Another FHHS grad does good…

I’ve been wondering what Cal & Mary Karen Ryan’s son Tyler has been up to – the FHHS graduate (’01) attended Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where he earned both his degree & masters, and now has embarked on an exciting project in Portland, which includes the head-writer of The Laramie Project.

Tyler was one of the strongest actors to go through the Friday Harbor drama program that I’ve seen, and now he’s putting it all to work. Here’s more about what he’s up to, in his words. Thanks for writing in, Tyler!

I guess you know that I finished my time at Naropa recently. My partner, Bobby, and I both graduated last May with our MFA degrees in contemporary performance. On an intuitive plan, we set out for Portland last year and have been living here and doing theatre since then.

Bobby and I have been producing our own plays for several years in Boulder and we are about to present our first play to the Portland community in March. It’s sort of a big deal for us as it’s a full-bore professional production and we’ve hired a well known director to lead the project. The play is an original piece written by Bobby, entitled Feather. It’s going to run for four weeks in Portland and our long-term goal is to take it on to Seattle, SF and Chicago. I won’t repeat myself with saying too much more about the play, because I’m copying a little write-up about it just below.

You’ll see in the text below that I’m still on a fundraising kick. We’ve made some major headway in terms of receiving grants as well as strong individual contributions, but, wow, putting on a play takes a lot of resources! So depending on your take of the situation, we could also include a bit about this fundraising campaign for folks who might want to support the project from afar.

Anyway, before I get too ahead of myself, I’ll let you take a read and see what you think.

I hope you are doing great and I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers!

Tyler

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Greetings Friends of Lights Up! Productions,

Happy New Year to you! I am taking this opportunity to tell you a little about the work that Lights Up! Productions is currently involved with and to invite you to join our campaign of 100 Friends! We (Bobby and Tyler Ryan) are delighted to announce that the original play Feather will receive its regional premier in Portland, Oregon this March, 2010! Written by Bobby, this haunting tale of two brothers wrestling with an abusive past is about to be presented as a fully-staged, professional production at the Theater! Theater! venue in Southeast Portland.

Lights Up! Productions is at the threshold of a very exciting moment in its existence. For the production of Feather we are drawing together artists from both coasts to create a piece of theatre of craftsmanship and social relevance. Feather has received two grants, business support and incredible volunteer energy. Lights Up! has recently taken steps toward becoming financially stronger and we are now able to accept tax-deductible contributions through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas. This is our biggest production to date and we have been blown away by the support and enthusiasm Feather has seen.

With the fresh year upon us, I’d like to invite you to consider supporting our current production and becoming one of the 100 Friends of Lights Up! Productions through a small donation. Your contributions are the cornerstones of our work in presenting original theatre that provokes and entertains.

But please let me tell you a little more about what your financial contributions support…

It is with great honor that we welcome as our director for Feather, Leigh Fondakowski. As the Emmy-nominated head-writer of HBO’s The Laramie Project, Leigh brings years of experience working off-Broadway and on stages around the country. She is a director of particular brilliance who has helped to define ‘devised’ theatre through her plays including The People’s Temple and I Think I Like Girls.

Also joining the team for Feather is the critically acclaimed set designer, Sarah Lambert. A company member of the Tectonic Theatre Project, Sarah has designed more than 80 sets in the last 15 years. She is sure to bring a distinguished eye and a striking design to the set of Feather.

We wouldn’t be able to invite such amazing artists without the significant financial help and dedication of our patrons, friends and foundations. It is our intention with the work of Lights Up! Productions to offer employment for professional and emerging artists alike. Internships play an important role in the production of Feather and we are grateful to be able to include three local artists in the roles of set design intern, directing intern and stage managing intern. This exchange provides the opportunity for enthusiastic, young artists to collaborate with professionals in a ‘real-world’ setting and come away with practical experience to further their careers.

Lights Up! is extremely fortunate to have a cast and crew of thirteen dedicated employees on the production of Feather. Whether our artists are coming with a few decades of experience or a few years of experience, we make sure that everyone receives some amount of financial compensation.

Can you help us raise $2,500 to go toward our artists’ stipends?

Here’s how it works…

Lights Up! Productions only needs 100 friends to make a $25, tax-deductible donation each to ensure that we reach this modest goal.

Each dollar of your $25 contribution goes directly to supporting the work of the artists. If you are able to donate $250, then our goal becomes all the more reachable! Of course donations of smaller amounts are gratefully accepted as well.

Lights Up! Productions is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, an arts-service organization. Contributions in behalf of Lights Up! Productions may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Donate Now!

Donations may be made online by credit card. Click here to donate online!

Donations are also accepted by check. If sending a check, please make payable to “Fractured Atlas” with “Lights Up! Productions” mentioned in the memo line. Send your check to:
Lights Up! Productions
10214 N. Smith Street
Portland, OR 97203

We are just two months away from opening night and your help is greatly appreciated at this very moment!

* * *More About Feather* * *

“Feather examines the lives of two brothers both touched by abuse and the lengths they will go as adults to confront and deny their histories. Haunted by a lingering death, nearly estranged brothers, Mak and Gabriel, reunite with an intensity that will pit a family’s hope for change against a tradition of easy secrets and powerless choices. Sincere and stunningly original, this simple account follows the violence of rural, Missouri life and the struggles of two men facing what it means to be family.”

Feather
March 6th through March 28th, 2010
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8pm. Sundays 5pm.
Tickets $15 may be purchased in advance online (coming soon!) or at the door (cash only)

Located at the Theater! Theatre! building
3430 SE Belmont Ave.

At the end of select performances, Lights Up! invites professionals from the community to facilitate Know Now! discussions.
This event acts as a public forum to more deeply engage the audience in conversations about the play’s subject matter.
Saturday March 13th 2010
Saturday March 20th 2010
Saturday March 27th 2010
(Check our website soon for the scheduled facilitators of these events.)

* * *More About Lights Up! Productions* * *

Lights Up! Productions has been through many changes in the last year to become a financially viable business that offers employment for professional and emerging artists. Since Bobby and I finished our Masters of Fine Arts degrees from Naropa University in May of 2008, we relocated from beautiful Boulder to Portland and brought the company with us. Since then we have been preparing for our first Portland production and we feel this couldn’t be a better time to offer this original and socially relevant piece of theatre.

Here are a few highlights of the past year…
MAY. Lights Up! applies for and receives fiscal sponsorship from the NY based arts service organization, Fractured Atlas. Through this wonderful organization, we are now able to accept tax-deductible donations and grants as if we were our own 501c3 company.
JUNE. A fundraising dinner is thrown at our home that features live music, original dance and a scene from Feather. Through ticket sales and individual contributions, our guests come together to raise $750 in support of Feather.
JULY. Lights Up! receives a generous donation from the Twisting Tree Foundation.
OCTOBER. The role of the Grandmother is cast! We are so excited to have the long-time Portland actress, Trish Egan, committed to this production 100%!
DECEMBER. Feather receives a significant grant from Oregon’s Regional Arts and Culture Council. More than 250 applicants submitted proposals for grants and we are grateful to have been chosen amidst dwindling budgets and cutbacks.
*******

We are deeply grateful for your support. Each contribution, no matter how little or large, is ensuring that live theatre continues to flourish and therefore enrich the lives of its patrons, communities and artists.

Our best wishes to you in the New Year!

Bobby and Tyler

www.LightsUpProductions.com
info (at) lightsupproductions.com
503.206.8910
how much art have you created today?

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Categories: Around Here