(Plan to arrive no later than 9:45 am. Ceremony starts at 10 sharp)
WHERE:Santa Barbara Cemetery
901 Channel Drive, Santa Barbara, CA93108 (near East Beach)
INFO: (805)966-1660
COST:Free ~ Donations are welcome
SPECIAL: VIP seating and personal escorts provided for seniors and veterans – please RSVP to 805 966 1660 no later than Friday, May 24.
ABOUT: The PCVM Foundation motto is “Never Forget” and on this Memorial Day the organization inaugurates a full one-hour observance to honor and remember those who have served, and those who have given their lives for this country. Marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, we will give a special salute to those service men & women with the first local commemoration of the Korean War (June 20, 1950 – July 27, 1953). Highlights of this memorial are keynote speaker Brigadier General Fred Lopez (Ret), and John Ramieri, president of the Korean War Vets reading a poem. Ceremony consists of a bagpiper and live music featuring vocal soloist, choir and flutist. Korean era aircraft – four T-34s - will do a two fly-over’s and event will conclude with Taps played by Howard Hudson.
SCAPE ~ Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment,SCAPE is Calling All Artists to the Ingathering for SCAPE’s annual art show and sale on Memorial Day weekend. Come be a part of Art Along the Creek: Restoring Land, Restoring Lives.
Saturday, May 25 you can become a member at the Ingathering from 9 to 11 am at the shows site: 37 Mountain Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. (Please park in Rocky Nook Park, walk over the bridge and take the path along the creek on Mountain Drive – look for the signs).
All artists must be a member of SCAPE to be in show. Annual membership is reasonably set at $35; Ingathering fees $10 per painting or $25 for three paintings.
MORE about the show: No limit on size or number of entries. Show is a good opportunity to exhibit big paintings. Paintings must be wired and ready to hang. Ribbons and monetary prizes will be awarded in a number of categories, including best depiction of theme. Artists are invited to submit landscape, paintings of buildings and interiors, floral and still life’s, portraits, figurative, abstract, surreal, and symbolic along with outsider art. Painting, drawing, collage, assemblage and sculpture may be submitted. (Sculptures must have own stands.) The theme is Restoration and a special focus will be on paintings of Mission Creek and other landscapes depicting restoration (and restorative) sites, as well as restorative images of an introspective or imaginative nature.
All artists contribute a work shift on the show weekend. If you cannot share in the work you may pay someone $40 to cover for you. Volunteers are sought as well for Ingathering, set up and take down, and art demos throughout the weekend. The atmosphere is delightful, the camaraderie warm, music is continuous and dogs are welcome to attend with well-behaved owners.
Show opens on Sat., May 25 at 2pm and runs till 6pm; on Sun., May 26 hours are 11am to 6pm; Mon., May 27 from11am to 6pm. Awards Reception goes on Sun., May 26 from 1:30 to 3pm where judge and internationally known artist, Colin Fraser Gray will hand out his ribbons. Larry Iwerks – whose work hangs in the Smithsonian and was one of the founders of SCAPE – will be honored as our featured artist this year. Added to the judge’s awards are the People’s Choice and Mayor’s Award.
This is SCAPE’s 11th year and the sixth annual show for Phoenix of Santa Barbara. Its goals are to have exhibitions to help raise money to protect open spaces, to increase public awareness of environmental and conservation issues, to promote camaraderie and provide education for artists. Among the non-profits SCAPE has helped raise money for are Environmental Defense Center, Community Environmental Council, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, UCSB’s Sedgwick Reserve, Coal Oil Point Reserve, Gaviota Coastal Conservancy, Save Naples, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Channelkeeper and Phoenix of Santa Barbara Creek Habitat Restoration program. To date, nearly $125,000 has been raised for our local organizations through this year.
Pls. note this art & music festival take place close to the Santa Barbara Mission where the always well-attended I Madonnari Italian Chalk Festival happens. Parking will be tight, so plan ahead to be dropped off for the easiest access or arrive early for the Ingathering (9 – 11 am on 5/25/13). No paintings will be accepted after 11 am.
Celebrating its lucky "7th Anniversary Three Pickles Subs & Sandwiches” at 126 E. Canon Perdido Street in downtown Santa Barbara has a special anniversary deal Saturday only, April 27 - only $10 for a sandwich and a beer. Special deal good ALL day from 11am - 4pm - Check out the menu and plan to stop in and wish the staff & owners a tasteful Happy Anniversary.
Beer on tap : On Tap there's Lagunitas IPA, Pilsner IPA, Figueroa Mountain Red Lager, Anchor Steam and Stella Artois
In the bottle: XingTao to honor the Chinese restaurant who occupied the space for nearly 50 years.
Presented by S.C.A.P.E. Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment
More than 200 works of art will be on display from nearly 100 members of Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment - SCAPE - and for sale during the three-day ART ALONG THE CREEK this Memorial Day Weekend. Complemented by live music from a variety of small bands on a private estate in Santa Barbara nestled in the woods, among the sycamores along Mission Creek, it’s only a block away from the majestic Santa Barbara Mission and the seminal "I Madonnari" Italian Street Painting Festival that takes place the same weekend. This is the 6th annual juried art show for the group known primarily for top quality plein air landscapes, but this wide-ranging show includes portraits and figurative art, still life and florals, alongside contemporary, surreal, and abstract art as well. 40% of each purchase is tax deductible as it goes to the creek restoration project of Phoenix House, a non-profit, residential mental health treatment agency.
Art Along the Creek is a free, dog-friendly festival and opens on Saturday, May 25 from 2 – 6 pm, Sunday 5.26 & Monday 5.27 show hours are 11 am to 6 pm. Located at 37 Mountain Drive, this is one of two locations for Phoenix in Santa Barbara. For information call Phoenix at (805) 965.3434 or log on http://www.s-c-a-p-e.org/.
WHAT: “TRAJECTORY” - Directed by Delila Moseley, Choreography by Nancy Colahan, Meredith Cabaniss, Val Huston, Jose Limon, Jerry Pearson, Peter Pucci and Donald McKayle Company members: Meredith Cabaniss, Brendon Chan, Sarah Eichler, Chelsea Hammond, Genevieve Hand, Yvette Johnson, Kelly Marshall, Sean Nederlof, Salinda Nichols, Alannah Pique, Megan Ragland, Aly Romano, and Dani Ziff
WHEN: Wednesday, May 29 & Thursday, May 30 @ 8 pm
WHERE: Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Box Office is open Wed. – Fri., noon – 5 pm and one hour prior to all shows
ABOUT: UCSB Dance Company returns from a successful two week tour to New York and Italy, where they performed in six different cities. Trajectory is an evening of compelling and luminous modern dance. Choreographers include Jose Limon and Donald McKayle, icons of the modern dance world in America, and New York choreographer Peter Pucci, formerly of Pilobolus Dance Company. UCSB faculty members Valerie Huston, Jerry Pearson. Christopher Pilafian and Nancy Colohan have set works on the company as well. The company offers their final performance - an exciting evening of dance - thirteen vibrant young dancers in works of brilliance and beauty.
The UCSB Dance Company directed by Delila Moseley is a student company in residence established in 1990. The company provides extensive performing opportunities for outstanding senior-year dance majors selected by the dance faculty.
ABOUT: Six schools strong will sing six contemporary tunes + one in the first “All School’s Chorus” concert. More than 100 children will be on stage along with special appearances from LaColina’s OutBurst Group and Santa Barbara Children’s Chorus Concert Chorus. The elementary schools participating throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta are: Adams Elementary with Nadia Stehmeier, Cleveland Elementary with Kearney Vander Sal, Foothills Elementary with Susannah Hoffman, La Colina Jr. High with Shannon Saleh, Monroe Elementary with Elisabeth "Liz" Caruso. Also, concert chorus with Erin Bonski Evans.
With funding provided by The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Santa Barbara Children’s Chorus launched a new program this year to bring choral music education into the local elementary schools. This concert is the culmination of the new program. Since last fall, these six schools have received materials and instructions on how to get a choral group together. Teachers at those schools recruit students for their own chorus and have learned six contemporary choral songs. All this work culminates with an all day music workshop for the schools with the public performance as the crescendo of the hours of work, study and song.
Santa Barbara Children’s Chorus is a county-wide, non-denominational music education and performing organization for children ages 5-14. We provide children of the community with the opportunity for musical training and performing in a fun and challenging environment. Founded in 1993, SBCC will be here for years to come to serve your children. With the continuing decline in funding for school-based music programs, especially in the elementary and secondary school levels, SBCC is dedicated to filling a vital gap in bringing the benefits of music and vocal performance to children.
Hear authentic, living history directly from the veterans who flew in the Army Air Corps. at a luncheon event coming up on April 19 here in Santa Barbara titled "70 Years On: The Bomber Boys." The Pierre Claeyssens Veteran’s Museum & Library (PCVML), Channel City Club (CCC) and its Committee of Foreign Relations are working in collaboration to present the second annual luncheon and symposium focusing on the men who are here to tell their stories – from serious to you’ve got to be kidding me. These local men lived through World War II serving on the bomber crews ~ Lt. Larry Crandell, a bombardier and navigator, Col. Jim Patillo who entered the Corps as a Flying Cadet to an Aircraft Commander of a B-29 with a crew of 11 who also went on to a 20 year career in the Air Force, Staff Sgt. Jack Patterson, a tail-gunner on a B-17 and Lt. Bob Scott who flew a B-24 with a crew of ten.
PCVML founder, Lt. John W. Blankenship USN will introduce the program, to be moderated by PCVML board member and Air Force Cross recipient, Col. Philip Conran. Luncheon served along with a short film and a slide show with the types of planes the men were assigned to work with complete the event. Highlight will of course be the stories of their service told from the first person perspective is a rare treat. Last year’s event sold-out early, so call now and reserve your seat for this one time only opportunity. The Bomber Boys celebration will be held on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. at Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort in the San Rafael Room (633 E. Cabrillo Boulevard, SB 93103). Tickets: $40 for the general public; $35 for CCC members Please RSVP no later than Monday, April 15 by phone (805) 884-6636 or email at Channelcity@earthlink.net. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
The third international ADaPT Festival consists of performances & conferences celebrating movement arts & experimental genres with educational forums and networking components. Majority of the performances and conferences will be held at Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo Mall, 93101. For more information please contact at (805)963-0408 or visit their website at www.centerstagetheater.org. In 2013 the ADaPT Festival returns to the United States as a bi-coastal Festival with ArtBark International serving as hosts. Designed in a conference format, in addition to performances of dance, physical theater, and performance installation by world class artists, the 11-day event, from July 23 - August 3, will include opportunities for artists to network, engage in dialog, and participate in classes in Santa Barbara. There will be more opportunities in other cities as well, please check at: http://www.adaptfest.com/2013-calendar. For tickets and box office information please visit: http://www.adaptfest.com/2013-festival-tickets.
In 2011 Sonne Blauma Danscz Theatre hosted the inaugural award winning dance and physical theater festival drawing more than 100 artists from five countries and 23 different cities with events in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The second year, Raw Matters and ADaPT participant Regina Picker hosted the festival in 2012 with events in Vienna, Austria at Palais Kablewerks and Contramass Galerie. Associated with the ADaPT Festival series is ArtBark’s Affinity Project – which gives ADaPT artists a chance to reconnect for continued performance, education and information exchanges. In 2012 Affinity events occurred in Santa Barbara, Pasadena, and Paris, France culminating in a five-day Festival in October 2012.
Santa Barbara Independent Arts Editor/Critic Charles Donelan said, “The inaugural SB-ADaPT Festival took over Center Stage Theater last weekend with two full programs—Alpha and Omega—that brought together dance and physical theater companies from as far away as Istanbul and as close by as Long Beach to create a magical atmosphere of excitement and aesthetic adventure...SB-ADaPT contributed not only a beautifully executed set of programs to the community but also an example of how much can be accomplished on a small budget by like-minded artists willing to take chances and engage in genuine international exchange.”
for art show/fundraiser at Bacara Resort on Easter Weekend
SANTA BARBARA, CA:The Gaviota Coast Conservancy and the Naples Coalition along with SCAPE (Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment) and Reeve Woolpert, fine art photographer, will hold a fundraiser on Friday & Saturday, March 29 & 30 at the Bacara Resort & Spa. This two-day exhibit of more than 100 works of art, painted on the Gaviota Coast, will assist both the Naples Coalition and GCC to raise funds and awareness in their ongoing efforts to preserve and maintain the beautiful rural character of our rare and open coastline. SCAPE artists will donate 40% of the sale price of their art to the GCC and Naples Coalition to assist in these efforts. This is the first time SCAPE has included a photographer in their shows and this is also SCAPE’s first dedicated show on the Gaviota area.
"The upcoming SCAPE Art Show will expose our community to the beauty of the GaviotaCoast, and Naplesin particular, as seen through the eyes of artists," says Mike Lunsford, President of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy. "These talented artists are adept at capturing the emotions of being there, and their inspiring works will offer us the opportunity to own beautiful representations of the places which make our community worth living in. Through their art we see what is at stake. Purchasing this art not only furthers the cause of conservation, it enriches the buyer with a reminder of the beauty of this place. Will we preserve this priceless treasure we call the Gaviota Coast, or allow it to become just another commodity in the marketplace, sold to the highest bidder?"
Reeve Woolpert, adds, "My photography is not about me. It is not about roaming from one distant corner of the planet to another to show off my experiences. It is not about bagging the coolest perspectives of exotic places. It is about earnestly discovering the essences and poetry of nearby, familiar subjects returned to time and time again. In the case of threatened Gaviota, it is about being moved by the spirit of the place, tripping out on her nature, and having as egoless a creative response as I can. My photography is also about activism and embracing home ground."
Donna Moser, President of SCAPE, describes the motivation of SCAPE artists for helping preserve the Gaviota Coast, "As many of our natural and beautiful landscapes and seascapes are on the verge of disappearing, SCAPE is dedicated to sharing the beauty of these areas through their art with the hope of preserving them. It is important to keep a place where the original California can still be seen by preserving it for the public."
Visions of the Gaviota Coast will also include live music, screenings of a film by Global NGO Media “Future of the Gaviota Coast,” refreshments and an exciting lot of prizes are being gathered to complement the art show & sale.
"Visions Of The Gaviota Coast" event prizes:
One night stay at Bacara Resort & Spa
Island Packers & Aquasports Kayak Adventure Package for two to Santa Cruz Island
Leigh Sparks original painting
Four month subscription to Ellwood Canyon Farms CSA program (Organic produce)
Bacara Spa package
Dinner for two at Bacara’s Miro Restaurant
Reeve Woolpert Original Photograph
Many other "lifestyle" prizes (surfboards, skateboards, and lots of other fun stuff).
VISIONS OF THE GAVIOTA COAST: Events Schedule:
Friday, March 29th
1:00 to 8:00pm– SCAPE Art Show hours
5:00 to 8:00pm – Special Artists Reception with refreshments and live music
6:00pm – Special announcements
6:30pm – Screening of Future of the Gaviota Coast film, with Q&A in Bacara Theatre
Saturday, March 30th
10:00am to 5:00pm – SCAPE Art Show Hours
12:00, 2:00, and 4:00pm – Screenings of Future of the Gaviota Coast in Bacara Theater plus, Q&A with the filmmakers after each screening
About the Gaviota Coast and the Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC):
The Gaviota Coast, located in southern Santa Barbara County, includes the coastal watersheds between Coal Oil Point in Goleta, to Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, and the remainder of Vandenberg's coast to Point Sal. The portion down-coast of Point Conception constitutes about 15% of Southern California's coast, yet contains approximately 50% of its remaining rural coastline.
Expanding urbanization has displaced agriculture on fertile coastal plains along Southern California's coastline, reduced public beach access, and stressed coastal watersheds and marine ecosystems. Rapid population growth in the region has led to dramatic loss of native biological diversity, and a general decline in the health of ecosystems we depend on. To meet these challenges and preserve our coastal heritage, the Gaviota Coast Conservancy is dedicated to long-term strategies to permanently protect the Gaviota Coast.
About SCAPE: SCAPE—Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment—was founded in 2002 and has grown to over 200 members, a diverse group including nationally known and local artists, students, patrons and even gallery owners. Membership is open to everyone who wants to participate. SCAPE’s goals are to have Exhibitions to help raise money to protect open spaces, to Increase public awareness of environmental and conservation issues, to promote camaraderie and provide education for artists. Among the non-profits SCAPE has helped raise money for are Environmental Defense Center, Community Environmental Council, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, UCSB’s Sedgwick Reserve, Coal Oil Point Reserve, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Channelkeeper and Phoenix of Santa Barbara Creek Habitat Restoration program. To date, more than $100,000 has been raised for our local organizations through the end of 2011. GCC and Naples are now added to this list. Nationally known artists are invited to come to Santa Barbara to teach workshops. Averaging 200 members who participate in the Paint-Outs, workshops and exhibitions, members also volunteer as Board Members or Chair positions. SCAPE has three or four exhibits every year and each is juried. Membership is open year-round.
About The Naples Coalition:
The Naples Coalition is a Santa Barbara, California-based public benefit, tax exempt corporation that includes leadership from a number of local non-profit groups including the Gaviota Coast Conservancy, Los Padres Chapter of the Sierra Club, Santa Barbara Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, Santa Barbara Chapter of the Audubon Society, Citizens Planning Association of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara County Action Network, and the League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara. The Naples Coalition is dedicated to the preservation of the rural character of the Naples property on the Gaviota coast.
About the Bacara's "Hearts of Bacara" community partnership program:
Bacara believes hospitality and community service go hand-in-hand. In that spirit, Bacara has instituted “Hearts of Bacara,” a comprehensive program comprised of community partnerships, in-kind donations, cash contributions and volunteered time and talent. To this effect, the Bacara has included the Gaviota Coast Conservancyas one of its community partners to support by hosting this SCAPE fundraising event.Bacara supports the Gaviota Coast Conversancy through educational outreach, fundraisers, art exhibitions, beach clean-ups and the resort’s annual holiday tree which pays homage to the beautiful coastline. For more information on this program, visit:http://www.bacararesort.com/experience/hearts-of-bacara/
(Santa Barbara, CA) If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in an acting class, playwright Annie Baker’s award-winning, Circle Mirror Transformation is about just that – where real people explore their lives and creativity, as they gather weekly for an acting class taught at a local community center. Produced by DramaDogs, a Theater Company for two weekends only at Center Stage Theater from March 21 through March 30, the play ‘mirrors’ the outreach DramaDogs does in the local community with its body-centered acting classes. Life imitating art comes full ‘circle’ here. And yes, the people on stage will go through a ‘transformation’ which will hopefully resonate with audiences. Directed by Ken Gilbert, this troop of characters communicates something fundamental about theatrical expression. Winning the 2010 Obie* Award for Best New American Play, theatre reviewer, Charles Isherwood of The New York Times declared, Circle Mirror Transformation “the kind of unheralded gem that sends people into the streets babbling and bright-eyed with the desire to spread the word.” Gilbert, co-founder of the company said, “Ms. Baker’s play aligns with DramaDogs’ mission to develop or produce theatrical pieces that touch the human spirit. The seemingly simple setting of a beginning theater class takes the mystery out of the art form and reveals the power of self discovery and expression inherent in the creative process.”
Co-founder E. Bonnie Lewis agreed, “DramaDogs brings an artistic aesthetic to the performing arts community that not only entertains but offers a transparent experience of the creative process. Essential in all of our projects, is the invitation to our audiences to be inside the experience rather than simply be passively entertained.” Following each performance audiences will be invited to stick around for talk backs with the artists that demystify their creative process, illuminate the deliberate choices developed in their theatrical pieces, and give audiences the immediate opportunity to critique, comment, and express their experience. Lewis acknowledged, “The Santa Barbara premiere of Circle Mirror Transformationexemplifies beautifully the creative process we embrace.”
Set in the small fictitious town of Shirley, Vermont Circle Mirror Transformation is part of a trilogy of plays Baker penned about the quirky residents. An absorbing, unblinking and sharply funny play which traces the lives of a handful of small-townVermont residents who gather each week for an acting class taught at the local community center. The theatre “games” are funny, imaginative and sometimes absurd, but the real drama lies beneath the games—where secrets come to light in unexpected ways. By the play’s end we seem to see to the very bottom of these souls, and feel how the acting class has shaped their lives in substantial ways.
“Circle Mirror Transformation”is directed by Ken Gilbert with set & lighting design by Theodore Michael Dolas. DramaDogs cast features: Joe Andrieu, E. Bonnie Lewis, Maria Oliveria, Michelle A. Osborne and Craig Scott. Circle Mirror Transformation plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees on Saturday & Sunday, March 23 & 24 @ 2 p.m. General admission tickets are $20; $15 for Students & Seniors. Special low priced preview, Thursday, March 21 all tickets are $10. Additionally there will be two “pay what you can” performances Saturday, March 23 @ 2p.m. and Friday, March 28 @ 8 p.m. These special tickets will only be sold at the door or on the phone (no online sales) – suggested minimum $5. Center Stage Theater is located at 751 Paseo Nuevo Mall, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Box Office hours are Wednesday through Friday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and one-hour prior to all shows. Phone (805)963-0408. Online: http://centerstagetheater.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=545415.
*Obie Awards are the Off-Broadway annual show honors
ABOUT Drama Dogs
E. Bonnie Lewis and Ken Gilbert, the Co-Artistic Directors of DramaDogs, emerged into the Santa Barbara arts scene nearly 20 years ago with their first piece entitled Air for One - a drama in eight scenes about separateness and oneness in the lives of Siamese twins. The work was heartfelt and daring, integrating movement, live music and a parachute set. The audience response was palpable with members approaching post show and thanking us for the powerful and truthful demonstration of what it “feels like to be a twin.” That piece set the tone and the bar for our work.
DramaDogs has four core members, Ken Gilbert, E. Bonnie Lewis, Michelle Osborne and Erica Connell. As a multi-disciplinary body centered theater production company it celebrates the creative process and dedicated to present work that expresses their personal relationship to themselves, each other and the community. DD will continue to bring diverse material that provides heart-felt theatrical experiences; offer body centered training programs educating the professional and non-professional alike in this process, and offer affordable educational outreach activities that ultimately provide acting lessons for life to our community.
WHO: S-C-A-P-E: Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment
WHAT: “Visions of the Gaviota Coast - paintings by SCAPE artists, photography by Reeve Woolpert.” To benefit the Naples Coalition & Gaviota Coast Conservancy
*Special Reception Friday, March 29 from 5 – 8 p.m. Silent & Live auction!
Events Schedule on Friday, March 29:
1:00 to 8:00pm– SCAPE Art Show hours
5:00 to 8:00pm – Special Artists Reception with refreshments and live music
6:00pm – Special announcements
6:30pm – Screening of Future of the Gaviota Coast film, with Q&A in Bacara Theatre
"Visions Of The Gaviota Coast" event auction includes:
One night stay at Bacara Resort & Spa
Island Packers & Aquasports Kayak Adventure Package for two to Santa Cruz Island
Leigh Sparks original painting
Four month subscription to Ellwood Canyon Farms CSA program (Organic produce)
Bacara Spa package
Dinner for two at Bacara’s Miro Restaurant
Reeve Woolpert Original Photograph
Many other "lifestyle" prizes (surfboards, skateboards, and lots of other fun stuff).
WHY: SCAPE artists & Woolpert will donate 40% of all sales to benefit the Naples Coalition and Gaviota Coast Conservancy. The whole area has been cited as “one of the 15 most biologically diverse and ecologically significant regions in the world.”* All art will focus on the pristine coastline. SPECIAL: For the first time, photography will be included in the 11-year old plein air group show by Reeve Woolpert, who specializes in the Gaviota landscape. (www.thegaviotacoast.com)
* “Treasured by the wildlife scientific community as one of the 15 most biologically diverse and ecologically significant regions in the world, Gaviota is home to more than 195 distinct species of birds, 60 species of fish, and 1,400 plant and animal species — including threatened and endangered critters like the steelhead trout, the tidewater goby, the white-tailed kite, the red-legged frog — that have uneasily coexisted with human interlopers for hundreds of years.” Santa Barbara Independent Cover story by Ethan Stewart 4.20.06
WHAT: “Circle Mirror Transformation” 2010 Obie Award-winning play Directed by: Ken Gilbert, Written by: Annie Baker, Set & Lighting Design: Theodore Michael Dolas, Featuring: Joe Andrieu, E. Bonnie Lewis, Maria Oliveria, Michelle A. Osborne, and Craig Scott
WHERE: Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo Mall, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
WHEN: March 21 – 30, 2013: Thurs. – Sat. @ 8 p.m.; Sat. 3/23 & Sun. 3/24 @ 2 p.m. COST: General $20 & $15 Students & Seniors. Low priced preview: Thurs., March 21 only $10. Special: Pay what you can performances: Sat. @ 2p.m. March 23 + Fri. @ 8 p.m. March 29. Tickets sold @ door or on the phone only (no online sales)
ABOUT: An absorbing, unblinking and sharply funny play which traces the lives of a handful of small town Vermont residents who gather each week for an acting class taught at the local community center. The theatre “games” are funny, imaginative and sometimes absurd, but the real drama lies beneath the games—where secrets come to light in unexpected ways. By the play’s end we seem to see to the very bottom of these souls, and feel how the acting class has shaped their lives in substantial ways.
Charles Isherwood of The New York Times declared the Obie Award winning play, Circle Mirror Transformation,“the kind of unheralded gem that sends people into the streets babbling and bright-eyed with the desire to spread the word.”
(Santa Barbara, CA) Set in one of the world’s most famously photographed and written about cities Venice, Italy, APPOGGIATURA (say it: uh-poj-uh-toor-uh) is award-winning playwright James Still’s most recent work. Santa Barbara audiences are in for a moving, funny and intimate journey with three Americans who find themselves in a new, yet in some ways, familiar place 5,000 miles from home. The title of the play comes from the Italian word appoggiare meaning “to lean.” In music, appoggiatura is a note of long or short duration sometimes creating a dissonance before resolving into a main note. And so it is with the play: what begins on a rainy night inside an old-world hotel room in Venice ends on a bright sunny day outside on its streets and campos. The story follows a woman of a certain age who knows this might be her last trip to Italy; her granddaughter who has just graduated from college and has no idea what comes next; and a middle-aged man who doesn't know how to mend his broken heart. Add to the mix their young Italian tour guide who makes up any history he doesn't know, and a collection of roving street musicians. APPOGGIATURA is a play about an American family finding itself by completely losing itself. Italy is a good place to do that.
This ‘Preview Production’ is produced by UCSB’s Theater & Dance Department along with vital donors & patrons. LAUNCH PAD is presenting the eighth new play directed by Risa Brainin, Chair of the Theater & Dance Department. She describes LAUNCH PAD as a crucial part of “the eco-system of new play development.” It’s a working ground for preview productions of new plays made by playwrights, guest and faculty artists and students in dialogue with audiences. APPOGGIATURA begins playing on Thursday, February 28 and runs through Saturday, March 9 in the newly refurbished Hatlen Theater on the UCSB campus for seven performances. Audiences will be encouraged to engage in conversations between artists & audience after each show. (http://www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu/news/event/287-010713)
Two years ago, playwright James Still had just finished a five-year cycle of work that culminated in three world premieres within a four-month period. “Suddenly I was looking down an open road again. I could write about anything I wanted. I started writing a contemporary play about a woman who was taking her just-graduated granddaughter in her early 20s on a ‘grand tour’ of Europe,” said Still. He knew the play would be set in Venice, knew there was a shared history and making the trip was important to both generations. Thus began the APPOGGIATURA script. In the process, he realized this play would be better as part of a trilogy, and not the first play. So he put the Italian script and location aside to write the history of the family in THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. Set six months earlier at the family’s home in Vermont on Thanksgiving, THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT was workshopped at the New Harmony Project¹ (Spring 2012) before its world premiere in the fall at Indiana Repertory Theatre² - where Still is playwright in residence. It also won the Todd McNerney New Play Prize from the Spoleto Festival³. Still has been lauded for his keen ear and ability to capture the lyricism of modern conversations getting to the heart of what makes people tick.
Still emphasized the importance of LAUNCH PAD’s format which allowed him to work with the design team from the very beginning of the process and invent the play with them. “The thing that’s unique about LAUNCH PAD is it looks at new play development in a timely and fresh paradigm shift. I write plays for the theatre. I want to see them in a three-dimensional space; I want to see actors explore the silences as part of the language, to experiment with behavior as part of the action.” He acknowledged, “LAUNCH PAD gives me the necessary and rare opportunity to develop my new play the way I dream about: by doing it on stage.” He added, “Working with Risa Brainin who I’ve known and whose work I have treasured for 15 years is important to this story. It’s an essential collaboration on a play that is essential to my artistic life. Process has to be thoughtful and risky and bold – all within a safe environment.”
Just a few months ago, Still learned the Denver Center Theatre would commission APPOGGIATURA. For Brainin and LAUNCH PAD getting the commission was the next natural step for this play and process. “Crystallizing the idea of a panel I moderated this past October for the National Theatre Conference called ‘The Role Of The University In The Ecology Of New Play Development,’ the preview production of APPOGGIATURA is poised to become a precedent setting project for us. My ultimate goal is for other universities to be excited by this model so that, in a short time, preview productions at universities become a standard way to develop new work in the American Theatre,” said Brainin.
Brainin, at the hub of all this creativity, has extensive regional theatre credits and was hired in 2004 to join the faculty. She immediately began an initiative to bring playwrights of national stature to the University of California, Santa Barbara, working side by side with students, faculty artists and guest artists to create plays.
APPOGGIATURA reflects the LAUNCH PAD mission exactly and director Brainin has assembled a stellar team of theatre artists she has collaborated with throughout her career: Award-winning playwright James Still; scenic designer Nayna Ramey; lighting designer Michael Klaers; and costume designer Devon Painter; complemented by Santa Barbara’s well-known music director, David Potter. APPOGGIATURA is brought to life on stage by faculty artists Irwin Appel and Anne Torsiglieri alongside theater students Andrea Barborka, Chris Costanzo, Ian Elliot, Sophie Hassett, Dominic Olivo, Julian Remulla, and Sachi Tanaka.
Nayna Ramey noted that the LAUNCH PAD approach “forces me to crack open my process.” Ramey spoke about the rich experience of the design team going to Venice to be immersed in the culture of that venerable city. Her set beautifully evokes the canals, gondolas, cafes, campos, palazzos and narrow streets of Venice. She noted, “My backdrops are actually refracted versions of the photos I took while we were there. It’s a tight palette of colors – ochres, reds, golds – and this amazing blue green that dominated the city – it ranged from fresh to ages old and peeling.”
In the design presentation on the first day of rehearsal, costume designer Devon Painter described her clothing as “extensions of the scenery. There’s a sense of timelessness in the clothes worn by the locals in Venice.” She went on to share photos of Venetians to illustrate her point – “women still wear house dresses there – the only things that bring them into the modern world are the accoutrements like a cell phone.” She is also devising ways to integrate masks into the production. Venice is famous for its Carnivale celebration marking the Catholic celebration of Lent.
APPOGGIATURA previews are February 28 through March 9; Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, March 3 @ 2 p.m. - plus there will be conversations with the artists after every performance. The Hatlen Theater is located on the UCSB Campus on Ocean Road. Park in Lot 22 and follow the signs to the Hatlen. Tickets are $17 general; $13 student/senior, UCSB staff & faculty. Box Office hours: Monday – Friday 12 noon to 4 p.m. and one hour prior to all shows. Call (805) 893-7221 or order your tickets online now:https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&w=e57be196cb4285daded2d28aa7053b76
NOTE: Photos will be available after February 15
The Hatlen Theater is wheelchair accessible and has the Assistive Listening System in place for patrons who are hard of hearing. Please call in advance to make arrangements (805) 893-3022
When: February 2 and March 16, 2013, Saturdays 11 am – 1 pm
Where: Plaza Playhouse Theater, 4916 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013
Contact: 805.687.6805 or dramadogsatheatercompany@gmail.com
Cost: $15 One Workshop; $25 Both Workshops
About: DramaDogs does CLASS, Why Body-Centered Acting?
Your body is your instrument in acting, performing and the part of you that is present in every moment. Satiate your theatrical desires through innovative, evocative, professional instruction in classes of Body-Centered Acting; through the disciplines of sensory awareness, imagery and choice. Pilates, Nia and Yoga are integrated in developing your artistry through the embodiment of your practice. You will find your personal style of expressivity, bold creative choices, and releasing fear of judgement!
February 2: Embody Your Body- Breath, Movement & Sound
March 16: Character Revealed- Body-centered Imagery & Action
A workshop for Actors, Dancers, Movers and Curious Theater Enthusiasts!
WHO: UCSB’s Launch Pad - A Preview Production of a New Play
WHAT: APPOGGIATURA By James Still , Directed by: Risa Brainin, Lighting: Michael Klaers, Costumes: Devon Painter, Scenery: Nayna Ramey, Musical Director: David Potter
Starring: UCSB faculty artists Irwin Appel and Anne Torsiglieri with UCSB students: Andrea Barborka, Chris Costanzo, Ian Elliot, Sophie Hassett, Dominic Olivo, Julian Remulla, Sachi Tanaka
WHEN: Thursday, February 28 – Saturday, March 9, 2013 Thurs – Sat @ 8 p.m.; Sunday March 3 @ 2 p.m. WHERE: Hatlen Theater, UCSB Campus, Ocean Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (Park in lot 22)
ABOUT: appoggiatura \uh-poj-uh-toor-uh\ : from the Italian appoggiare meaning “to lean.” In music, appoggiatura is a note of long or short duration sometimes creating a dissonance before resolving into a main note. Appoggiatura is a play about an American family finding itself by completely losing itself. Italy is a good place to do just that.
The Hatlen Theater is wheelchair accessible and has the Assistive Listening System in place for patrons who are hard of hearing. Please call in advance to make arrangements (805) 893-3022
In 2010 the UCSB Department of Theater and Dance formalized LAUNCH PAD, a residency and performance program at UCSB. This program arrived with Risa Brainin when she joined the faculty in 2004. This is the eighth new play that has been produced. Her experience as a director in regional theatres across the U.S. allowed her to create great working relationships with new American playwrights. This exciting initiative offers a professional playwright the chance to fully produce an original work with faculty members and guest artists in a safe environment with deeply engaged students who are hungry to learn how new plays are developed. Prominent writers who have participated in this process at UCSB include Lila Rose Kaplan, Barbara Lebow, Sarah Ruhl, John Walch, Beau Willimon, and Sheri Wilner.
Celebrating its lucky "7th Anniversary Three Pickles Subs & Sandwiches” at 126 E. Canon Perdido Street in downtown Santa Barbara has a special anniversary deal Saturday only, April 27 - only $10 for a sandwich and a beer. Special deal good ALL day from 11am - 4pm - Check out the menu and plan to stop in and wish the staff & owners a tasteful Happy Anniversary.
