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THE HIDDEN ARTIST: Patricia Krebs

nohoarts
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THE HIDDEN ARTIST: Patricia Krebs
CONNECTION TO NOHO: Lived in NOHO and showed her work during monthly art walks at Lankershim and Magnolia
MEDIUMS: Mixed media and music
WEBSITE: http://patriciakrebs.com.ar

Originally from Buenos Aires, Patricia Krebs already knew at a young age that she was born to be an artist—although the general advice of her family and friends was for her to build a more traditional safety net and become an art teacher instead. And so she followed her heart—and still does. She’s never pressured by current trends or intimidated by the superior egos that can often make up our contemporary art world. Mostly, this soft-spoken woman has learned to calm even her own voices of adversity to hear only one—that of a long ago college instructor’s and a phrase made famous by a sneaker company to just “do it.” And indeed she does.

Magical best describes her work, which, if it has to be labeled, falls somewhere in between narrative and illustration. But Patricia’s roots began in the unexpected world of puppetry, a place she most likely was able to express herself, having been so intensely shy. So, after she was conventionally schooled in painting, Patricia set off to become a paid apprentice of sorts and worked for a puppeteer, mastering puppet construction, which later gave birth to the beautiful and expressive characters she now sculpts and paints.

The inspiration for her 2 and 3-D paper clay actors is a cross between the monsters of Muppet world and the creatures from the infamous Where The Wild Things Are children’s book. Yet, she has unearthed her own branding of characters that possess carefully studied noses and unusually expressive eyes for being so long and narrow. But what really makes them come alive is Patricia’s music.

Patricia concurrently studied guitar and singing lessons along side her painting back in Argentina and has recorded Spanish voiceovers here in the states for major movies such as Corpse Bride, Happy Feet I & II, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. What really blew me away though were the music videos she made of two songs () on her soon-to-be-released CD, Amuzikanto, that she wrote and produced herself. I sat mesmerized as I watched and listened to Color, a song about red/rojo that Patricia beautifully performed with her puppets and remained in awe of the story and texture of the more professionally animated Sueno Que Suenas Un Sueno. No words better describe these two musical endeavors or the rest of her album than her own: “This project is a musical whim of the little girl I still am, and it is also a celebration of all the musical influences that converge in me.” A celebration indeed—of magic, color, sweetness, softness, and peacefulness—just like Patricia herself.

You may follow the lovely and rare talent of Patricia Krebs on Facebook and please make sure to contact Cactus Gallery for her TBD upcoming release party of her CD.

A Glimpse of NoHo Fun!

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

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

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

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

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…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.  

It’s International Beer Day on Friday, NoHo!

Lisa Bianconi
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It’s all about the beer on Friday (well, everyday actually).

Taking place in pubs, clubs, bars, breweries, beer gardens and back yards all over the world and in the NoHo Arts District on Friday, August 7 is INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY. There aren’t a lot of things the whole world agrees on or folks in North Hollywood for that matter, but enjoying beer is one of them, so let’s all raise a pint and make a toast: “to Beer, a drink that brings the world together.” So mark your calendars every year for the first Friday of August!

Here are three really good excuses/reasons to celebrate Beer Day in NoHo:
1) To get together with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer.
2) To honor the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer.
3) To bring the world together under the united banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures together on this one remarkable day.

International Beer Day is our chance to let the breweries and bars of the world know how much we appreciate them, all while participating in one of the best activities ever — drinking beer! Perhaps even more than the beverage itself, International Beer Day is about celebrating the establishments who produce it, sell it and give folks a place to enjoy it.

International Beer Day www.nohoartsdistrict.com

So let’s say thanks to our North Hollywood bars and hangouts:

The Federal Bar>>
Bow & Truss>>
The Bar-b-que Bar>>
Skinny’s Lounge>>
Brickyard Pub>>
Pitfire Pizza>>
Eclectic Bar & Grille>>

So raise your glass on Friday, August 7 in North Hollywood to celebrate these heroes behind each tasty brew. Cheers to International Beer Day!

#IntlBeerDay – Follow OfficialNoHo on Twitter
Give a NoHo Shout Out to the folks who designated this holiday!

**** 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.

RONNIE MACK’S SALUTE TO THE MUSIC OF AMERICA’S LEGENDS

Tammy Johnston
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RONNIE MACK’S SALUTE TO THE MUSIC OF AMERICA’S LEGENDS

A few weeks ago, I just happened to walk into Joe’s Famous Bar & Grill in Burbank. I settled into a seat at the bar and heard the person on stage announce “Here’s a man who needs no introduction!” I turned toward the darkened stage and my face lit up as the familiar silhouette of a tall, lanky man walked up to the microphone. I shouted “RONNIE MACK!”, then giggled and laughed as the stage lights came on.

Ronnie Mack’s internationally famous country-roots showcase RONNIE MACK’S BARNDANCE was a Los Angeles institution for 25 years.

In 1990, this event was held weekly at the world famous Palomino Club in North Hollywood. There was no cover charge and around twelve well-known bands in the lineup. It was broadcast every Thursday night on KXLU radio station. Over the years, attendees have included Buck Owens, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springsteen, Dwight Yoakam, Rosie Flores, Lucinda Williams, James Intveld, Brian Setzer and Connie Francis.

Ronnie Mack became interested in music as a young boy when, at the age of four, his grandfather gave him some toy instruments to play with.

He became fascinated by these and taught himself to play a few chords on guitar as well as picking up the drums, accordion and saxophone. when he was six years old, he began learning songs by Ricky Nelson.

His move from Baltimore, Maryland to Los Angeles in 1976 led to him befriending Ray Campi; Rockabilly Hall Of Famer, and Ronny Weiser; record producer and founder of rockabilly record label Rollin’ Rock.

In 1979 he formed the Punk Rock Band Ronnie Mack & Black Slacks and by the 1980’s he was a noted regular on the Los Angeles Rockabilly scene.

Mack shared one of his fondest memories that took place at the Sacramento Civic Center in 1985. Fats Domino and his band were on tour with Ricky Nelson and Mack was asked to play guitar for the sound check because Nelson could not be there. “I got to play the songs with The Jordanaires!” Mack gleefully told me. The concert lineup included The Jordanaires, Ricky Nelson, Ronnie Mack, The Coasters and Fats Domino.

Ronnie Mack’s Barn Dance began in 1988 usually paying tribute to a particular artist such as Buddy Holly, Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline and the like.

Keeping the tradition of the Barn Dance, Ronnie now hosts regular tribute events to salute America’s music legends that have included Connie Francis, Ricky Nelson, and Glen Campbell at local venues such as VivaCantina And Mexican Restaurant, and Pickwick Gardens.

Stay tuned for information on the upcoming events and the Ronnie Mack Podcast series!
Check out Ronnie Mack Facebook page

3 True Stories About Dogs That Should Be Movies

nohoarts
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If you’re like me, you love a good story about a loyal, loving dog. So you probably saw Marley and Me and Max in recent years and grew up on the classics like Lassie, Hooch, Old Yeller, and even Lady and the Tramp.  Great books can turn into amazing movies, especially when they are true stories. So here is a list of 3 books that definitely need movie deals.

THUNDER DOG: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust 

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This incredible true story about a blind man and his guide dog will change your perspective on life and inspire courage and will. Michael Hingson writes about his life being blind, and his and guide dog Roselle’s will and determination to live as normally as possible. A film about his story would be one of action, thrill and heroism – all in one. He shares specifically one fateful day on September 11, 2001, when his remarkable guide dog led him down 78 flights of stairs during the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. I see Jason Bateman playing lead for this since he brings the same endearing and strong-willed personality to his characters. The details in this story about their survival of that traumatic day emphasize “the triumph of trust” between him and his guide dog, and would definitely pack movie theaters. I’d be first in line.

The Dog Lived (And So Will I): A Memoir

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The quote on the book cover almost says it all, describing this memoir as “a story about love and the strength love gives us to go on”. If you are a dog lover (which you probably are or else you wouldn’t be reading this), and you or a loved one has dealt with cancer, this story strikes home. This is another film that would fall under heroism, but also compassion and love. Seeing your dog go through cancer is tough enough, but then being diagnosed yourself is one of life’s hardships that many people struggle with. The inspiration to beat cancer together is such a happy story to read. Who else can play such an emotionally in-depth role than Meryl Streep? I know I’d pay to see this story in theaters.

Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Working Dog

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Military-themed movies are growing ever-popular, and some of the highest grossing military films are based on true events. Both in military and civilian populations, this story about Sergeant Rex and his handler, Mike Dowling is well-known. As one of many Marine Corps units deployed to Iraq, Sergeant Dowling and his military working dog, Sergeant Rex were part of military k9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. Specifically, Dowling shares events from missions with Rex in Iraq’s infamous Triangle of Death. The two made an impermeable team, and Rex’s heroism during his deployments with Dowling have gone down in history. I see Chris Hemsworth playing lead since he could totally pass as a Marine.

When one or all of these books turn into movies, I’ll be first in line to get tickets. We know there are hundreds of true stories about 9/11, beating cancer, and combat in Iraq, but these three captivate readers and make them feel like they are right there with the authors – and surviving it all with their loyal dogs.

“Horsepower and Other Short Stories” performed at the Federal Bar in NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
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Next up at the New Short Fiction Series at The Federal Bar: Kurt Taylor

We met Kurt Taylor during the days of the NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival. Those were happy days when our neighborhood was young and just beginning to blossom. Kurt was a great ally of the NoHo Arts District and produced interviews on the festival and all the talented participants. Kurt is coming back to NoHo but this time not behind the camera but on stage. The New Short Fiction Series at The Federal Bar presents “Horsepower And Other Stories,” by Kurt Taylor, on Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 7PM. He and guests will perform exerpts from some of his short stories. Performing words? Yes. This is what the New Short Fiction Series is all about.

Did you know that the New Short Fiction Series is L.A.’s longest running spoken word series? It just so happens that it’s presented at The Federal Bar every second Sunday of the month in cooperation with Barnes & Noble, and is a recognized standout in the Southland’s artistic landscape. Each performance features carefully selected excerpts from new works of short fiction by a West Coast writer. The New Short Fiction Series is directly responsible for placing six newly released books on the Los Angeles Times’ bestseller list, and has been the “jump off” for many collections and novels from unpublished stories featured in the series. Spoken word artist Sally Shore hosts and produces this live, monthly program, performing with a rotating guest cast of some of L.A.’s most talented working actors.

Kurt Taylor Performs at the New Short Fiction Series www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Kurt survived 24 years as an executive in the cable television industry and also worked as a sports journalist and broadcaster. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of California, Riverside, low-residency program, and has written a novel about a Vietnam veteran who goes in search of a missing pro boxer. Taylor, while considering writing a tell-all of the dark days of the broadband industry where he will name names and point fingers, currently blogs at indian-hill.blogspot.com and kurttaylor.blogspot.com.

WHAT: “Horsepower And Other Stories”

WHEN: Sunday, August 9
Performances begin at 7:00 p.m.
Doors open 6:00 p.m. for your dining pleasure

WHERE: The Federal Bar NoHo
5303 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

TICKETS: Advance Tickets Recommended!
$12.00 advance purchase
$15.00 at the door, cash only

Get Tickets>>

Here’s a short description of the stories that will be performed:

– Lane and Mia (Excerpted, Fiction); Lane sees a strange apparition while driving in the desert, and seeks to confirm that he’s not still suffering the effects of a previous psychological breakdown. He enlists a friend to go on a quest to confirm what he’s seen, while trying to conceal his true reason for his road trip from his wife, Mia.
Background; I’m fascinated by desert culture and the folks who live on the edge of Southern California, far from the vortex of the media culture and entertainment overload. I wanted to combine the mystical, magical elements of the desert with a man’s attempt at rehabilitation who really wants to know, ‘Am I still crazy?’

– The Flags At Fenway (Fiction); A sports writer attempts to get a major league baseball player to reveal why he left the game.
Background; As a writer, I’m as much interested in the reasons why pro athletes fail, as in their successes. For me there is drama in the failure and athletes ability to deal with it.

– Two Land Broadband (Excerpted, Narrative non-fiction); A first person account of the Adelphia Communications bankruptcy, while I was a general manager in their Los Angeles operations. What it was like, on the ground, during the near-shutdown of financial support during the beginning of the then-largest bankruptcy proceedings in U.S. history.
Background; I lived through a harrowing and unusual time in the telecommunication industry, which ultimately led to the two founding members of the Adelphia Communications company going to federal prison. It was a striking failure of leadership. The opening scene in the story kept resonating in my mind, and I felt it would be a good place to start a sort of ‘one man’s journey through darkness’ type of story.

– Horsepower (Narrative non-fiction); Seeing vintage race cars at the Auto Club Speedway sparked memories of my own, of the cars I’ve owned, and one in particular that helped me lead-foot my way through a personally heartbreaking time.
Background; I spent two days photographing beautiful race cars at the Auto Club Speedway, and I started to write some thoughts about the cars and the men who now own them and drive them. When I kept writing, it moved on to my childhood memories of car shows, and some of my first cars. After a personally difficult time, I bought a car and drove wild through the Rocky Mountains trying to distance myself from heartbreak. After moving to California, the car sat idle for years, until I found a new owner worthy of all that the car meant.

Here’s what Southern California writers are saying:

“Like the people he writes about, Kurt Taylor has heart and gets inside on you. And with…Horsepower, he provides an intimate look at the world of male heartbreak, connecting fast cars, women, and life-shattering decisions in a way that I have not seen before. Thanks for the ride, Kurt, and I hope it doesn’t end.” – Deanne Stillman

“Kurt Taylor writes about people who don’t mind getting dirty, people who like to sweat; gritty people who are sometimes in desperate situations — but he adds a dose of sweetness and just the right amount of weird to his stories, making them the perfect cocktail for a night on the town.”
– Mark Haskell Smith

“Kurt Taylor’s characters characters could have come out of the mind of Elmore Leonard–wound tight and ready to break open, driving his stories forward, compelling the reader to press on. His characters, coupled with his keen eye for detail and dark sense of humor, left me with a haunting sense of déjà vu, like I’d been there with these characters before, a feeling that stuck with me long after I’d finished reading.” – William Hillyard

**** 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.

Update on the Television Academy in NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s an update on the construction project at NoHo’s Television Academy

We’ve seen the construction at the Television Academy and are anxiously awaiting its completion. For more background on the construction project, here’s a recent interview by features writer Chavonny Tillotson.

Here’s an update on their progress.

The Academy is closing in on completion of this $30 million building (the focus of the $40 million New Destination Campaign, which also includes a robust endowment for the educational Foundation).

“Part of the impetus for the new building was that our industry is still in the midst of a revolution and we needed a space that reflected that,” said Maury McIntyre, Television Academy president and COO.

“We’re in an age where people can not only watch and engage with their favorite shows pretty much anywhere and anytime, but they can also tell their own stories, create their own shows, and distribute them to a wide audience. Never before has television been this personalized – for both the audience and the storyteller. “

With its clean lines and windowed surfaces, the new Academy building will be a place where members can see themselves and their ideas reflected, both literally and figuratively.

As construction continues for an opening in early 2016, the Academy looks not only to continue programs that honor television’s legacy but also launch new programs that talk about where the medium is going. That plan is embodied in the ahead-of-the–curve new building.

The centerpiece of the new 30,000 square-foot Media Center is a reconstructed state-of-the-art Goldenson Theatre, outfitted with full digital connectivity and streaming capability and featuring stadium seating and up-to-date audio and video formats, including 4K and 3D projection, as well as a proscenium stage and green room.

A new Governors Room conference center offers a smart space for smaller gatherings and professional development programs. The space will also include a pocket studio to produce new digital content, an editing suite, as well as new office and meeting spaces for the Academy Foundation’s employees and interns.

The building is, in many ways, the physical embodiment of the Academy’s move not only to embrace the industry’s future but to play an active role in it.

“We want to be more prevalent in the industry, represent more members’ voices and do so on a regular basis,” McIntyre said.

Being forward-thinking is a hallmark of the Academy, and being so means more than the broad-stroke stuff. It means considering every detail of engagement and production. The new Academy building is no exception.

When designing the modernist building, Lee Pasteris, design director for the global design firm Gensler, worked in collaboration with Fred Dagdagan, lead designer for F. Dagdagan Design, and they paid close attention to the fine points of the new space.

The Television Academy construction update www.nohoartsdistrict.com

For example, the new theater not only contains up-to-the-minute technology, the designers also considered features that may register as more low-tech, like entries and exits. “I’m really excited about the overall plan, and the indoor and outdoor connection,” said Lee Pasteris. The modern structure boasts clean lines throughout, greater infusion of natural light and a sense of flow for employees, members and visitors. “All of the spaces are more transparent,” Pasteris said.

In their design, Pasteris and Dagdagan considered the Academy’s many large gala events–the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Los Angeles Area Emmys, the College Television Awards and more—and how 600 people will enter and exit the new theater, as well as how they will dine and celebrate outdoors. The first floor’s grand lobby area opens onto the building’s main plaza, where a dinner for hundreds may be held.

The Television Academy construction theatre www.nohoarttsdistrict.com

“The first level is very transparent [with a full view of the outdoors],” allowing for an elegant flow between the interior and exterior, Pasteris noted.

A circular drive, centered on the Academy’s Emmy statue as its focal point, will allow for graceful drop-off and entry process, as well as the extraordinary Red Carpet events that the Television Academy is known for.

Beyond red-carpet functions, Pasteris said the design team considered the needs for each user – from an event attendee to an individual office user to a sight-seeing group.

The latter group, for example, may find itself in the Hall of Fame courtyard, where the Academy’s famed busts of TV greats will be found. “Giving those a space really helps build a strong historical connection,” Pasteris said, comparing the busts to Hollywood Boulevard’s signature star-tiled Walk of Fame.

And while the Academy honors the past, the future is its focus. The new second floor workspaces offer comfortable spaces for Foundation employees and a technology training center for interns, College Television Award winners, and emerging storytellers, who represent the industry’s next generation. The building’s design and modern amenities are inspiring the Academy to develop ever more programs for members and for the public to get people thinking.

“The improvements mimic and reflect the evolution of our industry and who we are – thought leaders in our industry – so this building will enable many of our dreams to become reality, as we plan our future,” McIntyre said.

“Every room now will have broadcast capabilities, where before we did not,” McIntyre said. “We want to continue to celebrate and honor excellence in our industry but also talk about where TV is going, how it changes and evolves and what it does for society.”

There are certainly many possibilities to look forward to, and many things that – excitingly – have not even been thought of yet.

“The Television Academy is building a home not only worthy of our organization’s future, but the future of the industry as well,” McIntyre said.

Read more about the Television Academy construction here>>

**** 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.  

Reviews of Antman; Trainwreck; Mr. Holmes

Mike Peros
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Reviews of Antman; Trainwreck; Mr. Holmes

Part superhero movie, part caper film, part dysfunctional family movie (everyone’s got issues), Antman is a nice surprise, an enjoyable entry in the Marvel superhero series that is seemingly taking over the cinematic galaxy.

A brief prologue set in 1989 introduces Michael Douglas as a visionary scientist who leaves SHIELD after he realizes they’re trying to duplicate his prototype—namely a suit that can shrink people (as well as restore them to their former size—among other more innocuous qualities). Douglas suspects others want to utilize it for more nefarious pursuits. Fast forward to the present with Paul Rudd is a recently paroled thief trying to make good for the sake of his daughter (we haven’t seen that plot thread before). Douglas, who has been ousted from his own firm by his daughter (Evangeline Lilly) and his former protégé (Corey Stoll), persuades Rudd to break into his own former company in order to steal the Yellowjacket—a new shrinking suit devised by Stoll. This Yellowjacket is close to being perfected and sold to the highest bidder , which in the Marvel universe is usually Hydra. Assisted by Douglas’ wary daughter Lilly, Rudd trains hard (though not without pitfalls),“ants” up, and evolves into a hero to both men and ants.

As opposed to the overstuffed recent Marvel productions, Antman has a loose feel to it, with time for some quirky comic interludes, courtesy of a finished script boasting no less than four writers, including Rudd, Adam McKay, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. There are some serious and would-be touching moments to be sure, but they’re knowingly undercut with some humor, preventing these moments from becoming cloying. The action scenes are generally well-done, especially the first time an unsuspecting Rudd makes use of the ant suit, and the climactic sequence depicting the “heist” is both tense and humorous (with Rudd’s other allies such as Michael Pena coming through), with the fate of the world taking place on a child’s train set.

Corey Stoll is a good villain, not your usual diabolical sort, but a fellow who is past seeking the approval of his mentor/father figure Douglas and instead wants to show how far he has surpassed him. Douglas and Lilly provide good support (though there could be more sparks between Lilly and Rudd), Bobby Cannavale does well in a limited role as a cop who is also on the verge of marrying Rudd’s ex-wife, while Rudd is likable and engaging as the newest, albeit quite reluctant Marvel hero.

One hopes he will retain his appeal and humor in the inevitable sequel.

I wasn’t familiar with Amy Schumer’s comedy prior to seeing Trainwreck, but if the movie, which she scripted is any indication, I may make more of an effort in the future. Schumer is Amy, a hard-living, hard-drinking reporter who makes it her life’s mission to live up to her father’s (Colin Quinn) maxim that monogamy never works. She has a sister Kim (Brie Larson) with a husband and a stepson—and another on the way. Amy also has a muscleman boyfriend (John Cena—with a great scene where he tries to “talk dirty”) and the requisite best friend Nikki (Vanessa Mayer), with whom she works at the men’s magazine S’nuff. After Amy is forced by her boss (Tilda Swinton) to interview a renowned sports doctor (Bill Hader), she is surprised by how much she finds herself falling for him—causing her to rethink her formerly hedonistic philosophy even while her impulse toward self-destruction threatens to take over.

Trainwreck has many of the qualities of your basic romantic comedy, which may surprise (or concern) some viewers, given Schumer’s success with Inside Amy Schumer; it also retains many aspects of the typical Judd Apatow comedy, including plenty of lewd, rude behavior and a tendency toward overstaying its welcome. Yet there are many things I enjoyed about Trainwreck. Amy Schumer is an attractive, engaging screen presence, not afraid to make a fool of herself, yet capable of moving you (as is in her speech about her father late in the film). What I really liked about her script, and Apatow’s direction, is the generosity toward her fellow actors. Hader is terrific as Amy’s new love interest, earnest, devoted and occasionally conflicted; Colin Quinn gets a number of good scenes as Amy’s irascible, crude father (nice to see Norman Lloyd as Quinn’s old friend. Amy’s comrades at S’nuff also have some moments to shine, especially Tilda Swinton and Randall Park. And who would have thought LeBron James would come thisclose to stealing a movie, playing himself as a wealthy, vain sports figure who will dicker over the bill and get a little peevish in friendly one on one’s. He is also Doc Hader’s good friend and quite concerned about Amy’s intentions toward the good doctor. There are some other inspired guest bits, notably from Daniel Radcliffe, Marv Albert, Matthew Broderick, and Amari Stoudemire, and an ending that feels mostly right, as it follows the conventions of romantic comedies while adding a little spin—no less than what might expect from the talented Schumer.

Mr. Holmes reunites Sir Ian McKellen with his Gods and Monsters director Bill Condon for another elegiac study of a twilight figure, this time a 93 year old Sherlock Holmes, living in a farmhouse with his housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her son Roger. Holmes has just returned from Japan, circa 1947; his memory has been failing, he’s some thirty years removed from his last case—and anxious to remember the details of that case which led to his retirement from detection. Holmes possesses a faded picture of a lovely young woman, some faint memories, and some “prickly ash” that he acquired in Hiroshima to help jumpstart his memory. The game is afoot indeed, only slowed by the encroachment of age.
While neither the mystery at the center of the film nor the film itself is a major work (too much emphasis on bees and the boy), Mr. Holmes succeeds as a meditation on mortality, choices and consequences–and because of McKellen’s masterful portrayal of Holmes as a man railing against infirmity. He is equally convincing as the ninety-plus Holmes and in flashbacks as the aging detective who discovers that all his skill with clues can’t lead him to master the mysteries of the human heart.

NoHo News. Do You Get It?

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

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

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

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

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…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.

NoHo supports Cecil the Lion’s Memory

Lisa Bianconi
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No more Cecil stories

Like many of our readers, I have a love and respect for all animals – domestic and wild. Killing an animal for sport in my personal opinion is murder.  I have just returned from a wonderful trip to South Africa where I visited several animal reserves where I saw an array of wild animals, including lions in their natural habitat. The majority of people in the world understand the importance of protecting innocent children. Let’s include innocent animals. Artists and arts lovers, please take a stand and sign this petition. Let’s use Cecil the Lion’s memory as a call to action to stop this useless killing.

Nancy Bianconi
Publisher
www.nohoartsdistrict.com

From the folks at Avaaz.org – Thank you.

This campaign is on fire! We’re at 50k signers in the US in half a day, but Cecil’s story has touched millions — Add your name, forward this to everyone, or share now on Facebook & Twitter — let’s to get to 100,000 before we take our demand to the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s doorstep.

Dear friends,

A 13-year old lion named Cecil was just lured from a park in Zimbabwe where he lived under legal protection, shot with a crossbow and rifle, then beheaded and skinned. The hunter who paid over $50,000 for the kill is a dentist from Minnesota.

Experts say lions could be extinct in the wild in our lifetime, and the US is partly to blame. The number of lion trophies imported by American hunters has skyrocketed, doubling between 1999 and 2008, and there are no sanctions in the US for hunters like the dentist who killed Cecil, because lions aren’t listed under the Endangered Species Act despite a recent government recommendation.

Cecil the Lion www.nohoartsdistrict.com 

Right now, the Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a petition to list lions as endangered, and a massive outcry from across the country could speed up the process and start saving lions now. Sign now and recruit others to join on Facebook, Twitter, and everywhere else:

SIGN THE PETITION>>

Can you imagine the African savannah completely devoid of lions? It’s a depressing thought, but defending lions like Cecil also isn’t even just about altruism; Cecil was a major tourist attraction at Hwange National Park, and a few days of his photo being taken by tourists was more lucrative for Zimbabwe than the one-off price paid for his head. Countless other tourism jobs across southern and East Africa depend on the existence of these incredible animals.

Listing the African lion under the Endangered Species Act wouldn’t immediately create a ban on American hunters traveling to Africa to hunt lions, but it would establish a stringent new permitting process, whereby any hunting could only happen in closely monitored programs that also support lion conservation. It’s the first step toward any real, ambitious plan to save the world’s lions, and frankly it’s outrageous that it hasn’t happened already.

It’s past time we respond to this dramatic scenario with dramatic action, starting by listing lions as endangered. If everybody also finds one friend to join them, we can double the strength of our demand. Sign here and let’s make sure Cecil’s death wasn’t in vain:

SIGN THE PETITION>>

Scientists warn that we’re living in an era known as the sixth extinction, an acceleration of habitat and species loss from urbanization, climate change, and aggressive hunting. Large mammals like lions are some of the most vulnerable; their rates of reproduction lag far behind the rate they’re being hunted and poached. But our movement is accelerating too, and every day Avaaz members worldwide are propelling hopeful and ambitious policies forward to build the world we love, a world where African lions continue to roam.

With roaring hope,
Joseph, Rewan, Mia, Andrew and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

Cecil the lion’s killer revealed as American dentist

Zimbabwe’s ‘iconic’ lion Cecil killed by hunter

African Lions Face Extinction by 2050, Could Gain Endangered Species Act Protection

African lion (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Scientists Warn ‘Sixth Extinction’ May Be Underway

Avaaz.org is a 41-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decision-making. (“Avaaz” means “voice” or “song” in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages.

**** 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.

Raising the Barre North Hollywood

Lisa Bianconi
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Get ready for relevé, battement, arabesque, Demi-plié and more, NoHo!

No, it’s not a French lesson, just some of the fun in store for you at the newest business to open in the NoHo Arts District – Pure Barre North Hollywood!

The lithe yet toned physiques of ballerina dancers like Misty Copeland have been a source of fitness inspiration for many years, but never before has a method been able to deliver those inspired results to mere mortals. That is until Pure Barre, a 55-minute isometric barre workout that promises to “lift, tone and burn” and actually delivers – a fact that is shown by this particular brand of barre. The popularity of Pure Barre has grown exponentially within the last 15 years with more than 300 studios in 42 states. The latest addition to this addictive network of fitness boutiques is Pure Barre North Hollywood.

To celebrate the grand opening and give everyone a chance to experience this game-changing workout, classes from Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2 will be FREE! Space is limited and filling up fast, so visit http://purebarre.com/ca-northhollywood/ or call (818) 942-7098 for a complimentary introductory class and Pre-Opening membership specials.

Pure Barre North Hollywood www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Pure Barre North Hollywood is one of the few fitness facilities that live up to the hype of “instant results,” and it is guaranteed that after the first class you will feel your body start to change. The head-to-toe workout will always be different for every person, but everybody in every class will improve their body for the better. The opening of Pure Barre North Hollywood on July 31 will make it possible for Angelenos to achieve the sculpting, toning and blissful burn they crave in a positive, inspiring environment that has celebrities like Zooey Deschanel, Tika Sumpter, Anna Kendrick, and supermodel Erin Heatherton shaking in their socks.

Why is Pure Barre so popular? It has boiled down the essence of balletic movement to a quick, consistently challenging 55 minutes. Don’t let the 3lb weights and light resistance bands fool you, a single 55-minute session will have even the fiercest fitness lovers sweating, shaking and burning their way to a stronger body and mind. The efficiency is ideal for fitting serious fitness into busy schedules, and the instant mental boost and fast physical results that Pure Barre delivers is what keeps people coming back. Many Pure Barre lovers say the workout is so intense and the environment so uplifting that they get a meditation-like zen feeling from the experience. If you’re going to take one hour out of your day to do something for yourself, Pure Barre North Hollywood is where you need to be.

Pure Barre North Hollywood classes are led by trained dancers who live the fitness level you want to achieve and are excited to help you get there. Pure Barre North Hollywood owner Brittany Egbert and instructors Jenna, Dayna, Will, Vanessa, Katy and Linnea are each talented performers in their own right and use the Pure Barre method personally for longevity and poise. They depend on their fitness for a living and passionately believe in Pure Barre because they use the technique themselves.

“I do not believe that going through the motions of going to the gym is worth the membership. However, if anyone does just 3 sessions a week at Pure Barre any result is achievable no matter where you are coming from or where you’re going,” said Egbert.

Pure Barre North Hollywood is located at 4929 Lankershim Boulevard, Unit D in North Hollywood, CA. For more information email northhollywood@purebarre.com or call (818) 942-7098.

**** 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. Pure Barre North Hollywood opens in L.A.’s NoHo Arts District in North Hollywood on the official NoHo Arts District Guide; www.nohoartsdistrict.com Pure Barre North Hollywood, ballet body, ballet barre, fitness, noho fitness classes, noho gyms, NoHo , [north hollywood plays], noho arts district, noho plays, noho calendar, north hollywood calendar, noho events, north hollywood events, [ los angeles theatre district]  

Why we have back pain and how can we eliminate it

Jack Witt
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Back pain is the second leading symptom for physician visits in the United States. And you know, as well as I do, we all experienced it at some point or some degree in our lives.

Some of the obvious purported culprits of back pain are weak muscles, stress, sedentary lives, being overweight, and age. However, there are some very little reported theories and solutions on back pain and I want to share this information with my readers because I believe it’s insightful.

Until the 20th Century, debilitating back pain was not common in our society, but today it’s extremely prevalent.

One of the reasons for this is that starting in the 1920s, the fashion industry began showing models with their pelvises and necks thrusted forward, and hunched or with rounded shoulders. Basically, it became fashionable to slouch. Furniture then started being designed to be “more comfortable,” thus allowing for poor posture habits to develop and set in.

But if you were to visit a rural village in say Portugal or Africa today, you’d see that these poor posture transformations never took place, and you’d get a sense of what healthy posture looks like.

– The pelvis is tipped forward or anteverted (An easy way to see this is to imagine a belt line and notice that it angles downward toward the front).

– The shoulders are positioned posteriorly relative to the torso, with the result that the arms align with the back of the torso.

– The front contour of the torso is dome-like and smooth. The chest is full with a raised sternum as a result of the chest expanding with every breath.

– The chin, and an imaginary line joining the middle of the ear and the tip of the nose, angle downward as a result of a relaxed and elongated cervical spine.

– The buttocks muscles are well developed because they are in position of mechanical advantage and are used in walking.

What’s happened to us here in the USA and other westernized countries is that modern life, such as computer use, molds the spine into an S or C shape. The key is to start doing things that will help to re-shape your back into its natural J shape, with a focus on your backside. You want to sit tall and stand tall!

So what’s the ancient secret to unlocking the cure?

Step 1. Turn every step into a rep, squeeze your Glutes (Buttocks) as you walk to strengthen them constantly.

Step 2. Create that natural J shape in your spine by wedging your pelvis back when you sit. (Don’t tuck your pelvis).

Step 3. Support your mid back (not your lower back) in the car with a cushion or cloth.

If you’re looking for more detailed lessons and instructions on understanding posture and how to reduce or cure your back pain, I’d suggest a book from Esther Gokhale that I’ve read, and based and sourced this article on, called “8-Steps to a Pain Free Back.”

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach
“Get Fit with Witt”
Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main
www.getfitwithWitt.com 
https://twitter.com/GetfitwithWitt  

* New Book “From Passion to Purpose”

* Hike the Holy Land: Join me March 28 – April 5, 2016

 

The Federal Bar Gives NoHo a Ton of Music

Lisa Bianconi
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THE FEDERAL BAR NORTH HOLLYWOOD PRESENTS CHALI 2NA & THE HOUSE OF VIBE WITH MEXICAN DUBWISER, DJ EXPO

If you’ve never been to the Federal Bar in NoHo for a night of music, you’re missing out. They bring a variety of genres, styles and artists for a variety of musical tastes. For the Federal Bar’s parent, Knitting Factory Entertainment, music is what they do. Their motto is “curators of music, food and style since 1987.” Knitting Factory Entertainment oversees four Knitting Factory live music venues, a record label, a management company, and the four restaurants—two in the NoHo Arts District. At its core, the company is dedicated to creating a variety of high-quality, innovating musical programming across all platforms and that tradition continues within their hospitality brands. That is to say, The Federal Bar is a bar and restaurant but KFE is committed to ensuring it has top quality music and music concepts for its guests plus for its purpose built performance space upstairs.
The Federal Bar Chali 2NA www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Next up at The Federal Bar North Hollywood will be Chali 2na & The House of Vibe with Mexican Dubwiser and DJ Expo. The show is 21+. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased HERE.

The crowd can expect a high-energy performance from the Jurassic 5/ Ozomatli member. Known for his baritone voice and unique flow, Chali 2na will bring audiences to their feet.

New Music Nation praises the solo artist, saying “his unmistakable, smooth-flowing, deep baritone is one of the most satisfying voices in hip-hop.”

WHEN: Tuesday, July 28 at 9:00pm (8pm Doors)
WHERE: The Federal Bar
5303 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 980-2555

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Originally from Chicago, Chali 2na is a rapper and hip-hop artist who moved to South Central Los Angeles to further pursue his music career. While performing bars and cafes, he collaborated with six of his good friends to form a group called Unity Committee. Later combining with another crew who would perform at the same open mic nights, Rebels of Rhythm, they came together to create the alternative hip-hop group Jurassic 5. Although thriving for 14 years, the group officially split up in 2007. Since the group’s separation, Chali 2na has worked independently on different mix tapes and collaborations with artists such as Linkin Park, Ozomatli, and Galactic. Releasing his first solo album Fish Outta Water in 2009, Chali 2na has further developed his solo career and has continued by also producing two mixtapes, Fishmarket and Fishmarket Part 2.

**** 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.

NoHo News: NoHo’s Guide to FUN.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

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

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

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

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…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.

Kardashians: Looking Rich and Staying Poor?

Lillian Appleby
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Kardashians: Looking Rich and Staying Poor?

Really?!! Are You Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Looking Rich and Staying Poor?

While picking up a pizza at the local pizzeria, I noticed a well-dressed young woman in her 20’s wearing a new Louis Vuitton handbag struggling to pay the $12 pizza order.

She used her debit card, credit card and $2 in cash to pay for it. She drove off in a white sporty BMW. At first I felt sorry for her and I could not understand how someone who looked like she had money could barely pay for pizza. How many people do we know that spend money on “looking rich” yet don’t have enough saved up to make ends meet? The issue is—are we so bent on keeping up with the rich that it is making us poor? It comes down to choices and lifestyle…so if the “posers” want to continue the charade going broke, let them. Meanwhile the “real” wealthier people are managing their finances, have goals to accumulate money and spending it according to their lifestyle—not pressured into it.

If you’re ready to start saving or ramp up your current investment initiatives but there just doesn’t seem to be enough money left over at the end of the month, don’t give up.

The following strategies could help you manage your money better and free up resources for your financial goals.

  • Start budgeting. While most of us know what a budget is, how many of us actually use one? A budget can help you chart your cash flow by recording all of your sources of income and your fixed and variable monthly expenses. Once you determine where your money is going using a budget, you can prioritize your needs and potentially identify expenses that could be eliminated.
  • Cut down on credit card expenses. Avoid using credit cards whenever possible, but if you can’t, at least work to pay off your debt. Consider transferring your balances to a card with a lower-interest rate, and try to pay at least twice the minimum monthly payment.
  • Watch transportation costs. Do you really need a brand new car right now? You could save thousands by purchasing one that’s just a year or two old and yet still has a warranty. If you purchase a car — new or used — carefully consider whether to finance or lease it. The decision could dramatically affect your monthly expenses.
  • Put your extra cash to work. Did this year’s tax refund, raise, or bonus burn a hole in your pocket? The next one doesn’t have to. Make plans now to invest it.
  • Cut down on “luxury” spending. If you only go snow boarding or skiing twice a year, it might make more sense to rent equipment instead of buying the latest model and watching it collect dust the rest of the year. Renting movies instead of paying $8 or more to see the latest release and bringing lunch to work are other ways you can watch your bottom line without cramping your own style.

It may be difficult at first, but once you start you’ll see that a little bit of discipline can make a big difference when it comes to finding the money to pursue your financial objectives.

Required Attribution

Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber’s or others’ use of the content.

© 2015 Wealth Management Systems Inc. All rights reserved.

Ringo Starr is 75!

Caroline McElroy
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Ringo Starr is 75!

RINGO STARR recently celebrated his 75th birthday in front of Capitol Records with an OHM chant of PEACEANDLOVE. This is a tradition that STARR began in 2005 with a few participants which has now blossomed into a few hundred enthusiastic noon time PEACEANDLOVE chanters.

The deal is everyone around the world is supposed to chant PEACEANDLOVE at noon their time on July 7 and not just the birthday revelers at Capitol Records.

STARR has been a TM (transcendental meditation) practitioner since 1968 as a BEATLE studying with the Guru MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI and it is a safe bet that STARR has reached his nirvana in his PEACEANDLOVE chant.

Longtime friend DAVID LYNCH was among the star studded attendees at this function and was very articulate in validating STARR’S desire to spread PEACEANDLOVE through chanting the words. LYNCH, also a student of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, has a foundation that is currently working with inner city youth that are damaged by a life of crime and street life and teaching them TM. It is slow going STARR told the audinece, but it is helping. LYNCH is volunteering his time on this endeavor. For those of you that don’t understand the function of an OHM chant, it is supposed to create a harmonic vibration with the universe and flow. After the chant, STARR threw out white PEACE & LOVE bracelets with 3 stars on them to participants and handed out PEACE cookies.

As for myself, I was reminded that answering fan mail for the original KNACK was my first industry “job” and it was at Capitol Records which struck a cool chord in my vibration. While hanging out there I met a very cool Street Artist who shared his many projects and friends and quizzed me on my “Street” knowledge and asked me if I knew who LORD JIM was…”of course” I answered “I have a piece of his work.” Turns out I was mistaken about that one, it was Lord Tim I was thinking of who was a DJ at KFWB during the Sixties. Lord Tim traveled with the BEATLES at that time and I have one of his photos of the BEATLES. The new friend also queried if I knew who Teacher or Banksy were. Fodder for my next book methinks.

It appears that I owe WADDY WACHTEL a huge shout out for his quitar work in “All Is By My Side”. Don’t know how it managed to slip by me when I was crafting my review of the movie in November 2014, but it did. All of those notes in the movie were Waddy’s signature stylings and I am told that WADDY composed some of the music and was the acting music producer. Funny thing is that a friend of WADDY came up to me at STARR’S birthday function and started telling me about it. Nice to know that musicians are paying attention.

Unless my readers were living under a rock at the time, most of you know about my adventures in Paris with the ghost of JIM MORRISON. I even wrote a story about it for the LA Free Press’s music page and sent a copy to the company that manages The DOORS and JIM MORRISON. Funny thing how life works out, because friend STEVE HOFFMAN, a studio tech wizard, recently mixed a new CD from original masters titled “THE BEST OF THE DOORS”. It’s an audiophile Hybrid Multichannel SACD recording in a numbered, limited release. Only 5,000 were made so if you want one go to your nearest audiophile store and pick one up. It is a bit pricy, but worth every penny in terms of quality of sound. Songs such as “Who Do You Love “ are included and when “Soul Kitchen” comes twanging in it’s …whew, I’m back in Paris wandering by a cafe called “Soul Kitchen.”

Another new release is THE SINGULARITY which has “404 NOT FOUND” as their new offering. Slick, sleek and precise the whole CD is ear candy and is sure to please BOWIE fans that enjoy this genre. Hard Boiled recomends “Wetter” as their #1 song, but for me it was hard to pick one.

I’m going to close out this column with a quote about the need for music in our schools.

“ Whoever has skill in music is of good temperment and fitted for all things. We MUST teach music in schools.” Martin Luther

NoHo needs a little SPF6

Lisa Bianconi
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The Road Theatre Company Gives NoHo Some SPF6: The Sixth Annual SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

The NoHo Arts District dot Com team is proud of our strong and growing theatre district. We are grateful that the talented Road Theatre Company calls two NoHo theatre venues home and continues to produce new works for the stage. Did you know that The Road Theatre is entering its 24th season? Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, remain committed to their mission to produce and develop new work for the stage. The Road Theatre opens the sixth annual Summer Playwrights Festival (SPF6) Sunday, July 26 through Sunday, August 2, 2015. What is the Summer Playrights Festival SPF6? Well, it’s eight days of readings of 31 selected works, all new to Los Angeles, live music, nightly Receptions, talk backs with the playwrights, and this year’s festival will include 50/50 mix of male and female playwrights.

Artistic Directors Taylor Gilbert and Sam Anderson on the importance of the festival to the theatre, “The Road’s Summer Playwrights Festival offers a wonderfully compressed period of new works and voices from established and emerging playwrights brought to life by the Road ensemble and guest artists who interact in lively discussions with our audiences, different live bands each evening, great food and drink and a tremendous sense of community between artists and theatregoers. An unforgettable event.”

WHAT: Summer Playwrights Festival (SPF6)
WHEN: Sunday, July 26 through Sunday, August 2, 2015.
are Monday-Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; Sunday at 11am, 2pm and 8pm at the Road on Lankershim AND
Tuesday-Thursday at 8pm at the Road on Magnolia. WHERE: THE ROAD ON LANKERSHIM (The Historic Lankershim Arts Center)
5108 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91602 AND
THE ROAD ON MAGNOLIA (The NoHo Senior Arts Colony)
10747 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood

TICKETS: Tickets are a suggested donation of $15: www.roadtheatre.org
WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL PASS available for $50. Good for any reading any and all days.

This year’s festival features all new works to Los Angeles and has attracted playwrights from around the country, including Wendy Macleod (The House of Yes, nominated for 6 LADCC for The Water Children, Juvenalia), Vince Melocchi (Ovation Award nominated Lions, LA Weekly Best Play nomination Julia) Julie Marie Myatt (The Happy Ones, LADCC Ted Schmidt Award for Outstanding New Play, Boats on a River, Finalist Susan Smith Blackburn Prize). Lucille Lichtblau (The English Bride, winner the Susan Glaspell Prize and Israel Baran Award. The Hemings Diary, finalist Inkwell/Woolly Mammoth Competition, Weissberger Award finalist. Four-time winner of PATV’s Annual New Play Competition. First receipient of Yale’s first MCA Fellowship in Playwriting). Robert Edward Lunney (Boardwalk Empire, Broadway-Born Yesterday, Deuce, Streetcar Named Desire, The Graduate. His Play For Nina was a 2007 O’Neill Playwright’s Conference semi-finalist), Laurence Klaven (2 Obie Awards, 2 Barrymore awards and 7 Drama Desk nominations and an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Bed and Sofa), Paden Fallis (award winning The Play About the Coach), Stephanie Walker (The Art of Disappearing- O’Neill Playwright’s Conference semi-finalist, Princess Grace award), Kat Ramsburg (Playwright of the Year The Bridge Initiative: Women in Arizona Theatre), Steven Young (The Resurrectionists 2 Joseph Jefferson citations, The Wal*Mart-ians Jerome Fellowship Finalist, The Night We Bombed Lincoln Towing Finalist 2012 Stage West New Play Competition), Jennie Webb (co-founder LA Women’s Playwrights Initiative), Steven Simoncic (Once Upon a Time in Detroit 2013 O’Neill Playwright’s Conference semi-finalist, Emmy winner, Woodward/Newman Finalist Broken Fences.) Lorenzo Destefano (Winner Los Zafiros :Music From the Edge of Time Winner Grand Festival Award Berkeley Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo nomination, Talmage Farlow), Jon Kern (2012 Laurents/Hatcher Award Modern Terrorism) Richard Manley (Matches, Winner Oglebay Institute Towngate Prize 2013), Carmen Milito (nominated for 2 Ovation Awards).

The Road Theatre Company SPF6 Summer Playwrights Festival www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Road Company members are also highlighted with plays by: Anna Carini, Deana Barone (Peabody Award winner). Bettina Zacar, Lisa Kenner, Shanti Reinhardt. This year’s festival features noted directors such as, Taylor Nichols (Barcelona, NAACP Award All My Sons, LA Drama Critics Circle Award), April Webster (Emmy Award Winner-3 nominations, 4 time CSA winner. 11 nominations), Keith Stevenson (Ovation Award, Out There on Fried Meat Ridge Road) and many Road company members and members of the Los Angeles theater community. This year’s Collegiate Playwriting Competition winner is Will Arbery (Northwestern University), and his play, The Mongoose which will be performed Sunday August 2 at 11am. Most of the playwrights whose work is featured will be attending and will participate in a post-show discussion with the audience and cast.

Guest actors include Butch Klein (Grace and Frankie, 24) and Matthew Glave (The Wedding Singer, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, Argo) and many other guest actors.

LIVE MUSIC!

One popular feature of the festival last summer was the live music that was featured during each reading reception in our gallery space. This year’s festival will feature the bands and musicians Mleo, Stage 11, Engine of Survival, End of Ever, Theo’s Dream, and Irish band sensation, Whiskey Sunday. The reception will be held in our backyard patio-Bettina’s Cantina-and will feature wines from Paso Robles Wineries and delicious appetizers and desserts.

The Road Theatre Company www.nohoartsdistrict.com

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY

Located in the heart of the NoHo Arts district-the fastest growing arts district in Los Angeles County-the company has called the Historic Lankershim Arts Center home for the past 19 seasons. Now on the verge of their Silver Anniversary 25th season of bringing new works to Los Angeles, the company is coming off a very successful 24th season featuring the hit plays Mud Blue Sky by Marisa Wegrzyn (SPF5 Official Selection) and (Melissa Arctic by Craig Wright (SPF1 Official Selection) Things Being What They Are by Wendy MacLeod, The Other Place by Sharr White and The English Bride by Lucille Lichtblau.

Fiercely committed to that most dangerous of theater missions-the dedication to new works-the Road Theatre Company led by founding artistic director Taylor Gilbert and artistic director Sam Anderson, is a multi-award winning theater that has been named one of the top ten intimate theater companies in Los Angeles (LA Weekly). It is home to over 100 theater artists devoted to the creation of the highest level of work. This festival is our way of sharing the process of play development with our community and allows participants playwrights the chance to hear their plays in a professional setting of talent and artistry. The festival is also a fundraising event for the theater to help us launch our Silver Anniversary 25th season, which begins with the SPF5 festival pick Homefree by Lisa Loomer.

**** 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.

Very Independent Filmmaking….Nobody knows anything…and thats a good thing.

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Very Independent Filmmaking….Nobody knows anything…and thats a good thing.

So let me set this up a little…

I have made a lot of short films. Sixty or so in fact, at last count.

A lot of them I have written, produced and directed myself, which is good.

But I have not worked on any feature length films…until now.

I was hired as production manager on a very low budget indie film shooting in New Mexico.

If you google production manager, like I did when I was offered the job, wikipedia describes the job as “ the person responsible for the administration of a feature film,” which sounds very, very vague.

While I have been in charge of everything all at the same time, it was a first for me to be in charge of just one part of film production and not every part…. and honestly it was sometimes very difficult to balance what I wanted to get involved with with what I was tasked to be involved with.

I’m not a megalomaniac, at least I don’t think I am, and my husband may well have a very different take on that particular subject. But letting go and standing back and not making endless suggestions was a more difficult task than I had anticipated and lesson well learned!

I suppose what I am trying to point out is that we cant always been in charge of everything, surprising as that may seem, and just because we are only responsible for one part of the process does not necessarily mean that everything will fall apart, much as we might like that to be the case if we are really truly honest.

The larger the production the more people there must be involved to make it work.

Which means that the roles become more specific.

So I began the production basically bringing in crew and some cast, and utilizing my experience working on location with a small budget. I was also given the responsibility of payroll, probably because no one else would do it, and by the end of the production I was sorting out catering too. Just like any other low budget film, you take on multiple roles if you want get the film finished and also if you want things done correctly, or sometimes at all. Stepping in when you can see things are not working out is part of the process and should be part of the expectations on your part and on the part of the producer. However, there is a skill in jumping in without stepping on toes…and one well worth learning, or your well-intentioned ‘help’ can easily blow up in your face.

In the end the film takes on its own individual life, and you watch out for it. Not just because it’s your paycheck, but also because you want to take care of it, you want the best for it, and you will find out very quickly who amongst you feels the same way and who couldn’t give a ****.

We were mostly very lucky regarding the ‘respect’ for this film. There was some mischief, I suppose there always will be, which is a shame. But people are people, and some are ridiculous. This will never change, and you can never figure out why some people do what they do and I have learnt over the years that it’s best not to try. You just do what you need to to get things done and move one. Those who are difficult are best left to their own devises, and that’s one less person on your Christmas card list or your list of “who I will work with again,” which for me is one in the same.

I think what I learnt most keenly on this project was that I was capable of much more than I had anticipated and to not sell myself short. Whether a film has a $50 budget or a $200,000 budget or a $200 million budget, it’s all the same in the wash and after this experience I can certainly be sure that I could produce at any level without feeling out of my depth at all. The bigger the budget the more stuff costs basically, but its the same recipe, story, actors, crew, location.

I think those of us who work with tiny budget films think these big budget monsters are just that, monsters and we wouldn’t know how to deal with them. But I think that’s completely wrong and undervalues the skills we create working with no money, and the more I work with other people and, particularly on other people’s projects, the more sure I am of my own skills and my own value.

And there’s the thing I think, the ‘value’ thing…and what is value anyway?

Value used to mean money, but the older I get the more I see value in very different terms.

The value of something can be based on many things: Its importance in your life, its history, its future, its impact on your life… none of these things change if something costs more, or less.

So value yourself, your skills and your experience. I really do value myself and my skills far more highly after making somebody else’s movie in the New Mexico desert.

Nobody knows anything really, they are all just faking it…and sometimes that can work to your advantage.

 

NoHo theatre district is growing!

Lisa Bianconi
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Meet the newest theatre in the neighborhood: Archway Studio/Theatre

 
The Archway Studio/Theatre is a bustling center of artistic activity and entertainment options. Located where the NoHo Arts District meets the Burbank Studio District on Burbank Blvd., the freshest new member of the NoHo Arts District offers a full schedule of performances, classes, and events. Though the Archway is primarily a black box theatre, it is also a thriving yoga studio and artistic community with a resident company of theatre artists who pride themselves on producing edgy and exciting work.

“Our mission has always been to create and maintain a thriving environment that provides great entertainment experiences while fostering creative expression, artistic growth, educational opportunities, and cultural development,” says Steven Sabel, producing artistic director.

“Though the “mission” may be rather lofty, the overall goal is to offer fun experiences for performers, students, and audiences,” Sabel says.

Transplanted from their original home in Downtown Los Angeles where they operated for three seasons, the Archway is known for producing creative adaptations of major classical works, unique contemporary theatre experiences, original works, and rare classics seldom seen on the stage. A typical main stage season includes a sampling of everything from Shakespeare, Moliere, and Greek tragedy to original comedies, avant garde dramas, and bloody Grand Guignol.

“We maintain an eclectic mix of actors, designers, and directors in our company who each have their specific artistic cravings and specialties, and we believe that captivating entertainment is created best under those passionate circumstances,” Sabel explains.

The Archway Macbeth

The Archway’s current offering is a ramped up 1980s style production of “Macbeth.” Set in Dunsinane Asylum, the production explores the Shakespeare’s text as a commentary on pathological killers and diseases of the mind. In August the theatre will open with a classical production of “Much Ado About Nothing” set in Renaissance Italy, followed by an original adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” and then “Holiday Hijinks,” a burlesque holiday show that is billed as the antithesis to Santa and his elves.

“In a world where everyone is constantly living second-hand through their friends via social media, we are creating the type of first-hand experiences that our audiences are posting about so that others can live through them,” Sabel says.

The Archway Dracula www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Second Stage

The Archway Second Stage Series features another variety of entertainment options outside of main stage season productions. From burlesque dance troops and stand-up comedy shows, to magic acts, music events, and sketch comedy satires, the Second Stage Series is a collection of up-and-coming performers, new works, and entertainment options that are “outside the black box,” says Sabel.

The premiere caburlesque troop, Cherry Poppins, regularly debuts new works on the Archway stage. Renowned comedy host Aubree Sweeney brings the best new comedic talent to the stage once per month, beginning July 31. The Second Stage Series presents Danse du Ventre: The Caravan August 23, featuring a journey into the exotic and mystical realm of gypsy and tribal dance culture and music.

Future events will include an acoustic music festival of singer/songwriters, the magic of Professor Tango, a one-act play festival, and a few pieces created by Archway company members. “Currently we have company members working on a 90s pop rendition of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Airplane! The Musical,” and comic satire called “Macwalken,” reveals Sabel.

Also in the works is a future Monologue Slam, wherein actors enter their best monologue in competition against each other in an effort to win cash and prizes.

Yoga Classes and More

The Archway also doubles as a yoga studio and workshop center. The location offers a full schedule of classes in hatha, vinyasa and restorative styles of yoga, as well as periodic workshops in yoga practice, audition technique, Shakespeare intensives, character development, and more.

“Yoga is the perfect exercise for performers and nonperformers alike. It is low impact, body strengthening, breath focused, and develops concentration. Everyone can do it at their own pace and level of practice, and it also helps build community among students as well,” says Sabel.

The Archway Studio features warm colors, a raised teaching platform, wood floors, and space for up to 15 students per class. Class packages offer yoga for as low as $11 per class, and Archway teachers specialize in providing classes structured to develop beginners, while challenging experienced students.

Sabel teaches the theatre and acting workshops. He has produced and/or directed more than 100 live theatre productions, with a special emphasis in Shakespeare and classical theatre. He has witnessed thousands of auditions, and has worked with nearly 1,000 actors during his career as a producer/director.

“I am always amazed at how many actors are out there floundering through this industry and squandering opportunities because they simply just don’t know how to audition well, or they haven’t taken the right classes to improve their craft in significant ways” Sabel says.

Under Sabel’s direction, the Archway Studio/Theatre produces eight to ten main stage productions per year, at least one Second Stage Series performance each month, 8-10 yoga classes per week, and various workshops.

“We built this space to be used, and all are welcome to our place of endless creation,” says Sabel.

The Archway Studio Theatre www.nohoartsdistrict.com 

For additional information, season schedules, and workshop details visit: www.archwayla.com or call (818) 980-7529.

Archway Studio/Theatre
10509 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601

Let’s give a big North Hollywood welcome to Archway Studio/Theatre!

**** 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.

 

 

Father, Son & Holy Coach

Lisa Bianconi
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The story of FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH told to us through the eyes a father, son and coach.

The NoHo Arts District dot Com team thinks that sometimes a story is best told by the one who experienced it. Meet John Posey, the author and creator of the production “Father, Son & Holy Coach,” a show about a father-son relationship, and yes, sports. But it could also apply to mothers and daughters because it’s about dreams, family and growing up….things of which everyone ultimately shares a part. Here’s his take on the development and background of “Father, Son & Holy Coach” running July 23 – August 30 at the Whitefire Theatre.

Father, Son and Holy Coach www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Once upon a time I was asked to write a monologue in preparation for a very important network meeting in New York. At the time I was living and performing in Atlanta. For some reason, what came out quite quickly was this little father, son piece that worked very well. The network loved it, offered me the lead role in a new much anticipated TV series and we were off to the races.

Two months later came the call every actor dreads. “You’ve been replaced.”

No fault of my own. Just one of those things. “Different creative direction,” is what came down from the top, which can mean a dozen different things.

That show was FULL HOUSE, a program that still airs globally 30 years later.

It knocked the wind out of me, but I dealt with it, shook it off as best I could and went back to the East Coast – this time NYC – to study, work and ponder my career.

While in New York, the little monologue, which I had entitled FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH, prior to ever writing a single word, began to gnaw at me. There was something much heavier than just a monologue at play here.

A conflicted relationship with my own father had informed and shaped much about me and apparently there was a little exploration that needed attending to.

So I sat and wrote, and I wrote; much of it during the summer rain storms in the big city.

Father, Son and Holy Coach www.nohoartsdistrict.com

The conflict the two of us had, much like many fathers and sons, was centered on what we viewed as life’s successes and failures. My father was quite good at what he did, yet seemed to focus on what he considered personal failures, rather than achievements.

What an irony. I, myself, had just been dumped from something that no doubt would have changed my life dramatically in many ways, not the least of which was financial security. Yet here I was in NYC, working again, enjoying life and writing something quite profound and personal to me: how we handle life, when life seems to get in the way, or how you handle life, when you are thrown a curve you didn’t see coming.

What I wrote became a long-running solo theatrical production. FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH premiered here in Los Angeles and later toured the country, over a period of a dozen years or so. The film rights were sold – several times. It also led to a writing career that, thus far, has resulted in numerous sold or optioned screenplays and one produced film – LEGENDARY.

Father, Son and Holy Coach www.nohoartsdistrict.comI also remain a busy actor to this day with a long and varied career in TV, film and stage. I have also raised two boys – Tyler and Jesse – both of whom have chosen the same career. Tyler currently heads the cast of the global hit TV series TEEN WOLF on MTV.

First and foremost, FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH is a comedy, more accurately, a comedy of errors. It is the mostly hysterical, yet poignant study of the fragile psyche of the overprotective, aggressive father, whose objective is to prevent his child from experiencing or duplicating what he perceived to be life’s failures. It is about the father who lives his life vicariously through his child, and how that child, whose own ideals are quite different, must choose to break the chain to forge his own identity.

From an era where fathers were certain they had all the answers and mothers, who did have all the answers, had to knit them as needlepoints in order to be heard.

Welcome to Tupelo County Georgia, where the local Easter Egg hunt takes on legendary, Super Bowl proportions and where a certain father might pay the local egg hunt organizing committee under the table to secure his son’s entry into the event.

Meet that father – Ed Sanford – who has his own ideas as to why Humpty fell off the wall. (“He wasn’t mentally prepared.”)

You will meet much of the town of Tupelo County, all brought to life by a single actor…. Me.

Why have I chosen to stage this again these so many years later? Well in the last year, I lost both my dad and my wife, so life has thrown another curve and this is how Jesse, Tyler and I would like to respond to it.  

Father, Son & Holy Coach is a comedy that centers on a father-son relationship. The dad wants a “do-over”: he thinks he’s failed in life (he hasn’t) and he pushes his son to excel, somewhat living his life vicariously through his son, who has some goals not connected to those of his father. The show is also to some degree a physical comedy, touching on sports (as the title implies).

In Tupelo County, Georgia, football is a religion. People seem to spend every moment of their waking lives thinking or talking about it. They play football, think football, eat football, pray football.

Ed Sanford has big dreams for his son. Those dreams revolve around (surprise!) football. The lad, John, displays some promise as a wrestler and a football player. But John has some dreams of his own, some involving his school sweetheart, Lori Lynne. John loves and respects his father. Will John, however, be able to become his own man without disappointing Ed?

Father, Son & Holy Coach is about sports. It is also about fathers and sons. It could also conceivably apply to mothers and daughters, and the dreams that any parent has for their offspring. It’s about dreams and family and growing up….things of which everyone ultimately shares a part.

Father, Son and Holy Coach www.nohoartsdistrict.com

John Posey is the writer and performer. An actor in the fourth decade of his career, He’s appeared on over three dozen television shows, hundreds of commercials and eight feature films. Also a screenwriter, he’s written for the TV series Doc; the feature film Legendary (starring Patricia Clarkson and John Cena); and a new film biography of 1950s wrestling legend Gorgeous George.

Michael Laskin directs. The recipient of a Master’s degree from University of Minnesota, he’s acted with The Guthrie Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Seattle Repertory, Mixed Blood Theatre Company and many others. He produced Jeffrey Tambor’s Performing Your Life. Tyler Posey produces. He’s best known as the star of the current MTV hit series Teen Wolf (five seasons and still going strong). He was also a series regular on Doc, and had recurring roles on Brothers and Sisters and Lincoln Heights. He’s also appeared in a number of films, and has been a TV host for MTV (Teen Choice Awards, other projects) and hosts a YouTube series, Music for Your Ears to Bleed By. He’s John Posey’s son. Father, Son & Holy Coach debuted locally in 1993 and has been performed since then throughout the country. Whether interested in athletics or not, Father, Son & Holy Coach resonates with parents and their children, growing or grown-up.

“Wonderful…Posey slips into each character effortlessly.”—Variety

“A serious, thoughtful and important play. Don’t Miss It.”—The Good Life

“Some real pearls of wisdom, some great memories and a poignant end.”—Rocky Mountain News

“Posey scores TD”—The Outlook

“Posey hits pay dirt….Moments that range from laugh-out-loud funny to movingly sad.”—Denver Post

“Endearing….Posey gently holds his audience throughout the show with his winning stage presence.”—Florida Today

Playing at the Whitefire Theater
July 23 – August 30, Fridays at 8PM and Sundays at 3PM
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1796006

**** 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.

 

Here’s the NoHo News!

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

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

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

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

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…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.  

The Astronaut Wives Club: The Story of America’s Race to Space

nohoarts
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Over the last several years ABC has become known for producing thought-provoking, character-driven dramas, and this summer they offer us a 10-episode mini-series entitled “The Astronaut Wives Club.”

“Astronaut Wives” is a fresh and intriguing take on the time honored 1960’s American space race.

Seven astronauts and seven wives are all competing to make history by being the first one to space and the moon. While the husbands are off training and galavanting with mistresses, the wives hold down their families as well as start a PR campaign for NASA to help sell the American public on the race to space. A reporter for Life magazine documents the journey of this group of women trying to navigate competition-based friendship and forced comradery. Ultimately they must band together and discover what it means to trust and depend on one another in the face of mounting national pressure.

The cast is led by Dominique McElligott (Hell on Wheels) who plays the stoic and reluctant Louise Shepherd.

Louise spends most of her time holding her marriage together and pushing away the other astronaut wives who happen to understand what she’s going through the most. Outstanding actresses such as Erin Cummings (Made In Jersey), Odette Annable (Brothers & Sisters) and Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) help lead this large ensemble of supporting cast memebers. These ladies are not mere housewives though, they have dreams and ambitions of their own which might seem to go without saying, except for the fact we’re in the 60’s here, a time where women were just beginning to assert themselves in the workplace and claim their place in society. But don’t get it confused, these astronaut wives throw shade just as good as any of Bravo’s “Real Housewives” and it’s that kind of subtle and insulting banter which gives this show its wings.

In many ways “Astronaut Wives” is an intimate look into an America long gone.

It’s an America plagued by rampant gender inequality and tremendous social pressure on women. It’s a time when American duty and civility outweighed American freedom and individuality yet still an America that was more united by common vision. “Astronaut Wives” is an epic ode to that era of our history, a more classic American era to be exact, drawing you in with 60’s nostalgia, you instantly feel part of its story, a story which, in my opinion, is completely worth watching.

Somos Mexicanos Americanos

nohoarts
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“The Mexican Youth in the U.S. is, indeed, a very fortunate person. Why? Where else in one country do you have two cultures and civilizations of the highest type that have been developed come together to form into one?”
-Manuel Ceja, a student at Compton Junior College writing in the Mexican Voice 1938.

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes (LA Plaza) is the first of its kind.

LAPCA.org is the nation’s premiere center of Mexican American culture. Its mission is to “celebrate and cultivate an appreciation for the enduring influence of Mexican-American culture…” Located near Olvera Street and La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora Reina de Los Angeles in the Los Angeles Historic Plaza District (aka El Pueblo), LA Plaza is a heavy hitter in Historic L.A.. LA Plaza is a Los Angeles County project and Smithsonian affiliate, 501(c)3, nurtured by Gloria Molina. Its Board of Trustees boasts the likes of Honorable Nury Martinez, Eva Longoria, and Dr. Cynthia Telles, to name a few of the powerhouses nestled among the many others.

In being the one and only of its kind, its very nature is political. What better lense to have politics through than art, and what better lense to have art through than politics? The two are so intimately connected, and LA Plaza challenges you a cada paso.

L.A. starts here! The story of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles was the phrase that lead me through LAPCA.org, LA Plaza’s website. I first tore through the website (which is a work of art on its own) because I was bummed I missed Mariachi Under the Stars back in May, and was looking to find another event. I wasn’t disappointed, in fact, I was overwhelmed. LA Plaza hosts so many movies, free concert series, events, free family workshops, and DJ performances that I decided it best to start with a visit to their brick and mortar center downtown at 501 N. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Anthony Quinn, born Antonio Rudolfo Oaxaca Quinn of Chihuahua, has played such acclaimed roles as Quasimodo in the Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and Barabbas in Barabbas. But his roles demonstrate not just his range as an actor, but the range of portrayals he was chosen for. Anthony Quinn’s casting gamut ran from the aforementioned through Auda Abu Tayi in Lawrence of Arabia, Crazy Horse in They Died with Their Boots On, Kimo, A Hawiian in Waikiki, Chang Tai, a Chinese undercover agent in The Island of Lost Men, Alexis Zorba in Zorba the Greek, and Eufemio Zapata in Viva Zapata. The dizzying amount, and type of roles, is highlighted by the way LA Plaza showcases Quinn in the makeup and garb of each role. He hardly looks like himself in some of the photos, but thenagain, he hardly would look like some of the characters without his drastic prosthetics, makeup, and facial hair changes.

Shows both the incredible range of an actor, and the appalling short sided stereotyping that existed for “ethnic” individuals perceived to be not meant for leads in the eyes of the casting directors. While I’d like to think we’ve come farther, the sad truth is that many leads today are still doled out under the same principles, even if the principle guidelines have become a bit more grey…or tan I should say. The even sadder truth is that many are missing out on role models by this lack of lead roles; there really is something to be said for having a heroine or hero who talks or looks like you, to show you that you too can excel in such strides. This exhibition really challenges you to confront realities of progression, past and present.

While this article features the temporary exhibition The Many Faces of Anthony Quinn, it’s not meant to do an injustice to the other exhibitions on display. LA Plaza is so exciting, and there’s as much for you to look at and talk about as there is candy in a candy store, or Mariachis in a Mariachi band, or tourists on Hollywood Boulevard…look, you get my point. There’s more to see than one day will permit.

Somos Pachucos

Does your ethnic identity influence your political beliefs?
The challenge was scrolled across the wood floor at one of the exhibitions.

Precluding The Many Faces of Anthony Quinn is a historical crash course in Mexican American segregation, crash course history of extreme discrimination even in the face of invaluable contributions by Mexican Americans. And the only education I remember formally receiving on the topics in school was on the Bracero program. Even then, it was something glazed over by AP U.S. History. Understandably, political power is to leave something out of history. Where Mexican American representation has been found absent at appropriate length in many formal textbooks, LA Plaza provides a clear education.

Certainly Los Angeles is no infant to ethnic clashes and race repression. Many times, L.A. has been the instigator, and many times L.A. has been the victim. I think all Angelenos can’t help but have either a little Mexican blood in them, or on historical hands we need to keep cleaning. While LA Plaza certainly doesn’t steer from the horrific, it certainly steers towards the hopeful. And if there’s any triumphant spirit that idea is representative of, it’s the Mexican-American spirit.

Culturally, I think L.A. has become such a unique home to us all that we no longer feel the need to extricate one anothers’ cultures from our collective identity. In order to really understand that mosaic, however, we need to educate ourselves about what’s under each piece, and where each piece of us came from. Education has long been the best solvent, and art the most effective medium of transmission.

LA Plaza not only educates, but celebrates each painful and prideful step. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is the first of its kind; though it may be the only one sitting at the table, it has provided the whole feast.

Somos Americanos

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes; 501 N. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90012.

NoHo Students Made That!

Lisa Bianconi
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Film Festival Looks to NoHo Art Students for Design

 

The NoHo Arts District can be called the NoHo Arts Collaboration because the amount of work our neighborhood produces is a collaborative effort. That doesn’t stop with our students either. Our pals at the International Film Festival North Hollywood have teamed up with graphic design students at the Art Institute of California’s North Hollywood campus to design a new look and logo for the non-profit organization as they prepare for their inaugural event, scheduled for April 2016. The students spent 12 weeks creating and refining their designs to produce an official logo, poster, t-shirt, business cards and letterhead. Instructor Mandy Green guided the class in “a real-word experience” designing materials for a film festival, she said, for which the students receive college credit.

“The work was exceptional. Many designs were on par with professional graphic designers I have worked with on logos,” said Nicholas Goodman, Festival Director. “This is a great example of how we are working with private and public groups to make the film festival an interactive community event.”

The festival will unveil the new look and a complete marketing package in the fall with a gala party and celebration.

The 1st Annual International Film Festival North Hollywood will take place April 28 – May 1, 2016 in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, California.

Art Institute students design NoHo film festival logo www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Standing: Robby Zumaya, Nataliya Naumova, Jacky Monrroy, Sarai Hernandez, Emily Somarriba, Carley Hodgson, Terrence Ellsworth, Navarre Abramson, Mandy Green (Instructor). Seated: Jay Johnson, Nicholas Goodman & Hortencia Goodman (Festival Directors)

About International Film Festival North Hollywood
The International Film Festival North Hollywood (IFFNoHo), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, celebrates the art of filmmaking, helps support a community of artists and showcases North Hollywood as an entertainment and travel destination. Our goal is to collaborate with community partners to build social cohesiveness, philanthropy and volunteerism using film as the catalyst.

Learn more at http://www.iffnoho.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/northhollywoodfilmfestival

**** 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.

Costume Collaborations: Tammie Merheb Talks About Designing for Dance

Luckie
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Costume Collaborations: Tammie Merheb Talks About Designing for Dance

Tammie Noelle Merheb’s designs cross from stage to screen, from marley floor to red carpet.

Currently, she supervises and teaches as Costume Manager at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (LA) while contracting for theater, dance, opera, and film industry mainstays. In the past three years alone, Tammie has designed and wardrobed over 40 dance productions. It is from this proficient involvement with dance that NoHoArtsDistrict .com asks Tammie to kindly share her experience and perspective as a collaborator.

While many dance productions require their choreographers and teachers to also serve as costumer, the best scenario is to have collaborations between professionals working within their field of expertise. When you work with your designer or design team, you’ll have insight into their needs.

PHOTO 2
Urban Animal, 2011, photo by: Stephanie Delani

KC: Delineate the specific demands of costuming dance and the performing arts.

TM: Designing costumes for dance and theater is a highly specialized field and as a designer you have to work closely with the choreographer/director, technical designers and performers/dancers. Your overall concept of the work, body movement and/or blocking, the demands of the choreography of a particular work and the effects of different fabric in motion all have to be taken into consideration. It’s a similar process I go through when I design for musical theater, but it’s a little more relaxed while designing costumes for contemporary performances.As You Like It” AADA 2014 photo by: Katherine Barcsay

KC: What is the checklist of critical information you need from the choreographer, in relation to concept and design?

TM: I usually compose a list of questions to present to a director/choreographer during the first chain of preliminary design/concept meetings. I would ask them the following questions: what is the mood of this piece? Is it important to see the shape and musculature of the body? How many dancers? Do you want the costumes to match? What kind of energy does the piece have? Is it bold, lyrical, a combination? What is the style or genre of dance? What is the story you are telling with this dance? Is there floor work, are there lifts, and are there inverted movements or other aspects of the choreography that require special consideration for mobility or visibility? Once I get all the information that I need, I then request a copy of the music for that choreography and create a mood board with a color scheme, pictures, rough sketches, and fabric swatches.Ancestors, TZDI 2014 photo by Ben Lecira

KC: At what point in the collaboration should you and the choreographer/director discuss the time line and logistics of accomplishing your designs?

TM: Once the final renderings are approved by the choreographer/director which is a 1-2 week time frame. After the final renderings are approved, I set a time to go over a time line and budget. Off that meeting, I decide what needs to be constructed, pulled, rented or purchased. It also depends on the time frame you are given and most of the time I am given a 3-6 week turnaround.

KC: Why is it important that you be in conversation with the other designers on the production?

TM: The Costume Designer has to work closely with the Set and Lighting Designers so that the colors, fabrics, textures, and other costume elements work harmoniously within the final production. You have to make sure that the set designer is not going to paint the set the same color you have your dancers costumed in and that the lighting designer is able to light the fabric you selected to construct the costumes. 

For example, a year ago, I was designing costumes for a small conservatory here in Los Angeles and our set designer would always be in and out of our production meetings. I would email him my color swatches (that were already approved by the director) and I still wouldn’t get any response. Finally, he showed up to our final design meeting with paint swatches and 3D model set. Everything looked great; however, the walls of his model were painted in the same burgundy color as the costume I designed for the lead actress. It would’ve have been a tragedy to have our lead blend in with the set walls! Fortunately, the set designer and the director agreed on another color to paint the walls while keeping the director’s vision of our lead precise.

KC: Fittings and rehearsals in the costumes are key to the production process. What can you share about the key phases of your progression? What do you look for?

TM: My key phase during my costume fittings is to make sure that the performer or dancer is comfortable in their costume and, more importantly, if they can move more freely without any restrictions. It’s also important to have the choreographer/director a part of the fittings since their feedback is very important during the process. I will do a course of 3-4 fittings followed by a full and final dress rehearsal. I begin with first fittings where I fit the performers in a stock costume (a costume pulled from a company stock) or a mock-up fitting (a fitting of a costume that was draped or patterned and constructed using muslin fabric). Then we schedule the second and final fittings to finalize any alterations and final construction of the finished costume. The choreographer and I will schedule a time to do a full and final dress to make sure that the costumes move and correlate with the dancers’ movement and choreography.

KC: Is it typical to expect the costume designer to also design the hair and makeup looks?

TM: It depends on the type of theater and Production Company. I know that non-profits, conservatories, and community theaters expect their costume designers to design hair & make-up (with no additional pay) mainly to cut cost by not hiring another designer or simply because they do not have enough budget. But, regional theaters, opera houses and production companies usually have their own hair and makeup designer. Some of us costume designers do have hair and make-up experience and most M.F.A Costume Design programs have hair and make-up design as part of the curriculum.

I’ve acted as costume and hair/make-up designer for both theater and smaller film productions because I enjoyed working in both departments. I was never interested in limiting myself to one platform only. There are a lot of designers out there who are like these Swiss Army Knives with an array of special skills in the industry, and you have to be in order to get more work, especially, in Los Angeles.

Thank you for your time and talent, Tammie!
For more about this wonderful artist, visit www.tammiemerheb.com

Happy dancing!

The Beverly Hills Art Show is seeking artists for the Fall 2015 show

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The Beverly Hills Art Show is seeking artists for the Fall 2015 show, which will take place on October 17th and 18th, 2015.

Artists will be selected to exhibit and sell their work along the lawns of historic Beverly Gardens, in the center of Beverly Hills, from Rodeo to Rexford Drives. It is one of the largest outdoor shows on the west coast, attracting artists from all over the country.

As always, excellent artists working in all genres and many media are welcome to apply!

Media categories include: Painting, Drawing, Traditional Printmaking, Sculpture, Two-Dimensional Mixed Media, Three-Dimensional Mixed Media, Photography, Computer-Generated Art, Ceramics, and Glass.

The show is particularly seeking artists who work with the subject of weather, especially the dramatic kind, for a special feature within the overall event, to be entitled: Weather in Art: Drenched, Dehydrated, or Driven by Wind. So if heavy weather’s your strength, artistically, we’d love to see your application!

The show attracts 40,000 spectators and shoppers from the immediate area, and from throughout Southern California.

The many local hotels encourage their national and international visitors to attend, and the City conducts an extensive, targeted advertising campaign, reminding art enthusiasts to mark their calendars.

The deadline to apply is July 20th, and the late deadline (there’s a higher fee to apply!) is July 27th. For more information about the show, please visit beverlyhills.org/artshow or call 310.285.6836. For the specifics about how to apply, visit beverlyhills.org/artshowapp.

The NoHo News: Theatre Issue

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

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

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

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

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…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.

The Story of My Divorce (and more), Works and Words

Lisa Bianconi
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More than a story about divorce.

We here at www.nohoartsdistrict.com are lovers of all art. That’s obvious. But the team also admires those who contribute to the art world in any way possible. So it’s a pleasure to have chatted with our friend, art writer and artist Andrea Monroe about her upcoming art show, “The Story of My Divorce, Works and Words,” on Saturday, July 11, 2015 at Cactus Gallery. It is an art and poetry presentation of her journey to freedom. Her works are symbolic and make you smile because we all can find some connection to her story because it has been our own in some way, shape or form. So mark your calendars and give a big NoHo shout out to artist Andrea Monroe! See you at the gallery.

WHEN: Artist Reception: Saturday, July 11 from 6-9PM
Show runs through August 4
WHERE: Cactus Gallery 3001 N. Coolidge Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90039
INFO: http://andreamonroe.com/ | www.cactusgalleryla.com

What is the “The Story of My Divorce, Works and Words” show all about?

My emotional journey through my divorce…the ultimate decision to end my marriage (the warrior), the letting go of the Cinderella fairy tale (the victimization), the grief (and sadness), the possibilities of a happier life (the hope), and healing (transformation).

Andrea Monroe www.nohoartsdistrict.com

What will the evening entail?

A series of poems will be recited by invited readers and myself in front of the paintings in which they were created which will lend itself to be more of a storytelling evening. I will also be showcasing paintings from my L.A. series about historical figures of Southern California and the streets for which they were named, as well as two new paintings I’m beginning about women.

How did this help you through your divorce?

The paintings were created first…sort of like a doodle in the beginning of how I felt about what was happening to me. The process of painting was a meditation and the fact that I kept creating more paintings in the series became the journey through all the emotions I was experiencing. They became my story, but I didn’t think the viewer would actually understand what I was trying to say, so I created the words to illustrate them. It’s obvious I love metaphors and symbolism and using these seemed to be the best way to describe this journey without bringing in the “downers” of divorce.

Andrea Monroe www.nohoartsdistrict.com

What are you currently working on?

The newest paintings are a result of a rather insulting comment I received from an ex boyfriend who called me a harlot. I still don’t know what made him say that, but it generated enough pissed-offness in me to paint the first in the series that I did indeed call The Harlot. It was my intention to follow suit on this theme, but the images of the women I’m doing are actually more beautiful in energy than they are of promiscuous nature.

Connect with Andrea Monroe http://andreamonroe.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/AndreaMonroeART

**** 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.

Reviews of Terminator Genisys; Inside Out

Mike Peros
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Reviews of Terminator Genisys; Inside Out

Arnold Schwarzenegger is ba-a-ack in his signature role for Terminator Genisys, but the question you may have by the end is why anybody bothered.

The television ads have been proclaiming that this is the Terminator you’ve been waiting for, but if you examine them closely, two of the three endorsements are by James Cameron, the writer-director of the first and arguably the best Terminator (though many confess a fondness for the second one). Ulterior motives, anyone?

If you liked the first two films, you should be prepared to abandon any of the mythology that has emerged from them, for Terminator Genisys upends everything and propels the saga into “infinite” directions—or so the makers would have you to believe. In a reprise of the first film’s opening, a Terminator from a futuristic battlefield has been sent to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke). The futuristic resistance fighter Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is also sent back to 1984 by the leader John Connor (Jason Clarke) to rescue Sarah—armed with the knowledge that he’ll likely be sacrificed in order to preserve the future of the Resistance. What Kyle will soon discover is that timelines have already been altered, as Sarah already has a protector she calls Pops (Schwarzenegger), a Terminator reprogrammed to protect her. She is also unwilling to mate with Reese, and instead proposes they time travel to 1997 to destroy Skynet aka Genisys, a global program ostensibly designed to unite all elements of technology—but really has a far more destructive purpose in mind…

Enough with the exposition. What people really want to know is how Ah-nold has held up and is the film any good?

The film has many flaws—the action is at once overblown and lacking in real excitement. It also works hard to subvert your expectations without substituting anything fresh or innovative. Emilia Clarke is a feisty Sarah (though making nowhere near Linda Hamilton’s impact), while Jason Clarke is good enough as Connor to make the viewer wish he had been used more. J.K. Simmons also contributes a nice turn as a policeman who becomes one of Reese’s main allies. Unfortunately, there is Jai Courtney as Reese, lacking presence and anything resembling a likable persona. One wishes that the Terminator would dispatch him, and early on. As for Schwarzenegger, while the actor and character are undeniably aging, with the characters including “Pops” making reference to it, he is still the best thing in the film—recycled wisecracks, forced smile and all. He manages to create some semblance of humanity amidst the wreckage that is Terminator Genisys.

If you’re seeking a “family film” that you can enjoy even without young’uns, you should head to Pixar’s Inside Out, a charming, funny and poignant animated tale.

The film’s premise hinges on the concept of emotions such as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust as distinct personalities operating within all of us out of the command center in our minds. Joy, as winningly voiced by Amy Poehler is the de facto leader of these emotions as they affect Riley, a young girl from Minnesota whose idyllic life is thrown into an upheaval after the family moves to San Francisco. Maintaining Riley’s emotional well-being is a challenge, made even more so when Sadness (voiced by Phylis Smith) tinkers with Riley’s memories, resulting in Joy and Sadness being sucked out of Headquarters and into the deep recesses of Riley’s mind, where the only hope of returning to Headquarters is to catch the “train of thought” that operates only when Riley is awake.

Rather than confuse you more, I can only suggest that you see Inside Out. The voice talent is superb, from Poehler and Smith, to Lewis Black’s magnificent rants as Anger, and Richard Kind’s Bing Bong, Riley’s helpful, long lost imaginary friend. The animation is on a par with Pixar’s best work, the themes regarding the importance of family, friendship, and emotional balance are deftly depicted, and the situations are engaging and emotionally satisfying. It’s one of the year’s best films, animated or otherwise.

Small Space Solitude

Christopher Porikos
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Small Space Solitude

No matter where or what we call home, we all deserve a peaceful place to relax and recharge. This just happens to be a one bedroom condo.

We started with a completely blank slate with this one.

The client had discarded everything from the previous residence. We had limited funds for this room. The challenge, as with any space, is to find the best things for the best price. The hunt was on. I found the chocolate leather bed from a major retailer for under 400.00. Next, was to decide what type of case goods to add in the room. Do you match all three pieces or mix it up? We chose to mix things up just a bit. Keeping in the same dark finish, the dresser blends with the night stands, allowing them their own personality.

Everything in the space takes on a very transitional to traditional feel. Meaning, nothing will go out of style.

The dresser was also purchased from a major furniture retailer. Full price was 1900.00, but with a little research we found it on sale. Only 1100.00! That saving allowed for other purchases. The matching nightstands were also found for 1100.00. They were 40% off.

With all the major pieces in place, it was time to finish the room with the soft goods.

The bedding, drapery panels and area rug came in at well under 1000.00. In fact, the area rug came from the living room where it was replaced with a larger one. The eight art pieces above the bed were printed from a book from the client’s collection. And the two larger ones from an art show a few years ago. The chair in the corner had been in the family for over 50 years. We had fabric from a previous project that worked perfectly on the inside and purchased fabric for the outside of the chair.

We spent just under 4000.00 for this room.

ot a bad price when we needed to purchased everything. Now you can actually spend a bit less and achieve a look similar. It just takes some planning. Then add a little effort, time and research and you can have a room like this as well.

Enjoy!

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