Sunday, March 28, 2010

Arte Today!

Olga García Echeverría

It's a beautiful Sunday and if you're wondering what's going on in the City of Angels today in relation to arte, here are a few things you won't want to miss.


Oedipus El Rey by Luis Alfaro
Extended Showings!

Boston Court Performing Arts Center
70 North Mentor Avenue
Pasadena, CA
626-683-6883

If you're feeling art-deprived because you still haven't checked out Luis Alfaro's modern adaptation of Sophocle's classic play Oedipus Rex, don't despair. Originally, the play's last LA showing was scheduled for today, but due to sold out box offices, the production has been extended until Sunday April 11th. Yay! My roommate and I had the opportunity to see the play last night and both of us gave it a solid thumbs up. Among other things, I loved the way Alfaro takes the classic Greek myth and barrioizes it. When asked why he chose to delve into and re-envision the Greek myth, Alfaro shares "I wanted to do something about the prison system. I read this horrible statistic that the recidivism rate in California is something like 65%. It’s shocking, and 47% of those returning to prison are Latino. 22% of those released from prison also go back within hours. So, I started thinking about where the new kingdoms are and how there’s an alternate society where some people grow up. I was exploring why the California prison system is an industry and the whole bit and that got me writing and thinking about Oedipus, a young king, who gets out of prison and is looking for his new territory, some place to conquer. I took all the beats of Oepidus, who kills his father, marries his mother, etc. and it all kind of came together and made sense." Aside from Alfaro's unique adaptation, I also found the performance by Marlene Forte (who plays Jocasta, Oedipus' mother) superb. To read more about Alfaro's play, check out Michael Sedano's earlier bloga on Oedipus El Rey http://labloga.blogspot.com/2008/02/oedipus-pinto.html



Also happening in the city today...

La Palabra Poetry Reading Series features Liz Gonzalez

Co-hosted by Laura L. Longoria and Don Newton
Sunday March 28th
2-4PM

Avenue 50 Studio
131 Avenue 50
Highland Park, CA
323-258-1435

Liz Gonzalez' work recently appeared in Bordersense and Cooweescoowee, and her fiction recently appeared in Women on the Edge: Writing from Los Angeles. Her awards include the Arts Council for Long Beach's 2005 Professional Artist Fellowship and a wrting grant from the Elizabeth George Foundation. She is a member of the Macondo Foundation, founded by Sandra Cisneros. Currently Liz is the 2009/2010 Puente English instructor at Long Beach City College, and a creative writing instructor through the UCLA Writer's Extension Program. For more info: lizgonzalez.com


Two Great Openings Today at ChimMaya Gallery

The Art of Healing...Mind, Body, and Soul

Steven Acevedo, Creative Director at ChimMaya Gallery, states about The Art of Healing, "The show's premise is not confined to healing in the traditional sense. It is more about healing from the inside out. Sometimes that healing comes from a release of our earthly bodies, a release of old attitudes and anger, a release from addictions and prejudices. Those releases can come from listening to music, walks along the beach, dancing, laughing, the smile from your loved ones, extending a hand to those in need...etc."


Also opening today at ChimMaya...

Stamp Project/Creating Cultural Currency curated by Margaret Garcia



From ChimMaya website: "During a recent conversation with Margaret, she outlined the concept for bringing together artists, poets, musicians, print-makers and individuals with little to no artistic background to create a stamp image that would be in support of health, love, creativity, generosity, forgiveness, etc. Her goal was, and is, to bring together individuals of varying backgrounds, in a grass roots effort to support the Arts and the 'Positive' aspects of life. ChimMaya invites you to the debut of this momentous exhibition of like-minded individuals in sync with the affirmative view of life."

Exhibiting artist: Margaret Garcia, Frank Romero, Gilbert (Magu) Lujan, Yolanda Gonzalez, Raoul De La Sota, Jose Lozano, Ofelia Esparza, Dolores Guerrero-Torres, Kristy Lovich, Gabriela Martinez, Rosie Garcia, Paul Martinez, Sonya Fe, Grace Barraza-Vega, Sandra Gonzalez, Bonnie Lambert, Mary Lucille Nunez, EmSedano, Bruno Andrade, Kathy Kennedy, Gloria Vasquez-Warner, Lizette Veneziano, Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, Armando Baeza, Estela Hyde, Dolores Guererro-Torres, Michael Rascon, and Carol Newborg

Both shows are opening today March 28th
3:00 - 7:00 PM
315 South Hillview Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90022-2122
(323) 869-8881‎

Have a great Sunday and I hope it's filled with lots of teatro, poesia, and colorful arte.

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