McCallum Theatre Family Fun Day

By Moises Huerta 

McCallum Theatre Presents Fourth Annual Family Fun Day!

Our Crisalida Art Van was a very prominent feature this year at the McCallum Theatre Family Fun Day, a fundraising event for the McCallum Theatre with proceeds benefiting Theatre operations and arts education and outreach programs that McCallum provides to the community. 

Family Fun Day began at noon on October 18 in front of the McCallum Theatre. There were loads of fun activities for the entire family…including face painting, balloon pops, a silent auction with great prizes, hula hoops, food vendors, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, action figures, a clown, music and balloon animals.

I couldn't resist getting a picture of this awesome face painting job.

The party really got going when the Mariachis provided by Crisalida got there and performed from 1-2 pm.

 This is what I meant by prominent, right in front, with Oscar's Art displayed around the Art Van.

On a Family Fun Day it is only fitting to have a nice family photo.

I sat in that chair and gave away a lot of children's books. It was fun seeing the children's expressions as they picked out the books.

                The Mariachis looked sharp in their outfits and 
                    their music was a real hit with the crowd.

Another Crisalida job well done. Thank you McCallum Theatre!

New video of Herrera event!

New video just published!

U.S. POET LAUREATE Juan Felipe Herrera comes to East Valley

Thank you Jorge Perezchica for doing a great job.

East Valley Voices OUT LOUD

MAY 9TH!!!

COME OUT, COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE.

East Valley Voices OUT LOUD: A Night of Song, Poetry, Spoken Word, Dance, Theater and Music


CULTURAS RANCHO 50-471 POLK ST. COACHELLA, CA 92236
  
Pick up what the voices of the Eastern Coachella Valley are putting down. This promises to be a night to remember as Crisalida Community Arts partners with Culturas Music and Art, The East Valley Repertory Theater Company, and other arts groups and artists for a celebration of the creative voice featuring local poets, actors, writers, storytellers, djs, bands, folkloric dance, and more. 







Refreshments and dollar toacs will be available for purchase to support Culturas Music-Arts, please bring a food dish to share.

AND...The debut of the new Crisalida Community Art Van!! 

The tentative program...

Time	Act and Contact Person
6	Danzante del sol. Javier Galves
7	DJ #1 – Sugar Free
7:45	Intro – dg
8:00 – 8:30	Band #1 Blue Queztal
8:30 – 8:45	DJ set - BABL
8:45-9:30	Poetry set #1 - Leonardo Espinoza/Francisco Rodriguez, and other poets
9:30 – 9:45	DJ set – Sugar Free
9:45 -10:00	Darren DeLeon Spoken word
10:00 - 10:30	Band #2 Electrik Lucie
10:30 – 11:00	Monologues from East Valley Rep
11:00 – 11:30	DJ set – Darren DeLeon
11:30 – 12:00	Poetry set #2
12:00 – 12:45	Band #3 – AMFM

Building, Building, Building

 

Building, Building, Building...

I once heard the quote "Change is the only constant thing."  And that axiom is true in the CV, and for the Crisalida Community Arts Project.  I arrived in the valley on 2/28 and hit the ground running...

Here are the renderings of what our CRISALIDA MOBILE ART VAN will look like.  It has been a lot of work to get it going...the search, the purchase, getting it to CV from LA, getting the paperwork in order, getting it into good mechanical shape, and now we are REALLY close.  The vehicle wrap should be done soon and we hope to have the van debut on the street by the end of next week!i  Big thanks to Shreds Media for all their support.  Check them out here: www.shredsmedia.com

Please let us know your ideas of how the CRISALIDA MOBILE ART VAN can be of service in the four communities of the grant; Indio, Coachella, Thermal and Mecca -- we look forward to hearing from you!

And away we go...

********    ********     ********

DG playing at Coachella Valley Art Center for students from College of the Desert - Indio Campus.

It was a joy to meet the Jacalyn Garcia-Lopez's students at the Coachella Valley Art Center and to share some music, poetry and stories with them.   We had a hearty conversation about how art functions, about the power of myth, and how we must feed our minds with wisdom and beauty.  Afterwards many of these young men and women came up to ask questions and share their stories.  Check out CVAC at
www.coachellavalleyartcenter.org

All smiles with Carlos Garcia and Jacalyn Garcia-Lopez after discussing the formation of the East Valley Repertory Theater Company

 

The newly-formed East Valley Rep, founded by playwright/director/educator Carlos Garcia, and Jacalyn Garcia-Lopez will focus on staging original work for a cross-cultural audience.  Based at the Coachella Valley Art Center (CVAC) in Indio, East Valley Rep’s mission is to develop and empower actors and writers by providing training, support, and a showcase for culturally, socially and educationally relevant productions.  

East Valley Rep theater company makes its debut on the Coachella Valley arts scene with a reading of Desert Dreams, a new play by writer Laura Araujo Salinas, at Coachella Valley Art Center, 45140 Towne Street, Indio on Friday, March 13 at 7 pm.  Desert Dreams will be presented by East Valley Rep, in collaboration with Coachella Valley Art Center’s W.O.W. (Works of Wonder) Program. Production assistance and refreshments are being provided by the Crisálida Community Arts Project of the McCallum Theatre.  Reservations are required and may be made by calling (760) 501-8215 or e-mailing eastvalleyrep@artelunasol.com

Check them out on Facebook: East Valley Rep Happenings

 *************     *************     ************

Crisalida hosted an information session at La Cazuela restaurant in Coachella to discuss our new initiatives and to get community feedback and support.  A hearty conversation was had, as well as some delicious food!

 

Bill Shinksy, Max Felipe Ochoa, Wendy Valdez, Gina Chapa, Marco Galaviz, Christian Mendez, (seated) Carlos Garcia, Jacalyn Garciz-Lopez, David Gonzalez

The CULTURAS RANCHO at book reading

 It is always a pleasure to visit the CULTURAS MUSIC AND ART folks (Yaya Ortiz, Ruben Gonzalez, Jon Becerra, and all the rest!) at the amazing RANCHO TENOCHITLAN in Coachella.  They hosted a book reading by Aneta Cruz, and art display by Cecelia Cruz that was attended by about 50 people with music, conversation and performance.  I was thrilled to be invited to read a section from Aneta's book "The Mysterious Mandolin".  My camera was out of memory, so all I got was this shot from the outside...just trust me, it was a blast.

Stay in touch with Culturas on Facebook: Culturas Music-Arts

And speaking of fun arts happenings...

I received an invitation from Mayra Juarez, the director of the McCarthy Family Child Development Center at COD, to perform for the pre-school kids, many of whose parents are students from the East Valley who use this phenomenal facility while they are in class.  Got to say...I love my job.

ROARing at College of the Desert's Early Childhood Development Center

The future is staring at us!  (as well as some of the pre-k staff, COD leadership, and McCallum staff!)

********     ********     ********

Building, building, building...

Gina Chapa and I spent a fascinating and inspiring afternoon with Joe Mota and Nicole Sanchez from the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition.

The Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) is dedicated to helping low and very low-income families improve their living conditions through advocacy, research, construction, and operation of housing and community development projects. CVHC has constructed nearly 4,000 homes and apartments for low-income households. In addition, CVHC has developed a variety of resident services for its tenants and the surrounding community.  Check out their website http://www.cvhc.org/

We feel that CVHC will be a great partner with Crisalida and have already scheduled community activities.  More will follow, a lot more...

The remarkable Joe Mota and Nicole Sanchez from CVHC standing in front of a community-building project where a group of families are given material and financial support to build their own home...this is the before picture...

Community members performing sweat-equity on their new homes.  Each family is required to give 40 hours per week to their home, up to ten families work cooperatively with the help of CVHC mentors.

What the finished result will be!  CVHC makes the American Dream a reality for its contituents.

Village green at CASA UNO, one of CVHC's housing projects will be a perfect spot for our Crisalida van to do community outreach.  I will be performing and conducting interviews there next week.

Mural at CASA UNO, a housing project of the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition

Whew.  It is hard to compress all the people, places, images, feelings, ideas and points of inspiration into a 2 dimensional cyber-post...I hope you get the gist of the excitement I feel, and the hope of this project.

More soon...

A Festival is Born.

By Jon Becerra

Last night I was determined to lead. I wanted the first meeting to be a gathering of like-minded artists who were ready to make something amazing; to make an art show like no one has ever seen. There was going to be a white board, charts, and facts and details punched out by the end of the night. But, art is an organic process. 

(From Left: Sofia, Lucinda, Venessa, Gina, Paulina, Jon and Chris)

(Cooking and Photo by David Gonzalez)

We gathered family style with delicious food and just started talking. 

And, in the best possible way, the meeting seemed to feel more like the start of a good book club rather than a rigid board meeting. All the structure we needed was just the ability to have a real conversation. 

We talked about our hopes and our ideals for the art show we planned on creating. We discussed the art and artists that excited us individually. I even learned about exciting events and artists I’ve never heard of. It was great. We got to take off our ‘social-worker’ hats and just go on about art and our home and community we all love (The Coachella Valley). 

More interesting was that all of our ideas organically went towards supporting and showcasing the local artists of the Coachella Valley. Even when we tried to be as selfish as possible with our ideas for the art show, no one really could shake off the sense of support for the Coachella Valley artists. We agreed collaboration and community would be a big aspect of the art festival we want to create. 

It’s always exciting to meet like-minded individuals. However, last night felt like something bigger. I think we all left he Crisalida Clubhouse knowing that we were on track to create something truly great for the East Valley art scene and I'm excited about the Vision we all move towards. 

Carlos Garcia's "Luna Mala" Table Reading at The Coachella Valley Arts Center

Carlos Garcia's "Luna Mala" Table Reading at The Coachella Valley Arts Center

By, David Gonzalez & Lenin Silva

A copy of the "Luna Mala" play folks who read used during the table reading 

The power of theater was in full form Saturday evening at the Coachella Valley arts Center in Indio. Carlos Garcia's moving play "Luna Mala" was performed by seven intrepid actors before of an appreciative audience. The performance began a little past 6:00P.M. with Carlos Garcia giving a brief introduction about himself and his play. 

David Gonzalez (left) with the author of "Luna Mala," Carlos Garcia (right) after the table reading of "Luna Mala"

Before the reading began Mr. Garcia related how much of this play was based on his life experiences growing up in Texas. "Luna Mala" tracks the downfall of a young Chicano somewhere in a border town in Texas during the early 60's - 70's as he encounters a slew of obstacles, meeting each one with a bad choice... needless to say it all ends badly. Shakespeare set the tone for tragedy and Mr. Garcia's play transposes it into our present time.  

Critique and discussion about the table reading for "Luna Mala" at the Coachella Valley Arts Center

It was a hearty discussion, with lots of good ideas and suggestions for future involvement with the Latino theater community in the east valley.

A big thank you to Bill Schinsky for letting us use his wonderful space at CVAC!!!

Locolandia Live!

Locolandia Live!

By, Lenin Silva

During one of the opening performances at the "Locolandia Live!" event

On Thursday the 11^th of December 2014, the Crisalida-Arts project, along with College of the Desert’s Mark’s Art Center, and Riverside County’s Department of Mental Health’s program, “Cup of Happy,” hosted a night of live poetry, spoken word, and musical performances inspired by Lalo Alcaraz’s art on display in Palm Desert California at College of the Desert’s Mark’s Art Center presents “Locolandia Live!”

The penultimate spoken word oration recited at the conclusion of "Locolandia Live!"

The night’s events began a couple minutes past 6:00P.M. Crisalida-Arts project Manager, David Gonzalez, was host and master of ceremonies for the night. Dr. Lisa Soccio, art director and curator of the Marks Art Center, could be seen fastidiously prepping upcoming performers as Mr. Gonzalez opened the night with a poem he had prepared for the occasion.

People in attendance at "Locolandia Live!"

About 25 to 30 people were originally expected, but around the climax of the event there was easily 65 to 80 people in attendance. From College of the Desert (COD) students, to COD faculty, and other local students and educators, the audience in attendance was a potpourri of individuals.

A spoken word performance accompanied by electric guitar background music.

Local artist, and Hip-Hop performers such as RowLow, and Mario A. Giant were in attendance and highlighted the event with a poem/performance. Co-Founder of “Teatro de las Chicanas,” Chicana and women’s rights activist Felicitas Nuñez, also made her way out to Locolandia and presented a lecture on the yonic symbology of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” (The Virgin Mary). Ms. Nuñez related the iconoclastic and syncretistic properties that may be observed in postcolonial Mesoamerican art such as the incorporation of indigenous culture into colonial (European influenced) art, in this case The Virgin Mary.

A young woman who painted her face in the style of La Calavera Catrina 

There was a 15 minute intermission where the folks in attendance were welcomed to tour the Mark’s art Gallery and observe Lalo Alcaraz’s art that was on display there. Mr. Alcaraz was kind enough to supply College of the Desert with about thirteen original prints of his syndicated comic strip cartoon “La Cucaracha,” which may be found on the LA Times Sunday edition, and countless other newspapers across the country.

An audience member observing some of Lalo Alcaraz's work during the intermission at "Locolandia Live!"

Initially the event began with folks reciting poems, songs, and/or spoken word orations inspired by one of Mr. Alcaraz’s prints on display at the Marks Art Gallery. As the night concluded the event turned into an open mic night as folks who wanted to speak but were not prepared jumped on stage and improvised an oration not necessarily inspired by Mr. Alcaraz’s art.

Master of Ceremonies at "Locolandia Live!" David Gonzalez, closing the night with a poem.

The concluding moments leading up to the event’s conclusion resembled a jazzed up 1960’s beatnik poetry reading as Mr. Gonzalez and two of the other performers (one on an electric guitar, and another playing a homemade drum set configured out of a rectangular wooden box and steal drum appendages) closed the night with a call and response type performance with engaged the audience to become part of the performance. The night concluded with a spoken word poem accompanied by the guitar player and wooden box drummer.

Round 2 Begins!

Happily arriving back in the valley this afternoon!  Looking forward to lots of exciting events and meeting new people.

Meet our Community Engagement Facilitators

Dear Crisalida Community,

I'm back in New York and Autumn is gorgeous.  After a month in the desert it sure is nice to be around the lush landscape of Hudson Valley.

I have to admit that the Crisalida bug has bit, and hard...I think often about the people I've met, and have a buzzing brain about the possibilities.  So, though I am on the East Coast till December, my heart and mind is with y'all, truly.

I'm delighted to present three of Crisalida's recent hires...more to come.

Meet the Community Engagement Facilitators

Sofia S. Enriquez

 

I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley.

I’ve been painting and creating for about 10 years now.  Encouraging other people to make and understand art is one of my biggest passions…along with eating elotes at the Indio swap meet and finding rare decorative textiles.

Growing up in the Valley has made me appreciate a close community. It’s also made me capable of standing tall through any kind of heat. I’ve become the person I wanted to be since I was a kid here.

This job is exciting because I get to run around all over the valley, and get a chance to meet communities, and find out about old traditions and new subcultures. I look forward to developing and/or inventing creative ways that can help improve the valley.

My area of interest would have to be the art world. It’s the kind of world where everyone has gone mad, but in the most beautiful way. I know there’s a creative side to everyone, I feel like my job is to make that creative chunk of someone’s brain come out and rampage.

(Sofia is a phenomenal artist and illustrator, I saw her work at COD's Marks Gallery and bought a painting!.  She is working on a master list of festivals and visual arts and artists in the East Valley.  You can reach her at sofia@crisalida-arts.org)

Lenin Silva

Growing up in the Coachella valley is like taking a crash course in socioeconomics. The experience has cultivated in me a sense of what it means to live at both ends of wealth. Most of the original works of art and creative endeavors that emanate from the valley not only transcend and evoke abstract universal feelings, but at the same time evoke a brutally obvious concrete truth, that the valley is a service/tourist dominated community which is just starting to find and create a voice for itself

I love telling people the stories they need to know with the insight and context to understand what the story means. This job is exciting because it provides the opportunity to listen to other people’s stories and help folks in the community share their stories with others.

My area of interest is in helping other people, through community outreach, involvement, and activism. Hearing stories of folks who struggle and suffer in their efforts to have a greater part of life’s blessings inspires me to want to help make their voices heard and help them produce positive changes in their experience.  

(Lenin is one of the most thoughtful and articulate young men I have met in a long time.  As the former editor-in-chief of the COD Chaparral Newspaper he was hands-on/mind-on all the relevant news stories that came across his desk.  We only have Lenin for a short time before he heads to UC Berkeley to pursue his Philosophy and Law studies...happy to have this brilliant and soulful man along while we can!  Lenin is currently working to compile a list of health care and elder care agencies for Crisalida. Reach Lenin at lenin@crisalida-arts.org)

Jon Becerra

Growing up here has been challenging; It's always up and down in the valley. But I've gotten to know a community of people who support and help each other. It's made a lot of my personal goals possible to have grown up here. 

This is the first job where I'm not choosing between human services and film production. I've never thought those two worlds would merge; let alone that I could get this opportunity within the Valley. 

I'm fascinated by media. I think commercials, movies, music videos, gifs, selfies, anything visual online or in entertainment is a weird new language we're all learning together. I'm just always looking for a way to be apart of the conversation when it comes to my film production. Which is relatively easy nowadays with the technology we have.  

(Jon is a can-do, multi-media producer who has earned his stripes with social service and arts organizations throughout the valley.  He is spearheading an Instagram story project for Crisalida and is also working on a short feature on the Marks Gallery and some of the local artists who are showing there.  Look for Jon at the CULTURAS SYNERGY FESTIVAL on November 15 where he will be interviewing and recording local peeps. Reach Jon at jon@crisalida-arts.org)

Laying it down! Giant and Verz, DMHS, Galilee Center, 24th St. Theater!!!

They won hearts and minds, and that's what really counts.  Giant and Verz kicked it hard and with big love at the Tilted Kilt Open Mic Final last Wednesday night...no, they didn't win the grand prize but definitely came away with new fans and heaping dose of positive energy.  It was a joy to coach these guys.  Check em out...

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday morning 7AM, after a LATE night with Giant and Verz...the day began at Carlos Garcia's black box studio theater/classroom at the Desert Mirage High School in Thermal.  Three back-to-back classes learning by doing; voice, body, text and style...in a funky bi-lingual flow with these curious kids.

Theater class at Desert Mirage High School

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday afternoon started with a coaching session with an aspiring playwright/actor from Indio, Reggie Davis.  We talked at length about his love of art and theater, and about his ambition to find a way to continue studying, hopefully in LA or another larger city, and about overcoming obstacles...something he knows a lot about.  

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Back to the Galilee Center in Mecca -- this time to get a first-hand taste of the line, the people, the love...

Galilee Center, Mecca, distribution day.

90 minutes of fast and grateful food-banking.

Galilee Center, Mecca, fresh Tilapi in a sack!

Galilee Center, Gloria and Serafim.

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Friday brought me to the award-winning, ground-breaking, and very hip 24th Street Theater in Los Angeles.  

Jay McAdams, co-founder with Debbie Devine of The 24th Street Theater in LA.

Jay McAdams, Executive Director, was waiting for me in the lobby and took me into the inner sanctum -- the wondrous and funky theater, where Artistic Director, Debbie Devine was working with actors on scenes from the simply gorgeous "Walking the Tightrope" which I saw in Pittsburgh last winter, and which will tour to 8 cities this fall (including four shows for bused-in students at the McCallum!)

Watching rehearsal of the award-winning Walking the Tightrope...touring to the McCallum in October.

Jay and I talked about the goals for the Crisalida Project.  The 24th Street Theater received a grant from the Irvine Foundation last year so we had a lot of common ground.  We talked about setting up a "meet and greet" type gathering with LA Latino theater artists and teaching artists to begin establishing a "talent pool" to help realize Crisalida's mission.  They have been working without pause to make the theater a place where all people are welcome, and to that end have commissioned and produced a number of plays in Spanish and tour them to Mexico and South America.

I love my job.