The Actors' Gang

“Cancel your subscription to earth.”

2009-11-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

Last week I witnessed an event that encapsulates the entire spirit of the WTF?! Festival. It was a performance by a group of Los Angeles teenagers called Get Lit! There were no joints or benzadrine- The “Lit” refers to Literature and more specifically what these explosive and rising voices care about is poetry. A few generations ago the idea was “tune out” but this crew challenges its audience to “tune in.”

“I should have called instead of updating my status on social network
sites, no I am not well, yes I am struggling,…

Gone are they, the days of coming by with chicken noodle
Now I would rather send you an e-caldron of broth via face book…

But I give you my poetic word that I dying to live again.
and just be.” (excerpts from Humanity by Azure Antoinette, Get Lit! Artistic Director)

There is some classical poetry in their repertoire. The list of “classical” poets is outside my limited knowledge on the subject. We heard the ripping words of Carol Muske-Dukes, Claude McKay, Joy Harjo, Sekou tha Misfit, Robert Pinsky and others. From that list how many people know who the poet laureate of the United States is? Of California? I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea.

But this wasn’t a class room. The walls of the old substation reverberated and chimed with the clear and steady toll of students laying it out. Line by line. On subjects that mean something to them. Some poems that I heard were over 50 years old and I had no idea because it seemed like they came straight from the diary of these fearless fresh faces.

Each performer torched the stage with insights on the struggle and pain of being young. The cultural images of wealth all around. The eccentricities of Los Angeles. The empty homes, the shallowness, the loneliness that is high school.

I was on the edge of my seat. All night. (Full disclosure: while training at the Actors’ Gang we often sit on the edge of our seats to give our focus and energy to the performers on stage). I only saw one fool snapping his fingers in the audience. You see, these poems mandate foot stomping and shouts as a justified response.

The performance is just as fascinating at the choice of poems. There is a range of age and experience in the group. From program graduates- who are off at college- to younger “greener” members. On this night we witnessed the newest and youngest player perform for the first time. His selection was a remarkable original composition. One of his older poet performers asked “Why is he such a genius?”

If you attended this performance you would have witnessed both the group and individuals make new discoveries with each performance. The older members are confidant of their ability to grab an audience. They use polished gestures and have developed a few satirical characters for comedic effect. What the younger crew lack in swagger they make up for it with their choice of poems and sincerity to the words. This is the group’s strength and staple.

Their performances were almost anti performances. The emphasis of the language and the rawness of their presence was totally engaging. Actors’ Gang founding company member Ned Bellamy said after the show “For actors, If you don’t steal from them you’re crazy. Notice their hands. They were so relaxed. Just by their side.” Their focus and intensions were passionate and playful.

The night lacked a tedious theatricality one might expect from a high school group. It’s not a play. It’s an experiment for these students of language to see if they can get it all out and if we can hear it. While there’s may be the usual cadence of today’s spoken word, the youthfulness and perspective of the Get Lit! Players add shoot-the-moon high stakes that has been absent from my previous exposure to live lyrical expression.

There is an immediacy for each of them. Their influences are upfront. They are not pretending. One of the original poems that was performed was about a broken relationship of a mother and a father who shared custody of the son. The mother was in the audience and of course gave her son a ride home after the show.

Tim Robbins, Artistic Director and curator of the WTF?! Festival, spoke with the students before they went up. He chilled with them and tried to make them feel welcome to the theatre. The conversation skipped from where they lived to their involvement with the Get Lit! program. He then told them what it is we do at the Actors’ Gang. Tim urged these young students to seek out the truth. He admitted it can sometimes be hard to know what it is. But ultimately, a truth told to a few people has more power to change than a lie told to millions.

As the students listened in silence and they readied themselves for their impending performance, the WTF?! Festival became quite clear: as we navigate our way out of a politically Orwellian nation state where war is peace, we need to continue questioning ourselves and challenging each other to notice the connections, even the smallest ones. To perceive the ordinary though the extraordinary. And dance in the face of despair.

The Get Lit! Players agree. Collectively they performed the words of Sekou tha Poet: “I want to be life./ I want to make things grow, and move, and breath, and reproduce, and respond. / I just want to make things respond and react and rejoice and relax and relate and release and receive as soon as I recite.” I can’t help but smile about one of the poet’s recent Twitter posting “Chillin in the green room with Tim Robbins at the actors gang gettin ret for the show. Lovin life.” Lovin’ life indeed. Get Lit! comes back to the Actors’ Gang this Thursday, November 12. Tickets are pay what you can.

WTF?! Photos week 2

2009-11-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ok so we are running a little behind on these photos.

Saturday October 24. Jackson Brown. What a night. It was a family vibe. Jackson's son Ryan played along with Tim Robbins and his son Miles. Not to mention friends and family of the Actors' Gang. It felt like the Ivy Substation transformed into a laid back living room. These music nights are turning out to be very chill.

Saturday October 24. Closing matinee performance of The Need To Know: A Veteran's Journey from Fear to Freedom. Here is a photo of a talk back after her final matinee performance. There were veterans, students, friends and new friends who stuck around to hear what April had to say about her life and her art. In the park no less!

Friday October 23. Closing Night of Death and Giggles. Lots and lots of balloons... This wacky show was a co production with Three Chairs Theater.

Pictured from left to right (front) are performers Eleanor Van Hest, Jessica Erskine, Daisuke Tsuji, Cristina Bercovitz , (back) crew Seth Compton, and Josh Zeller.

Wednesday October 21. The Aristocrats with filmmaker Paul Provenza. This movie is vile. And ridiculous. Paul Provenza spoke afterwards but not before Rick Oveton entertained us with some jokes and Billy the Mime performed "Thomas & Sally-A Night At Monticello."

Pictured left to right Emery Emery, Rick Overton, Paul Provenza, Tim Robbins, and Billy the Mime. So, what's YOUR act called...?

Tuesday October 20. Filmmaker Emily Kunstler screened a documentary about her father, the revolutionary lawyer William Kunstler. He was a far out guy who was involved in some interesting and important cases. Their film will be showing again in LA at the NuArt starting November 20th.

WTF?! Festival

2009-10-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Looking back at week one. It was a wild start to the WTF?! Festival. The line up is huge. If you haven't heard what were doing click the links to the right to peep the schedule. We'll be releasing photos daily through Twitter @theActorsGang. Keep your eyes open for special announcements.

The format is this: Free documentaries on Tuesday nights, comedy film screenings, and we just finished two theater pieces; "The Need to Know" and "Death and Giggles." Coming up ahead there will be literature nights, dance troups, and a Jonny Cash tribute comedy cooking show. Each week ends big with an amazing line up of music theough December including Serj Tankian, Jenny Lewis, Ben Gibbard, Tom Morello, and John Doe. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. Take a look at some photos from the first week.

Ahhhhh, The D. Did you know that Jack and Kyle first met at the Actors' Gang? They gave back in a huge way by capping off week one of the WTF?! Festival.

Free screening of documentary "Sir, No Sir!" Filmmakers and veterans were in attendance for questions and a discussion about the film. From Left to right: April Fitzsimmons, Tim Robbins, David Zeiger (Filmmaker "Sir, No Sir") , Michael Prysner (Iraq Veteran's Against the War), and Fabain (Navy Veteran).

Sarah Silverman might be the funniest woman alive. We screened her movie "Jesus Is Magic." Along with filmmaker Liam Lynch she took questions and spoke about the film. She also came back for a visit during the Tenacious D set to regale us with a few tunes.

We will have more photos to share with you very soon. But you should come down to the Culver City to experience these events for yourself. The Actors' Gang has been performing in Los Angeles and around the world for 28 years now. Artistic Director Tim Robbins came up with the idea for the festival when he was told that it would be safer for him and the future of the company if we did not produce anything for the next few months. "We're not very good at doing nothing." Instead of boarding up the theatre, the doors are being flung wide open. Hope to see you around.

Death and Giggles + Sock and Shoe

2009-09-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Actors' Gang and Three Chairs Theatre Company take us on an eclectic, kinetic, and exciting night of edge of your seat frivolity featuring former Cirque du Soleil performer Daisuke Tsuji.

The evening begins with Soul Mate, a lonely shoe's search for his perfect pair. Brought to life through found object puppetry, this charming and poetic love song leaves us bittersweet and hopeful. Death and Giggles transports us to the absurd world of the afterlife, mixing sock puppets, clowning, dance, and balloons to tell the story of one man's transcendent journey. This visceral performance pulsates with humor and joy even as it delves into our darkest questions of mortality and joy.

Limited Engagement!
September 18 through October 23
"Late Start Fridays" at 9 pm and
Saturdays at 8 pm (9/19, 9/26, 10/10)

TICKETS:
Reserved Seating: $15 Students/Seniors: $10
Present a dinner receipt from a Culver City restaurant and get $10 tickets at the door (call for details).

Co-created by Daisuke Tsuji and Cristina Bercovitz
Sound design by Jonathan Snipes
Light design by Francois-Pierre Couture
Puppet design by Cristina Bercovitz and Shannon Kennedy
Featuring Cristina Bercovitz, Jessica Erskine, Daisuke Tsuji, and Eleanor Van Hest

This show is rated 'B' for potential balloon humping.

The Need to Know

2009-09-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Need to Know: A Veteran's Journey from Fear to Freedom is the LA Weekly Award-winning coming of age story written and performed by April Fitzsimmons and directed by Steven Anderson.

A former Air Force intelligence analyst and "irresistible presence" (Los Angeles Times), she brings audiences along on her personal, 20-year, all-American journey from warrior to peace activist. Joining the military at age 17, the young recruit believes that serving her country will make a difference in the world; instead, she discovers lies and deception. Traveling from a Montana jail, into the United States Air Force, through the halls of the National Security Agency and down to the beach with the Arlington West Memorial, hers is an unforgettable transformation. Join April and guests for a Veteran's Forum following most shows.

September 17 - October 24 (No performance 10/3, No forum 10/17 & 10/24)

Running Time - 90 minutes - No intermission
Special Discounts for Students, Seniors and Student
Groups - ask the box office when you call

All Vets are FREE with Military ID

2009-08-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

THE TRIAL OF THE CATONSVILLE NINE
Poet Priest Daniel Berrigan's Historical Drama
Directed by Jon Kellam
FOUR PERFORMANCES ONLY!!! AUGUST 27, 28, 29 AND 30

"GO!... an impassioned argument for following the dictates of one's conscience." - LA Weekly

"A PHENOMENAL ENSEMBLE of actors... This may be a courtroom drama, but it's about America itself." - Back Stage

2009-06-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

"Goodbye to clocks ticking- and my butternut tree! and mama's sunflowers-" final two performances of Our Town July 10 & 11 2009

Our Town is Extending to July 11th

2009-06-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Come to the Actors' Gang production of Thornton Wilder's classic play.

"beautiful" ... "meaningful" ... "terrific"

Tickets are still available for this weekend. For tickets go to www.theactorsgang.com

There will not be a matinee performance on Sunday June 14. The theatre will also be dark for the weekend of June 18-21. Shows will resume again on Thursday, June 25 and run until July 11.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8:00PM and Sunday matinees at 2:00PM
Tickets are $25.00, Students and Seniors $20.00, Children under 12 $10.00

The Reviews Are In For Our Town

2009-05-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

LA Weekly - Go

"This is a beautifully rendered and moving Our Town."
Full review

Backstage West - Critics Pick

"After 71 years, Our Town remains vibrant and meaningful—and after 28 years, so does the Actors' Gang." Full review

Culver City Observer

"I will simply state now- go see it, it can change your life...Some have called Our Town possibly 'the great American play.' I could not agree more and the Actor's Gang's interpretation and performance was flat out terrific. Kudos to all the cast, crew and staff for their excellence."

Shagehappenings

"No subtly in the text is missed, it is exposed, and the play’s humor, tension, and humanity is fully realized as if blowing dust from the cover of an old, but favorite book."
Full review

Examiner

"The Actors' Gang brings a fresh Our Town to Culver City."
Full review

Jesther Entertainment

"...we should value each and every moment, and it is in this transcendental sense that I cherish the experience of seeing the Gang’s thought-and emotion-provoking production of this classic."
Full review

Buzzine

"If you’ve never seen Our Town, you must."
Full review

Klüb Wins Best Revival

2009-04-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

The 30th Annual LA Weekly Awards were held and Klüb was announced as the Revival Production of the Year (of a 20th or 21st century play). Director Mike Schlitt (hogging the microphone), baldy playwright Mitch Watson, and cast members who attended the event are pictured above accepting the award.

The theme of the ceremony was 1950's. Recent Klüb escapees Madam Verona and Hank the Human Acid Tank are pictured here(photo by Timothy Norris). Madam V is in a dazzling blue dress and Hank the Human Acid Tank is sporting this outfit from his recent audition for I am Cuba: The Remake. Both are following their dreams. For a full listing of winners visit LA Weekly online.

Congratulations you freaks. It was a team effort.

Catonsville Extends 1 WEEK!

2009-03-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

The Trial of the Catonsville Nine is extending one week and will now close March 28th.

Don't miss post show talk backs with cast members and special guests.

Sunday 3/1 after the 2pm show: David Zeiger - Director of "Sir No Sir" http://www.sirnosir.com/

Sunday 3/15 after the 2pm show: Blase Bonpane - Activist and Director of the Office of the Americas

October 1968

2009-02-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

Read the review at LAist Photo by Kim Zsebe

Trial of the Catonsville Nine

2009-02-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

GO! THE TRIAL OF THE CATONSVILLE NINE In May 1968, Father Daniel Berrigan (Andrew E. Wheeler ) and eight other peace activists seized 378 draft documents and publicly burned them with napalm to protest the Vietnam war and other American government atrocities. Drawing on court transcripts, this play is an account of their trial, which ended in conviction and prison terms for all defendants. The script — Saul Levitt’s stage adaptation of Berrigan’s original verse rendition — lays out an impassioned argument for following the dictates of one’s conscience, even when it involves breaking the law. Each defendant relays what spurred them to take action: a nurse (Paige Lindsey White) who witnessed American planes bomb Ugandan villages, burning children, a couple in Guatemala (Patti Tippo and George Ketsios), who saw American money used to outfit the police while peasants starved, an Alliance for Progress worker (Corey G. Lovett) who became privy to CIA machinations in the Yucatán. Taking it all in is the presiding judge (Adele Robbins). Her sympathies, reflecting ours, lean toward the defendants, even as she rules against them. Under Jon Kellam’s direction, cogent performances successfully counteract the script’s didactic language and cumbersome progression, even though Robbins’ performance lacks nuance. Perhaps most disturbing is the piece’s reminder that the aggression and subterfuge of the Bush administration constituted not a reversal of past policy but a radicalized extension of it. Actors’ Gang at the Ivy Substation Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through March 21. (310) 838-4264. (Deborah Klugman)

Scrooge Must Die! and He Will

2009-01-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

Scrooge must die this weekend for real. The show will be closing on Saturday night. We have three more performances Thursday - Friday - Saturday 8:00PM. Don't miss it!

2008-12-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

Harold Pinter, playwright, actor and political activist, dies aged 78.

(pause)

Merry Christmas.

Click below to hear Mr. Pinter's Noble Prize acceptance speech.

Art, Truth & Politics

Scrooge Must Die!

2008-12-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

Only 10 Shows Left!

Here it is. That dirty something for the holidays. Come check out Actors' Gang retelling of Charles Dickens' classic tale A Christmas Carol. The play tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge—the misanthropic, greedy, f---ing prick. With the current administration on the way out these kind of jerks are all over the place- in politics, in business, in our own families, and even in ourselves. Especially in ourselves. We all have inside of us a little version of Scrooge. If you haven't already busted a liver from holiday partying come bust a gut down at the theatre. And don't bring the little ones. This is not Scrooge McDuck it is more like Scrooge McDick. Check out the video on our youtube channel before you buy your tickets so you cant say we didn't warn you...

2008-11-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

Members of The Actors' Gang explored the subject of racism in America through an original workshop production titled "I'm not a racist, but..." It was conceived and directed by longtime company member Cynthia Ettinger. The goal of this workshop was to develop the play for future audiences and to engage those who saw it in dynamic conversations about the larger issue of separatism. The workshop was presented in October and November - right through the election. In this politically charged environment audiences were hooked by the immediacy of the work . Both the historical significance of the presidential the election and the closed mindedness surrounding Proposition 8 worked their way into the piece. “I’m not a racist, but…” achieved it's goal and got people talking after every show. This is our community.

The Actors’ Gang is a place that embraces civility, tolerance, and humility. It is no surprise that both theatre and democracy were invented at the same moment in time in ancient Greece. This play was created through empathy: the act of walking in someone else’s shoes. Democracy is created the same way. Politicians walk in our shoes; they represent us. That is what we are doing at the theater. That is what we voted for November 4th. That is what change is all about. To find out more about the future development of this show please join the facebook group "I'm not a racist, but..." @ the Actors' Gang

Bury the Dead Extended

2008-09-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

This summer Matt Huffman directed a huge cast in "Bury the Dead" by Irwin Shaw. This play was on the mind of the the Actors Gang since last fall when we had a reading and workshops within the company. This time around the show extended two weeks beyond its slotted run largely due to the positive reviews. Click here to check out what our friends at flavorpill had to say. Or you can read the full Los Angeles Times “Critic’s Choice” review here. "At a time when the U.S. is still reeling from the effects of its wars in Vietnam and Iraq, Shaw’s play possesses a raw power, but it never lets us forget that it’s delivering a message... Matthew Huffman’s somber production is terrific, and so is his cast." "Go" LA Weekly.

2008-08-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

King O'Leary cast photo
photo by Kim Zsebe

King O'Leary: Opening Weekend!

2008-08-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our third annual children's shakespeare show has arrived! King O'Leary, a hilarious adaptation of the Bard's tragedy, King Lear, just opened this last weekened. All shows are completely free and are performed in the park right next to our theatre in Culver City.

I won't give too much away, except to say that the story is now set in the old wild west gold mining community of Boomtown. The characters and plot stay true to the classic play while putting a comedic twist on the story. The kids loved it, and the adults laughed their heads off, too. Check it out! ... and watch out for the buffalo.

Finally, we'd like to extend a special thanks to the James Irvine Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, Sony Pictures, The Culver City Redevelopment Agency, and The City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs for making this free program possible.

King O'Leary

2008-08-07T11:44:00.001-07:00

As we make the final preparations for the opening of our free park offering this year, I thought I would share a video compilation of last year's piece, "Titus the Clownicus." Enjoy!

If you want to see this year's play, "King O'Leary," it will be running every Saturday and Sunday at 11am starting this Saturday, August 9, in Media Park and closing August 31. Bring the whole family and share in the fun!

Summer Camp: Part Deux

2008-07-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Summer camps are officially over, and let me tell you, the pre-teen camp, with seventeen kids ages eight through twelve, was a whole different animal. If the Teen camp was roadrunner, starting off at an amiable pace and picking up speed every day, peaking with an explosive performance on Friday, the kids camp was a crazed wolverine fresh out of the cage, with way more energy than seems natural to most interns, like yours truly. That said, it was a very likeable crazed wolverine.

The teen summer camp's lunch time supervision( if you could call it that), consisted of chilling in the park, talking about stuff like favorite movies and shows. PRE-teen summer camp lunchtimes were something like this:

ME: "Alright, everybody, stay on that side of the counter and I'll hand you your lunch."
KIDS: "I want to get it myself!"
ME: "No, I'll hand it to you. Okay, who has the green cooler."
KIDS: "Mine! That's mine!" "Look, I can jump over the counter!"
ME: "No, don't do thattt.... Okaaaay. Just, get back on the other side."

Later, as I'm doing one of my head counts, something I did once about every 2 minutes.

KIDS: "Hey, can I go over there?"\

ME : "No, you have to stay in the park."
KIDS: "Johnny's over there."
ME: "What?! Johnny, get back here!"
KIDS: "When are the other kids gonna get back from IN'n'Out?"
ME: "When Vanessa brings them back."
KIDS: "I wanna get In'n'Out." "I have to go to the bathroom!"

Yes, the constant energy of the campers never ceased to impress me. One of the most interesting tasks presented itself in the form of helping the kids get cleaned up after they finished painting their own set; trying to clean their hands off outside with a garden hose and a spay nozel. One girl approached me, rubbing her cup of blue paint all over her hands and up her arms like it was soap.

"Hi. I kept on putting paint on me, that way it won't dry and it comes off easier."
".... I don't think it works like that."

But despite all the crazy, often high-stress level situations the campers got into, it was a lot of fun helping the Actors' Gang teachers with the camp. And it was never boring. My favorite part of the week came when I got to assist our Poduction Coordinator, Francois Pierre, as he taught the kids about stage lighting. With every new design he threw on the wall with a gobo'd spotlight, with every new color or effect he created with different gels, the kids would go crazy.

"WHOA!!! DO THAT AGAIN!"
"NEAT! That was SO Cool!"

And it really was cool. The kids loved the camp, and I could tell when I watched their performance on Friday, along with all their parents and some grandparents, that they had really gotten a lot out of it.

Prize of Hope Video

2008-07-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a video that Simon Anthony created to show in conjunction with the awards ceremony when we were given the Prize of Hope.

And here is some streaming video from the Awards Ceremony

Summer Camp Part 1

2008-07-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hi again. It's Alex, here at the Actors' Gang, and as of today we are halfway into our first week of Summer Camp. This week is strictly teens, while two weeks from now we have another theatre camp for pre-teens.

I got here on monday at 9 a.m, quite a switch from working mostly nights for the past couple weeks on 1984. After barely seeing Vanessa for three weeks, it was great to see her again. She's in charge/ the mastermind behind the two Summer Camps. Plus, I was glad to be working at the theatre in Culver City again.

Vj and Justin are teaching the morning sessions and I got the chance to sit in on a little bit of that. Right away the teens got acquainted with the Commedia Del Arte characters that the Gang trains with every Sunday in workshop. It was a welcome reminder to me too, having already forgotten a lot of what I'd learned about Commedia after my USC finals this spring. After that the campers selected a character they were going to portray over the course of the week (Harlequino, Columbina, Brighella... etc.), they went on to pick what they wanted for costumes and makeup.

Watching the camp, and seeing the campers really start to grow as actors has been great, and it's definitely been a learning experience for me, too. The whole thing's giving me the acting bug again.

I take my lunch break at the same time as the campers, too, and have found out they're all really cool kids. Topics of discussion range from favorite movies to what shows they've done to what they're learning to which famous celebrities we've randomly seen around the city. Plus, I've been putting a good word in for USC (despite my afformentioned History of World Theatre amnesia, it's an amazing school). Gotta show them the light before the Bruins here get to 'em first.

The Prize of Hope.

2008-07-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! It's the intern again.

Happy to say that 1984 closed strong at the Redcat, with many sold-out shows the last weekend and a remarkable guest speaker: Gore Vidal. Gore was surprisingly hilarious and predictibly brilliant as he lectured on the destruction of our constitution and the decay of our nation under the current administration. He closed with a morbid tale about Benjamin Franklin: When our Constitutionion was first drafted, he recounted, Franklin stated that throughout history, Republics such as the one defined under our Constitution failed within a short time due to the corruption of the people.

... (Silence for about five seconds. One thousand one. One thousand two... Then, FINALLY, thunderous applause.) It was a disurbing tale from a brilliant man.

After our final show on Sunday, Mia took over and we had a surprisingly quick strike of the set. I said auf wiedersehen to my parnter in crime Annetta, and to Erica, agreeing that we would all reunite one day for corn on the cob and sour kraut.

But while I was away, apparently, some prestigious things have been happening at the Actors' Gang. In June we garnered The Prize of Hope, from Denmark’s Institute for Popular Theatre! The Prize of Hope is awarded to a person or theater "who has worked for human hope in a daring, loving, vulgar, serious, poetic manner with sparkling energy" and is given to "those who encourage people to use their own eyes, ears and voice." YEAH! Vanessa, Justin, and Actors' Gang founding members Cynthia Ettinger and Tim Robbins flew up to Blue Lake, California to accept the prestigous award (pictured above) on June 21st.

It's also a very unique award, as the Institute created the mask specificallly to be an embodiment of what they felt the Gang represents.

I think it looks a little like Voltron. Or a Tic-Tic from 10,000 B.C., not that I'm admitting I saw that movie.

In other news our annual Summer Camp began on monday, this one for teens, and it's going great. More on that later...

1984 @ Redcat! Down With Big Brother!

2008-06-25T15:30:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody! It's the intern again, reporting to say we're finished with our first successful week of 1984 @ the Redcat Theatre. Only 2 more weeks left, so get you're tickets while you can.

Working on this show has been quite the experience. The first day in the space a rag-tag team of actors and myself were able to erect the entire set in only a few hours (under Mia's careful tutelage). We were like Gremlins, but opposite. That's right, Snilmergs.

And the theater, located right under the Disney Concert Hall, is an incredible space. The lobby ain't half bad either, complete with a bar which usually has one or two actors hunched over it before each show. JK. While I'm working backstage with the lovely Annetta (a designer with the Gang hailing from Germany, who's also crewing the show) Intern numero dos, or uno, depending on which one of us you ask, anyway his name is Will, is in the back of the house running the sound for the show. I don't want to spoil the magic of theatre for you too much, so I'll just say that the show is a terrific ensemble piece with just the right amount of technical magic and spectacle (provided in part by yours truly).

Another perk to the show is that if you catch it on the right night, you'll get to experience a talk-back from the actors and possibly a guest speaker. Probably the most insightful was
John Dean, a man who was White House Counsel to the Nixon administration during Watergate, and author of the 2004 book, Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush. Looking for a chance to passionately talk politics with a friend of the opposite party? Chances are this show could spark it. But whether you're a political enthusiast or just want to see a play involving brainwashing, a futuristic dystopia, sex, violence, and all-in-all a profound examination of what it means to be human, this is the one for you. Check it out!

The Internship- 1st week.

2008-06-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

(06/13/08)

So this is my first entry as the new intern here at the Actor’s Gang, and I’m pleased to say it’s been one exciting first week. I arrived for my first day on Tuesday to find the theater filled with people working on all sorts of things. I met with my boss, Vanessa, who showed me to my desk upstairs, in one of the funkiest offices I’ve ever seen. I quickly met all the regulars here, including Greg, Mia, and Joel, and knew right away this was gonna be a fun place to work. Later on as I was working on the mailing, advertising 1984 and KLUB I looked over and saw Kristen Chenowith getting made up in one of the dressing room chairs. Whaaaaa? Apparently she was shooting in the theater for some show that’s going to be shown in New York. Pretty good start to a first day. Just as we were finishing up with the mailing I got another job offer:

“So, would you be interested at all in crewing 1984 at the Redcat these next couple we-.”

“-YES.”

Next thing you know I’m heading over to the National Wushu headquarters to be on book for the actors as they rehearse 1984 in this expansive black box-esque space. Oh, and I met the director, Tim Robbins, or Tim, as I like to call him when I’m bragging to my roommate about my new internship. The rest of the week has been about the same: Working the first half of the day at the Actor’s Gang in Culver City, then going to help with rehearsal of 1984 for the second half. I also met Erica, a fellow Nebraskan now currently living in LA, who's stage manager on the show. We reminisced about corn and Husker football. It was great. But what was really great was getting to see a group of actors rehearse for a show they’ve already toured for so long, so that the play has become almost second nature to them.

Next week I'll be helping Mia on Monday as we move the 1984 set into the Redcat theatre, and will be crewing the show for the next three weeks. I'm excited to see what the set looks like and what I'll be doing backstage.

Well, gotta go. I'm heading over to the Wushu headquarters for another rehearsal, then tonight we have an all-company meeting and barbecue. I can't wait to meet some more actors in the company and pig out on Mia's burgers and grilled corn on the cob.

Oh, and I'm sure it will be informative, too. :)

Until next time,

-Alex

Klüb Returns!

2008-06-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

The cast of Klüb are in final rehearsals to prepare for the re-opening on Thursday. One of the things I'm excited about is seeing Donna Jo Thorndale stepping into the role of Madame Verona. If you saw her in Carnage, you know what a brilliantly funny actress she is. She also bakes a mean lemon scone, but that's another story.

In the meantime, I'm down at Redcat taking part in the preparations to open 1984 tonight. Yes, we have two shows opening in one week (and a board meeting on Thursday!). The show is looking really good here at Redcat; it's such a great space, and the people who work here are really cool.

Here's a video preview of Klüb. Come check it out. Thursdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 10:30pm are Pay What You Can!

George Orwell's "1984" Coming Back to LA

2008-06-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well, it's getting busy here at the Gang again, as we gear up for the reopening of "Klub" at The Ivy Substation in Culver City and the return to Los Angeles of our touring production of "1984" directed by our artistic director, Tim Robbins, which will play at REDCAT downtown. I'm so excited that we're going to be performing at REDCAT again. The last time we were there, with "The Exonerated" was a huge success. The people there are awesome, and it's a great venue. Here's a video that our company member Simon Anthony created about "1984." Enjoy!

Actors' Gang Education Program in Flagstaff!!

2008-05-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

It was a very exciting weekend for me because Jon Kellam and I were able to take the education program to Arizona and work with a group of students from Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy. After seeing multiple productions at The Actors' Gang, Mike Levin the Theater Instructor for the Academy, asked us to come out and teach a Style Workshop to his talented group of students. Jon and I flew in Friday night, after a ridiculously bumpy ride into the mountains, and were welcomed with open arms by this amazing community. We taught for 8 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday and the students couldn't get enough! As a teacher it was one of the most rewarding teaching experiences I have every had. As you can see from these pictures, the students and a couple of community members, picked up the States and the characters extremely quickly. Fortunately we were able to use the costumes from the local community theater, so the students could develop their images with full costume and make-up. Some of the comments we heard the students say throughout the weekend were: "This is the best theatrical experience I have ever had", "I already know I am a better actor because of this weekend intensive", and "Vanessa is so funny". Ok, so the last one I made up, but honestly it was a great experience all around. If you ever find yourself in Flagstaff, please check out this school because these students are amazing artists. Hopefully we can lure them to LA when they graduate to be a part of the company. This weekend reconfirmed for me the special work that we do as a company and we both were so proud to represent The Actors' Gang!!

Fixing the Lobby!

2008-05-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

A project we've been working on for a while now is getting the lights in the lobby to all be on one switch, rather than plugged into a thousand different power strips... both for safety reasons, and because the way we have it set up now is pretty ridiculous. If you've seen a show at the Gang and noticed the lights blinking before the show starts, there is actually a person (often me!) who has climbed behind the counter, manouvered past costumes racks and props, and physically flicks the on/off switch on a power strip.

Susan Obrow from the Culver City Redevelopment Agency has been working tirelessly to get the lobby lighting hard-wired for us. Today she came by with the amazing Danny Barnes, also from Culver City, to look over the bids with Francois-Pierre. Hopefully a winning bid will be chosen soon, and by the next time you see a show here, it will all be completed!

Behind the Scenes Video from "Carnage," by Tim Robbins

2008-05-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

Since we're just getting started with this blogging thing, I thought I might share this cool video that Simon Anthony from the Gang made about our last production, "Carnage," which was written by our Artistic Director, Tim Robbins, and directed by Beth Milles. Enjoy!

New Interns!

2008-05-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

I love our new interns! Thanks to Vanessa, Steve, VJ, Ned and Cythia we have a really great group this year.

Here is the fabulous Kirsten counting cash from last weekend's closing performance of Klub. (forgive me Mike Schlitt for missing the umlaut)

First Blog attempt

2008-05-16T14:51:00.001-07:00

After attending a very informative session on marketing for the arts using web 2.0 technology yesterday, we are inspired to take advantage of some new ideas here at The Gang! Zach Behrens, of LAist.com, showed us all how to harness the power of RSS, blogging, Facebook, etc. Thanks, Zach!

We are striking lights today to prepare for the students at the Culver City High School Academy of Performing and Visual Arts who are coming in to present their annual end of the school year showcase, Java Drama. Here's our great new interns Jesse and Ruben on my favorite piece of equipment, the genie lift.

I'm not sure I have figured out how to upload pictures yet, so if you don't see the photo above, be patient and I'm sure I will figure it out!

Tim Robbins speaks at NAB Conference

2008-04-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

"Hello, I'm Tim Robbins. I'd like to thank you for the invitation to address you here at the National Association of Broadcasters. When I first received the invitation I was a little confused because the last time I had contact with the national media I seem to remember them telling me to shut the hell up.

"I would like to start with an apology. To Rush and Sean, and Billo and Savage and Laura what's-her-name. A few years ago they told America that because I had different opinions on the wisdom of going to war that I was a traitor, a Saddam lover, a terrorist supporter, undermining the troops. I was appealing at the time for the inspectors to have more time to find those weapons of mass destruction. I was a naïve dupe of left wing appeasement. And how right they were. If I had known then what I know now, if I had seen the festive and appreciative faces on the streets of Baghdad today, if I had known then what a robust economy we would be in, the unity of our people, the wildfire of democracy that has spread across the Mideast, I would never have said those traitorous, unfounded and irresponsible things. I stand chastened in the face of the wisdom of the talk radio geniuses, and I apologize for standing in the way of freedom."

For the speech in its entirety go to Huntington Post.
To see a video of the speech check out Paper Tiger TV.

Memories of China from Joel

2007-03-22T08:24:00.001-07:00

Memories of China seem to get more vivid as each day passes. Thought I'd
send the following, It was my reply to a journalist who covered opening night in Hong Kong and
asked for my thoughts:
Hosting the audience feedback after the March 1 performance of "1984" was
really fascinating for me. The audience seemed to want to know a lot about
the actors' experiences. What is it like being tortured onstage? What is it
like to do the torturing? The cast did a superb job in Hong Kong - I've seen
them perform it literally all over the world, but they never had greater
commitment to the material than in Hong Kong. They obviously empathisized
with the audiences and the themes of the work itself in Hong Kong because
there was so much proximity to the transitioning political situation. Big
Brother seems like he might actually be gradually becoming a presence in
people's lives. The actors chatted with the audience on all of these issues
and one actor actually said the he felt he "needed" to do this particular
play at this particular time in this particular place (Hong Kong). The
relevance seemed palpable.
Everyone with The Actors' Gang was excited to be there and that level of
excitement kept up through each performance. I think I speak for the company
in saying that we hope to return to Hong Kong with other productions in the
future - the city, its people and its culture remain unforgettable to all of
us.
With memories of tea at the Peninsula Hotel and so much more,
-Joel

From Keythe: A Hong Kong Connection

2007-03-06T12:35:00.001-08:00

Performing 1984 in Hong Kong was an amazing experience in so many ways, but I wanted to share one experience that touched me most deeply. The words of this masterpiece resonated so deeply with me on our Opening Night that it was difficult to concentrate on my performance. As I spoke of "creating a society where there is no loyalty except loyalty to the state; no love except the passionate love of Big Brother; and nothing that we (the powerful) are not in control of" I could feel in the perfect stillness of the audience members a connection to the material that I haven't felt in the past year that I've been performing this play.

Here in America, I fear we are skirting dangerously close to the type of society that Orwell outlines in his novel, but in Hong Kong, they find themselves under control from the government of mainland China for almost a decade, and while they have been promised that nothing will change in the way that they choose to govern themselves, the spectre of actual Totalitarian rule looms much larger than it does here in America. A gentleman I met in Hong Kong described it as if you lived in a neighborhood for many years, and suddenly someone comes in and buys up all of the land. She promises that she won't throw you or your family out of your house, but she rearanges all of the fences. You are free to live just like you lived before, but your yard is going to be a little diffferent.

The courage of the organizers of the Hong Kong Arts Festival in presenting this piece at this point in their history is a bold and brave move, and is an inspiration to me.

Stay Tuned

2007-03-04T20:59:00.001-08:00

Stay tuned and visit often for more words and pictures about Hong Kong and Beijung in the coming days and weeks. Also, hopefully this blog will stay alive and be picked up and updated by the folks on the national tour of 1984 and future road productions of The Actors' Gang!

Closing Night!

2007-03-04T20:51:00.001-08:00

The last show of a great week here in Hong Kong. The audiences were very receptive and the actors responded to a great energy from all. After the performance we all went for one last meal together (not including breakfast the nex morning). It all seemed to go by so fast, and everyone packed so much into the limited time here. Much more to come later I'm sure after everyone has had a moment to reflect. Some are off to Beijing tomorrow for a few days and I can't wait to here how that went. Greg, Bosco, Sybil, Keythe and myself are off to the airport in a few minutes to returrn to LA. See you all soon.
-David

The Big Buddha and Two Shows a Day

2007-03-03T06:21:00.001-08:00

Hello all. The home stretch is upon us. Today starts two days of two shows each and two days until we leave. How's that for numerology? The cast is gearing up for the grueling schedule, especially P. Adam, I don't know where he gets energy, he exhausts himself every show.
I decided to take a day for myself and went up to Ngong Ping, the home of the "Big Buddha". A massive bronze statue of the Buddha, and a nearby monastery along with the prerequisite touristy things. Most of the others have already visited, but I was busy that day getting a much needed massage so I played catch up today. It was incredible. Give me a bit to post some photos 'cause I gotta go through them, but man, I'm glad I went. There are many interesting things to see and experience there; The monastery, with it's golden Buddha statues, Buddhists in prayer and reflection, visitors in prayer too, lot's of incense lit all over the place as an offering, Bodhisattva statues, traditional veggie lunches, the stairway you HAVE to walk up to get to the Buddha, though you can see it from miles away. There's the Tea Gardens, which is at the beginning of The Wisdom Path, which continues up to Lantau peak. I think only Toni went all the way up. I made it to these stonehenge type towers, except they're carved, split trees with what I guess are words of wisdom! Very beautiful. I took the skyrail up to the area, which is basically an enclosed cable tram, the only way to go, in my opinion, and I guess I'm the only one who went up there that way. Everyone else took the bus when they visited. There's so much about this place and I seem to always be writing about things when it's late and I'm tired, so that's it for now, more detail to come.
-David

Friday, In the Groove

2007-03-02T08:56:00.001-08:00

Friday's show went fantastically, everyone continues to shine. Some folks went to Kowloon for shopping earlier today. By the way, many went to see the "Big Buddha" yesterday. Hopefully someone will blog their experience on that, google it if ya wanna know more for the moment. I'm (David) prodding others to step up and give some more interesting input on this blog than I've been able to so far, as I'm a bit tapped out at the moment, though I imagine me like others will have an easier time, if they're so inclined, to write something after travel is finished and there's time to reflect. For now check out the photos we've posted, there's usually more every day. Alright, it's 1 in the morning on Saturday, 9am Friday LA time, I'm going to bed, good night!
(good morning!)

Opening Night

2007-03-01T09:54:00.001-08:00

Opening night was great and went off without a hitch. Again, the folks at the theater are really good at what they do, and made everything go as smoothly as is possible. It was a sold out house, I think 1200 people, with probably a 50/50 mix of our Asian brothers and sisters and westerners. It seems that this is one of the only English language plays in the festival, and we were told that that tends to bring in people who may not otherwise go to a play here. One would hope that those folks might venture out more often in the future?!
The performance was great and everyone was on top of their game, and a beat was not missed. The audience was riveted and laughed in most of the right places, and was with it right to the end. We were told that the audiences here were reserved in comparison, and I suppose that's true to some extent, but only in a vocal sense. You feel an energy and you sensed they were dialed in and getting it and appreciating it. It was also astonishing how the dialog of this play took on a whole new meaning and relevance, given where we are. Think about it!
Afterward, we were generously treated to a wonderful meal and drinks at a Thai restaurant that kindly stayed open for us.
All in all, this journaler doesn't think that an opening on the road could go any better, at least until the next one!

<---- Check Out The Photo Gallery <----

2007-03-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

On the left, I've set up a photo gallery link, just click on any thumbnail pic in the box and it'll go to the gallery. Do a slide show, or whatever. Some of us are going on to Beijing next week for a few days and hopefully they will submit pics, but probably won't be able to be posted until their return to LA. Stay Tuned!

To work!

2007-02-27T16:56:00.001-08:00

Yesterday (Tuesday) was a big day. We did a cue to cue and then a run through, basically a 12 hour day. The entire crew at the theater are very professional and very good at what they do, making it relatively easy. Everyone is in great spirits and we are enjoying our time here very much. We are also looking forward to tonight, the first show for an audience. We have one more run through this afternoon to work out the kinks.
We were taken to a (huge) restaurant for our lunch break and shared a huge spread of food of all kinds. Brian bought a cool little camera here (everyone now wants to get one) and took some pics of the food, hopefully we'll post some of them here later, including the chicken feet! Last night we found a local pub, very British colonial, for our nightcaps. We're all missing everyone back in the states, and we'll be throwin it down big time for you all tonight!

The Venue

2007-02-25T22:23:00.001-08:00

Arrival

2007-02-25T17:48:00.001-08:00

We have arrived safe and sound and everyone seems to have endured the travel and slept well. SO MANY TALL BUILDINGS, and all very close together. Our hotel is nice and in walking distance to the theater, adjacent to the red light district! Today (Monday here) is load in and tech day, the actors are free to roam, so we're relying on them to scope the area out a little better. More later!

Hong Kong here we come!

2007-02-22T23:35:00.001-08:00

Greetings. In a little over 24 hours the road gang of our production of "1984" will be embarking to Hong Kong to participate in their International Theater Festival. We will be posting as often as time and energy allows, complete with photos. Traveling on this journey will be Keythe, Brian, P. Adam, Kaili, Toni, VJ, Steve, Erica, Dave, Sibyl, Bosco,Victoria, Joel and Greg. We are all eagerly awaiting the 15 hour flight to alter our mindset and prepare us (temporarily destroy us?) for the experience to come. Bon Voyage to us!

Hong Kong here we come!

2007-02-22T23:35:00.000-08:00