Title, Premiere and Location
The Central Ave. Chalk Circle
Watts Labor Community Action Committee
November 2 through 19, 1995
The culminating project of a 15-month residency, bringing together participants from the previous 3 Watts productions and 2 workshops in Lynn Manning's adaptation of Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Performed at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee Center. Winner of the 1996 Ovation Award for Best Play of the Year.
Written By
Bertolt Brecht, Adapted by Eric Bentley & Lynn Manning with translations by Bernando Solana
Music by Shishir Kurup, Lyrics by Lynn Manning
"Child's Song" Lyrics by Shishir Kurup
Produced at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee.
Synopsis
Brecht's classic play is brought to South Central in this tale of civil war in California, and the struggle over a billionaire mayor's child.
The story of a young janitor who saved an abandoned baby during California’s secession from the United States then faced a comic judge’s unusual brand of justice. The production received LA’s highest theatrical honor, the Ovation Award for Best Production of the Year.
Staff
Director - Bill Rauch
Asst. Director/Prologue Director - Dennistine Lyle
Lighting Design/Production Manager - Geoff Korf
Set Design - Ed Haynes
Costume and Properties Design - Lynn Jeffries
Composer - Shishir Kurup
Choreographer - Page Leong
Sound Design - Joe Romano
Stage Manager - Andie Massel
Assistant Stage Manager - Janet Escobar
Music Director - Shishir Kurup
Assistant Music Director - Vernon Stanford
Assistant to the Production Manager - JaRome Johns
Assistant Sound Designer/Sound Operator - Andrew Escobar
Kid Wrangler/Wardrobe Assistant - Shelley Thomas
Producer - Janice Mabry
Executive Producer - Leslie Tamaribuchi
Production Assistant/Sound Crew - Carl Flanagan
Set Construction - Caesar Bijou
Light Board Operator - Stephanie Escobar
Follow Spot Operator - Joey Colson, Laura Escobar
Running Crew - Da'vet Williams, Lera Ashe, JaRome Johns
Deck Electrician - JaRome Johns
Turntable Operator - Joaquin Martin
Electrics, Scenery & Painting - Bill Korf, Nathan Haas, Kezia, Linda Jauron, Janine Silver
TCG/NEA Directing Fellow - Amy Mueller
Graphic Design - Oscar Duardo
Paper Artists - Nadia Reed, Kathy Lucero, Migiwa, Katherine Ferwerda, Dori Quan, Dan Knapp, Lera Ashe, Andrew Castillion, Lindsay Ducos, Stephanie Escobar, Ann Hayes, Katherine Lucero, Aaron Meeks, Erica Meeks, Marcie Ramirez, Britney Scott, Andrea Thomas, Angela Thomas, Janelle Walton, Anthony Ward, Da'vet Williams
Cast
Agenette L. Gooch |
Chairperson |
Ismael Kanater |
Mr. Johnston |
Aaron Carlos |
Mr. Johnston |
Melvin Long |
Mr. Johnston's Lawyer |
Gloria Curtis |
Woman 1 |
Sandy Massel |
Woman 1 |
Glen Cornwell |
Man 1 |
Bernard S. Garrett III |
Man 1 |
Dennistine Lyle |
Woman 2, Cook |
Theodora Hardie |
Committee Member 1, Nanny 2, Precious-Gerald's Wife, Landlady, Court Officer 2 |
Alejandro Andrade |
Committee Member 2, Eduardo Montoya billionare developer and mayor, Mr. Morales, Neighbor 2, Blackmailer, Older Husband |
Danny Franco |
Teen |
JaRome Johns |
Teen |
Britney Scott |
Child 1 |
Janelle Walton |
Child 2 |
Shishir Kurup |
Azdak - an artist |
Christopher Liam Moore |
Reporter, Agent Buttkiss, Father Mackenzie, Doctor, Lawyer 1 |
Anthony Ward |
Cameraman, Limping teen, Busboy |
Vernon Stanford |
Protester 1, Hitman 1, Car Jacker |
Rocio Novoa |
Protester 1, Alma the maid, Miss Morales, Ophelia - a waitress |
Page Leong |
Antoinette, Passenger 1, Neighbor 1, Agent 2 |
Armando Molina |
Buck Wild, Agent Superior, Palacio's Mother, The Q-Tip |
Oscar Durado |
Nanny1, Store Proprietor, Palacio, Agent 3, Messenger |
Sandra Layne |
Gertha Gibson |
Quentin Drew |
Derek, Lawyer |
Lynn Manning |
Senator Charles |
Irma Ashe |
Christina, Passenger 4, Woman with Shawl, Older Wife |
Aaron Meeks |
Looter, Kid 1, K-1 (Azdak's Ward) |
Matthew Castrillon |
Monte |
Erica Meeks |
Bossy Kid |
Marcella "Marcie" Ramirez |
Kid 2, K-2 (Azdak's Ward)
|
The Ensemble |
Chorus, Protesters, Tourists, Busriders, Police Officers, Partygoers |
Comments by cast, crew, and other participants.
"This wasn't the first Cornerstone play I ever saw (Ghuruba was my first), but in many ways this CHALK CIRCLE was a seminal Cornerstone experience. It was a Bridge Show, and it was particularly exciting because it looked at issues with a community that included Latino and African American participants. There are plenty of places in the city where the relationships between those two groups were complicated (at best) and violent (at worst)."
"It was a notable production because it did so many of the things I associate with Cornerstone: it was a great adaptation of Brecht by Lynn Manning, and a very broad and exciting production by Bill Rauch. It was one of those productions where you could really feel the personality and the energy he had been able to focus. The design elements (I will never forget Lynn Jeffries' construction paper masterpieces) were thrilling: at one point a couple of cars come racing into the performance space, and the whole audience just ROSE out of their seats. "Bravura" is really the only word for the design."
"And then there were the performances: Page Leong and Shishir Kurup both had marvelous star turns, Chris Moore and Armando Molina were stealing every scene they were in through a series of character roles, and the community performers (esp. Sandra Layne and Quentin Drew) were wonderful."
"Every once in a while you get the perfect combination: CHALK CIRCLE was the perfect combination."
"If I had to list the specifically 'Cornerstone' characteristics, I'd say...
1. Energetic and site/community-specific adaptation.
2. Staging style that is at once pageantry and very direct, personal drama.
3. Bold and bright design with found or inexpensive objects.
4. Affecting performances by community participants.
-- John Flynn
Subsequent Performances or Productions
Special Notes
The Central Ave. Chalk Circle won the Ovation Award for Best Production.
Articles, Reviews, and other Links
American Theater Article:
http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/12/03/how-cornerstones-chalk-circle-in-watts-changed-my-life/
LA Times Article:
http://articles.latimes.com/1995-11-10/entertainment/ca-1453_1_community-theater
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