Off Center Festival Off to a Great Start

The Car Plays © Steve Dawson

The Off Center Festival is giving Southern California music, dance and theater fans a lot to enjoy and to think about. The Car Plays has vehicles lined up on the Arts Plaza for series of 10-minute plays within the vehicles themselves – each with audiences of just two.

Doug Varone and Dancers in "Dressed" © Steve Dawson

Doug Varone and Dancers began their program discussing and demonstrating the creative process of their featured work in “Stripped” and return to perform the finished work in costumes and theater lighting for part two, “Dressed.” 

Minsk, 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker © Steve Dawson

Belarus Free Theatre performed its politically powerful and thought-provoking Minsk, 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker. This festival of innovative contemporary entertainment and culturally significant works continues January 28 through February 2 with indie bands Sea Wolf and The Donnies The Amys, Fleur Elise Noble’s 2 Dimensional Life of Her, Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s Word Becomes Flesh and more of The Car Plays. 

The Off Center Lounge © Steve Dawson

Every evening ends with audiences and artists gathering at the Off Center Lounge in Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge.