LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEK!

Providence is a hopping musical town. Okay, we're not NYC, but there's a whole lot of music going on: Every week, the Providence Journal puts out a Club Calendar that lists what's going on in the general vicinity: This week, everyone from Youssou N'Dour (Senegalese superstar) to K.D. Lang to Dave Howard and the High Rollers (local swing) to Atwater Donnely (local folk) to Paul Geremia (local blues) to the Village People to the Bozo Porno Circus to the Little German Band to Nathan and Zydeco Cha-Chas are playing. Check out the full listing at http://www.projo.com/music/clubcal (which is updated every Thursday)

Here are just a few selections from the list for the next few days:

JULY 9


--FREE-- Ramatou Diakite, African, Waterplace Park, Memorial Boulevard, Providence. 7:30 pm.

Dirty Deeds, tribute to AC/DC, Gillary's Tavern, 198 Thames St., Bristol. 253-2012. 9:30 pm.

The Fabulous Mills Brothers, rock, Lang's Villa, 47 Mendon Ave., Pawtucket. 729-8115. 9 pm.

Dave Howard and The High Rollers, rhythm and blues, The Room at Waterstreet Cafe, 36 Water St., Fall River. (508) 672-8748. 9 pm. $5.

k.d. lang, country, FleetBoston Pavilion, 290 Northern Ave., Boston Waterfront, Boston. (617) 228-6000, (617) 679-0810. 8 pm. $35-$62.50 advance; $37-$64.50 day of show. Rain or shine.

Ronnie Spector, pop rock, Mohegan Sun, Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711 ext. 7163. 8 pm. No cover.

Young Neal and The Vipers, rhythm and blues, Hungry Tiger, 120 Charter Oak Rd., Manchester, Conn. (860) 649-1195. 9 pm.

JULY 10

Beyond Blonde, rock, Whaling Festival, Buttonwood Park, Route 140, New Bedford. 9-11 pm.

Brass Force, pop, The Hi-Hat, 3 Davol Square, Providence. 453-6500. 9 pm-1 am. $5.

The Calamari Brothers, swing, Rossi's Cafe, Front Room, 1785 Cranston St., Cranston. 943-3196. 9 pm. No cover.

Jason Crumer, Gamspun, Immaculate:Grotesque, Bereft and Furisubi, rock, AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9 pm. $6. All-ages show.

Steve Smith and The Nakeds, rhythm and blues, Roy Carpenter's Beach, 240 Card's Pond Rd., South Kingstown. 783-7418. 9 pm.

The Taran Yelle Band, rhythm and blues, Chelo's Waterfront Bar and Grille, 1 Masthead Drive, Warwick. 884-3000. 7:30-11:30 pm.

Young Neal and The Vipers, rhythm and blues, Harry's, 700 Main St., Hyannis, Mass. (508) 778-4188. 9 pm.

JULY 11

--FREE-- Atwater-Donnelly, folk, Barrington Town Hall lawn, Route 114, Barrington. 257-1925. 6-7 pm. In Middle School if rain.

Blue Cherry Pie, rock, Deerfield Park, Blackhawk Trail, Smithfield. 4-6 pm.

Mary Day, folk, Harbourside Lobstermania, outside, Water Street, East Greenwich. 884-6363. 3-5:30 pm.

Elton Dexter, swing, Cocke 'n' Kettle Restaurant, 5 South Main St. (Route 122), Uxbridge, Mass. (508) 278-5517. 3-7 pm.

Dion, oldies, Mohegan Sun, Cabaret, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (800) 477-6849. 3 pm. $45.

The Killdevils, blues, The Coffee Depot, 501 Main St., Warren. 247-9890. 3-6 pm. No cover.

The Little German Band, pop and polkas, World War II Park, Social Street, Woonsocket. 6-8 pm.

Nathan and The Zydeco Cha-Chas, zydeco, Catfish Grill, 1035 West Shore Rd., Warwick. 739-4564. 5-9 pm. $15.

Nocturne, Bozo Porno Circus, Tung, The Deadites and AbSynthe, rock, The Living Room, 23 Rathbone St., Providence. 521-5200. 8 pm. $10. All-ages show.

--FREE-- Riverfront Concert Series: Vini Ames and Sh-Bop, oldies, Veterans' Memorial Amphitheater, Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket. 6:30-8:30 pm.
The Village People, disco, Mohegan Sun, Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711 ext. 7163. 7 pm. No cover.

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

Every year the Big Apple Circus comes to Ninigret Park in Charleston RI as the second to last stop on their tour. It's a fun time for the circus performers, as it's close to the beach, there aren't too many shows, and the Rhode Island audiences are pretty fun. Big Apple is one of the top one ring circuses in the country, and a non-profit organization to boot! This year the show is July 8-14, and the theme of the show is Carnevale. For information about tickets, times, and all that good stuff, visit this website or call the presenters of the show (The Charleston Chamber of Commerce) at (401) 364-0890

Tall Ships in Newport July 16-19

TALL SHIPS COME TO NEWPORT
JULY 16-19.

First the event was cancelled, then it was on again, then it was cancelled. And now it is on again! Does this sound like a familiar scenario? (Think First Night/ Bright Night last year)


I'm glad to report that another group of stalwart citizens was able to rescue another Rhode Island tradition this year, and that the Tall Ships will sail into Newport next weekend (July 16-19)


Tickets will be $5 for adults, kids under 12 free, and there's all kinds of excitement planned for the event.


The reason it was cancelled originally was primarily security ($500,000 extra, to comply with the enhanced federal security), and the additional costs are being spread out by various state and city agencies.


Folr the full scoop, check out the Warwick Beacon article on what happened. You can also check out the Tall Ships Rhode Island website. And an additional website about the Tall Ships, including photos, is available on the Channel 12 website

Benefit for Jen Swain Theatre Artist, July 24

BENEFIT FOR JEN SWAIN JULY 24

Our current health system doesn't work for artists, and (sadly) here is an example. Jen Swain is a 27 year old theatre artist based in Providence, RI. She is currently on her fourth chemotherapy treatment, but has no health insurance. She is now more than $45,000 in debt, with no clear way how to get out of debt. A group of artists are taking matters into their own hands, and having a fundraiser to begin to help Jen out. While they probably are not going to raise the full 45K at the Perishable Theatre (at 100 seats, that's an average donation of $450), but hey, it's a start. If you'd care to help a young and talented artist through a difficult time, and see some theatre in the process, here's the information: WHEN: Saturday, July 24 at 8:00PM WHERE: Perishable Theatre 95 Empire Street(click for directions) WHAT: Reading of the play: Emma Goldman: A Noise In the Silence written by Tamara Smith in collaboration with Claudia Traub and Deborah Heimann, directed by Jen Swain, and performed by Claudia Traub. and Unremembering a dance piece by Melody Ruffin Ward. HOW:Call Claudia at 401.246.2439 for reservations. COST: Tickets are $15.00 (additional donations accepted) For more information, visit the webpage

ARTIST PENSION TRUST

The Artist Pension Trust (APT) is the first retirement trust program created specifically to provide emerging and mid-career visual artists with long-term financial security. Drawing on the traditional structure of mutual assurance societies, a limited series of APTs comprised of 250 artists each will be formed in cities and regions throughout the US.



Each APT is a non-profit, self-governing entity whose purpose is to provide participating artists with pension benefits. Artist Pension Trust will always seek to carefully balance the long-term career goals of participating artists with professional financial management concerns.



A region-specific selection committee comprised of individuals who are broadly experienced in working with emerging artists will identify artists to be invited to apply for participation in a Trust. The committee will review each applicant's work and select those who will participate in a Trust. Only self-employed artists may participate inAPT.



APT is a barter-based program. Rather than cash, participants will contribute works of art to their Trust, investing 20 works over a 20-year period. Artists will start to receive income 20 years after the inception of their APT.



The New York APT is the first one, but perhaps artists here in Rhode Island can look to starting our own? And if only we could figure out how to make this work for writers and performing artists....



For more information, or to apply for the New York APT, visit the website: http://www.artistpensiontrust.org

A Review of Avenue Q

AVENUE Q REVIEW

Saw Avenue Q last night. Herein is my review and thoughts.


WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!







Overall, I thought it was a very clever , witty , and well-done puppet musical. However, I did not love it as much as I hoped I would, as much as I felt I could have and should have, and I have to say that I left with a bit of a lamentation for the play I glimpsed at , but sadly did not see.

FIRST THE GOOD STUFF

The book is very clever, and the songs are pretty catchy, but not in a particularlly memorable way. The performances were all superb (and I saw the B cast--three of the cast members were not the originals (including John Tartaglia (who plays Princeton and Rod), Jordan Gelber (who plays Brian). The understudies were all excellent, and the main characters (esp. Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Rick Lyons (who also created the puppets) were all very good. Rick Lyons is a great puppeteer and a great singer! And so is Stephanie D’Abruzzo. And the understudy Barrett Foa. In fact, they are all quite good!

THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF (which was still pretty good)

I left the play feeling a little dis-satisfied. It wasn't so much the cost (though at $91.25, I could have bought 4-5 months of NetFlix (30-60 movies easy, or an entire subscription to a small theatre in Providence. If I'd paid half price I would have been very pleased with the value ratio. But hey, that's what Broadway costs, and it was not the price that stuck in my craw so much.



I did not feel that the production lived up to its possibilities, and had a much too narrow scope.

Perhaps I expected too much from the hype, but I really expected it to explode and expose musical theatre traditions in the way that the Lion King did (and I did not like the Lion Kingeither-- but that's a different discussion.



The music was catchy, but not in a particularly memorable way.
The book was very clever and witty, but not astoundingly so.
The characters were drawn well, but weren't more than foam deep.
The plot was okay, but rather sacharine, without lots of surprising twists
. The acting was very well done, but... okay, no buts about it, the acting was just well done! :o)



I felt that the play does not tie up all all of its loose ends in a satisfying way. There were some very interesting concepts, that didn't get explored as far as they should, and just got kind of left behind.



In general, I felt the directors/writers/producers went for the lowest and easiest fruits on the theatrical tree, and never got to the really beautiful and tasty fruit up at the top. So in the end, they've produced a filling and satisfying pie, but it was not the most amazing pie in the world. It was a rather ordinary pretty good pie.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT I MEAN:

A) The show is loosely based on Sesame Street, and some of the parodic trappings were present. (There is a song based on Schadenfreude (pleasure at the misfortune of others) and two TV monitors do a little Schadenfreunde word dance that's pretty funny) But it could have been used in a much more pointed and caustic way, which would have changed our relationship to the characters and even to the unfolding story.


B) Another great concept are these two "Bad Idea Bears" who urge Princeton on to make foolish mistakes. They are half in his imagination (a bell rings everytime they come on) They are a device for comedy (which they should be) but only a device for comedy, and oh too clearly-- their come-uppance at the end was not earned (and their presence and the world they represent was not maximized.) Having them do their thing was great-- but I wanted a suitably evil ending for them (which we did not get)



C) There was one dream sequence where the scale of the puppets is dramatically changed, and you see for one second a gigantic puppet look up and over the whole set. Suddenly the large set is tiny, and the scale of all of our doings is brought into question for that moment. It was a great moment, and I wished that there were 20 or 30 moments of wonder like that (what Daniel Stein would call "Magic Moments"-- flashes of inspiration and virtuosity, where the mind falls in love with the image. But there weren't. Just a lot of funny puppet bits.



I am sounding rather like a negative nelly about this play. It's good,and worthwhile and funny, and you should go, and you will laugh and have a great time. Probably you won't even notice anything of what I've been talking about. Or completely disagree.



But when you get a taste of the great wine, the mediocre to good wine you've got in your glass seems a little vinegary and sour.



I'd love to hear your opinions about it. Feel free to comment in my nifty new "comments section"



LYRICS: www.stlyrics.com/a/avenueq.htm
WEBSITE: avenueq.com

Commedia dell'arte Lecture tonight!

Masks, Comedy, and Biscotti: A Hysterical History of Italian Comedy

Adam Gertsacov, international clown of renown and the current Clown Laureate of Greenbelt Maryland (HEY THAT'S ME!), will give a lecture/demonstration on the commedia dell'arte, a form of Italian improvised comedy from the sixteenth century. The demo will take place at the Marian J. Mohr Library in Johnston RI on Tuesday, June 22 at 7 pm. Admission is free and open to the public. For more info, call 401-231-4980. DIRECTIONS TO THE LIBRARY



Click image for complete press release....

Bloomsday Centenary is Today!

For millions of people, June 16 is an extraordinary day. On that day in 1904, Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom each took their epic journeys through Dublin in James Joyce's Ulysses, the world's most highly acclaimed modern novel.


“Bloomsday”, as it is now known, has become a tradition for Joyce enthusiasts all over the world. From Tokyo to Sydney, San Francisco to Buffalo, Trieste to Paris, dozens of cities around the globe hold their own Bloomsday festivities. As far as I know, Providence has nothing going on for June 16-- Hmmm... Maybe we can change all that?


The celebrations usually include readings as well as staged re-enactments and street-side improvisations of scenes from the story. Nowhere is Bloomsday more rollicking and exuberant than Dublin, home of Molly and Leopold Bloom, Stephen Dedalus, Buck Mulligan, Gerty McDowell and James Joyce himself. The art of Ulysses becomes the daily life of hundreds of Dubliners and the city’s visitors as they retrace the odyssey each year.


Here are some books and other literary things if you are interested in finding out more about Ulysses

PLUCKED STRING FESTIVAL

The Providence Mandolin Orchestra is hosting the Providence International Plucked String Festival on June 18, 19, 20, 2004 in Providence, RI. This festival celebrates the various world traditions of plucked string music as represented by well-known virtuosi from the New England area. Friday evening's performance is being held at The Providence Public Library (Empire Street, downtown) and will feature flamenco music performed by Juanito Pascual on guitar, singer/dancer La Conja and Gonzalo Grau on percussion. This show will begin at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available online or at the door for $10.00. Saturday evening the orchestra welcomes classically trained Richard Berberian playing oud, joined by Mal Barsamian on guitar and Jacob Tanoglu playing kanoon. The trio will perform a selection of traditional Middle Eastern and contemporary repertoire. Saturday evening's concert will also feature the virtuoso playing of Tamara Volskaya, internationally acclaimed mandolin and domra soloist, She will be accompanied by her husband Anatoliy Trofimov on 'bayan' (a Russian button accordian. Get ready for an electrifying performance by these acclaimed international competition winners. This event is being held at the Egavian Cultural Center at Saints Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church on 70 Jefferson Street, Providence, RI on Saturday , June 19, 2004 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available online or at the door for $15.00, $10.00 for seniors and students. For more information, visit The PMO's website

Flea Circus Takes Charleston By Storm!

UPDATE: I made the front cover of the Charleston City Paper!

I'm performing my flea circus at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston.


One of the interesting things about Charleston is that they have a Johnson & Wales University too! When I drove in, I had an eery sense of deja vu!

June 2, I had two preview pieces in two different papers appear. It was flea circus day in Charleston! And then the next day, I had a great review appear in the newspaper. (see below)


My first show was nearly sold out, and the second and third shows were about 75% full.
We'll see what the rest of the week brings, but I'm hopeful that we can up those numbers. I'm told that a lot of people have heard good things about my show.


I've seen 5 very good shows so far, and have tickets for 4 more. (That's the best
part of any festival, is getting to see a lot of other work all at once!)



I'm performing everyday through June 13, so if you have some friends who
are in Charleston, Savannah, or surrounding areas, send them on down!

LISTING: The Acme Miniature Circus, a Victorian style flea circus starring "Midge and Madge, Trained Fleas Performing Spectacular Circus Stunts As Seen Before (and on top of) the Crowned Heads of Europe" Piccolo Spoleto Festival June 2-13 ( June 2,4,6,8,10, 12 at 5:30 pm, June 3,5,7,9,11 at 8 pm and June 13 at 1 pm )at the Chapel Theatre , 172 Calhoun St, Charleston. Tickets are $10-12 and are available through Ticketmaster(call 843-554-6060). For more information, call the Piccolo Spoleto Office 843-724-7305 or visit Piccolospoleto.com or trainedfleas.com. No Dogs or Cats will be admitted to the shows.

Preview articles:

The Charleston City Paper(local free weekly paper)

Charleston Post & Courier Preview (article may require registration to read)

Here's the review in the Charleston Post & Courier.

(It might expire or require registration, so I've included it below)

---

Under the Big Top

A good-things-come-in-small-packages show REVIEW

BY DIANE SPRUNG
Post and Courier Reviewer
Caveat emptor: Before attending the Acme Miniature Flea Circus at
Physicians Auditorium, be aware that the fleas, Midge and Madge, perform in
the nude!

You have been warned. On the safe side, however, do not worry about leaving
with a flea in your ear, because a flea cannot fly -- or is it flea --
flee? Well, whatever, as they have no wings, they jump. Warnings clearly
posted all over warn that positively no dogs will be admitted.

Other notices announce this is "too perversely fascinating to miss." True.
The fleas, please. Ringmaster A.G. Gertsacov hawks his flea market
souvenirs before the show begins claiming, "It's a capitalist country and
I'm just trying to capitalize on it." Half the fun of his show is his
marketing of the mementos. For example, Gertsacov sells miniature programs
measuring 2 by 3 inches for 10 cents, then pushes tiny magnifying glasses
for 25 cents in order to read it. There are other goodies as well.

During the big sales event, a sign over the stage says, "Shhhh. The fleas
are sleeping." The Lord of the Fleas is finally ready and completes his
fashionable flea market, costumed with a flea-bitten mismatched top hat and
tails. Perfect for what's to come.

Audience involvement is a must and adds greatly to the frivolity. We get to
cheer for our favorite flea during a chariot race and "ooh" and "ahh" for
other events. Midge or was it Madge performed an exquisite ballet. Her tour
jetes and passer la jambes during La Valse Bleu are magnificent. Pavlova
would have fled the fleas, envious of such perfection.

Gertsacov recites poetry too. My favorite: "Fleas. Adam had 'em." He also
does a scene from "Hamlet." You know, the famous "To flea or not to flea
..." Of course, Of-fleala is a part of William Fleashpeare's offering.
Wednesday had a full house, so without giving away the entire hilarious
show, flea on over for tickets before it's too late. To see a flea or not
is something only the audience can decide. It runs -- jumps --through June
13.

RISD FLEA FOR ALL SATURDAY MAY 29

RISD Flea For All May 29

Saturday May 29 (Memorial Day Weekend), I'll be presenting two free shows of my award-winning flea circus at the RISD Museum in Providence. This is a rare local appearance of the show, so if you haven't seen it, now may be a good time. Admission is free, but tickets are limited so call RISD to get your ticket reserved early. Shows are at 1 and 2 pm Phone the RISD Museum at 401-454-6674 to reserve your tickets.

Do it early, as there are only about 200 seats, and they are expecting 800 people at the museum that day!

Right after that I am off to Charleston SC, where my show is featured at the
acclaimed Spoleto USA Festival (I'm part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival)
For more information, check out the following URL'S:
http://www.piccolospoleto.com or
http://www.trainedfleas.com/piccolo.pdf(PDF)



As a matter of fact, both the Charleston Post & Courier and the Charleston City Paper have picked my show as Critic's Picks of the Festival!


Tickets for Spoleto are available through ticketmaster
if you happen to be in the area (or know someone who lives down there!

YouthFirst--an International Arts Festival for Kids

June 11 & 12, First Works, the organization formerly known as First Night, will present a Kid's Art Festival. Featured will be the virtuoso of junk music David Knaack, storytellers Len Cabral and Derek Burrows, and the African dance/music troupe Manding Jata. Also on display will be Imagination Market workshops, a Rising Stars Showcase, the Big Nazo Puppets, and lots more. See the whole schedule of events.

Manding Jata Theatre, dance, and musiqe d'Africa June 11, 7:30 PM, June 12, 4:00 PM RISD Auditorium, tickets at the door or at www.artixri.com "Complex Cultural Circus" --Adelaide Adveriser, Australia

QUENCH YOUR PUPPET THIRST--AND GET A KID SIMPLE DISCOUNT!

For tonight Friday, May 21, if you mention the word BFAT at the Kid Simple Box office, you'll get a half price ticket to see the Kid Simple show. Afterwards, if you like, stick around for the 10 pm Blood From A Turnip Puppet Salon-- it will cost you $5 more, but it's quite simply worth it! Great short puppetry bits by some of the top artists in Rhode Island and New England. The lineup includes: Marsian, a transdisciplinary visual & performance artist. Bonnie Duncan/Snappy Dance Theatre Evan O'Television Sasha Rubel and more more more! Don't go without! Quench your puppet thirst!

And in case you wanted to see some more Blood From A Turnip, here's a great engraving by artist David Gilhooly.



Click the artist's name above to find out more about him, or view his gallery online.

KID SIMPLE--LAST TWO WEEKS

WATCH... Our Heroine Journey Toward Certain Death to Save the Planet! LEARN... How One Simple Ear Bone Can Change the World! LISTEN... To the Sound of an Uncertain Heart!
Ends May 29, 2004 Thursdays @ 7pm Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm Sunday May 16 & 23 @ 3pm	Ticket Prices Adults: $20       Students/Seniors: $15 Group Rates Available Tickets Available Through Click Here By Phone: (401) 621-6123 In Person at the ArtTix kiosk  1 Kennedy Plaza, Downtown Providence

BioBlitz 2004 June 18-19

BIOBLITZ

The state's top biologists,ecologists, naturalists, birdbrains, tree huggers, lichen lovers, swamp stompers, bug people, wild flower watchers, snake charmers, moss minders, and all-around natural enthusiasts are going to join together to have fun and celebrate Rhode Island's amazing and beautiful natural history.

BioBlitz 2004 will be held on June 18-19 (3:00 p.m. Friday through 3:00 p.m. Saturday) at the URI W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, one of the state's most beautiful natural areas.

For a special treat this year, scientists and volunteers will be able to stay overnight (without charge) in the cabins at the Environmental Education Center [EEC] (tenting areas are also an option), and Alton Jones staff will be preparing the meals for a very reasonable cost. Space is limited, so register SOON.

The deadline for registration for meals is June 1.

The public component of the BioBlitz will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, at the EEC lodge; the schedule of events for that day will be released soon. Organizations are invited to set up displays; the form is available at the web link below.

Click here to get the registration forms and for more information.

Join BioBlitz 2004 for 1 hour or for all 24 and help explore and celebrate Rhode
Island's fascinating biological diversity!

BioBlitz 2004 is sponsored by:
The Rhode Island Natural History Survey
The Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island
Largess Forestry

Marvin Novogrodski is Out of His Mind

My good friend Marvin Novogrodski has created a great show with his hypnotherapist Doug Vogel. By exposing his own personal and family frailties, Marvin strikes a universal chord among his audience, one that shares in his struggles and realizations. With Doug on board, Marvin's actual therapist, the audience gets to observe hypnosis in action. Script scenes are played directly from therapy sessions.
" It's a captivating combination of thought-provoking wit and poignant soul-baring"
-Johnette Rodriguez, Providence Phoenix.

I've seen the show a couple of times-- it's very very good!

At the Carriage House Theatre, 7 Duncan St, Providence, RI
May 14th and 15th, May 21st and 22nd
Shows at 8 pm
Tickets are $10.

Call 401-831-9479 for more information or to reserve tickets.

SHAKESPEARE IN A HURRY

It's Shakespeare's birthday today, so in honor of that, I'm doing a journal of the latest project I'm in. It's a touring school production of Much Ado About Nothing I'm cast as Don John and Dogberry (the villain and the clown, respectively.) One of the interesting things about this project is that we are going from rehearsal to performance in 4 days (I told you, Shakespeare In A Hurry!) Feel free to ask questions, make comments, or just enjoy my journal. Read my Shakespeare Journal. This Journal is being hosted on The WELL's pre.vue conference, where you can get a free taste of the WELL, the Whole Earth Electronic Link, one of the first online communities. I have been a member since 1991, and am the co-host of the theatre conference. If you like the WELL, and want to join, please do!

THE TRUMP FIRES BUSH

This is a great video using television techniques in perfect ways to point out the failures of Bush and company.

I just hope that Donald will allow it to stand!

Warwick Photographer wins Guggenheim

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation recently announced its 2004 Fellowship winners. Among the 185 artists, scholars, and scientists selected from over 3200 applicants is Paola Ferrario a Warwick resident and photographer and Associate Professor of Art at Rhode Island College.

This is a very prestigious award with an average award of $37,000. The purpose of the fellowship is to further the development of scholars and artists by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge and creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions and irrespective of race, color, or creed.

To see Paolo's online gallery of work, click on the image below.

The Repugnant Story of Clotario Demoniax Teatro Tinglado is a Mexican puppet theatre company that creates puppet shows for adults. Perishable Theatre will host a one-week residency of the internationally known puppet troupe from April 20-24, 2004. The company will present six public performances of The Repugnant Story of Clotario Demoniax, which the New York Times described as "brilliant puppetry and an enigmatic, wickedly funny tale of obsessive love and murder most foul; packed with imagination, invention and, best of all, humor." Demoniax's terrible, often hilarious exploits are played in and around a classic Punch & Judy set by actors working in concert with a host of ingenious props, puppets and other inanimate objects. This material is recommended for adults and high school juniors and seniors. See below for all of the details! (And I'll see you at the show!)

April 20 - April 24, 2004  At Rhode Island College's Foreman Theatre 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI Tuesday, April 20 @ 7pm Wednesday, April 21 @ 7pm* Thursday, April 22 @ 7pm Friday, April 23 @ 8pm Saturday, April 24 @ 2pm* Saturday, April 24 @ 8pm * Shows marked with an asterisk are En Espanol

Ticket Prices Adults: $20 Students/Seniors: $15 Tickets Available Through <Click Here;

AVNER AT TRINITY REP

Four smash-hit engagements at Trinity Rep since 1987 . . . the people have been clamoring for Avner the Eccentric!  Now, for the first time in five years, he's back.  In Exceptions to Gravity, Avner proves that he's one of the world's best thinking clowns, with his one-of-a-kind blend of clever silent comedy, astounding juggling and balancing acts, and audience participation.  With a wry and gentle stage presence, he pokes fun at the foibles we all recognize. The kids giggle and scream. The grownups laugh till they cry!  If you hate mimes, if you think clowns are just for kids, you've never seen Avner the Eccentric. Don't deny yourself! Four shows only! April 8th and April 9th at 7:00PM April 10th 2:00PM and 5:00PM For audiences ages 8 to 108! Funding for Avner is provided in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) as part of the NEA Regional Touring Program.  NEFA receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with additional support from the state arts agencies of New England. FIND OUT MORE AT TRINITY'S WEBSITE

Resist the Right Wing Agenda!

A fantastic parody of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy sponsored by Planned Parenthood, Rightwingeye.com features a flash movie that skewers Pat Robertson, Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh, Jerry Falwell, and Ralph Reed. It's hilarious, timely, and gets to the heart of the matter. I highly recommend it (and you can support the March For Women's Lives. Highly recommended!

MENOPAUSE MAMA TURNS 55!

Local actress Rose Weaver is turning 55, and in honor of that, (and as a way of raising money for the national publicity campaign of Rose's red hot solo show Menopause Mama ( see website), the friends of Rose Weaver are throwing her a birthday party. You should RSVP before April 10 if you want to go. Below is the announcement of the event:

Jazz and Surprise Tributes Hors d'oeuvres, Cash Bar Birthday Cake Kindly RSVP by April 10th. 401-272-3604 TICKETS Honorary Stagehand  $ 55.00 Honorary Director    $155.00 Honorary Producer   $550.00

We Invite the Friends of Rose Weaver to Celebrate and Support the National Launch of "Menopause Mama" This Mama's Just Getting Started. Monday, April 19,2004 6:00pm to 8:00pm The Hi-Hat Club Davol Square Providence, RI Please make checks payable to Waterspill Junction, Inc. (a nonprofit 501c3 company) 1595 Westminster Street Providence, RI  02909

RHODE ISLAND COMEDY FESTIVAL

Tonight through April 3, Charlie Hall, local comedian and originator of the Ocean State Follies, will be hosting the Rhode Island Comedy Festival. The festival will feature an open mike (tonight), an evening of standup (tomorrow night) a Saturday afternoon kid's show, and Saturday evening, excerpts from the Ocean State Follies (and related projects) and improv from Speed of Thought Players.

All performances will be held at the Odeum theatre in East Greenwich. Tickets range from $10-$20 (and if you want to catch all three evenings it's $35 total)

For more info, visit the website, or email Charlie Hall directly, or call him at (401) 353-2408

RISCA APPLICATION DUE APRIL 1

This was a letter from Randy Rosenbaum, director of the Rhode Island State Council On the Arts, that I am passing along as a public service announcement. Hope it helps you!

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The application deadline is Thursday, April 1st. This means that your application has to be in our possession by the close of business on Thursday (that's 4:30pm). Getting it to the post office for an April 1 postmark doesn't count! Also, don't trust that if you put it in the mail to us on Wednesday (to the address listed at the bottom of this message, please) that it will get to us by Thursday!

Click here for guidelines and application forms...

Drive Up, Drop Off, Drive Away

We encourage you to bring us your application before the April 1 deadline, but if you can't you can always "Drive Up, Drop Off, [and] Drive Away". We'll have a "drop-off" table set up on April 1 just inside the Smith Street entrance to One Capitol Hill, and you can drive up near the entrance, park your car (bring a quarter for the meter), and hand-carry your application to us just inside the front door. The "drop-off" table will be manned from 9am till 4:30pm on Thursday, April 1 (be warned: at 4:30 the Capitol Police lock the doors).

If you need application forms or a look at the guidelines, go to the RISCA website for specific information.

Call or email if you have any last minute questions, but keep in mind that the closer we get to the application deadline, the less likely we'll be able to respond (in a timely fashion or otherwise).

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Randall Rosenbaum
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
401-222-3880

AMAZING AMOUNTS OF ASTOUNDING MUSIC IN ANTICIPATION OF APRIL FIRST

FRIDAY MARCH 26TH

at the Middle East (Downstairs)


480 massachusetts ave cambridge, MA
Show starts at 9:30 / $10 advance

Will anyone get out alive? Four great bands in one raucous evening of music of the circus, the sideshow, and the downright bizarre.

1. Beat Science performs new cabaret and circus music with partner-in-crime / special guest Ms Kitty Heels on the singing saw...

2. An old-time revival with the great Reverend Glasseye & His Wooden Legs. The Reverend is now in California furiously approaching his home base of Boston at breakneck speed to unite with His Wooden Legs after an extensive tour and a new record.

3. Amazing accordionist Alec K Redfearn & The Eyesores bring in his band from Providence, a mixture of noirish cabaret music and expert songwriting. Alec and pals made up the bulk of the Amoebic Ensemble, the musicians for the famed Pan-Twilight Circus of which I was a part.

4. One of the most energetic live bands in NYC, Gogol Bordello bring their wild theatrical performance of punk gypsy rock to the Middle East. Call it Ukranian Punk Cabaret, a hard-to-categorize blend of hard-driving Eastern European music with Ukranian Vampire dancers! They must be seen to be believed!

GIRLS NIGHT OUT 2004

19th Annual Celebration of Women's Voices!!

An evening of story and song with some of Rhode Island's finest female artists. Don't miss this opportunity to revel in the amazing women that live right within the immediate vicinity.

Storytellers
Marilyn Murphy Meardon
Carolyn Martino
Valerie Tutson
Cindy Killavey
Raffini
Ghislaine Jean

Musical Guests
The Fiddling Gals: Cathy Clasper-Torch & Mary King
WomanSpiritRising: A Feminist Chorus



WHEN: Sunday, March 28, 2004 7:00 pm
WHERE: RISD Auditorium, 17 Canal Street, Providence
COST: $10 General Admission
$6 Students & Seniors
FREE with RISD College ID!
FREE to RISD Museum Members & Staff!
Tickets Available at Door
MORE INFO: Call 401-351-8090

La Salle Academy Student Film Night

Friday, March 26

Reception at 7:00 pm, show at 8:00 pm

La Salle Academy
612 Academy Avenue
Providence, RI
Brother McKenery Theatre
Fine Arts Center - Lower Level
Admission is Free!


This year La Salle Academy has invited distinguished alumni to participate in the Student Film Night showing film projects they made at La Salle in the senior year film program

Alumni to be included are Al Gomes, Tom Iacono, Mike Izzi, Carl DellaGrotta, Mardo Atoyan, Debra Lopez

Films by La Salle Academy Class of 2004 include:

'Ready or Not' Directed by Tom Paquin

'Pursuit' Directed by Billy DelSesto

'Restitution' Directed by Alessio Cappelletti

'Continuous Cool' Directed by Tom Kane and Shane Alves

Don't miss this opportunity to see early work by some of Rhode Island's top film and video artists!
For more info or directions, call Al Gomes at 401-274-4770.

CONFERENCE ON PERFORMANCE ARTS MEDICINE

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BODY AND EXTEND YOUR CAREER

WHERE & WHEN
Sunday April 4, 2004

9AM-430PM

Festival Ballet, 825 Hope Street Providence RI 02822



The Second Annual New Perspectives Conference on Performance Arts Medicine is designed for musicians, vocalists and performing artists in dance, theatre,skating & gymnastics as well as their teachers, and medical personnel. The goal of this day-long conference is to promote a safer environment (and longer careers) in the Performing Arts and to provide the latest medical and scientific information available to the Performing Arts community. Recent research and some of the most up-to-date therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of movement injuries will be covered.



For the complete schedule and registration information, see
http://www.ridance.com/dancealliance/seminar04.html

You can also email Helene Scheff, Conference Co-ordinator or call her at 401-885-6073 .

You do not have to be in the performing arts or from the medical field, any interested person is welcome to attend.

Pandora Mandolin Quartet Tonight

The Pandora Mandolin Quartet will perform in the Main Gallery at the RISD Museum from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm tonight, Thursday, March 18, 2004. The performance (and admission to the Museum) are free. If you get there early and stay late, you can enjoy the Museum during Gallery Night (which is also tonight!)

The Pandora Mandolin Quartet features Josh Bell and Jerry Miller on mandolin (and mandocello!!), Sarah Bell on mandolin and mandola and Mark Armstrong on guitar. The
performance will include works by Claude Debussey, William Byrd, Percy Grainger, Will Ayton, Harry Woods and Lester Young.

Manton Avenue Project This Weekend

I'm going to be appearing in a show for the Manton Avenue Project this weekend.


The Manton Avenue Project is a replication of the 52nd Street Project in New York. Basically, children write plays that are then performed and directed by professional theatre artists The 52nd street Project has been going since 1981. Jenny Peek, the Manton Avenue Project director, worked in New York with the original, and is now starting a similar project here. This will be the first show.


9 children, ages 8-10, have written plays in a weekend workshop. A group of professional actors, myself included, are going to be in them. The whole evening is entitled And That's the Way It Was . . . Maybe and the shows are supposed to be historically-themed. The play that I am in (Good People by Cameron Holle) is about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. (and you got it, I'm playing Martin Luther King!) Considering that it was written in a weekend by an 8 year old, I think it is a mighty fine play! (actually, it's been quite a pleasure to collaborate with my partners on this play, Laura Wood and Charles Mulewka. I feel like we've done great work, and realized young Cameron's vision of the play while at the same time making a nice little piece of theatre.) I'm sure the rest of the shows will be fun to see too!


WHERE: Brown University's McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown St Providence.
WHEN: Friday March 19 and Saturday March 20 at 7:30 pm, & Sunday March 21 at 3 pm.

COST: The show is free, but seating is reserved. To reserve a seat, call 331-7007

NON-UNION ACTOR'S NETWORK

I just found out about an interesting new organization that has as its goal
to unite non-union actors around the country. It's called the Non-Union
Actors Network, and I think it's a worthy goal. If you are a non-union
actor, think about registering on this website. Right now it seems to be in its infancy, and doesn't offer much, but hey, this is your chance to get involved, and to make something interesting happen. Communities won't unite without somebody starting it off, and it's high time that Non-Union actors share best practices, and further their craft.


Of course, I have to say that given the chance, most actors would probably jump right into the Union (SAG, or Equity) because the unions are pretty much where there's a lot of paying work. But there are plenty of non-union jobs that are respectable, well-paying, and also good art. (or at least 2 out of these 3!)

http://www.nuan.org

Please feel free to pass this on to your friends who are actors.

Photo Opportunity for Providence Women Visual Artists

image courtesy of Women in the Visual Arts Homepage

At 9 a.m. Monday March 15 in the Daphne Farago Wing of the RISD Museum, the
Rhode Island School of Design is assembling Providence women visual artists
and arts leaders for a photo shoot. The photo will be placed in the Live section of the Providence Journal as an advertisement celebrating Providence
Women in the Visual Arts.

Please come! Your participation is essential for the photograph to have impact. And feel free to pass this message on to women artists you know in Providence.

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

The Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium (forever in my mind the Trinity Rep Conservatory) will present three Shakespeare shows as part of their mid March festival.

I'm a graduate of the Conservatory, and these performances are usually great. Shows are usually inventive, creative, low-budget, and focused on the acting. Great stuff (and you can't beat the price.)

If you plan on going, you must make reservations.

Here's the schedule:

The Winter’s Tale
Directed by: Laura Kepley
Where: Perishable Theater, 95 Empire St., around the corner from Trinity Rep
Preview: Thursday, March 11, 7:00 pm
Performances: Friday and Saturday, March 12 & 13, at 8:00 pm, Sunday March 14 at 2:00 pm
Reservations (required): (401) 521-1100, ext. 106
Admission: Pay-what-you-can


Twelfth Night
Directed by: Michael Goldfried
Where: Perishable Theater, 95 Empire St., around the corner from Trinity Rep
Preview: Thursday, March 18, 7:00 pm
Performances: Friday and Saturday, March 19 & 20, at 8:00 pm, Sunday March 21 at 7:00 pm
Reservations (required): (401) 521-1100, ext. 106
Admission: Pay-what-you-can

The Girlhood of Shakespeare’s Heroines
Directed by: Thom Jones, Consortium Director of Voice and Speech
Where: Trinity’s Henderson Studios, Aborn St., across from the theater
Performances: Saturday, March 20, at 5:00 pm and Monday March 22 at 8:00 pm
Reservations (required): (401) 521-1100, ext. 106
Admission: Pay-what-you-can

And Then...

Coming to the Carriage House Theatre on March 12, 13, 19 and 20, are two one act plays written and directed by David Eliet, featuring Bob Jaffe and Laura Hitt. David Eliet was my instructor at the Trinity Repertory Company, Laura Hitt was in my class, and Bob Jaffe is a very good local actor. All in all, it looks to be a pretty excellent evening of theatre!

The first one act Day After Day After Day was the winner of the 2002 Whip City Radio Drama Award. The play involves an Old Man and an Old Woman trying to reconstruct the exact events of the day that changed their lives and bound them together forever. The second play, Shadows 1959 is based on the true story of Jan Flimel, a Slovak businessman, who rescued over 200 Jewish people during The Holocaust. Following the war Jan was disappeared for two years by the Communist Government, which refused to even acknowledge that he was being held as a prisoner. After his release, Jan waged his own private war against the shadows that shrouded Czechoslovakia and the other Eastern Block countries. Shadows 1959 , which is the second part of a longer work,Two Fugues and an Aria, was presented at the Denver Theatre Center's TheatreFest 2001 and has been produced at Engagement Arts in New York City. And Then... will be presented at the Carriage House Theatre on March 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets cost $15.00 and can be be reserved by calling (401) 831-9479. The Carriage House Theatre is located at 9 Duncan Avenue in Providence, off North Main Street. You can also visit The Carriage House Theatre's website

Stone Soup is Back!

After some fears and worries whether or not Stone Soup could survive the economy, apparently they have weathered the storm and are back to please us with some of the finest folk music in all the land.

Check out www.soup.org for a complete listing of what's coming up, but you should definitely check out March 6, when a double bill of New England Weather and Phil Edmonds, Otis Read, and Cathy Clasper Torch will rock the house. Phil, Otis, and Cathy all played at Bright Night, and the reports were just stellar. Find out more about Otis at Otisread.com

THE BRIGHT NIGHT ANIMATED BANNER

PROVIDENCE CRAIG'S LIST OPENS!


Amazingly, the free and very successful classified ads site Craigslist has come to Providence. Right now, no one knows about it, so not much action. Hopefully we can change all that!

http://providence.craigslist.org

The Reason I Haven't Been Posting

For those of you that have been following the Blog closely, you may have noticed that it's been a month since my last Post.


Here's why:

I've become the Director of Bright Night Providence, a new New Year's Festival in the tradition of First Night Providence. On December 31, we'll have over 100 performers in 18 venues throughout downtown. So as you can imagine, I've been a bit busy! Tickets go on sale on December 1 at ArtTixRi.com and at all Bank RI locations. So I hope to back in the blog writing business sometime in early January. (I may do occasional updates, but nothing major.) Meanwhile, I hope to see you on Bright Night!