Wanda's Picks Radio Show Friday, Sept. 6, 2019

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. Raissa Simpson, Push Dance Company founder and Artistic Director, joins us to talk about the 14th Home Season and Sixth Anniversary PUSHfest Dance Festival which features Mothership III by Raissa Simpson and a World Premiere by Gerald Casel within four different programs of local and visiting artists over three evenings Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-22 at ODC Theater, 3173 – 17th Street, San Francisco. Visit https://www.pushdance.org/festival

2. Dawline-Jane Oni-Eseleh is an Oakland based exhibiting and teaching Artist.

Sawyer Rose is a sculpture, installation, and social practice artist. She is a graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts and currently lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area, both women join us to talk about Sawyer's new exhibition collaboration: Counting the Hours, Art, Data, and the Untold Stories of Women’s Work, New art exhibition by Sawyer Rose and The Carrying Stones Project at Code & Canvas, 151 Potrero Ave., San Francisco, Sept. 19-Nov. 2, Tues. & Thurs. from 1-6 p.m., Sat. from 12-3 p.m. and by appointment. Free admission

The exhibit opens Thursday, Sept. 19, 6-9 p.m., with a performance at 7:30 p.m. http://www.carrying-stones.com/counting-the-hours

3. Titus and Androdicus at Theatre Lunatico, August 30-Sept. 29, 2019 at La Val's Subterranean Theatre https://theatrelunatico.wordpress.com/

"Tina Taylor (Director/Choreographer) is the Artistic Director of Theatre Lunatico. An English theatre artist who has been acting, directing, and facilitating theatre both in the UK and California for over thirty years. Tina was originally a dancer before turning her attention to theatre. She has a BA (Hons) in Drama and Dance from Leeds University, England, is skilled in the process of devising original theatre through ensemble improvisation, and has also worked in prisons and with community service organizations using theatre as a means of conflict resolution. Tina teaches Shakespearean acting using her physical theatre training as a gateway to decoding and understanding text. She has a deeply intuitive understanding of the craft and acting, and enjoys bringing her diverse performance background and spontaneous creativity to her directing and teaching work. Past productions include Shakespeare, Chekhov, Sheridan, Brecht, Bond, Zimmerman, and many original plays devised through ensemble improvisation. She will be directing the West Coast premiere of Convoy 31000 with Theatre Lunatico in the fall of 2019."

Shane Fahy (Titus) last appeared with Lunatico in 2018 as Angelo in Measure for Measure and is delighted to be back. His most recent roles include The Chaplain in Ubuntu Theatre’s Mother Courage and Durand Durand in Dreams on the Rocks’ Barbarella. He was nominated for a Bay Area Theatre Critics award for his portrayal of David in New Conservatory Theatre's For the Love of Comrades. He would like to extend a thanks to everyone involved for the joy of being onboard this spaceship.

Bryce Smith (Aaron). This marks Bryce's second production with Lunatico! He performed in Dracula with us last year, and he's thrilled to be back for Titus. Exploring a character such as Aaron was new territory for Bryce, though he seems quite keen on it now.

About Theatre Lunatico:

"Theatre Lunatico is an ensemble physical theatre company, producing exciting and innovative work since 2004. Artistic Director Tina Taylor, working with core company members, Michael Barr, Eileen Fisher, Leon Goertzen, and Shawn Oda, are thrilled to have a new home at La Val's Subterranean Theater where we can create ensemble-oriented, stripped down theatre that focuses on simple, yet superb storytelling.

Theatre Lunatico works to foster a deeper connection with our audiences through bare bones, small-scale, intimate productions that deeply explore the essence of the human experience."