Maya Lilly and Her New Theatre Company

Maya Lilly is an actress, playwright – and now the Artistic Director and Founder of the Act Out theatre company, bringing performances of thought-provoking and socially-relevant plays to young audiences across the country. I had the chance to see her show Mixed in Los Angeles (twice!), and if it plays in your area I highly recommend you see it. Take a look at their website www.ActOutPlay.com and the variety of theater experiences they are offering. Let us know if you’ve had the chance to see any of their shows; we’d love to hear what you think. We hope seeing them will motivate you to tell your story!

 


Theatre Review: Closely Related Keys

Closely Related Keys_6Complications and celebrations of the Mixed Experience are in abundance in playwright Wendy Graf’s new play Closely Related Keys. The opening scene features Julia (played with endless energy by Diarra Kilpatrick) mid-orgasm with her boyfriend Ron (Ted Mattison). Julia is African American, Ted is not. Later we meet Julia’s father, Charlie (played by Brent Jennings), who informs Julia that she has a half sister, Neyla – who is Iraqi. Neyla (the impressive Yvonne Huff) needs a place to stay while in New York for an audition at Juilliard, and Charlie announces to Julia – at the worst time possible in her life – that Neyla will stay with her. The playwright is a white Jewish woman, and the director, Shirley Jo Finney, is African American.

Though the opening sex scene feels somewhat gratuitous, what follows is a balanced and provoking representation of cultures, races and intimate relationships colliding and evolving. Graf is not afraid to tackle race, privilege and stereotypes head-on. And while Graf may not have direct experience living within the cultures she represents, her play displays research and caring for those cultures, and for our contemporary struggle with judgement of those we don’t understand (you can hear more about this HERE in my podcast interview with Yvonne Huff). Through light, witty moments, well-developed characters, and touching monologues by Kilpatrick and Huff, Closely Related Keys leaves the audience cautiously hopeful for the future.

find out more about Yvonne Huff’s theatre company here: Lower Depth Ensemble
follow actress Diarra Kilpatrick on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/DiarraOni
follow actor Ted Mattison here: https://twitter.com/tedmattison

Fri, Feb 28 – Sun, Mar 30
Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 8pm
Sundays @ 4pm

Show Calendar

BUY TICKETS
Previews: $15
General Admission: $25
Saturdays: $30
Opening night: $30 (with opening night party)

Special Show Info
Running time: 120 minutes.
There will be an intermission.

Lounge Theatre 1
6201 Santa Monica Blvd
Los angeles, CA  90038
Street Parking
Area Map

Reservations
(323) 960-7774

Cast: Diarra Kilpatrick, Yvonne Huff, Brent Jennings, Ted Mattison, Adam Meir
Director: Shirley Jo Finney
Playwright: Wendy Graf
Set & projection designer: Hana Sooyeon Kim
Lighting designer: Donny Jackson
Music & sound designer: Peter Bayne
Costume designer: Naila Aladdin Sanders
Producer: Racquel Lehrman
Associate producer: Victoria Watson
Presented by Hatikva Productions


Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis

I’ve always wanted to see a show at the Mixed Blood Theatre – whose mission is to invite the global village into its audience and onto its stage for provocative, inclusive, predictably unpredictable and award-winning theater.

Perusing their website, I just noticed that they are currently showing The Sun Serpent, by José Cruz Gonzalez (he was my nurturing and motivating playwriting teacher when I wrote One Drop of Love at Cal State LA). The play runs through March 22, 2014.

Here’s a little more information on the theater from their About page:

With programming in its historic firehouse in Minneapolis, in satellite venues throughout the Upper Midwest, and in the national workplace, Mixed Blood leads audiences to a much larger world, using relevant and entertaining theater to spawn a ripple effect of social change. Winner of numerous awards for its human rights and artistic accomplishments, Mixed Blood pays positive attention to differences and champions access. The company annually serves 75,000 people through its mainstage season of new plays, a regional tour of 5–7 shows, and a series of customized productions addressing workplace inclusion. In 2011, Mixed Blood launched Radical Hospitality, providing no-cost access to mainstage productions.

 


Velina Hasu Houston’s “Cinnamon Girl” Opens 3/15/14

We are enamored by the plays of Velina Hasu Houston – whose work consistently addresses the mixed experience in new and exciting ways, and whose characters are sensitively portrayed with depth and caring. We can’t wait to see her new play Cinnamon Girl.

Let us know if you go, and if you’d like to add a review to our site. More info on show dates and times here: Cinnamon Girl – a new play by Velina Hasu Houston

Here’s more on Velina Hasu Houston: Official Website and an informative Wikipedia page


Paul Robeson Theatre Festival Taking Submissions – until 3/15/14

The deadline has been extended! They are looking for 20 minute plays that address Robeson’s passions: dignity, intelligence, artistry, scholarship in law and music, social consciousness in the arts, his creativity, values, his fierce resistance to inequality and defense of freedom for all, his recognition of the brotherhood of man, his constant struggle against the status quo, all that he stood for, and the price he eventually paid is the stuff of dramatic tension, and it leaves ample room for a myriad of theatrical scenarios. Please note the play need not be about Paul per se but simply inspired by and reflect some of the above mentioned attributes his life and career contained (from the Robey Theatre Company website). Keep us posted if your piece is accepted – we will help promote it! Click here for more info: Paul Robeson Theatre Festival



Closely Related Keys – World Premiere Play Opens 2/28/14

Closely Related KeysClosely Related Keys tells the story of a young attorney whose carefully constructed life begins to crumble with the discovery of an Iraqi half sister who has fled Iraq,  arriving unexpectedly in the U.S.  It’s about love and loyalty, secrets and lies, and how the past , never being dead, just hovers around waiting to smack us upside the head.   Join us for this journey about picking up the broken pieces of the past to imperfectly assemble a new family and future.
Tickets now on sale!
Closely Related Keys Lounge Theatre
6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
In Wendy Grafs World Premiere drama, an African-American attorneys carefully constructed life begins to crumble when she is shocked to discover she has an Iraqi half-sister who comes to the U.S. with a questionable agenda. Directed by the award-winning Shirley Jo Finney.
February 28 – March 30, 2014Box Office:
www.plays411.com/relatedkeys — with AJ Meijer andSandy Joseph.

United Solo Festival Submissions Open DEADLINE 3/3/14

The 5th annual UNITED SOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL

September 18 – November 23, 2014

Theatre Row

410 West 42nd Street, New York City

 

UNITED SOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL™ is an annual international festival for solo performances held in New York City. Through a variety of one-person shows, the Festival explores and celebrates the uniqueness of the individual. Productions are selected from openly solicited submissions and presented at the highly acclaimed Theatre Row in the heart of the New York City theatre district on 42nd Street. Renowned solo performers as well as new talents bring their works in many categories (e.g. storytelling, puppetry, dance, multimedia, documentary, musical, improv, stand-up, poetry, magic, performance art, drama: tragedy or comedy). The artists benefit from being presented by United Solo, a company made up of artists and producers with vast experience in solo performance. Theatre companies are given the opportunity to reach out to the industry, generate income from ticket sales from up to eight performances at the Festival, and receive media attention through previews, profiles, and reviews. Shows are also considered for participation in the exclusive United Solo showcase in Europe, as well as for script publication and other honors at the Festival. Submissions open early in the calendar year, and selected participants are announced in spring.

Official website: http://unitedsolo.org/us/ufest/


Solo Performance Theater Festival – Submissions Open 2/1/14

From the All For One website:

The All For One Theater Festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of solo performance.  The annual Festival takes place in New York City and offers extraordinary solo theater, workshops and panels to increase awareness and appreciation of the form.  After the Festival, the organization works year around to book AFO shows in order to create sustainable opportunities for solo artists and teachers.  AFO also works to create opportunities in education and community engagement for all solo artists. – See more at: http://www.afofest.org/about/#sthash.UC2A5mAN.dpuf