CalArts Center for New Performance
The CalArts Center for New Performance is the professional producing arm of the California Institute of the Arts. Its mission is to provide an artist and project driven framework for the development and production of original theater, music, dance and interdisciplinary projects. Artists from around the world come to CNP to develop work that expands the language, discourse, and boundaries of contemporary theater and performance. CNP supports the future of live performance by bringing these artists together with the emerging artists of the CalArts community.[1]
History
The Center for New Performance was founded in 1999 under the name, Center for New Theater at CalArts. The first production was a radiophonic play for electric puppet titled Theater of the Ears, created by Zaven Paré, Gregory Whitehead, Valère Novarina and Allen S. Weiss, along with a team of CalArts designers and technicians. The piece was presented in New York as part of the 2000 Henson International Festival of Puppet Theatre, in Paris at the Biennale Internationale des Arts de la Marionnette and at the 2001 Festival d’Avignon. In the Spring of 2006, the Center for New Performance (CNP) was given its present name in order to better align with its mission of developing interdisciplinary work.[2]
Productions and programming
| Title | Year | Creative Team | Venue | Other Performances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prometheus Bound | 2013 | Directed by Travis Preston, Translation by Joel Agee, Composed by Ellen Reid and Vinny Golia, Choreographed by Mira Kingsley, Produced in association with Trans Arts and the Getty Museum | Getty Villa, Malibu, CA | |
| TEDxCalArts | 2013 | Speakers and Presenters included Guillermo Gómez-Peña, The Yes Men, Nora Chipaumire, Sardano W. Kusumo, Ricardo Dominguez, Ashley Hunt, Brian Massumi and Erin Manning, Mirjana Jokovic, Killsonic, Peggy Deamer, Chris Kallmyer, Douglas Kearney, Franco Beradi Bifo, Ajay Kapur, Jeepneys, Aleshea Harris [3] | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| Timboctou | 2012 | Directed by Martín Acosta, Written by Alejandro Ricaño, In association with Duende Calarts | REDCAT, Los Angeles | •UDG Cultura Teatro Esperimental de Jalisco, Guadalajara, México |
| Brewsie and Willie | 2010 | Directed by Travis Preston, Written by Gertrude Stein, Adapted by Marissa Chibas, Erik Ehn and Travis Preston, Produced in association with Poor Dog Group | Los Angeles | •2011 RADAR LA Festival |
| Ah! | 2009 | Directed by Travis Preston in collaboration with Composer/Performer David Rosenboom and Poet Martine Bellen | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| Power Play and Willful Blindness | 2009 | Directed by Sarah Davies, Written by Margaret Heffernan, Produced in association with BBC Radio 4 | Aired June 2009, United Kingdom | |
| Smoke, Lilies and Jade | 2008/09 | Directed by Nataki Garrett, Written by Carl Hancock Rux, Choreographed by Colin Connor [4] | California Institute of the Arts, Valencia | |
| Vineland Stalae | 2007/08 | Directed by Chi-wang Yang, Composed by Sandeep Bhagwati | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| Daughter of a Cuban Revolutionary | 2006/07 | Directed by Mira Kingsley, Written by Marissa Chibas[4] | REDCAT, Los Angeles | •INTAR, New York
•2008 William and Joan Lehman Theater, Miami (presented in Spanish and English) |
| What To Wear | 2006/07 | Written & Directed by Richard Foreman, Composed by Michael Gordon[4] | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| Invisible Glass | 2004/05 | Directed by Janie Geiser, Written by Erik Ehn, Composed by Tom Recchion[4] | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| Bell Solaris: Twelve Metamorphoses in Piano Theater | 2004/05 | Composed by David Rosenboom and Directed by Travis Preston[4] | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| 11 September 2001 | 2004/05 | Directed by Robert Cantarella (National Dramatic Center of Dijon), Written by Michel Vinaver | REDCAT, Los Angeles | •2006 Théâtre de Colline, Paris
•2006 Frictions Festival of Théâtre Dijon Bourgogne, France |
| Macbeth (A Modern Ecstasy) | 2004/05 | Performed by Stephen Dillane, Directed by Travis Preston, Composed by Vinny Golia | REDCAT, Los Angeles | •2005 Almeida Theatre, London
•2006 Adelaide Festival, Australia |
| Peach Blossom Fan | 2003/04 | Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng, Written by Edward Mast, Composed by Stephin Merritt, Guest artists Jon David Casey, David Patrick Kelly and Beijing Opera star Zhou Long | REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| King Lear | 2002/03 | Directed by Travis Preston | The Brewery, Los Angeles | •2003 Frictions Festival of Théâtre Dijon Bourgogne, France |
| Listen To Me | 2000 | Created by visual artist Michael Counts and choreographer Ken Roht | ||
| Bad Behavior | 1999 | Richard Foreman and Sophie Havilad | California Institute of the Arts, Valencia | |
| Theater of the Ears | 1999 | Zaven Paré, Gregory Whitehead, Valère Novarina and Allen S. Weiss | 2000 Henson International Festival of Puppet Theatre, New York | •Biennale Internationale des Arts de la Marionnette, Paris •2001 Festival d’Avignon, Paris[4] |
Prometheus Bound
In September 2013, the Getty Museum and CNP, in association with Trans Arts, presented Prometheus Bound, the eighth annual outdoor theater production in the Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater. Featuring a newly translated text by noted poet and essayist Joel Agee, Prometheus Bound was directed by Travis Preston and included original music by composer Ellen Reid and jazz multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia (who also performed live onstage).[6] The central element of this original production of the ancient Greek drama was a mammoth steel wheel, twenty-three feet tall that was installed in the outdoor theater. As envisioned by director Preston and scenic designer Efren Delgadillo, Jr., the remote mountaintop is represented by this enormous steel wheel, to which Prometheus is strapped in the opening scene of the play. The production featured 17 cast members, including a Greek chorus of 12, all of whom climb on and off the giant wheel throughout the play.[7]
Leadership
Travis Preston, Artistic Director, Dean/School of Theater Calarts
Leslie Tamaribuchi, Executive Director
David Rosenboom, Dean/The Herb Alpert School of Music Calarts [1]
Staff Emeritus: Carol Bixler (served as Producing Director 2004-2014) Susan Solt (founding Artistic Director/Producer 1999-2003)
Awards and accolades
King Lear (2003)
- Three NAACP awards including Best Performance by a Female for Fran Bennett as King Lear, Best Production and Best Lighting Design
- Five LA Ovation Award Nominations[8]
Brewsie and Willie (2010)
- LA Weekly Awards for Best Production Design, Best Original Music, Best Lighting Design
2011 MetLife/TCG A-Ha! Program grant recipient[9]
External links
References
- http://theater.calarts.edu/resources/cnp
- http://livedesignonline.com/theatre/calarts-launches-center-new-performance
- http://tedxcalarts.theatercalarts.com
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2013-10-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.backstage.com/interview/stephen-dillane-travis-preston/
- http://news.getty.edu/press-materials/press-releases/getty-and-calarts-present-prometheus-bound.htm
- http://www.lastagetimes.com/2013/09/prestons-prometheus-bound-brings-poetic-revolution-to-getty-villa/
- https://articles.latimes.com/2003/jan/29/entertainment/et-haith29
- http://blog.calarts.edu/2011/08/31/just-do-it-calarts-center-for-new-performance-awarded-metlifetcg-a-ha-grant