Traverse Arts Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Keith Conallen, Creative Director

TAP/ Traverse Arts Project

Cell: 215-514-9934

traversetheater.org – kjc@traversetheater.org
January 30, 2010

New sketch comedy show begins in South Philadelphia

POP!-Sketch Comedy for the Gifted!
With a cornucopia of South Philadelphia actors, Traverse Arts Project(TAP) is looking at a blemish on the theatrical face of Philadelphia and desperately wants to POP it.

POP!-Sketch Comedy for the Gifted is intent on skewering pop culture in all of its many facets.  POP! wants to find the absurdist reality in all of our lives.  It takes a look at what makes us laugh, what makes us gasp, makes us cringe, and turns it around to view the funny underbelly.

After the first show on January 18^th, sketches and tech elements have been worked out for the upcoming episode for February 15^th.  With repeat characters and a whole new batch of funny, POP! is hoping to double their audience this time around.  In addition, POP! will be giving 30% percent of each ticket sold to Haiti Relief.  (mention something about the charity here)

Artistic Director for Traverse Arts Project, Mark A. Dahl conceived of a sketch show a year ago that would lampoon pop culture.  The plan was to use TAP’s point of view – a slightly skewed vision of reality that lays bare the true elements of our ridiculous nature and our human forgiveness.  One year later, POP! has opened their season to great applause and much confidence for the future with many laughs on tap.

While producing other TAP productions – last springs successful LGBT arts festival, Festivus, and for the 2008 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, TechLogic, a multidisciplinary journey through our lives and what effect technology has over us – Creative Director, Keith J. Conallen and Project Coordinator Sarah E. Leonard, both took the reigns to bring POP! to life.

POP! uses cast generated material in cooperation with a team of writers, lots of artistic collaboration and news culture to create the hour long sketchfest.

Traverse Arts Project is a non-profit arts organization. We seek to reveal a mirror of societal reflection that explores the diversity of thoughts and preferences within our society. We seek for the actors and audience to connect and reflect. Within this platform we work to spark thought that promotes comparison of one another. We seek to start conversations.

–

Keith J. Conallen

Creative Director

Traverse Arts Project

kjc@traversetheater.org

215-514-9934

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Traverse Arts Project News Desk

festivalenews@gmail.com info@traversetheater.org

Ph: 917-257-6451

Local arts organization to roll out red carpet to celebrate 2010 Academy® Nominations

• Miss’d America Pageant director and emcee Robert “Sandy Beach” Hitchen to host for Oscar® viewing benefit
• Sponsors include The Radisson-Warwick Philadelphia® and Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino® Las Vegas
• Event will feature a large-scale projection of the 82^nd annual Academy Awards®

On Sunday March 7, 2010, The Radisson-Warwick Philadelphia and Traverse Arts Project will present the 2^nd Annual Red Carpet Party. The event will feature a public screening of the 82^nd Annual Academy Awards® telecast live from Hollywood.

“This hotel has provided the backdrop for many an event in history,” said Jim Riker, General Manager of Philadelphia’s Grand Dame Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel, “and we are pleased to be hosting this Oscar® event on March 7th.”

The event started in 2009, and was created by T. Desiree Hines, founder and executive director of the Philadelphia GLBT Arts Festival, and Mark A. Dahl, founder and artistic director of Traverse Arts Project. Robert “Sandy Beach” Hitchen, director and host of the popular and recently resurrected Miss’D America Pageant will be the Red Carpet host for the event. Other hosts include award-winning composer Joseph Hallman and Mark A. Dahl. Hallman has received commissions from members of top ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mark A. Dahl was the assistant director, recording engineer, and production stage manager for the 2010 Miss’d America Pageant.

“In 2008, I contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences about hosting an Oscar event” Hines said. “They give very specific guidelines that must be followed by nonprofit organizations that host public Oscar® viewing parties as fundraisers which are not directly affiliated with the Academy®.” This event is not sponsored or affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “We have to be creative in our marketing and developing of the event, but it’s worth it in the end.”

Hines is best known in classical music circles as one of the country’s few African-American female pipe organists. She is also one of the most visible and out transsexual musicians in the U.S. She was the subject of an extensive cover story in the May 28, 2009 issue of Philadelphia CityPaper. “She’s On a Mission” by Citypaper’s Arts Editor Carolyn Huckabay, detailed challenges Hines faced being a transsexual organist and church leader.

The proceeds from the event will go to benefit Festivale! The 2^nd Annual Philadelphia GLBT Arts Festival. Launched in 2009, the festival presents emerging performing and creative arts professionals who openly identify and represent the GLBT community. Last year’s festival attracted performing and visual artists from all over the U.S. and Canada. This year the headliners will be the Queer Urban Orchestra of New York and Transcendence Gospel Choir of San Francisco, the first ever all-transgender choir. Transcendence was also the subject of the 2006 documentary “The Believers,” by Emmy® Award-winning director Todd Holland.

The event will open at 5:00 p.m. for VIP Gold admission and 6:00 p.m. for VIP Silver admission.  Requested donations are $60.00 for VIP Gold, $50.00 for VIP Silver, and $30.00 for Bronze Admission. VIP Gold and Silver Access will include champagne greetings, pre-parties, red carpet photos, open wine/beer/vodka bar, and gourmet hors d’oeuvre buffets all night. Bronze Admission will include access to a wine and cheese pre-party beginning at 7:00 p.m., red carpet photos, hors d’oeuvre buffet from 8-10:00 p.m., and drink specials from 8:00 p.m. to midnight.

There is also a raffle for a trip for two to Las Vegas. The package is generously donated by Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino®, Las Vegas. It will include, round trip airfare for two, two nights and three days at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas®, dinner for two, airport pickup/dropoff, and a VIP welcome amenity. The majority of the proceeds from the raffle will support the travel and accommodation of Transcendence. The winner of the raffle will be announced at the event on March 7.

For more information, visit www.traversetheater.org. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.traversetheater.tix.com or by calling 1-800-595-4849.

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