THE SPIRIT OF FRANCES WRIGHT

For Immediate Release: Perihelion Theater Company and Productions presents THE SPIRIT OF FRANCES WRIGHT (Love is an Action Verb) written and directed by Karyn Traut Featuring Dylan Guy

AFTER (nearly) 200 YEARS FRANCES WRIGHT RETURNS TO SCOTLAND!  Once here she takes you on a journey back to Tennessee and the mid 1920’s where she confronts the audience as if on a fund raising trip for her beloved commune, Nashoba.   Describing her upbringing and ideals that led her to creating the commune where slaves could work to earn money to free themselves, women could experience love without giving up their rights of property and freedom to a husband, where blacks and whites could co-mingle and produce children whose skin, according to Frances, would be more suited to the blistering Tennessee sunshine, she reveals her unexpected confrontations, successes and failures.  All at Nashoba were expected to work the land to feed the group.  Ride sidesaddle while clearing trees?  Not for her.  She doffed the billowing mounds of fabric skirts and petticoats in order to ride astride, and… cropped her hair.   Such ‘manly’ couture created nearly as much outrage as her wearing of  --what today would look more like harem --trousers. 

Has she acquired an American accent?  We think so.  Gifted as a linguist who spoke both French and Italian, she apparently had no trouble adapting to the rustic American tongue. Her shocking activities never ceased. She wrote a play, Altorf, actually signing her name to it. By itself such signature created a stir but when the play was performed with an affianced couple’s kiss—it was too hot for the 19^th century.  Late in life, Fanny, as she was known, took on workers’ rights.  Was there anything she missed?  Why doesn’t everyone know about her?  Perhaps she was too hot to handle.  Come find out.

Influenced by Pirandello, Strindberg, and American playwright, Megan Terry (who was herself influenced by      Gertrude Stein) Karyn Traut brings Frances Wright from 1820 into the present. Perihelion continues with its tradition of hosting discussions about the content of the play after each performance AND rehearsing on skype -- possibly the first theater company on earth to do so.   In 2011 Brian Wescott was in Fairbanks, Alaska during one rehearsal while actress, Anoo Tree Brod and director, Karyn Traut were in Chapel Hill North, Carolina. This year actress Dylan Guy is in New York City while Karyn Traut is in Chapel Hill, where Perihelion is based.  Dubbed ‘Home of the Healing Play” by Spectator Magazine (of the Research Triangle of North Carolina) in 1998, Perihelion Theater Company, was incorporated in 1989 as an American 501c3 tax exempt corporation.

We are delighted to be returning to the fringe and Sweet Venues where our 2011 production of THE REALM OF LOVE OR FOLDING LAUNDRY garnered 4 stars: “Enlivening, inspiring and immensely thought provoking.” http://www.theatreguidelondon.co.uk/reviews/edinburgh2011-2.htm

Venue 18 – Sweet International 4 Dates: 3rd-17th, 19th-24th, 26th-27th August Time: 13.10 – 14.00 (includes 10 min                             Discussion after the show) Cost:  Aug 3:     Box Office Tel no: 0131 243 3596 (Active from 1st August)

Contact: Karyn Traut email: Ktraut@nc.rr.com Tom Traut email: Traut@nc.rr.com Press contact for Sweet Venues- Lynne Campbell Email: lynne@sweetvenues.co.uk www.sweetvenues.com  www.perihelionproductions.org

New Play Reading Aug. 11

See a reading of Mark Hiss' new play Talking Woman at 7:00 p.m August 11th, Twiggs Green Room.

"Talking Woman"

Talking Woman Play Reading Mark Hiss will have his play, Talking Woman read at Twiggs Green Room at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, August 11, 2012.  In Talking Woman, a haunted newspaper photographer and a beautiful burlesque dancer from Tijuana navigate passion and politics in post-World War II San Diego. Twiggs Green Room, next to Twiggs Coffee House, 4590 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA  92116.  (619) 296-0616. The photo that started it all... In Mark's words: "Her name was Soria Moria. She was a burlesque dancer at the Hollywood Theater, which was eventually demolished to make way for Horton Plaza. She was run out of town in 1949 thanks to an ordinance the city council passed banning "immoral" entertainment. The play is inspired by her story."

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Kevin's latest guided walk on Every Trail

La Jolla Shores, Scripps Pier and Two Swings
A walk from La Jolla Shores Beach to Scripps Pier, across a pedestrian bridge to two hidden tree swings.

#RollerDisco

So a group of friends met me at Skate World in Linda Vista.  The event? Roller Disco (or #RollerDisco as we call it in the age of Twit).  The reason?  To have fun.

And have fun we (for the most part) did.  There were some bruised knees, my bottom hurt for a few days and one lucky unfortunate twisted a knee exiting the hard wood rink floor.  Good news? The carpet landing was at least a little softer.

See the photos here... and you can watch the video below.  Maybe the next time you are invited to an event called Roller Disco, you'll go...

Golden Hill Farmer's Market

Doushey Basket productions

presents

a film by Kevin Six

This time the Trees (the r and the e are silent) go to the Golden Hill Farmer's Market and meet all kinds of wonderful people.  But of course they are superior to all of them.  This is because they drive a Smart Car, film with a GoPro iHero and carry their free-trade produce in a sustainable (doushey) basket.

 

"No Child..." is worth the drive

Theatre Review By Kevin Six

(from left) Marc Amial Caro, John Rogers, Robert Malave, Lynae DePriest, Dempsey Davis, Bianca Ostojich, and Rebekah Ensley in InnerMission and Mesa College Theatre's production of "No Child...". Photo: Paul Savage

When you produce a play about teaching artists trying to make sense of arts and education, set in a school, and performed at a community college – with student actors yet – you’re asking a lot of an audience.  This much was asked of me tonight and, after my disclaimer that I am married to a member of the cast, I must say Mesa College and InnerMission Productions’ “No Child…” It’s worth the drive to Kearney Mesa.

The play itself is short – less than an hour – but every second of it brings something new, touching and uplifting.  The story is real and often acted solo by the author, by Nilaja Sun.  Some day, I’d like to see her do this because the rapid-fire exchange of dialogue is an amazing feat and this cast of 16 was working overtime as it was.

The play is narrated by Janitor Barron, in an extremely human and wizened portrayal by Rhys Green.  Barron paints the picture of a school and a class full of kids who have already been left behind when the national No Child Left Behind brings its show to Brooklyn.  Ms. Sun has been hired, through a department of education grant, to teach the worst of the worst kids a play.  Lynae DePriest pretty much lives the pain, and pathos of this poor artist with an impossible task, and manages to instill hope.  Another stand out in the cast is Justine Hince as the overwhelmed and finally consumed Ms. Tam.  Watching her go from hopeful to disenchanted, to giving up is worth the price of admission.

It is at this point that a reviewer would explain that this production was an educational collaboration with actual students playing the actual students and professionals playing the adults in a way to soften the blow that the kids were blown away by the pros.  But not so.  These kids are possessed of so much energy, talent and emotion (and so much control over them all) that it is hard to understand that they are just beginning their careers as actors.  The ensemble as a whole is even, competent and surefooted.

Standouts among the kids are Brandon Kelly as the angry young Jerome, Bianca Ostojich whose Shondrika can kill with a look, and Rebekah Ensley whose Cocoa puts hope into a much-too-common end to her high school studies.

The production team is also a combination of students and professionals and by-and-large they pull it off with nary a hitch.  Directors Carla Nell and Kym Pappas have managed to create a strong, powerful cast that is surprisingly even, even as the emotions trickle, flow and sometimes gush. The only thing wanting is more sound design.  There was too little musical accompaniment to follow up an excellent opening.

So what, you will think, wiping away tears, as the lights fade on an excellently-wrought “No Child…”  After all, as Janitor Barron says, “sometimes the most talented ones just slip through the cracks.”  All in all Mesa and InnerMission created an excellent production with an excellent use of student and professional actors, staff and technicians – and an excellent way to spend an evening.  Just give yourself time to find the college, the parking lot and the theatre – watch this video for information on where to park.

InnerMission Productions and Mesa College present “No Child” by Nilaja Sun at Mesa College’s A Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. through May 20.  Tickets range from $10-15 and are available at InnerMissionProductions.org or Mesa College’s Apolliad Theater, 7250 Mesa College Dr., San Diego, CA, 92111.  Building C-100 on this map.

"Arts Left Behind?" by Out & About | San Diego Reader

This appeared in Jeff Smith;s San Diego Reader blog Thursday. I am quasi-involved in InnerMission's production of "No Child...", which wakes place during No Child Left Behind. Unlike me, the play doesn't preach. It makes a statement, powerfully, by showing the children. Some of them were left behind.

"Arts Left Behind?" by Out & About | San Diego Reader