Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Transcendence Artist Project: WEEk 9-10-11

Over the past few weeks, The Transcendence Theatre Company has immersed itself in the artistic endeavors of our inaugural production. Our discoveries and growth as individuals and as a collective truly fueled our collaborative work on one of the greatest musicals of our time... WORKING. The ensemble creation of this musical was a truly transcendent experience for all of us. May 16, 2009 was a momentous day in our lives as WORKING debuted at The Gertrude Pearlman Theatre. The opening night gala performance and celebration was a joyous event for our company and the community of Punta Banda. Throughout the next few blogs, we will be sharing some of our adventures and discoveries from our artistic development of this collaborative work of art that touched the hearts of this community and beyond. In the meantime, enjoy these notes from our incredible directors: Brad Surosky & Stephan Stubbins.

Notes from the Directors:

We are honored to have the opportunity to be directing such a brilliant group of people in what is, in our opinion, one of the most powerful shows in the history of theatre.

The musical "Working" originated as a 1972 book by Studs Terkel, a compilation of the many interviews he conducted as he traveled around, tape recorder in hand, talking with men and women employed in a multitude of professions and bringing "the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people to life." During this journey, he uncovered how the work we do shapes our identities, our families, our hearts, and our lives. The intro belonged to Terkel—the words that followed were the raw and heartfelt stories of America’s working people.

What sets "Working" apart from other musicals is its sense of rawness, its firm grounding in reality. Nothing is more real than the everyday worker’s quest to create some kind of lasting legacy.

We dedicate this show to all hard-working people, without each and every one of whom our society would falter. We dedicate this show to the people who carry with them buried grievances and unexpressed dreams—to every parent who goes to work to put dinner on the table for his or her children. These are our heroes, and they cannot go unrecognized.

Lastly, we dedicate this performance to you. Every voice deserves to be heard. All of us should have a community that embraces us, the chance to engage in work that satisfies us, and a sense of accomplishment, something to point to and say “This is what I have achieved” at the end of even the longest and most challenging day.














Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sponsors of The Week!!! - GT'S Kombucha - O.N.E. Coconut Water - Dr. Tea

So this week it’s all about nutrition and health. While sadly the word “holistic” has become a bit taboo, nutrition is a seriously important part of Transcendence Theatre. We believe that the individual’s nutritional choices should be up to them and we firmly support exploring and having fun with the endless possibilities that diet offers. We have been spending a lot of time here in Punta Banda playing with our food choices and observing the effect it has on our energy, our clarity of mind, our focus, our moods and our overall well-being. It’s amazing what a vibrant role food plays in not only the function of the body, but also of the mind. And instead of being a chore, we see nutrition as a fun game…what works, what doesn’t. It’s just more time for dedication and play in the great game of life. So, with a little help from even more generous sponsors, we were all able to incorporate some new and exciting supplements into our diet.

One of our first sponsors that we want to mention holds a very special place in our heart. Back in the very beginning of Transcendence Theatre Company, we reached out to only a few companies for sponsorship. When we were going through ideas for companies that fell in line with our ideals and beliefs, it only makes sense that we instantly thought of GT’S Kombucha. GT’S Kombucha is an all organic and raw (a huge plus for our raw foodists and our organic-loving foodies!) probiotic energy drink that was already a large part of many of our company member’s diets. Seriously, many of us swear by this drink and incorporate it into our diet before and after workouts and generally throughout the day. So when GT’S Kombucha responded to us within hours , being our first in-kind sponsor, to say they were thrilled to be a sponsor, our love for this company deepened!

Kombucha is a living culture. During the culturing process, all the good stuff like active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants and polyphenols are formed. The benefits of having these in your diet including energy, vitality, healthy digestion and more. Check out their website and learn more about it. And if you haven’t tried it yet, get out a get one. There are plenty of places to buy GT’S Kombucha in the states. If you need to find places near you, you can use their website tool to locate a retailer. Don’t get GT’S confused with any other Kombucha drinks. And check out the story of how the company formed. It’s an inspiration.











Another company that jumped full forth into this incredible exploration was O.N.E. Coconut Water. You can check them out online and on facebook. Exercise has also been a key component of our healthy living, and an important part of exercise is hydration. You may hear lots about energy drinks and sports drinks and feel an inclination toward these products to replenish electrolytes, but here at Transcendence, we want the rejuvenation, without the sugars, artificial colors and processing. Coconut water is just that option. They have generously donated a lot of their water to us including the natural flavor, cashew juice, acai, and coffee berry! We have been using these drinks after long workouts on the beach to re-hydrate, after yoga classes, using them in superfood smoothies to enhance the flavor and just to sit back and enjoy while we are in Mexico!

Check out their website to see how much more electrolytes, potassium and other vitamins it offers without any coloring or added sugars. Plus their company is commited to sustaining the Amazon rainforests and their packaging is recyclable and made from paper from responsibly managed forests. O.N.E. truly is in line with our core values and beliefs. Plus, they’re delicious. We’re officially hooked!










Our last shout out goes to Dr. Tea! Dr. Tea, as they put it, is like the Cheer’s © bar but with tea. Our Artistic Director, Amy Miller, and her husband Managing Director Brad Surosky are friends of Dr. Tea and regulars at his Tea Garden in West Hollywood. There’s no doubt that tea is and has been an important addition to any healthy diet. The leaves and herbs of many teas offer a variety of different specific health benefits. We have been drinking it daily here in Mexico and have seen just how great these benefits are - of course it's always nice to drink our tea as we sit and watch the amazing Mexican sunsets. But how confusing it can get! That’s why Dr. Tea offers a really easy, informative website with the finest of teas. All the teas are broken down and their benefits listed.

Check out Dr. Tea’s book too! It’s officially a part of the Transcendence Theatre Library! The Ultimate Tea Diet Book! It’s got all the answers and clarity you need to define your tea obsession. If you are ever in Hollywood, we highly recommend a visit to Dr. Tea's Tea Garden. You will definitely enjoy a amazingly refreshing & delightful experience!




So a huge thanks to GT’S Kombucha, O.N.E. Coconut Water, and Dr. Tea! You guys have been a huge part of our time here in Mexico and an integral part to our ever-defining diets. You’re all the best ever.

More amazing sponsors to come next week!!!!!!