Author Archives: Carolyn Marie Wright

Looseleaf Theatre Co 2018

For my 6th season with Looseleaf Theatre Co, I play the role of…DIRECTOR!

I am incredibly proud of my cast & crew and thrilled to invite you to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] at Concordia! This show has heart and mirth and promises to be a rompin’ good time for the whole family. Yes, and…admission is FREE!

OPENS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!!
Family-friendly & fun for all ages!

May 26, 27, 28 & June 2, 3 @ 4:30 p.m.
Nelson Amphitheatre
Concordia University Irvine
FREE ADMISSION

This madcap comedy tries to smoosh all of Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies into one tasty treat of high silliness! A must-see for Shakespeare lovers and those who just like a great laugh!

Bring your kids, bring your neighbors, bring your dog (seriously, pets are welcome!). Come laugh with us and share an afternoon of Shakespeare, silliness, and community. See you there!

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#Right2Recess at #NFF17

I am thrilled to invite you to #Right2Recess, an interactive Theatre for Young Audiences play I created with my company Humanity Play Project. This project has been in the works for one year now – since election 2016. At long last, our show is ready to take the stage as part of the NoHo Fringe Festival.

Theatre can play a vital role in community dialogue, and we hope #Right2Recess give audiences an opportunity to come together and support each other as our nation faces social, economic and political changes. It is essential that our young people – and their grown-ups – practice conversation, reflect on current issues, and participate in hands-on learning as artists, activists, and citizens.

If you cannot attend in person, please consider making a donation to support our mission. Our fundraising goal is $3,000. This will cover basic production costs, festival fees, and artist compensation. Donations of all sizes are welcome and appreciated. Please CLICK HERE to donate.

ABOUT THE SHOW
Third graders at Oak Street Elementary School love to learn AND play. When a new principal comes to town and threatens to take away recess, they decide to take action and fight for their #Right2Recess. Weaving together comedy, puppetry, rap and improv, #Right2Recess will transform the theatre space into a place where young audiences are encouraged to explore what it takes to stand up for something important to them and make their voices heard.

Saturday November 11, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
Sunday November 12, 2017 @ 3:00 pm

Running time: 45 minutes

TICKETS
Ages 0-4 – FREE
General Admission – $10
Generous Admission – $20 ($10 ticket plus $10 donation)
https://right2recess.brownpapertickets.com/

VENUE
ACME Founders Theatre
5124 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

ENSEMBLE
Director: Carolyn Marie Wright
Stage Manager: Ross Jackson
Cast: Hermie CastilloMegan GaineyRobert Paterno & Carissa Pinckney
Story by: Hermie Castillo, Rachna KhatauAdrienne ShelnuttLetty Valladares & Carolyn Marie Wright

Find Humanity Play Project online:
http://humanityplayproject.com/
https://twitter.com/HumanityPlayPro
https://www.instagram.com/humanityplayproject
https://www.facebook.com/humanityplayproject

Into social media? Use these hashtags to share:
#Right2Recess
#DoSomething
#NFF17Thank you for your support. Hope to see you at the theater! Xo.

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Sojourn Institute Summer 2017

Earlier this month, I spent a glorious week with this group of change-makers at the Sojourn Summer Institute 2017. I learned so much, and I want to share my appreciation for the group – and the collective experience.

I will carry this experience with me always. In an interesting way, the week presented evidence of synchronicity – and taught me a great lesson about “water” and its power and grace. Stay with me on this. I choose “synchronicity” because last week’s Institute felt like being in the right place at the right time. With the right people. Not that perfect or “being right” is the thing. The imagery of water appeared throughout the week. In one of our early activities, a question asked was: “What can we learn from the river?” That struck a chord with me.

Then the PlayBuild teen artists at Goodman Theatre shared their “river” of the history of race in America. A long piece of chart paper with dates, events, thoughts scribed by adolescent minds. Performance research on the page. “Water” appeared again when we did the cup activity. Water is an essential element. How do we take care of the water? of ourselves? of others? of our land? of our communities? What happens if we find ourselves in literal or figurative drought?

As I reflected during the week after the institute, I found myself meditating on the words of Bruce Lee: “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” That’s what we did – all week long – at the Sojourn Institute. We made an effort to be water.

We can all learn from the water. As people, humans, facilitators, artists. Be open to the flow. Be aware. Be flexible. When you enter a community, you become part of the community. When you enter a class culture, you become part of the class culture. When you enter a rehearsal process, you become part of the rehearsal process. The possibilities go on.

During that one glorious week, we formed a community. With the Institute. With Sojourn Theatre. With Center for Performance and Civic Practice. With each other. I left Chicago feeling simultaneously filled up and drained out. Just like the river that flows or the oceans whose tides come and go, I was made aware of the power and grace of water. How it can replenish and renew. If you’ll allow me a moment to be poetic and “on the nose” here, I must say thank you because my cup (of water, as it were) runneth over with gratitude, appreciation and inspiration for the experience and the people. Synchronicity. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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Call to Arms at UCA

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Professor Adam Dean Frank and the University of Central Arkansas for an enriching, engaging weekend of theater and dialogue. I visited students in Prof. Frank’s Theatre for Social Justice Class and conducted a weekend of workshops and post-show community conversations. The students, in association with the Ozark Living Newspaper, presented a shadow puppetry presentation of my short play, “Call to Arms,” written in remembrance of the nine African Americans killed in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. We shared a productive career Q&A about working in Performing Arts, Education and Community Engagement. I depart the weekend feeling hopeful and motivated…ready to #dosomething more.

Saturday, March 12, 2016 – Sunday, March 13, 2016

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Topanga Rose screens in Queens!

Double good news for my short film, Topanga Rose.

(1) Queens World Film Fest – Official Selection

Join us Friday, March 18, 2016 at for an 8:00 pm screening at All Saints Episcopalian Church. Our block theme is: Innocence & Resiliency. Our film raises awareness for Cystic Fibrosis, and is dedicated to Tracy Marie Wright (1982-2004).

If you are in the NYC area, hope to see you there! Tickets:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2494125.

Into social media? Use these hashtags to promote:

#topangarosefilm
#qwff2016
#qwff
#queensworldfilmfestival

And…
(2) IndieFEST Film Awards – Award of Recognition
We won an IndieFEST Global Film Award!
Anne Nemer and Carolyn Marie Wright (USA)Topanga Rose
Award of Recognition: Children / Family Programming. I am very grateful for the amazing cast and crew who made this possible, including my family and friends. It really does take a village. Thank you.

Find Topanga Rose online:
www.topangarosefilm.com
https://twitter.com/topangarosefilm
https://www.instagram.com/topangarosefilm/

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Video: Road Trip Rage

Julie Brett presents:

Very Bad Adaptations: Road Trip Rage

When a chick catches a ride with her cousins, friends, sister, she gets more adventure then she bargained for…

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Humanity Play Project 1-18-2016

Dear Friends and Community Members:

I am proud to announce the launch of a new arts collective – HUMANITY PLAY PROJECT. For our inaugural event on Mon Jan 18, we explored the aftermath of the Charleston, SC tragedy in a curated evening of dance, poetry, song and theatre. We joined together to honor those who were lost – to question why it happened – and to offer a forum for community dialogue. ‪#‎BLACKLIVESMATTER‬

Thank you to the artists: Jane Bacon, Terrence Colby, Perry Daniel, Acquah Dansoh,Rukhmani K. Desai, Tiwana Floyd, Ace Gibson, Tamarra Graham, Yuko Lee,Rani O’Brien, Jevon Reynolds, Nikki Star, Mirage Thrams and Carolyn Marie Wright.

What an evening! Still processing the love, the artistry, the community we shared in West Los Angeles this evening. So grateful for this experience. To behold a multi-generational, multi-racial, multi-gender dialogue was extraordinary. And on MLK Day! I am hopeful. I am inspired. I am ready to ‪#‎DoSomething‬.

Thank you to our sponsor: West LA United Methodist Church.

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California Women’s Film Festival 2016

My first panel. Our first film fest!

Thank you California Women’s Film Festival 2016. 🎬😃

‪#‎redcarpet‬ ‪#‎topangarosefilm‬ ‪#‎cysticfibrosis‬ ‪#‎awareness‬ ‪#‎indie‬ #film ‪#‎womeninfilm‬

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Thank You 2015!

Thank you 2015 for a year filled with performing, teaching, writing, artistry and community. Feeling grateful for my family, friends, and career. Xo.

Thank You 2015!

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Bad Adaptations Web Series

That’s a wrap! Thank you, Julie & Tasha!

#badadaptations #webseries #episode1 #mobydick#comedy #juliebrett #tashafinkenBad Adaptations

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