Intersections Artist: Grabielismo Productions’ Bemcha Latin Jazz Band

An Interview with Pablo Grabiel

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Pablo Gabriel: I am Jazz Guitarist.

JL: Who are your heroes?
PG: Django Reinhardt is one of my heroes...he only had 3 fingers on his left hand.

JL: List five words that describe your personality.
PG: Realistic, Adventurous, Tease ...

JL: What is your personal theme song?
PG: Ella Fue...Fania Allstars

JL: What is your favorite quote?
PG: "One hundred percent of the shots I do not take don't go in" Wayne Gretzky

JL: How do you feel your performance fits into the festival?
PG: Nicely :)
~~
Jazz at the Intersection with Bemcha Latin Jazz Band
A festival kick-off event featuring a gumbo of Latin and Jazz styles and Afro-Cuban rhythms in a casual café atmosphere.
Friday, Feb 19 at 9:30pm
Sprenger Theater
Tickets: $15 (Cash bar)
For audiences ages 15 and up.

"Bliss out to the sounds of the popular DC band, Bemcha, a Latin jazz ensemble that prides itself in sliding the feeling, rhythm and language of jazz into Latin standards as well as spicing up the standard of Jazz with Latin and afro-cuban rhythms. Imagine Salsa, Cha Cha, Bossa, Samba, Mambo, Rumba, Tango, Boleros and Jazz, all in one fantastic night. Start INTERSECTIONS out right with Bemcha."

www.grabielismo.com/bemcha
http://www.dcmusicentertainment.com/
http://www.bemcha.net/
Visit our: Facebook Page

Intersections Artist: Arena Stage

An Interview with Marva Hicks

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
MH: I am a singer, actor, songwriter, writer.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?
MH: Petersburg, Virginia. I attended Howard University and from there I moved to New York. I lived in Los Angeles for ten years and now I'm back in New York.

JL: Who are your heroes?
MH: My grandparents, my mother, my Aunt Virgie President and Mrs. Obama. And my friends and loved ones who have overcome cancer and other extremely challenging health and life issues.

JL: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
MH: I would be in Paris on my way to the Caribbean for the holiday.

JL: What is your personal theme song?
MH: BLESSED, by Fred Hammon

JL: What is the best advice you have to give?
MH: Protect your Character. It will sustain you in all situations.

JL: Why did you want to be a part of intersections?
MH: To share the cultural aspects of my family and my faith.

~~
Marva Hicks
Gospel Truth, the stirring, real-life story of musical artist Marva Hicks' journey from her rural Virginia roots to Broadway and beyond.
Saturday, Feb 20 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, Feb 21 at 2:00 PM
Sunday, Feb 21 at 7:30 PM
Sprenger Theater
Tickets: $25
For ages 13 and up.

http://www.arenastage.org

Intersections Artist: The Washington Savoyards

An Interview with Michael Bobbitt, Director of Treemonisha

Jacqueline Lawton: Why did you want to be a part of Intersections?
Michael Bobbitt: It's a great way to celebrate many parts of what makes up my art. I believe in the Atlas and what it's trying to do to H Street. I also grew up 2 blocks away and saw my first movie at the Atlas.

JL: What type of artist are you?
MB: I think I'd rather let others decide. If I had to label it, I would say a "tall" artist. Sometimes, I like to direct, choreograph, and write plays.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?
MB: Even though I always wanted to say that I was born, the son of a share cropper, my birth is not so romantic. Born and raised in Washington DC. Studied in Pennsylvania and NY. Traveled the country and world touring and doing regional theater and came back to DC in 1996.

JL: What is your favorite quote?
MB: "Costumes don't have Calories" - Reggie Ray

JL: Who are your heroes?
MB: Anyone that has more than one child. There are many artists that I look up to Jerry Whiddon, Nick Olcott, Rob Marshall, Joe Calarco...the list is endless.

JL: How do you feel your performance fits into the festival?
MB: Treemonisha celebrates the history of a culture of people. Our production will heighten that by casting "the best person" for each role, regardless of race. And it's amazing Scot Joplin Music.

JL: Finish this sentence: I am an intersection of ...
MB: Black, White, Native American, Asian son, classical and folk training; all of which I hope comes out in theatre that is Joyous!
~~
The Washington Savoyards
Treemonisha by Scott Joplin, an intersection of classical opera form and the ragtime genius in a new production of a rarely performed American treasure, presented by DC’s favorite light opera company.

Friday, Feb 19 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, Feb 20 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, Feb 21 at 2:00 PM
Friday, Feb 26 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, Feb 27 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, Feb 28 at 2:00 PM
Friday, Mar 5 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, Mar 6 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, Mar 7 at 2:00 PM
Lang Theater
Tickets: $10 - $40
For audiences ages 8 and up.
http://www.savoyards.org/

Intersections Artist: CityDance Ensemble

An Interview with Jason Garcia Ignacio, Choreographer

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Jason Garcia Ignacio: I am a choreographer and a performer.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?

JGI: I was born in Manila, Philippines. I moved to New York City in 2001 to pursue my career as a performer. I joined CityDance Ensemble in November 2007.

JL: How do you feel your performance fits into the festival?
JGI: Intersection is about bringing people together to make a difference. My dance speaks about environmental preservation and economic moderation. It also patches the gap between art and science which plays a vital part to a healthy planet. We need to be cognizant of what is hurting our environment but we also need to unite in order for us to succeed and that is what Intersections for me is all about.

JL: If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
JGI: I have done “Mistoffolees” in Cats several times and I think there is a reason for that. I am a very playful person and I am easily distracted with shiny objects.

JL: What is the best advice you have to give?
JGI: Allow yourself to make mistakes and follow what your heart tells you.

JL: What do you think will be cool about the festival?
JGI: This unique festival will educate people of different cultures. The festival will engender a deep understanding of beauty of all races and will bring unity in our community.

JL: Finish this sentence: I am an intersection of ...
JGI: I’m an intersection of different types of dance and cultures.
~~
CityDance Ensemble
The Mountain, a dance fusion of east and west by an award-winning Filipino choreographer.
Friday, Feb 19 at 7:30 PM
Sprenger Theater
Tickets: $15
For audiences ages 14 and up.
http://www.volcanodance.org/

CLICK HERE to watch a trailer of The Mountain.

Intersections Artist: Kevin Reese

An Interview

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Kevin Reese: I would call myself a “collaborative artist,” that is, I have the ability to do the work myself but I choose not to. I like to involve other people in my process.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?
KR: I was born in California. I got a degree in theatre but I’ve been making mobiles since college. My wife and I met in California and moved to DC in 1989. We created a solo performance piece inspired by the work of Alexander Calder and that led to doing workshops and residencies.

JL: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
KR: Probably Hawaii. I spent a year there working with a theatre company and it was pretty nice!

JL: What is your favorite quote?
KR: “When you think you know everything, you’re stuck with what you know.”

JL: Why did you want to be a part of intersections?
KR: Well, first of all my wife is the artistic director and she asked me. But I also think that the festival is an incredibly exciting event and totally unique to DC

JL: How do you feel your performance fits into the production?
KR: My mobile workshop will hopefully give people a chance to participate creatively and reflect on what they’ve seen and heard. Mobiles can do a lot of intersecting
~~
Balancing at the Intersection with mobile artist Kevin Reese

Participate in the creation of a moving piece of art! Make one of the many pieces that will come together to balance in a high-flying mobile built on-site at the festival. Mobile artist Kevin Reese, founder of SchoolSculptures, works with communities across the United States to envision, design and install playful visual celebrations of many parts becoming one beautiful whole. All ages are welcome to be a part of his unique INTERSECTIONS creation.
Saturday, Mar 6
2:00 - 5:00 PM
Lobby
FREE

www.schoolsculptures.com

Intersections Artist: Lulu Falls

An Interview

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Lulu Falls: I am a jazz and alternative soul vocalist. I studied jazz in college, and evolved my sound since to incorporate alternative soul and experimental/acoustic elements.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?
LF: I was born in Takoma, MD, and raised in Washington, DC. My parents moved to DC from France in the early 80's...so that's how I got here.

JL: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
LF: If I could be anywhere in the world, I'd split my time between Cameroon and Senegal. My parents are from there and the majority of my extended family still lives there.

JL: What is your personal theme song?
LF: My personal theme song would be Miles Davis' Flamenco Sketches. Beautiful song...makes you reflect...

JL: Why did you want to be a part of intersections?
LF: I wanted to be part of Intersections because these 3 words attracted me: race, art and culture. Especially because of my background, I am an extremely cultural person by nature, and I directly reflect that element in my music. Intersections is so different from other festivals in that this festival is almost like a melting pot of cultural art forms. Whether it's film, visual art, or music, Intersections will allow all of these art forms to merge into each other in the most creative way. I MUST be part of that mending, molding and merging!

JL: What do you think will be cool about the festival?
LF: This festival is attracting and merging a wide variety of artists with vast backgrounds. In a creative environment such as this, there is no choice but to learn something new, different, and apply it to your respective craft.
~~
Lulu Fall
Two Cafe Concerts by a dynamic new Senegalese-Cameroonian-American vocalist and her guitarist Andy Fahs.
Saturday, Feb 20 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday, Mar 5 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Lobby
FREE

www.myspace.com/lulufall

Intersections Artist: Imani Gonzalez

An Interview
Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Imani Gonzalez: I'm a world/jazz vocalist and musician and my husband Pepe, an acoustic/electric bassist of all music.

JL: Who are your heroes?
IG: Our heroes are Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X, and Einstein.

JL: If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
IG: For me, a small exotic songbird, then I could soar and sing forever. For Pepe, an eagle because of the gliding factor.

JL: If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be?
IG: We would love to be in southern Spain and Italy after I go back to India.

JL: How do you feel your performance fits into the production?
IG: Bringing all genres of art together in sending the message of healing and social change.

JL: Finish this sentence; I am an intersection of…
IG: Music is the universal language and it is socially interactive. We are an intersection of universal sounds.
~~
Imani
New Dawn, a world music voyage with an exquisite DC-based jazz singer and her trio dubbed by the Washington Post as “the answer to jazz fans’ prayers.”
Saturday, Mar 6 at 7:30pm
Sprenger Theater
Tickets: $15
For audiences of all ages.

Sooth your soul with the sounds of Imani, who has been hailed as “an espresso-voiced song-weaver of rich, earthy texture and stunning vibrancy.” Relax into the groove of this DC-based favorite who has charmed audiences at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Curaçao Jazz Festival, San Antonio Jazz Festival and the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Sink into songs from the golden age of jazz, original compositions, reinterpretations of well-loved standards and contemporary pop classics. Imani and her trio create a warm energy that captivates and connects with all audiences.

www.zanganomusic.com

Intersections Artist: David Emerson Toney

An Interview

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
David Emerson Toney: I would say that I’ve made every effort to use my art to lead me to a truth of the human condition.

JL: Where were you born? How did you end up where you are now?
DT: I was born in Cleveland, Oh. I came to DC straight after graduate school a long time ago. I really love this city. It took me 18 years to come back after I left. But I’m so glad I did.

JL: Who are your heroes?
DT: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Cleo Reginald Pizana.

JL: If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
DT: I think I’d be a giant mutt of a dog. Brown with a black face. At heart I’m a care taker guardian and I’m loyal to a fault.

JL: What is your favorite quote?
DT: Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. “Ralph Waldo Emerson”

JL: Why did you want to be a part of intersections?
DT: I feel it is going to be an uplifting event not only for those who come to see it but for those who participate directly. Since the thrust of it is to understand our connectedness.

JL: Finish this sentence: I am an intersection of...
DT: America, Hope, Pride, Blackness, Manhood.
~~
David Emerson Toney & Chris Youstra Musical
Elysian Fields, Act One of a vibrant new Toney-Youstra musical collaboration that resets Shakespeare’s King Lear in the deep South.
Sunday, Mar 7 at 7:30 PM
LAB 1
Tickets: $10
For audiences ages 13 and up.

Be the first to experience the compelling words of playwright David Emerson Toney and the haunting music of composer Chris Youstra in a word premier reading of Act One of Elysian Fields. Actor/singers will bring to life the story an old freed black slave in the Civil-War-Era South who, after a windfall, divides his property among his children. Inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy, King Lear, this musical asks: "When can we no longer blame the world around us for our own shortcomings?" The audience will be invited to share their responses to this powerful new work in a post-reading talk-back. The Atlas is proud to welcome back the playwright-composer team who created its opening production, Coming Home.

Intersections Artist: Tom Chapin

An Interview

Jacqueline Lawton: What type of artist are you?
Tom Chapin: I am a singer/songwriter, an acoustic musician who plays guitar, banjo, autoharp, mandolin and didgeridoo.

JL: Who are your heroes?
TC: In no particular order: Pete Seeger, The Beatles, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Bonnie Raitt, my two artistic grandfathers and the incredibly strong, wise, resilient, loving women in my family.

JL: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
TC: Rose Bay, South Coast, Nova Scotia.

JL: What is the best advice you have to give?
TC: The Golden Rule, and "This too, shall pass."

JL: What do you think will be cool about the festival?
TC: Connecting, crossing paths with, performing, listening to, and learning from many different artists, most of whom are new to me.

JL: Finish this sentence: I am an intersection...
TC: musical styles, performance art, writing genres, and have spent my personal and professional life learning how to collaborate.
~~
Tom Chapin: In Concert
In Concert, a concert with this legendary folk singer celebrating the intersection of music and social change.
Sunday, Mar 7 at 7pm
Lang Theater
Tickets: $20
For audiences ages 8 and up.

Dubbed “one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music” by the New York Times, Tom Chapin is a beloved singer-songwriter, storyteller and multi-instrumentalist whose music spans styles and generations. A three-time Grammy winner, Tom has entertained and enlightened audiences of all ages for more than thirty years with life-affirming original songs told in a sophisticated array of musical styles.

www.tomchapin.com

Intersections Artist: Symphony Space

Symphony Space
Selected Shorts, a rich selection of short stories in performance by Broadway and Hollywood actors, produced by the popular New York City venue Symphony Space and featured on public radio around the country tours to the Atlas. Starring actors Joe Morton (City of Hope, Eureka) and Selected Shorts host Isaiah Sheffer.
Saturday, Mar 6 at 5pm
Lang Theater
Tickets: $20
For audiences ages 14 and up.

Experience how short stories take on a new life when performed by stars of the stage and screen. Join Selected Shorts Host Isaiah Sheffer for an all-star presentation and discussion of novelist and satirist Percival Everett’s story, "The Appropriation of Cultures.” The story chronicles the adventures of a young black musician who embraces the racially charged symbols meant to degrade him and turns them back on his would-be tormentors.

www.symphonyspace.org/shorts

Intersections Artist: The Edmund Burke School

The Prep School Negro, a film that takes a poignant and unapologetic look at the life of a young man who, through a scholarship, moved from poverty to prep school, followed by a discussion from students from DC independent schools.
Friday, Mar 5 at 5:00 PM
Lang Theatre
Tickets: $20 Adults, $5 Students
For audiences ages 12 and up.

The Prep School Negro
Step into the shoes of André Robert Lee who grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia. At 14, André received what his family believed to be a golden ticket - a full scholarship to attend one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. Elite education was Andre's way up and out, but at what price? In this dynamic new film, filmmaker André Robert Lee takes a journey back in time to revisit the events of his adolescence while also spending time with current day prep school students of color and their classmates to see how much has really changed inside the ivory tower. Following a Q&A with the director André Robert Lee, join students from DC independent schools in a response to the film, organized by Edmund Burke School.

http://www.eburke.org/

View the trailer at:
http://www.theprepschoolnegro.org/