – Feel It Still
TESSANDRA CHAVEZ – Hold On
PARRIS GOEBEL – Go Anchor Milk
CHRISTOPHER SCOTT – Raised For Incarceration
RENEE KESTER and PHILLP CHBEEB – Timberland

COMMERCIALS

AARON SILLIS – Huawei P10
DENNA THOMSEN – Apple
ASHLEY WALLEN – The Greatest Showman
TRICIA MIRANDA, Associate Choreographer CAT RENDIC – Walmart
ANDREW WINGHART – Motorola

DIGITAL CONTENT INDEPENDENT

ANDREW WINGHART – Cry Me A River
KEONE and MARI MADRID – Take The World
HOK – Down
GALEN HOOKS – Wait for Me
BAM MARTIN, ANTHONY LEE, VINH NGUYEN and TONY TRAN – Humble

TELEVISION AWARD SHOW/SPECIAL

MARTY KUDELKA – The Oscars, Justin Timberlake
MANDY MOORE – Golden Globes, Remake ‘La La Land’
NICK FLOREZ and RJ DURELL, Associate Choreographer BANDALOOP – American Music Awards, Pink
NAPOLEON and TABITHA DUMO – Disney Magical Holiday Celebration
CALVIT HODGE, Associate Choreographer SARA BIVENS – Europe Music Awards, Camila Cabello

MUSIC VIDEO

DEREK HOUGH – Michael Buble’, I Believe In You
TESSANDRA CHAVEZ – Blake McGrath, Missing You
JOJO GOMEZ – Tinashe, Company
JUSTIN PECK – The National, Dark Side of The Gym
NICK FLOREZ and RJ DURELL – Pink, What About Us

TELEVISION REALITY SHOW/COMPETITION

JACQUES HEIM – America’s Got Talent, Diavolo
KEONE and MARI MADRID –World Of Dance, Happy
MANDY MOORE – So You Think You Can Dance, Brand New Academy
CHRISTOPHER SCOTT – Strictly Come Dancing, I’m Gonna Be
MIKE “MURDA” CARRASCO, JON “DO KNOCK” CRUZ, RONNIE ABALDONAD, BEN “BEN STACK” HONRUBI – World Of Dance, Super Cr3w 

THIS YEAR’S CELEBRITY ATTENDEES:

Debbie Allen, Harry Shum Jr, JoJo Siwa, Kenny Ortega, Derek Hough, Brian Freedman, Mandy Moore, Jojo Gomez, Glorya Kaufman, Anita Mann, Daniel “Cloud” Campos, Christopher Scott, Robin Antin. and Nigel Lythgoe are scheduled at this time.

PAST CELEBRITY ATTENDEES:

Christina Applegate, Florence Henderson, Paula Abdul, R5, Kida, Travis Wall, Joe Tremaine, Anita Mann, Daniel Ezralow, Jeffery Hornaday, Travis Payne, Mandy Moore, Christopher Scott, Daniel “Cloud” Campos and Michael Rooney…just to name a few.

THIS YEAR’S LEGACY AWARD:

This year the Joe Tremaine Legacy award. Honoring dance-makers that changed the face of dance, as we know it, will go to Debbie Allen. 

World Choreography Awards - Ryan Heffington choreography via www.nohoartsdistrict.com
World Choreography Awards – Ryan Heffington choreography

WHEN:

Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Red Carpet at 7:00 PM
Show 8:00 PM

TICKETS>>

PERFOMANCES BY:

World Of Dance 2018 winners “The Lab,” Jade Hale-Christofi, choreographer of “Take Me to Church” with Sergei Polunin, Debbie Allen Dance Academy and USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance are scheduled as of now.

THE CATEGORIES:

Motion Picture, Television Episodic, Commercials, Television Reality Show/Competition, Music Videos, Television Award Show/Special, Digital Content and Digital Content Independent. SPONSORS: Joe Tremaine Conventions & Competitions, Anita Mann Productions, Go 2 Talent Agency, BLOC Talent Agency, The Movement Talent Agency, Clear Talent Group, McDonald/Selznick Associates, Edge Performing Arts Center, Noho Arts District, Worldtone Dance sport and Theatrical Shoes, SoHo Dance LA, and Performing Arts Center.

WHERE:

The Saban Theatre
8440 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA, 90211 

MORE:

Allen Walls, Allen@WorldChoreographyAwards.com or  www.WorldChoreographyAwards.com

World Choreography Awards 2018 via www.nohoartsdistrict.com

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

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