SPECIAL ONE-DAY-ONLY TICKET OFFERS DURING OPEN HOUSE AT OCEAN STATE THEATRE ON JUNE 22

WARWICK, RI – Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) will host an Open House on Saturday, June 22 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at their new state-of-the-art theatre located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. Patrons will have the opportunity to pick their own seats, experience an exclusive backstage tour, take advantage of special ticket offers and have their picture taken with Elle Woods from OSTC’s upcoming summer production of Legally Blonde The Musical, all while enjoying food and beverages available for purchase from several of the area’s finest food trucks, which will be on the property throughout the day.

The 390 seat auditorium will be open throughout the day for patron seat selection, with OSTC staff guided backstage tours being offered every hour on the half hour beginning at 10:30 am.

Special “open house”  ticket offers include a Buy One Get One tickets (one offer per household) for Legally Blonde The Musical, running from July 10-28, and a $99 Family Four Pack (one offer per household) for the company’s holiday production of Miracle on 34^th Street, running from December 4-22. Patrons must purchase tickets in person at the box office to take advantage of these two great one-day-only specials.

Local actress Alyssa Gorgone, who will be starring as Elle Woods in OSTC’s production of Legally Blonde The Musical from July 10-28, will be at the theatre to pose with patrons for photographs from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon.

Food trucks confirmed to be on the property throughout the day include MootzaDeli (http://www.mootzadeli.com/), Joedega (http://joedega.com/), and Panino Express (http://www.paninoexpress.com/).

Subscriptions for the 2013-14 Season will also be available for purchase. Subscribers can enjoy discounted rates with several different subscription options beginning as low as $80 for the following productions:  

Les Misérables - The International and Broadway Smash Musical

Lombardi - Eric Simonson’s inspiring new play about the life of legendary coach, Vince Lombardi.

Laughter on the 23^rd Floor - Neil Simon’s hilarious look inside the writer’s room during TV’s golden age.

The All Night Strut! - The classy, sassy musical celebration of the 1930s and 40s

The Diary of Anne Frank – The moving theatrical adaptation of the true story of a young Jewish girl.

42^nd Street - The greatest tap dance musical of all time!

Ocean State Theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, RI. For additional information, please call (401) 921-6800 Monday from 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm and Saturday from 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm.

TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY NAMED STATE THEATER OF RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE, RI: Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company, under the leadership of The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus and Executive Director Michael Gennaro is thrilled to announce that they have been named the State Theater of Rhode Island.  The bill, introduced by House Speaker Gordon Fox (D), and Senator Maryellen Goodwin (D) officially passed Tuesday, June 4, 2013.  Columbus, Gennaro, members of the acting company and board of directors accepted the honor on the floor of the Statehouse. 

This Joint Resolution of the General Assembly commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of Trinity Repertory Company and honors the management, staff, actors and artists who have made Trinity Rep a must-see destination for the past five decades."  The Joint Resolution declares Trinity Repertory Company to be the State Theater of Rhode Island and, "encourages all to patronize and enjoy the talents, diversity, and enchantment of an evening or matinee at Trinity Rep.”

“We could not be more thrilled and humbled by this recognition,” states Curt Columbus.  “Over the past 50 years this theater has stayed true to our founder’s desire to create local art by local artists for Rhode Island. It is an honor to join only a handful of theaters nationwide that have been named their state’s theater. While we have been recognized nationally for our work, it is doubly special to be honored by one’s own home state.”

The bill acknowledges Trinity Rep’s impact not only as a creative, social and artistic setting for the arts, but as an economic engine for the state.  As Rhode Island's largest arts organization, Trinity Rep has a significant impact on the community, and is a linchpin of Providence's arts and entertainment district. The theater employs over 100 artistic and administrative staff and annually generates nearly $12 million in economic activity.

From its humble roots in 1963 in the Trinity United Methodist Church, Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company has undergone an incredible transformation in 50 years, becoming one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 145,000. In its 49-year history, the theater has produced 62 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through the Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA program, trained the next generation of actors and directors.

Local, national, and international recognition has come to Trinity Rep consistently. In 1968, it was the first American theater company to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. The company received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company in 1981, produced four television productions for PBS, and toured to India and Syria.

Arts education at all levels is central to the Trinity Rep mission. 2013-2014 will mark the 47th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program.  Last season, Trinity Rep’s educational programs reached nearly 15,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. The Young Actors Studio allows thousands of students across the region to participate in after-school enrichment activities at the theater as well as drama therapy programs designed for children on the autism spectrum.

Located at 201 Washington Street in Downtown Providence. Trinity Repertory Company moved to its present home at the Lederer Theater Center in 1973. The historic landmark, formerly known as the Majestic Theatre, houses two performance spaces: the 500-plus seat Chace Theater and the 300-seat Dowling Theater, as well as offices, production shops, and rehearsal halls.

Subscriptions are now on sale for Trinity Rep's 50th anniversary 2013-2014 season, which includes John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, the New England premiere of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang, Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, Intimate Apparel by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, the world premiere of Veronica Meadows by Stephen Thorne and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard. For more information, call the box office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep's website at www.trinityrep.com.

 
Visual Arts
China is bringing arts to the  booming middle class.  "This change reflects not just the growth of a demographic able to afford art but also a change in attitudes. ... Those who belong to the 'balinghou,' or post-'80s generation, are accustomed to spending hundreds of dollars on entertainment, holidays abroad and luxury purchases."
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-china-art-culture-20130602,0,5617663.story

Music

The USDA (That's Right, The USDA) Makes It Easier For Musicians To Carry Instruments On Planes "Since a major amendment to the century-old [Lacey Act] was passed in 2008, vintage instruments as well as newer ones made from old stockpiles of exotic woods have come under increased scrutiny by customs officials when musicians enter or re-enter the U.S. with those instruments." Los Angeles Times 06/01/13

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Theatre

Under Serious Threat, Belarus Free Theatre Performs In Secret (And In Exile) "Plays take place in private homes, street cafes and forests. The audience are told the venue only shortly beforehand, by text message, and sometimes assemble under a pretence, like a fake wedding." BBC 05/31/13

 

Dance

 The Ballets Russes' Invention Of Modernity "That freedom of movement -- the idea that movement comes from within the body and is expressed through the entire body, not just hands and feet, was very influential." NPR 05/30/13

 

Literature

William Demby, 90, Writer of Experimental Novels "Mr. Demby was interested in boundaries -- between people, and between the present and the past -- and he liked crossing them. His marriage in 1953 to an Italian actress and writer, Lucia Drudi, made news in Rome. (He spent many years writing English-language subtitles for films by Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini and other Italian directors.)" The New York Times 

 

Highest money paid at an art auction in 2013

For those who do not have an affinity for abstract art, nevermind and understanding of it, the art of commerce certainly does. The highest price paid for international art went in April 2012 for an abstracted landscape by Chinese artist Zao Wu-Ki (Chinese/French, 1921-2013), one of the greatest Chinese artists of the 20th and 21st century.It sold at Sotheby's for a US$4,775,519 premium on April 6, 2013.

Cheek out the rest of the story on ArtNet... http://www.artnet.com/insights/art-market-trends/nature-and-the-art-of-zao-wou-ki.asp#.UaZCApyGfud

Trinity Rep Performs House and Garden

From the author of Absurd Person Singular comes the theatrical event of the season - House & Garden - a pair of interlocking comedies that take place simultaneously. Two plays, two audiences...one cast! Directed by resident company member Brian McEleney, the shows open in previews on May 16 and then run simultaneously through June 30 in both the Chace and Dowling Theaters.  House & Garden are like two opposite sides of a theatrical puzzle - the picture gets clearer, funnier and more profound, when you return to see the second side of the story.

Teddy and Trish are hosting a big garden party for the town. Friends, family, a London writer, and a French movie star… what could go wrong? Fans of Ayckbourn will know the answer: anything and everything. While the actors race from House (in the upstairs theater) to Garden (yes, all the way back down the stairs to the first floor theater), the lucky audience stays put, seeing each production one at a time, in either order. Regular and discounted tickets are on sale now at the Trinity Rep box office, 201 Washington St.; by phone at (401) 351-4242; and online at www.trinityrep.com.

MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP EXPANDING FOR SUMMER 2013

WARWICK, RI – Does your child like to sing, dance and use their imagination?  If so, Camp OSTC is the perfect place for them to utilize their musical theatre talent and have fun at the same time! This year’s camp has been expanded and will be offered for two separate three-week sessions – the first from July 8 – 26 and the second from July 29 – August 16. Campers may attend either or both sessions.

Not only will campers have fun, but they’ll also have the opportunity to work with top quality theatre professionals while they learn performance techniques including acting, voice and dance, as well as technical skills including the design and creation of costumes, sets, and props, to be utilized for a full scale musical production, which will be performed by the campers on stage at OSTC’s new state-of-the-art theatre located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. A selection of master classes, taught by guest artists, will also be included during each three-week session.

“We are so excited to be able to offer this unique camp experience this summer,” said Producing Artistic Director, Amiee Turner. “We are happy to announce that one of this year’s campers will be chosen to receive a scholarship provided by The Keri Anne O’Donnell Memorial Fund. In addition, we are pleased to be able to subsidize a select number of campers thanks to the generosity of several anonymous donors.”

The Keri Anne O’Donnell Memorial Fund was established to honor the memory of Keri Anne O’Donnell, who loved everything about performing – singing, dancing and acting. In theatrical terms, she was a triple threat. Keri was just 15 years old when she was killed in a car accident. The O’Donnell family feels it is their mission to keep Keri’s dreams alive by assisting other youngsters like her - performers who have a passion for a performing art.

Camp OSTC will be held at Ocean State Theatre located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, RI from July 8 – 26 and July 29 – August 16 and is limited to 30 students entering grades 3-9 per session. Spots are being filled on a first come/first served basis. Applications are available online by visiting www.OceanStateTheatre.org. For registration information call (401) 921-6800, stop by the box office Tuesday through Friday from 12 noon – 6:00 pm or Saturday from 12 noon – 4:00 pm, or visit www.OceanStateTheatre.org.

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Ocean State Theatre Company is an IRS designated not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. The purpose set forth by Ocean State Theatre Company, Inc. is to preserve and pass on the tradition of live, professional, theatre - including the American Musical- and to pursue avenues of enrichment and education for the benefit of the State of Rhode Island and the surrounding region through the theatre arts.

This blog is dedicated to all things arts related, from arts news to particular people in the arts, from art events to ideas about art. I hope you enjoy it. It is based on my experiences in many art forms from the visual arts, to the performing arts, being a musician and an arts writer and critic for a newspaper.

From time to time I will look at different arts forms with ideas and conversations with various artists, perahps even posting artwork, from excerpts from writing.to visuals arts, all to inform an entertain you. Perhaps even make you think. And feel free to comment or disagree, but keep it intelligent and civil.

Enjoy!