'soldiers' stories,' @ actors' gang

nice little time in culver city, ca @ the actors' gang.

and damn, what a great looking theatre...unfortunately i didn't get a chance to snap some pix of the interior, but it's brick, black, and wood.

check it out sometime.

The Actors' Gang -NOV 10/11

nearly forgot, my monologue - along with several others - will be on it's feet this Veterans Day/USMC birthday @ The Actors' Gang Theatre in Culver City.

november 10 & 11 @ 8pm.

for more info:

www.theactorsgang.com

"Soldiers' Stories" OCT 29th 2009...

...went great.

alway nice when something you write in the confines of your self-imposed dungeon plays out well in front of an audience.

in front of people. breathing. sweating. engaged.

PEOPLE.

and that's theatre.

and that's why i'll always remain active in theatre in some form or another.

just watching/listening to an audiences' reaction is a whole school of education in itself.

really.

can't see how dramatic writers do without.

just sit in front of their Mac's and type, type, type away and churn out anything of value.

-more skill then me, i suppose.

but the funny thing is, it's the simple stuff that always work.

always.

the tried and true 'beats.'

drama borrowed from Euripides;

comedy gleaned from Aristophanes.

nevertheless, kudos to all involved.

good shit indeed.

'soldiers' stories' press release!

ON THE FRONT LINE: Three Generations of Soldiers' Voices

Los Angeles, CA - The stories of a diverse group of California veterans from World War II through Iraq: gathered from interviews by Los Angeles actors/writers and told in a dramatic narrative to be shared with the veterans themselves and with us, the citizens they served. Their experiences touch on issues of equal rights, self-identity, and the long-lasting consequences of war in the hearts and minds of the soldiers who fought in them. This project was generated by a California Council for the Humanities “California Stories” grant and will be performed October 29 on the Loyola Marymount University Campus, and November 10 and November 11 (Veteran’s Day), at The Actors’ Gang Theatre in Culver City.

The "Soldier's Voices" project will produce a dramatic evening based on the stories of eleven California veterans from three different war generations: World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Using a workshop format developed by project staff, and informed by the insights of consulting humanities experts from several disciplines, the project allowed the vets to articulate their stories. The veterans, all drawn from Southern California residents and/or veterans from the WLA VA Center, were paired with professional writers who helped them find their "voice" and communicate their experiences through the means of dramatic narratives. The piece will be professionally produced and performed in three performances only, October 29, Murphy Hall, Loyola Marymount University, Westchester/Los Angeles; and November 10 and 11 at The Actors’ Gang Theatre in Culver City.

Each performance will include post play discussion and opportunity for audience dialogue with project participants, staff and humanities experts.

Importance of the project: VA volunteers have identified a key problem among the veterans they work with as the lack of understanding among veterans from different wars. The thematic purpose of the Soldiers' Voices project, therefore, is to show not only the differences between "war cultures," but also the experiences they share, from the battlefield to the impact on their lives at home.

Importance of the project to California: over 500 dead, 3300 other casualties - that is the price paid by Californians in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than any other state in the U.S. These sobering statistics show how important and timely it is to bring Soldiers' Voices to the people of California now. For ourselves as well as for them, we must do all we can to share and preserve the stories of our California veterans from the several generations of war in our times. For our younger veterans, particularly those recently returned from combat, the storytelling and dramatization process will become part of their reintegration into life at home by providing them with the opportunity to relate their experiences to each other and other generations of veterans and to re-connect with civilians, project writers and actors, as well as audiences in the Los Angeles area where our performances will take place.

WHAT:
ON The Front Line : Three generations of soldiers voices – The stories of a diverse group of California veterans from World War II through Iraq: gathered from interviews by Los Angeles actors/writers and told in a dramatic narrative to be shared with the veterans themselves and with us, the citizens they served.

WHO:
True stories from: Mike Baldrige (Marines, Vietnam), Thad Rasuli Ballew (Navy, Vietnam), Wendy Baranco (Army, Iraq), Abraham Salazar Beruman (Marines, Iraq), Col. Franklin J. Henderson (Army, Korea), J.W. Holman (Army, Vietnam), David Jennett (Navy, WWII), Chris Mandia (Marines, Iraq), Vincent Migliazzo (Army, WWII), George M. Omi (Army, Korea), Delton Sutherland (Army, Iraq).

Contributing Artists: Directed by Judith Royer, C.S.J., edited by Doris Baizley. Contributing Artists: Linda Bannister, Doris Baizley, Catharine Christof, Harry Cronin, April Fitzsimmons, Johnny Garofalo, Joyce Guy, Jim Holmes, James E. Hurd, Jr., Greg Koppenhaver, Howard Lavick, Michaela Lavick, Luis Jimenez, Chris Mandia, Ken Narasaki, Marsha Oseas, Nicole Rossi, Scot Smith, Christopher Sweeney, and DeSean Terry, and Alex Van Doren.

Presented by:

Loyola Marymount University College of Communication and Fine Arts,

Department of Theater and Dance and Playwrights Center Stage in association with The California Council for the Humanities, California Stories Project.

WHEN and WHERE:

October 29th @ 7:30 PM , Murphy Hall, Loyola Marymount University

1 LMU Drive Los Angeles, CA

November 10th and 11th @ 8:00 PM

at The Actors’ Gang Theater

9070 Venice Blvd. Culver City, CA

HOW:
Reservations and information call 310-670-0362 or by email jroyer@earthlink.net

TICKETS:
Admission Free – ALL VETERANS WELCOME

"Soldiers' Stories" OCT 29th

time sure does fly. october's rounding the corner and another installment of "Soldiers' Stories," is upon us. if ya didn't make the last show, here's your chance.

and - IT'S FREE!!

i suggest a lil' pre-game of fine wine and prescription narcotics...

kidding. but here's the details:

OCT. 29Th

@ Loyola Marymount University

murphy recital hall (upper campus)

7pm-9pm

hope to see you there!

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"Soldiers' Stories" opening night...err..day!

so "soldiers' stories," opened today. it went great. full house. good laughs. actors hitting their beats and some very poignant stories from three generations of warriors. standby for future dates.

USVAA theatre in culver city, ca

one of our great actors; jim holmes - me - and harry cronin; awesome playwright and a good friend

harry and i 

the cast

desean doing his thing

intermission and free grubbage

the tech booth

all you need is a black box...

doris bazley, writer/editor

we had a full house!

and the end, for now...

"On the Front Line" aka "Soldiers' Stories"

so we got some flyers and a new name:

"On the Front Line: Three Generations of Soldiers' Voices."

take a gander. 

only three performances - so don't miss out!

"Soldiers' Stories," Performance Dates

we've got confirmation! the commission i've been working on for LMU has been locked in. (is that pretentious to say "the commission"??? i dunno)anyways, it means performance dates. here ya go. if you can make it, you oughta come. should be an interesting night of exploration and insight - and of course, entertainment. any questions, just shoot me an email: chris_m90731@yahoo.com

SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2:00 P.M. - @ Veteran's Center, Culver City CA.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, TBA for 7:30 or 8:00 P.M. - @ LMU's Strub Theatre, Los Angeles, CA.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 (Veteran's Day), TBA 7:30 or 8:00 P.M. - @ The Actors' Gang Theatre, Culver City, CA.

"Soldiers' Stories" set to open July 4th 2009

the monologue I've been working on for LMU's "Soldiers' Stories," will open July 4th 2009. 

perfect timing. 

been interviewing a WWII Vet. greatest generation type. reminds me of my grandparents. 

America's spine. hard working.  no-nonsense. get it done. don't complain. and live their lives without bothering anyone.

hero's-although they'd never label themselves as such. and it's amazing to think that all these people, all these old timers; with their experiences, their piece of history, live among us.

your dad. your gramps. the next door neighbor. perchance the little old lady at the bus stop with her Reader's Digest.

their fading fast though. 

our history.

soon as i get his approval, i'll post what i've got so far.