Now it's back for another round of She: Bike/Spoke/Love

I've started revving up for the next iteration of my bike story for the stage, She: Bike/Spoke/Love. When the folks at United States Artists in L.A. contacted me last November, inviting me to be an inaugural artist on a new addition to their website, I was also asked to submit a project proposal. After deliberating over about six project ideas--performance, installation, literature, and photography projects--I decided to propose a 2012 production of B/S/L, to be presented near the downtown Austin hike & bike trail. Several weeks of fundraising migraines ensued, as I had to hustle my friends, colleagues, and fan/supporters for money to help me attain my goal. (Thanks to you, you know who you are!!) I am now happy to say that my initial funding goal ($4,900) has been met--and actually exceeded--and that the MACC (Mexican American Cultural Center) has signed on as a co-producer of my play.

Now the work must begin to update/revise the script, pare away one or two of the characters, and otherwise tighten the performance. Of course, some of my original production cast members have: left Texas (Richard Rangel), had babies (congrats to Molly, Jacob, and Dominique!), etc. I've already started scouting for new actors and performers, hanging out with bicycling groups who might include the next "Esa" or "Ken Sabe." It's exciting to consider how the project might be improved upon and expanded; not every writer/director gets a second chance to do this. So, I'm researching bike clubs, cycle rodeo/performers, and imagining a few new poppin' elements to work in.

I just got back from a quick trip to Austin this past Sunday-Monday and saw bicyclists EVERYWHERE. Bike culture (and maybe I shouldn't imply a MONOculture by using the singular tense, when I realize there are unique groups and associations of riders in the 512--each celebrating and enjoying two-wheeled lifestyles of their own design) has exploded there!

So, here we go. Gearing (multi-gear, not fixie, that's for sure) up for B/S/L in May 2012 in the bike-crazy, creative city of Austin.

I cannot wait.

April afternoon in front of the Clown Dog Bike Shop, in the east UT campus area of Austin.

For those who wish they could see She: Bike/Spoke/Love in Fort Worth again!

The bike fairy has made it happen!
Two more shows - let's call 'em ENCORE PERFORMANCES - are happening on Sunday, November 11th, 2007. 2pm and 7:30pm.

Let everyone know, particularly those folks who MISSED (tear, sniff) the premiere and were turned away at the door. (One of the hardest things in the world is having to say, "sorry, but you cannot come in" to nice people who made the effort to get in to see your show.)

I am collecting the names/contact info of all who missed out the first time. If you want to share any names/contact info of people YOU know who couldn't find parking; got lost amidst the street closures and jazz fest chaos; or just got to the theatre too late to nab a seat, please email or phone me that info please. Sooner than later. I want to give those folks an early heads-up for the November 11th shows.

Okay, cast members: Pull out those SCRIPTS and start brushing up on your lines, por favor! (That includes me--for Curandera, of course.)

See ya on Friday!!

love,
Tammy

Good things are coming our way.....

....i love to be mysterious sometimes......



heart,
T

Tuesday/Wednesday, August 14-15

On these days, I focused on the production end of this project. I was in contact with Mel--who is now helping us with media/promotion, venue search, and some other admin. issues--and Layne, who is building our website. Trying to decide which design concept to go with, as provided by Fabian Gomez.

I've also spent alot of time online, looking through scads of bicycle community, underground bikes, bike film festival blogs and websites. Am compiling a list which Mel will help me use in terms of future bookings and cross-promotional opportunities.

Also am keeping up with submission and registration deadlines for both submitting the script to performance, theater, Latino arts, and bicycle-related festivals.

Lots of detail to attend to. (It's tough, cuz when I'm working on the script and with the actor/performers, I start fretting about the admin/production stuff that isn't being worked on. And when I start focusing on the admin/production stuff, I worry that I'm not spending enough time on the script, with the actors. Producing AND directing/writing is very hellacious to try to juggle...I'm learning more and more about this process--how it needs to be on a bigger-scale project--and am trying not to complain. After all, I made my bed....)

Spent the hottest (afterwards, i heard it had been a Red Zone air quality afternoon!) part of Wednesday, driving around in my un-airconditioned car visiting a few potential venue sites. Scouting, scouting.

I hear that buzz is building around this play, and that comforts me. Am glad that folks, local and beyond, are talking up this project and are interested in being in the audience for it.

NOT HAPPENING...... : ( BIKE/SPOKE/LOVE at the MACC in Austin on Sat., September 15th !!

update: august 8 - got word that the invitation is off. hard to hear the staffperson on the phone, need to call her back. phone line's busy. very disappointing, to say the least. which is all i wanna say at the moment..... : (


So, about a week or so ago, I got a call from a guy named Jose Reyes. Told me he was a volunteer coordinator for the MACC (Mexican American Cultural Center), which was about to be officially opened to the public. He wanted to inform me that I have been invited to be one of the 20 or so Latino/Chicano Texas artists who will perform for the "grand opening" on Saturday, September 15th. That's a pretty special honor, so I didn't want to say no. When Jose asked me if I would prefer to do a reading or solo performance, I told him that I am all up in a new project for the stage--an actual theater work with multiple cast members. He said that that would probably be do-able, but he wanted to find out what kind of money the MACC folks could offer and he told me that a contract would be forthcoming by email.

Well, I received another phone call from Dr. Lisa Cortez Walden, who is heading up the performance committee for the grand opening. She called late last week and we proceeded to play several intense rounds of phone tag, 'til she finally reached me by phone this morning. We talked again about money and schedule and our space needs. She was going to put us in a space called "performance studio", but we both figured out it would be too tight a fit for the bikes. Instead, Lisa has us earmarked for a space called the "multipurpose room" and this one seats 200 and is probably gonna be big enough for us to do our thing.

It looks like we'll be performing from 4pm to 4:45pm on Saturday, September 15th, at the MACC.
Contract is coming soon. Hopefully, everything on it will be acceptable to me/us.

I've already confirmed lodging (one night--Friday the 14th) at the home of my ultra-friends Dani and Julia Apodaca.
I've asked Dominique to see whether Carl might be willing to roadie our bikes (via his truck) to Austin.
Looks like the entire cast can make it to Austin, except for Maria and Richard. Haven't heard from Opalina.

For more info on the MACC, go here!

Tentative schedule for the grand opening at the MACC:

11am-1pm ribbon-cutting

Performances btwn. 2pm-6pm

(invited artists include: musics Native American/salsa/rap; continuous film screenings presented by Cine de las Americas;
headliner musician Flaco Jimenez; Teatro Vivo; Conejito Verde (Teatro de la Rosa - from Fort Worth!); the hilarious Latino Comedy Project; visual art curated by Benito Huerta; the San Antonio-based samba dance/music ensemble Urban-15; and actress Rubynelda Perez)

I just realized that I have been chewing my fingernails...time to shut down for the night.

myspace comment from good friend in Chicago

Jun 15 2007 8:56P

Hey Tammy,
You should contact these guys about bringing your new project to Chicago.
http://chicagocriticalmass.org/
-c aka Claudia Martinez