Monday, July 13, 2020
Summer is here and Opening Act is ready to Yes, And … with a weekly roundup of notable events, helpful resources, and delightful distractions to keep you connected, inspired, and activated through the summer months. Delivered to your inbox every Monday morning, the OA Summer Series will keep you up to date on what’s worth knowing so you can relax and enjoy your summer!
If you have friends or relatives who would like this weekly resource guide, you can tell them to sign up here.
BE WELL
Join Hi Noon Improv (Thursdays @ noon, 30 minutes) Did you know that just 20 minutes of improv practice promotes overall wellbeing? Join Opening Act’s Jeremiah Thompson and Cathleen Carr for this weekly free, 30 minute improv boost to keep you connected and resilient! Last week was a blast and we sure do hope you join us! No experience necessary and all are welcome. Registration is required.
Feel better by doing Yoga with Halima! (Monday @ noon, Friday @ noon, Saturday @ 11:30am, Sunday @ 10am) Teaching since 2014, Halima’s Vinyasa yoga classes focus on proper alignment and straightforward yet challenging sequences in a light-hearted, welcoming environment. Halima believes a mindful practice can decompress and strengthen the body, mind, and spirit! Off the mat Halima is a NYC based actor and Opening Act teaching artist who’s a proud U of Michigan alum. Classes are Pay What You Can.
WATCHING
NYC-based actors, comedians, and improvisers are the braintrust behind Netflix’s Astronomy Club Sketch Comedy Show. Before landing a Netflix series, this comedy ensemble was the first all-Black sketch team at Upright Citizens Bridge in NYC. Make time for some laughs this week, you deserve it!
Anthony Ramos – who we adore – asks Opening Act Alumni what they want to see on stage and screen and what they need from him. Watch this 9 minute clip. It’s honest, heartfelt, and very powerful.
READING
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist has released Antiracist Baby Board Book (illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky). Thank you Dr. Kendi!
LISTENING
Tune into WNYC tonight (Monday, July 13th) at 8:00pm for the first of a four-part, serialized radio broadcast of Richard II, co-produced by The Public and WNYC Studios. “A fractured society. A man wrongfully murdered. The palpable threat of violence and revenge against a broken system. Revolution and regime change. This was Shakespeare’s backdrop for Richard II,” says Director Saheem Ali of the production. “It’s my hope that listening to Shakespeare’s words, broadcast in the midst of a pandemic and an uprising, will have powerful resonance in our world.” Featuring an extraordinary cast including André Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, and former Opening Act teaching artist Sean Carvajal, this not-to-be-missed radio production will be made available for download and streaming after the WNYC broadcast at WNYC Studios.
LEARNING
#WeSeeYou White American Theatre – a collective of artists and those working in the arts – have released their full demands. This important and illuminating document provides a roadmap towards a more just and equitable American Theatre. Take a read, learn more, and support this movement that includes Opening Act Artistic Advisory Board members Uzo Aduba, Marcus Gardley, Kwami Kwei-Armah, Tracey Scott-Wilson, and many other leaders in the field.
FAMILY FUN
Join Opening Act teaching artist Dana Shulman for FamProv daily @ 12:30pm on Socially Distant Improv! This delightfully imaginative and silly show features adults and kids alike creating joy through improv and song! Tune in on Instagram Live!
Brighten your kid’s day and sprinkle a little glitter on your own with this episode of Bilingual Drag Queen Story Hour featuring Bella Noche reading Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love and Just Add Glitter by Angela DiTerlizzi with illustrations by Samantha Cotterill.
COMMUNITY
For many years, Opening Act has been fortunate to partner with NYC-based photographer David Katzenstein. Two current projects, through his organization, The Human Experience, La Pequeña Despensa and No Justice, No Peace are visual, community-driven collections and actions worth knowing more about.
We at Opening Act know all too well that arts education is the first to go in a budget crisis. Americans for the Arts and the National PTA have come together to create this Arts Ed Leaders Guide. This handy resource puts the power back in the sphere of parents, students, and the community to organize and advocate for equitable Arts Education. Great tool for your local organizing efforts!
WHAT OA STUDENTS ARE UP TO
Opening Act students completed their first week of our annual Summer Arts and Leadership Conservatory on Friday, July 10th. This exclusively online, two-week intensive brings together young artists for a rich and deep conservatory learning experience in the theater arts. Guest artist Darrell Grand Moultrie – one of America’s most diverse and sought-after choreographers and master teachers – spent time with students on Friday sharing his personal story, wisdom, and practical career advice.
Moultrie, a proud New Yorker, born and raised in Harlem, and a graduate of P.S. 144, Laguardia High School, and The Juilliard School, inspired and motivated students (and adults listening in) to remember, “It’s ok to fail miserably! You win when you take the risk.”
Thanks for reading and please reach out with suggestions and submission ideas to hello@openingact.org. Follow our Act 2 Fellows on Instagram and look out for for the latest on Opening Act’s Summer Arts and Leadership Conservatory. See you next Monday!
Got your back!