Bay Area Spark
Collective Workshops and
Chanting Circle
Presented by
James
Bianchi
415-824-4220
Come enjoy the FireDance
community and find another home in the Bay Area for
your heart songs, your dance, your poetry, your
music. You do not have to be a good singer. You do
not have to know a
single chant. Just bring your enthusiasm and your spark. The
Bay Area Spark
Collective is a new flame, kindled from embers carried home from
fire circles around the country
─ an intentional
community group that meets monthly to celebrate spirit, community,
and each other. Workshops begin at 1:00
pm. Pot luck
supper begins at 4:00 pm. The sacred circle opens the doors at
6:30 pm. Participants introduce themselves and share their
magic; the four directions are called in; a chant is sung; and a
sacred play begins. From here on out, anything can happen:
drumming, a song, a poem, dancing,
magic, drawing, writing, massage, deep trance. As participants take their turns
around the circle, they stir the container and mix in their magic to create a
synergistic miracle in the space. Everyone listens to what the moment needs. Around 9:30 pm the energy of the circle rises to a fever pitch and then sweetly
winds down. The circle is closed with a chant, an "Om," that releases the four
directions
─ and plenty of hugs!
This evening
Revolution Books
is holding a benefit for the protesting people of Iran. Masses
of Iranian people are protesting the outcome of the recent rigged
presidential election in Iran. Come and give your support to
the Iranian protestors!
The program for this evening's festive benefit features live Iranian
music performed by
Shirzad Sharif;
poetry by Fariba
Safai;
talks given by three dynamic speakers:Frank Barzin,
Azizeh Shahmoradi,
and Larry Everest;
and the totally unique and riveting animated feature film, "Persepolis"
which portrays the history of Iran through the experiences of the
life of an Iranian girl who becomes a European woman, living in
exile from Iran. She was a loud mouth, too likely to be
arrested in Iran. See her compelling story and support Iranian
people like her still in Iran.
Here is a clothing and bake
sale where only the prices are small!
Big Moves in
conjunction with the
National Organization for Lesbians of Size
will be selling supersized clothing as well as cupcakes and
muffintops of size to benefit these two organizations. If you
need any sweet, sizable clothing or baked goods, come to the Hall on
this lovely midsummer afternoon and help yourself!
Mary
Ellen Donald to be 66!
She will love to have all of her friends
and all interested people come to see her perform and hear her sing. Every year
she treats her guests to a gorgeous, world-class jazz concert on her
birthday. This year she will raise the rafters with her
uniquely creative, eclectic, captivating
jazz singing and percussion performances.
She will sing a rich repertoire of jazz composed by some of the most
prominent jazz musicians like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious
Monk, and Kenny Garrett, as well as pieces she composed herself.
Mary Ellen will add a unique dimension to this jazz concert, that of
her expertise on Middle Eastern percussion. Accompanying her
this year will be the
Quartz Crystals, including the
wonderful Marco Casasola
on keyboard and Ryan Lucas
on bass;
and wonderful guest musicians:Greg German
playing drum set;Robert Zuckerman playing
saxophones;Matt Smith playing
congas;Susanna Goldenstein playing
percussion;
and
Earnest East
contributing vocals. Highly acclaimed belly dancer Nanna Candelaria
and renowned modern dancer
Antoine Hunter
will add joyful dance sequences to this magnificent concert. Mary Ellen's
music and dance program this afternoon will likely be the most
spectacular and exciting musical phenomenon of the year at Humanist
Hall
--
impossibly enjoyable!
Festive
refreshments will be at hand through the event:
Mary Ellen's famous cardamon cakes, assorted treats, wine, and a
variety of beverages. Advance tickets are on sale
now for
$25 at:{
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/71474
}.
Tickets are $30 at the door on concert day.
TheMagic Jester Theatre presents an evening of improv theater, music, and standup comedy
─an amazing, high energy show,
full of heart, and emotionally expressive!
And everyone is welcome to participate by suggesting story lines for
the actors. The performances will be entirely inspired
by YOU, the audience. This is community theatre at its best!
You, theatre guests of the evening, suggest a
brief story and the Theatre will create an improv play around it. And you
will be serenaded by
Stormy,
one of the East Bay's finest singer-songwriters, or
Mugg
who can really play the oldies on his guitar.
Don't miss this unforgettably
delightful and funny evening like
none other!
$12 Donations Accepted
Friday,
August 28 at 6:00 pm
The Return of
Front Porch BBQ
Presented by
Cherrie
Williams
510-482-5810
The
Doll Lady of the
Magic Spot in Oakland and the Singing Domestic of
DomesticsUnlimitedTheatre presents a unique and exciting program of Music and Art Against
Anger and Violence. The Doll Lady is
Cherrie Williams
and her
message is especially for youngsters, showing them a peaceful route
to expression, entertainment, fun, success, and achievement.
Cherrie focuses on bringing out the unique qualities of young people:
positive thinking, self-love, respect, and peace
─
through the healing
power of her art. Cherrie makes folk dolls out of trash and
sells them for her living;
she has become a master
of recycled art. Her dolls are on exhibit in museums. She
found her voice in art and entertainment
─
and the healing sounds of inspirational stories. She spreads
love through music and art which is against anger and violence. Now she inspires
everyone. Her program this evening will inspire and educate people
about their heritage, self-respect, healing,
and wholeness
─ while creating a barrel of fun for everyone!
Part I of this evening's program is Cherries' singing comedy show
:Front Porch BBQ
with Ms. Hamilton and the Talent of Young People.
Ms. Hamilton lives in the 1930s and has a need to talk to all the
young people about the good old days in contrast to today's society.
Featured in this show, playing the neighborhood kids, will be the wonderful
talent of
Tikiya
Moore, Pazhae
Horace,Little Derrick,Chelsea R.
and
Christina B.
Behind the scenes,
essential work
will be performed by
Tobey Kaplan
and Penny
Brooks,
the assistant directors;Gordon Hutcheson
who created the scene;
and
Molly Purse
and Anthony
Telles, the set designers.
Part II of
the program includes networking amid exhibits and
vendors and festive refreshment for everyone. Some of Cherrie's
famous miniature dolls
─
which are museum pieces
─ will be on exhibit.
Music will go on
through Part II, including jazz, rock, folk, blues, and hip-hop. The
whole program, a family show, will warm your heart and lift your
spirits!
Advance tickets are
on sale from the website
:
{
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/70599
}
─
$13
general admission. Tickets are $15 at
the door on the day of the program. Whether you have reservations or not, come and meet Cherrie, an activist
dedicating her life to practicing and teaching peace through art.
This highly interactive community forum takes a popular education
approach to developing a collective analysis of the current economic
situation in order to generate community-based, people-led solutions
for the economic crisis. Interactive discussion techniques are
used to share stories, use the stories to understand the economic
crisis, and build real solutions. This activist event is
organized by the
Partnership for Immigrant
Leadership and Action
(PILA) for the members and leaders of grassroots organizations that
organize with and/or address the needs of immigrants and other low
income communities of color in the Bay Area. The forum is free
and food and child care are included free of charge!
