Just finished watching a streaming video of the National Endowment of the Arts discussing the idea of 'creative placemaking'..
I liked the dependencies identified between the arts and communities:
1. Arts contribute to livability
2. Arts nurture creativity and innovation
3. Arts help create a community identity
4. Arts develop the local community
BUT arts must be a 'full citizen' in the community.
Watch the video
Friday, September 24, 2010
A New Collaboration - Kessid Center, Home Schooling and NBP Classes
We are beginning a new collaboration effort next month.. New Blue Parrot Classes for home school, after school, and evening outs...
The Kessid Center is a non-profit that has leased the old Bally's gym building on 164th ave (near Beacock Music). Part of the building is configured for church services (the Kessid Church) but the rest of the building is classrooms, a dance studio, a basketball gym, rock climbing wall, exercise machines, and two pools. It's run as a fitness center and sub-leasing space to other organizations that meet their focus/goals of Arts, Family, and Fitness.
We made contact with them during the production of Millie. Once the summer started we were looking at paying $150 a day for rehearsal space in one of the schools.. ouch.
Now we've arranged to begin teaching classes at the Kessid. We're excited to be able to provide a resource in East Clark County for parents, students, homelink, and all actors..
The Kessid Center is a non-profit that has leased the old Bally's gym building on 164th ave (near Beacock Music). Part of the building is configured for church services (the Kessid Church) but the rest of the building is classrooms, a dance studio, a basketball gym, rock climbing wall, exercise machines, and two pools. It's run as a fitness center and sub-leasing space to other organizations that meet their focus/goals of Arts, Family, and Fitness.
We made contact with them during the production of Millie. Once the summer started we were looking at paying $150 a day for rehearsal space in one of the schools.. ouch.
Now we've arranged to begin teaching classes at the Kessid. We're excited to be able to provide a resource in East Clark County for parents, students, homelink, and all actors..
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
A little encouragement
I think I've been a failure as a blogger.. The great ideas in the grand scheme of things regularly getting mowed over by the riding lawnmower..
I had forgotten about this rev the engine and then let it run out of gas blogging endeavor until dear ol' dad (three-score-and-ten-ormore.blogspot.com) poked me with a sharp stick this week.
What's happened at the Blue Parrot in the last .. oh year plus?? I could write a book.. A glorious tell-all that would sell three copies (my family) and the rest would end up in the recycling.
We completed two productions this year.. The Pajama Game and Thoroughly Modern Millie...
I had one person come up after The Pajama Game and indicated that she didn't understand the show. During the conversation I realize that she didn't understand what a Union was.. That should send shivers into the UAW. The casts were great in both shows, but the audience turn out was sub-par. It didn't help that a month before the first show (Pajama Game) we had to change the location of the show. We did OK for online press coverage but the printed news coverage was scarce (kudos to the Vancouver Voice that not only publicizes shows but also sends someone out to review them).
Money is tight everywhere.. getting access (esp affordable access) to school facilities continues to be a growing challenge. Facility costs this year were twice what they were last year.. That's pretty sad as a community-oriented 501c3 non-profit..
I will make a sincere attempt to slip back into the Parrot Cage more regularly and clean up old droppings..
Til then swing by the Blue Parrot Photo Gallery and check out the casts of this years shows....
I had forgotten about this rev the engine and then let it run out of gas blogging endeavor until dear ol' dad (three-score-and-ten-ormore.blogspot.com) poked me with a sharp stick this week.
What's happened at the Blue Parrot in the last .. oh year plus?? I could write a book.. A glorious tell-all that would sell three copies (my family) and the rest would end up in the recycling.
We completed two productions this year.. The Pajama Game and Thoroughly Modern Millie...
I had one person come up after The Pajama Game and indicated that she didn't understand the show. During the conversation I realize that she didn't understand what a Union was.. That should send shivers into the UAW. The casts were great in both shows, but the audience turn out was sub-par. It didn't help that a month before the first show (Pajama Game) we had to change the location of the show. We did OK for online press coverage but the printed news coverage was scarce (kudos to the Vancouver Voice that not only publicizes shows but also sends someone out to review them).
Money is tight everywhere.. getting access (esp affordable access) to school facilities continues to be a growing challenge. Facility costs this year were twice what they were last year.. That's pretty sad as a community-oriented 501c3 non-profit..
I will make a sincere attempt to slip back into the Parrot Cage more regularly and clean up old droppings..
Til then swing by the Blue Parrot Photo Gallery and check out the casts of this years shows....
Saturday, March 13, 2010
An Introduction
Theatre, art and business... what a combination.
As a bit of background, The Blue Parrot Theatre was started back in 1983 and produced a lot of shows before I became involved.. Times were hard and the theatre shut down back in 2001 for a number of reasons (buildings closing, economy tanking, the audience losing interest in the types of shows being produced)..
Enter The NEW Blue Parrot.. launched in 2005 with a new focus and the addition of a Children's Theatre. 2005 and 2006 were banner years (if a bit painful at the same time). The regular (adult) company produced The Music Man, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oklahoma , and Much Ado about Nothing. On top of those, the Children's Theatre produced Bye Bye Birdie, The Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Annie Get Your Gun. Considering that the staff for both companies were essentially the same folks - What were we thinking?
Would you believe we did it on purpose? It was painful but it worked. We received more press coverage and interest from the community than anything Clark County had seen in a while. There have been some ups and downs along the way but not only have we reestablished the company in the community we helped launch another valuable organization, the SW Washington Wind Symphony. We are now in negotiations to establish a permanent 'roost' for The Blue Parrot which will open the door to more growth and opportunities for performing arts in the Camas, WA and East Clark County area.
Are you interested in acting? Singing? Supporting the arts in Clark County?? Stick around the next couple of years are going to be pivotal as we grow and provide more artistic instruction and opportunities to our neighbors. Want to get involved?!?! Let's do this.
As a bit of background, The Blue Parrot Theatre was started back in 1983 and produced a lot of shows before I became involved.. Times were hard and the theatre shut down back in 2001 for a number of reasons (buildings closing, economy tanking, the audience losing interest in the types of shows being produced)..
Enter The NEW Blue Parrot.. launched in 2005 with a new focus and the addition of a Children's Theatre. 2005 and 2006 were banner years (if a bit painful at the same time). The regular (adult) company produced The Music Man, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oklahoma , and Much Ado about Nothing. On top of those, the Children's Theatre produced Bye Bye Birdie, The Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Annie Get Your Gun. Considering that the staff for both companies were essentially the same folks - What were we thinking?
Would you believe we did it on purpose? It was painful but it worked. We received more press coverage and interest from the community than anything Clark County had seen in a while. There have been some ups and downs along the way but not only have we reestablished the company in the community we helped launch another valuable organization, the SW Washington Wind Symphony. We are now in negotiations to establish a permanent 'roost' for The Blue Parrot which will open the door to more growth and opportunities for performing arts in the Camas, WA and East Clark County area.
Are you interested in acting? Singing? Supporting the arts in Clark County?? Stick around the next couple of years are going to be pivotal as we grow and provide more artistic instruction and opportunities to our neighbors. Want to get involved?!?! Let's do this.
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