Experience NoHo Arts Festival Happening Saturday

The Experience NoHo Arts Festival is happening on Saturday and is shaping up to be one of the biggest things NoHo has seen in a long time. The following is a press release outlining what to expect, and when to expect it:

WHAT:  Experience NoHo is a FREE, multi-arts festival and celebration featuring live theater, dance, music, art, and food, taking place Nov. 12, from 12 p.m. - 8 p.m., in the heart of the booming NoHo Arts District on Lankershim Boulevard between Otsego Avenue and Weddington Street.

Experience NoHo is part festival and part arts walk. A main stage area for music will be located at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Weddington Street, while a dance stage at Lankershim Boulevard and Otsego Aveue will anchor the festival. Art will be everywhere - from public art stations inviting patrons to create their own art, to gallery installations. NoHo theatres will offer performances and classes during festival hours. To top it off, there will be incredible discounts and offerings from local restaurants and retailers.

So come SEE, HEAR, TASTE...EXPERIENCE NOHO!

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC

The Knitting Factory will present the music entertainment for the first annual Experience NoHo. The outdoor music stage will be in the back lot of the on Weddington Street behind the bar/restaurant venue located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd.; the indoor stage will be upstairs in the showroom of the Federal. Doors for the event open at 12 p.m.

The best new music talent featuring local acts and DJs alongside national headliners  spreading across the two stages include Secondhand Serenade, The Nervous Wreckords, Maxim Ludwig, Emanuela Bellezza, Prima Donna, Jack Littman, The Knitts, Patrolled By Radar, Adam Bones, Sweet Justice, Kill the Academy and Magnuson. In addition, will showcase a special performance by The Choir.

DANCE

NoHo's booming dance community is pulling out all of the stops to offer free dance performances and classes at six studio locations. , , , MKM Cultural Center, and are opening their doors starting at 12 p.m.

  hosts all of their events on the Experience NoHo Dance Stage. Freestyle Dance Off:  Root for your favorite dancer or sign up as a contestant. Top prizes:A year’s free dance classes at Millennium Dance Complex, gift certificates to Napoleon & Tabitha's Nappy Tabs Shop (So You Think You Can Dance?), and more! Shirlene Quigley will teach her Kitten Kontrol Class. Brooklyn Jai, one of the hottest choreographers to hit the LA Scene, will teach his hip hop jazz funk class to his tracks off his latest album “Dream Killer.”

on Lankershim will have kids crew sidewalk street performances featuring The B-Boy/B-Girl and X-Mob/Zulu Kings. Tap teacher, Britani Dixon, will give a lecture/demo.  A Youth Glee Class, similar in style to the popular TV show, will be taught by Annalisia Simone and Asia Shabazz.  A Zumba Class for adults will be taught by Lorena Kichick, a certified Zumba instructor, salsa instructor, and flamenco instructor.  The Basement Dance Center teachers’ professional credits include performing with  Lady Gaga, the Joffrey Ballet and on Dancing with the Stars, among others.

on Lankershim will offer a Free TAP Class Teen/Adult with Melinda Sullivan, a Free JAZZ Class for ages 10 and up with Lindsey Glick, and Free Sneak Preview of the Liv'art Winter Show 2011.

The MKM Cultural Arts Center on Chandler will offer two performances:  Timeless - modern dance of the 1940s performed by the well-known Martin Dancers accompanied by congo and djembe drums, and guitar; and The Flame of Flamenco, a dynamic performance of classical Flamenco dance mixing percussive footwork and body movement.

will host a Free Yoga Sculpt Class with instructor Kelly Masumiya. Not your traditional yoga, the class is taught to upbeat, urban music.  Movement Lifestyle will also host a Free Jam Session later in the day, when the studio will open for anyone who wants to come meet other dancers in the area and just freestyle!

will offer martial and acrobatic arts at their open house with ongoing demos & performances by their world class instructors: World Champion Martial Artists - Cirque du Soleil Acrobats - Ringling Bros. Acrobats - Professional Stuntmen and Stuntwomen - Capoeristas - Break Dancers - Choreographers.  Raffles: XMA New Memberships, XMA Birthday Party Package, and Sales on Memberships and Merchandise. XMA (Xtreme Martial Arts) is a fusion of all martial arts styles, blended together with performance arts, high-flying acrobatic maneuvers, and the hottest Hong Kong, chop-socky-style action!  

ART

Visual art will be everywhere in NoHo with public art stations hosted by ArtStorm, live mural painting and seven gallery installations and exhibits in all of the NoHo galleries. 

Galleries and activities start at 12 p.m.

The collection of dark folk tales serves as inspiration for this unique group exhibition. Artists include Cory Benhatzel, Steven Daily, Marisa Cody, Wendy Crabb, Paul D'Elia, WB Fontenot, Ashley Fontenot, Amber Johnson, Kim Kimbro, Thea Saks, Wiley Wallace and more

- "Latin Fusion" will highlight some of L.A.'s most talented Latino artists as well as artists from Central and South America.  Featured artist Paul Torres. Group artists include Christina Amezquita, Rony Armas, Gina Bocalbos, Jessie Castillo, Ricardo Cisneros, Gerardo Gomez, Roy Guzman, Leon Jimenez, Christina Ramos, George Scribner. Live Painting and more.

- "Art Unites 5" presents "Art Unites 5," an exhibition of personal works from the artists behind the scenes of your favorite movies and television shows.

ArtStorm is providing six public canvas painting stations manned by some of the best urban aerosol artists in the area. The public is invited to participate and express their creative side. 

and Presents - "Locals Only" Located in the LOFTS at NoHo Commons the "Locals Only" gallery will feature the work of San Fernando Valley visual artists.  Enjoy art all day from 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.

THEATRE

15 NoHo theatres take center stage with free performances of comedy, drama, musicals, and improv; free classes and demos. Theatre programming runs 12:30 p.m. to a final showtime of 5 p.m. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

: The Wizard of NOHO, a family friendly magic show with magician/storyteller Brandon Scott; Audrey M. Singer reads selected poems from her book, STORIES IN RHYME; Eugene H. Butler, director/actor/award-winning playwright will premiere a new one-act; Music-Songs and Pizzazz! Julie Barry sings favorite tunes accompanied by Billy Revel, BRANDON SCOTT AND FRIENDS variety show with special guests Mhairi Morrison, a Scottish Highlands comedian, and singer/actress, Bonnie Gordon.

: Offers a free Acting Class with master acting coach and Emmy Award winner Fran Montan.

: Join some of the actors from the current critically acclaimed production, , singing the Noel Coward songs, an afternoon cabaret of Coward's war-time music as featured in their our show.

: Total Improv, KIDS! Linda Fulton directs funny little ones performing improv; hysterical all male improv group The Schtickheads directed by creator, Paul Storiale; and award-winning , all female improvisation group voted 2011 Best of LA City Voter.

: Improv group Champagne Jam with Dane White (A Big Gay North Hollywood Wedding), sketch comedy performed by Cool Table, one of Chicago’s most popular groups, improv group Not From Here, who recently had a successful run at CCTC, and open mic, with various performers…singing, stand-up, anything goes!

: PUT ON YOUR SHORTS Best of songs and one-acts by the Group Rep that have recently had successful performances at the Lonny Chapman Theatre. Theatre, of course, is the home to "full-length" plays, as well as shorter "one acts," songs, and sketches. And the common denominator for all these forms is "story." They all use character to tell some kind of tale.

The Group Rep has 10 of these short pieces to demonstrate a wide range of theatre, seven "theatre songs" and four short plays featuring the talents of members: Laurie Morgan, Henry Holden, Linda Alznauer, Lloyd Pedersen, Lareen Faye, Colette Rosario, Irene Chapman and Diana Martin. Wizard performer and musician Wayland Pickard will accompany the singers and lend his own brand of genius to the proceedings.

: This new theatre facility serves as host to: the Group Rep’s PUT ON YOUR SHORTS; Free Acting Class with The Kristofer McNeely Acting Studio, a unique, intensive, in‐depth acting class; and Zombie Joe’s Underground’s TAKIN’ A BREAK FROM SEX created and performed by Andy and Joleen Mullins.

: The esteemed Young Actor’s Studio’s “Method Acting & Comedy Improv Demo Class” for young and aspiring actors ages 9-18 will offer a free class with Jeff Alan-Lee. Jeff’s students include many top talents, including Shia Labeouf and Scarlett Johannson. 

: THAT’S AMORE! AN AMERICAN ITALIAN SONGBOOK, a musical autobiographical revue, stars Gilmore Rizzo, is filled with fun music, laughs, and stories about a boy growing up in an Italian-American household when music was king and so was the food!

: Selected scenes from LOVE LETTERS by A.R. Gurney, world renowned, Pulitzer Prize winner’s two character play which covers the lifetimes of two friends born in the 1930s who communicate throughout their lives using the lost art of letter writing.

: presents NOHOs longest running kids and teen comedy shows will present comedy improv, sketch and stand-up, written and performed by kids and teens, and a Free Teen Kid Comedy Class. Joy Theatre is the Winner of Nickelodeon’s Parent’s Choice #1 children’s theatre in Los Angeles!

: SMORGASBORD, a one-woman cooking show, about a woman who ‘unravels’ while demonstrating a recipe, written and performed by Janet Chamberlain; excerpts from SMOKE AND MIRRORS, a magic show with a story, a fantastical journey featuring Albie Selznick and Bettina Zacar;  Free INTENTIONAL COLD READING WORKSHOP for actors ages 8 + with award-winning director and top acting coach Loren E. Chadima; PLAYING DOCTOR, a coming of age story about a young girl’s struggle to care for her ill parent, her early sexual awakening, and lots of lots of food, featuring Lauren Clark.

: Put the Kettle on Productions presents BOB CRATCHIT AND MR. TIGHTWAD, a holiday musical with a twist, a version of the classic story with an eclectic mix of contemporary songs and extraordinary adventure just right for you and your family; DHM & Angry Amish Productions present songs from the hit show currently running at the Secret Rose Theatre, , a musical comedy about an 8½ month pregnant lady who goes into labor in a Minnesota Bar during a snowstorm. Featuring: Greg Barnett, Rebekah Dunn, Bert Emmett, Patrick Foley & Natalie Lander.
 

: Monkey Butler presents OCCUPY NOHO!

Come protest the lack of laughter in America by watching the best of Monkey Butler putting on a completely improvised comedy show. Winner of the 2011 iOwest LA Improv Festival Harold Competition.

: TAKIN’ A BREAK FROM SEX by Andy and Joleen Mullins, a clever, fast-paced comedy show exploring relationships

RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL: More than 30 local restaurants and retail boutiques will open their doors and offer specialized menus, samplings and discounts to festival visitors.

This press release was edited for content and clarity.