NEWS
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| Website Update | Workshop
| Open Studio Art Show |
What's New | Stage
Directions Magazine Article
| New
Mask Shop |
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| Workshop
May 4 & 5 |
| MAY
4 & 5 - Primate Cinema Workshop: How to Act like an Animal
What:
A performance workshop exploring primate communication and
social organization leading to a videotaped nature documentary,
part of the Primate Cinema series. Participants will watch
video clips of animal behavior in the wild and in cinema,
learn about primatology, and engage in physical theater techniques
and improvisation.
When:
Meeting 1: Sunday May 4, 2-5 PM,
Meeting 2: Monday, May 5, 6-9 PM,
Two-four other meetings in May to be determined on May 4 meeting.
Live performance/shoot: May 24
Screening of completed video: June 11-22 at TELIC
Participants need not attend all meetings, but commitment
is important.
Who:
Rachel Mayeri, artist and media studies professor, is organizing
the workshop as part of her research and video production
at TELIC. Deborah Forster is a cognitive scientist who has
worked with primates at the San Diego Zoo, and has studied
wild baboons in Kenya. Alyssa Ravenwood is a physical theater
director, performer, and mask-maker. Biographies of workshop
leaders are below.
How:
With video clips of wildlife documentaries and Hollywood movies,
we will explore media representations of human and nonhuman
primate "nature." Forster will discuss how primates
and other animals perform social organization and communication,
covering a range of perspectives from behavioral ecology and
sociology to cognitive science. Ravenwood will show how commedia
dell' arte and other theatrical traditions have found animals
a source of inspiration for personality and movement. Performers
will explore animal behavior and society through warm-ups,
group exercises, and improvisational games.
Why:
Participants will expand acting and social skills by learning
about animal behavior. This is a rare chance to be involved
in an interdisciplinary project creating dialogue around art,
science and politics. Exploring alternative social organization
could lead to world peace...or at least to comedy. Participants
will be festooned with food and a DVD of the completed project.
And you get to act like monkeys.
Where:
TELIC Arts Exchange (Field Station Hollywood for the month
of May), 975 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, CA 90012;
Map and directions
How to Participate:
Free, open to everyone, performance experience is a plus.
RSVP Rachel.Mayeri@gmail.com if you are interested in participating
and come to the first meeting.
Workshop will be videotaped and used as part of completed
nature documentary.
Biographies:
Deborah Forster
Trained in behavioral ecology and cognitive science at UCSD,
Forster spent many years studying wild baboons in Kenya and
worked with other primates at the San Diego Zoo. She has done
design-context research and organizational development consulting
at Nissan Design America. She is currently teaching cognitive
science to architects at Woodbury University in San Diego,
and is contributing to a studio course led by Teddy Cruz at
Harvard Graduate School of Design, to build housing in Nicaragua.
Alyssa Ravenwood
An award winning physical theatre director, performer and
mask designer. Artistic Director of the new Los Angeles mask
troupe, Ravenwood Performance Group. A graduate of the Dell'Arte
School of Physical Theatre. She also studied Clowning with
Sue Morrison at the Canadian Clown Institute and Commedia
with Ole Brekke of The Denmark Commedia School.
Rachel Mayeri
Los Angeles-based artist working at the intersection of science
and art, her videos, installations, and writing projects explore
scientific representation in topics ranging from the history
of special effects to the human animal. Shown at Los Angeles
Filmforum, ZKM in Karlsruhe, and P.S.1/MoMA in New York, Mayeri
is a guest curator of the Museum of Jurassic Technology and
Associate Professor of Media Studies at Harvey Mudd College.
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Brewery
Art Walk, April 5 & 6
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| I
will be opening my studio and selling masquerade masks
during the Brewery Art Walk April 5 & 6.
www.breweryartwalk.com
This weekend is the
Brewery Art Walk open studio at the worlds largest art
colony. Over 100 artists open their studios to the public.
During this event, you will have the opportunity to
see new art work, speak with the artists and purchase
artworks directly from the artists at studio prices.
Admission
is free and so is parking. |
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The
Brewery Art Walk takes place:
April 5th and 6th, from
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Ravenwood
Studios in the 2100 building, ground floor #A-13
Directions:
http://www.breweryartwalk.com/directions.html
2020 N Main st
Los Angeles, CA 90031
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New
Mask Shop:
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Leather and masquerade masks are now available to
purchase from my mask shop on Etsy.com www.alyssaravenwood.etsy.com
This shop features one of a kind masks and masquerade
style masks that are not available at my theatre mask
site Ravenwood
Masks
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Stage
Directions Magazine Article:
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The
January '08 issue of Stage Direction features a special
section on masks. Included is an article featuring my work
as a mask designer and teacher. The writer also interviewed
clients I have worked with since 2000. The article is available
online at: -
Stage Directions Mask Article -
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What's
New:
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2008
| January
& February | March
|
2007 | August & September
| April
- July | February
& March | January
2006 | November &
December | September & October
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2008:
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March
08
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Artist
in Residency - Walks In Two Worlds:
I will be back in Portland Oregon this month to teach part
1 of a workshop in physical theatre performance creation.
"Walks in Two Worlds" is a youth-scripted performance
piece. This piece will be premiered next year in Portland
by Blue Monkey Theatre Company as part of their 2008/09
season. Young writers/actors will work together with myself
and playwright Myra Donnelley to create ways to tell the
story of what it is like to grow up Native in an urban environment
like Portland. We will explore physical theatre, improvisation,
mask, clown and puppetry as well as traditional Native performance.
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January
- February 08
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From
the mask studio:
I filled another mask order for Krizo Theatre -
Krizo Website- . A batch of female Commedia masks to
complete their set from my mask shop
ravenwoodmasks.com
I also
sent an order to South Korea. A Pinocchio mask and Dottore
as Gepetto went to the amusement park Lotte World to be
a part of their character parade. Lotte
World Website
"Dear Alyssa, Thank you for everything. Masks are so
fantastic!!! I really love it." -Yoojin, Lotte World
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Clown
and Mask Performance Workshop:
I heald the first public workshop in clown and mask performance
here in LA. It was a great batch of students. I plan on
holding more of these. If you are interested please send
an email and ask to be added to the mailing list. For more
information go to - Workshop Page
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2007:
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December
07
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From
the mask studio:
I filled a large mask order from a theatre company in France.
Krizo Theatre ordered Commedia and Greek masks from my mask
shop ravenwoodmasks.com
for their upcoming production of "The Odyssey."
"Masks
are arrived in France ...fantastic, magnificent, extraterrestre,
beautiful, superb, cool, work of art ...thank you very very
very much !!"
- Christophe Thébault for KRIZO théâtre
-
Krizo Website-
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November
07
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PBS
American Experience:
Back to Indiana! The final shoot of "Tecumseh"
for the PBS American Experience series "We Shall Remain."
Due out in 2009.
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This film has been a part of my life since May. I worked
as the Makeup Department Head and Special Makeup Effects
Designer for this documentary reenactment about Indian
leaders Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa. My makeup and hair
team once again pulled off great feats of makeup heroism
including outdoor night shoots in November....brrrrrr.
Visit
my Tecumseh page for more photos -click
here- |
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October
'07
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From
the mask studio:
In addition to filing orders for Halloween
I made masks for a production of "Hamlet" at Shakespeare
Now! Theatre Company in Brookline,
MA
Another
round of Neoprene Mask Making Workshops
were held here at my mask studio in LA. For the first time
all the students were local. Usually most of the students
have been from another state.
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The Brewery Arts Fall Art Walk:
I opened for the second time at the Brewery
Open Studio show. I had my leather superhero style masks
available for sale (photo right) and they were very popular.
The next Art Walk is April
5-6. For more info: Art
Walk website
This
mask and other masquerade masks are available to purchase
from my Etsy shop: www.alyssaravenwood.etsy.com
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Universal
Studios Halloween Horror Nights:
October once again found me at Universal
Studios for Halloween Horror Nights as a part of the prosthetics
makeup crew. Making up psycho killers and the zombies who
eat them.
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I was working on "Tecumseh"
so I could not be part of the lab crew, which I missed.
This year I had the opportunity to work on a lot of
actors who discovered they had latex allergies and could
not wear their prosthetics. (photo top right) I was
able to improvise some fun slashes, gashes, and burns
using out of kit materials like glue, tissue paper,
cotton balls, coffee grounds, and flocking. One actress
had to look like her whole face had been ripped off.
I used crushed cookie crumbles, cotton and glue to simulate
exposed tissue. Didn't get a picture of it unfortunately,
but I thought it looked good and gory.
Larry Bones, owner of Boneyard
Effects, once again put together a fun and talented
crew. Larry is, no doubt, one of my favorite people
to work for and I love this gig. We worked on even MORE
actors than last year. Hard to believe. And yet we were
even faster, yay us! I parked my station next to class
clown Ryan P. Durling. Ryan kept us all entertained
with his many chicken improvisations, chicken glove
head, chicken movie quotes, and name that tune chicken
style. He also started the "used prosthetic gallery",
see photo above, which hung precariously on the ceiling
over my station.
To
see my HHN photo album
-click here- , Larry's photo album:
-click here- |
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Introducing: The Ravenwood Performance Group
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...
and the news that tickles my toes.
I have started a new theatre company. For many years I have
been working in two separate styles of physical theatre-
character driven mask/clown work and abstract movement corporeal
mime. I have always wanted to discover what happens when
these styles are combined. Ravenwood Performance Group is
dedicated to exploring both these styles and the possibilities
opened up by experimenting with them.
I am
joined by three wonderful actors: Ilana Turner, Jon Monastero,
and Brad Culver. In order to proceed with the style I wish
to explore, we have been in training. I've been taking the
actors through a series of workshops in mime, mask performance,
clown and Kelman work.
It's
been a rich environment for discovery. I am looking forward
to what is ahead for us.
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August
& September:
Studio business:
I'm taking a little time after filming "Tecumseh"
(photo right) to take care of some much needed housekeeping
here at Ravenwood Studio. I am updating this website.
I've added new makeup design
pages. More information about my workshops are also being
added. A
great big thank you to Ben Dziuba, Two Bean Design for
designing my first website. It opened many doors for
me and introduced my work to new people. Thanks Ben! |
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Ravenwood
Masks are available at Maskarade mask shop
in New Orleans for Halloween. Visit them at 630 St
Ann Street, New Orleans.
Maskarade
>
A heaven for mask lovers
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^
Makeup Design for "Tecumseh"
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April
- July:
It's
been a very busy spring/summer.
I am the Makeup Department Head
and Special Effects Makeup Designer for a PBS American
Experience documentary on Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa.
Directed by Ric Burns and Chris Eyre. We began filming
in June and July on location at Prophetstown in Indiana.
We will be filming again in November.
Photos of "Tecumseh"
From
the mask studio:
I have many new masks made that are just waiting for
me to have time to put them up on my website. There
will be some new Greek masks, fairy masks based on my
designs for the Tempest, new Commedia masks and fairy
tale characters. www.ravenwoodmasks.com
Mask
classes:
The first mask classes here at Ravenwood Mask Studio
went very well. Three classes were held this spring.
If you are interested in taking a mask class, send me
an email and I will put you on the mailing list for
the next class.
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February
& March:
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Virginia
Ave Project: Feb.- April I co-taught with John
Achorn a mask and commedia performance workshop. This
was for a wonderful organization called The Virginia
Avenue Project. They work with at risk kids and have
an amazing success record. Check them out at: Virginia
Ave Project.
During
this workshop I developed some exercises using physical
theatre techniques to help the kids succeed in their
daily life. Using the same physical and vocal theatrical
techniques you use to create a mask character we worked
on creating a character called "the most fabulous
girl/boy in the world." A way to look and sound
more confident then you may actually feel. Some of the
kids told me they were able to use these techniques
right away in school presentations and recitals with
great success I was so happy to be able to give these
kids some practical techniques to help them achieve
their goals in life.
Photos
from this workshop.
-click here- |
From
the Mask Studio:
Neoprene Mask Making Workshop - The first
mask making workshop was held here at my mask studio in
LA. More workshops to come.
Pinocchio in Texas - I designed masks
for a Commedia style production of Pinocchio in Alice,
Texas. This order makes it official. There are now more
of my Commedia masks in Texas then any other part of the
world, including my own studio.
Three new masks, Pulchinella, Pinocchio and the big fish
that eats him were made. The new Pulchinella mask is available
now at Ravenwoodmasks.com: Pulchinella
link > |
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Scott
Kelman
Scott Kelman, Theatre Artist and Teacher passed away
Thursday Feb. 22 2007
Scott's work is amazing. Like Jazz Improvisation for
physical theater artists.
I was privileged to study with Scott and the Brooklyn
Bay group when I lived in Portland. I will remember
him always and be grateful I was able to study with
him. His work lives on in these companies Brooklyn
Bay & The
Kelman Group I plan to start a Kelman Group here
in Los Angeles. If you are interested in studying this
technique, contact me.
"A
teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his
influence stops." ~Henry Brooks Adams |
January:
From the Mask Studio: I sent some Commedia
masks off to the Chicago
Shakespeare Theater for their Commedia style production
of "The Taming of the Shrew." Sounds like
a fun show.
Right
now I'm working on masks to send to Maskarade mask shop
in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Stop by and see them
at 630 St Ann Street, New Orleans. >
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to top- |
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December
06:
It's a blur .....I think I made a film with some very
nice people ....I know I went to some Xmas parties.
Yup, I definitely made a film ...there are pictures
to prove it: Plastic
Houses Age Makeup
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November:
Teaching: I was in New Orleans at the
end of the month teaching mask making and mask performance
workshops at NOCCA
Riverfront and at Loyola
University. NOCCA is producing "Oedipus"
and I worked with their tech students and cast. The
students learned how to perform in mask and created
their masks for the show.
From
the mask studio: I am working on a vacuuform
Greek chorus mask. Many groups have contacted me, looking
for an affordable chorus mask for a large ensemble.
So, ask and you will receive!
"La
Rosa Y El Gato" news: After premiering
at the Palm Springs Film Festival "La Rosa"
has gone on to show at the Long Island Latino Film Festival.
The film has been invited to the Newport Beach Film
Festival and the Dam Short Film Festival. I was the
makeup designer (and ad hoc cat wrangler) for this short
film.
http://www.magdalenefilms.com/LaRosayElGato.html
Makeup
for La Rosa Y El Gato > |
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From
the Mask Studio:
And because I just wasn't quite busy enough this month....
hahahohohehe ... Choctaw Central High School color
guard in Mississippi had an emergency need for 19
masks in 19 days. A feat accomplished with superhuman
speed and lots of coffee. You can see these masks
in action here: http://www.rivesphoto.com/wlband_contest/choctaw/index.htm
The theme was the rainbow of emotions. Happy suns,
sad clouds, angry lightning and rainbows were created
for the competition.
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Website
Update:
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This website is being updated with a new look and
new pages. The old design does not have links to all
the new pages. Click on the banner to return to the
new home page.
The
older site with the green background is now the "Theater"
section of this website. I am my own web designer
so I may never have the time to update all the pages
from the original website. Clicking on "news"
or "contact" will get you to a new page
with the new links.
Thank
you.
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