Hi everyone!
In case you didn't know, tonight is Opening Night of our 5-Short-Play Collection "Street. Art. Prophets." Chances are if you're reading this blog you are connected to our Facebook page, our twitter page, or are friends with someone that is- which means you probably were aware. Thank you for taking the extra step and wanting to know more about our little company- it means a lot to us.
Tonight we are *technically* embarking on our second season of show-making! I don't think I can accurately express how much this means to me, or to our company. I'm honestly getting emotional just thinking about trying to. But that might be the lack of sleep talking.
This piece is something new, well every piece is something new, but this one is different from the other new ones. We were so incredibly fortunate to have the help of 3 additional Playwrights other than myself writing for this show. Melissa Coleman-Reed, Delia Knight, and Wind Dell Woods are incredibly talented. I'm so happy that we have this platform for these artists to work, because they deserve it.
We also have had the help of some amazing directors and choreographers that worked on each individual piece- Adam Parker, Shaun Tuazon, Blythe Barton, Michael Mizerany, Sam Ginn, and Melissa Coleman-Reed. This is an unstoppable group of art-makers that have put their hearts into this project without hesitation. From an outside perspective I was absolutely blown away.
Our actors- Patrick Kelly, Justin Warren Martin, Brian Burke, Sophia Ethridge, and Soroya Rowley are superhero rock stars that have been sent to our show from heaven. I love them and if they would let me I would marry them all in some weird hippie-commune set-up where we lived on a farm and had too many cats. But I’m not sure if they would be into it.
Our designers and crew- Areta Mackelvie (the death-defying girl-wonder), Evan Kendig, Bonnie Breckenridge, Crystal Brandon, Jon Huckaby, and Mike Brown are some of the most talented and passionate people I have had the chance to work with ever. I don't know what I did to be so lucky, but if it had provided me the chance to work with all of these incredible people, I had better keep it up.
But this show would simply not be here if it wasn't for the artists that inspired us to create. Saratoga Sake, Gloria Muriel, Mark Waylan, Stella Cole, Michael Mahaffey, and one artist that wishes to remain anonymous- you are an inspiration to me deeply. To me, being a Street Artist means being an artist by any means necessary. It means that your art will happen, and be seen. Period. It means that the convention of climbing the hypothetical art ladder into a gallery is lost on you. Or maybe it isn't- but it's limited. Whereas- when you look at the world like as a canvas, it belongs to you. And hot damn I am inspired by that.
Last night I got sick with fear and doubt. This is pretty normal for me when a show is about to open. There is a good chance I will get sick today and there is a good chance I will watch the show tonight with white knuckles and a stiff back. I couldn't get to sleep last night until I thought about the artists that inspired our pieces. They don't need much to make art. A wall, some paint, an idea. They don't wait for the critics to shred it, and they don't care if it gets taken down. They make it, they feel the inspiration and they put it on that wall- and then they walk away knowing that their soul is out there feeding whoever is lucky enough to find its nourishment.
What an inspiring and beautiful thought.
I am going to try to take it with me tonight, and throughout the rest of this run. And I hope that our piece sheds light on that incredible spirit so you can be inspired as well.
I hope you come to our show friends.
With love,
Katherine Harroff
Artistic Director of Circle Circle dot dot
Photo by Rich Soublet