ISC: Art Break

In Part 2 out of 3 of this series on Institutional Racism in the Theatre, host and producer Carolina Xique discusses anti-Blackness in Theatre Education. How can traditional Westernized theatre training be harmful to Black artists? What's the difference between "Black" Theatre & "African-American" Theatre? How do the stories we tell affect the way we see Black people?

Joining this discussion are highly-esteemed Black artists, educators, and theorists, Dr. Jaye Austin Williams (Assistant Professor of Africana Studies, Bucknell University), Chris Anthony (Assistant Professor of Performance, DePaul University), and Dominic Taylor (Acting Chair, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television). Take a look at their bios and extensive artistry in the Theatre at www.iscla.org/podcast.

You don't want to miss this important conversation.

Be on the look out for an special announcement from ISC on Tuesday, 5/14!

For more information about how you can help combat anti-blackness in the Los Angeles community, please visit www.iscla.org/justice

Sign The People's Budget Petition: https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/tell-the-city-of-los-angeles-to-implement-the-people-s-budget#signature-form

Song in the Video:

"Past Sadness" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

It goes without saying that 2020 is not anyone's best year. However, it is the year that millions of Americans--even more specifically, theatre artists-- have had to take a hard look at the ways covert racism and anti-blackness are perpetuated throughout American culture. In the wake of protests against the murder of Black lives at the hands of police, Black artists are calling out major theatre arts institutions for claiming "wokeness" despite the lack of diversity in their hiring process, failing to address macro- & micro-aggression in their companies, and hesitating to hold their colleagues and collaborators accountable.

It's 2020. Change has been long overdue.

This time on Art Break, Carolina Xique speaks to ISC Ensemble Members, Carene Mekertichyan (who has also taken up the mantle as ISC's newly appointed Artistic Associate for Social Justice) and Sabra Williams about their careers as Black Female Artists, their social activism, and their experiences with racism in the theatre. This incredibly important conversation is one you don't want to miss.

The core value of Independent Shakespeare Co. is that theater belongs to everyone. That it is accessible and welcoming to all audiences, nurturing and fulfilling to all artists, and a place where a community can come together. We recognize that it is impossible to fulfill this mission in a society that is not safe, just, and secure for our community members who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. 

For more information about how you can help combat anti-blackness in the Los Angeles community, please visit www.iscla.org/justice

Watch ISC's newly released video: JUNETEENTH: A Celebration, A Education, A Collaboration" https://vimeo.com/430861287

Sign the Los Angeles Theater Coalition Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/los-angeles-theater-community-for-a-peoples-budget?source=direct_link&fbclid=IwAR0GgNVsDlVhaRxsG8HCg6FvX2BkkO58kz7n4LZdku_fePd8cAi1q2W5Js8

Song in the Video:

"Past Sadness" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Follow us!

Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

What is theatre in 2020? What is art? Is theatre still "theatre" if it must be held remotely or virtually? What might theatre look like once we can all commune again? In today's Art Break, Carolina discusses these questions with past ISC Artist, Luis Galindo, known for his wonderful performances in ISC's Macbeth, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Carolina also checks in with Nikhil Pai, Bukola Ogunmola, and Siegfried Tieber about how they are able to make art while working from home.

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Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

Happy Shakespeare Day! In today's Art Break, Carolina Xique Skype-interviews managing director of ISC, David Melville, about Shakespearean references that hit close to home--his home, that is, in England. They discuss everything from Simon Sudbury's mummified head, to Will Kemp's (a famous clown in Shakespeare's time) Nine Day's Wonder, to the masts that used to hold up the frame of The Globe Theater.

Be sure to check out iscla.org/podcast to see pictures of the artifacts/places they talk about in the episode!

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Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

In today's Art Break, Melissa Chalsma, director of ISC's upcoming production of Macbeth, and Kalean Ung, who plays Lady Macbeth, talk about how witchcraft and magic manifest themselves in Shakespeare's iconic world of Macbeth. Kalean also performs Lady Macbeth's speech from Act 1 Scene 5.

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Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

In today's Art Break, co-founders of Independent Shakespeare Co., David Melville and Melissa Chalsma, explore the Bubonic plague during Shakespeare's era and how it affected his writing. While discussing thing, they bring on surprise special guest, Andre Martin, an actor based in Austin and a former ISC ensemble member of 14 productions.

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Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Independent Shakespeare Co. is committed to exploring digital content creation in our new program called Art Break. Art Break consists of short, free alternatives of providing ISC theatrical content, through videos, live streaming, and podcasting.

On this podcast component of Art Break, we’re discussing the history of Shakespeare’s life & work, performing his famous monologues, and conversing with LA artists. ISC is a theatre nonprofit company located in Atwater Village. ISC is the producer of the GPFSF, now in its 15th year of providing free Shakespeare plays to the Los Angeles community.

Follow us!

Website: www.iscla.org

Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes

Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.