the Movement - July 5 - 7 and 12 - 15

sorry for not writing in SOOOO LOOONNGGG! i've been a little busy, but that's a crappy excuse, cuz with everything happening, i really need to journalize this amazing journey i've been on.

the movement.
it's been a rollercoaster ride. literally. i have my ups, downs, frustrations, anger, and sheer bliss. i've kinda forgot what it is to truly be an artist. to be able to grow and feel the self worth of collaborating with artists whom are on the same level, wavelength, spiritual plateau as we've set out on a mission to PUT ON A SHOW. this expericence has just given me more drive then i could have ever imagined. true, i think that i'm the oldest one in the bunch, but it goes to show that you're never to old to do new things. it's my hope that i can bring everything i've learned here with this show and with the VT show, and share it with my family back in sac - yes, i'll NEVER forget where i come from because these are the people who keep me grounded and loved.

back to the show... i'm pulling off triple duty as a part of 3 of the crews: movers, shadow, and music. i'm deeply honored to be playing a song that i wrote for a very special person for the show. can't believe that it was written over 10 years ago, and for it to have people still tell me that it's a beautiful melody means a lot. i'm also playing the keys for a very emotional scene. it's not hard but it's a scene where it's like nothing i've experienced as an artist - it felt like the acting melts in with the music, and last night when we went through cue-to-cue the lights became one with the scene too. the first time we rehearsed the scene, i asked eSal if he thought he could use piano, he said sure and asked me to play 2 chords. i did with different voicings and bam! from that very first time with the cast we had our artistic directors, our producer, and our stage manager tearing up. it was magic. amid all the uncertanties up to that point, after that scene - WE HAD A SHOW!

i'm back on stage again. just one little scene where i have to speak in tagalog. luckily rupert is taking the lead in the scene since i've still uncomfortable with speaking in tagalog and i'm just not as strong as him on stage yet. speaking of rupert, i found this on youtube of him on HBO's Def Poetry Jam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WJ7bn0W7sQ). he's like one of the most deep and inspirational people i'm blessed (even though he's not religious) to have met. i also saw him as part of the suicide kings, a really dope spoken word group.

even though i've provided a couple of the transparencies to use as well as used my illustrator skillz to create some of the rooms used, i've been really shy about helping out the shadow crew cuz they're SO "organic". this group of amazing Visual Artists play with shadows and everything else they can get their hands on to create beautiful images behind a large white screen of paper is again inspiring. and i don't want to mess up their flow. i should've learned from the VT show to be more impulsive and create things on the fly, even on the night of the show, but i guess i've just been trained in performing since the 4th grade that: in order to create art, one has to practice, practice, practice! what these artists are doing is playing and creating beautiful art right before my eyes. this isn't practice - this is art. organic. aureen invited me to join her and susanna and i had a blast last night helping out and have learned so much that i can't wait to share this with ST.

ok. well there's my update. i'll write more later. we went through 2 full run thrus on sunday. cue-to-cue last night. full dress tonight, then paint the stage. then another full dress tomorrow night. then our first show! i hope people come out and support. it's a show that i haven't seen performed before where EVERY part of the show was created by every single person of the cast and crew! get tix soon cuz it will get sold out, and the best way is through brownpapertickets.

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The Movement Opens This Weekend!!!
Get your tickets now before it's sold out!

Bindlestiff Studio proudly presents the return of THE MOVEMENT!
July 5-7, 12-14 starting at 8PM
Location: Bindlestiff Studio, 505 Natoma Street @ 6th Street, San Francisco 94103
Tickets: $10-15 sliding scale

Reservations are being taken immediately at (415) 255-0440 or go to: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/16861
** for a limited time only type "savebindlestiff" for $5 off opening night tickets only available through Brown Paper Tickets!

The movers and shakers of Bindlestiff Studio's sold out "The Movement" are back with a brand new show! Don't miss out as we utilize experimental dance, captivating shadow puppetry, and live music in bringing you the story of a young activist's life, Andre, his family, and dreams.

Through a series of workshops this year's "The Movement" was developed by a group of Filipino American artists whose performance backgrounds varied, but were eager to share a different perspective of the Filipino American story through dance and movement. "The Movement" is a collaborative project, in which cast members contributed ideas, inspiration, choreography, visual pieces, and beats.

This year's The Movement Show will be the LAST production at the theatre's temporary space, so don't miss out and reserve your tickets right away!

Please visit our website at www.bindlestiffstudio.org/movement for more information.