"Naked Came the Painting" Frames Colorful Roles for Actresses

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.

• • In the cast are: Lila Smith [MEREDITH], Susanne Nelson [AMELIA], and David A. Green [Mr. ZIMBATATTA].

• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • In the play, MEREDITH exasperates her mother AMELIA by focusing on the Tarot deck and trying to predict how her scholastic exams will turn out — — instead of actually studying for them. 

• • According to a recent article by Arifa Akbar, Arts correspondent, The Independent [UK]:   It is a complaint common among actresses of a certain age: the dearth of meaty roles for women over 40.  Even the elder statesman of the theatre, Sir Ian McKellen, joined the protesting chorus last year, to urge playwrights to start penning interesting roles for older actresses if they want to attract bigger audiences.

• • Tony-winner Mario Fratti, who has created many fascinating roles for women in his Broadway musical "Nine" and other works for the stage, is familiar with the writing of LindaAnn Loschiavo.  Fratti enjoys the intricate parts the PEN-award-winning writer has fashioned for characters based on real life [such as Mae West and Texas Guinan in "Courting Mae West"]; or her purely fictional femmes such as Alison, the medievalist murderess in "A Worthie Woman All Hir Live" and Regina, the poignant she-male hostess, in "Cocktail" and also the electrifying voices at the center of her dramatic monologues such as "City of Angels,"  "Merchants of Venus," and the heart-breaking "Agnus Dei"  — — First Place winner of the 3rd tnr Poetry Award.   Fratti adds, "A poet at heart, she has the ability to write in several forms with grace and a refreshing intelligence."
• • Native New Yorker LindaAnn Loschiavo is a member of DG, TRU, and suspicious left-wing organizations.  Last year she starred in a 90-minute TV documentary on the Prohibition Era in America;  her Texas Guinan archive was featured in the footage.  Friends often regale her with Mae West quips.  Professional accomplishments include winning national playwrighting competitions, earning awards sponsored by PEN, and revising her Pulitzer acceptance speech since the last moonless night.  She has dated John Malkovich but did not notify TMZ's photographers, which she regrets.  Her tote bag holds a fistful of tattered press clips and a diary so she always has something sensational to read in the train.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.

• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM

• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM

• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.

• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.

• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival

• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information

• • TICKETS are $15; Buy Tix Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

Stripping Her Soul Bare in "Naked Came the Painting"

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.

• • In the cast are: Lila Smith [MEREDITH], David A. Green [Mr. ZIMBATATTA], and TBA.

• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • In the play, MEREDITH exasperates her mother AMELIA by trying to predict how her scholastic exams will turn out instead of actually studying for them. 

• • Have you ever consulted a fortune teller or a psychic?  And what did you expect from this individual?  Were the psychic's statements the mighty whisper of night and blood?  Or pure hokum?

• • Seeking insight, MEREDITH invites the charismatic Mr. ZIMBATATTA to visit, never suspecting how he might scalp her naked soul with the sharp tomahawk of his persuasion.  Things will never be the same.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.

• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM

• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM

• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.

• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.

• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival

• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information

• • TICKETS are $15; Buy Tix Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

"NAKED" Secrets Play Peek-a-Boo

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith (as MEREDITH), Katherine Mylenki (as AMELIA), and David A. Green (as Mr. ZIMBATATTA).
• • Shela Xoregos directs.
• • In the play, the character AMELIA, now a widow, has a subversive back-story.  During her marriage, she maintained a secret love affair with DAVID, an artist.  DAVID paints AMELIA in the nude several times as well as young MEREDITH.  Is MEREDITH his daughter?  Why does DAVID commit suicide after AMELIA is widowed?  She wears her frisky past as lightly as a vintage stole of fox tails — — but her secrets are about to be exposed.

• • • • Kees Van Dongen • • • •
• • Born near Rotterdam, Cornelis Theodorus Maria van Dongen [1877 — 1968], usually known as Kees van Dongen or just Van Dongen, was a Dutch painter and one of the Fauves. He gained a reputation for his sensuous and sometimes garish portraits.
• • In 1892, at age 16, Kees van Dongen started his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam. During this period [1892 — 1897], van Dongen frequented the Red Quarter seaport area, where he drew scenes of sailors and prostitutes.
• • During 1897 he was living in Paris for most of the year.  In December 1899 he returned to Paris to join Augusta Preitinger ("Guus"), whom he had met at the Academy. They wed on July 11, 1901; the would divorce in 1921. He began to exhibit in Paris, including the controversial 1905 exhibition Salon d'Automne, in a room featuring Henri Matisse amongst others. The vivid colors used by this group of artists led to their nickname "Fauves" (i.e., Wild Beasts).
• • Under the influence of Jasmy Jacob, among others, Kees van Dongen developed the lush palette of his Fauvist style along with a bohemian eroticism that accents his earlier artwork. This gained him a solid reputation with the French bourgeoisie, which was profitable.  As a fashionable portraitist his subjects included Arletty, Leopold III of Belgium, Louis Barthou, Sacha Guitry, Anna de Noailles, and Maurice Chevalier. With a playful cynicism, he commented on his popularity as a portraitist of high society women:  "The essential thing is to elongate the women and especially to make them slim. After that it just remains to enlarge their jewels. They are ravished." Another quote attributed to him is "Painting is the most beautiful of lies."
• • In addition to marketing his paintings, Kees van Dongen also earned money by selling satirical sketches to the newspaper 'Revue Blanche' and organizing very successful costume balls in Montparnasse.
• • The "bohemian era" canvasses of Kees Van Dongen — — see two of his nudes from 1905 and 1906 here — —continue to inspire the playwright.
• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.
• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM
• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM
• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.
• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.
• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml
• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information
• • TICKETS  $15; Buy Tix Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• •  Get "NAKED" onstage in November . . .
• •  http://prlog.org/11021496

"NAKED" T.D. Is Kathryn Pecota Loggins

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos directs.
• • Kathryn Marie Loggins will be Technical Director for the production.  Fluent in German and English, Mrs. Loggins was educated at Northwest University where she earned a B.A. in Communications and Theatre.  She has continued her acting studies at the Terry Schreiber Studio in NYC as well as with Guenther Schaefer at Darstellendes Spiel in Hamburg, Germany.  Recently, the newly-wed served as Stage Manager for the Xoregos Performing Company's production of "Medea" in New York City.  The five-foot-six brunette equestrienne is also an accomplished choral and pop vocalist who enjoys African jazz dance in her spare time.
• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —
• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.
• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM
• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM
• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.
• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.
• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml
• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information
• • TICKETS are $15; Buy Tix Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

Harvest Fest Honcho Gets "NAKED" at ART/NY on October 21st

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.

• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.

• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • Last night the theatre-buffs who founded Variations Theatre Group launched their first 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival with a cordial meet and greet session at ART/NY at 520 Eighth Avenue in midtown.  More than twenty dramatists attended along with several T.D.s, stagehands, as well as a few distinguished directors such as Shela Xoregos.

• • Rich Ferraioli and Kirk Gostkowski, company co-founders and artistic directors, met as students in the Hofstra University theatre department, where they began to they began to develop a minimalist approach to theatre. After graduation, the two refined their aesthetic in productions seen throughout the New York area. By 2010, they believed it was time to start a company based on their ideas.

• • Rich Ferraioli explained that Variations Theatre Group, Inc. was founded with the principle belief that theatre is meant to be challenging, engaging, and should push the boundaries of audience expectations. In VTG productions, the text and the actor are the most important thing; spectacle isn’t allowed to distract from the intentions of the playwright and performers. The company will give emerging artists the opportunity to work on the classic American plays that audiences have come to love, but in productions reinvigorated by the distinct VTG style. Time will also be devoted to the development of original works [such as "Naked Came the Painting"] by playwrights who deserve to be better known.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.

• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM

• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM

• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.

• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.

• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival

• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information

• • BUY TICKETS Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

MEDIA ALERT: "Naked Came the Painting" Debuts 10 November 2010

Selected to appear in the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival, the first performance of "Naked Came the Painting" has been scheduled for 7:00 pm on November 10th at LABA Theatre in Manhattan.  The cast for this short comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district for this USA premiere.

• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Susanne Nelson, and David A. Green.

• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • Interviews have been completed and are available for your publication.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut with several other one-act plays.  Each audience will vote for favorites to continue in competition for the second and third rounds.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

• • "Get 'NAKED' onstage!" says the cast, suggesting you show up on November 10th — — and vote to get "Naked Came the Painting" onstage for successive showings.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —
• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.
• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM
• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM
• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.
• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.
• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml
• • PHONE NUMBER FOR PUBLICATION: 646-400-3253 and to get ticket info
• • BUY TICKETS Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

Fezzed for Mayhem in "Naked Came the Painting"

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, has been rehearsing during October in Manhattan's theatre district.

• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.

• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • Handsome David Green, who plays the enthralling psychic Mr. ZIMBATATTA, wears a World War I trench veteran's fez in the play.

• • A Short History of the Fez • •

• • The fez was adopted in 1826 as the universal male headgear in the Ottoman Empire as part of the modernizing reforms of Sultan Mahmud II. Prior to this date, it was worn sporadically in the Maghreb (Northwest Africa) by some units of the Ottoman navy, and by the inhabitants of some Greek islands.

• • Initially a symbol of Ottoman modernity, the fez soon came to be seen as part of an "Oriental" cultural identity. In Turkey, however, wearing the fez was legally banned in 1925 as part of the modernizing reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The origin of the name is controversial. The Turkish word "fes" may refer to the city of Fez in Morocco, or to the name of the crimson berry, which was imported from that country and was used to dye the felt.

• • The fez was initially a brimless bonnet of red, white, or black with a turban woven around. Later the turban was eliminated, the bonnet shortened, and the color fixed to red.

• • In the Western world, the fez occasionally serves as a symbol of relaxation. In cartoons, characters are shown wearing a fez often while lying in a hammock on vacation or relaxing after a hard day of work. This curious imagery may be a throwback to the late 19th century English practice of men wearing a loose fitting smoking jacket and braided fez-like headdress when relaxing informally in the evenings.

• • Punch cartoons of the period 1875 — 1890 frequently portray middle-class male figures dressed in this fashion. This practice is called "wearing mufti" and came from the habit of British officers and public servants wearing what was then Indian dress in the privacy of their homes. The dress was more comfortable in the Indian climate and created a sense of ease and relaxation such that the clothing, not unlike that of an Islamic scholar or mufti, came into the English language as a word meaning 'out of uniform' or undress.

• • One of the best-known wearings of a fez in a Hollywood film was by Victor Mature, playing Dr. Omar in Josef Von Sternberg's The Shanghai Gesture (1942).

• •  Laurel and Hardy wore fezzes in their film Sons of the Desert, and so the members of the international fraternal organization named after the film wear fezzes in tribute.

• •  The Shriners are notable for wearing fezzes.

• •  A Tarot card, the 7 of Swords, shows a man wearing a red fez.

• • The adjective — —  that refers to an individual who is wearing a brimless cone-shaped flat-crowned hat that usually has a tassel, is usually made of red felt, and is worn especially by men in eastern Mediterranean countries — — is "fezzed."

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.

• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM

• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM

• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.

• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.

• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival

• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information

• • BUY TICKETS Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

The Naked Powers of David Green

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, had its first rehearsal on Monday, 18 October 2010 in Manhattan's theatre district.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos directs.

• • Here's an excerpt from an exclusive interview with the actor David A. Green, who will portray the fascinating psychic MR.  ZIMBATATTA. 

• • • • QUESTION: What made you decide to become an actor, David?

• • • • DAVID GREEN said:  I had always been fascinated with the idea of creating a living, breathing human being within the "fictional confines" of a play. I love the idea of "exposing" myself and not being judged. I love story telling and there is no better vehicle for doing this!

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.

• • PHOTO: David A. Green and Lila Smith rehearsing "Naked Came the Painting"

• • PHOTO CREDIT: Conrad Bradford

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —

• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.

• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM

• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM

• • POSSIBLE DATES:  November 18th — 20th.

• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.

• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival

• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information

• • BUY TICKETS Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

 

Katherine Mylenki's Naked Ambitions

The cast for "Naked Came the Painting," a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, had its first rehearsal on Monday, 18 October 2010 in Manhattan's theatre district.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos directs.
• • Here's an excerpt from an exclusive interview with the actress Katherine Mylenki, who will portray the character AMELIA, a sexually provocative widow whose earthiness intimidates her frumpy daughter MEREDITH.

• • • •  QUESTION:  What made you decide to become an actress, Katherine?
• • • • KATHERINE MYLENKI said:  I can tell that to the moment. I saw "Gone with the Wind" for the first time at about age 12 and Scarlett, in that gorgeous dress, is rebuffed by Ashley when she tells him she loves him, then picks up a figurine and smashes it against the fireplace. I thought, Wow, she did that and nobody got mad at her and she didn’t have to clean it up! That’s for me.
• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.
• • PHOTO: Katherine Mylenki and Lila Smith rehearsing "Naked Came the Painting"
• • PHOTO CREDIT: Conrad Bradford

— —  — —  — —  WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE — —  — —  — —
• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group for the sprightly one-act comedy "Naked Came the Painting" by LindaAnn Loschiavo.
• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM
• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM
• • FUTURE DATES:  to be announced
• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.
• • WHAT: 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml
• • PHONE: 646-400-3253 to get ticket information
• • BUY TICKETS Online — — http://www.variationstheatregroup.com

Lila Smith's Insight on Meredith

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals in Manhattan's theatre district on Monday, 18 October 2010.

• • Here's an excerpt from an exclusive interview with the actress Lila Smith, who will portray the character MEREDITH. 

• • • •  QUESTION:  MEREDITH in Naked Came the Painting — —  what are some things you like about her and what are some things that make you empathize with this reluctant graduate student?

• • • • LILA SMITH:  I always approach roles from the perspective of what the character is trying to do to better their own situation. People never do things they think will surely end in disaster — —  their actions are always what they think is best for them at the time. That's why it's so difficult to identify our own self-destructive behavior, and, in a play, that can make for some great comedy.

• • • • LILA SMITH:  I relate to the character of Meredith in this way, because I was also a reluctant student. I was always interested in learning, but I wasn't necessarily as interested in going to class, doing papers, or studying. I've gone through the back and forth about whether I really want to go to grad school, and when, if so.

• • • • LILA SMITH: Meredith decides the best thing to do would be to bring in this great psychic to help her to see the outcome of her tests, and to work with her to determine whether she herself has psychic talent (which would be a convenient reason to skip the GREs and grad school altogether).

• • • • LILA SMITH:  In high school, I often decided to relieve my stress about school by doing something I felt would be more immediately beneficial to me than actually going to class. Sometimes it was sitting in the halls and catching up with friends. That seemed very important at the time. Often it was also learning new music; finding songs from musicals that would be a good fit for my voice.

• • • • LILA SMITH: It's interesting- I never missed my acting, music, or language classes. I also never missed a rehearsal. Not even if I was actually sick. For a student who had little interest in "school," I certainly did find myself incredibly busy  — —  and I still do.

• • • • LILA SMITH: Something that I really like about Meredith is that she's not exactly sure about who she is, what she wants to do, and where she wants to go, but at least she is willing to ask herself the questions. I like that she doesn’t necessarily accept her mother’s opinions about her life as gospel. I have always greatly admired people who admit when they aren't sure. I like Meredith and I hope whatever it is, she finds it. I think she will.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos directs.
• • First performance dates and times have been announced by Variations Theatre Group.
• • FIRST DATE:  Wednesday, 10 November 2010 — — 7:00 PM
• • SECOND DATE:  Saturday, 13 November 2010 — — 9:15 PM
• • FUTURE DATES:  to be announced
• • WHERE: LABA Theatre, 344 East 14th Street, NYC 10003.
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

• • Source:http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Naked Exploration of Psychic Abilities

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals in Manhattan's theatre district on Monday, 18 October 2010.

• • One of the arguments between the mother and the daughter has to do with MEREDITH's belief that she possesses psychic awareness and an aura.

• • AMELIA scoffs:  "You don't have an aura, Meredith!  No one does!"

• • Do you believe that a human being has an aura or the ability to see these?

• •  Here's how Robert T.  Carroll defines the term:  An aura, according to New Age metaphysics, is a colored outline, or set of contiguous outlines, allegedly emanating from the surface of an object.  Under ordinary circumstances, auras are only visible to certain people with  special psychic power.

• • According to author Robert T. Carroll, Ph.D., his book The Skeptic’s Dictionary provides definitions, arguments, and essays on subjects supernatural, occult, paranormal, and pseudoscientific.   Carroll adds:  Another purpose of The Skeptic’s Dictionary is to provide references to the best skeptical materials on whatever topic is covered. So, for example, if that pesky psychology teacher won’t let up about “auras” or “chi” being inexplicable occult phenomena, you can consult your Skeptic’s Dictionary and become pesky yourself with more than a general skepticism.

• • Skeptics and believers will both enjoy this comedy.  But first you need to buy a ticket or make one materialize.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos will direct.
• • Specific performance dates and times will soon be finalized by Variations Theatre Group and announced.
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

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Lights, Camera, Tarot!

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals in Manhattan's theatre district on Monday, 18 October 2010.

• • One of the conflicts has to do with a young woman's obsession with Tarot cards when her mother feels MEREDITH ought to be studying for her exams instead.  Exasperated, AMELIA shouts:  "I can predict the future.  Students who fail to study — — FAIL!"

• • • • Lights, Camera, Tarot! • • • •
• • The Tarot deck, by itself, has no power, of course.  The power must come from the person who is reading them.

• • If you are a novice reader, the best deck is the Rider-Waite Tarot card deck. Developed by A.E. Waite, the Rider-Waite Tarot card deck was illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. This user friendly deck may look simple but the imagery of the major arcana is complex, filled with esoteric symbolism and hidden meanings. The symbols provide additional insight into each card's messages.

• • The reader lays the cards out in a pattern,  with each position corresponding to an aspect of the question. As the reader shuffles the deck, he/ she would focus not only on the question, but also on the spread and the order in which the cards will be placed.

• • When each Tarot card is cast, its position and its values represent the subconscious forces operating around the querent and the situation.  Here is where the true art of divination happens. A skillful, intuitive reader will interpret the symbols on each card in its specific position to describe these forces in light of what the reader knows about the question.  Making a Tarot card reading meaningful and helpful will require no fancy psychedelic deck but rather an intuitive, skilled reader who knows the strengths and limitations of the Tarot.

• • We predict this play will be a success so get your ticket as soon as possible.

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.
• • Shela Xoregos will direct.
• • Specific performance dates and times will soon be finalized by Variations Theatre Group and announced.
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

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The Naked Shame of Procrastination

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals in Manhattan's theatre district on Monday, 18 October 2010.
• • One of the conflicts in this comedy is the clash between a well-organized mother and her wayward daughter.  Instead of studying for an important exam, MEREDITH keeps stalling and sabotaging herself.  Rather than devote herself to a worthy goal, MEREDITH keeps interfering with her own performance.  Why do people procrastinate?
• • According to Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago:  Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don't take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is almost perfect for this purpose. They distract themselves as a way of regulating their emotions such as fear of failure.
• • Timothy Pychyl, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada adds to this discussion.  He emphasizes this: Procrastinators are made not born. Procrastination is learned in the family milieu, but not directly. It is one response to an authoritarian parenting  style. Having a harsh, controlling father keeps children from developing the ability to regulate themselves, from internalizing their own intentions and then learning to act on them. Procrastination can even be a form of rebellion, one of the few forms available under such circumstances. What's more, under those household conditions, procrastinators turn more to friends than to parents for support, and their friends may reinforce procrastination because they tend to be tolerant of their excuses.
• • Instead of procrastinating, buy a ticket.
• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer performances between November 10th — 20th, 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003.
• • In the cast are: Lila Smith, Katherine Mylenki, and David A. Green.   
• • Shela Xoregos will direct.
• • Specific performance dates and times will soon be finalized by Variations Theatre Group and announced.
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line
• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
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David A. Green Originates the Role of Mr. Zimbatatta

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals in Manhattan's theatre district on Monday, 18 October 2010.
• • David A. Green has been cast to play the mysterious and charismatic Mr. ZIMBATATTA.  David most recently appeared with the Xoregos Performing Company as Creon and the Messenger in its acclaimed production of Euripides' MEDEA. David is also a proud member of The Company, based in Hackensack, NJ and has appeared with them as Dal/Tony in APARTMENT 3A, Jim in RIVERSIDE DRIVE and Marvin in CALIFORNIA SUITE. Other favorite stage roles have included Judas/John the Baptist in GODSPELL, T.S Eliot in TOM AND VIV, Martin in LIGHT READING, King Henry VIII in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS and Shamrayev in THE SEAGULL. David also made his NYC cabaret debut with LADIES' MAN in 2008 and recently performed a modified version of the show at Made With Love in Jersey City. David would like to thank Shela for this wonderful opportunity as well as all his supportive friends and family!

• • This spirited three-character comedy — — that explores the boundaries between art and artifice — — will make its debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival.  Variations Theatre Group will offer the first group of performances on Wednesday evening, 10 November 2010 at the recently renovated LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003. 
• • Shela Xoregos will direct. 

• • Specific performance dates and times will soon be finalized by Variations and announced.
• • Subway: Union Square Station/ IRT Lexington, 4, 5, 6; First Avenue Station / L line

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/

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Lila Smith to Portray Meredith

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will begin rehearsals on Monday 18 October 2010 in Manhattan.
• • Lila Smith is a New York City actress, singer, and director. She is also the co-founder and Executive Director of Shakespeare Anywhere — — an event-services company with a focus on classical performance talent.  Companies she has performed with include:  The Naked Bard (NYC), Connecticut Free Shakespeare, Xoregos Performing Company (NYC), Orpheus Theatre (Oneonta, NY). Favorite roles have included Bobbi Michele (Last of the Red Hot Lovers), Nancy (Oliver!), and the Nurse (Romeo and Juliet). This arresting ingenue has been cast as the reluctant graduate student MEREDITH, who lives with her widowed mother, an innkeeper.  Follow this saucy Shakespeare lover on www.ShakespeareAnywhere.com.
• • This spirited three-character comedy will make its debut  at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival next month, which opens on Wednesday evening, 10 November 2010 at LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, New York, NY. 
• • Shela Xoregos will direct. 

• • Specific performance dates and times will soon be finalized and announced.

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Katherine Mylenki to Play Amelia

The cast for Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will soon begin rehearsals in Manhattan.

• • New Yorker Katherine Mylenki, who trained at HB Studios and AADA, has been seen onstage in Don't Drink the Water and Sorry, Wrong Number and other favorites. Recently, the seasoned actress has worked on diverse projects helmed by Shela Xoregos and staged in The Big Apple.  The striking blonde has been cast as the recently widowed AMELIA — — who runs a quiet inn and who cherishes her unquiet escapades as a high-kicker.   The versatile Miss Mylenki is also a gifted Tarot card reader.
• • This spirited three-character comedy will make its debut  at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival next month, which opens on Wednesday evening 10 November 2010 at LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, New York, NY. 
• • Shela Xoregos will direct. 

• • Specific performance dates will soon be finalized and announced.

• • http://nakedtheatreny.blogspot.com/
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Naked Came the Painting: Director Aboard

Naked Came the Painting, a one act comedy by LindaAnn Loschiavo, will debut at the 2010 Harvest One-Act Play Festival Festival next month on Wednesday evening,  10 November 2010 in Manhattan.

• • An acclaimed director has been chosen — — and a cast of three will be selected. 
• • Shela Xoregos (Director) has directed and choreographed for many New York and regional companies. Recent productions she has helmed include Medea, Harlem on My Mind, Brief Shorts (five danced one acts).  Regional productions include  The Importance of Being Earnest, Miss Julie, Antigone, Romance, Romance.  Based in Manhattan, Shela is the Artistic Director of Xoregos Performing Company, which premieres new and  forgotten plays, dances, and music.
• • Specific performance dates will soon be finalized by Variations Theatre Group and announced.

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