Al Doblar La Esquina / Around The Block

News and Activities / Noticiero

Here is a list of news and activities of Around The Block / Al Doblar La Esquina.  Unless otherwise specified, admission is free to these events.

Around The Block cultivates urban community participation in arts and technologies, with a focus on the New York City area.  We welcome people of all backgrounds and levels of expertise to our activities, which include workgroups, performances, and exhibits.  ATB is a not-for-profit organization.

Membership in Around The Block is not required in order to participate in most ATB activities (and in particular those held at branches of the New York Public Library).  Nevertheless, we are grateful to the individuals and organizations listed below that have contributed so generously to our cause.

Membership dues and contributions are tax-deductible.  Details at the end of this page.
 

Activities and Events of ATB

Return to Around The Block Home Page

Playwriting Workgroup

All levels of expertise welcome.  Improvisation.  Reading and discussion of stage and film scenes of participants.  Exchange of ideas on issues facing writers and actors.  Bring your own material (if you want to), for reading and comments.

Workgroup meeting, Wednesday, July 8, 2008, 5:30 – 7:45
Epiphany Branch Library – Third floor
228 East 23rd Street [near Second Ave.],
New York, NY 10010-4672.
212-679-2645
Directions to Epiphany branch       Map

The group meets every couple of weeks in the evenings.

Current Text:

• William Archer, Play-Making: A Manual of Craftsmanship; Dodd, Mead & Co.; New York (1912)
  Free electronic copy available at: www.gutenberg.org/etext/10865

Previous Texts:

• William Missouri Downs and Robin U. Russin, Naked Playwriting; Silman-James Press; (2004)
• Spolin, Viola: Improvisation for the Theater: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques; Northwestern University Press; 3rd edition (1999)

  Return to list  

Web and Systems Workgroup

ATB Web and Systems Workgroup in collaboration with the Object Data and Knowledge Management Group.

Workgroup meeting, Wednesday, July 3, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
Please call for location. 212-673-9187

In addition to finishing with the Rechtin book, we will be going over the use of Eclipse in setting up our constituent setups.  All levels of expertise welcome.

The group meets every couple of weeks in the evenings.

Texts:

•   Rechtin, Eberhardt and Maier, Mark: The Art Of Systems Architecting, CRC, second edition.
•   James Goodwill, Apache Jakarta:Tomcat 2002, Apress www.apress.com
•   Hubbell, Arlyn, Understanding Web Development, Prentice Hall
•   Harms, David, JSP, Servlets, and MySQL, M&T Books, NY, 2001
•   Armstrong, Eric, The J2EE 1.4 Tutorial, Sun, Microsystems 2003
•   James Goodwill, Mastering Jakarta:Struts, Wiley
•   Apache Struts Tutorial  www.coreservlets.com/Apache-Struts-Tutorial/

  Return to list  

Basic Acting Course for Adults

ATB in collaboration with the Hamilton Fish Branch of the New York Public Library invites you to register for our Basic Acting Course for Adults

A simple, eclectic approach to acting

A fifteen-week course, using physical, vocal, sensory and emotional exercises and improvisation.  We encourage the student's sense of play and spontaneity and then apply these techniques to written contemporary, realistic scenes and monologue, with an emphasis on individual expression and fun.

The class will meet Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Hamilton Fish Branch Library starting April 5, 2008.

Enrollment is limited.  Register now at the Hamilton Fish information desk without fee.

Hamilton Fish Branch Library
415 East Houston Street [near Avenue D],
New York, NY 10002-1197.
Directions to Hamilton Fish Branch Library   

  Return to list  

Raymond J. Flores Short Play Readings

Special note about the #1 train:  There are construction delays on this line affecting the 116 St. station on this date so allow a little extra travel time. See: http://mta.info/nyct/service/subsrvnweekend.htm for more information.

Morningside Heights Branch Library
2900 Broadway [at W. 113th St.]
New York, NY 10025-7822.
Directions to Morningside Heights branch       Map

Raymond J. Flores Short Play Competition

Each year Around The Block / Al Doblar La Esquina sponsors a short play contest.  The best of the submitted plays will be given public reading in the spring 2008. There is also a modest cash prize for the winner.

Dramatic reading pieces are to be short plays and should match the theme of the Urban Arts Festival: i.e., the life and aspirations of the New York City community.

The maximum length for plays: 15 minutes.

Full information is at Flores_Index2008.htm including rules and application information in web page (html), Word doc and plain, printer friendly text formats.

Please note that the submission deadline is November 30, 2007

We look forward to reading your play!!!

  Return to list  

Some Recent ATB Past Events

Between The Watertower and the Sub-Basement

ATB in collaboration with the Mulberry Street Branch of the New York Public Library presented Meet the Neighbors @ Mulberry Street: Between the Water-tower and the Sub-basement

Readings of new one-act plays with the city as sub-text.

Playwrights:  Joseph De Luise, John Esposito, Nina Howes and Albert Meglin #

Directed by:  John Esposito, Marlene McCoy* and Hector Palacios

With:  Marisol Carrere, James Colgan, Elizabeth Kingsley*, Daniel Matejka, Carolina McNeely, Michael Morris, Susan Weiswasser and Louis Vuolo*

 * member, Actors Equity Association  # member, Dramatists Guild

This was on Monday, April 21, 2008

The Spanish Connection

ATB in collaboration with the of the New York Public Library presented The Spanish Connection: Zapatistas leaving Ontic
Two one-act NYC plays with a link to Spain

Playwrights:  Angelina Llongueras-Altimis # and David Nieves

Directed by:  Allison Astor-Vargas and Ginger Kipps*

With:  Ruben D. Cruz II, Perry Garcia, Henry Hernandez and Cristina San Juan *

 * member, Actors Equity Association   # member, Dramatists Guild

This was at the Hamilton Fish Park Branch Library on six dates in February, 2008

The Far Side of Spring

ATB in collaboration with the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library presented The Far Side of Spring

The early 60s: the way it was;   New one act plays with the City as subtext.

Playwrights: Nina Howes, Carlos Jerome #, Julius Landau #

Directed by: Marlene McCoy *, Camille Monte *

With: Suzanne Barbetta *, Don Bill *, Ruben Cruz, Alexis DeLaRosa, Crystal Diaz, Carolina McNeely, Rodney Roldan. Maria Teresa Silva, Jimmy Strano, Louis Vuolo

* member, Actors Equity Association    # member, Dramatists Guild

This was on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Brutal Comedians by Joseph De Luise

ATB in cooperation with the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library presented a staged reading of The Brutal Comedians by Joseph De Luise.

This was directed by Camille Monte* with Crystal Diaz, Elizabeth Kingsley*, Jimmy Strano, Barbara Tabor and Louis Vuolo* (* member, Actors Equity Association).

This was on Saturday, September 29, 2007

The Waves At Tar Beach

A reading of new plays written and performed by the Around The Block theatre workgroup in collaboration with the Columbus Branch of the New York Public Library.

Playwrights: Emily Cohen, Allen Davis III, Joseph De Luise, Carlos Jerome

Directed by: Camille Monte & Gloria Zelaya

Performed by: Elena Adames, Anne Ames, Don Bill, Rick Brockman, Guy DeMatties, Carolina McNeely, R. Reine, Louis Vuolo

Presentation: There was one presentation at the Columbus Branch Library on July 28, 2007.

Beginners Acting Course for Adults

ATB in collaboration with the Seward Park Branch of the New York Public Library had a Beginners Acting Course for Adults.

A simple, eclectic approach to acting.

This was a fifteen-week course, using physical, vocal, sensory and emotional exercises and improvisation.  The class met April through August in the Seward Park Branch Theater.

The 2006 Raymond J. Flores Short Play Reading Series

The semi-finalist to the 2006 Raymond J. Flores Short Play Competition were read on June 4 and 16.

Written by: Sona Robbins Cohen, John Esposito, Elise Marenson, Nancy Nevarez, Enid Shomer & Stacey, Dennis Vargas

Readers: Elena Adames, A.B. Asher, Barbara Bleier, Paul Bogas, Marisol Carrere, Alexis DeLaRosa, Santana Dempsey, Crystal Diaz, Tom Lavagnino, Jorge Marcos, William Marley, Tim Michael, Neville Mur, Romina Polnoroff, Yancey Quiñones, Ivan Ramos, Rodney Roldan, Cristina San Juan, Richy Vasquez

Presentation: These were read at Repertorio Español on June 4 and Morningside Heights Branch of the NYPL on June 16, 2007

Short Rides On The Local

Written by: Allen Davis III , Fred de Luna, Nina Howes, Carlos Jerome, Derek Lively, Elise Marenson

Directed by: Don Bill, Miguel Juan Concepcion, Ginger Kipps, Camille Monte, Andreas Robertz, Gloria Zelaya

Performed by: Elena Adames, Anne Ames, Don Bill, Rick Brockman, Lateshia Cunningham, Alexis DeLaRosa, Guy DeMatties, Santana Dempsey, Crystal Diaz, Jeff Woods Garlin, Roberta Germaine, Shawn Guan, Felisa Kazen, Mary Keefe, A.B. Lugo, Marlene McCoy, Carlos Molina , Dara O'Brien, Omar Perez, Fausto Pineda, Britta Ruona, Joanne Smith, Giovanni Vargas, Jenne Vath

Presentation: There were eleven presentations at seven branches of the NYPL between January 30 and April 20, 2007

Painting The Town With Leaves

Written by: Joseph De Luise, John Esposito, C.S. Hanson, Carlos Jerome

Directed by: Miguel Juan Concepcion, Camille Monte, Andreas Robertz

Performed by: Guy DeMatties, Nick DeSimone, Crystal Diaz, Mario Golden, A.B. Lugo, Marlene McCoy, Tim Michael, Alexandra Valentin, Louis Vuolo

Presentation was at Columbus Branch Library, October 28, 2006

New York Cool In New York Heat – Seven Short Plays

Written by: Nina Howes, Carlos Jerome, Julius Landau, Allan Liff, Barbara Lifton, Eleanor Spitzer and Sharon Wajswol

Directed by: Jean Anderson, Elise Marenson, Camille Monte, Gloria Zelaya

Performed by: Rachel Allen, Larry Auld,  Guy DeMatties, Santana Dempsey, Marlene McCoy, Carolina McNeely, R. Reine, Giovanni Vargas, Jenny Vath, Louis Vuolo, Max Woertendyke

Presentation was at Kips Bay Branch Library, July 18, 2006

This event was made possible in part with public funds from the Fund for Creative Communities / New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

Reflection In Asphalt / Lo Que Refleja La Acera

Short Plays on the City

The City as subtext: short plays about New York life and dreams.

Written by: Allen Davis III, Joseph De Luise, Nina Howes, Carlos Jerome, Thomas Lavagnino, Jeffrey Harmon Smith, Cynthia Soderholm

Directed by: Jean Anderson, Don Bill, Miguel Juan Concepcion, Ginger Kipps, Camille Monte, Rebecca Nyahay

Performed by: Don Bill,  Miguel Juan Concepcion, Ruben Dario Cruz II, Alexis DeLaRosa, Nick DeSimone, Mario Golden, Sam Gordon, Gretchen Howe, Mary Keefe, Carolina McNeely, Jimmy Strano, David van Leesten, Rich Vasquez, Jenne Vath

There were eight presentation from February 25 – April 1, 2006 at the Jefferson Market, Muhlenberg, Epiphany and Hamilton Fish Branch Libraries.

Raymond J. Flores Short Play Competition

As part of the annual urban arts festival, had its third annual Raymond J. Flores Short Play Competition and Reading Series, for Spring 2006.

Presented April 29, 2006 at Muhlenberg Branch Library were plays by Allen Davis III, Tevia Abrams, Judy Klass, Stephen Levi, Neville Muran and Edith Tarbescu.  Also Ray Flores' monologue Tragic Comedy and the prize presentation for last year contest.

Presented May 9, 2006 at Ottendorfer Branch Library were play by Sona R. Cohen, Allen Davis III,  Julius Landau, Tom Lavagnino, Elise Marenson and Derek Lively

Our past winners are:

These events were made possible in part with public funds from the Fund for Creative Communities / New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

  Return to list  

Sponsors

We are grateful for the support we receive from our public and corporate sponsors.
These programs are made possible in part with public funds from the Fund for Creative Communities / New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. www.nysca.org http://www.lmcc.net/
Microsoft Corporation http://www.microsoft.com/	®
Citigroup http://www.citigroup.com
New York Public Library, the Branch Libraries. www.nypl.org/branch/

  Return to list  

Around The Block is a not-for-profit organization chartered in the State of New York, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

Contribution Categories

Membership dues and contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Please mail to:
        Around The Block
        5 E 22nd St., Apt 9K,
        New York NY 10010-5323
 

To contact us: info@aroundtheblock.org

Last Updated June 27, 2008