Become a Synchronicity Ambassador and receive 2 free tickets!

The women speak again.

The company-created hit from 2005 returns in new form. Synchronicity’s Women + War is now a streamlined multimedia performance that explores the startling, hopeful, funny and heartbreaking nature of what it means to be a woman touched by war. Told through text, movement and striking visuals. The original production featured founding Savages Alison Hastings, Kristi Casey and Joanna Daniel as well as future Savage contributing artists Suehyla El-Attar, Adrianne Moore, Safaa Sammander and Celeste Miller. This new version features Savage teaching artist Pam Joyce.

Women + War opens Friday, Feb. 19 @ 8 p.m, runs through March 7 and received many awards for its original run:

• One of the Top 10 shows of 2005 (The Sunday Paper)
• Best Female Actor of 2005: W+W’s 9-performer cast (Creative Loafing)
• One of the Top 10 Directors of 2005: Rachel May

BECOME A SYNCHRO AMBASSADOR: Gather 10 or more friends, family members, or neighbors from your school or church group, women’s group or book club and get 20 percent off plus 2 free seats.**

Directed by Rachel May. Choreography by Celeste Miller. Stage management by Charlie Moore.

Venue: 7 Stages Theatre / 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E., Little 5 Points, Atlanta (directions).

Tickets: $23 (regular), $18 (students, seniors, and artists)
Discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

To get your 10+ tickets at the group rate, click here.
**To claim your 2 free Ambassador tickets – note “I’m an Ambassador!” in the comments section of the ticket form. We will add 2 complimentary tickets to your puchase of 10 or more group tickets to be picked up at the box office.

For individual tickets, click here.

People are talking about Women + War:

“A rich example of the social power of cultural arts. By exploring the world’swars thoughtfully, the message reflects the importance of pursuing peace around the globe.”

– Former President Jimmy Carter

“… Synchronicity’s occasionally funny, often chilling and forever insightful look into the psychology of war in all its guises [is] the product of nearly 50 interviews with area women whose lives have been touched by the social scourge. The world premiere succeeds at the nearly impossible task of making a dreaded subject come to life as a provocative entertainment that gently touches the soul with compassion and generosity.”

– Wendell Brock, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Synchronicity’s staged incarnation of ‘Women + War’ is a magnificently rendered dramatic work that’s frequently breathtaking to behold. … Sheer inspiration.”

– Bert Osborne, The Sunday Paper

“Finally, a cultural experience that puts a human face on the barrage of contradictions we read about in the daily news. Now that’s good theater.”

– AJC

Savage Poll

Suttons Corner Frontier Country Store Museum

In the heart of Fort Gaines, Georgia, is the largest collection of artifacts from frontier America. Over the course of 2007-2008, Savage Tree artists Michael McReynolds, Ashby Wratchford, Mimi Epstein, Brent Dey and Kristi Casey Sanders made several trips down to “The Gaines” to film museum founder David R. Campbell and members of the local community.

They shared with us their stories about what life was like in rural America before electricity, before cars, before indoor plumbing and soda fountains. Mr. Campbell shared with us the hundreds of stories he’d collected about the artifacts on display in his museum.

Last year, we received a grant to turn some of our footage into a self-guided video tour of the museum. We’re proud to say that it’s been completed. We’ll be posting short excerpts of those stories over the next several months.

Go Arts!

October is Go Arts month in Atlanta, which means that something is going on every day (usually for free!). One brave member of the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts has attempted to see something every day. You can read her blog about it here.

Catch a free sneak preview of the High’s Leonardo da Vinci exhibit

On Monday, October 5 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., the High Museum of Art is offering a free preview of “Leonardo da Vinci: Hand of the Genius.” Featuring around 50 works, the exhibit has on display more than 20 da Vinci sketches and studies, some of which will be shown in the U.S. for the first time.

The exhibit juxtaposes da Vinci’s mature sketches and musings with rare examples of his work as a student in other “masters’” studios, including exquisite renderings of figures in terracotta and silver. A “restored” fragment of a lost da Vinci fresco enhanced by Peter Paul Rubens is a highlight.

Also on display are works by Donatello, Verrocchio and Rustici — including Rustici’s bronzes from the recently restored “John the Baptist” façade in Florence, Italy. Be sure to pick up a magnifying glass at the beginning of the exhibit, so you can see da Vinci’s exquisite detail work in the sketches on display.

No advance reservations will be accepted for the preview and the last ticket will be issued at 6 p.m. The exhibit officially opens Tuesday, October 6 p.m. For more information, visit high.org/Leonardo.

Audition May 6: Alliance Theatre/Second City show

The Second City and The Alliance Theatre will be collaborating on a show for the 2009-2010 Alliance Season – The Second City: Peach Drop, Stop and Roll. The ensemble will create original and adapted comedy sketches about Atlanta life and culture. Auditions will be held at the Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff Art Center on May 6 (possibly May 7 if needed), with callbacks May 8.

Seeking adult men and woman of all ethnicities with at least one year’s training or stage experience in sketch comedy and improvisation. Acting background also recommended. This is a completely improvised audition. Please dress appropriately in comfortable improv performance type clothes (i.e. no jeans). NOTE: Anyone who auditioned last year is encouraged to audition again.

Production Information

• Production Venue: Hertz Stage
• *First Rehearsal: October 20, 2009
• Opening: November 11, 2009
• Closing: December 13, 2009 (with strong possibility of extension)

*The show will rehearse in Chicago (housing provided). Actors transfer to Atlanta on November 3rd.

Audition Information

• When: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 (and Thursday, May 7, only if needed).
  Callbacks will be Friday, May 8.
• Where: Rehearsal Hall #1, 3rd floor Woodruff Art Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, 30309
• How: Actors will be seen in groups of six, 20-minute slots. Call the Alliance Theatre audition hotline, 404-733-4622, to sign up.

Actors should bring two headshots and resumes.

If you have any specific questions, please call DayRon J. Miles at 404-733-5054.

Dream. Believe. Create.

At the 2006 TED conference, Sir Ken Robinson had some thought-provoking comments on why teaching dance in schools should be as important as literacy.

It was an exciting speech to stumble upon because Savage Tree was founded in 2004 out of the belief that every child is born creative, but that people often try to bury, forget or ignore their need to create as they get older. And we’ve always sought to encourage people to pursue that passion they’ve always wanted to explore, to offer low-cost training and opportunities to collaborate with professionals and get new work seen.

The “savage” in our name comes from the fact that the urge to create is a primal one, and just like the roots of “trees” in the neighborhoods we live in, that urge ultimately tears up any barriers set in place to stop it. That’s why you’ll see mill workers retire and fill their yards with visionary folk art or people drop out of corporate life to pursue their passion.

But, if you create something every day, whether it’s a drawing, a blog post, a photograph, a Twitter tone poem, or even a meal for people you love, you don’t have to wait until you’re so frustrated you’re about to burst. If you create something every day, you are an artist. You don’t need anyone’s permission to play.

If you don’t know where to start or what to do, think about what used to make you happy as a child? Did you love gluing macaroni on shoe boxes or making Shrinky Dinks? Wrapping sticks to make god’s eyes or drawing on popsicle sticks? Maybe you always wanted to draw comic books or write a novel. Start. Now. Tomorrow. Every day.

It’s not important how long it’s been since you’ve tried. Putting aside a few minutes every day to discover what inspires you is just as important as exercising your body physically. And the more consistently you dedicate yourself to creative pursuits, the more progress you’ll see. So be gentle, go easy on yourself. As one of my ballet teachers said, “Everyone was a beginner one Sunday.” 

For the past year, we’ve been quiet on the production front, because we needed some time to pursue film projects, which are less collaborative than the theater festivals of of our past. But Robert Sanders is planning to launch a Georgia project soon, with a bunch of roulettes inspired by this great state we live in, our history and our neighbors.

So for the next 30 days, try writing, drawing, dancing, making music or whatever makes your soul sing for a minimum of 5 minutes a day. Let me know how it feels. If you want, share your work with us. And after a month, let’s see where it takes you.

A sad loss for the Atlanta theater community

Award-winning local actress and educator Carol Mitchell-Leon passed away earlier this week after a year-long convalescence.

The Atlanta theater community, her many students, fans, family members and friends mourn the loss of such a great talent, powerful mentor and tireless arts advocate. Savage Tree was blessed to have her support, and we send her loved ones our condolences.

On Friday, 1/23/09, there will be a candlelight vigil and memorial program dedicated to the life and love of Ms. Leon. This event will be held at 5 pm and is sponsored by the Clark Atlanta University Players. All of Ms. Leon’s former students and supporters are invited to attend.

Upon arrival, CAU student, Brandon Jamal Gardner will be the contact person. If you’d like to attend, please meet at 5pm at the Mass Media Department (Mass Comm Bldg) and plan to march from there to Davage Auditorium. The memorial program will be at Davage auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
The Carol Mitchell-Leon Memorial Scholarship Fund
3028 St. Andrews Court
Lake Spivey, GA 30236

Goodbye Mr. Kite

Bernie “BJ” Simon, who played Mr. Kite in Savage Tree’s Sgt. Pepper’s Dailies Project film, “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite”  passed away with the old year. He had been in remission from cancer for several decades, but it came back. He was 88 years old and had been married to his wife Joyce for more than half a century when he died, surrounded by family in hospice care.

He was loved by many for his dogged persistence, his love of family and the arts, his keen business acumen, his funny poems and his joie de vivre. BJ, you had a great run. You will be missed.

If you’d like to make a donation in his name, his family recommends sending them to The Temple or the William Breman Jewish Home.

Open auditions for “Hairspray” Dec. 13

Attention aspiring musical theater professionals: This Saturday, NETworks is holding an open call for immediate and future replacements for its 2009 National Tour of Hairspray, playing the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Jan. 13-18 as part of the new Atlanta Broadway Series. The tour is currently scheduled to run through June 2009.

Auditions in Atlanta will be held Saturday, Dec. 13, at 10 a.m. at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Theatre at 1280 Peachtree Street.  Participants should plan to bring appropriate musical theater songs or tunes from the late ’50s or early ’60s.  Pop music is preferred.  Performers are welcome to sing numbers from the show for this call, but should have another selection as well.  Performers should also be prepared in case they are asked to stay and dance.  Performers should bring a picture and resume.

Some callbacks for immediate replacements will be flown to New York.  All ensemble members must sing well enough to cover a principle role.  All roles are paid.  The call is for Non-Equity performers.

Any questions prior to the casting call should be directed to BOBCLINECAST@Gmail.com.

Performers are needed in the following roles:

• TRACY TURNBLAD Female, Caucasian, 5′3″ or shorter, to play high school age. Must be heavyset. Outgoing, unstoppable, goodhearted with a vibrant, lovable, spirited personality. Loves to dance. Becomes a teen heroine. Strong pop belt singer and great mover.
• EDNA TURNBLAD Male to play female, Caucasian, 40s – 50s. Tracy’s mother. A working class, devoted, loving housewife with dreams of her own. Sincere, not campy. Needs a funny, grand character actor with singing ability who can convincingly play a woman. Large physique. COMEDIAN.
• SEAWEED J. STUBBS Male, African-American, to play high school age. Cool, sexy, street smart, goodhearted. Son of Motormouth Maybelle who becomes Penny’s boyfriend. His dance lessons help Tracy get chosen for the local TV teen dance show. Strong, soulful tenor pop singer and great mover.
• WILBUR TURNBLAD Male, Caucasian, 40s – 50s. Tracy’s father. A working class inventor. Sweet, goofy, childlike personality. Adores his family. Needs a thin, funny character actor. Good character singer.
• LINK LARKIN Male, Caucasian, to play high school age. Handsome, sexy, clean-cut, goodhearted, down-to-earth. The heartthrob of the local TV teen dance show. Amber’s boyfriend at first, but he soon falls for Tracy. Strong pop singer and great mover.
• AMBER VON TUSSLE Female, Caucasian, to play high school age. The ice princess of the local TV teen dance show. Attractive snob. Very funny, with good physique. Strong pop belt singer and great mover.
• PENNY PINGLETON Female, Caucasian, to play high school age. Ditzy, neurotic, devoted best friend of Tracy. Very funny, with good physique. Strong pop belt singer and mover.
• CORNY COLLINS Male, Caucasian, 30s. Host of the local TV teen dance show. Handsome, charming, engaging, smooth. Strong pop singer.
• MOTORMOUTH MAYBELLE Female, African-American, 40s – 50s. Seaweed and Little Inez’s mother. Queen of Baltimore Soul, a radio DJ. Powerful and inspiring, with an infectious, brassy personality. Large physique. Strong, soulful gospel/pop singer.
• VELMA VON TUSSLE Female, Caucasian, 40s – 50s. A former beauty queen, Amber’s mother, and producer of the local TV teen dance show. Upscale, attractive, prejudiced snob who always wants her daughter in the spotlight. Funny, biting, manipulative. Good character singer.
• LITTLE INEZ Female, African-American, 5′1″ or shorter. SEEKING ADULT ACTRESS TO PLAY EARLY TEENS. Spunky, tough, streetwise, outgoing, older than her years. Seaweed’s lovable little sister. Strong Broadway/pop singer and mover.
• MALE AUTHORITY FIGURE Male, Caucasian, 40s – 50s. One actor plays various zany roles including a nervous businessman; a condescending high school principal; a flamboyant fashion boutique owner; a cop; and a corrupt prison guard. (Think “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.”) Also understudies Edna Turnblad and Wilbur Turnblad. Must be a heavyset, sharp, funny, inventive character actor with good singing voice.
• FEMALE AUTHORITY FIGURE Female, Caucasian, 40s – 50s. One actress plays various zany roles including Prudy Pingleton, Penny’s uptight and small-minded mother; a sadistic high school gym teacher; a cop; and a sardonic prison matron. (Think “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.”) Also understudies Velma Von Tussle. Must be a sharp, funny, inventive character actress with strong singing voice.
• ENSEMBLE DANCERS WHO SING and SINGERS WHO DANCE Male and female dancers with strong pop singing voices and great personalities, to play high schoolers, To play various roles in the ensemble and have to sing well enough to cover principal roles.
• THE DYNAMITES–3 sexy African-American female singer/dancers inspired by the Supremes. Should have glorious pop/gospel singing voices. Should move well. They are featured in the showstopper “Welcome to the ’60s”. ENSEMBLE