Highlights since Highways' inception in 1989, originally created in 2004, and periodically updated in the years since.
Researched & edited by Highways Co-Artistic Director Patrick Kennelly & produced by Highways Executive/Artistic Director Leo Garcia.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Queer Mondays September 2009
Last night at Highways was their monthly performance Lab for queer performers. This Queer Mondays arrived was blessed by cool autumn weather sweeping across LA and Santa Monica, and a fog-like haze filling the coastal city.
One of the interesting performances happening at Highways was in their gallery. Called Live Feed it was a TV set up with camera, linked to the Carmen, a pleasant Latina, who would answer questions, and had also supplied two bowls, one of black beans, the other of white rice. She was giving it to all who came to speak with her over the closed circuit camera/television feed. I didn’t get much of an opportunity to speak with Carmen, but it seemed many of audience participants did, and the blacks beans smelled really good.
The show began with Michael Lucid. With his typical popular culture commentary focused on Life Coaches, and positive affirmations, he then spiraled into a story about Cassie, a dance superstar, whose hard luck from the economy seeking a small time dance position, seemingly Chorus Line style. His choreographed moves for Cassie’s dance number were very well done, and his skill at executing his multiple roles on stage is really quite something to watch.
Next was Hank Henderson. Hank’s monologues were titled 77, 85, and 91. Stories of life for a gay man as he passes through the ages, from the decadent late 70’s in the Midwest, to the fear driven indulgences of mid 80’s in Los Angeles, and the struggles with Love and identity in the early 90’s of a man struggling with AIDS. They are truly awesome to hear, and the pathos with which Hank tells his story is rich, bring a vividness to the story happening.
A short video followed with Eric Cassario. The content of the video seemed to document the struggle of a young man in dealing with his dual sexual identities, one social driven, the other one derived from his own deeply concealed desires. Towards the end, it seemed to take on the presentation of a sitcom cast opening, but the black+white film gave a glossing of art film to the whole presentation.
Next came Ertha Madre, a two-spirit priestess, who had the audience contribute to creating a piece of Peruvian styled magical fetish. The audience placed and blew their prayers into supplied herbs, in an envelope underneath their chairs, which was added to the fetish. (The fetish had another name, but I honestly can’t even begin to imagine how to spell it, so if someone could, that would be AWESOME!!!) She then added other items to our prayers, which symbolized various elements of nature and the Gods. It was truly a magical ritual, and quintessential juices were flowing hard as the fetish was gently folded and blessed, and some people were allowed to be cleansed with this fetish, which would be burned on Wednesday morning at a beach in Playa Del Rey.
The final performer for the first half was David Stamford. David performed the monologue of a LAUSD school teacher with a very debilitating neurological disorder, where, essentially, her nerves are operating at full ability all the time, especially the pain receptors. This causes this poor school teacher to be in pain, all the time. However, because disability fund does not classify her disorder as a disability, she is required to be in the 2nd grade classroom, unable to move, stand any level of sound, or even over use her eyes, because even something as minor as a spitball could lead to her demise from overload of pain stimulus.
After a short intermission, and the random drawing of Queer Fun Tickets, the 2nd half began. This began with a monologue by Sage, with her debut performance in Los Angeles. Sage is a wonderful dark hair lesbian. Her monologue was addressed to all the straight men that persist in pursuing her after she informs them that she is a lesbian. What started as a seemingly simple statement as to why she likes women, turned into a paean to cunnilingus, and the metaphysical dimension to Sage’s experience of eating pussy, herself, and the ecstasy of her partner. I have only heard someone else describe their experience with similar terminology, and that was Judy Grahn. Sage’s description rivaled some writings of heard of gay men in describing their joy in fellatio. It was really an amazing sharing of her experience, and the true reason of why she is a lesbian.
Hamp Simmons then expressed some of his life history, growing up as queer youth in Louisiana, who was effeminate and different, and was mistreated for it. It began with his experience in returning to his High School’s 30th anniversary, and remembering those days. As a very gifted speaker and story teller, Hamp’s tale of how he lost his friends, and how the indignities that he endured from the “popular kids” is something many queer misfits can related to. At the ending of his story, one of the bullies apologized for his mistreatment when they were younger. Why did he apologize? Because his own son had come to him, and told him he was gay. That was when this bully then understands that all the things he had put Hamp through, had probably been done to his son. Knowing only remorse, he had saved these words until he would see Hamp again, at this 30th reunion.
A 2nd performance by David Stamford, this time it was the story of an older man, who was much ignored by his now, very grown children. However, that didn’t stop him from continuing on with his stories of performing in Vaudeville with his sister, Selma. Selma however, due to an endless series of disasters from performing, had lost her leg, hand, and eye. Yet, she continued to perform, as she loved the audience, and the audience loved her back just as much, it seemed. In the end, it seemed their final performance was knife throwing.
We were then blessed by the appearance of the newest Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Samuel LaRue, who was recently appointed to be in charge of relations between the Catholic Church, and the homosexual populace. Cardinal LaRue understand homosexuals, as he had recently risen out of his own sin, that of being a producer and director of pornography in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. He had made himself available to be as Highways, in order to answer any questions that people might have. He did answer a number of questions, as well as raise some new ones, especially about Cardinals, the pope, and his “little honey bears”.
The final performance was by Krys Fox, developing his performances to his show “Who Killed Foxy Cotin?” which will be presented in January. This time, it was Foxy Cotin who was being presented, and he proceeded to engage the audience with frosted cupcakes and glamour, after smearing the cupcakes across his body, and then stuffing them into his face, and his underwear, Foxy was then killed by a masked person wielding a large blade. Unfortunately, the identity of the person still has not yet been revealed, but to find out who was responsible, you should attend the show.
Stay queer!
One of the interesting performances happening at Highways was in their gallery. Called Live Feed it was a TV set up with camera, linked to the Carmen, a pleasant Latina, who would answer questions, and had also supplied two bowls, one of black beans, the other of white rice. She was giving it to all who came to speak with her over the closed circuit camera/television feed. I didn’t get much of an opportunity to speak with Carmen, but it seemed many of audience participants did, and the blacks beans smelled really good.
The show began with Michael Lucid. With his typical popular culture commentary focused on Life Coaches, and positive affirmations, he then spiraled into a story about Cassie, a dance superstar, whose hard luck from the economy seeking a small time dance position, seemingly Chorus Line style. His choreographed moves for Cassie’s dance number were very well done, and his skill at executing his multiple roles on stage is really quite something to watch.
Next was Hank Henderson. Hank’s monologues were titled 77, 85, and 91. Stories of life for a gay man as he passes through the ages, from the decadent late 70’s in the Midwest, to the fear driven indulgences of mid 80’s in Los Angeles, and the struggles with Love and identity in the early 90’s of a man struggling with AIDS. They are truly awesome to hear, and the pathos with which Hank tells his story is rich, bring a vividness to the story happening.
A short video followed with Eric Cassario. The content of the video seemed to document the struggle of a young man in dealing with his dual sexual identities, one social driven, the other one derived from his own deeply concealed desires. Towards the end, it seemed to take on the presentation of a sitcom cast opening, but the black+white film gave a glossing of art film to the whole presentation.
Next came Ertha Madre, a two-spirit priestess, who had the audience contribute to creating a piece of Peruvian styled magical fetish. The audience placed and blew their prayers into supplied herbs, in an envelope underneath their chairs, which was added to the fetish. (The fetish had another name, but I honestly can’t even begin to imagine how to spell it, so if someone could, that would be AWESOME!!!) She then added other items to our prayers, which symbolized various elements of nature and the Gods. It was truly a magical ritual, and quintessential juices were flowing hard as the fetish was gently folded and blessed, and some people were allowed to be cleansed with this fetish, which would be burned on Wednesday morning at a beach in Playa Del Rey.
The final performer for the first half was David Stamford. David performed the monologue of a LAUSD school teacher with a very debilitating neurological disorder, where, essentially, her nerves are operating at full ability all the time, especially the pain receptors. This causes this poor school teacher to be in pain, all the time. However, because disability fund does not classify her disorder as a disability, she is required to be in the 2nd grade classroom, unable to move, stand any level of sound, or even over use her eyes, because even something as minor as a spitball could lead to her demise from overload of pain stimulus.
After a short intermission, and the random drawing of Queer Fun Tickets, the 2nd half began. This began with a monologue by Sage, with her debut performance in Los Angeles. Sage is a wonderful dark hair lesbian. Her monologue was addressed to all the straight men that persist in pursuing her after she informs them that she is a lesbian. What started as a seemingly simple statement as to why she likes women, turned into a paean to cunnilingus, and the metaphysical dimension to Sage’s experience of eating pussy, herself, and the ecstasy of her partner. I have only heard someone else describe their experience with similar terminology, and that was Judy Grahn. Sage’s description rivaled some writings of heard of gay men in describing their joy in fellatio. It was really an amazing sharing of her experience, and the true reason of why she is a lesbian.
Hamp Simmons then expressed some of his life history, growing up as queer youth in Louisiana, who was effeminate and different, and was mistreated for it. It began with his experience in returning to his High School’s 30th anniversary, and remembering those days. As a very gifted speaker and story teller, Hamp’s tale of how he lost his friends, and how the indignities that he endured from the “popular kids” is something many queer misfits can related to. At the ending of his story, one of the bullies apologized for his mistreatment when they were younger. Why did he apologize? Because his own son had come to him, and told him he was gay. That was when this bully then understands that all the things he had put Hamp through, had probably been done to his son. Knowing only remorse, he had saved these words until he would see Hamp again, at this 30th reunion.
A 2nd performance by David Stamford, this time it was the story of an older man, who was much ignored by his now, very grown children. However, that didn’t stop him from continuing on with his stories of performing in Vaudeville with his sister, Selma. Selma however, due to an endless series of disasters from performing, had lost her leg, hand, and eye. Yet, she continued to perform, as she loved the audience, and the audience loved her back just as much, it seemed. In the end, it seemed their final performance was knife throwing.
We were then blessed by the appearance of the newest Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Samuel LaRue, who was recently appointed to be in charge of relations between the Catholic Church, and the homosexual populace. Cardinal LaRue understand homosexuals, as he had recently risen out of his own sin, that of being a producer and director of pornography in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. He had made himself available to be as Highways, in order to answer any questions that people might have. He did answer a number of questions, as well as raise some new ones, especially about Cardinals, the pope, and his “little honey bears”.
The final performance was by Krys Fox, developing his performances to his show “Who Killed Foxy Cotin?” which will be presented in January. This time, it was Foxy Cotin who was being presented, and he proceeded to engage the audience with frosted cupcakes and glamour, after smearing the cupcakes across his body, and then stuffing them into his face, and his underwear, Foxy was then killed by a masked person wielding a large blade. Unfortunately, the identity of the person still has not yet been revealed, but to find out who was responsible, you should attend the show.
Stay queer!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Reflections on a Summer spent @ Highways
I arrived to Highways on this overcast Wednesday to a quieter office. Normally Kate would be sitting next to me working diligently to finish her myriad of projects, music blaring. She took a half day today so she can start rehearsals for UCLA Live, I'm so proud of her!! A few other things have changed. I can play the music I listen to and sit in her chair, which is much better than mine.
Meanwhile I'm here and my desk is packed with the many "ongoing" projects that being an archival intern entail. Hundreds of MiniDVs spanning 20 years of Highways' history, the newer DVD technology allowing for much more effective storage (all requiring an ID# and labels), a pile of names to be added/removed from our mailing list, and the many documents, letters, cards, press surrounding the history around the space. Deciding how to end my term here and how much more I can realistically accomplish is the greatest challenge.
In my ten weeks here, I've really discovered the battles being waged in the art world, the repercussions of movements in government and amongst arts administrators. Two decades ago Highways' inception marked a bold step in genuine dedication to the innovation of art and performance. A conservative movement in the Federal Gov't in the early 1992 flipped the art world upsidedown, when George Bush, Sr. let go of John Frohnmayer and replaced him with conservative Anne Imelda Radice as chairperson of the NEA.
I've had the privelege of delving into the archives and spending time with these documents. One document, a letter from Linda Burnham to John Frohnmayer, comments on "how the words 'artistic quality' now mean something else-- now stand in at the NEA for words 'obscene,' 'indecent,' and 'offensive'" I had the chance to speak to Danielle Brazell in person about the issue at the Getty Arts Summit at the Getty Center and we agreed that this incident has shaped the history of arts funding, still affecting us today, since arts funding has been on a steady decline since the Culture Wars, Los Angeles being one of the areas most affected. Linda's very same letter resonates with me today when it says:
"Highways [is] playing to sold-out audiences with performance works dealing with racism, sexism, homophobia, labor problems, homelessness, incest, immigration, censorship. This work feeds us and feeds our diverse, multicultural, audience. We are a very small space, but we serve 10,000 people a year, and all of them pass through the gallery. People have come up to me at Highways with tears in their eyes, thanking me for making a space where work can be shown that has some real relevance to their lives, where art is about ideas and not about sales."I feel as though, so much of that holds true to this day. In my ten weeks as Getty Intern, I've experienced so much new work that I can barely wrap my head around the fact that it all took place at one space. All of it had something special that penetrated my soul as a gay man, a Mexican American, and everything in between. And the number of packed houses I've seen here, inspire pride in me stemming from every facet of my identity. When I think of tonight's sold out show, I get the sense that I was part of something bigger than myself.
AH
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Margarita goes to the movies, EZ style
Saturday night: "Six o clock and the sun is setting, the interns have arrived and the Krowka carmel chew wrappers decorate the wall from Roma, the volunteer who reminds me uncannily of my grandmother on her best and brightest.
Thank you Sue Dakin for speaking to the (he)art of democracy.
My desk: full of tapes and papers staring - yelling 'Finish me, Baby!!' Last week of my time here at Highways, wrapping up some projects and leaving one tiny tiny mark on what I hope is a greater endeavor. Last night EZTV: fake money, bands, piano leggings, crackers and deep seeded love.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Jeepers Creepers, Where did you get them Peeppers?
Last night I attended this performance art function called the Big Gay Peep Show at Highways. OMG! FUN! Amazing! Scintillating!When they admitted us to the black box, there was a single projection of a man's crotch, wearinng underwear, with little silver bird-ornament things sticking out of the top waist band. Just by looking at the crotch, you could tell, he was packing. It was also a fortunate turn of events that I happened to know to whom that crotch belonged. It was a certain nuns parts, so that was just completely entertaining, especially considering that it was HUGE PROJECTION. Then the show began, and her come Ian McKinnon, shrieking, wild faggot priest of the mysteries, a massive foam noodle cock with rainbow pubes, a cape of gay pride across his back, and a silvery head piece, a giant dome, with a large, coloring changing lit cock on the top, shifting through red and blue and green, as he revealed to us his secret fetish. Gay History! A Man on man daisy chain of figures and people from plato to harry hay, loving and longing and lusting and licking your mind and appetites for more. It was brilliant and amazing and glorious. GO IAN!!!Then, in a sudden turn, we had Corey, a delicious and curvaceous man of color, come out to talk to us of pretty and ugly. Life is Ugly he said. God is Ugly. Love is Ugly. All the messes and details and trust and frustration and temptation all thrown together, because pretty, pretty is a lie. Pretty is an illusion. He said this to us after dancing, moving his body, and seducing us into ease and appreciation with a familiar pop song, before he tore us all down, as he exposed and gave us a peep, into the deep dark trenches of his being.Then we had a piece called Pin up by DANCEGOOD DAMMIT!!! He came out with bunny ears, and a little cottontail, and a basket, shaking his booty for us, and wearing a cute little smile. Then from his basket he removes, clothes pins. Starting first to pin his clothing into tighter more revealing lines, he then begans to pin himself, revealing this mixture of pain and pleasure, as he dances, showing a kind of joyous movement, but the look on his face mixes from a cute smile to a bit of wide eyed suffering as the clothes pins dig in, and then pop off of his supple flesh, bringing only what kind of sharp pain, I can remember (from my own experiments back in the day). Then was Confessional by Jason Jenn. A combined media presentation, where in video Mr Jenn tells the audience of his youth and his messiah complex, believing his feelings of difference to be drawn from being a "Chosen One" and so his ensuing behavior of as child, where he rejected anything that was not "pure" or "good" and resisted all temptation, especially the temptations of the flesh. The video changed, and he was seemingly naked, under the moonlit backdrop of the Downtown LA skyline, he revealed that upon his arrival in Los Angeles, he began to pursue a life of diabolic behavior, seeking to understand sex and flesh and all the things that were taboo to him in his young life. As he spoke these parts, first he came out, dressed in white, with a white fabric gently wound about his arms, and a crown of gold painted laurel. It was really gorgeous, and as he pulled out feathers that he proceeded to play with, he showed that he was being angelic. When he began to speak of his dark thirsts, he revealed a trunk, hidden beneath black fabric, and from that trunk he took on the appearance of a devil, and then screamed his primal scream of release and satisfaction. It was then that he understood the need for balance, and that is own journey had been one of seeking balance from experiencing extremes, so he could know the middle ground between them.The next piece was called Outside, and with Khrys Fox. It was a strip tease, full of brazen, bravado, seemingly for all the audience to show strength and lust and bravery. The next piece, also by Khrys Fox, was called inside. To the raspy voice of Janis Joplin, singing "Take it!" he came out wearing a hospital gown, with a seemingly bloody mark over his heart, and then he removed his clothing, and open up a insulated container with a large animals heart inside. This he proceeded to cut up in thick pieces, and with a flower from a small bouquet, he handed pieces of it over to audiences members, some of whom I think were very grossed out by the displayNext was this dive into a critique of popular culture, especially popular gay culture. Presenting himself as a clear allegory of Perez Hilton, he came on to defend the pop icon of celebrity gossip and also to critique him, and the whole celebrity/showbiz world of interviews, shows, and exposes. Between having a discussion between characters on the film and himself in the theater, it was interesting to see this conflict between these two figures, especially in challenging Perez Hilton's claims to better the gay rights movement, even as he outs people, uses negative language about gay people and generally acts in a manner of the worst stereotypes of a gay man. A brief break from the seemingly intense drama of the evening was Eric Yu, who is an acrobat, and pulled himself up onto a swing bar, and proceed to flip and twist and suspend himself to the aw's and delights of the audience. He did a slight strip tease, although there wasn't much to remove, and watching his trained body go through these performances was something of awe and amazement. Did I mention he is going to be my future ex-husband?The Finale was Michael Burke doing his performance "Appropriated Penis Piece #1" where he first shares the critique of a colleague about his work, based solely on an interview he did with a university paper in the midwest, a collegue who happens ot have control over his continued employment. He then continued on to share with us his youthful excursions into what would become his homosexual life. It began of course with a much desired toy called "My Buddy" a doll (in essence) for boys. He longed for that toy, and when he got it, he realized that, if any of his friends knew that he had a this toy, he would be humiliated. At the same time, "my buddy" was being a metaphor for his dick. He would enter in commercial segments describing the doll, and how to maintain it, while he went through recollections of his young life, with the culmination being, when a boy from school, the rough and tumble and would rather melt his GI JOES then play with them normally came over to his house, and his "buddy" and had left out, in the open, for all to see, by his own careless hand. And after being worried about the reception, this boy, this playmate asked "Well, Do you wanna play with it?" and they proceeded to play with his buddy, all afternoon.Over all, it was absolute brilliant.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
On the Road Again...
So we have just gotten back into stride... The cool breeze blows here in Santa Monica, through the hand-bone steering wheel from outside in the 18th street galleries. The art in the gallery stands proud after is big social introduction party on Saturday night...
So the weekend .... I'll let you hear from some performers and audience too TOO-
"The most unsettling images (of which there were an abbundant supply) were most awakening due to the actors' willingness to subscribe to the performance as living art rather than a chronological theatrical piece."- Madeline Harris, audience member
"(dub) zeck was an intense workshop in wich we experimented the work of Buchner. Patrick Kennelly is always challenging you in push the boundaries of what is possible. The final result was an intense and visually alarming performance..."- Eliezer Ortiz, Performer
'After holding Jonathan O's chord during the epic explanation of Homosex-Cure by screw driver, I felt like I discovered one of those few times in my life where, if my own image were projected back at me I would be proud of what I see.' -Kate Bergstrom
This weekend we are getting ready for the beautiful Mr. Ian to reveal all those sexy in the Big Gay Peep Show- I ran into quite a scene of his foam penis and beautiful thighs while going over archival footage from 'Naked Creatures'.... and lets just say, I'm feelin' good about events to come...
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