58.5 F
Los Angeles

NoHo Tours | Advertising | NoHo Card | Contact Us | Business Concierge

Home Blog Page 205

NoHo News: Vegan Nights, WilldaBeast, Nosferatu, Civil War, Dance + Movies

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

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!

**** 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.

 

Vegan Night Market Takes Over the Federal Bar NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

Vegan Street Fair Catches Night Fever with the First All-Vegan Night Market in NoHo; September 2 and 3, 2016!

Vegan Street Fair,  the vegan food and lifestyle celebration touting bite sized eats, has expanded with a new concept sure to delight attendees of all ages: a vegan night market. The first of its kind in Los Angeles, Vegan Street Fair Nights will offer the same bite sized eats as its predecessor in addition to musical entertainment, a beer garden, board games, beer pong, and giant jenga under the stars.

“We saw the demand for a second Vegan Street Fair during the year but wanted to add a spin to the small bites street fair idea,” said VSF organizer Jessica Schoech. “VSF Nights is a way to beat the LA summer heat, enjoy delicious vegan food with friends, and dance the night away. It’s a great time to be vegan and we want to celebrate that,” she added.

During the two-night event at The Federal Bar that lasts from 5pm-12am on Friday September 2 and Saturday September 3, 17 of the most highly sought-after vegan and vegan-friendly vendors in California will present their eats and drinks at Vegan Street Fair Nights. Carefully curated by vegan Instagram personality, @VeganFatKid, the line up includes such powerhouses as Burgerlords, Equelecuá Cuban Café, Mandoline Grill, Ridiculous Baking Company featuring Minnesota’s famed The Herbivorous Butcher, and Taqueria La Venganza from Oakland. Also on the VSF Nights roster are Cha Cha Kombucha, Charlie’s Brownies, Cup My Cakez, Divine Dips Vegan Ice Cream, The Federal Bar, Ihsan’s Falafel, India Jones Chow Truck, The Donuttery, Todo Verde, Vegan Dots, World Empanadas, and Yoga-urt. Musical entertainment is being provided by 80’s cover band FlashPants. Some food highlights include all vegan ham and cheese croissants by Ridiculous Baking Company featuring The Herbivorous Butcher, plantain nachos by Equelecuá, banh mi sandwiches by Mandoline Grill, homemade pretzels by The Federal Bar, and warm brownies a la mode by Charlie’s Brownies.

{youtube}kvHmfMVOuj8{/youtube}

WHEN:

September 2 and 3 from 5PM-12AM

WHERE:

The Federal Bar NoHo
5303 Lankershim Blvd.
NoHo Arts District, CA 91601

Vegan Street Fair launched in 2015 on the streets of North Hollywood to the tune of 10,000 attendees. The turnout for 2016 doubled and the demand for more Vegan Street Fair events became apparent. “We were mind blown by the reception,” says Schoech. “VSF Nights had to stay true to the original concept but offer a fresh take on the vegan lifestyle so we opted for a more intimate setting where attendees could experience small vegan bites during a night out on the town without the crowds. Choosing a smaller set of really incredible vendors is our way to show vegans and non-vegans alike that vegan eats can be even better than their non-vegan counterparts.” Vegan Street Fair Nights will host 1,500 attendees each night. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $40 for a VIP fast pass and can be purchased via Eventbrite at .

About the organizers Vegan Street Fair was the dream of Jessica Schoech, a former personal trainer, and Ken Schoech, a TV producer who began developing a mobile app for vegan food across the world in 2011. In the process of developing the app, they realized that it would take them decades to eat at all of the vegan and vegan friendly eateries in LA. They decided to move on from the app and set out to create an event where the food came to them. Vegan Street Fair is currently in its second year and third event with a second major city being planned for 2017.

**** 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.  

Screw this Syndrome

nohoarts
-
0
Screw this Syndrome

I wish I’d known the significance of the hummingbird nest I saw built right before my eyes outside my bathroom window this spring.

In-step with every awesomeness those birds possess, I watched the mama weave and wind twigs and spider web threads around the tip top of my wine bottle wind chime. When she finally finished, she sat quietly on top her creation–that is until I blinked and she’d be gone. Blink again, and she returned.

This went on for a week or more until the theater changed. Mama no longer sat atop the nest because two needle thin beaks now poked up straight into the air. Blink. She hovered over them with magical motion and fed their opened mouths. Blink. She’s gone. She flitted back and forth for maybe two more weeks until I could sense a restlessness in that nest. One beak up, the other missing from sight. Two beaks again, then none. It had gotten tight in there. I could only imagine the two of them twisting and turning to get more comfortable. I had heard that hummingbird babies finally leave the nest after it becomes too small for their tiny bodies. They drop to the ground, but mama continues to feed them there until they are ready to go on their own. Kinda reminds me of our own babies evolving into adolescence and then the big adult “beyond.” Wouldn’t you know it, it is. And Me-Mama-Big-Butt-Humming-Head is having a big bad case of empty nest syndrome. Honestly, those three words hadn’t occurred to me until I sat down just now to write this post. I knew something was brewing inside of me, but I hadn’t a name for it yet– pride, confusion, elation, or grief? Turns out it’s all the above and a syndrome, no less. Makes it sound like you’re going insane. Well, you are.

My son’s launch off to college was only a mere twelve hour drive up to Northern California. The thought of not having him anymore in the next room drove both of us crazy. We eased the transition by designing his new portal at his apartment with young-manly stuff, grays and blacks being the main color scheme. We brought strands of light, stuff for the walls, and pots and pans that will probably never see the light of day. We met his roommates (and in a couple of cases, their obnoxious Republican families) and talked positive about the school, the beautiful grounds, the great town, and the future. But nothing could escape the underlying sadness or apprehension of a mama and son’s girlfriend leaving to go back home while son stayed to start a new life. Yup, the silent, droopy-mouthed, and glassy-eyed trio seated at the table amongst a crowd filled with laughter and Italian sauce was us. I’ll tell you, it was almost impossible to say something upbeat while blowing snot into a restaurant napkin.

Personally, I can’t imagine what it’s like to go to college because I never did. My second generation Lithuanian-American parents hadn’t gone so they didn’t know how to push their four girls into it. No¬. Instead I left my folk’s nest out of rebellion. It was the 70s after all. Not wanting to make the same mistake as my parents had, my ex-husband and I encouraged my son to continue his education, although I have to say I still approached the subject with their inherited ignorance. I hadn’t the first clue how to pick a college let alone pay for one. As it turned out, it wasn’t my choice anyway and due to heavy influence of my son’s friends, he chose Humboldt University, in the middle of nowhere-near-the-house. So I got ready. Ready for the change, the departure, and the separation. “He’s going on vacation,” I said a million times to myself. “We’ll plan our visits in increments. Why Labor Day and Thanksgiving are just around the corner!” But after looking at nine-hour flight schedules to travel in just ONE state when it took merely ten to drive straight through and up, the prospects of seeing him as often as I wanted started to look unrealistic. Bite the bullet. This is going to be a tough one.

I’m going to be short and sweet and honest here. There is NOTHING anyone can say to me right now to make me feel any better. Of course I’m thrilled for my son’s new venture and I’m absolutely gleaming with pride that he is truly thinking about making his mark in the world, but I still miss my boy. There are no shoulda-woulda-coulda’s with this event in my life. If I was able to turn the clock back, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But as I repeatedly said to my son over those last few days on his new turf of life, we must move forward because we have no choice. Besides, that cryogenics idea I had to freeze my son at age thirteen didn’t happen like I had planned. And like the hummingbird nest outside my bathroom window, mine is also empty–although my baby has flown the coop to become a full-on eagle.

Got Camera. Will Shoot…for drinks

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

We are lucky to have creative folks in the NoHo Arts District who do some amazing events. Meet the folks at Drink and Click™ – a social photography group that gets together with local photographers to socialize, talk, teach and learn. So they walk as a group taking pictures and making pit stops at pubs.

Drink and Click™ was founded by Juan Gonzalez in Austin, Texas and they currently have 14 cities and continue to expand multiple chapters around the world, including Tokyo, Berlin, Vancouver, just to name a few. They have a strong social media presence and they interact with other chapters by shooting a monthly theme for prizes. They have a large group of prize sponsors including Adobe Cloud, Macphun, Think Tank Photo and Fujifilm to name a few. This event is open to all skill levels – everyone is welcome. Shoot from your DSLR or camera phone and submit your pictures to their Google+ or Facebook page for prizes!!

This month Drink and Click™ heading to NoHo Art District in search of GRAFFITI. Yes, that is this month’s theme and lucky for them, there are plenty of great bars in NoHo for them to stop at.

“We are meeting at one of my favorite bars, The Federal, which also has a delectable selection of food if you want to get there a little early and try it,” says Ana Lopez, chapter director.

WHEN: Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 7PM
Walk begins at 7:30PM

WHERE: The Federal Bar NoHo
5303 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(a block from the North Hollywood METRO red and orange lines!)

THEME: graffiti

Why did you choose the NoHo Arts District for this month’s Drink and Click event?

I chose the NoHo Arts District for its richness in culture and abundance of night life. I love the numerous pubs in the area with outdoor sitting for my members to share photography tips and tricks while enjoying a nice, cold brew. There’s plenty to capture in the Arts District, whether it’s neon signs or people walking the streets from venue to venue on warm summer nights.

What’s the route you will take?

What are the prizes this round?

Our prizes include gear or memberships any photo lover would be thrilled about. This month’s prizes are as followed:

1st Place +Adobe Creative Cloud Account
2nd Place +ViewBug Account
3rd Place +Rocky Nook Ebook

So the photographers submit their images to google+ and facebook. Is that all they have to do?

To be eligible for this month’s Drink and Click ™ challenge attendees need do the following:

We love our sponsors. This month we have Adobe Cloud, ViewBug and Rocky Nook. Members must follow (Like) their accounts on their favorite platform, whether it be Google+ or Facebook.

All photos submitted must be taken the night of the photowalk.

Can anyone join the fun?

Anyone can join the fun! Most of our members are over 21 since we are a hybrid between a pub crawl and a photo walk group. That being said, our members are not obligated to drink alcohol. They can indulge in non alcoholic drinks, but they must be over 21 if they are to enter the pubs.

As far as skill level goes, we welcome all. We look forward to giving new photographers helpful tips or learning new techniques from professional photographers. No need for a DSLR, a camera phone will do. As long as they are having fun clicking it’s all that matters!

Is there anything you’d like to highlight about the L.A. chapter?

This group was quite successful in the past, but the former chapter lead moved to Texas and this will be our first meeting as a freshly formed chapter. There are several chapters formed in the US and around the world. We have chapters in Texas, Chicago, New York, Mexico, Tokyo, Germany, and Japan to name some. I believe we have plenty of talented photographers in LA that can bring the heat and win some of these monthly challenges.

Sometimes we host events with camera makers who let our members test out their cameras. Check out this link to the latest event we had with Olympus and Panasonic.

Website |  Facebook | Google +  |  Instagram  | Twitter 

**** 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.

Willdabeast – Will Adams

Luckie
-
0

Building a Beast

In a time where following your dreams is a daily hustle and success may seem instant or “overnight” for some, it’s become less likely to get authentic insight into the people who have a large following on social media. They sometimes feel out of reach, living a seemingly perfect day-to-day life. Without knowing anything about that person, we could be quick to label them “Instafamous”; assuming the new cool kids are all talentless selfie addicts.

For Will Adams, his rising popularity could overshadow the trenches he went through in the beginning of his career and the man he fought to become through it all. I want to share this story of what happened when purpose came knocking and took an effervescent dancer from Indiana to heights beyond his own imagination.

“I moved to LA in August 2009 because I was tired of just going to school and getting by. The breaking point was when Michael Jackson passed away. I knew that I belonged somewhere else where I can be more creative.”

When I met Will he was fresh off the plane and the stage name Willdabeast was an instant conversation starter. We ended up booking a 3 month job together to perform at the grand opening of the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas with a crew of 35 dancers. We danced wherever and whenever we could so we constantly shot concept videos and did each other’s club performances. As a friend, he became a consistent source of good vibes and honest conversations about life. It felt like I’d known him since I was a kid. As we both grew in our respective path, he would often express how much teaching really fueled his spirit. At the time, he was continuously booked with top selling artists. Will considers his favorites to work with were T-Pain and Usher because he loves their music and felt the most alive when he was on stage with them. Even though his resume was thicker, getting a teaching spot at the commercial dance studios in North Hollywood still wasn’t easy. Studio owners and other instructors had only seen him as an amazing freestyler or work as a background dancer. Regardless of how much support he got, Will continued to stay focused on sharing his own expression of artistry with the people around him.

“After I was on tour with TPain for two years I just felt like I could do more. Like my impact could be more than dancing for someone. That’s why decided to build my own brand and start teaching in LA and really try to get people to see what I felt like was special about my movement, brain, creativity!”

With the beautiful Janelle Ginestra at his side, Willdabeast began to build a dance and media based empire brick by brick. He started teaching as much as possible and doing Youtube videos that would eventually gross hundreds of thousands of views within a day. With the help of videographers Tim Milgrim and Brazil Helton shooting Will’s raw energetic style in an authentically captivating way, the world soon became addicted to the beast. Even with all the sudden notoriety, he continuously reminds himself that in order to take over the world, the value of having the right energy and an “Anything is Possible” mindset around him is priceless.

“It’s super important to have a great team, they are your ears and eyes, as well as the people that can tell you know when you have a really bad idea. lol There have been plenty of times when I felt like I couldn’t continue in the entertainment industry. It’s really hard and it’s also very unfair at times, but my faith and my will to win always kept me going.”

“As we were all in rehearsal for Immabeast, if you were to look around, we had so many different ages, races, religions, sexualities in one space and it didn’t matter. I barely even noticed because to me they are all family. I thought “wow, how rare is this? To have a room full of love”. I could go on and on about all the different powerful things I’ve learned. Being a part of ImmaBeast and being able to work so closely with our team has truly changed my life.” – Allie Laliberte – Canadian dancer / assistant

To date Willdabeast grosses over 500 million views on his YouTube page with 1.6 million subscribers. He’s continuously traveling around the world to teach master classes to Millennial dancers looking to train hard and release their inner Beast. Will’s dance company, Immabeast is more like family, but this isn’t the Mickey Mouse Club. These are superstar talented, off the wall amazing dancers from every corner of the world that come together to pour their hearts into every ounce of the experience. His BuildaBEAST workshop convention was beyond sold out this year. So much so, the entire production was moved to a new ballroom that could accommodate all 800 eager dancers waiting for their turn to train with the most elite masters of movement in the business.

“Right now I have about 75 active company members. I have about 150 alumni throughout the whole world. When looking for new dancers I look for heart and a special hunger that you cannot teach. Characters is also SO important. I feel like you can teach technique, and you could get someone to be clean, but it’s very hard to teach someone to want to be a star !! Developing dancers is very important to me because it’s something that I did not have in my life. I really wish I had someone to help me out, show me the ropes, and make me better and actually care for me to be better than them one day. So now I choose to instill that in other people.”

“Working with Will was honestly nothing short of life changing. I’ve always been a strong driven person but we all have self doubt. When I started working with Will and the team, I realized anything is possible. The way they are changing the game and making huge moves for us dancers is incredible and there’s no doubt in their minds they can’t do it. They changed the way I look at myself and my talent.” –  Allie Laliberte – Canadian dancer / assistant

Most recently Will and Janelle were blessed to choreograph the nominee announcements for the 2016 BET Awards, a new campaign for Hennessy, and develop rising star Jordan Fisher. In addition to that, he’s launched the first ever streaming and video on demand service for the professional dance community called The Beast Network. So with all the free gear and amazing experiences he’s had, when I asked Will what his favorite gift was, this is how he replied.

“The best gift I’ve ever gotten is from the Millennium dance company. They gave me a dog tag with the BET Awards congratulations on a job that I did that was epic for myself and my company. And on the other side had my mom’s name, who passed away a few years ago!”

The loss of his mom to cancer shook the entire industry and from it came an outpouring of love. Endless posts and comments of support and prayers came in. We all felt the loss because the best part about seeing someone like Will flourish is that you know everything he does comes from a genuine place. Although it was one of the worst days in his life, Will still came out and taught a class in memory of his mom. His love for dance and impacting people’s lives isn’t just for show. He went into a spiritual zen to remove all negative, doubtful thoughts about his journey even in the midst of such a painful experience.

“We’d known each other for about 7 years but actually got closer doing Luckie’s Cyborg Safari piece back in the day. We were coming up together as brothers; so much talent, so much hunger and pushed each other’s dreams further. After receiving so many no’s from jobs we would die for, I knew we had to create our own avenue. Will was one of the founders with me recruiting people into Oceans 11 which landed us a spot on ABDC Season 6 as Eclectic Gentlemen. The best thing about seeing his journey is how much we talked about our dreams and all we had was bills, no money, and faith. It’s crazy how you don’t need much, just to believe in yourself.” – Fresh Redding – Longtime friend and business partner

Before anyone was paying attention, Willdabeast was already providing unfathomable opportunities for the dance community. It’s no wonder people are magnetically drawn to his smile and charismatic teaching style. When you strip all of that away, the understanding about the power in his purpose is what keeps the Beast Takeover full steam ahead.

So if you ever come across @willdabeast_ on social media, know that his smiling selfies are the product of perseverance and determination. Go ahead and give him a double tap. Being completely truthful I always knew that people would know my name one day and feel a different energy when I walked in the room. I just didn’t know how that was going to happen. So the fact that dance is the main reason so far that people know my face, my movement, my voice is very surprising. I knew it would happen I just didn’t know how!

About the Author

Come and join Luckie in the coolest dance class you will ever take…..

EVERY WEDNESDAY in NoHo Arts District at Evolution Studios – grab a few friends for this fully interactive, high energy house party! Its all about letting loose and feeling the groove of the 90s deep down in your bones!
Class opens with a 15 minute ‘watch and repeat’ style warm up aimed at improving flexibility, relieving stress through breathing techniques, and maximizing range of motion. We’ll pick up the pace with a nonstop mix of Hip Hop movements that not only improves cardio stamina and calorie burn, but strategically targets and tones ALL major muscle groups. http://thatsluckie.com/

Some of his Industry credits….
Luckie was featured as a choreographer and onscreen dance partner for Oxygen’s hit show Dance Your A** Off where he landed a spot in the finale. His choreography/staging for the off -Broadway remake of the 1975 choreo-poem “For Colored Girls”, received two nominations from the NAACP Theatre Awards. He then had the pleasure of creative directing and choreographing promotional spot dates and television performances for Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday album including the Femme Fatale Tour, Rockin’ Dick Clark New Years Eve, and Good Morning America.

NoHo News: Grease, Fear Itself, LACMA, Zombie Joes, Music, Dance + More Theatre

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

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!

**** 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.

 

It’s a Film Invasion L.A.

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

Film Invasion L.A. brings the best of independent film to the heart of Los Angeles.

The Valley is getting more film! The official lineup for the inaugural Film Invasion L.A festival has been announced. Film Invasion L.A. is a film festival that brings the work of great filmmakers together and injects them into the heart of Los Angeles. Founded by industry veterans who have spent more than two decades regularly visiting the great film festivals of the world, Film Invasion L.A. looks to discover new talent and give great filmmakers an opportunity to shine. The one-week long film festival opens on Thursday, August 25 and closes on Thursday, September 1.

Film Invasion L.A. presents a diverse collection of works from stories about love and loss to dark secrets and ghosts real and imagined that can take hold of each of us. The festival is composed of 13 feature films, along with 23 shorts.

“Some of the films we are screening feature performers including Marc Maron, Chris Hardwick, Aisha Tyler, Ed Asner, Ione Skye, Denise Richards, Doug Benson and more,” said Jeffrey Howard, Festival Programmer.

WHEN: August 25 – September 1

WHERE: Whitefire Theatre
13500 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

We’ve got special 50% off tickets just for our  readers! Just use code: NOHO

TICKETS>>

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Why did you start the film festival?

Our Board contains several industry professionals with intimate knowledge of film festivals, independent filmmaking, and independent film distribution. This gives Film Invasion L.A. a unique approach to film selection. We have chosen films from challenging genres, films with original subjects, and films that are straight out crowd pleasers. Film Invasion L.A. is a film festival by film lovers for film lovers.

What advice do you give to filmmakers submitting their work to film festivals?

Check that the people involved in the festival have real world experience.

Why did you cho0se the films and shorts for this festival?

The top concern is always quality, but then comes originality. We wanted daring films that the filmgoing public rarely gets to see at the cineplex. With arthouse theaters disappearing every year, a film festival such as ours can fill the gap. In the 1990’s, arthouses showed exciting, new films that were discovered at Sundance. Today Sundance is filled with Hollywood produced star vehicles. We chose the great films that fall through the cracks.

The Features

Writer/director Kuang Lee’s debut, Buddy Solitaire, features Golden Globe Winner Sally Kirkland. Buddy Solitaire is a struggling comedian on the late night circuit. The only job he can get is teaching comedy to the mentally ill. Buddy discovers, however, that by helping these patients, he can get closer and closer to healing himself.

Earbuds: The Podcasting Documentary by The Comedy Film Nerds podcast duo, Chris Mancini and Graham Elwood features amazing footage and interviews with podcasters such as Marc Maron, Aisha Tyler, Jimmy Pardo, Scott Aukerman, and Doug Benson. This is a story about the podcaster, but more importantly about the fans, and the relationships that build over time between these people they listen to on a daily basis. The award winning, Love Meet Hope, starring 7-Time Emmy Award winning actor Edward Asner, is sure to please in this tale of love and family. Love Meet Hope, directed by Bennie Woodell, was written by the film’s stars Bradley Fowler (Texas Heart) & Amanda Markowitz (Heartbeat, Bold and the Beautiful).

Artifice, a collaborative effort between director Steven Doxey and his lead actor, Brandon Sean Pearson, explores the consequences of what happens when an actor goes beyond method for a role.

The David Weis film, Black Luck, is the story of a hitman in hiding who struggles to keep his monsters at bay.

Counter Clockwise, recently acquired by Artsploitation, is a darkly comedic sci-fi time traveling thriller directed by George Moïse. A scientist, while working on inventing teleportation, instead accidentally invents time travel and zaps himself 6 months into the future.

Filmmaker Quincy Rose’s film, Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends, is a post-modern romantic comedy about sex amongst friends, missed opportunities, unrequited love and how the grass always appears to be greener on the other side.

Ghostland Boys, by filmmakers Chris McElroy & Corey Schmalzle, is the story of two best friends who start a ghost hunting company as a scam to make quick cash when their plans to road trip to California are foiled by an expensive engine repair.

Have you ever wondered how many hands your dollars have touched? Wonder no more as you get an account of the life of a dollar bill, and the many lives it passes along the way in Riley Woods, A Life Lived.

The thriller, No Way to Live directed by Nick Chakwin & David Guglielmo, is about an interracial teenage couple in the 1950’s devise a plan to steal money and escape the bigotry of the American south.

Our Time by Marc Lucas, is a film about escaping the past. he must navigate through a dangerous web of betrayal, violence, and drugs in order to escape the grasp of the local gangster and arrive at his true destination.

Director, Preston Peterson, examines three stories in one film. West Virginia Stories, examines what it means to live, find connection, deal with trauma, and do more than just exist, in the rural landscape of a small mining town in West Virginia.

When My Eyes Go Dark by director Timothy J. Aguado, is Based on the early events of psychic Lazaro Ruben Torres, clinically declared dead five times. In the process of trying to reconnect with his daughter Lazaro discovers the man who killed her.

The Shorts

Above Jewels written by Ashley Campbell and directed by Nicholas Rose is the story of two dysfunctional sisters who attempt to bury the body of a cheating husband before being discovered by a Good Samaritan passing by.

Alpha Phi directed by Neil Payne dives into the country’s horrible epidemic of mass shootings as they reveal the mind of a True Mad Hatter.

An Entanglement by director Dylan Sanford is a crime short about A woman’s world comes crashing down when a stranger reveals he’s been hired to kill her. What follows is a dark proposition: pay double, and she can turn the hit back on her murderous husband.

Army of God by writer/director Todd Wiseman Jr is an action short that follows a terror attack as it unfolds in New York City.

Being Her Friend directed by Eva Chen and written by Christina Yr. Jun is a film about how wounded souls who from an unlikely friendship in the ward of a 72-hour suicide watch.

Blood Bath written by Pandie Suicide and directed by Erik Boccio – A re-imagined Elizabeth Bathory dips her toe in the modern dating pool.

Goodwaman, a documentary by Chris Fiore, is seen through the lens of a fearless community activist that tells a story emblematic of our times. Wrongfully arrested for filming the police, Debra Goodman sues the City of New York to enshrine the First Amendment rights of all New Yorkers.

How to Build a Fort by director Adam Bowman and written by the star Jennifer Webster is a romance that explores how love can happen in an instant, but sometimes it takes a lifetime to build a fort.

Julian Price: Envisioning Community, Investing in People is a documentary short directed by Erin Derham that captures the beloved philanthropist’s work and personality.

Let There Be Peace by filmmaker Donald Watson is a short film adaptation of unknown poet C. Richard Miles’ poem Let There Be Peace. Stories depict modern times and the free will toward peace.

Martyr directed by Michael Hernandez is about a hardworking young man bent on saving his sick son must convince a stranger to kill an innocent student or an unknown group will detonate the bomb strapped under his coat.

Monsters by writer/director Steve Desmond is the tale of Jenn who lives in an underground bunker, protected from the monsters that now ravage the world. This is the day that she goes outside…

Orion directed by Spencer Currie and produced by Gary Plummer, tells the story of Pat Connell, a dreamer who convinces his best friend Adam Stevens, a hardened staff sergeant who reenlist for another tour in Afghanistan. On a routine mission that goes south, the two end up stranded behind enemy lines where they must come to grips with the sacrifice they made and rely solely on each other PAPA by filmmaker Joshua Ojeda is story about a stay at home dad who tells his daughter to go to sleep, until she mentions that she is not alone in her room…

Passports by writer/directors Jeremy Pion-Berlin and Adam Linkenhelt is a comedy short about how Tanya returns after 6 wild years of traveling abroad. To help her settle in, her mom and grandma set her up on a bizarre online date.

The Settling is a dramatic, mystery short film. directed by David Russell and written by Brad Douglas. Torn between his past and future, a husband is forced to say goodbye to his wife and children while spending one last weekend at their family cabin.

The Catcher by filmmaker Jamie Brindle is based on the incredible true story of professional baseball player-turned WW2 spy, Moe Berg. The Catcher brings us along on Moe’s first mission for the OSS. Filled with suspense and intrigue and set against the beautiful, yet dangerous, backdrop of 1930’s Japan, Moe must gather intel crucial to the planning of a historic battle – and of the utmost importance to the war effort of the Allied Forces.

The Hunter by writer/director Miri Stone is a dramatic fantasy short film about how some things in the forest are naughty and not very nice.

The Lost by filmmaker Victor Valerio is about four different people in the wilderness, each with their own struggles in life find each other and come to learn what it means to be happy.

The Past Inside the Present by director James Siewart is an animated short that is an allegorical tale of a couple who attempt to renew their dying relationship by plugging directly into recordings of their memories.

This is How produced by the film’s star Paulina Lagudi and directed by Brian M. White is the story of how a woman tries to allow herself intimacy and normalcy in a budding relationship while trying to hide her unique form of self-harm.

Trunk Space written and directed by Max Silver and produced by Rachel Sklar is a short thriller about two girls who pick up a mysterious hitchhiker in the desert.

**** 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.  

How to go for the “Gold Medal” as a Life Athlete

Jack Witt
-
0
How to go for the “Gold Medal” as a Life Athlete

The Rio Olympics have come and gone, with many exciting moments, heart-felt stories, incredible performances, and even agonizing defeats.

While most of us certainly will never qualify for an Olympic games, we can approach life as a sport, and try to up our game of mental prowess, will to succeed, engagement with our environment, and self-confidence; all the traits that make great athletes.

All great athlete’s recognize the need for conditioning and practice during training season, as well as off-season rest and recuperation. As a Life Athlete, we also must recognize that we can’t go non-stop in our work and play environments 24/7 and expect any kind of longevity and / or improvements. We need to think of mini-vacations, days off, and retreats as our “off season”. A time to let our body’s and minds rest, rejuvenate, and heal. It makes us fresh and ready for “another season”, “another olympics”, “another competition”.  So what I’m suggeting is, don’t over-train in life and peak too soon or burn yourself out prematurely. Pace yourself and be in it to win it over the long run, kind of like an actual long-distance running competition.

So many top athlete’s push themselves to be better and better at their sport. As a Life Athlete, it’s important to do the same, with things like finances, family & loved-ones, faith & spirituality, community & volunteering, and our jobs & careers. Don’t let yourself get complacent. Set personal growth, interpersonal skills, and leadership goals for yourself. Continually strive to be better in all aspects of your life! That’s what builds confidence along the way. And, your will to succeed is stronger when you are focused on being a better person.

Of course exercise and eating right is critical for an Olympian, and it’s also very beneficial for a Life’s Athlete. Many psychiatrists and therapists will ask a new patient about their diet when dealing with common issues like depression and anxiety.  Food controls mood and your life is too important to be on auto-pilot with your nutrition. As well, exercise promotes endorphins, those positive brain chemicals that can help make a level 3 problem seem like what it is and not a level 10 problem. Take a hard look at your diet and exercise and make sure it’s where you need it to be to succeed in your life. Constantly tweak and re-evaluate your food management.
Most good coaches will tell their athletes to “let the game come to you”. In other words, don’t try to force it, be in the moment, and trust yourself. The same is true in life. One way to practice being in the moment is through mindfulness and meditation. Do you remember the social media viral “Phelps Face” from the recent Rio Games in Swimming, when Michael was tapping into his inner Obi one Kenobi, using “the force” to be in the moment and not let anything distract him from winning another gold medal? Well, a Life Athlete can harness the same “force” and clarity through practicing meditation daily. It doesn’t have to be a long and uncomfortable process, just 30 minutes a day can do wonders and really connect you with your environment and sharpen your mental prowess!
I’m cheering YOU on now, Mr. and Mrs. Life Athlete, to reach new heights, win at the game of life; however you may define that, and inspire others with your purpose, drive, and passion!

May you step on that medal stand and be proud of your achievements.

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach
Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main
Twitter / Instagram /LinkedIn / YouTube 
* Save the Date! Camino de Santiago Spain Walking and Tasting Vacation
  June 27-July 6, 2017 

The Connection between The Arts and Charity

NoHo - North Hollywood
-
0

The Connection between The Arts and Charity

Giving to improve the greater good is therapeutic. This is especially true for artists whose very nature revolves around making the world a more beautiful place for others. We know that participating in arts-related activities boosts self-esteem in children and also improves their empathetic outlook on the world. Those lessons are not lost later in life. Artists of all types are some of the most generous philanthropists, whether they are donating to a worthy cause or using their medium to raise awareness. The connection between The Arts and charity is vital for the visibility and financial success in the area of need.

Why do Artists Give?

While personal reasons vary, there are some things research tells us about the “why” of generosity, for artists and others. A piece from The Guardian’s Francesca Tamma and Michael Sanders outlines the three basic reasons people decide to donate to charity:

  • They value the social good that results from the donation.

  • They have an urge that is altruistic in nature to add to the value of the charity.

  • They want outside recognition from peers.

What’s more is that giving appears to be contagious. Humans have a basic desire to emulate the people they connect with and admire. Seeing others give impacts what you want to give. It’s why charity fundraisers that involve patrons of the arts are so popular. Those people see value in other people – whether they show it by purchasing a painting that took blood, sweat and tears to complete or by writing a check to assist with a need that would improve quality of life if met.

What Modern-Day Giving Entails

Artists are in good company with their giving, too. Organizations like Raising for Effective Giving encourage people to make an actual commitment when it comes to giving that is consistent. REG connects charity giving and members of professional industries like poker and finance by asking for a pledge of 2 percent of their earnings. Those earnings are invested back into global charities that strive to alleviate world poverty, animal welfare, negative climate change, and more.  Instead of asking over and over again for financial gifts, REG sets it up so members are automatically donating from their income.

There are also many opportunities for contemporary giving that require no commitment, and very little effort, on the part of the giver. Mobile apps like Charity Mile and Give 2 Charity reward users for things they are already doing – like walking or simply going through a normal routine – by donating to a number of vetted charities. Other require a little more work, like Donate a Photo that asks for smartphone users to submit a photo per day in exchange for $1 USD donated to the charity they choose. Any artist with a smartphone can be a charity hero just by using it.

The connection between the arts and charitable giving is a long established and important one. Without a boost from artists, charities would have a much harder time getting the attention and revenue they need to accomplish great things. Artists set the example for everyone else through awareness efforts and actual financial donations.

Theater and Self Promotion

Fran Montano
-
0
Theater and Self Promotion

Theater and Self Promotion

I’m going to take a moment for some shameless promotion (something I think actors need to do regularly).

We have a great show playing now at the Actors Workout Studio: a series of six original one-act plays that take place in a park. With a cast of 15 actors, five directors, four writers, and a tech crew, that’s a creative team of over 25 people. The show runs for three weekends (nine performances) in our 40-seat theater. Having produced theater for over 30 years, I can confidently say that this is a great show, and a fabulous showcase for every actor participating (as well as the writers and directors). By the time this blog is published the run may have ended, so I don’t mention any of this to promote the show, but rather to emphasize my point.

For most theater in Los Angeles, the process for an actor goes something like this: In the beginning and during the rehearsal process, the players love to converse about the work. Their juices and passions are flowing, as well they should be. During a run of a show I’ll ask my acting students questions, and their answers spill over with passion and enthusiasm.

First I’ll ask them a series of personal questions: Why are you doing this project? What’s your purpose and vision for it? What is your rehearsal plan? Then we’ll talk about character: What’s your motivation? Your objective? Your super objective? Where are you coming from? Where are you going to? Finally, I’ll get to actor questions: How about emotional and physical preparation? What objects and tools are you using? What is the significance of your wardrobe? Where are you from, what is your history, what are you using as substitutions and to personalize? What time of day is it? Are you speaking with an accent? Do you have any habits, ticks, movements, gestures, physical impediments? What’s the rhythm of the writing? And what are you adding to the writing and directing?

We discuss all the actor preparation work, etc. We can go on for hours talking about the elements that the actor puts into the work. It’s exciting for an actor to create a new character and bring it to life on stage. The same is true for the directors. We go on and on about all the possibilities for the show: lighting, sets, sound, props, effects, etc. Creating theater, collaborating, and the rehearsal process is a wonderful, imaginative, stimulating exercise, and I wish you all the best experience in these endeavors. It’s great to see how actors become so alive while in the process.

Once the show opens, a new conversation waiting in the wings is now ready for discussion. What is your plan for promoting yourself? What are your action items? What strategies are you using? Who is on your invitation list? How are you working together with the other members to enroll industry people to come? What’s the objective and intention for your career with this? The usual response is … silence, pause, hesitation… it’s not as exciting a conversation.

Most actors are soft in this area. Some expect other people to do it for them. Some think having an agent or manager will take care of this. Sometimes they expect the producers to do all the work, and some are just in denial. The producers are having their own conversation about strategies for promotion, press, reviews, advertising, selling tickets, etc.

If you are an actor in Los Angeles doing theater, you have to do a lot of your own promotion when it comes to getting the industry to see you. If you are fortunate enough to be in a great show, playing a great role, in a production that you can be proud of, then you need to pull out all the stops and go for it.

I say, for every empty seat in a performance, it’s a missed opportunity for someone to have experienced your talent. Whether it’s industry, friends, family, colleagues, or general audiences; theater comes and goes. If they don’t see it, they never will. It’s not like film, which can be viewed anytime on Netflix or other outlets. Film exists forever, but theater is like a double-edged sword, as it requires immediacy and discipline to be experienced. Live theater exists moment to moment. It’s powerful, experiential, alive, stimulating, and present. It both invites and creates community. There is something magical about that, but if it’s missed, it’s gone forever, unseen, no second chance.

The latest Actors Workout Studio production has all the ingredients for a great show and showcase.

My dream for you is when you get into a theater situation and all the elements are working, really go for it! Be diligent and push as hard as you can, not only in the role but in promoting the show. Then let go. Knowing you’ve done your best, let luck take over. That’s when preparation meets opportunity, and that’s when the magic happens. Good luck, and break a leg!

Nina Shallman says “The Moon Can Stay”

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

We’ve been to Republic of Pie a lot and it wasn’t always just for the pie. We went to hear the beautiful voice of Nina Shallman. We’ve been following this talented young lady’s career whose songs are a staple on our office playlists.

Nina just released a new single and video on August 18, “The Moon Can Stay,” which coincided with the month’s full moon. “The Moon Can Stay” is from her self-titled debut album Nina Shallman, produced by Andrew Williams. The album also features original songs including “Daisies,” “Arms,” and “Across the World,” as well as covers of Lennon and McCartney’s “Dear Prudence” and The Smiths’ “Ask.” Nina wrote the music and lyrics for “The Moon Can Stay.” The video was co-directed by Mike Schneier (also the cinematographer) and Andrew Williams.

{youtube}jOvlUaOHSEE{/youtube}

Mentioning the song in an article for LA Weekly, Falling James wrote, “On ballads such as ‘The Moon Can Stay,’ she breaks hearts with little more than sparse piano accents, the faraway swoon of violins and her wistfully ethereal vocals.”

On August 27 we will be heading over to Hotel Café in Hollywood to hear Nina Shallman perform with her band. In addition to vocals, Nina will play piano, guitar and ukulele; performing with her are: Aaron Blick (upright bass), Will Herrington (piano), Rob Humphreys (drums), and Adam Tressler (guitar).

Advance tickets are on sale now for $10 (plus $2.50 service charge) through Hotel Café’s website. If available, tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the show for $10. Hotel Café is located at 1623 Cahuenga Blvd., L.A., 90028 (https://www.hotelcafe.com/). 

Nina Shallman www.nohoartsdistrict.com

What influenced you to write “The Moon Can Stay”

I wrote The Moon Can Stay as a sort of meditation in melancholy. It’s not just a breakup song, although it can be. It’s a song about loneliness and regret, about sitting with your sadness. Even though I wrote it when I was 17 it still rings very true at 20. It gets at a sadness and a truth that I can always relate to, no matter how long it’s been since I wrote it.

What was it like working on the video?

The making of “The Moon Can Stay” video was very relaxed and natural. Actually, a bunch of family members were on set eating and drinking and chatting in between takes so it felt fairly similar to Sunday brunch at la casa del Shallman. Did I write that correctly? I took French in high school so that’s a guess. We wanted to make a video that complimented the song’s lyrics, melody and mood, and I think Mike and Andrew did a wonderful job.

 

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I see myself being an artist full time, since I’ll have graduated by then; playing in bars and clubs all over the country, writing and recording more. I daydream about it all the time, actually. I have all my apartment furniture, even some of my future gigs’ outfits, planned out already.

If you could do an album of just covers what songs would you do?

I’d do a covers album of a bunch of the great old jazz standards– a real, live jazz album, with an orchestra and background vocalists. That’d be amazing. “Fly Me To The Moon”, “Cry Me A River”, ” beautiful songs I can croon while lounging on a piano.

**** 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.  

Character or plot?

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
-
0
Character or plot?

Character or plot?

I’ve been working on a new project, and it seems to be developing into a series, rather than a film, and as I work I am discovering what I now think is the most important element in any drama.

As a writer and as a filmmaker I have always worked on the premise that the story is the most important element in a film. But the older I get, the more I watch great programing, the more I read and the more I write the more I am really reevaluating that concept altogether.

Of course the story is important, of course it’s vital in fact, but without well developed, realistically proportioned, complex and compelling characters that an audience can truly connect with…your story, any story, can never really take on meaningful dimensions and effect anyone at any level that becomes memorable and profound. After all, it’s the characters we remember and the people we love and love to hate and the people that we bond with and attach to that keep us returning again and again to any kind of story, but especially a visual one.

So, I am at the very beginnings of my project. I am in the process of writing characters…which means I am creating them all, giving them their own back stories and putting them in their own individual worlds that I am also busy creating and populating for them in the hope that eventually they will lead me to my story and that they, once fully formed, will actually do most of my work for me…hopefully…

We’ll see…

Much like every other part pf the process of making films, the more preparation you do the easier it will be on the day…the day being when you actually begin to write the script.

At least that’s the plan…

I saw Woody Allen’s Cafe Society over the weekend. I loved it, it’s one of his best I think, and thank goodness, as there’s nothing so depressing as a mediocre Woody Allen film. Allen famously doesn’t audition his actors, he invites actors that he admires to work with him and when they do he gives them very little direction, choosing instead to let them ‘be’ the characters and to trust in their ability to act what’s on the page, which is why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But it struck me, as I watched, how very precise his characters were. His voice narrates the film and he actually describes the characters to us, introducing them, as we watch…an illustration come to life, so to speak…and it is these very precise and well-formed characters that invigorate the film, that breathe life into the narrative. The story is about the characters, rather than the characters merely populating the spaces between the plot twists.

Sure there is a little more to it than that, there is, of course, a plot. In this case it’s unrequited love mixed in with a bit of ‘fear of being alone’, but it’s really the characters that the plot pivots around, and what drives it forward, not car chases and tri-level storylines. I did find myself saying “Aahh,” rather a lot, while we watched, much to my husband’s chagrin, but in my defense we got there late and didn’t have time to get popcorn…or I wouldn’t have been able to make sounds of any kind…

So what does going to see a Woody Allen film have to do with me writing a new project or very, very independent filmmaking in general?

Good question…

Art is supposed to be a reflection of life…so in order to do that we must try to use our own voice, as artists. This means that some filmmakers will always create elaborate storylines and plot twists and car chase and we will all go to see them and eat popcorn and gaze googlie-eyed at the spectacle and that’s just fine.

But it also means that, if we can, we really need to remember that it’s the faces from our lives that we hold on to, the moments spent with friends and family and sometimes even foe. And when we cast our minds back, as if showing a reel of our life, do we remember exactly what we said to that girl, or our mum, or what they said to us? Or do we remember the way they looked at us, how we felt, what color her dress was. Do we remember how we got there or even why we were there, no, we just remember that we were there and the wind blew the table over and we all laughed and our mum said she loved us, or the car wouldn’t start and we sat in it while it rained and we ate our picnic together and she told you she loved you. Yes, of course, we need to have a reason and some kind of story and even a goal, but it’s always the people in our life and how we are with them and they with us that really matters…in film and in reality…

So write relationships, write full and flawed and ridiculous characters, all drawn from your life, which, if it’s anything like mine is full of them. Draw from your experience and your surroundings and it will feel authentic and real and interesting.

I’m going to be fleshing out my characters for a while yet before I begin on the script. I want to get to know them and, in some cases, reacquaint myself with them, then I can write their story in my film, and then, perhaps, I think I may even be able to let them write their own.

Happy Filmmaking

Why Is Theatre Important for Children?

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

With so many forms of accessible entertainment for children these days from iPhone Apps, video games, online entertainment, and television to the latest craze of Pokémon Go, why should you bring your kids to the theatre? Perhaps we should think “outside the box” or the “screen,” so to speak.

Children’s Theatre is the most challenging form of theatre for any actor to perform. They are your most honest critics and will tell you straight away if you as an actor are not completely committed to being the Lion or the Grasshopper. They don’t wait for the reviews, they write them themselves, and you know pretty clearly how they feel. Because it’s a reaction to their most natural instinct – truth.

There is nothing quite like sitting in an auditorium when the overture starts, the lights go down and the magic begins to unfold.

Theatre is not only a magical way to entertain your children, but it nurtures the most important attribute children have – IMAGINATION!

All children have a natural desire to dress up and play games. They can create scenarios out of anything around them, without the need of expensive toys. Armed with the most basic props and their imagination, children can create entire magical worlds to play in, without judgment on themselves or each other. Because no matter how old you are, if a 4-year-old hands you an imaginary phone to answer, you say “hello.”

I personally was blessed enough to have grown up in a magical world of fantasy. With both my parents being actors and running a Theatre School, I had a costume store for a dressing-up box. I remember being asked in Kindergarten what my parents do for a living, to which I confidently replied, “My Daddy is a tree and my Mummy is a mouse.” They were doing a children’s production of “Montgomery, The Fable Tree” at the time and clearly were very believable!

Theatre and drama creates an environment where children can interact with the actors and feel part of the live action on a stage. As an internationally qualified Dance and Drama teacher myself, I believe it’s not just entertainment – it’s education.

Theatre is a proactive engaging medium, which encourages communication and a way for children to positively express themselves. This is critical is all child development. It moves us away from the labels we place on each other such as race, gender, class and beliefs. Theatre takes you into the world of the characters on the stage.

It should “move you,” make you “feel” in some way. In a climate of so much aggression and intolerance, we need to encourage people to feel empathy, and theatre absolutely encourages us to do so.

Live theatre is an exciting, spontaneous medium, which inspires listening, concentration, lengthening the attention span and vocabulary, as well as a healthy way to encourage the forming of opinions. This in turn creates room for discussion between parents and children, especially with a show such ShoWorks Entertainment’s current production of “The Fabulous Fables of Aesop.” This kind of show is a beautiful example of the marriage between education and entertainment. The morals revealed at the end of every Fable teach us life lessons we can all live by. As one of the lines in show tells us, “We never stop learning, no matter how old we get.” Theatre is a craft that entails discipline, and the etiquette of consistency in our ever-present world of “add water and stir.” Theatre connects the head to the heart. It also connects families and encourages us to spend time together. It is a perfect opportunity to create a world of wonder through an activity the whole family can enjoy together.

By exposing children to this kind of entertainment we are not only keeping their creative juices flowing, we are creating the audiences of the future and, in turn, keeping the arts alive. In my opinion, this is paramount to ensure the continuous growth of our industry and help develop well-rounded, balanced adults.

By exposing children to theatre it develops a natural appreciation for Arts and Culture and allows the creative side of their brains to be naturally stimulated. Creative people usually become the entrepreneurs of their generations, creating new and exciting things and ideas, as well as leading by example.

Of course musical theatre has the added benefit of music appreciation and dance, two things that children are generally automatically drawn to. Through creative outlets like this, children learn without feeling like they are sitting in a classroom.

We are giving them a life experience away from a technology and screens, and reminding them how free and beautiful playing can be.

As well as remembering that we get to dress up and play for the rest of our lives. How much fun is that!

“We are all part of a team and without each other we wouldn’t be so strong. We need each other if we are going to survive in this world. That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it has always been.” – Aesop’s Fable: The Teeth, the Feet and the Stomach -Keith Galloway

“THE FABULOUS FABLES OF AESOPS”

Magical educational fables, where the mouse squeaks, the lion roars & the grasshoppers sing.

A Musical Production for All Ages

Through song, dance and humor, this bright and colorful children’s musical educates as it entertains. Described as a “near perfect formula for children’s entertainment” and “an inspired piece of theatre”, answering life’s most pressing questions through allegorical myths portraying animals engaged in human-like situations, this show is sure to resonate with both children and adults alike.

WHERE: The Secret Rose Theatre
North Hollywood
11246 Magnolia Blvd.
NoHo Arts District 91601

WHEN: August 20 – September 25
Saturday & Sundays
2:00pm-3:00pm

TICKETS:www.showorksentertainment.com
Adults $15
Children (12 and under) $12.50

**** 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.

5 Family Fun Activities to Do Before Summer Ends

NoHo - North Hollywood
-
0

5 Family Fun Activities to Do Before Summer Ends

Summer is winding down and before you know it, school will be back in session. Now is as good a time as any to spend some quality time with the kids before they head back to their normal routines. Whether you’re working with a limited budget or you have a few extra bucks to spend, there are enough family summer activities in Los Angeles you can try that will put a smile on their faces. Check out this list of awesome adventures and family pastimes you can try before the summer’s completely over.

1.  Picnic in the Park

Instead of having a family picnic in your backyard, why not head over to Echo Park Lake. It’s newly renovated and looking better than ever. Pack your favorite foods, plenty of sunscreen and bug guard, and head to East LA. After the picnic, you can walk around the lake, feed the birds, ride bikes, go paddle-boating, or even teach the kids how to fish.

While you’re there, check out the local arts scene in the Echo Park neighborhood. This is a thriving artistic community with small businesses devoted to fashion, art galleries, and even culinary experimentation. The street art alone, including some of the best graffiti art in the country, is a reason just to walk around with a camera (just don’t publish any for commercial use!). The popular artist Shepard Fairey keeps his Studio One art shop in the neighborhood right down the block from Dodger Stadium. There’s also an exquistively designed arthouse movie theater up the street on Sunset Boulevard (still in Echo Park/Silverlake), called the Vista Theater. One step inside this movie hall and you will think you’ve entered an Egyptian kingdom from an alternate universe.

2.  Take a Boat Ride

Do your children love the water? If so, they’ll get a kick out of taking a ride on a boat. Whether you go out on the Pacific or the day or just go paddle-boating at Echo Park, the kids will love being out on the water. If you enjoy boating a lot, you might even consider purchasing your own family boat. With competitive boat financing rates, you could finance your boat and pay it off throughout the year. Then you can make it a tradition to go boating or fishing with your family on a regular basis.  

3.  Road Trip

Whether you take a trip through your state or you travel cross-country, a road trip can be a great way to have fun with your family and learn about areas you weren’t so familiar with. You’ll want to make sure that you pack plenty of entertainment and have an awesome playlist, but you’ll certainly have fun traveling miles away from home. You can even make stops along the way near areas where there’s a lot of entertainment or tourist attractions. This way, it’s like you’ve had a few mini-trips along the way to your final destination. Our favorite road trip is driving north to Yosemite or a drive up the Pacific Highway.

4.  Amusement Parks

Amusement or water parks are tons of fun for families. The most obvious amusement park to hit in Los Angeles is Disney Land. Next to it is California Adventure. You can also head down the 5 and go to Lego Land. You can spend your time getting on the most daring rides, playing games to win cool prizes, or chowing down on some of the most notorious amusement park foods like hot dogs, funnel cake, and cotton candy. You can spend the entire day exploring the park from one end to another having fun every step of the way.

5.  A Trip to the Beach

What’s summer without at least one family beach trip? From setting up camp underneath the umbrella to making sand castles and eating on your beach towel, there’s so much fun to be had. If you live in Los Angeles, you know that the city and surrounding coastal areas supply some of the most pristine, beautiful beaches in the country, from Ocean Beach and Sunset Point to Malibu and north along the coast, there are endless beaches to choose from. Or you could take a day trip down to San Diego!

Don’t be stuck in traffic all summer. Southern California has ample opportunities for fun. Fishing, boating, road trips, and sandcastles, all the definition of family fun in the sun. Don’t let summer pass you by without having tried one of these fun adventures with your children. No matter what age they are, they’ll enjoy having fun and creating memories with those they love most. It also makes for a great journal entry when they head back to school and have to share about their summer with the class. 

NoHo Park Carnival 2016

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

We are lucky to have a beautiful park right in the heart of NoHo. Get Out and have some fun at North Hollywood Park’s Summer Carnival 2016

There is something for everyone at the North Hollywood Park Summer Carnival 2016…great rides, the best cotton candy and a great way to play outdoors. What better way to meet the locals and support North Hollywood Park!?

WHAT:

North Hollywood Park Summer Carnival 2016

When:

August 26-28, 2016
Friday: 5-10:30PM
Saturday & Sunday: 3-10:30PM

Where:

North Hollywood Park – Southside
11455 Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Tujunga and Magnolia, across from Amelia Earhart Library

Each year the North Hollywood Recreation Center runs two carnivals, one Mother’s Day weekend and one at the end of summer/beginning of fall. The North Hollywood Carnival is a major fundraiser for our NoHo neighborhood park and they are able to generate funds to help keep the park staffed and programmed for the community throughout the year. North Hollywood Recreation Center offers many sports and cultural classes and leagues throughout the year and offer great camps when the kids are on vacation from school in summer, winter and in spring.

{youtube}zWWsKUTCymY{/youtube}

**** 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.

From South Africa to NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
-
2

Three South African Girls’ Journey to Millennium Dance Complex

Pulse EXP TRIO is made up of three young dancers: Jeanne Bissett and Kathleen Van Rooyen, both 8 years old, and Bianca Fourie, 7 years old. The girls are talented with a passion for all styles of dance with their favorite being Hip Hop. They study at the popular Pulse Dance School in Johannesburg, South Africa where they got the opportunity to compete at the well known South Africa Championships of Performing Arts (SACOPA) in April 2015. Jeanne, Kathleen and Bianca trained 4 to 6 hours a day for weeks prior to the competition. Their training paid off. They competed and won their place on the South Africa Team to complete at World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles. WCOPA is many times sited as the “Talent Olympics” and is held every year with actors, singers, dancers, musicians and models competing from more than 50 countries. Now the pressure was on the Pulse Exp Trio but these three little girls endured to win the “Gold” for junior dance in the categories of Hip Hop and musical character but the story does not end there.

{youtube}hKFjKe5w8O0{/youtube}

WCOPA provides over $400,000 in acting, music and dance scholarships. I am proud to say that over the past five years, our own Millennium Dance Complex has given out thousands of dollars in scholarships to young dancers at WCOPA. Millennium is one of the reasons why the NoHo Arts District has become an international training area. At WCOPA’s all day Boot Camp, Jeanne, Kathleen and Bianca were dancing at the Hip Hop workshop and Kenya Clay (Millennium instructor) spotted these three talented girls and gave them each a one-month scholarship to Millennium.

Nine months later, the girls came back to L.A. to take class at Millennium. With them came their mothers who truly deserve to be recognized for their unbridled support of their children. All three moms spurted out the same thing “this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we had to do this for our kids.” The moms could not stop talking about the confidence their children gained from this experience which something/nobody could take that away from them.

Three South African Girls' Journey to Millennium Dance Complex www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Now, what did Jeanne, Kathleen and Bianca feel about their experience? “Our favorite part of our experience in Los Angeles was dancing at MDC, especially with dancers like Kenya Clay and Anze Skrube.” Both moms and girls said, “We loved celebrating July 4th like Americans.”

It was a long road from South Africa to NoHo, with a lot of people helping these girls get here. Special Thanks to Dr. Ellen Roux of South Africa Championships of Performing Arts and Griff O’Neil, Founder/CEO of World Championships of Performing Arts who had the vision and determination to give emerging artists the opportunity to compete on the world stage. BRAVO!

We look forward to seeing these young girls come back to dance with us in the NoHo Arts District.

**** 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.  

NoHo News: Comics, Magenta, Grease, LACMA, More Theatre

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

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!

**** 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.

 

The Benefit with Friends

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

The Benefit With Friends Variety Fun-Raiser is a music, comedy, and film variety show, presented by Jack Shaw, to support various cause while having fun.

The NoHoArtsDistrict dot com team loves to highlight folks doing great things in the neighborhood. Because, like we always say: “NoHo is only as great as its people.” So when someone combines music, comedy and film to raise funds for charity, we listen. When this someone happens to be teenager, we give a big round of applause. Meet Jack. He’s doing a FUN-raiser benefit this Saturday, August 20 at 7PM at Secret Rose. Bravo, Jack.

What is The Benefit with Friends?

About a year ago I wanted to put on a variety sketch show like Saturday Night Live. Then I thought to send the profits to charities and turned the show into a benefit variety show, in which my friends perform music, comedy, and show their films. Eventually, the first show came together beautifully on December 11, 2015, raising 500 dollars for various charities. I tried to continue its following with the Facebook page is called The Benefit With Friends Variety Fun-Raiser.

What’s the lineup?

The lineup for this Saturday is made up of my friends, hence The Benefit With Friends. The performers are New Yesterday (band), Igs (musician), a sketch comedy short video, King Sized Bishop (band), promtional videos from the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence and LA Family Housing (LAFH), Jasmine Sozi and Emily Mavromates (singer and guitarist), a bottle flipping contest, and a Lip Sync Battle. I open the show with a small comedy monologue.

Why did you choose to do a benefit and not keep the profits? And Why these charities in particular? (BRAVO!)

I wanted to do a benefit instead of a show for profits because I wanted to help my community and, depending on the organization, possibly communities everywhere. I have always been so disgusted by gun violence and the NRA’s control in politics, so I looked to the Brady Campaign to help combat gun violence. I volunteered at LAFH last year for most of the year and thought it was a fantastic organization. I also incorporate SafeMoves because my friend Will’s mother is the president, she wanted to be involved, and I was happy to have her.

Who is Jack?

I am 17 and just started my senior year at Cleveland High School (the humanities magnet). I used to act in middle school plays, I stopped for high school, and now I may want to start again, on a professional level. I love to make little videos, I am constantly writing sketch comedy bits, and I can’t sing for my life.

Making people laugh is the best feeling in the world to me and hopefully creativity and comedy lies in my future. After college, I want to work at an advertising agency as the creative director for products like Old Spice.

WHAT:

Benefit with Friends Variety show fun-raiser

WHEN:

Saturday, August 20 at 7PM

WHERE:

The Secret Rose Theatre
11246 Magnolia Blvd.
NoHo Arts District 91601

FACEBOOK>>

**** 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.  

Maria Z. Grooves Pitfire on Thursdays

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

So this happened. It was a treat. This is why we love the NoHo Arts District!

After a blazing day in Los Angeles, we’re spending the evening at Pitfire in North Hollywood. The patio is buzzing with people, we can smell the deliciously cooked Italian food, and while we’re enjoying our first sips of a crisp Pinot Grigio, we’re listening to a beautiful voice singing along to acoustic music. Maria Zouroudis is performing covers and original songs and every person at the NoHo restaurant is enchanted. (Our table of course is dancing.) This is a perfect way to spend our Thursday evening. The singer does not only charm her audience at Pitfire with her talent, (and fun song selection) she is also otherwise rather busy. We had the chance to ask her some questions and find out more about her and what she gets up to.

{youtube}NDgwlSfyiig{/youtube}

How do you pick the songs when you perform at Pitfire?

I like to have a diverse repertoire so I usually sing a mixture of classic oldies, my favorite 90’s (because who doesn’t love singing along to a 90’s record) and whatever is currently on the radio that I’m into. I also sing my own music and lately I’ve been taking freshly written songs from the studio and throwing them in the mix for fun!

What do you like about the NoHo Arts District?

The energy! It’s lit with creativity in every corner. You’ll always find someone rehearsing a dance routine, having a photoshoot or running ideas over coffee. For that, and for the fact that everything is so close and cozy, it feels like home. Everything is walking distance and I like that it’s far enough from the crazy streets of Hollywood. It’s peaceful and there’s always something fun to do.

When have you started singing and decided to pursue a singing career?

I started singing when I was four and even entered myself in my first grade talent show. My career really began though when myspace music started. I learned how to record myself and by the time youtube rolled around I was editing my own videos, performing and writing for other artists.

Have you produced songs?

Yes! I have a lot of material online. But the music I’m working on at the moment feels like the most authentic thing I’ve worked on yet. The lyrics are honest and true to my experiences and the style is an Urban/Pop/Soul with a bit of a 90’s vibe.

What inspires your music?

Words left unsaid, bittersweet relationships. I use my music as therapy and as my journal so my authentic self drives it all from lyrics to melodies. It’s usually a specific feeling that I know I need to get out and hopefully that feeling will resonate with and accompany others in something they feel too, but never quite knew how to explain.

{soundcloud}https://soundcloud.com/mariazouroudis/drunk-in-love{/soundcloud}

What are you currently working on?

I’m just working on songs I love! If I don’t love it, I move on. I was going to release an EP project, but I decided to just release singles as they’re completed on my soundcloud and youtube channels. I’m also in the studio as a writer for other recording artists here in the U.S. as well as internationally in the Korean KPOP market.

Maria is at Pitfire every Thursday evening where she performs with her powerful and heart-felt voice and makes an already wonderful evening even better! Seeing as she is working hard, we for one can’t wait to see what she has in store for us and can’t get enough of her voice!

www.MariaZMusic.com
Youtube
Soundcloud
Facebook
Instagram @MariaZouroudis

**** 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.

About the Reviewer – Sarah Louhichi

Website: https://millenniallondon.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/millennialldn
Instagram: millenniallondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MillennialLondon/

SARAH LOUHICHI

I’m a former exchange student in Los Angeles, now studying journalism at the University of Westminster in London. I’m a theatre lover and hopeful future theatre critic. I call the West End, London’s theatre wonderland, my second home. I’m the creator of millenniallondon.com, a website dedicated to London’s culture and lifestyle, run by millennials. I’m always on a mission to get the best deals and cheapest tickets for my favourite shows. Sunny Afternoon, a show about the English band The Kinks is my guilty pleasure, I’ve seen it 35 times and counting.

 

National Dog Day – August 26

nohoarts
-
0

National Dog Day – August 26

National Dog Day, an “unofficial” national holiday, was founded in 2004 by pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige.

It is celebrated every year on August 26. It is a day to show appreciation for our four-legged family member who provides us with unconditional love, joy and genuine friendship. Also, it is the day to recognize dogs that bravely serve in the military and law enforcement. The other goal of National Dog Day is to acknowledge that there are thousands and thousands of homeless dogs desperately needing a loving family before they are abused or lose their lives on the streets or at a city animal shelter.

I wrote this article early because I wanted to give everyone a chance to take part in National Dog Day. Here are a few ways some of our readers thought they would celebrate this very important day…

For your loving dog…
Feed him/her a favorite food, add an extra walk, set appointment with groomer, buy a new collar. To show you care about him/her, be sure to have the right contact info on their collar, go to your vet for a chip and most important don’t leave your dog in your car for even five minutes whether it is hot or not…your dog can be stolen, too.

If your dog has gone to “Rainbow Bridge” which I will call Heaven, light a candle, say a prayer, donate to a rescue group in his/her name. Remember your dog’s life is very short…love him while he/she is here.

For a Homeless dog…
Write/picket your city councilmember to make all City Animal Shelters a “NO KILL” Shelter. Join bestfriends.org who is leading the fight to stop the killing of dogs that could be adopted if they were allowed to stay alive.

Coordinate a peaceful demonstration in front of a pet store that buys from puppy mills.

Donate blankets to your local animal shelter or rescue organization.

Volunteer at a rescue organization. They have no paid staff and need your help.

Give your dog a brother or sister – adopt a homeless dog.

Write an article for nohoartsdistrict.com about what our 85,000 visitors per month should know about our furry angels.

How to Market Theatre to Millennials: Modernise Theatre

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

Millennials have this old fashioned image of the theatre with actors in dusty costumes reciting boring monologues about issues that no longer apply to this generation.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Theatre is exciting, passionate and relevant to our society. However, it’s the theatres’ job to make sure that people my age (the dreaded millennial) know that. No one loves 200-year-old theatres more than I do, all the red velvet and gold, with a high ceiling and a beautiful chandelier, not to forget the history. But, that doesn’t mean that the productions can’t be modern or take a creative approach.

One director who has already figured out that the millenials of today are the future theatre lovers of tomorrow is Jamie Lloyd. The British director has just finished working on his second season at Trafalgar Studios just off Trafalgar Square. One of his most iconic plays of this year was “The Maids,” starring Uzo Aduba. Jamie Lloyd transformed the 1947 play by French playwright Jean Genet into a contemporary piece, by using modern techno music as background noise, lighting effects and the creative staging. The audience surrounds a four-poster rectangle, which is meant to be a room of the mansion where the play is set. Compartments on the floor open with props hidden inside them and the floor is covered with rose pedals. Whereas this is Jamie Lloyd’s interpretation of the play it does not overshadow the economic and racial differences concerning the main characters.

How to Market Theatre to Millennials: Modernise Theatre
“Sunny Afternoon” 

Other theatres take a different approach to the setting inside the theatre. The Harold Pinter Theatre has renovated its theatre just for a two-year run of “Sunny Afternoon.” This is a show about the British cult band The Kinks, yet this show that would generally attract people who grew up with their songs, brings in an audience with at least a quarter of millennials. They have renovated the theatre and made the front section look like a club in the 60s with tables and a catwalk. This gives the show the little extra that makes it so extraordinary. When sitting in the front, you are surrounded by the music and it feels like you’re watching The Kinks perform in a club.

Immersive theatre and issues resonate with a millennial’s reality. There are now several shows that are interactive. People feel special and will be sucked into the show, it’s an experience that they won’t forget so quickly. It will stick with them as its not just watching a performance for two hours. In others you are blind folded and enjoy a full radio play with surround sound. Millennials don’t necessarily care about issues that were relevant 100 years ago. They want to see plays that touch on issues that they experience on a regular basis, as these are problems they can relate to and understand. “People, Places and Things,” an award-winning play at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London was not only remarkable for its staging with part of the audience sitting on the stage. It talks about addiction, low self-esteem and the need to improve a dull life with self-medication. One quote that has stuck with me, couldn’t be more relevant in the times we live in: “I’d like to believe that my problems are meaningful. But they’re not. There are people dying of thirst. People living in war zones and here we are thinking about ourselves. As if we can solve everything by confronting our own defects. We’re not defective. It’s the world that’s fucked.” This is just one of the powerful lines that the main character (Emma played by the Olivier award-winning Denise Gough) delivers. The play has celebrated immense success and rave feedback from an audience of any age. Its harsh honesty about the problems in the world we live in has landed a hit with millennials.

Whereas some theatre productions work better with a traditional approach, I for one can not imagine a version of “Richard II,” that is set in the 21st century. However, the truth is that most of the people my age have very little interest in theatre, mostly based on the fact that they don’t know enough about it. Millennial’s need to be intrigued by productions in order for most to decide to set foot inside a theatre for the first time. As a theatre obsessed millennial, I can tell you know, they will definitely be back.

**** 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.

About the Reviewer – Sarah Louhichi

Website: https://millenniallondon.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/millennialldn
Instagram: millenniallondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MillennialLondon/

SARAH LOUHICHI

I’m a former exchange student in Los Angeles, now studying journalism at the University of Westminster in London. I’m a theatre lover and hopeful future theatre critic. I call the West End, London’s theatre wonderland, my second home. I’m the creator of millenniallondon.com, a website dedicated to London’s culture and lifestyle, run by millennials. I’m always on a mission to get the best deals and cheapest tickets for my favourite shows. Sunny Afternoon, a show about the English band The Kinks is my guilty pleasure, I’ve seen it 35 times and counting.

 

BLASTOFF’s Summer Sale!

NoHo - North Hollywood
-
0

 

BLASTOFF’s Summer Sale!

Saturday, August 20 — 10am – 8pm

It’s time for our Summer Sale! Mark your calendars now for Saturday, August 20!  

25-50% OFF ALL TRADE PAPERBACKS AND HARDCOVERS!

Blastoff SummerSale NoHoArts 750x325

25% OFF ALL NEW COMICS! 

Get here early for the best deals! 

Blastoff Comics

5118 Lankershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, California 91601

818-980-2665

Focusing on the phenomena that is KCON

Caroline McElroy
-
4
Focusing on the phenomena that is KCON

KCON

Focusing on the phenomena that is KCON,  KCON LA is an amazing experience with a total emersion into the world of Hallyu which has been working its Hallyu magic for 5 years.

Admittedly, my brush with Korean culture was when I would watch M*A*S*H with my eldest son back in the day and I did need a refresher course.

KCON made sure that I got it by offering a panel titled “The World Talks About Korea.”

According to the panel, Korea is known as a country of miracles due to its rising like a Phoenix from the ashes that Korea had become after the Korean War. As one soldier put it “How can a rose blossom from a garbage dump?”

Fast forward to 2016 and you have one of the fastest growing economies in the world and K-POP is largely a part of that tidal wave of success. It is this fast-growing phenomena that inspired Chinese journalists to coin the term “Hallyu” in the late 1990s to describe it.

Other panels that I attended were “From K-POP Fan to K-POP Professional” which was a two-part panel on how to take your passion for K-POP to the next level. There were many panelists that all had started out as K-POP fans and took it to another level by writing about the music.  Their fandom began by being fans of anime, video games or K-Drama.  K-Dramas feature the K-POP acts in short run series.

Each panelist began by writing blogs and/or taking photos and posting them.  Panelist Tanya Rodriguez fully believes that K-Dramas are the gateway drug to K-POP and that once that chain reaction has begun there is no stopping it. Among the hints they offered were never give up, network and keep writing blogs and taking photos of K-POP performers.

Among the many talented panelists featured were: Bruce “Automatic” Vanderveer and Ebony Vanderveer from InRage Entertainment, Angie Mills of Kpop Starz,  Jeff Benjamin of Billboard and Rolling Stone, Jenny Zha of Soompi Mgt., Tanya Rodriguez Hallyu Blogger and YouTube videographer Popo.

A very informative panel was “Uncovering Korean Indie Music” which offered up a varied mixture of music genres which featured edgy music and not necessarily mainstream K-POP. This panel featured Bruce “Automatic” Vanderveer, Ebony Rae Vanderveer, Chris Park, Christian Oh, and Joe J. Lee aka Kairos.  InRage Entertainment is owned by the Vanderveers.

The panelists have worked with well known K-POP artists as producers and song writers through Warner-Chappel Music, Sony and KMG.  Park is an editor at large for Korean Indie.

There was so much information pouring out of the mouths of these industry professionals that it was hard to land on a “theme,” but the gist was that it’s hard to get airplay, press and space to perform if you are performing  indie Korean rock as it’s outside the K-POP “factory” which cultivates artists from a young age and has proven very profitable.

According to Park, K-POP acts work harder than USA acts to perfect their craft due to the driving force of the “factory” mentality that drives K-POP.  A tactic that some sources tell me is causing a few of the K-POP performers to sue the management companies.  The management teams have also been compared to slave drivers.

Coming into L.A. each day to KCON my companion Finky Linky would play K-POP in order for me to get a better idea of what it is.  Gettin’ schooled in the genre if you will.

This music is fun, energetic, well performed, well produced, but I could hear shades of Warrant, The Scorpions and Michael Jackson as well as many more artists in the music.  I told my friend not to be angry at me, but that there are only so many notes to play and so many progressions and then one gets into a mirky territory of “original” music.  I added that it seems that the way to go in music was to incorporate ethnic instruments into a composition.

The Indie Korean Music panel offered up that concept with a great act that call themselves “Jambina” which beautifully melds Rock instruments with traditional Korean instruments.  The panel played a “Jambina” tune titled “They Keep Silence” which gives me goosebumps each time I hear it and is iPod worthy.

“Dead Buttons” is another edgy Korean Indie act that the panel featured which blew me away with “Witch” which is in large part  influenced by Punk Rock.

According to Park, “Korean music reps are closed minded and go with “trends, but the international market is more open minded.” Which leads to my asking how about here in L. A. outside of Korea Town or Little Tokyo? It seems that there aren’t  any clubs that are able to accommodate this indie music in the designated “ethnic” towns.

Who to ask that question?  James Shen of LA Street Art Gallery that stages very fun and entertaining shows at The Redbury’s “Library” in Hollywood on Thursdays that features art, music and beauty as well as a show in Little Tokyo? Or perhaps Jimmy D, an enterprising music promotor at Paladino’s in the San Fernando Valley?

The collective panel all agreed that backing Indie Korean music takes a commitment to the long run because as it is it takes a long time to break an act and get it established.

Among other panels being offered were: beauty, K-Dramas, Korean cooking and panels to help parents understand their children’s fascination with K-POP. There were also fan meet and greets, K-POP Dance workshops, well known Korean writers and directors discussions, and cultural discussions on working in Hollywood as an Asian American.

The whole weekend of events at KCON was $25.00 for three days.  The concerts and special fan meet and greets cost extra.  One person told me that the whole experience of KCON could cost one upwards of $800.00. Worth it? I would say yes if you can afford it and you are a huge fan of K-POP. This year’s KCON showcased the talents of: Monsta X, SHINee, BTS, Block B, GFriend,Twice, Girl’s Generation-TTS, Astro, Dean, I.O.I, F (Amber), Eric Nam.

It is important to keep in mind that the music of K-POP has subtle nuances of Country, Rap and Hip Hop smoothly blended in the music of that is K-POP. I’ve noticed that a song can feature a diverse array of music genres transitioned into it.

For a better idea of where the phenomena of K-Drama begins and K-POP picks up, it is a good idea to watch some K-Dramas such as: Heart Strings and be sure to tune in to Viki Drama Fever or other venues to catch the latest series.

My youth was filled with concerts that had Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page playing local gigs so when I tell you that Hotei is up there in that line up, I know what I am talking about…a solid point of reference I would think.  

Hotei’s sold out gig at The Troubadour on July 13 was a thrill to watch and listen to.  Hotei had a guitar player and drummer with him and the three of them had the sound of a full scale rock concerto and I was hooked and drawn in by the end of the first song.  Sadly, my phone was jacked which had photos of the set list as well as several awesome classic rock moves that are Hotei.  I do have some from my real camera though.

For those that do not recognize the name, Hotei is the composer and performer of the “Kill Bill” theme song which he played at the show. The show was peppered with a few new songs from his new album “Stranger” which lists Iggy Pop, Richard Kruspe, Emisratel/Rammstein, Matt Tuck from Bullet for My Valentine, Noko of “Apollo 440 and Texas singer Shea Seger as collaborators.

At a loss as to how to pronounce his name? It’s pronounced “hoe-tay” and is the name of the Japanese Buddhist God of Contentment and Happiness which is what I was after the show.

A shout out to Dan Tana’s waiter Goran for taking such good care of my friend and I before the show.  Guess those not so nice rumors were just that…rumors.

Waiting impatiently for THE KONGOS show at The Wiltern Theater on October 28, 2016. Haven’t seen them since The Troubadour show last year and their newest effort “Egomaniac” is a great piece of creative talent. The Kongos are currently touring around the world in support of their new album.

Stopped by the Hollywood Bowl to enjoy a night of Magical Mozart the other night to keep me grounded to the roots of which all music flows…classical.

There was a time that the recording industry acquiesced to recording and selling Rock N’ Roll in order to support the recording of classical music.

NoHo Plaza Gets Magenta (Harley)

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

Get ready NoHo for the soulful melodies of Magenta Harley on Thursday, August 18, 2016 at NoHo Plaza.

[iframe width=”100%” height=”450″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/37196515&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” ]

 

Australian born soul singer Magenta Harley is the next event at Experience NoHo Plaza 2016 – NoHo’s FREE summer entertainment series. She has spent the last few years between LA and Nashville honing her craft and songwriting skills. Magenta’s influences include Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Donny Hathaway. Magenta and her band create a vibe that will pull at your heart strings and still have you grooving. Magenta is currently working on an EP anticipated for release this fall followed by a Southern California tour. So come on out and enjoy an evening under the stars listening to this soul singer.

WHEN: Thursday, August 18 at 7-8:15PM
Every Thursday
June 16 – August 25
Shows are from 7-8:15PM

WHERE: NoHo Plaza Located between 5223 & 5225 Lankershim Blvd.

COST: FREE to the public

{soundcloud}https://soundcloud.com/magentahalrey{/soundcloud}

How would you describe your music?

Describing music is hard for me as I have so many influences. Mostly my music comes from a very soulful place. I grew up listening to artists such as Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. I think that reflects in what I do. If i had so categorize it i would say something contemporary soul/R&B.

Are you working on an LP?

Right now I am in the studio working on the upcoming EP. We just completed an Indie GoGo campaign earlier this year. The goal is to release in the fall.

What’s your background – how did you get to this point in your career?

I’m an Australian born soul singer. I have been in the USA for nearly 7 years. After a failed record deal in Melbourne I came to the US to try my luck and fell in love with America. I have lived between LA and Nashville, TN. All the while, writing, recording and performing. I have found that consistency is key in anything you do.

What can folks expect at you NoHo Plaza performance?

You can expect and eclectic set of soul, blues and funk. With a full band of incredibly talented musicians behind me, there will be little bit for everyone. I also love a good power balled so naturally I’ll throw one or two in for good measure.

KEEP UP WITH MAGENTA HARLEY

WWW.MAGENTAHARLEY.COM
youtube.com/TheMagentaHarley
instagram.com/magentaharley
facebook.com/MagentaHarleyMusic
twitter.com/MagentaHarley

The Series is produced by the NoHo Business Improvement District (NoHo BID)  and Councilman Paul Krekorian’s office with talent coordination by nohoartsdistrict.com.

“Experience NoHo Plaza 2016 – NoHo’s Free Summer Entertainment Series is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and with the support of Community Partners.”

communitypartners logo notag         dca.logo bw

”

**** 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.  

NoHo News: Theatre Night, Magenta, Back to School, Art + More Theatre

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

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!

**** 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.

How to: Increase Job Satisfaction, and Get that Raise

NoHo - North Hollywood
-
0

How to: Increase Job Satisfaction, and Get that Raise

Can you honestly swear, hand on your heart, that you enjoy your work?

If you answered yes and your nose didn’t suddenly grow an extra two inches, then you can count yourself as part of the lucky minority. For the rest of us, approximately 52.3 per cent according to research by the Conference Board, feeling satisfied and happy with our jobs isn’t part of working life reality.

By the end of the week it feels like most of our waking hours – the sunny ones at least – are spent in the office.

Considering this, it’s no wonder that being unhappy in your job is a recipe for disaster. Feeling stressed, lonely or underappreciated has a significant impact on mental health, leading to problems like burnout and anxiety.

When you’re feeling this way it’s easy to give up on that dream job. But improving job satisfaction is easier than you think. We’ve put together a short guide on a few changes you can make for a happier working life.

Climb the ladder with further training

Being stuck in the same job for too long can be soul destroying, especially when it’s no longer a challenge. In this case, investing time and money into further training can jumpstart your career.

So, for example, if you’re not working to your full potential as a teaching assistant, completing an early years foundation degree will put you on the path to becoming a fully accredited teacher in your own right.

But studying for a degree doesn’t have to mean leaving work. Distance learning can fit in around your current schedule, and there are loads of course and options available.

Adopt the habits of the super successful

Look to your business icons for inspiration. Many of the most successful people out there share common habits that are easy to adopt.

Most importantly, looking after number one is something successful people never forget to do. Leading a healthy active lifestyle is key to being on your top game, after all.

A regular sleeping pattern and exercise does wonders for creativity and productivity. It doesn’t have to be a big commitment either. Just try turning off laptops, TVs and mobiles after 9.30, and taking a quick walk during your lunch break.

Improve work relationships

It might sound obvious, but putting effort into being friendly with your colleagues will make a big impact on your nine-to-five. A supportive environment is good for everyone, and going out of your way to help a colleague also shows your great leadership skills to watching bosses.

Put this advice into practise and your boss can’t fail to notice. If they don’t offer you a raise, then at least you’ll have the confidence to ask for one yourself, and plenty of evidence to justify getting one.

Don’t let L.A. theatre go dark

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

Your signature shows your support for sustaining NoHo and all of L.A.’s intimate theater scene.

 

“It gravely saddens the NoHo Theatre District to see Actors Equity Union continuing this tradition against their members.” -Staff of NoHoArtsDistrict.com

The battle between Actors’ Equity Association and its members continues. Despite the best efforts of members and producers to bring AEA to understand that their proposal is not only unacceptable to the L.A. Theater Community, but that their proposal is in fact destructive to the combined efforts of our community, and potentially lethal to the very existence of intimate theater in Los Angeles.

We are asking that you visit our site, ILove99.org, and add your name to a petition demanding a side by side referendum of AEA.

Your support and signature are needed to show AEA that we are all serious about sustaining our intimate theater scene in the NoHo Arts District and all over Los Angeles

Sign the petition!

Pro 99 Save LA Intimate Theatre www.nohoartsdistrict.com

From our friends at L.A. Stage Raw.

Darkness in December

A joint message to the Los Angeles community from Pro99 and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Equity

“The clock is ticking! Beginning December 14th, 2016, despite the Los Angeles community’s urging and a lawsuit served on Actors’ Equity Association by Equity members and producers, Equity will impose new rules and regulations which will change theatre in Los Angeles forever. This change will take away most of the opportunities for Equity actors to work in intimate theatre in Los Angeles and destroy Los Angeles intimate theatre as we know it.

Forty-eight years ago, Equity actors in Los Angeles fought for and were granted the right to form theater companies and perform without pay. These were professional actors. They wanted the same thing that we want now: The right to do the work we have always dreamed of – to be artists in relationship to our community, in theatres that are safe and treat all the artists fairly.

Equity’s new rules and regulations destroy a system and a community that have been in place for almost half a century. The changes will eliminate the prior 99-Seat Plan and a settlement agreement approved by both actors and the union after actors sued the union in 1986 to prevent similar changes. These current changes were brought to an advisory referendum on April 21, 2015 and were defeated by the Los Angeles Equity membership 67% to 33%. Actors said they did not want these new rules and regulations by a margin of 2 to 1. Actors want to preserve their right to follow their dreams, to do the work they want to do. No one is forcing actors to volunteer. It is an actor’s choice. It is an actor’s right. Equity is trying to take away the actor’s right to volunteer.

Equity’s new rules indicate Equity believes making money must take precedence over making art. These new rules purport to create more paid contract work for actors and stage managers in LA’s small theatres. That’s a positive goal, and one we can all agree on in principle. Unfortunately, creating a rule doesn’t create a reality. 99-seat and under theaters all conform to the old guidelines that Equity set for actors’ reimbursements. Many theatres surpass that amount and give their actors more. Equity wants everyone to believe this conflict is about wages. It is not. All of us in this community would be like to be paid more to do the work we do, but that is not why we make theatre. Los Angeles’ intimate theatres are among the few places on earth created to house hope – and so they are priceless and must be protected at all cost. Equity’s New Agreement and new internal codes won’t help theater artists in LA, it will hurt them.

Art is not and cannot be solely a commercial venture.” – Read the full article>>

**** 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.

Suicide Squad; Jason Bourne; Café Society

Mike Peros
-
0
Suicide Squad; Jason Bourne; Café Society

Suicide Squad; Jason Bourne; Café Society

The premise of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad will no doubt be familiar, whether you’re a DC Comics fan, or someone with fond memories of The Dirty Dozen.  For various reasons, a government agency requires the help of a few notorious supervillains to stave off the threat of a super-supervillain. Whereas The Dirty Dozen had the formidable, caustic Lee Marvin as the major in charge of these “recruits,” Suicide Squad has the very imposing Viola Davis as the no-nonsense, lethal official Amanda Waller, who assembles Gotham’s worst in an effort to save mankind from the all-powerful witch-goddess called Enchantress (the fact that Waller’s actions led to this threat is downplayed). Each criminal gets an intro of sorts, backed by some appropriate (or ironic) music, and this section, along with their initial encounter with Ms. Davis and Joel Kinnaman (as the ostensible colonel in charge), is one of the most entertaining in the film.

As with The Dirty Dozen, not all anti-heroes are created equal, so Will Smith’s Deadshot, an assassin who doesn’t kill women and children and loves his daughter, and Margot Robbie’s flamboyant sociopath Harley Quinn (and ladylove of Jared Leto’s Joker) get the most screen time, and they’re more than up to the challenge.  Smith, who’s seemed unduly restrained in his recent appearances, finally gets to cut loose a bit as the hitman with his own honor code, while Robbie dominates her scenes as the mercurial, fun-loving, and eminently dangerous Harley– including her scenes with Leto’s perfunctory Joker. The action sequences are variable; the first encounter which tests the mettle of our “heroes” is well-done, but the climax is over-the-top and not as satisfying.  However, how can you not like a film in which the major characters decide to have a drink and chew the fat before making the decision to possibly lay down their lives in the aforementioned climactic confrontation? While Suicide Squad isn’t perfect by any means, seeing it won’t kill you.

Jason Bourne is back, though you may be asking why.  It’s been a number of years since Matt Damon’s amnesiac, deadly Bourne found some answers, not only about himself, but with regard to the actions of the CIA (there was a Jeremy Renner Bourne in the interim, but that made a few long for Bourne to be reborn in Damon form), and to be sure, this knowledge hasn’t brought him any peace.  In fact, when we see the current Bourne, he’s engaged in some illegal fights in some out-of-the-way places.  However, Bourne’s self-imposed exile cannot lase, especially after former ally Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) contacts him with some hacked data pointing to some more revelations involving the CIA, his own father (Gregg Henry) and some misdeeds involving the current CIA Director Dewey (a scowling Tommy Lee Jones).

This is yet another film that starts strong and loses momentum as it goes along.  The early going, with Damon and Stiles trying to connect in Greece amidst a violent protest, all the while watched by the CIA (including a possibly sympathetic Alicia Vikander as another CIA head), and menaced by a seemingly unstoppable assassin (Vincent Cassel) with a grudge against Bourne, is both intense and unsettling—especially in its Orwellian depiction of the prevalence of surveillance techniques and the inevitable loss of privacy on all levels.  Yet as the movie continues, there is a sense of deja-vu, concerning the CIA, the answers that Bourne seeks—even the action scenes remind one of earlier battles in better Bournes. In addition, the seemingly omniscient CIA somehow loses some of its power outside Greece, so that many of Bourne’s movements somehow escape the CIA’s seemingly unlimited reach.  When the action finally moves to Las Vegas, plausibility, for all intents and purposes, is tossed aside; aside from a knockdown fight between Damon and Cassel, everything feels second-hand.  The coda provides a nice touch, and Bourne should stay out in the cold—what else can there left for him to discover?

Woody Allen’s Café Society is beautiful to look at, with its recreation of 1930s Los Angeles and New York masterfully captured by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.  It’s also a delight to listen to, with a soundtrack of classic melodies played by, among others, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Dramatically (and comedically) however, there’s some room for improvement, as it plays like a rehash of Woody Allen’s greatest hits, with a dash of The Apartment and Lost in Yonkers thrown in.  Jesse Eisenberg (not exactly endearing but less grating than usual), is a young man from New York who comes to Hollywood and eventually gets a job running errands for his perpetually busy and preoccupied uncle (Steve Carell).  He also becomes friendly with Carell’s secretary Kristen Stewart, who clearly likes him, but has a “boyfriend” (if you can’t figure out how out who it might be, it might be time for some remedial film classes).

Eventually a chastened Eisenberg returns to New York, where he achieves success running his gangster brother’s nightclub, which enables him to hobnob among the free-spending rich and famous habitues that constitute Manhattan’s Café Society.  He even manages to meet one of its denizens, the lovely Blake Lively, and marries her.  The questions is, does he love her, or is he just rebounding from Miss Stewart—and the answer just might present itself when Stweart breezes into his nightclub…There is plenty to enjoy about Café Society. Allen manages to get good performances from his major players, especially Carell, Corey Stoll (as Eisenberg’s gangster brother—and a family-conscious killer), Stewart, and Lively.  Woody Allen is also a welcome presence, albeit an offscreen one, as the narrator, but one of the structural flaws is that the narration makes it too easy for the film to glide over what might have been interesting to see—as in just how the nebbish Eisenberg has managed to transform himself into the smooth host of Café Society. In the end, the main characters have to live with their choices—but still, it’s hard to feel bad for a character when his “booby prize” is someone as radiant as Miss Lively.

Bye Hidden Macy’s

Lisa Bianconi
-
0

We’ve called it the hidden Macy’s but many of us grew up going there. You know the one nestled between Laurel Canyon Blvd. at Oxnard St. in North Hollywood.

The hidden Macy’s building will be repurposed to serve as office and retail uses. But that’s not all. It’s now being transformed into NoHo West – a retail shopping around a large open air plaza, an office building, new residences and abundant public open spaces. The retail main street may include a mix of regional retailers, restaurants and cafes, a specialty market and cinema. This anticipated mix of uses will create a unique opportunity to live, work and shop in a walkable, setting.

Project Features
• Four blocks of shops, restaurants and offices
• Mix of local and national retailers
• A state-of-the-art, multi-screen movie theater with full-service dining and reserved seating
• Office space occupying the renovated Macy’s building
• Amenity-rich residential apartment units
• Over two acres of open space

{youtube}S99yYtpW18c{/youtube}

**** 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.

Metro’s NoHo Tunnel Grand Opening

Lisa Bianconi
-
1

Get ready NoHo! The ribbon cutting for Metro’s North Hollywood Station Underpass is Monday, August 15, 2016!

The Metro’s new North Hollywood Station Underpass, a.k.a. The NoHo Tunnel, is a major safety improvement for Metro customers in North Hollywood. It will provide a convenient, direct connection between Metro’s Red Line and Orange Line stations in the NoHo Arts District.

North Hollywood Station Underpass Project Benefits

• Facilitates easy and convenient access to pedestrians transferring between Metro Red Line Station and Metro Orange Line Depot.
• The underpass structures will be constructed between the Mezzanine level Metro Red Line Station and Plaza level at Metro Orange Line Depot.
• The underpass will be located underneath Lankershim Blvd and Metro property at Orange Line Depot.
• For safety reasons, pedestrian traffic will be deterred from crossing Lankershim and minimize street crossings at the intersection of N. Chandler Blvd and Lankershim Blvd.
• Escalator, stair and elevator access from both ends of the underpass
• Underpass will conform to ADA standards.
• Additional Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) provided for the convenience of the commuters.
• Enhanced lighting and ventilation along the entire length of underpass. • Added traffic congestion relief.

Following the official ribbon cutting on the plaza level, guests will be the first to walk down through the new tunnel to the Red Line Station mezzanine.

Metro’s NoHo Tunnel Grand Opening www.nohoartsdistrict.com

North Hollywood Station Underpass Grand Opening

Date: Monday, August 15, 2016

Time: 11 a.m.

Location: Metro Orange Line Station

Address: 5373 N. Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601

We hope you will join us for this exciting celebration.

Please RSVP to confirm your attendance to Karen Swift, Community Relations Manager, at swiftk@metro.net or by phone at 213.922.1348.

**** 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.  

1...204205206...253Page 205 of 253

ABOUT US

The NoHo Arts District is a one-square-mile community in North Hollywood that is home to more than 20 live, professional theatres, dance studios, art galleries, public art, music recording venues, acting and art workshops, international dining options, clothing and specialty shops, and businesses that create a myriad of art forms. NoHo is "Where the Arts Are Made." - "NoHoArtsDistrict.com"

FOLLOW US

© NoHo Communications Group 2024