WAR HORSE CAST WELCOMES LOS AMIGOS HS

Nothing inspires dreamers more than meeting those who are living theirs. Ms. Rubin’s drama class at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley met a number of performers from the Broadway show War Horse who were living their dreams at Segerstrom Center the past two weeks. On Friday, February 1, the class attended a performance and met several cast members afterwards in Founders Hall. The aspiring young actors had the opportunity to quiz their new mentors about the show and their careers. 

Founders Hall is a “black box” rehearsal space – a traditional room in all theaters where rehearsals usually take place. As Ms. Rubin commented, “For them, this is the first time they’ve actually been in a black box – now they know they really exist and what they look like!” If luck holds, some of her students may end up spending a lot of time in similar rooms during the course of their careers.

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.