Monday, May 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A Special Thanks to our Sponsors for the Mixer held May 19th
The Riant Mixer Networking Event was a success.
Special thanks to the Casting Directors who conducted the Audition Workshops: Ellyn Marshall from Orpheus Group Casting, Allynn Simon from Kipperman Casting Inc., Liz Ortiz-Mackes from Casting Solutions, Richard Reed from Beth Melsky Casting and Lawrence Evans, casting consultant to theatre companies.
The performances by our line up of singers was superb. They included: Janice Picconi, Vincent Lipari, Jelani Delgado, Charles Spuires, Lady Victory, Whitney Stone, Chris Gillian, Franco and Aneesha Lasaan.
Special thanks to our Food Sponsors. The food was delicious. Please take the time and check them out when you're in town. You won't be disappointed. They include:
12 Desbrosses Street, between Hudson & Greenwich Street. 1 Block South of Canal St.
Trains: #1, A, C, E to Canal Street. Walk west to Hudson Street and then South of Canal St.
Special thanks to the Casting Directors who conducted the Audition Workshops: Ellyn Marshall from Orpheus Group Casting, Allynn Simon from Kipperman Casting Inc., Liz Ortiz-Mackes from Casting Solutions, Richard Reed from Beth Melsky Casting and Lawrence Evans, casting consultant to theatre companies.
The performances by our line up of singers was superb. They included: Janice Picconi, Vincent Lipari, Jelani Delgado, Charles Spuires, Lady Victory, Whitney Stone, Chris Gillian, Franco and Aneesha Lasaan.
Special thanks to our Food Sponsors. The food was delicious. Please take the time and check them out when you're in town. You won't be disappointed. They include:
- Billie's Black Catering, 271 West 119th Street, NYC, 212-280-2248
www.billiesblack.com (Catfish Strips) - Marios Pizzeria, 596 Old Country Road, Westbury, NY 11590, 516-997-3000 www.mariospizzaonline.com (Pizza)
- Chili's Westbury, 1205 Corporate Drive, Westbury, NY 11590, 516-222-7001
www.chilis.com (Buffalo Wings, Tostada Chips & Salsa) - iL Mattone Restaurant, 413 Greenwich St., NYC 10013, 212-343-0030 (Pasta Dish)
- Corrado - Bread & Pastry, 35 Christopher Street, West Village, 212-242-3535
(Porcupine Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes and German Chocolate Brownies)
- The Brownstone, 24 East 125th Street, Harlem, NY 212-996-7980 (10% Discount Card)
- Harlem Vintage, A Wine Experience, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd @ 121st St, NYC 10027
www.HarlemVintage.com (10% Discount Card) - Harlem Arts Alliance, 229 West 135th St, NY, NY 10030, 347-735-4280
www.harlemaa.org ($5 off HAA Individual Membership)
12 Desbrosses Street, between Hudson & Greenwich Street. 1 Block South of Canal St.
Trains: #1, A, C, E to Canal Street. Walk west to Hudson Street and then South of Canal St.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Strawberry One-Act Festival in Manhattan, NYC
Strawberry One-Act Festival in Manhattan, NYC
See the plays that have been selected for the 20th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival.
Tickets are now on sale.
July 28th - August 7, 2011
At the Hudson Guild Theatre
441 West 26th Street, NYC
Between 9th & 10th Avenue.
www.therianttheatre.com
646-623-3488
See the plays that have been selected for the 20th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival.
Tickets are now on sale.
July 28th - August 7, 2011
At the Hudson Guild Theatre
441 West 26th Street, NYC
Between 9th & 10th Avenue.
www.therianttheatre.com
646-623-3488
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
IndieGoGo - the best kept secret to helping you raise money to produce your show!
Producing theatre can be a challenge to anyone these days. Especially if you are an independent artist considering producing your own show. After taking into consideration all the factors of contracts, choosing a theatre, selecting your designers and casting your show, many of you may want to know how you can raise the money to make your dreams a reality? Recently I attended a panel discussion on Producing Theatre held at Space-On-White in Manhattan. One of the panelists was Slava Rubin, Chief Executive Officer of IndieGoGo (www.indieGoGo.com), a company which provides anyone with an idea - creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial - the tools to effectively build a campaign and raise money.
They provide the tools for you to build your campaign but you need to put in some legwork crafting your story and doing community building and outreach to get it all started. They provide integrated social media tools, and the more you use them (it's what they like to call DIWO, or Do-It-With-Others) the sooner you will land you on their homepage, in the blog, or in their social media outreach and press.
Here are some frequently asked questions:
What is IndieGoGo?
IndieGoGo is a collaborative way to fund ideas.
IndieGoGo provides an easy online platform for anyone to raise more money, from more people, faster than otherwise possible. With IndieGoGo you can turn your passion into a funding campaign, promote your idea, engage a fan base, and get your passion funded. We provide all the tools you need to build a campaign and share it with the world.
How does IndieGoGo work?
Anyone can create a campaign, where you tell your story, set a funding goal, and offer perks to contributors. You can use IndieGoGo to create your campaign, share it with your network, engage fans, track information about contributors, and collect money. IndieGoGo provides excellent customer service for creating your campaigns and collecting money. We also promote campaigns through social media and press outreach, as well as on our homepage, in our newsletters, and on our blog.
Why does IndieGoGo exist?
We started IndieGoGo to democratize funding. Now anyone with a great idea has the opportunity to share his or her campaign and raise money to turn a passion into a reality.
Who can use IndieGoGo?
IndieGoGo is open for anyone to use, with any type of campaign - creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial.
Can campaigns use IndieGoGo for equity investments?
No. All campaigns on IndieGoGo are contribution based.
Does it cost anything to create a campaign?
It doesn't cost anything to create a campaign. There is a 4% fee on the money you raise when you meet your funding goal. 3rd party processing fees also apply.
Where is IndieGoGo located?
IndieGoGo is based in the United States, but we have members in 179 countries and counting. You can post and fund a campaign from any country as long as you have a valid bank account or credit card.
What is a campaign profile?
A campaign profile is the home of your funding campaign. Your profile includes your campaign pitch (an image or video and written story), and any ongoing updates and pictures you want to share with your contributors and fans. Your profile page is where people make contributions, share comments, and pick up widgets to share the campaign.
Who owns the rights to my campaign or idea?
You do. You keep 100% ownership of all the ideas included in your campaign on IndieGoGo.
What do I need to create a campaign?
You need a thumbnail image (that is what people see for your campaign throughout IndieGoGo), a pitch image or video (this is what people see when they open your campaign itself), a clearly identified funding goal, and a pitch story about your campaign. It's also recommended to have perks with your campaign, as well as team members helping you to spread the word.
What are perks?
You can offer perks in exchange for different contribution levels in your campaign. Perks enable you to engage fans, build trust, and provide an opportunity for more people to get involved. You can offer one-of-a-kind experiences, special acknowledgments, or limited supply products. Learn More.
What do I include in my pitch?
Cover the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your campaign. Be honest, transparent, and authentic.
How do I get my campaign on IndieGoGo's homepage, in the blog, or featured in the press?
The more you use IndieGoGo's share tools, comments, and updates (see below), and the sooner you gain traction with funding, the more likely it is you will be featured on our homepage, in the blog, or in our press outreach. We feature campaigns based on their GoGoFactor. The GoGoFactor is a combination of your activity updating and sharing your campaign, and the traction you are gaining externally with contributions. When your GoGoFactor goes up, so does the likelihood you will be featured.
What if I don't meet my funding goal?
If you don't meet your funding goal, you still keep the money you raise with your campaign. IndieGoGo charges a 9% fee on campaigns with unmet funding goals.
For more information on IndieGoGo and how to get started visit their website at www.IndieGoGo.com
IndieGoGo is a collaborative way to fund ideas.
IndieGoGo provides an easy online platform for anyone to raise more money, from more people, faster than otherwise possible. With IndieGoGo you can turn your passion into a funding campaign, promote your idea, engage a fan base, and get your passion funded. We provide all the tools you need to build a campaign and share it with the world.
How does IndieGoGo work?
Anyone can create a campaign, where you tell your story, set a funding goal, and offer perks to contributors. You can use IndieGoGo to create your campaign, share it with your network, engage fans, track information about contributors, and collect money. IndieGoGo provides excellent customer service for creating your campaigns and collecting money. We also promote campaigns through social media and press outreach, as well as on our homepage, in our newsletters, and on our blog.
Why does IndieGoGo exist?
We started IndieGoGo to democratize funding. Now anyone with a great idea has the opportunity to share his or her campaign and raise money to turn a passion into a reality.
Who can use IndieGoGo?
IndieGoGo is open for anyone to use, with any type of campaign - creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial.
Can campaigns use IndieGoGo for equity investments?
No. All campaigns on IndieGoGo are contribution based.
Does it cost anything to create a campaign?
It doesn't cost anything to create a campaign. There is a 4% fee on the money you raise when you meet your funding goal. 3rd party processing fees also apply.
Where is IndieGoGo located?
IndieGoGo is based in the United States, but we have members in 179 countries and counting. You can post and fund a campaign from any country as long as you have a valid bank account or credit card.
What is a campaign profile?
A campaign profile is the home of your funding campaign. Your profile includes your campaign pitch (an image or video and written story), and any ongoing updates and pictures you want to share with your contributors and fans. Your profile page is where people make contributions, share comments, and pick up widgets to share the campaign.
Who owns the rights to my campaign or idea?
You do. You keep 100% ownership of all the ideas included in your campaign on IndieGoGo.
What do I need to create a campaign?
You need a thumbnail image (that is what people see for your campaign throughout IndieGoGo), a pitch image or video (this is what people see when they open your campaign itself), a clearly identified funding goal, and a pitch story about your campaign. It's also recommended to have perks with your campaign, as well as team members helping you to spread the word.
What are perks?
You can offer perks in exchange for different contribution levels in your campaign. Perks enable you to engage fans, build trust, and provide an opportunity for more people to get involved. You can offer one-of-a-kind experiences, special acknowledgments, or limited supply products. Learn More.
What do I include in my pitch?
Cover the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your campaign. Be honest, transparent, and authentic.
How do I get my campaign on IndieGoGo's homepage, in the blog, or featured in the press?
The more you use IndieGoGo's share tools, comments, and updates (see below), and the sooner you gain traction with funding, the more likely it is you will be featured on our homepage, in the blog, or in our press outreach. We feature campaigns based on their GoGoFactor. The GoGoFactor is a combination of your activity updating and sharing your campaign, and the traction you are gaining externally with contributions. When your GoGoFactor goes up, so does the likelihood you will be featured.
What if I don't meet my funding goal?
If you don't meet your funding goal, you still keep the money you raise with your campaign. IndieGoGo charges a 9% fee on campaigns with unmet funding goals.
For more information on IndieGoGo and how to get started visit their website at www.IndieGoGo.com
Monday, May 2, 2011
Stephanie Spohrer, opens in "Liars and Lovers" at the Arena Players
Stephanie Spohrer, (pictured below) who joined the Riant Theatre as an intern this season, is currently appearing in Liars and Lovers at the Arena Players, through May 22nd. Please check it out and show your support.
By STEVE PARKS steve.parks@newsday.com
Alex and Greg are students at a state university sharing an off-campus apartment. They also share an acquaintance with an attractive blonde. Greg has a romance lit class with Cindy, who's been dating Alex for two months. Alex is confident that tonight's the night. He wants Greg to disappear.
So far, you might mistake "Liars and Lovers," an absorbing new play by Plainview author/actor Thomas Tafero, for a romantic comedy. But you'd be wrong about this psychodrama making its world premiere at Arena Players.
"Liars and Lovers" was developed in workshop under the direction of Frederic De Feis for about two months. (Meanwhile, Tafero played a lead role in another Arena world premiere, "One White Crow," which closed in March.) Tafaro's dialogue is authentic college contemporary -- minus the spoken-word texting shorthand. It brims with intelligence masking naiveté.
Alex and Greg have known each other since high school. But they're not friends. With Alex running errands for their date, Cindy arrives at the apartment to find Greg waiting for her. We learn, with Cindy, of Alex's school-bully past. He once beat Greg so severely that Alex was sent to reform school. Young Alex had reason to act out. Abandoned in infancy by his father, he was orphaned at age 5 by his mother's terminal drug addiction. A foster mom abused him sexually.
Greg was raised by religious cultists who equipped him with demented social skills.
Cindy, while less forthcoming in her psychological profile, nevertheless confesses that she's a virgin on this night she intends to spend with Alex.
As the least dramatically developed character, Cindy presents a challenge for Stephanie Spohrer. Reacting to Greg's self-serving insinuations and Alex's transparent lust, Spohrer displays a convincing mix of post-pubescent daring and doubt. Michael Gilbert's Greg exerts such maniacal passive aggressiveness that we want to strangle him. As Alex, Evan Donnellan almost does. He allows us to glimpse the bully who's been all but shackled by his roommate's mind games.
Cindy is on to Greg when she observes that he's jealous -- not of Alex, but of her. But it's no gay "bromance." What the guys have, Cindy observes, isn't love. "It's codependency."
WHAT World premiere of "Liars and Lovers," by Thomas Tafero
WHEN | WHERE Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., through May 22 at Arena Players second stage, 296 Rte. 109, East Farmingdale
INFO $20-$25; arenaplayers.org, 516-293-0674
'Liars and Lovers' debuts at Arena Players
Published: April 26, 2011 6:13 PMBy STEVE PARKS steve.parks@newsday.com
Alex and Greg are students at a state university sharing an off-campus apartment. They also share an acquaintance with an attractive blonde. Greg has a romance lit class with Cindy, who's been dating Alex for two months. Alex is confident that tonight's the night. He wants Greg to disappear.
So far, you might mistake "Liars and Lovers," an absorbing new play by Plainview author/actor Thomas Tafero, for a romantic comedy. But you'd be wrong about this psychodrama making its world premiere at Arena Players.
"Liars and Lovers" was developed in workshop under the direction of Frederic De Feis for about two months. (Meanwhile, Tafero played a lead role in another Arena world premiere, "One White Crow," which closed in March.) Tafaro's dialogue is authentic college contemporary -- minus the spoken-word texting shorthand. It brims with intelligence masking naiveté.
Alex and Greg have known each other since high school. But they're not friends. With Alex running errands for their date, Cindy arrives at the apartment to find Greg waiting for her. We learn, with Cindy, of Alex's school-bully past. He once beat Greg so severely that Alex was sent to reform school. Young Alex had reason to act out. Abandoned in infancy by his father, he was orphaned at age 5 by his mother's terminal drug addiction. A foster mom abused him sexually.
Greg was raised by religious cultists who equipped him with demented social skills.
Cindy, while less forthcoming in her psychological profile, nevertheless confesses that she's a virgin on this night she intends to spend with Alex.
As the least dramatically developed character, Cindy presents a challenge for Stephanie Spohrer. Reacting to Greg's self-serving insinuations and Alex's transparent lust, Spohrer displays a convincing mix of post-pubescent daring and doubt. Michael Gilbert's Greg exerts such maniacal passive aggressiveness that we want to strangle him. As Alex, Evan Donnellan almost does. He allows us to glimpse the bully who's been all but shackled by his roommate's mind games.
Cindy is on to Greg when she observes that he's jealous -- not of Alex, but of her. But it's no gay "bromance." What the guys have, Cindy observes, isn't love. "It's codependency."
WHAT World premiere of "Liars and Lovers," by Thomas Tafero
WHEN | WHERE Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., through May 22 at Arena Players second stage, 296 Rte. 109, East Farmingdale
INFO $20-$25; arenaplayers.org, 516-293-0674
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