Join us this Sunday night for the final staged reading in our series “Urban Acts: New Plays from the Street.” DAC member Forrest Hartl has written a hilarious mash-up of one man’s life as a theatre actor, social media addict, and the violent pursuer of success.
Sunday night, June 3, 7PM at the Downey Moravian Church, Hove Hall — 10337 Old River School Road.
RSVP by emailing rsvp@www.downeyarts.org or join the facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/212803295507172/
Urban Theatre Movement and Downey Arts Coalition presents a staged reading of new play about suburban warfare.
Meet Laurie & Chris, New York hipsters. They moved to the suburbs, and now they want to clean up their new neighborhood by demolishing the old Handball court to pave the way for an urban facelift. But not all the locals want a gentrified neighborhood, and this court is ground zero for the debate. Are the new residents just trying to help, or are they selfish opportunists? You decide.
This Sunday, May 27, Epic Lounge, 7PM. Great actors from the SoCal theatre scene produced by Urban Theatre Movement.++ DAC member Paul Tully directs the reading.
Stay afterward for drinks & Epic music, but first a Q&A with the playwright, Seth Zvi Rosenfeld.
Cast List
Christopher. . . . . . . Sean Zilke Escalante
Laurie. . . . . . . . . . . .Isabel Davila
Orlando. . . . . . . . . . Rich Martinez
Barry. . . . . . . . . . . . Jon Duran
Gee. . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Alfaro
Lil Lucy. . . . . . . . . Elisa Noemi
Javier. . . . . . . . . . Charles Sanchez
Ra Ra. . . . . . . . . . . Donte Wince
Panama. . . . . . . . . Gary Perez*
++Be warned: some explicit language may not be appropriate for all audiences
“La Vida Lucky (1974)” is a short play written by Daniel Houston-Davila, based on stories out of his book, Malinche’s Children, which chronicles the rise of a small barrio in Southern California throughout history, to what it is today located in Downey’s neighboring city, Norwalk.
This story follows a young hispanic father of five grappling with the idea of getting a vasectomy, which is practically unheard of in his culture.
The staged reading will be directed by DAC member Alistair Hunter, who has a long history of leadership in the Southern California theatre community, such as artistic director of the Scorpio Rising Theatre and Los Angeles Theatre Projects.
Sunday, May 20th at 7PM begins the reading, followed by a Q&A with the cast and playwright. We are hosted by Granatas and Tapas, located at 11032 Downey Ave, Downey CA 90240. Granatas has generously extended its Happy Hour deals to audience members of the reading before and after the play, so be sure to come out and take advantage of gathering with the Downey creative community.
Currently playing Fri Sat 8 pm, Sun 5pm through May 13. Tickets 323-263-7684. Mention you are a friend of cast member Alistair Hunter and get 2 for the price of one tickets. A cast of 31 actors, musicians, and dancers tell the story of August G, 46, a street sweeper who receives a strike to the blow while striking for better working conditions. As his life flashes before his eyes, all of the characters of his life meet for one last rendezvous in a sort of fantastic and desperate dance marathon.
Hunter has played a leading role in Los Angeles theatre since 1969 when he founded and served as Artist/Administrative Director of one of the leading Alternative Theatres in Los Angeles, Scorpio Rising Theatre. His work with Scorpio Rising Theatre received local, regional, national, and international attention, and was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Margaret Hartford Award ” for the intensity of it’s focus on new playwrights and contemporary theatre”. He received support from the NEA, CAC, Office for Advanced Drama Research, and the CETA Program. He has served on the Board of Los Angeles Community Arts Alliance, League of Los Angeles Theatres, Los Angeles Theatre Alliance (now LA Stage Alliance), and Scorpio Rising Theatre Foundation. He has worked with the Mark Taper Forum, and Los Angeles Theatre Works in developing and coordinating many theatre projects, and Guest Artist residencies. He has been a Guest Artist at Golden West College. He has served as a school site administrator for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Juvenile Court & Community Schools, and Alternative Education. He is currently the Artistic Director of Los Angeles Theatre Projects, and The Other Theatre, and is in preproduction for a Bertolt Brecht play in Fall, 2012.
Something new is coming for the city of Downey, a series of staged readings of new plays is being presented here by Urban Theatre Movement and the Downey Arts Coalition. It’s no secret that Downey doesn’t have anything currently in the way of contemporary drama produced in our borders. However, we have artists and performers here in town and nearby that are passionate about the theatre. One of the DAC’s goals is to bring that kind of contemporary theatre here to Downey audiences.
This effort is our first step in that process. “Urban Acts: New Plays From the Street” is a series of four staged readings, performed at four site-specific locations in Downey. Keep reading after the poster:
For those unfamiliar with staged readings, they are read live on stage by experienced actors, but with script in hand and without full costume and set design. Readings such as these are critical for a playwright and a potential theatre company as they explore how actors and audiences interact with the material.
The playwrights will be in attendance at each performance and we are planning to do a brief Q&A afterward to give the audience an opportunity to hear them speak about the play in person. The DAC is co-producing this series with the critically-acclaimed Urban Theatre Movement, who is usually in residence at Los Angeles Theatre Center and just came off a successful run of Miguel Piñero’s Short Eyes which was named LA Times Critics’ Choice.
Each of these plays are new works that have yet to be produced. The actors have read and rehearsed a couple times beforehand, but the point of the evening is to keep it fresh and vital. When a play has had several successful readings, theatre companies consider producing the full show.
Here is a run down of the dates & plays:
Sunday May 6th – 7PM
In Case You Forget by Ben Snyder
Directed by David Santana
On the streets of New York, this is the story of a young street artist’s last days before he is incarcerated for vandalism. This powerful work explores the philosophical, social, and artistic side of being a graffiti artist.
@ NUMBER 34 – 9029 Florence Ave. @ Arrington east of Lakewood.
PLUS: Art show featuring street art with gala reception afterward.
Sunday May 20th – 7PM
La Vida Lucky (1974) by Daniel Houston Davila
Directed by Alistair Hunter
A tough Mexican-American man in the barrio of Norwalk, CA, at a young age is facing the decision to have a vasectomy. Adapted from the playwright’s novel Malenche’s Children, the University Press of Mississippi describes the novel as “a chronicle of this small Mexican-American hamlet, from its formation in 1900 by Mexican farmworkers yearning to end their wanderings to its troubled rise one hundred years later when their descendants live uneasily between two worlds.”
Presented at GRANATA’S & TAPAS – 11032 Downey Avenue and 2nd Street
Sunday May 27th – 7PM
HandBall by Seth Zvi Rosenfeld
Directed by Paul Tully
Rosenfeld’s work often deals with the collision of cultures in urban environments, and this play follows the gentrification of a Bronx neighborhood that once was a destination for handball enthusiasts.
Presented at EPIC LOUNGE – 8239 2nd Street and New
Sunday June 3rd – 7PM
Alexander the Greatest by Forrest Hartl
Directed by Forrest Hartl
A dark comedy about a narcissistic young actor who lies, cheats and steals his way to the top of Hollywood. It’s our privilege to present the work of one of the DAC’s original members.
Presented at DOWNEY MORAVIAN CHURCH – 10337 Old River School Rd. south of Florence
* In Case You Forget and Handball contain adult language, so sensitive ears should be fore-warned.
The Downey Arts Coalition hopes to build a love for contemporary drama and new works here in the city, building an audience for the potential theatre of the future. We hope you’ll join us in our efforts.
To RSVP for the shows, send the dates and your name to RSVP@www.downeyarts.org
For sponsorship information, email Andrew at contact@www.downeyarts.org.
We’ve written about the history of the Downey Theatre before, which is something not widely known, since its been more than thirty years since the Downey Children’s Theatre effectively shut down. One of the Downey Arts Coalition ideas early on was to bring some of this history out into the open, to talk about the legacy of John Hume and the theatre programs that justified building a large venue like this.
Saturday, coinciding with the Downey Symphony’s spring concert, we finally have that history on display in the upstairs gallery in the Downey Theatre lobby. For those able to visit the theatre this month, there is a great deal to experience. Here are some pictures from the display.
This Saturday March 31st, the Downey Children’s Theatre will be featured in an historical display comprised of vintage photographs and artwork … plus the fond remembrances of participants who were there … tracing the origin of the beautiful Downey Theatre through the creation of the Downey Children’s Theatre and the numerous programs that evolved … including the Downey Adult Theatre/Downey Theatre Guild, the Downey Teen Theatre, the Downey Marionette Theatre, the Readers/Experimental Theatre, the Drama Workshop Program and the Armchair Cruise Series.
The Historical Display will be on view during the Downey Symphony Concert – “To Russia and Back” on Saturday night, April 31st. If you are unable to purchase a ticket and stay to enjoy the concert with Guest Kevin Fitz-Gerald on piano, the management has graciously invited our guests to view the display between 7:00pm-8:00pm. Please note that if you do not have a ticket for the concert, we you will need to complete your viewing of the display before 8:00. We appreciate this courtesy that has been extended to our members and supporters and ask you to please adhere to this restriction. Viewings of the display can be arranged during the month of April on weekday afternoons by appointment.
Here is the facebook event page.
DAC member Sylvia Blush presents a new production of “Electricidad” by Luis Alfaro, opening this Friday March 2nd at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts in Lincoln Heights.
Using the East L.A. barrios as the backdrop for this adaptation of Electra, this modern twist on the Greek tragedy thrusts you into fits of laughter and catches your breath in moments of unimaginable sorrow. The king of the East Side Locos has been murdered and the House of Atridas is in chaos. A young chola enraged by her father’s murder is lost between her desire of revenge and her longing for redemption.
The cast includes Enzo Canepa, Rebecca Cherkoss, Sara Guerrero, Rachel Gonzalez, Jasmin Iraheta, Melissa Legaspi, Griselda Marquez, Elisa Noemi, and Tom Sandoval. Playwright Luis Alfaro, who will hold a Q&A after the show on March 10th, gives voice to strong latina characters whose struggle to survive is more complex than the choices they make.
Visit their website for information about tickets: Click here. The production runs through March 17th.
The Urban Theatre Movement started in south-east LA County, with residents from the gateway cities that met in college with a passion for theatre. Paul Tully, a Downey resident and co-founder of the theatre company, loves our city and sees the need to help bring more of the arts here locally. They’ve moved quickly into the professional LA theatre scene. Their latest project is “Short Eyes” the 1974 play that took the Public Theatre and then Broadway by storm with it’s gritty raw portrayal of prison life when confronted with a new inmate who molested a child. The show plays at the Los Angeles Theatre Center Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings up through March 11th. The show has been critically praised and a critic’s pick in the Los Angeles Times.
Read more about the production at their website: http://urbantheatremovement.com/
Like them on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/urbantheatremovement/
Check out the youtube video:
Hope you can make it to our next Downey Arts Coalition meeting at the Downey Civic Theatre, in the green room. Enter through the office door right off the small street between the theatre and the library. This Saturday October 29th at 12PM.
We start out each meeting re-capping the current news and events happening in the Downey arts scene, so come prepared to report if you were involved. Next we’ll go through some of our potential projects to see what we can push forward. The coalition is here to help inspire you to take action on some of the ideas you’re passionate about, and find support from others who are interested in the same things.
The main topic this month is considering what it would take to create a small venue theatrical space in Downey. The Downey Civic Theatre has a sizable rehearsal room upstairs that will soon reopen after having asbestos abatement. It’s a big empty room, but if you put on your vision goggles there could be a 90 seat theatre up there. But it would basically have to be funded, furnished, and equiped from scratch. Not to mention figuring out an operating model that balances all the needs of no-budget theatre production, city politics, and the realities of theatre management. Then there’s the question of keeping that space busy with quality work and developing an audience for it. All simple stuff.
If theatre isn’t your thing, come for the first part at least. For those theatre folk that sat patiently through the visual arts discussions, this is a good meeting to hit up.