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    • Catherine Daleo
      • Oct 10, 2020
      • 5 min read

    The LAB LV Keeps the Show Going While Addressing the Struggle of Local Artists

    Updated: Oct 11, 2020

    The LAB LV's Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu opens outdoors Oct 15th

    Pass Over features Jamey Clay-Brown and Jason Nious.

    Being quick to adapt to change is vital in the arts community, and The LAB LV is no exception, as they have found ways to continue performances with the purpose of increasing representation of marginalized people while allying with other groups to generate support for the arts.


    The LAB LV is an accomplished experimental and interdisciplinary performance ensemble, founded in October 2015. Made up of multiple art styles and disciplines, the company works to create opportunities that are both artistic and community-focused. Their mission is to “provide incomparable experiences for audiences by presenting strong, provocative work in unconventional settings, encouraging community dialogue and growth,” and strives to be a platform for artists from diverse cultures and their communities, (The LAB LV).

    Cast and directors of The LAB Lv's "The Royale." 2019.

    Kate St-Pierre, Artistic Director at The LAB LV, shared that the company is very selective of the stories that are told by their ensemble.


    “We want the stories that we share to be inclusive and center marginalized voices/BIPOC,” St-Pierre said. “We want to increase accessibility to the theatre in as many layers as we can identify which historically has had limited access.”


    The layers of particular focus, St-Pierre shared, include the cost of going to the theatre, the casting of those in the productions, and the representation in the stories that are told. They also put a lot of focus on having representation in the company itself by making sure that their board of directors has women and people of color at the helm.

    Sabrina Cofield as Queen Titania at the Lab's "Midsummer" at Super Summer Theatre, 2019.

    “We are very ensemble-driven, and strive to create challenging opportunities,” St-Pierre said. “Some of these kinds of stories are ones that might make some people or artists uncomfortable but it makes room for growth - as audience members, as actors and artists, and as a community.”


    The COVID pandemic has shut the doors on many production companies, including The LAB LV as they work to tell stories and facilitate conversations that need to be shared in our community.


    “If we are going to put on a live production at this time, there has to be a valid reason for it,” St-Pierre said. “It has to be a necessary commentary and a community dialogue, as we want to create an opportunity for that dialogue to cover important issues - like the election coming up.”


    She went on to say, “I like to consider our shows as the inciting incident. If the performance can create an energy and excitement within the audience, how can we channel that into an action? How can we as a theatre company be as specific as possible with what that action is,” she said. “Is it to get people to vote? To understand Black Lives Matter? What’s the action we want to incite through this performance.”

    A scene from "Dance Nation", pre-COVID 2020.

    For now, St-Pierre said that the company is “taking it one day at a time” and that she “couldn’t be more proud of the cast” for all the work they’ve done, how they’ve responded to the pandemic, and for the productions they are working on in the near future.


    She said that the company “pivoted - the word of 2020”, and redirected their energies into how they could continue their work for and with the community in a constructive, responsible manner, offering an online play-reading-series over the summer with award-winning playwrights, working on new unproduced plays with Las Vegas artists.


    “Many of these plays had never been read out loud before. Actors got to work with a new script, and playwrights had their works read out loud for the first time,” St-Pierre said. “It was a really wonderful opportunity to work with people from all over the world.”


    Besides the readings, the company itself has been doing frequent private readings together as an ensemble to keep their connection going when they can’t meet up to practice in person.


    “At this time we have no intention to create a performance on Zoom,” St-Pierre said. “There would have to be a really good reason to do so, just like when we do live, public performances. There’s a lot of disconnect on Zoom.”


    The LAB LV is planning an in-person community dialogue/performance October 15th - 17th, and the 22nd - 24th, with a play called ‘Pass Over’, by Antoinette Nwandu. Reservations are available through The LAB’s website.


    St-Pierre said she is excited to have such esteemed experts moderating the community conversations including the ACLU, Professor Frank Rudy Cooper of UNLV’s Boy School of Law, and Keisha Weiford (MS,LMFT).


    With no commercial event work available for artists and no additional funding to support the arts community during the public health crisis, the situation is dire.



    “It’s been a struggle. The state hasn’t given any consistent guidelines to keep actors safe and employed, nor have they provided actors and artists any financial help,” St-Pierre said. “Many actors are not receiving unemployment and can’t pay their bills. Production companies and artists can’t pay the leases on their spaces or studios.”


    The issue at hand is bigger than simply getting back to producing shows to some degree, as St- Pierre said that the performing arts community and art community in general needs massive funding, especially from the government, sharing how the arts are always overlooked, and especially during times like these.


    “It’s devastating,” she said. “It’s only going to get worse if we don’t start working on a solution.”

    St-Pierre went on to say that while she doesn’t believe now is the time to do performances inside, there are opportunities for socially-distanced, masked, and limited capacity outside events. That way actors and artists can get back to work and get paid.


    “People that own or rent their spaces are desperate, they have to pay their overhead without having any work while trying to figure out how to survive and stay healthy.” (#MaskUp!)


    “We’re a family here. And it’s terrifying to see this happen to our community,” she said.

    Here in Las Vegas, the world-renowned creative community brings in a massive amount of tourism for the local economy and many industries were bailed out with programs like the Small Business Payroll Protection Program. St-Pierre believes it’s only fair that the arts community is also taken care of out here but that “the government has left the las vegas arts community behind.”


    St-Pierre called various groups in the performing arts community together to form the Producers Alliance of Southern Nevada, or PALSNV for short, to improve conditions for the region’s nonprofit and event-related small businesses. The group is currently made up of over 20 organizations that are looking to improve cooperation among partners and advocate for equitable regulations at both the state and local level.


    “We want them to know that we are here, and that we are ready to work with them in a safe capacity,” St-Pierre said. “We have a wonderful, vibrant community here. We must find ways to protect and still support ourselves, somehow.”

    For those who wish to help support The LAB LV, St-Pierre shared that the best way to help the company is by checking out their website, ‘Liking’ and following their Facebook page or Instagram, and by donating directly to the company through their PayPal. The LAB LV is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so donations are tax-deductible.


    Sharing information about their company’s productions through word-of-mouth, and by coming out to the actual community talk-backs and performances to be a part of the dialogue, are other invaluable ways to support The LAB LV.


    People can also help by contacting their local and state representatives to make sure government officials get cultural leaders like Kate St-Pierre’s message that “Many artists have already had to leave Vegas due to lack of opportunities and support,” and “The arts are an essential part of our local economy.”



    #EatMoreArt #vegastheatre #CreateOurRecovery

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    • Feature
    • Sarah O'Connell
      • Jun 24, 2020
      • 3 min read

    Vegas Theatre Hub to depart The 705 due to city-planned redevelopment

    Vegas Theatre Hub says "Farewell" to their former home online, June 28th

    Clowning classes offered by internationally trained master teachers are a favorite among locals.

    For the past few years, Vegas Theatre Hub has been proud to call 705 Las Vegas Blvd. North home after its nomadic founding in 2015 by professional improv artists Darren Pitura, Derek Shipman, and Natalie Shipman. Unfortunately, the City of Las Vegas has claimed The 705 space, now famous for its outdoor mural "A Phalanx of Angels Ascending" by local artist James Stanford, and the area will be built up to further "redevelop" the Cultural Corridor.



    Awarded "Best Comedy Boot Camp" in 2019 by the Las Vegas Weekly, students and teaching artists made The 705 a home for emerging talent and original comedy in Southern Nevada, reviving the former VFW building interior with their bare hands and inclusive community spirit. Sadly, the Hub had to cancel its 5th Anniversary Show last March with the onslaught of COVID. Due to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic (and the ongoing struggle for the Arts to survive Downtown gentrification without policies to protect them) the Hub's future in a new location is uncertain.


    The Hub was declared "Best Comedy Boot Camp" in 2019 by the Las Vegas Weekly

    One can only hope that local policymakers will address the needs of our local cultural industry as smaller nonprofits and arts-adjacent businesses struggle to survive. The Vegas Theatre Hub has been a rare gem for members of the public to become lifelong learners, polished professionals, and connected to the community with low-cost classes, drop-in sessions, and a collaborative creative incubator. It is one of several local arts groups that are impossible to replace threads in our community's fabric.


    Our recovery can and must begin with the "redevelopment" of local nonprofits and locally-run venues invested in by the public with their savings and sweat equity if we are looking to leverage resources for the greatest social and economic gains.


    Vegas Theatre Hub founder Darren Pitura.

    In order to say "Thank you" to the neighborhood and to all of the students and artists who have made The 705 a home for talent and comedy in Southern Nevada, founder Darren Pitura has put together a virtual celebration featuring comedy, improv, sketches, clowning, and storytelling. 


    This show is free, and because of the group's uncertain future they will not be accepting donations for the Hub; however, viewers of the telethon-style livestream will be encouraged to support the Vegas Freedom Fund, a bail relief organization working to combat mass incarceration in Clark County, and the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, a shelter providing meals and housing to downtown’s homeless population.


    Whether a beginner or a professional, performers with a passion for Improv called the Hub home.

    Participating contributors in the event include Matt Donnelly and Paul Mattingly ("Matt & Mattingly's Ice Cream Social," "Penn & Teller's Fool Us," and more), Marc Roberts ("Blue Man Group"), Shannan Calcutt & Darren Pitura ("Cirque du Soleil"), Noah Bremer ("Cirque du Soleil," "Clowns after Midnight"), Derek Shipman ("Cirque du Soleil"), and actor Adriane McLean.


    Hopefully, this special event is merely the marking of a pause in programming for Vegas Theatre Hub. Southern Nevada needs a community that is trained and ready to improvise in the New World for local arts and our society that, now more than ever, is hungry for them.


    “The Hub Takes 5: Bidding Farewell to the 705!” will be a livestream combination of recorded content and live hosts from The Hub’s Facebook

    this Sunday, June 28, from 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm



    The Lineup

    Hour 1 hosted by Stinky & Bunny

    What is the Hub?

    Awards

    The Hub Ghost

    Hub Teachers

    We Hot Bingo

    Fabricated Egg

    Uncle Crimson


    Hour 2 hosted by Noah Bremer & Justin Green

    Philoween

    Tales of the Green Room

    Fishbowl & Hubbub

    Storytelling

    Clown Variety Acts


    Hour 3 hosted by Ben Pawlowski & Josh Hand

    Last Level 3 Class

    Soft 7 Hard 10

    Das Taco

    Judgement City

    Relatable Content

    Workshop Teachers

    Cardio Spider


    Hour 4 hosted by Marc Roberts & Phil Kotler The Hub Snake Man Candy Funderdome Furious Water Stinky & Bunny Bleach One Take Hour 5 hosted by Darren Pitura Faustino Musical Moments A Special Song A Message from the Community Words from Darren Pitura The 705 Send Off






    #EatMoreArt #vegastheatre #VegasBornArts

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    • Director's Notes
    • Sarah O'Connell
      • Jun 16, 2020
      • 8 min read

    One Day More: Local theatre artists show the unifying power of #VegasBornArts amid adversity



    Thankfully for the rest of us, most theatre artists do not give up when times are tough. Their resilience is often fueled by the fellowship of others who courageously join forces as an ensemble and dedicate their energy to a common purpose. Fortunately for our local theatre community, Ray Winters is one local performing artist who was willing to lead the way.


    Ray Winters started making theatre in 2009 at Bishop Gorman High School where his performance journey met with early success including a production of Godspell at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, NE. The first-ever "Best Actor" winner of the Nevada High School Musical Theatre Awards at The Smith Center, Winters attended the 5th Annual Jimmy Awards in 2013 along with their professional Broadway training intensive. After studying at Montclair State University in New Jersey for a few years with the intent of studying with their Musical Theatre program, he took a four-year pause from performing.


    In 2018 the call to create propelled him to audition for Signature Productions' Newsies, earning "Best Actor" for his performance of "Jack Kelly" at the 2019 Las Vegas Valley Theatre Awards. Since then, Winters has taken advantage of every performance opportunity that comes along including as "Chip Tolentino" in Las Vegas Little Theatre's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and "Lumiere" in Huntsman Entertianment's Beauty and the Beast that was forced to cancel its run just two weeks before opening due to COVID. As the world waits for theatres to reopen, Winters is focusing his effort on graduating with a degree in film from UNLV in Fall 2020.

    Ray Winters (c.) with the ensemble of 'Newsies' at Signature Productions. 2018. Photo: Jilliene Michelle Photography

    Last April as the COVID closures began to take their toll, Ray Winters made the call to local performers to come together for a virtual chorus to sing "One Day More" from Les Miserables and they did not disappoint. We asked Ray to tell us about his journey with the project:


    Ray Winters in "Spelling Bee" at Las Vegas Little Theatre. Photo: KM2 Creative. 2019.

    EMAV: Why did you decide to make the video?

    RW: It was sort of an idea that I said out loud as a hypothetical to my boyfriend, and then the more that I thought about it the more I wanted it to become a reality. I was sitting in my room, very bored, and I kept seeing these videos of performers on Broadway and the West End doing virtual chorus performances from various shows. So I thought to myself "wouldn't it be really cool to get a bunch of thespians from Vegas together to create something like this?" I for one had/have been very much so longing to get back on stage and create some art, and I knew for a fact that most performers in Vegas had to feel the same way!


    EMAV: Who helped you produce it?

    RW: I had some fantastic helpers along the way. Dr. James Whiting graciously helped me MD and conduct this ordeal! Without him, it would have probably been a bit of a mess. Every step of the way I reached out to one of my best friends Keaton Johns (who is a brilliant Enjorlas in the video), seeing if he could hear anything I was missing, and essentially assistant directing the project! And finally, another one of my best friends Steffan Scrogan (the Davey to my Jack in "Newsies") offered to create the video- he does it for a living, so I definitely was excited to see what he'd do with it. And also, YOU and Troy Heard helped me get the word to people I didn't know, helping me get the 58 performers that participated!

    EMAV: What was the process? How long did it take and was the hardest part? RW: So I had the initial idea late March/early April, I started asking around early April, and from about April 22nd-May 22nd I was taking in submissions from whoever wanted to join in the fun! I would try to work on putting together the audio (splicing it together in GarageBand to make it as precise as possible) a few times a week! Truthfully the hardest part for me was getting myself to stop working on it and take breaks. Aside from some schoolwork, I really only had this project and some TikToks to work on, so I really devoted a lot of time to it! There was one day I genuinely spent 8 hours almost non-stop working on it. Another hard part was trying to make sure that the vocals were as balanced as possible. That's where James and Keaton's help came in handy.

    EMAV: What has the impact of COVID been on your life? On local theatre? When do you think shows by local theatres will resume? RW: COVID has genuinely forced me to work on my self-discipline, and has made me reevaluate what is truly important to me. It's really easy to be unmotivated during this time, especially for people like myself who struggle with anxiety and depression, so the first few months were definitely rough for me. I was TWO WEEKS from opening "Beauty And The Beast" with Huntsman Entertainment as Lumiere, and all at once, we were cancelled- then public spaces began closing left and right.


    Theatre is like therapy for me, it's cathartic, it's a really personal process, and so losing that outlet was definitely difficult. It's especially easy right now to get stuck in a rut; days tend to consist of "wake up, go sit on couch, play video games, go downstairs and make food, return to couch, maybe shower, go to sleep, repeat" so it wasn't insanely easy for me to just continue with business as usual. But, throughout the past few months I've really been pushing myself to continue working on things that inspire me. I continued taking vocal lessons again (via Skype), I started seeing a therapist who ROCKS, I pushed myself to pursue virtual performances (like Bill Fayne's weekly cabarets), I finally signed up for Backstage.com which led me to some really cool performance opportunities, and I've been trying to create art as much as I can.


    Ray Winters. Photo: Stan Judd
    Art is kind of what gets me through, so I refused to just sit back and accept "well, I can't do that anymore."
    – Ray Winters

    Art is kind of what gets me through, so I refused to just sit back and accept "well, I can't do that anymore." Local theatre, obviously, had to be put on hold. I know several shows have been postponed 'till Fall, and I also know several shows (like mine) that were put in this sort of Twilight Zone place of "we want to still put it on, we are confident that we will, we just don't know when or where." Especially with the removal/changing of the Henderson Pavilion, "Beauty and The Beast" would've been my last opportunity to perform there, now it's closed so I'll (most likely) never get that chance.



    I would like to think that theatres will open back up for the Fall season, however it just depends on what happens with the COVID situation. If it lessens in severity, then I'm sure we'll be able to come back. Unfortunately, however, I do think that it won't be the same for a bit. Obviously, for the audience there will be less seating available to accommodate for social distancing, but it'll also be much different for the actors too. Rehearsals tend to be in closed off rooms, with sometimes as many as 20+ people depending on the cast. All very close together, and breathing heavy from singing and dancing. We've all seen our fair share of show plagues, how one person's cold can turn into 5, to 10, and so on. So, it really just depends on when we all feel comfortable enough to start working again. It's sad, but sometimes just because we really want to doesn't mean we should. But, don't get me wrong, I'm optimistic about the future! We just have to be smart and considerate.

    EMAV: Why is it important to protect our local theatre companies and arts community? RW: I think that if anything, COVID should have proven to the world that the Arts ARE necessary for human survival. One thing that gave me something to look forward to every single week during the pandemic was the new season of Rupaul's Drag Race, it was a much needed escape from the situation we'd found ourselves in. I believe that the same could be said for every person about some form of art. What did people start doing when they couldn't go outside? Watching TV, watching movies, playing video games, reading books, learning to sew, learning to paint, learning how to do makeup, teaching themself to dance, etc. etc. Self expression is good for the soul, it helps us get things out that we sometimes didn't even know we had inside of us. Art can be an escape, and it can be how people cope. Theatre is that for me, among other things.


    Ray Winters in rehearsal as 'Lumiere' with Huntsman Entertianment. 2020.

    Theatre has been a form of entertainment for ages, and Las Vegas is a city that prides itself as the "entertainment capital of the world", rightfully so, so it only makes sense to me that our performers, on and off the strip, should be protected. Local theatre is an outlet for so many different types of performers: people just starting out, people who always wanted to try it but never could, people who have been doing it for years but don't want to pursue it as a full time career, people who do want to pursue it as a career, it's always been there for people. And our local scene is so strong, and so passionate, it's really inspiring to see. I consider myself insanely lucky to be a part of this community.

    EMAV: What projects or shows do you hope to see produced when theatres reopen? RW: This is one of my favorite questions to ever answer, because I have many shows I'd love to see. The one that's been on my mind for a while now is "The Last Five Years" by Jason Robert Brown- the music is SO much fun to sing, the story is gorgeous and inventive, and the characters are simply incredible. I would also love to see "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Heathers", "The Drowsy Chaperone", "Next To Normal", "Aida", "The Color Purple", among many others, and you know what, let's do "Newsies" again while we're at it.

    EMAV: Where can we watch the video?

    RW: The video will be premiering on June 16th at 5:00pm local Vegas time on my YouTube (just my name "Ray Winters" with my headshot, not "Chray" which is my other YouTube) but you can find the link right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9IYIAKk6go 


    I really can't wait for everyone to see it, I'd be lying if I said I didn't get emotional watching it through the first time. A big thank you to everyone who helped me, and everyone who has participated, we made something really special and I'm so incredibly thrilled that we could all come together to make something beautiful even though we have to be apart right now. I look forward to the honor of sharing the stage with you again.


    You can follow Ray Winters on instagram @_RayWinters_, and on TikTok @ray.winters



    One Day More Las Vegas Thespian Edition cast (alphabetical by first name):


    Conducted by: Dr. James Whiting Adrian Madamba

    Alexandria Orr

    Alize Cruz

    Andy Morris Arianna Mercy Ariel Johnson Audrey Hansen Kunkel Bella Simon Bonita Bunt Christopher Velho Dawson Mullen Destiny Faith Diana Massi Eric McArdle Gail Romero Glenn Heath Haylee Elizabeth Hunter Nolen Isabella Ray Jane Ann Bartell Jeff Stults Jenelle Catherina Jessica Washer JJ Bettencourt Jonathan Tuala Kate Sirls Katie Marie Jones Keaton Delmar Johns Kelly Edgar Kristina Wells Lauren Taylor Marissa Massaro MaryBeth Zentner Maxwell Claydon McKenna Winesett Melani Veilleux Miranda Lopez Monica Johns Olivia Rae O’Brien Paul Iwanicki Ray Winters Rowan Johns Sandra Huntsman Sarah O’Connell Sean Michael Driscoll Shana Selene Spencer Debenham Steffan Scrogan Stephanie Miller Claydon Steve Huntsman Steven Fehr Tieran Horton Tory Ramirez Wade C. Abel Wayne Morton Will Haley



    #EatMoreArt #vegastheatre #VegasBornArts

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