AnythingArtsNewsletter.com - artists promoting artists

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Welcome to AnythingArtsNewlsetter.com, a bi-monthly (2x a month) electronic arts & enter-tainment newsletter produced by artists, for artists, to promote everything from the funky and avant-garde to high-brow mainstream art and events. Thank you for helping AnythingArts Newlsetter.com to be so successful: tell a friend about us today, they’ll appreciate it. Don't forget to check out our AnythingArts.com site! Sign up now to receive the AnythingArtsNewsletter this issue written by Kelly Fores Featured Artists Victoria Hulland and Octavio Martin
written by Gayle Williams, Vision PR & Marketing The Sarasota Ballet company is filled with talented dancers, all of whom make their own special contributions to each production. However, this November two principals will share a rather unique spotlight. In only her third season in Sarasota and at the age of 21, Victoria Hulland has catapulted from corps de ballet to principal much to her own shock. “It really is a dream come true,” says Victoria. From her young training in her hometown of Sherrill, New York, to New York City and then as a trainee at the Boston Ballet, Victoria has worked very hard to get where she is. Although she makes everything look graceful and effortless, she has worked tremendously preparing for this first role as a principal at the company. “Giselle has always been my favorite and it is a huge honor to be training with Margaret Barbieri. I’ve read books and studied videos to prepare when we are not rehearsing.” As she looks back and forward, Victoria notes it’s already been an incredible year. “The repertoire we do here is so amazing and I know that anything we do is going to be great. Iain (Webb) always gets the best. I see myself always learning and continuing to grow as a dancer.” She credits the variety of ballets in Iain Webb’s seasons as one reason why she expects never to get stagnant and will always be challenged to grow artistically and technically. Although newly a principal, audiences have seen Victoria dance solo roles in previous seasons’ Lilac Garden, La Sylphide, and most notably, the betrayed girl in Rakes Progress along with Octavio Martin. “There have been many ‘pinch me’ moments and working with Octavio during his mad scene in Rakes was one of them,” adds Victoria. And most obviously, dancing her first Giselle in the title role and sharing the role with reputedly the most famous ballerina in the world today, Alina Cojocaru, is another pinch me moment. “Sometimes in your life it is very important to be in the right place at the right moment and for Victoria, this opportunity to be a principal came very fast and she’s taken it so well,” says Octavio Martin. “Even her first time, she comes to the character of Giselle naturally and it has been a very nice experience. It is very important to me as Albrecht to have the right Giselle clearly in front of me.” Although Octavio has danced the role of Albrecht before during his career with the National Ballet of Cuba under the famed Alicia Alonso, he’s enjoying the Sir Peter Wright production of Giselle and is excited about sharing the role with the best male ballet dancer in the world, Johan Kobborg. After leaving the Cuban ballet company while in Mexico, Octavio and his wife Yaima, also a dancer, moved to Miami and eventually to Sarasota where their daughter Arantza was born three years ago. He considers himself lucky to have a family, a beautiful daughter and to be here in this moment in the Sarasota Ballet. “In what other place can one dancer do so many different styles and for me now... not just dancing, but also acting?” adds Octavio who is currently a lead dancer in the Asolo Rep-Sarasota Ballet collaboration Contact. He’s the head waiter in the Italian restaurant and Jack in the night club scene for those who have seen the show. Octavio enjoys teaching and will experiment more with choreography, his first time with the Sarasota Ballet, in a joint project with two other current dancers in a world premiere planned in late April 2010. It’s a good thing he loves to be versatile, as he is now dancing eight shows a week until Contact closes November 22. Five days later he is on stage in Giselle and the week after that dances the Prince in The Nutcracker. Here is his promise, “In each show I give everything and enjoy it 100%.”



November 13 [ bringing you figgy pudding ] Come out and support the latest run of improv shows presented by Dear Aunt Gertrude at The Box in Ybor City. The show is called “Figgy Pudding,” and it’s a holiday show that will be presented November 13 and 20 and December 4, 11 and 18 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $5. The Box is located at 1300 East 7th Avenue in Ybor City. Appropriate for age 12 and up. For more info, email Box@TampaUnderground.com.



November 13 [ expressive eccentricities ] State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) Fine Art Gallery will display cutting-edge images by contemporary artist John Hampshire at an opening reception from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. West, building 11 North. The reception is free and open to the public. The exhibit, “John Hampshire: Expressive Eccentricities,” features his unique work that combines colorful confetti-like paint strokes with a static, formal portrait. Exhibit continues through December 17.

November 13 [ faerie tales ] Join storyteller and professional actress Annie Morrison as she performs a story from her theatre venture “While Sitting in a Faerie Glen.” 7:30 pm at Deja Brew Coffee House, Annie will sing and tell stories. Suggested donation of $15 per person. For reservations or more info, call 941-400-2036 or email AnnMorrison@Storytellertheatre.org. This evening promises to enchant and warm your heart. You can also view the promo of “While Sitting in a Faerie Glen” on YouTube by clicking here.

November 14 [ pioneer park, pioneer day ] The Historical Society of Sarasota County hosts Pioneer Day and the grand opening of the Historical Society's gift shop from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at Pioneer Park (1260 12th Street between Coconut Avenue and N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota). The festivities include an arts and crafts show, artisans demonstrating their work, historical tours, activities for kids, a mini reading festival, live music, and BBQ and beverages. For more information call 941-364-9076.



November 14 [ manatee players benefit ] Area director and performer Kelly Wynn Woodland will recreate the role originally played by Lily Tomlin on Broadway in this multi-character, one-woman show to benefit the new Manatee Players Performing Arts Center. As part of the Anna Maria Island's Arts Hop, general admission tickets for this benefit are priced at only $15. Show time is 8:00 pm at Island Players, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Box office number is 941-778-5755.

November 14 [ sarasota, naturally ] Downtown Sarasota comes alive with Sarasota Naturally on Main Street and Five Points Park from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. This natural living festival features a variety of green businesses and practitioners in health and fitness, green buildings, green pets, natural health, skin care, music and demonstrations. It's free to the public and participants can win over $10,000 in prizes. It's a fun day for the family and a wonderful way to meet a variety of Sarasota's finest green living organizations and businesses. For more information, call 941-351-3740.

November 16 [ food for thought ] Enjoy an evening of wine, cuisine and conversation with Elizabeth Van Riper and sculptor Jack Dowd at Michael's Wine Cellar from 6:00 - 9:30 pm. Intimate, informative and entertaining, with a delicious three-course dinner, Food for Thought is an on-going series of arts-focused evenings. $50 per person plus tax, tip and additional wine or cocktails as desired. Reservations are necessary; make them by phoning 941-366-0007 ext. 224.

November 18 [ a night in new orleans ] The Sarasota Opera Guild presents A Night In New Orleans, a social held at the Sarasota Opera House that begins at 6:00 pm followed by a parade to dinner at 7:00 pm. This celebration features Creole and Cajun food and special New Orleans drinks plus a king or queen, dukes, maids and revelers. Let the good times roll during this benefit for Sarasota Opera Association. Cost: $75 - $300. Contact Eleanor Williams at 941-366-0205. Mail checks payable to Sarasota Opera Guild to Linda Moretti, 1355 Berkshire Court, Venice, FL 34292.

November 19 - 21 [ ed asner as fdr ] The Historic Asolo Theater presents Ed Asner, best known as Lou Grant, starring in the solo performance drama “FDR” by Dore Schary for four performances only: 8:00 pm November 19 - 21 and 2:00 pm November 21. Tickets range from $30-$40; call 941-360-7399.

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November 20 [ legalized pot ] You will hear no hushed voices or pretentious soliloquies at this art reception. Carla's Clay kicks off its seventh annual student show and all-day sale, Legalized Pot, with an opening reception from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. The all-day sale will be November 21 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Look for jewelry, sculptures, vases, bowls and other vessels in styles ranging from earthy to modern. Carla's Clay is located at 1733 Northgate Boulevard in Sarasota. Call 941-359-2773 for more details.

November 21 [ artful lobster ] The Hermitage Artist Retreat is combining its two popular annual fund-raising events into one wonderful afternoon. Artful Lobster, formerly known as Beach, Brunch & Bidding and The Lobster Bake, will be held on November 21 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. The new event will feature the best of both including a delicious lobster feast, unique raffle prizes and a limited live auction that includes trips, private parties and other surprises. Additionally, some of the resident artists will add a new dimension by performing a reading to top off the day’s event. Tickets cost $100 per person; to make your reservation call Sharyn Lonsdale at 941-475-2098. The Hermitage beachfront campus is located at 6660 Manasota Beach Road, Manasota Key.

November 21 & 22 [ andrews sisters tribute ] Lemon Bay Playhouse is paying tribute to our veterans by bringing to their stage the music that inspired the nation during that time. “Sentimental Journeys - In Tribute to the Andrews Sisters” will be presented on November 21 at 7:30 pm and November 22 at 2:00 pm. For tickets, call 941-475-6756. The theater is located at 96 West Dearborn Street in Englewood.



November 29 [ camelot ] “Camelot” ushers in the new Broadway Series at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on November 29 at 7:00 pm. Based on Lerner and Loewe's timeless masterpiece, Camelot is a sumptuous tale set in a land where honor and chivalry reign. The story follows the love triangle of King Arthur, his Queen Guenevere and the young Lancelot. Tickets are $40-$60 (a limited number of “Smart Seats” are available for $10) and may be purchased at the Van Wezel box office, by calling 941-953-3368.

December 2 [ theater meets science ] “G.WIZ The Banyan’s Coming!” is a first-ever joint fundraiser between an arts organization and the science museum. Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres in the daVinci exhibit room of G.WIZ, a staged reading of Bruce Rodgers’ play “The Gravity of Honey” featuring David S. Howard and Ann Morrison, and coffee and conversation with Bruce, David and Ann after the show. Tickets are $50 per person and proceeds will be split between the two organizations. The fun begins at 6:30 pm; reserve now by calling 941-309-4949 ext. 109.

December 2 [ smother me with comedy ] The Smothers Brothers, the legendary musical comedy duo, take center stage at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall at 8:00 pm. Marking nearly 50 years in show business, Tom and Dick Smothers are time-honored performers whose career has surpassed all other comedy teams in history. Tickets are $40-$60 (a limited number of “Smart Seats” are available for $10) and may be purchased at the Van Wezel box office, by calling 941-953-3368.




written by Su Byron Dane Clark, Actor Second-year student in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training Dane Clark is a second-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. He hails from Grand Rapids, MI. This season you’ll see him in all four Conservatory productions. When did you realize you wanted to be involved with theater? When I was seven and went to my first audition. My parents had seen how insane my imagination was and suggested I audition for something. From that moment on, it was as if a vein had been opened up. I was hooked. Were you involved with acting before you came to the Conservatory? Definitely. I started acting when I was eight, and since my first production, never has more than six months lapsed before doing another. When I was in college I worked professionally at The Great River Shakespeare Festival, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre and also at Mason Street Warehouse. How has your experience at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory helped you understand more about your craft? A phrase has been on repeat in my head as of late, and it’s a direct response to my training here: love the art in you, not yourself in the art. This phrase encapsulates what it is we strive for here at the Asolo Conservatory: artistic truth. It is not about the actor bolstering up for a role, but rather allowing the role to be revealed to you, to unlock the creative subconscious and to blindly ride it. What has been your biggest challenge as an actor? Just that; blindly riding. It can be very terrifying to fully relinquish your control as actor, and truly give over to character. This, however, is just the largest overarching challenge. Others include strengthening my body through movement classes, meeting vocal demands, translating notes from directors into playable actions, etc. What roles have you played while at the Conservatory? Last year I understudied Cleante in The Imaginary Invalid (which I got to go on for), and Autolycus /Mariner/Cleomenes in The Winter’s Tale. I also was privileged to be part of the Susan Zeder reading of The Edge of Peace in which I played Buddy Ricks. Also, at the Banyan Theater this summer I played Carter in Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig. What can we see you in this season? I will be in all four Conservatory productions. What three roles do you look forward to taking on? Well, I am looking forward to all of them, but I am especially excited for the role in Machinal. It’s a smaller role compared to Bruce in Blue/Orange or Joe Manning in The Mystery Plays, but I find it challenging, exciting and contrasting to most everything I’ll probably get to play here in Sarasota. The role of the lover in Machinal is a very sensual role and speaks Spanish—so that is also fun. Film, TV, stage—or all three? As an actor today in America, I feel I have to say all three. Theater was my first love and will always be, but I am getting increasingly interested in film and television. The training we get here at the Conservatory in the first year is extremely adaptable to film, and I like that transitional challenge. Who/what are your most important influences? As of late, I have to say the faculty here. Andrei Malaev-Babel especially has become a sort of guru for me, but also Barbara Redmond, Margaret Eginton, Patricia DeLorey and Greg Leaming. I also take a lot of inspiration from photography and films. The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a celebrated three-year graduate program culminating in a master of fine arts degree. For more than 30 years, tens of thousands of actors from across the continent have auditioned for admission. A maximum of 12 students are admitted each year. In their second year, the students perform in the Cook Theatre, a 161-seat space designed to create an intimate experience for the audience and actors. Third-year students are seen on the Mertz Stage working with the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s professional actors in exciting and significant roles. The FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s 2008-2009 season includes The FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s 2009-2010 season includes *The Mystery Plays* by Roberto Aguirre Sacasa (through Nov. 15, 2009); *Blue/Orange* by Joe Penhall (Jan. 6-24, 2010); *Machinal* by Sophie Treadwell (March 3-21); and *The Game Of Love And Chance* by Pierre Marivaux (April 14-May 2).



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[ voice and speech training ] John Burr offers voiceover and speech training at his new studio in Sarasota. And this year, he's added a new program for kids from 14 to 18, called the Young Talent Program. Whatever your needs, with his many years of experience, John can help you develop into a world-class voiceover talent or public speaker. Check out John's website for the details.

[ meeting ] Banyan Theater Company Guild – November 12, 11:30 am at Aristo Restaurant – Actress Ann Morrison will discuss living theater and the present role of the storyteller. She will perform excerpts from her show "While Sitting in a Faerie Glen" - adult fairy tales for the caregiver.

[ qigong club srq ] Begin the week focusing on breath, energy, alignment and movement. Qigong is an ancient health and fitness modality suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Held each Monday at 9:00 am, classes meet at Sarasota's Island Park. This group is led by Alena Nickos, certified to teach the Evidence-Based Qigong and Taiji Program developed by Master Yang Yang, PhD. For more information, contact Alena at 941-921-2806 or email mini.taiji@yahoo.com.

November 12 [ creative writing workshop ] "Gypsy Sunrise," a creative writing workshop of 5 sessions, begins on November 12 from 1:30 - 4:00 pm. "The Lost Highway" an expressive writing workshop of 5 sessions begins on November 14 from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm. Workshops are held in Pinehurst Village in Sarasota and are open to writers of all ages, novice to experienced seeking to jump start creativity. Contact Ronni Miller, author and director of Write It Out, at RMillerWIO@aol.com or 941-359-3824 for more information.

November 13 [ voice master class ] State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) will host a voice master class by Dr. Lloyd Mims, a baritone vocalist, from 1:00 - 2:00 pm at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. West, building 11 West. The class is free and open to the public. For more information, call the music department at 941-752-5351.

November 14 [ players theatre auditions ] Auditions for “Some Enchanted Evening” (January 14-24, 2010), “Fiddler on the Roof” (March 18-28) and ”The Who's Tommy” (April 22-May 2) start at 10:00 am at The Players Theatre. Call 941-365-2494 to reserve your spot, and come prepared with a one-minute monologue and song and dazzle the directors.

November 14 [ calling all playwrights ] Author Arlene Hutton will facilitate two play writing workshops at The Players Performing Arts Studio. Connections – Provides new inroads to the wonders and revelations of the unconscious mind and celebrates the thrill of creative writing. 1:00 - 3:00 pm, $75. Scare-Free Improv – Storytelling - through improvisation applied to playwriting! Based on Hutton’s work with Keith Johnstone (Improv), Christine Farrell (TheatreSports) and Michael Gellman (Second City). 3:30-5:00 pm, $30. Call 941-360-0120 to register.

[ casting call ] Local filmmakers at the State College of Florida are shooting an indie film called “Ghosts.” There is a need for a bunch of actors from age 20 to 60 and even a need for an actor nearly 7 feet tall. Shooting takes place in November. Contact Dylan H. Jones at hlodylanj@gmail.com for more information. Click here to read a synopsis and character breakdown.

[ call to artists ] The Towles Court Art District is issuing a call to artists. The show is titled “Small Works” and is open to all artists 18 years and older who are residents of Sarasota or Manatee County. There will be two separate exhibits: Nov. 20 through Dec. 8, 2009 will be a showing of all accepted works. Dec. 11 through Dec. 18, 2009 will be an exclusive winner’s exhibition.

[ call to artists ] Mote Marine Laboratory is now accepting entry applications for art representing Mote's 55 years of preserving our world's marine environment and advancing marine science for entry in a week-long exhibition in March. Selected artworks will be shown in the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium 55th Anniversary Celebration Juried Art Exhibition. The display will greet guests in Mote Aquarium, which attracts 300,000 visitors each year, including the opening and closing receptions and a silent auction. Catch a glimmering snook on canvas, sketch a darting dolphin, get colorful with corals — explore the sea of possibilities. For more information, submission and entry forms. Please address questions to Exhibition Chairwoman, Deborah Dart. Entries must be hand delivered and will only be accepted between 10:00 - 3:00 pm, March 10, 2010.

Auditions [ pick me, no me ] Be sure to check the audition pages of local theaters to make sure you don’t miss anything (click the theater name): Florida Studio Theatre • The Players Theatre of Sarasota • Manatee Players • The Golden Apple • Island Players • Asolo Repertory Theatre • Venice Theatre • Lemon Bay Playhouse
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