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...

Queer Mondays heats up!

CAN YOU SAY QUEER-TASTIC-NESS TO THE MAX?!

We had a hot time at Queer Mondays this month with performances by:
HANK HENDERSON, CLINT STEINHAUSER & IAN MACKINNON, KRYS FOX, MICHAEL LUCID of PRETTY THINGSSS, HAMP, R. SKY Palkowitz The Delusional Diva, AWILDA RODRIGUIZ LORA, SAMUEL VASQUEZ & ALEX BLACK, JASON JENN

The show opened with a "work in progress" section from Ian and Clint's upcoming piece HOMOSENSUALITY (Premiering Sept. 18 & 19th @ Highways) that involved childhood orgasms, pillow humping, and a transformative GAYlien encounter.
Next Hank Henderson read from new work that was a sexy, passionate, and intimate account of struggles to love and make love with the man of your dreams in the face of HIV.
Then Hamp read from new writing, recounting, among other things, when the KKK nailed the doors shut to a Louisiana gay bar in the 70's and set it on fire, forcing the queens to escape by jumping into the river.
Then powerhouse R. Sky Palkowitz, The delusional diva, delivered an impassioned performance of three different characters that was a biting parody of american hatred, racism, sexism, ect., accompanied by a shirtless bongo player and surrounded by giant lesbian barbies.
Michael Lucid of Pretty Thingsss, took the stage as Devon Wicker, an old "bohemian" woman from "Echo Parque" who had lots of hilarious things to say about gentrification and the current state of art and Bohemia.
There was a quick intermission and then back with Alex Black and Samuel Vasquez. Looking hot, dressed in suit jackets, heels and veils, they performed a musical art piece playing live drums and keyboard, singing, and reading text reminiscent of Plato's Symposium, while images from avant garde films from the 30's and 40's were projected.
Then handsome Jason Jenn took the stage and walked right off it again and then crossed again and again. Half of his beard was shaved clean and the other half was full. He danced and spoke about being fed up with technology and feeling disconnected. There was a raw slow grace to his piece that ended with us all breathing in and out with him.
California newcomer the sizzling Awilda Rodriguez Lora performed a sensual and fierce piece about how much she loves her right hand as it gives her pleasure and it learned to write her name. Lifting her skirt and asking the audience to kiss her hand, her piece ended with a wild masturbation dance to a self made video piece of Awilda rapping.
There was a Queer Prize giveaway of books, porn, wigs, and wine and everyone who bought a ticket won. (including some people who didn't even buy tickets...)
Hottie Krys Fox took the evening home with a tender emotional performance. Entering in underwear mis-matched striped knee warmers glitter and make-up he pulled rope and extension cords out from under the seating unit becoming completely entangled, and ended lying in a sexual heap of beautiful melancholy on the floor.
After the show the audience hung out and mingled for a long time chatting and flirting.
(Founding father Tim Miller was in attendance as well as highways Board members Kevin Spicer, Sister Dirtie for The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, artistic director Leo Garcia, and a gaggle of hot queers.)
all this for $5!

come check out the next QM 7:30 PM Aug 31st featuring performance by:
BENNETT SCHNEIDER, KRYS FOX, ANSON SKY, JOHNNY 2.0, JENN KOLMEL & KATE GILBERT, CLINT STEINHAUSER & IAN MACKINNON, MADELINE HARRIS, STEVEN REIGNS, R. SKY Palkowitz The Delusional Diva, DANCEGOOD.DAMNIT!

'I Don't know why...'

The Ladies and J. Graves are talkin' paint in the front office, Sergia prepares backstage in the mural room and I'm filling in the 'Google profile' of Highway's with a hog-tied Greggy AKA DANCEGOODDAMNIT!!!  (Rosie enters the scene, the social cat and tongue exhibitionist of 18th Street, we all focus on the 'feeding her' debate. )

Tonight marks the second performance of I Didn't Cry- the one-woman show based on Sergia's sister--falling in love, growing up fast and dying young at the hands of the AIDS epidemic.

 The show really reminded me why it is so important to remember history-- to hold as a foundational element of action- present and future.

  As I am researching and speaking with directors and artists involved with the AIDS Floor here at Highways, sadness strikes, genuinely, for the first time. Like a slap in the face, from the last moments of Sergia's Piece, I feel this awful sickness.

   Fighting for those lost with acts of art, storytelling, demonstrating,  The Floor  breaths like a character always present in the space.  

I'm creating a piece to remember this creation as the formative presence it was and is. I'm hoping this can be like a leaf for the floor's roots- so visitors can breath it in.

Time to go fold some programs, welcome the evening with the orange sky. Intimacy-- birthing from the red-walled, light strung lobby--promises mysterious textures for the coming hours...

Strategic Placement

Happy hump day!

Got to work today with my large portion of Panda Chinese food ready to take on the many tasks on my plate here at Highways. One of my larger projects being the Highways Artist and Past Performance Archives. A hefty database of every performance that has gone through the space. We are about to reach 2,000!

A returning artist, Ian Mackinnon, curated Big Gay Peep Show coming up on Aug. 7 + 8. My part in marketing the show was labeling the postcards being sent to the members of our mailing list. With a name like "Big Gay Peep Show," one wonders if USPS will be willing to deliver the images, a valid worry. And you can believe that the mailing labels were placed in the more strategic places of the card.

;)
AH

July 18th, 2009: Creations with the Creatures...

Here on this finely weathered Saturday Evening, the stage fills with the sounds of a pre-show Minerva Garcia and Abraham Celaya as I gaze at the innocent image of a kitten-cuddling-Michael Jackson from the LA Weekly and our new bi-annual calandar. Armando, the Getty Intern and archive specialist has just entered with a pair of lovely, sharp black dress shoes, ready to host an evening of Creature-filled receptions and performance. Here at Highways, the creation of our partnership with Sustainable Works, and the new seasons happenings prevail.

Last night marked both the Opening of Eugenio Griffero's Creature/Creations and Minerva's birthday. Friends and Highways supporters gathered as the Newspaper path set the scene for the entrance to the show. The tale commenced in the emergence of a red-feathered, tie-draped Creature making her salt-marked coup. The show had moments of deeply moving philosophical trials, and Minerva demonstrated the threads of grace, despair and anger in the death-marked Creation with a skilled hand. 

After the show, the ambiance became thick, pleasant and lovely in the wake of such deeply resonating subject matter and joy in the performers  birthday celebration. With A new member joining our patrons, a gift of Pear-flavored Vodka and a collective savoring of Red Velvet cake,  the pinnacle of the post-show reception culminated in a multi-lingual rendition of Happy birthday, a directorial thanks and some wonderfully vivacious communal discourse riding on the wake of a beautiful opening night.

Now Highways' prepares for what this evening brings...