Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival Surpassed Kickstarter Goal

"Lose not courage, lose not faith, go forward."

Marcus Garvey, social activist

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, with the support of over 120 Kickstarter backers, successfully completed the first of our online fundraising campaigns. The Festival received a total of $11,786 (not including those who mailed in checked or donated via Pal Pal.) These loyal backers gave throughout our 30-day “all or nothing” campaign. 

Due to government grant budget cuts from city, county and state funders, we received a loss of over $20,000 from our previous government grants. We sought an easy and effective way of raising the funds. Our LACAC Administrative Intern, Carter Goffigon suggested that we use Kickstarter as a platform to raise the money we needed to continue providing the same amount of quality performances, as well as workshops and panels, for our milestone 20th Anniversary Festival that will take place March 21-24, 2012.

Even though there were times when we thought we might not make our goal, our many dedicated supporters came through in the end. They gave from their hearts, allowing us to surpass our goal. 

Many thanks to those who gave to us in our time of need. We are truly blessed to have so many people that believe in our mission and who know that the Festival has played an important part in the Los Angeles arts community over the last 19 years.

For those who wanted to participate but could not for any reason, it is not too late. We still welcome and need you to give to the Festival, either by mailing in a check, or through PayPal. Please visit our website (www.lawtf.com) for more information on how to donate, as well as other ways to contribute to the Festival. We may also be starting up our second online fundraiser at a later date or host another type of fundraiser, so you will have more opportunities to give in the future.

Thank you for continuing to support the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival!

Gustavo Garcia

Marketing/PR Assistant

Celebrating Independence: The Strong Voices of LAWTF

During the month of July, our country celebrated our Independence Day. While many of us spent our time celebrating with family and friends, we can also take some time this month to reflect on the freedom that we enjoy on a daily basis. One freedom that the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival (LAWTF) cherishes and celebrates throughout the year is freedom of artistic expression through the many voices of our performers, as well as through our workshops and outreach events. Our Festival provides a space for women to share their individual artistry and experiences, and to express their cultural viewpoints of womanhood.

Below are some of LAWTF’s performers who speak to independence and freedom of expression:

Saria Idana

Saria Idana, originally from New York, is a theatre, literary, and music artist. committed to freedom of expression as a vehicle for social activism. Saria's work focuses on personal and global struggle in conjunction with social justice and human resiliency.

Her piece, "Homeless in Homeland," deals with her experiences as a Jewish-American woman exploring her identity as she travels to the Middle East amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Saria speaks in her own voice and in the voices of fifteen other characters, American, Palestinian and Israeli." (sariaidana.com) Part of her show includes a 30-minute talk back to the audience in which she discusses the intersections of art and activism in relation to the topics found within her solo show.

Mzuri Moyo

Mzuri Moyo hails from Paterson, New Jersey and is best known for her powerful vocals. Mzuri has performed all over the United States and abroad. She lived briefly in Paris and Italy where she trained as a singer. She trained as an actress at HB Studio in New York City. 

"Miriam Makeba: Mama Africa" debuted at the 19th Anniversary Festival and was written specifically for the Festival to bring focus on rape of women and children in the Congo. She portrays Miriam Makeba, the late South African singer and activist, who not only was the first African to popularize African music in the US and around the world, but also took a strong stance against South African apartheid. 

These two artists are just two of well over 400 solo artists from around the globe that have been presented by the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival who take on the challenge of presenting works that speak to personal expression through their disciplines of performance art.  There is an empowerment that lies within artistic freedom, one that transports and inspires audiences through “edutainment.”

To experience more LAWTF performers, we invite you to visit some of our performers on our YouTube channel. You may also visit us on our website at www.lawtf.com. Make sure you to sign up for our monthly newsletter  to receive information about the Festival and our events and Like Us on Facebook.

Gustavo Garcia

Marketing/PR Assistant

Artist Spotlight: Micia Mosely

As part of LGBT Pride Month, the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival spotlights one of our alumni performers:

Micia Mosely

Micia Mosely is a Brooklyn-based comedian, actress, and educator, and a founding artist with the Nursha Project, a group committed to supporting artists and projects rooted in creative sustainable development and socio-political offerings. Since earning her Ph.D. in education from UC Berkeley, Micia has shared her comedic performance in cities all over the United States. 

During our Festival in 2009, she performed her show "Where My Girls At," depicting the lives of several Black lesbian women and their experiences, challenging the notion that there is only one Black lesbian experience. 

"A New York Innovative Theater Award Nominee, the show, while hilarious, continues to tackle difficult issues including inter and intra-group racism, sexism, and homophobia."

-Micia Mosely 

Four of her characters 

Her comedic style and performance centers around the idea that art can be used as a medium for social change and consciousness raising and the importance of creating this revolutionary relationship between the performer and the audience. 

"Micia Mosely loves to make people laugh, think and transform their lives. She’s uses improvisation, puppets, video, drumming, drag, power point, flip charts, lesbian processing –essentially whatever won’t get her arrested." -Micia Mosley

Learn more about her by visiting her website (http://www.miciamosely.com) and by watching the following video:

Gustavo Garcia

Marketing/PR Assistant

LAWTF Brings Music to the North Hollywood Library

“Many of the city sidewalks, parks, community gardens, street corners and schoolyards will become the backdrop or stage for free concerts.” -Make Music LA

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival participated on June 21, 2012 in Make Music Los Angeles, a county-wide event celebrating music. A variety of performances were hosted by various organizations and venues within the Greater Los Angeles area during this eleven-hour event.

As part of our efforts to join this event, LAWTF partnered with the North Hollywood Public Library and presented Alumni Florence LaRue, vocalist of the 5th Dimension and saxophonist Sarah Underwood Saviano, as well as Maxim Velour and Brothers of the Sisters and Brothers Band.

The event was a resounding success. The performers engaged the audience, oftentimes inciting emotional responses, particularly from older audience members who appreciated the nostalgic music from The 5th Dimension. Some of the quotes from evening included

“As soon as I heard you [Florence LaRue] were going to be here, I cancelled all my plans.”

“I really like the work you are doing. I want to come volunteer.

“That last song brought me to tears”

“I enjoyed this program. I’m really glad I came.”

Florence LaRue

Maxim Velour and Brothers

North Hollywood Public Library branch manager Jeanne M. Rankin said "It was so nice having music in the library! We ought to do this more often." Adilah responded “Then invite us,” to which she responded, “You’re invited!”

The Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival is committed to bringing the arts into the community through its outreach program like this one at the North Hollywood Library.

Many thanks to LAWTF performers, staff and volunteers for making this event a memorable one!

Gustavo Garcia

Marketing/PR Assistant

Count Down to Festival 2012!

Well, we do have a lot going on over the next few weeks. Top of the list is our 19^th Annual Festival, titled SHINE! which kicks off on Wednesday, March 22 at 7 PM, with our traditional Champagne Gala and Awards Ceremony. We are honored to have the opportunity to recognize the achievements of four women who have made significant contributions in the world of theater.

This year's honorees are:

l-r: Ivonne Coll, Michelle Danner, Denise Nicholas and Aliah Whitmore

Ivonne Coll receiving the Eternity Award. This award is bestowed on an artist or individual whose lifetime achievements have made a lasting contribution to the world of theatre. She is considered a trail-blazer for Latina performers.
 

Michelle Danner  is receiving the Rainbow Award, presented to an artist or individual for her diverse contributions in fostering non-traditional and multicultural theatre works. Artistic Director of Edgemar Center for the Arts, Michelle has developed programming for at-risk youth, children and seniors.

Denise Nicholas is the recipient of the Integrity Award. This award is presented to an artist who has brought credibility and dignity to her work. An internationally acclaimed actress, Denise also wrote the award-winning novel, "Freshwater Road," inspired by her own days in the civil rights struggle.

Aliah Whitmore is receiving the Maverick Award, presented to an artist or individual whose work has set a high standard of individuality and self-styled creativity. The artistic director of her own theater company, her recent show "Girls Girls Girls: The Heart of the Relatively Make-Believe" focused on the artistic contributions of women of different colors, ages, and body shapes, and Hollywood's sometimes-dismissive treatment of them.

Following the kick-off is 3 days of exciting, multi-cultural and multi-discipline performances by 23 solo women artists. From dance to drama we guarantee that you will walk away having been thoroughly entertained!

We are also thrilled to have a stellar line-up of celebrities hosting each of the shows. Joining with us are Hattie Winston (Becker), Ted Lange (The Love Boat), Roger Guenveur Smith (A Huey P. Newton Story), Sy Richardson (Larry Crowe), Charo Toledo (East Side Story), Rosie Lee Hooks (The Body Guard), Iona Morris (Moist), Florence LaRue (The 5^th Dimension), Karen A. Clark (A Corporate Affair), Denise Dowse (All of Us), Faye Hauser Price (Glee), Freda Payne (Band of Gold) and Evangeline Fernandez (A Mexican Trilogy).

Tickets for the March 22 – 25 Festival are selling fast so call us at 818.760.0408 to check on show availability and be sure to visit our website at www.lawtf.com to meet the 2012 performing artists.

Following the Festival is our ENCORE! presentation at the Ivy Substation in Culver City. This is our second year for ENCORE! which features solo artists from past Festivals. This performance is made possible in part by the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment

Be sure and visit the website at www.lawtf.com for more information about ENCORE! and the performing artists or give us a call at 818.760.0408.

2012 Public Service Announcement With Executive Producer, Adilah Barnes

 

 

Please join us in supporting Vox Femina Los Angeles for its 15th anniversary season with From Shakespeare to Shamrocks, a spring concert celebration that brings the English and Irish together in song on Sunday, March 18^th at 3:00 PM.  Join Vox for a bi-cultural afternoon of classic Shakespeare sonnets and a wee bit of authentic Irish music sung in Gaelic.  From classical works to folk songs, celebrate England, Scotland and Ireland's many traditions old and new.

VOX FEMINA, is also a recipient of a grant from the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The concert is free and open to the public but reservations are reguested and can be made by calling VOX FEMINA at 310-922-0025