SCR Introduces Studio Series
Local Performers, Arts Groups to Present Works in Nicholas Studio
COSTA MESA, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2011) —South Coast Repertory will showcase the work of six local performers and companies—and mount a production of a popular play from last year’s Pacific Playwrights Festival—in its new Studio Series, which will take place over eight weekends between March and June.
The series will feature an eclectic array that includes dance, spoken word, burlesque, puppetry and more, all in SCR’s 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Participating performers are:
SCR’s Studio Series is part of a pilot program designed to create stronger ties between arts organizations and expose audiences to the rich diversity of the local arts scene.
“We’re looking forward to bringing a diverse group of performers and companies into the building and introducing them to our audiences and to theatre-goers who are new to SCR,” said Associate Artistic Director John Glore. “There will be a little something for everyone in the mix, and we’re excited about contributing a production of our own to the series.”
Leading the project is Oanh Nguyen, SCR’s producing associate and the artistic director of the Chance Theater, whose production of Jesus Hates Me in the Nicholas Studio last February kicked off the pilot program.
“The Nicholas studio offers a captivating, intimate theatre experience,” said Nguyen. “It will be exciting to see what these amazing local artists do with it.”
Tickets for the series will be available only through SCR, either online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Prices vary by production, and range from $15 to $35.
The Series Against Oblivion Steven Connell 8 p.m. March 4, 2 and 8 p.m. March 5, 2 p.m. March 6
Drawing from the energy and power of hip-hop, stand-up and spoken-word, Against Oblivion is a brand-new collection of three one-acts that tackle such issues as surviving abuse, speaking up for what you believe and making ends meet in the new economy. Connell, an acclaimed Los Angeles writer and actor who has performed privately for the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama, is backed by a trio of musicians performing an original soundtrack that ranges from hip-hop to classical to rock. Designed to delight, inspire and challenge, Against Oblivion is a musical for our times.
Ganga… life as a river Arpana Dance Company 8 p.m. March 11, 2 and 8 p.m. March 12, 2 p.m. March 13
An exciting blend of ancient and contemporary Indian dance. In the first half of the evening, Arpana will present traditional works from its repertoire of 16th to 20th Century compositions, accompanied by a four-piece live musical ensemble. In the second half, it will feature Ganga life as a river, which layers post-modern choreography atop the classical Indian dance form Bharata Natyam. Against a soundtrack that combines instrumentals, singing and spoken word, dancers in contemporary costumes perform vignettes reminiscent of a river traveling from a young, bubbling brook to the deep, calm waters uniting with the sea. In India, the River Ganga represents both eternal life and a goddess symbolizing feminine power, and so, too, this dance evokes both a river and the stages of women’s lives.
Between Us Chickens South Coast Repertory Mar 25 at 8pm, Mar 26 at 2 and 8pm, Mar 27 at 2pm, Apr 1 at 8pm, Apr 2 at 8pm, Apr 3 at 2pm
Meagan and Sarah are small-town girls new to L.A. Meagan’s all about the retail, the scene and the celebrities; Sarah’s a computer-surfing homebody. When a smooth-talking opportunist named Charles crashes on their couch and takes Sarah out on the town, he threatens to upset the balance of a lifelong friendship—especially when Sarah’s secret life comes to light. A new play by Sofia Alvarez, Between Us Chickens was first read at last year’s Pacific Playwrights Festival.
Variété Risqué Orange County Underground Burlesque Society 8 p.m. May 5-7, 5 p.m. May 8
Wacky vaudevillian comedians, lively musicians, thrilling performance artists and glittering burlesque beauties explore the many forms of that most enchanting, absurd and maddening of all things...love. The OC Underground Burlesque Society will introduce you to some of the best and brightest talents of the local burlesque, music and theatre scenes in a variety show that is sure to be a rambunctious and rousing night of song, slapstick and titillating tassel twirling!
Angel of the Desert Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble 8 p.m. May 13, 2 and 8 p.m. May 14, 2 p.m. May 15
After civil war wipes out a small village in Mexico, teenaged Francisco wakes to discover he is the sole survivor and has grown wings. With the guidance of the moon, he embarks on a treacherous journey through the harsh Mexican desert—attempting what many others before him have done: crossing into the U.S. in search of home. Along the way, he meets two young brothers who know life on the train tracks all too well. Together, these three discover the challenges and true meaning of adventure, family and love. This work of magical realism from L.A. playwright Janine Salinas was read as part of Breath of Fire’s New Works Festival in 2009.
Backhausdance: Re-imagined Backhausdance 8 p.m. June 10, 2 and 8 p.m. June 11, 2 p.m. June 12
An evening of four modern-dance pieces, including three critically acclaimed works re-imagined for SCR’s intimate Nicholas Studio (eXit, La Jupe and Shift) and the premiere of a new piece titled Duet(s), a suite for three men and three women that explores relationships through quick, quirky gestures and seamless partnering. eXit is an athletic piece performed to a percussive, original score by Erik Leckrone that finds three dancers trapped in a space, propelled through boxes of light in desperate search of a way out. La Jupe dramatically explores the often-veiled facets of femininity and the struggle to find one’s true expression. Shift is an elegant, powerful piece performed in four distinct movements.
D is for Dog Rogue Artists Ensemble 8 p.m. June 17, 2 and 8 p.m. June 18, 2 p.m. June 19
In the seemingly innocent home of the Rogers family, life is like a 1950s sitcom—or is it? All is not as perfect as it seems. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers and their two darling children, Dick and Jane, must face their history and identity before it is too late, with only mysterious phone calls and a forbidden book as clues. D is for Dog explores the themes of family loyalty and compassion using iconic imagery from 1950s television blended with startling elements of horror and science fiction. Mixing puppetry, live actors, original music and video projection, the play takes audiences from the absurd to the terrifying, and everywhere in-between.
The Artists
Steven Connell is an acclaimed actor, renowned playwright and a national poetry champion. His work has been featured on ABC, MSNBC, HBO, SHOWTIME, BET and MTV, and hailed by critics as “powerful theatre,” “hilarious” and “brilliant.” He has performed privately for Oprah Winfrey, Norman Lear, Quincy Jones, Maya Angelou, Julie Taymor and President Barack Obama and shared the stage with Black Eyed Peas, Robin Williams and Stevie Wonder. His play The Word Begins was nominated for three Helen Hayes Awards, including Best Acting and Best Original Play. It ran last January at New York’s Public Theater and will headline the inaugural RADAR LA Festival in June. His one-man show 40 Days was an LA Weekly “Pick of the Week” and earned him Backstage West’s award for Best Solo Performance of 2005.In 2009, his highly acclaimed L.A. run of short plays, Jumping the Median, was produced by Norman Lear.
Arpana Dance Company, the premier performing and touring Indian dance company in Orange County, is dedicated to fostering ancient artistic traditions and cross-cultural collaborations through education and performance of Indian dance. Its roster of dancers performs traditional and contemporary Indian dance based on the Bharata Natyam vocabulary and has toured throughout the U.S., Europe and India. ADC is led by teacher and choreographer Ramya Harishankar, two-time winner of the NEA’s Choreographer’s Fellowship and the Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy award from Arts OC for her contribution to the cultural landscape of Orange County.
The Orange County Underground Burlesque Society was founded by Melanie Gable (a.k.a. Kate Fox) to provide local audiences with a glittery, bawdy night of entertainment. Orange County’s first neo-burlesque troupe, OCUBS was conceived in 2006 as a distinctive late-night experience at Fullerton’s Hunger Artists Theatre Company and has been delighting fans since with a unique mix of clever routines, cheeky musical performances and original comedic sketches. The group’s debut was met with sold-out crowds and lively buzz, and the show quickly gained a cult following. The ladies of OCUBS have continued to create and perform new shows every few months, though in December they bid a fond farewell to the Hunger Artists Theatre.
Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble is the only Latina theater company in Orange County. Based in downtown Santa Ana—the corazón of the county—Breath of Fire came into existence eight years ago to support the work and enrich the lives of Latinas in the performing arts, who lack representation, opportunities and leadership roles in traditional arts communities. In that time, it has produced more than 20 world premieres. OC Weekly and Examiner.com named its production of Digging Up the Dirt (co-produced with See-what) to its Best of 2010 lists, and OC Weekly calls the ensemble "a theater that cares [about] its surrounding communityproducing vitally relevant and topical work."
Backhausdance is an Orange County dance company that combines a contemporary sensibility and ballet technique with the grounded, momentum-driven athleticism of modern dance. Founded in 2003 by Jennifer Backhaus, the company consists of six dancers and six apprentices who focus on work that is physically demanding with a sense of fluidity and strength. Its repertory is diverse, entertaining and artistic. Backhausdance was recently named one of seven emerging dance companies in North America by Joyce SoHo, the New York theatre where it performed to sold-out audiences, and Jennifer Backhaus was named to OC Metro’s “Forty Under Forty.” The company will also tour California as part of the InnerState Project.
Rogue Artists Ensemble is run by a group of multi-disciplinary artists and designers. Combining ancient storytelling techniques (music, dance, masks, puppetry) with modern technology (digital media and special effects), the Rogues cultivate a unique style of live performance they call Hyper-theater. Last season, the ensemble worked with playwright Kitty Felde to adapt three short stories by Nikolai Gogol in the Gogol Project, named a Critic's Choice in the Los Angeles Times and honored with four Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, one LA Weekly Award and three Ovation Award nominations. Other productions include HYPERBOLE: origins, which recently played at [Inside] the Ford; The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch; The Victorian Hotel; The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone; HYPERBOLE: epiphany and HYPERBOLE: changes.
ABOUT SCR: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR’s more than 450 productions, 117 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations with Margaret Edson’s Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire’s Rabbit Hole in 2007. In 2002 SCR opened an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. It is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theater Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Boulevard on Park Center Drive.
