The Brazilian Hour will host an outdoor carnivalesque celebration, A Tale of Two Nations: Nação Estrela Brilhante & Nation Beat, bringing the northeast coast of Brazil to Grand Performances at California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, August 17, 2013. Commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Brazilian Hour’s locally produced, internationally-heard radio program, this free event will pair award-winning Brazilian performance group Nação Estrela Brilhante, with New York City-based Nation Beat. Read the rest of this entry »

Save the Date:  Green Galactic is thrilled to present pole, John Tejada, and Plaid at our 20 Year Anniversary Celebration as part of Grand Performances summer concert series at California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30, 2013 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.  Dive into a pool of richly hued sights and sounds as innovative arts and culture promoter Green Galactic celebrates 20 years in business with live-sets by three of the world’s most respected electronic music artists.  The evening features the dubby complex rhythms of Berlin-based pole, visceral experimental soundscapes by Plaid from the UK, and the melodic handcrafted techno of LA’s own John Tejada.  Read the rest of this entry »

Tears of Joy Theatre will perform The Ugliest Duckling, a puppet theatre version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz at Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 7:30pm.  Set in Australia and starring a cast of colorful creatures in tabletop rod puppet form, The Ugliest Duckling adds a new twist to the beloved story.  Written by playwright Marc Dunworth, The Ugliest Duckling features a baby platypus that will never grow into a graceful swan. The story is one of self-acceptance and will be performed by Tears of Joy Theatre, known internationally for bringing amazing puppet theatre to audiences young and old.  Read the rest of this entry »

With the World Cup and Olympic Games coming to Brazil in the next few years, bringing unprecedented international attention to the country, the Cultural Sector of the Brazilian Consulate-General in Los Angeles is preparing for its global close-up by expanding its Brazilian Hour radio program into new multimedia platforms, including a new media-rich website as well as a brand new streaming music app.  With a 34-year history showcasing the country’s music and culture, the program is one of the longest running international radio shows in the U.S. – its mission to provide audiences worldwide with a rich and deep taste of Brazilian culture.  The expanded multimedia offerings will allow a new generation of listeners across the globe greater access to enjoy the show’s music along with guest interviews and exclusive features on the web, as well as through the mobile application.

Read the rest of this entry »

A fresh idea in collaborative fundraising will take place on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at a private home in Los Feliz from early afternoon until late night.  Synergy = Music + Sustainability is an innovative, multicultural, experiential event to help raise funds for two dynamic, solution-based nonprofits based in LA: Arts:Earth Partnership (AEP) and NextAid.  Music and arts producer, Jonathan Rudnick (theLIFT/Noise Pop Culture Club/Giant Step co-founder) is at the helm bringing the best talent Los Angeles has to offer to this consciousness-raising event. The fundraiser will run from 4:00 to 11:00pm and is taking place at Synergy House, a beautiful Mediterranean/Spanish historical eco-home with detached studio space and a lagoon pool just east of Hollywood off of Franklin Blvd.  The exact location will be revealed upon ticket purchase.  Tickets range from $20 to $50 and are available at www.synergy-la.eventbrite.com.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stepping Up, a multimedia art exhibit about rising up to meet challenges, opens officially to the public with an artist reception on Friday, June 22, 2012 in the Rampart Village office of the United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW), west of Downtown Los Angeles.  The brightly colored, primarily figurative exhibition features works by artists such as Oscar Magallanes, Keba Konte, and Paul Barron.  Stepping Up is the newest gallery installation by ULTCW, which is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The artist reception, which features a DJ, light refreshments, and exhibition artists in attendance, will run from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.  The ULTCW offices are located at 2910 Beverly Blvd. 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90057 (877-698-5829).

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo credit Jeff Woodward.

501 (see three) ARTS and Highways Performance Space present Who’s Hungry -Santa Monica, part of an ongoing series of experimental tabletop puppet plays that give a voice and face to hunger, with four performances on Fridays and Saturdays from January 27 to February 4, 2012.  The plays, produced and written by Dan Froot, designed and directed by Dan Hurlin, with music by Amy Denio (a Meet The Composer commission), aim to raise awareness of the lives of those of us who, on a daily basis, must choose between life’s basic necessities – food or rent, food or medicine, food or bus fare. The upcoming production weaves together the stories of five homeless and/or hungry residents of Santa Monica, California, incorporating puppetry, dance, music, and text.

Read the rest of this entry »

(photo credit: Nabil Elderkin)

Award-winning film Bouncing Cats, the inspiring story of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda through hip hop, makes its US television premiere on Documentary Channel Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. (EST/PST). The film, narrated by Common and featuring interviews with Will.I.Am, and K’Naan, follows the legendary Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew and b-boy Abramz, the founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU), on a journey to unify, empower and inspire youth in the war torn region that has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child.  The film, produced by Red Bull Media House and directed by Australian filmmaker and photographer Nabil Elderkin, toured the film festival circuit in 2010 and 2011, earning awards along the way at Urbanworld Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, and Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival, among others.  Proceeds from the film benefit BPU.

Read the rest of this entry »

William Castle (by Leland Cheong/Honolulu Advertiser)

Known for his ingenious marketing gimmicks, legendary horror film producer and director William Castle (1914-1977) has returned from the dead with his first new work in decades, From the Grave: The Prayer (Volume 1), a novel for young adults.  Due out this Halloween season in early October 2011, the 75,000-word book set in Hollywood and Southern France is a compelling thriller infused with history, suspense, and horror.  Dubbed “The Master of the Macabre” and “King of the Gimmicks,” Castle was internationally famous for producing Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and producing/directing countless horror classics such as House on Haunted Hill (1959) and The Tingler (1959).
Read the rest of this entry »

Award-winning film Bag It, a touching and often funny documentary about how we use and abuse plastic, is set to air nationally on public television during Earth Week starting April 17, 2011. The film, by award-winning director Suzan Beraza, is an eye-opening look at the environmental and health dangers posed by the global use of disposable, non-biodegradable plastic products. Told with wit and humor, Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world.

Read the rest of this entry »