Announcing: Brimmer Street Theatre Company Announces 2013 Slate of Perfs & Events

BRIMMER STREET THEATRE COMPANY
ANNOUNCES SLATE OF PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS

PUBLIC STAGED READINGS OF FOUR NEW PLAYS;
FRINGE FESTIVAL EVENTS;
WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF
PACK UP THE MOON BY CHRISTINA CIGALA

Brimmer Street Theatre Company has announced its 2013 slate of performances and events, which begin in April. First up, BSTC invites patrons to join in the creation of new plays through the Blueprint Reading Series. In four staged readings of works-in-progress, Brimmer Street asks audiences to participate in open feedback and dialogue with the playwrights and BSTC’s creative ensemble. Dates and further information will be announced soon.

Next, three projects created by members of the Brimmer Street ensemble will be performed back-to-back on three Friday nights in June, as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The dates are June 14, 21 and 28, and all three shows will take place at the Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Boulevard. They are:

7:45pm – True Hustle: In this solo show, Marie Lively shares the true story of how a naive Christian temp became a corporate smut queen for one of the most famous (and infamous) pornographers in town.
9:15pm – I Could’ve Been Dancing … An Evening of Song and Laughter: Ben Fuller and Sara Collins woo your wants and slap your senses as they serenade audiences with a selection of songs and duets, filled with sharp banter and tongue-in-cheek interpretations. This isn’t your grandmother’s lounge act.
10:30pm – Human Puppet: An experiment in interactive theater that puts spectators in control of the performers and the action. Via radio remote, a player can guide the words and motions of a single actor, interacting with the environment and other performers, saying and doing things that no playwright could have imagined.

Amy K. Harmon is set to direct Brimmer Street’s seventh world premiere, Pack Up The Moon by Christina Cigala. The play was developed in collaboration with the BSTC ensemble. Jenny Byrd will serve as executive producer. In the play, two grieving fathers get a second chance when a relative unexpectedly shows up at their door. Pack Up The Moon is a play about grief, family, sex, and moving on. Performances will be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8pm at The Lounge Theatre, beginning July 6. Complete schedule and ticket info will be announced soon.

Brimmer Street Theatre Company is a non-profit Los Angeles-based performance company with a commitment to develop original theatre and welcome artists whose work challenges established forms and expectations. BSTC strives to form a close ensemble with these artists, craftsmen, students, and benefactors to produce work of exceptional innovation and character. For more info, visit www.BrimmerStreet.org.

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03-18-13

Announcing: Beyond The Stage Presents ‘RENT’ as Benefit for HIV/AIDS Outreach & Education Org ‘The Stigma Project’

BEYOND THE STAGE PRODUCTIONS
PRESENTS
RENT
THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY
APRIL 4 – 6

PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT HIV/AIDS
OUTREACH & EDUCATION ORGANIZATION
THE STIGMA PROJECT

Beyond the Stage Productions has announced a special, three-night-only engagement of RENT, Jonathan Larson’s legendary Broadway smash hit, which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Proceeds will benefit The Stigma Project, a Los Angeles HIV/AIDS outreach and education organization. Prior to the show on Friday (April 5), AIDS Healthcare Foundation, The Advocate Magazine, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food, AIDS/Lifecycle, and
Manchester Labs (a cause and benefit marketing firm) will host a star-studded red carpet event and panel discussion with community leaders and outreach professionals. The curtain will rise at 8:00 on Thursday 4/4, Friday 4/5, and Saturday 4/6, at the Founder’s Center Auditorium on West Sixth Street in Los Angeles.

Based on Puccini’s La Boheme, RENT is a rock opera that tells the story of one year in the life of a group of bohemians struggling in modern day East Village New York. The story centers around Mark and Roger, two roommates. While a former tragedy has made Roger numb to life, Mark tries to capture it through his attempts to make a film. In the year that follows, the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and modern day life, all wrapped up in one powerful story.

Beyond the Stage producer Micheal Smith promises an exciting re-imagining of the musical theatre classic. “Using state-of-the-art 3D video mapping technology for a portion of the set, we will be presenting the show in a stunning and unique way. The audience is in for a real treat.” Smith continued, “Our cast includes veterans of Broadway tours and hit television shows, as well as some incredible new talent from right here in Los Angeles.” Producer Smith and RENT director VanNessa Hulme are classically trained musical theatre veterans, having performed in venues around the world.

The Stigma Project is a grassroots organization that aims to lower the HIV infection rate and neutralize the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS through education and awareness campaigns, utilizing social media and advertising. The Stigma Project seeks to create an HIV-neutral world, free of judgment and fear, by working with both positive and negative individuals from all walks of life, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, race, or background. For more information, visit www.thestigmaproject.org.

Each evening will feature a theatrical pre-show highlighting the work of the charitable organizations involved in the fundraising effort. There will be a free education/outreach performance on Friday, April 5 at 10am, open to local junior high and high school classrooms, students and allies. There will also be a live Sing-A-Long performance on Saturday, April 6 at 4pm. For more information, visit www.BeyondtheStageProductions.com.

Tickets for RENT (including the Sing-A-Long performance) are $50 and $30, with student admission available for $15. Tickets for the Outreach performance are free (with a $10 suggested donation). Tickets for the pre-show activities only (including panel discussion) are $5. Advance purchases can be made at www.TheRentProject.com. Founder’s Center Auditorium is located at
3281 West Sixth Street, in Los Angeles, 90020. Ample parking is available adjacent to the theatre.

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03-15-13

Announcing: LA Stage Alliance Announces LA Stage Talks for 2013

LA STAGE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES
LA STAGE TALKS
MARCH 19 – AUGUST 6, 2013
FIVE PANELS EXPLORING THE CREATION OF
PERFORMING ARTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
LA STAGE CEO TERENCE McFARLAND WILL MODERATE
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

LA STAGE Alliance has announced this year’s LA Stage Talks, a series of panel discussions moderated by LA STAGE Alliance CEO Terence McFarland, exploring various aspects of the creation of performing arts in the Southern California region. The premiere event, co-hosted by Southern California Public Radio KPCC, will take place on Tuesday, March 19 from 7:00—8:30pm, at the Crawford Family Forum in Pasadena. All events are free, but space is limited. RSVP is required at www.LASTAGEAlliance.com/talks.

The first subject to be explored is What Does Professionalism Mean in the American Theatre? This is the question asked by a new national research study conducted by Yale University. Michael Bateman of Yale University will present the findings of this new study and talk with leaders of the Los Angeles theatre community about its relevance to the L.A. landscape. Audience members will be encouraged to lend their thoughts to the discussion of what it means to be a professional, and how the concept of professionalism is evolving in the arts.

Speakers at the March 19 panel include Yale University researcher Michael Bateman along with a slate of L.A. theatre leaders, including Charles Dillingham (Past Managing Director, Center Theatre Group), Elizabeth Doran (Executive Director, Pasadena Playhouse; past Managing Director, Actor’s Gang), Jose Luis Valenzuela (Artistic Director, Latino Theatre Company), Debbie Devine (24th Street Theatre), and Jenny Byrd (Brimmer Street Theatre Company). The Crawford Family Forum is located at 474 S. Raymond Avenue in Pasadena.

The schedule of 2013 LA Stage Talks continues as follows: Artistic Philanthropy in Los Angeles: What Motivates Philanthropists to Support the Theatre? (Monday, April 22 at 7pm, co-hosted by Native Voices at the Autry, at the Autry Museum); Religion and the Arts: What Brings Them Together and Pulls Them Apart? (Monday, June 24 at 7pm), What Am I Hearing? The Aural Life of the Theatre (Monday, July 1 at 7pm, co-hosted by the Geffen Playhouse, at the Geffen); and Choreographic Transformation: Dancing Across Multiple Mediums (Tuesday, August 6 at 7pm, presented in partnership with the Dance Resource Center, and co-hosted by the L.A. County Arts Commission/Ford Theatres at [Inside] the Ford). Terence McFarland will moderate all discussions.

All LA Stage Talks will be livestreamed, and panelists will take questions from online viewers during the events. Information on how to view and how to ask questions will be posted on each event date at www.LASTAGEAlliance.com, where further information on the LA Stage Talks program is available now.

LA STAGE Alliance, a non-profit organization empowering artists and engaging audiences since 1975, is dedicated to building awareness, appreciation, and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles by strengthening the sector through community building, collaborative marketing, audience engagement, professional development, and advocacy.

LA STAGE Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity Association, The Angell Foundation, Bakers Man Productions, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, DatabaseWorks, DEW Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS), Goldstar, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

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03-14-13