ARTS RADAR: Cool Hot Spots Downtown
Dance returns to The RAW Space at the Spreckels Theater this weekend, June 19 at 8, June 21 at 6 pm. Erica Buechner and friends present An Unlikely Outfit, An evening of new dance works by Buechner, Yolande Snaith, and George Willis. The RAW Space, a former USO hot spot, was nearly forgotten until the Fringe Festival last year. Seats are comfy and historical.
“An Unlikely Outfit” at Spreckels RAW Space.
How does one switch from hard news to fiction? Depending on who you work for it might not matter. Seriously though, on humpday, June 17, the San Diego Press Club presents NUTS & BOLTS: GOING FICTION WITH KEVIN BRASS – Tips for Moving From Non-Fiction to Fiction Writing. Veteran journalist Kevin Brass is the author of “The Cult of Truland,” a satire set in the world of celebrity journalism. A regular contributor to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, Kevin covered media in San Diego for many years for the LA Times, San Diego Magazine and KPBS-FM. Seating is limited at the Press Club office, Spreckels Building. Reservations required.
The new Waterfront Park adjacent to the County Administration Building is a cool hot spot for big talkers and other art forms. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will vote July 21 on a proposal to require permits for large groups conducting political speeches there.
The interactive fountain extends from the building and into a park. The park features intimate garden rooms, a children’s play zone, and several picnic areas. The 12-acre Waterfront Park is open to public and private events, such as festivals and family recreation. But plan ahead. The fountains and reflecting pools were shut off for routine maintenance for a week, perhaps getting pretty for their TV and close-up appearances.
American Idol Auditions take place June 22nd at the Waterfront Park. Look for the “American Idol” bus in front of the County Administration Building. No kids younger than 5 admitted. No Idol judges will be there. Auditions are first-come, first-heard.
Courtesy: http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/parks/Waterfrontpark.html
Open auditions for dance are rare in San Diego, except for Trolley Dances. The site-specific dance adventure is in its 17th year. Curated by Jean Isaacs’ San Diego Dance Theater, the event employs 50 local dancers every year. Six choreographers will be at the audition Sunday, July 19, 2015. Site-specific master Stephan Koplowitz hopes to find 10 dancers for the performances Sept. 25-27, and Oct. 3-4, 2015. They have to be eager to splash in and around –kabloosh– the Waterfront Park. That’s where the tours begin.
“Trolley Dances” starts at the Waterfront Park this year. Dancers Zaquia Mahler Salinas and John Diaz appear in images by Manny Rotenberg.
TV host Conan O’Brian has confirmed plans to broadcast his late-night show from downtown San Diego during Comic-Con International. He’ll broadcast from the Spreckels Theatre July 8-11.
The San Diego International Fringe Festival spreads the best of bizarre throughout downtown and beyond and has expanded across the border to Tijuana. The fest includes Family Fringe, Emerging Fringe, and Visual Fringe over 11 days. July 23-Aug. 2, 2015. Surely someone from those groups will find the Waterfront Park inviting. SanDiegoStory.com covered dozens of Fringe performances last year and is gearing for even more this year.
You are reading ARTS RADAR, a weekly collection of events and links harvested by the writers at SanDiegoStory.com.
Every Performance Tells a Story – SanDiegoStory.com is a free arts magazine providing reviews & news on professional theater, music, dance and galleries in San Diego. Thank you for your support.
Kris Eitland covers dance and theater for Sandiegostory.com and freelances for other publications, including the Union Tribune and Dance Teacher Magazine. She grew up performing many dance styles and continued intensive modern dance and choreography at the Univ. of Minnesota, Duluth, and San Diego State Univ. She also holds a journalism degree from SDSU. Her career includes stints in commercial and public radio news production.
Eitland has won numerous Excellence in Journalism awards for criticism and reporting from the San Diego Press Club. She has served on the Press Club board since 2011 and is a past president. She is a co-founder of Sandiegostory.com. She has a passion for the arts, throwing parties with dancing and singing, and cruising the Pacific in her family’s vintage trawler. She trains dogs, skis, and loves seasonal trips to her home state of Minnesota.