WATCHFIRE MUSIC
www.WatchfireMusic.com
E-mail: info@watchfiremusic.com
An Inspirational Internet Record Company & Online Store
The war in Iraq drones on with more casualties every day; we are setting records
for rainfall in the East as we patiently wait for summer; and our President’s
approval ratings have never been so low. Who couldn’t use a little inspiration?
And nothing speaks to the soul like music. Just in time, along comes
WATCHFIRE MUSIC, an inspirational record company and online store. With an
aspiration to become the inspirational iTunes of the music world, this website
(currently under construction) promises to offer listeners of any denomination
much-needed inspiration on several levels - an inspirational song of the day,
downloadable singles and albums, information about the classic and up-and-coming
artists who are making inspirational music one of the country’s most popular
genres today, and much more. Check out the website above at the beginning of
August; they should be up and running full force by then. Meanwhile, for a
sample of the music available (these ain’t your daddy’s hymnal songs!), catch
Naomi Judd’s New Morning Show (Sundays at 10 AM on the Hallmark Channel). 75
million homes have already been given a
dose of inspiration. Now anyone with a computer can get their soul soaring. What
a glorious gift WATCHFIRE MUSIC will be to people of all beliefs and
value systems!
To read about the exciting launch of WATCHFIRE MUSIC, click
here.
- Laurie Lawson -
Kessa De Santis: How did this project originate?
KD: What have your other artistic endeavors entailed?
KD: Were you in the armed forces? Your friends/family?
KD: Have you lost anyone to this/any conflict?
KD: In conducting research, what has come as a surprise?
KD: Have you received input/research from active service people?
KD: How does this project fit into the Brett James overall artistic vision?
Calling All Rising Stars Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance If you know a budding Bernadette Peters or Nathan Lane, there’s a summer program that may be right up their tin pan alley. Camp Broadway®, a program created in 1995 for children ages 6-17 is designed to teach kids who love to perform the art of putting on a Broadway musical. Imagine a place where young performers can learn the tricks of the trade, show off all they’ve learned to their friends and families, meet Broadway stars, see how a Broadway show really operates, and then attend a professional performance– that’s what Camp Broadway® is all about. The program is broken into three separate sections. Rising Stars™, Camp Broadway®, and the Master Class Career Discovery Program.™ Rising Stars™ focuses on the littlest thespians and will take place on July 12th through the16th 2004. Geared for children between the ages of six and nine, the sessions last for half a day and include fun activities in singing and dancing as well as lessons from theater professionals on mask making, storytelling, make-up and rhythm. It also includes a special lunch with Broadway guests and a musical presentation for friends and family. The cost for the entire program is $675 per child. Camp Broadway®, for children age ten through seventeen, will have two separate sessions in New York City this summer: July 12th – 16th and August 2nd – 6th. Each five, all day session includes classes in voice, dance, movement and ensemble singing, in addition to rehearsing the dialogue, musical numbers and dance routines that will be performed during the grand Family Finale at the end of the week. And, if that is not enough, the kids are treated to celebrity lunch guests, an inside look at a Broadway theater, a “Salute to Singin’ and Dancin’ Kids Luncheon” with Broadway stars young and old, and tickets to a matinee performance with a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a real Broadway show. If you can’t make it to New York City, have no fear. Camp Broadway® the National Tour offers a similar program in Atlanta Georgia, Tempe Arizona, Providence Rhode Island, Detroit Michigan, Jacksonville Florida and Buffalo New York as well. The cost of the program is $950. Last but not least, there is the Master Class Career Discovery Program™. Designed for children between the ages of thirteen and seventeen who are seriously considering a career in the performing arts, this intense, five day program starts on August 2nd and ends on the 6th. Unlike the other sections, there are requirements to enter the Master Class – you have to be a Camp Broadway® alumni or submit a résumé and a letter of recommendation. During the program, aspiring performers attend workshops in acting/monologue work, scene study, vocal technique, song interpretation and lessons in a variety of dance styles such as: tap, jazz and musical theater. Then they will use what they’ve learned in a performance showcase. They are also treated to seminars given by theater professionals on topics ranging from creating a perfect headshot and future training options to the realities of working in the business. The cost for the program is $1,050. Interested in seeing what the hoopla is all about? The New York City groups all meet at Theaterworks in Chelsea and the final performances are presented in the theater at the Fashion Institute of Technology. For applications, scholarship information or other questions, check out the Camp Broadway® website at www.campbroadway.com or you can call: 212-575-2929. - Pat Warren -
EN GUARDE!: Swordfighting 101 or ME AND MY RAPIER: How I Learned to Swing A Blade at the Women-At-Arms Festival By Kessa De Santis For eleven days in October, The Lady Cavaliers returned to New York City to host the second annual Women-At-Arms Festival. The 2003 Festival included the world premiere of CAMILLA: Vergil’s Warrior Princess (translated and adapted by Peter Hilton from Vergil’s AENEID), four short plays, three stage combat workshops and two lectures. The Lady Cavaliers are an impressive theater company featuring "women who fight." Having seen them perform, I already knew that they are skilled, professional, and theatrically powerful. Having experienced them as a viewer, I had to wonder what it was like on the other side. I wanted to know how these women learn to fight. So, when the opportunity arose as this year’s Women-At-Arms festival, I decided to take a two-hour workshop called "Introduction to Swordfighting." Helmed by Carrie Brewer, co-Artistic Director of The Lady Cavaliers, I was amazed to find that in that brief time I, too, felt that spark. The choreographed footwork, the careful stances, arm motions, the clanking of metal against metal – I experienced it all; and though I would have to admit that I really was not very good at it at all, I felt invigorated by the experience. What I did learn was, of course, very basic. Single rapier in cautious hand, I was taught to get into fight stance, also known as En Guarde, to advance and retreat (move forward and backward), to cut and parry, to croise (make my sword sound a very theatrical swoosh), and to safely elude my partner’s encroaching stomach slash. Put together, and you will have to use your imaginations here, the final product of my training was a short stint, with a partner, that looked and sounded something like this (I am retreating as my partner advances on me, so there is constant motion): "Clank" – swords meet above our heads "Clank" – swords meet pointing to the floor "Clank" – above "Clank" – below "Clank" – above "Clank" – I block a hit to my right arm "Clank" – I swing around to block a hit to my left arm "Clank" – I drop my blade to protect my thigh "Swoosh" – Caught in a croise, my blade swishes behind me "Whoosh" – I jump back to avoid the attempted stomach slash In my own clunky way, I actually accomplished a small feat in the realm of stage combat. If I could do it, and enjoy it as much as I did, then anyone with an itch to learn this very special art form should try it. That means you especially, ladies! When you can learn from professionals who make the training athletic, energetic, educational and fun too, well, why not? I have newfound understanding of the skill and intricacy involved in even the simplest choreographed combat scene. I know how undervalued a good fight director can be. I have discovered an entirely new way of appreciating the many unnoted contributions of the "women who fight." Having held a sword in my tiny hand, I begin to understand why just about every man I know seemed to get an almost erotic thrill at the suggestion that I learn to fight with it, and an even clearer idea why those who know me a little bit better all but cringed with palpable fear. There’s sexy grrrl power in them there blades! **** New perspective in tow, let me bring you back to the beginning, and a time when I merely enjoyed the clanking of swords from afar. As I mentioned, I have seen The Lady Cavaliers in active performance, most notably in the October 2000 run of GLORIA by Peter Hilton. Following that, I had the opportunity to interview title-character Carrie Brewer for Electronic Link Journey as part of our New and Noteworthy features. That interview can be viewed in its entirety at www.electroniclink.com/carribe.htm. Do you want to learn more? Of course you do! Check out www.ladycavaliers.com and The Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) at http://www.safd.org/.
Alex Ladd's CHEKHOV'S RIFLE: Past and Present, and Looking Toward the Future I first met playwright Alex Ladd in 2000, when I interviewed him after seeing a remounted version of his hilarious one act play, NICETOWN. Following that run, Ladd and director Nolan Haims collaborated for the first time, when Ladd's GREATER THAN MAGELLAN was part of the 2000 Samuel French Festival. Since then, together and apart, these two budding talents have continued to work in this often-brutal business. Occasionally, due to my friendship, I have been witness to the starting points of what later became full-fledged projects. That is most especially the case with the latest Ladd-Haims endeavor, CHEKHOV'S RIFLE. Having attended readings of two earlier versions of CHEKHOV'S RIFLE, I know, based on the full production running at Greenwich Street Theater, what got fixed, what still sticks, and how far the script has come along. Seeing the play, finally, onstage I have definite opinions about the production. I have issues with some of the casting, and would have preferred that they picked up the pace a notch. I would have liked some real women characters up there. I would have demanded that rage be played as rage, and not as some sad, anemic second-cousin sucking the life breath out of the room, and that the moments of climax had as much impact as the butt of that rifle. I would have kicked some actors' asses for not getting it right. Aside from these, the gripes of the theater critic, however, I have to say that overall I am impressed with how CHEKHOV'S RIFLE finally came together. Featuring the talented Austin Pendleton (the only "name" in the cast) as a beleaguered and bitter playwright, Harry Trollope, and one of Mr. Pendleton's students, Craig Bachmann, as the amazingly dense actor, Tim Hunter, Mr. Ladd's first full-length play to hit the stage is as much about the struggle for success as it is a battle of wills between mismatched roommates. Part social commentary about the state of the arts, of celebrity, and of the writer, and partly a theatrical melding of some of Ladd's great literary influences, CHEKHOV'S RIFLE is ultimately, and perhaps most importantly the product of some very hard work. The toil has culminated in an interesting blending of talent. The newcomer sits along the seasoned pro here, and award winners like Pendleton and the delightful Jess Osuna get to play off actors that range from the up and coming to the never to be heard from again. Add to the mix the design team, who working on a shoestring of a budget, created a reasonable facsimile of a New York apartment (set designer, Michele Spadaro), and found the wardrobe to match (costume designer, Wade Laboissonniere), and you can see how promising a production like CHEKHOV'S RIFLE can be, and that is from any perspective. So, no, as a friend, as a critic, as a casual observer, no, CHEKHOV'S RIFLE is not perfect. It is, most definitely, pretty damned respectable, very ambitious, and teeming with intelligence. Next stop on the Ladd-Haims hit parade? I can only wish them that grand slam they deserve. - Kessa De Santis - Presented by the Lord Strange Troupe, CHEKHOV'S RIFLE runs through October 4, 2003 at the Greenwich Street Theater, 547 Greenwich St. Tickets are $15 and available at (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com.
BROADWAY THEATER INSTITUTE
2003 Awards for Excellence
www.directfrombway.org
THE PLAYERS
16 Gramercy Park, NYC
Monday, September 15, 2003
With a proclamation from New York City Mayor Michael R.
Bloomberg declaring September 15, 2003, Broadway Theater
Institute Day and a written salutation from State Senator Liz
Krueger, the BROADWAY THEATER INSTITUTE paid tribute
to some of its own shining stars with their 2003 Awards for
Excellence. Recipients included The Players, accepted by John
Martello, for Excellence in Theater History Preservation; The
BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, accepted by Maury
Yeston, for Excellence in Theatre Arts Education; and Materials for
the Arts, presented by B.D. Wong to Executive Director Harriet
Taub, for Distinguished Service to the Theater. St. Malachy's - The
Actors' Chapel received a Special Award on its 100th Anniversary.
Fr. Joseph Kelly, S.J. accepted this honor from Malachy McCourt.
Patricia Elliott presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to
John Willis, Editor of Theatre World. An announcement was made
by BTI president Helen Marie Guditis of plans for a Theatre Museum
in Times Square. In keeping with its mission of preserving the tradition
and saluting the talent that makes Broadway Theatre an international
treasure, the Broadway Theater Institute 2003 Awards for Excellence
proved to be reason for celebration indeed.
- Laurie Lawson -
The 2003 STARVING ARTISTS BALL
August 21, New York, NY
On August 21, in the second year of a burgeoning annual event,
Studio 42 and TheaterMania presented a thoroughly New York party,
The Starving Artists Ball. An evening that has matured and
sophisticated since the inception, the 2003 Ball was an eclectic,
electric event, almost from the moment I walked through the doors
of The Metropolitan Pavilion.
The program for the evening featured remarks by current Broadway
babes Frederick Weller of Take Me Out and Stephanie D'Abruzzo of
Avenue Q (John Tartaglia, also scheduled to speak, was unable to
attend), and the unveiling of the Starving Artist Award, created
and donated by Jonathan Adler. This Starving Artists Ball drew
seasoned pros, Broadway newcomers and the up and coming into one
space and time in pursuit of a common goal - to raise money for
the Starving Artist Award Fund so that a worthy individual or
organization from the emerging downtown arts scene can benefit,
and thereby continue to produce art.
Both Mr. Weller and Ms. D'Abruzzo gave speeches illustrating their
personal experiences and often-difficult choices as artists with
economic constraints. The former mentioned agents, advice, and
gut feelings, whilst the latter focused more on the budgetary woes
of the two-freelance household. Each, individually, but also in
concert touched on a universal truth, however; fulfilling a dream
is hard, and no one with any sense expects to become rich as an
artist. So what, then, does one do when one is an artist? You
get the day job, take any gig that furthers the pursuit of the dream,
and hope, hope, hope!
In contrast to the inaugural Ball, held in the tight space of 45 Below,
the 2003 Starving Artists Ball was held in the spacious and accommodating
Pavilion. Another major difference was that the formal program did not
begin until the final hour of the evening, after the curtains for the
speakers' shows had gone down. The late program paired with the great
space, and ample schmooze-room meant that the real features of the Ball
were the drink, the dance and the people watching. It also meant that
about half of the attendees chatted right through keynote speeches.
That glitch aside, from what I observed, a good time was had by all at
the 2003 Starving Artists Ball. The crowd, everyone from the dorky to
the divine, went all out on the dance floor. There, I got a real run
for my money from press colleague and veteran mime/performer Richmond
Shepard, whose signature style was a unique combination of dance,
calisthenics and mime. He certainly set me spinning across the floor
a few times! Like I said, a good time, and a great party.
- Kessa De Santis -
Strange Fruit
A Profile of Playwright/Producer Alex Ladd
by Kessa De Santis
A Shakespeare enthusiast, and the author of the recently
revived NICETOWN, a thoroughly modern farce, there is
nothing stereotypical about Alex Ladd. Neither maverick
isolationist, nor sycophant, he has created opportunities for
himself, and others, where he has found them lacking. In a
city plagued with cutbacks and dwindling budgets, he has
become, perhaps unwittingly, among the pioneers in the
future of local theater. An advocate of collaboration, Ladd
exudes a palpable passion when speaking about his chosen
craft, an art for which he has genuine talent.
"To be, or not to be, that is the question..."
Ladd, who became a journalist after studying at NYU, and
who currently works as a translator, has been writing plays
for five years. To date, three of his works have been
produced in New York City. Both NICETOWN and
COUNTRYMEN were part of Present Tense Production's
1998 series The Soho Triptych. In 1999, RIGOLETTO ON
THE RANCH was part of The Lord Strange Troupe's first
season, in a showcase called Strange Plays Indeed.
As an up and coming artist, Ladd quickly became frustrated
with the perceived lack of any coherent theatrical "scene" in
New York City that was nurturing of the creative process.
So, he set out to invent his own. Having gone through a
stage of working alone, Ladd now embraces a collaborative
model of creativity that suits him well. Along with Beth
Holden, he is the co-founder and co-artistic director of The
Lord Strange Troupe, a group which seeks to attract and
nurture a talented community of writers, actors and directors.
Following their inaugural year, in 2000 the group has already
begun to sponsor readings by guest playwrights. They will
produce another showcase in the Fall.
Ladd, a proud fan of The Bard, has also affiliated himself, as
associate producer, with Judith Shakespeare Company
(Joanne Zipay, artistic director). During their Festival 2000,
June 25 through July 22, the award-winning group will be
staging productions of both JULIUS CAESAR and
COMEDY OF ERRORS. Alex Ladd informed me of the
group effort that has gone into producing these plays, noting,
"I think that it is an interesting model in these times of
cutbacks."
Not surprisingly, The Lord Strange Troupe, in its original
incarnation, included William Shakespeare among its
members. The modern group has, as its philosophy, a
commitment to producing quality plays that are strange only
in the sense of their originality. Also in favor of staging plays
that challenge assumptions and conventions, Judith
Shakespeare Company has cast this year's JULIUS CAESAR
to be completely reverse-gender. Perhaps a natural blending
of approaches, these two theater groups seem obvious cousins
in the universe of the innovative.
Alex Ladd's 1998 comedy NICETOWN had a well deserved,
if too short, revival in May of 2000.(see review in Off-Broadway)
Having had the pleasure of reviewing the original
version, presented as part of The Soho Triptych, as well as the
updated one, I was curious about Ladd's take on the different
interpretations. He stated quite emphatically that he was
humbled the second time around, as he witnessed his play
being reinvented by an entirely new cast. He seems to
embrace the changes, and the possibility of various, even
disparate, stagings of any given work, rather than consider
them to be intrusions upon his singular artistic vision.
Among his complaints was the short, six performance run
NICETOWN was limited to this time around. "...these
productions are always so ephemeral. Six performances are
not enough!"
"All the world's a stage..."
When the opportunity to interview Alex Ladd arose,
naturally I inquired about his particular creative process.
Ladd admits to being an avid eavesdropper. In fact, he
credits this tendency with supplying one fount of inspiration.
Specifically, he can vividly trace the genesis of NICETOWN
to a 1997 encounter he witnessed in a Soho bar. He is also
affected by literature. His next group of plays will be a
trilogy. The first of the group, GREATER THAN
MAGELLAN, was inspired by lines in Portuguese author
Fernando Pessoa's Book of Disquietude.
Ladd, when articulating his particular process, demonstrates
that essential quality which enables him to begin with the
slimmest kernel of an idea, and through sheer creativity,
expand it into a coherent, satisfying piece of theater. He also
admits to the necessity of accepting the often combative
relationship between playwright and director, rather than
shying away from confrontation. Having identified this
dynamic as an essential part of the process, Ladd seems
willing to accept the stresses that accompany any mounting
of a theatrical production.
Alex Ladd's labors have begun to bear fruit. His instinct to
embrace and nurture a collaborative model may soon tangibly
reward him on the business side of the artistic plane. On
June 6, Ladd was notified that GREATER THAN
MAGELLAN will be presented as part of the prestigious Sam
French Festival on July 10. In my opinion, it is an accolade
that is well deserved.
For more information about:
- Alex Ladd, e-mail him at ALadd6@aol.com
- The Lord Strange Troupe, write to:
708 Boulevard East, C7
Weehawken, NJ 07087
The MANHATTAN PRAIRIE DOGS, celebrating their 5th year of performances at the Atlantic Stampede Rodeo in Washington DC have come home with the gold. Each year the Rodeo sponsors the ATLANTIC COAST OPEN, a team dance competition and 1998 found the MANHATTAN PRAIRIE DOGS on top with first place honors. The PRAIRIE DOGS are not new to the DC Rodeo having placed third in the very first ATLANTIC COAST OPEN in 1995. PRAIRIE DOG sightings are usually reported in neighboring states, but they have been spotted performing as far away as Harrisburg, PA and Boston, MA. In the metropolitan area the PRAIRIE DOGS pop up most often on Saturday nights at New York City's premiere gay & lesbian dance club The Big Apple Ranch. New in 1998, the PRAIRIE PUPPIES, a smaller, streamlined group had their premiere at The Big Apple Ranch and received at standing ovation at the Rodeo. The award winning MANHATTAN PRAIRIE DOGS are directed and choreographed by Jon Lee, with outrageous and stunning costumes designed and constructed by Michael Shaw. The MANHATTAN PRAIRIE DOGS, a country/western dance team can be booked for parties, benefits and dances. Line dance and two-step instruction is also available. For up coming performances please check www.bigappleranch.com
JL -
The Physiological Basis for Intuition
It appears that the brain does far more processing than we are consciousof.
seen a light or felt something. When asked about what they experienced,
they will say that nothing happened. If they are randomly presented
or not presented with a stimulus that doesn't reach consciousness,
registered and processed by the brain, but never allowed to be