coLAB Arts

THE ORPHANAGE

The Orphanage is the only new play reading series in Downtown New Brunswick, providing a home for local theater artists and a safe environment for playwrights to develop their work. This year’s Breakthrough Arts Fest will feature readings of four new plays by both emerging and early career playwrights.

The Orphanage series happens on Saturday, July 18, 25 and August 1st and is FREE.

Saturday, July 18, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of Lia Romeo’s “SUPER”

A New York yuppie discovers he has super powers. Aided by a homeless guy who is similarly “challenged” he picks up the call to fight crime. But when it interferes with the life and relationship he’s trying to rebuild, what choice should he make?

Lia Romeo is an MFA playwrighting graduate from MGSA Theatre. She went to the Kennedy Center last summer with her play “Green Whales” which will be getting its world premiere this season at the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas. With her brother, Lia co-authored the book “11,002 Things To Be Miserable About.”

Saturday, July 25, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of “Night Cycle” by Jessica Corn

If having the perfect life means making everyone around you happy and making yourself miserable is the perfect life worth having? Should one compromise one’s dreams for security?

Jessica Corn is a graduate of Wheaton College and has worked previously at Trinity Rep, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and Highwire Theatre Company . She currently works at George Street Playhouse as manager of education where she teaches playwrighting and is co-producer of the coLAB new play development program, The Orphanage.

Saturday, August 1, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of the New Play Network commission of “Revelation” by Samuel Brett Williams

Revelation is an adaptation of the Book of Revelations from the New Testament. It’s a New Play Network Commision.

Samuel is a 2008 Helen Merrill Emerging Playwright Award winner. He was in the Cherry Lane Theatre Mentor project 07-08 season under Charles Fuller with his play “The Woodpecker” that he initially developed at the O’Neill conference. He went to the Kennedy Center last summer to develop his play “The Revival”. He is an MFA in playwriting graduate from MGSA Theater.

BUY TICKETS HERE!!!

Breakthrough Arts Fest: A Festival of Music, Theater, Film, and Dance in New Brunswick, NJ. The festival runs July 11 – August 1, Friday – Sunday at George Street Playhouse (9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick). Ticket prices range from FREE to $10.

Following its commitment to fostering emerging New Brunswick artists and the development of the New Brunswick art scene, coLAB presents four weekends of new work including concerts, play readings, puppetry, film, and theater.

Saturday, July 11, 7pm – coLAB Music Fest featuring FUSE, Like Trains & Taxis, Silent Knight, Terminal Reynaldo, Glad Hearts, and Zach Lost.

Friday, July 17, 8pm – Member Showcase: a staged reading of Dan Swern’s Castle on a Hill and the premiere of Jack Leary’s music/performance happening, Make It.

Friday, July 18, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of Lia Romeo’s SUPER

Saturday, July 18, 8pm – Samuraization, written and performed by Pandora Scooter

Sunday, July 19, 8pm – Samuraization, written and performed by Pandora Scooter

Saturday, July 25, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of Night Cycle by Jessica Corn

Saturday, July 25, 8pm – Puppet Slam featuring new puppetry work by emerging and early career puppeteers

Sunday, July 26, 5pm – Member Showcase: Featuring new works by coLAB Member artists Dan Swern,  Jessica Lipman, and Avianna Perez

Thursday, July 30, 9pm – coLAB Music Fest featuring Communipaw, Walking with Cavemen, Mike Bruno, and WUPA.

Friday, July 31, 7pm – ArtHouse: Celebrating the artists who stay and fight; to all those who strive to build something new, original and promising. A place for those who work to make New Brunswick a city we’re proud to call home.

Saturday, August 1, 3pm – The Orphanage: a staged reading of Fraternity by Samuel Brett Williams

Saturday, August 1, 8pm – Pandora’s Box: a comic variety show featuring music, stand up and sketch comedy, and spoken word; featuring comedian Ron Long

What IS Pandora’s Box?
Think Margaret Cho meets, Tenacious D meets Carol Burnett

It’s a fun, funny, fun-a-licious show. Don’t miss a night of laughter and serious silliness!

When and Where?
Saturday May 2nd at 8:30pm at George St. Playhouse
9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
For Directions: http://www.georgestplayhouse.org

How Much?
Ticket prices are from $5-$10 sliding scale…basically pay what you can!

FEATURED ARTISTS!
Stand Up Comedian: George Higgins
Spoken Word Artist: Samantha Barrow
Musical Guest: Athena Reich

WHO ELSE?
Sketch Comedy performers: Dianna Jones, Izzie Steele, Dan Swern, James Herrera, Suze Chic, MooseJaw Muldoon and Jack Leary

Host: Haha-Sapien Dynamo Pandora Scooter

Pandora Scooter hosts this brand new variety/comedy show. She’s an outrageous “spoken word rock star” who leaves audiences laughing their asses off about everything from personal neuroses to political plunders. She has performed at venues including New Jersey Performing Arts Center and universities up and down the East Coast, including Rutgers University, Boston University, George Washington University and NYU.

DArT is a dance collective of recent Rutgers and Mason Gross graduates working to build the dance community in New Brunswick and New Jersey. Check out what we have to offer to the New Brunswick community!

Sunday, March 22, 2009; 5-7pm; Red Lion Cafe, RSC All you artists, organizers, troubadours, revelers, schemers, trouble makers and pixies, get your art fill at the coLAB General Meeting. Get involved in one of many projects of coLAB Arts including: ArtHouse Pandora’s Box coLAB Film Festival curating Tent State University’s performances Breakthrough Arts Festival Music Series Gall3ry Resonate Come propose your own project and make art happen.Collaborative Arts’ mission is to cultivate a hip, mindful, and inclusive Hub City community of artists, audiences, and critics empowered to create inspired and inspiring art.To add to the agenda or submit a proposal, email moderator@colab-arts.org so that a full agenda with proposals can be posted on the message board for review.If you would like to join our newsletter please visit our website at www.colab-arts.org and fill in the subcription information at the bottom of the webpage.If you have any general questions, please email info@colab-arts.org.

coLAB film festival is a series that aims to showcase and support local film while bridging Hub City artists with national and international figures. Our aim is to provide filmmakers, supporters, artists, and audiences with a space to communicate, collaborate and share in the diverse experience of film. We aim to empower our community while sharing in a communal conversation about film. Film is meant to be shared, deliberated, and challenged—so let’s do just that.

coLAB film festival: Emerging Jersey Film is first within a triannual short film festival series. Our first festival thematically will showcase New Jersey films. After screenings, there will be a moderated Q&A session with the audience members and filmmakers!

EVENT DATES:
April 22, 2009 (5-9pm)
April 29, 2009 (6-9pm)

Location: The Jane Vorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.

FILM SLATE

April 22, 2009
Marcus Tamkin — Nuts (6m)
David Sananman — Untitled (00208) (54s)
Calvin Theobald — Hot Lunch (10m)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie– Before the Fall
Jing Shao — Listen (9m)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie– Untitled
Gary Powell — Shadows Are Falling (11m)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie– Untitled
James H. Carter II: The Deterioration of Joy (12 m)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie–Untitled
Daniel Pillis: Endgame Endgame Endgame (3m30s)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie –Untitled
Omata Daniel Onoda — The Dream of Alice and Chris (18m)

April 29, 2009
Joanna Wyzgowska — Ciao Bella! (11m, 30s)
Basem Hassan — Finding Myself (1m, 3s)
Vernon Howl — Home (3m2s)
James Lee –Unrequited (7m)
Will Zullo — Yellow #5 (16m)
Basem Hassan — Creative Block (2m, 27 s)
Emily North — The Apple Videos (3m28s)
Jessica Lipman — Untitled (5m)
Basem Hassan — Bounce (30s)
Pilar Timpane — Ink on Rice (teaser) (6m)
Basem Hassan — Reveal — (4m, 48s)
Jing Shao — Training Wheels (5m)
Daniel Pillis: Tulip Anatomy (2m)

April 22, 2009
5-6pm: Live music by The Delfields on Zimmerli Veranda/Seating
6:15-7:30pm: Screening
7:30-8:00pm Moderated Q&A
8:00-9:00pm: Reception

April 29, 2009
6:00-6:15pm: Seating
6:15-7:30pm: Screening
7:30-8:00pm: Moderated Q&A
8:00-9:00pm: Reception
10:00pm: Live music at Tent State University, Voorhees Mall, featuring FUSE with special guests Slient Knight, Reason Beings, St. Joe Louis, Medinah Starr…

Dress to impress.

Admission is free of charge.

Screenings begin at 6:15pm. Please arrive promptly, as seating is limited.

Film Festival Planning Committee:
Pilar Timpane
Jessica Lipman
Steve Dolnack

See you at the festival!

Collaborative Arts, George Street Playhouse, and the Somerset Jazz Consortium partner for one incredible night of music. 

GSP Speak Easy

Friday, March 13th
8:00pm to 12:00am
George Street Playhouse (9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick)

Start the evening with George Street Playhouse’s production of “The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith” starring the incomparable Miche Braden as the Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith.

Following the production, continue with the music of The Dan Epstein Band and The Jim Jasion Band, complete with flirty flappers and cash bar.

$5 cover.

$15 tickets for students to that evening’s performance of The Devil’s Music. Call the George Street Playhouse box office at 732-246-7717.

Hosted by Pandora ScooterStarring the serious silliness ofJames HerreraJack LearyIzzie SteeleDan Swern Featuring stand-up comics:Allie BrandMatt JenkinsMusical guestMJ Muldoon & Poly SuaveSketches conceived and written byJames Herrera, Jack Leary, Izzie Steele, Dan Swern, Poly Suave and Pandora ScooterBios:James Herrera (Featured Actor) is very excited to be here tonight. I hope you all smile and enjoy the show.Jack Leary (Featured Actor) has recently departed the world of stand-up comedy, preferring the far more lucrative realm of lie-down Kennedy. His unique blend of spaced-out sophistry and cashed-in fakery has enervated audiences from Istanbul to Constantinople. In fact, the previous sentence doesn’t even exist. Not even somewhat. I’ll show you, you little twit.Izzie Steele (Featured Actor) was a crazy child. She spent the majority of her childhood running around like a chicken with her head cut, playing with imaginary people, making mud pies, forcing the other little children to perform in plays written/produced/directed/starring Izzie Steele and pooing in bidets. Her parents quickly grew tried of her wild and crazy antics and swiftly enrolled her in theater camp…thusly she is an actress who received her BA Theater degree at Rutgers University last year. Izzie Steele also enjoys a cup of Early Grey and a biscuit at promptly 4pm, she’s very British.Dan Swern (Featured Actor) is away from his desk so he can perform in Pandora’s Box this evening. He will return your call as soon as he puts his pants back on.

Allie Brand (Stand-Up Comic) is a student of Rutgers University and is just getting her feet wet   when it comes to the world of comedy.  Much thanks for listening! Contact:   abrand@eden.rutgers.edu

Matt Jenkins (Stand-Up Comic) has performed in Cleveland, Philly, NY and NJ. He was in NBC’s standup for diversity competition. I opened for comedian Bill Mccarty And perform regularly at the Comic Strip Live in New York.MJ Muldoon (Musical Guest) Mature (sometimes R rated), witty, and attractive alt/folk/rock/ songwriting duo ISO intelligent audiences who love to laugh, are open minded, and have a slightly twisted outlook on life. Appreciation of cheeky lyrics, rhythm guitar, and percussion a must. Open to fans of all race, gender, sexual preference, ethnicity, musical taste, hair color, and handed-ness, however must know how to clap or otherwise express aforementioned appreciation. Pandora Scooter (host) is an outrageous “spoken word rock star”. She leaves audiences laughing their asses off about everything from personal neuroses to political plunders. She has performed at venues including New Jersey Performing Arts Center and univesities up and down the East Coast including Rutgers, Boston, George Washington and NYU. www.pandorascooter.com. Power to the Peaceful and Love to All… Note from hostess Scootress: “It’s been a long f-g eight years, man, and we are ready to have some real fun! I want to laugh, make people laugh. Let’s get together, get some great funny mainlined into our veins and laugh until it hurts. I want a space where people can come together and share some great comedy in the name of making the world a better place. No, really. I think serious silliness is going to make us feel a lot better in the wake of the last eight years. Let’s get it on!”February 26, 2009April 2, 2009 April 30, 20098-10pmLocation: The Black Box @ George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Collaborative Arts presents an exhibition inspired by the current George Street Playhouse production of Sight Unseen.

Exhibition runs January 20 – February 15.

Opening on Friday, January 30th

Please join us for the opening on January 30th with free wine and food following that evening’s production of Sight Unseen.

$15 discount ticket price for Rutgers students to the George Street Playhouse production of Sight Unseen.

Curated by Leanne Catena, the exhibition celebrates the talents of local artists Kaitlin Deering, Robert Mermet, Marie Nyguist, Danielle Ramirez, Elizabeth Santana, and Cynthia Yurcisin.

Musical performance TBA.