Box Gallery
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Andlab
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Cottage Home
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David Salow Gallery
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Brewery Arts Colony
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Fringe Exhibitions
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High Energy Constructs + Solway Jones
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Art Slave
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Puppet Theater Tangled in Debt
Bob Baker, 84, Must Raise $30,000; Says Venue Will Not Close
by Anna Scott
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, an easy-to-miss white box in City West, has entranced the young and young-at-heart with its string-operated figurines for 45 years. But the country’s oldest puppet theater finds itself in a financial tangle.
The theater, at 1345 W. First St., has fallen into debt, and 84-year-old owner Bob Baker has been told by his mortgage holder that he must raise approximately $30,000 to avoid foreclosure proceedings, said theater assistant manager Richard Shuler. A Dec. 3 deadline was recently extended, as negotiations are ongoing.
In an attempt to raise the funds, Baker earlier this month hired a real estate firm to put the property up for sale, hoping to find a buyer who would lease him back the space. By last Thursday, however, Baker’s spokesman said it was no longer on the market. Baker, who can still be found
What a Way to Make a Living
Dolly Parton’s Toe-Tapping Songs Stand Out in Premiere of ‘9 to 5’
by Jeff Favre
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – After only three songs, technical malfunctions stopped the opening night performance of the world premiere musical 9 to 5 for 15 minutes – and the crowd was thrilled.
That’s because the show’s composer, country music legend Dolly Parton, led the audience in a sing-along of the title number, which she wrote for the 1980 movie.
Parton also filled time by introducing her co-stars from the hit film, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman, who were sitting in the audience with her, before the glitches were fixed and the onstage entertainment resumed without incident.
Audiences during the rest of the performances through Oct. 19 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles – or during its planned Broadway run next year – likely will be less forgiving of unexpected stoppages unless Parton is there to save the night.
Still, if all
The New Face of Theater
New LATC Launches 2008 Season With Three-Month World Festival
by Kathryn Maese
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – When the New LATC raises the curtain on its second season this Friday, theatergoers will get a rare chance to see Mexican icon Ofelia Medina, who dazzled audiences as Frida in the eponymous 1984 film, perform her one-woman show based on the book of poems Poesia No Eres Tu.
With Intimamente – Rosario de Chiapas, the actress, writer, director and activist will open the New LATC’s 2008-2009 season in dramatic fashion as part of the three-month Face of the World Festival, which features 25 shows on four stages. It’s a fitting choice, since Medina’s exploration of happiness, solitude and the search for freedom mirrors the LATC’s own tumultuous journey in recent years.
The Latino Theatre Company won a contentious fight to operate the city-owned theater under a 20-year contract and, following a $4 million renovation, reopened the venue last year. The space
Hometown Sounds
Pershing Square Amps Up Its Summer Lineup With Well-Known Acts on Wednesday Nights
by Julie Riggott
We’re an L.A. band, so if we can’t give something back to the city, what good are we?” said Burleigh Drummond, whose group Ambrosia will play a free Pershing Square concert this week.
Ambrosia, a Grammy-nominated band with a following of progressive rock and R&B fans, is the first of four national acts scheduled in the new Pershing Square Downtown Stage Summer Concerts, taking place Wednesdays from 8-10 p.m. After Ambrosia’s July 30 concert, Pedestrian takes the stage on Aug. 6. Sophie B. Hawkins performs on Aug. 13, and the Gin Blossoms wrap it up on Aug. 20.
Despite the fact that the city Department of Recreation and Parks is only paying expenses for the bands, Drummond said Ambrosia is excited to play on the Downtown Los Angeles stage again. (They actually played there about a decade ago.)
“We come from L.A., and we’re
Farmlab Gets Technological
This week’s Farmlab salon confronts the computer age’s latest multiple personality disorder: avatars. An avatar is a computer user’s icon or representation of himself to another party in a chat, instant messaging or multiplayer gaming session. It’s a caricature, not a realistic photo, and can be a simple image or a bizarre fantasy figure. In the noon Friday, May 16, salon called Identity and Virtual Space (Or, Are We Our Avatars?), a panel of experts will discuss just that – the meaning of relationships, fame, experiences and community in a virtual world. Among them are Sean Percival, a Second Life expert, and Kristen Rutherford, an actress and writer who starred in the Alternative Reality Game ilovebees (and whose voice, they readily admit, still terrifies the game’s players). Farmlab Public Salons are at 1745 N. Spring St., #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org.
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Coffee Anyone?
How to Find the Coffeehouse That’s Right for You
by Richard Guzm�n
As in many neighborhoods, coffeehouses Downtown are social gathering hubs where the ambiance is often as important as the brew.
But with dozens of coffeehouses that cater to various tastes and personalities, where you go for your cup of Joe can say a lot about who you are. In Downtown Los Angeles, in fact, there’s a place for everyone, whether you’re an artistic type who likes to discover hidden gems, a serious coffee aficionado who can’t talk enough about Brazilian beans, or a stressed-out office dweller who just needs an excuse to leave the cubicle.
Behold, a few Downtown destinations, along with descriptions of some of the people who frequent them.
Urban Scrawl on the Wall
Downtown News’ Editorial Cartoonist Doug Davis Exhibits His Work at Gary Leonard Studio
by Julie Riggott
When Los Angeles Downtown News editorial cartoonist Doug Davis took up his pen and inked a humorous poke at Downtown bloggers in his Nov. 26, 2007, Urban Scrawl, he aroused a bit of ire.
The image of a blogger with a canine “fashion accessory” who “moved Downtown two months ago” and does her reporting “without leaving favorite coffee house table” was part of his Downtown Snapshots series. It pushed a lot of buttons.
“I was having a little fun and didn’t expect to ruffle any blogging feathers,” said Davis, who has contributed his Urban Scrawl cartoons to Los Angeles Downtown News for almost four years. “Downtown folks don’t usually mind a little fun at their expense.”
Davis’ cartoon inspired more than just a heated Internet exchange. It spurred a colleague to honor a career full of laughs and insightful jabs.
“When I saw that
The Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival schedule of events
Festival schedule of events
At the Shrine Auditorium Dec. 5-9 and the Los Angeles Theatre Dec. 14-15.
- Wednesday, Dec. 5
9:30 a.m.: As part of its educational mission, the JVAFF will host Kids’ Day, an exclusive event dedicated to young people. More than 3,000 students will attend for free. An episode of “Captain Planet” will be followed by a question and answer period with NASA and JPL experts. Morning pass for all films and events for $9 (ages 6-14 free with valid school ID). In the Shrine Expo Hall.11 a.m.: A special NASA presentation will delve into the thrilling world of space exploration. Ages 20 and under free with valid school ID. - Thursday, Dec. 6
9:30 a.m.: A “Captain Planet” episode followed by a Q&A with NASA and JPL. Ages 6-14. Tickets $7 or free to students ages 20 and under with valid school ID.10:30 a.m.: The documentary The Realm of the Great White Bear will screen