Father Figure James Broughton

at Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park,  7377 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

I’m really looking forward to presenting “Behold the Bridegrooms Revisited” on Summer Solstice! It’s truly a pleasure and honor to create a second show of James Broughton material for audiences - things I couldn’t include in the recent “ECSTASY FOR EVERYONE” because I wanted to keep that show under an hour. Now I get to fulfill a longtime dream of reciting luscious poetry over live cello music and work with a colorful cast of friends in presenting the lyrical beauty of wedding text to his partner Joel Singer. Saturday June 21 is going to be a fun time all day long, with a queer music festival produced by Apt 3F and Planet Queer outside Fiesta Hall during the day from 2:30-6:30pm, followed by the Bridegrooms show at 7pm. We’re even going to screen James & Joel’s film collaboration “Devotions” around 6:45pm as a warm up to the live presentation. And there will be delicious cupcakes to enjoy afterwards!

Performed live on June 12 in the Spielberg Theatre at the iconic Egyptian Theatre!

If you have not seen the documentary film yet - “BIG JOY: The Adventures of James Broughton” is now available streaming video on demand (www.kinolorber.com) and on Netflix.  Seeing the film is essential viewing to truly understand the story and journey of this remarkable artist who deserves greater recognition. I think sharing the film going experience with audiences for this film takes the journey to another level, but just see it whenever you can. And see it more than once. I’ve now seen the film 8 times and find new elements that inspire me each time.  I’ve enjoyed performing live alongside the screenings 7 times (as of this writing) in Palm Springs, New York City, and Los Angeles and look forward to more whenever the opportunities arise. I have a lot more stories to share about those experiences and the various synchronicities and “aha” moments that have come along with the journey. It has been so great to see the audiences react to both my poetry recital and his story in the film. 

In performance before the One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival screening on June 10

I am so grateful for the creators of the documentary film “BIG JOY: The Adventures of James Broughton” (particularly for Stephen Silha’s passion behind the project)  - for it is helping to bring James Broughton back into the light and sharing his amazing life and spirit with new audiences. I’m one of his new greatest fans as a result! While I had heard of him before, it wasn’t until the film that I dove into this body of work - and what a swim in gloriously fascinating waters it has been!

James Broughton has become a mentor and guide to me from the stars, he is a kindred spirit and father figure. While he may not have been a very present father to his birth children (the film covers the family issues quite well), he certainly has been a great father of gay spirit to many that have since been inspired by his wit, wisdom, humor, and fascinating history. I know that his words sing to me from the page, calling for me to perform them in various ways, and his films inspire me to delve back into my own background in film production. While he isn't physically around, his presence is definitely felt through the power of his art he's left behind and in the loving recollections of friends who knew him well. I still haven’t read all of his works, and am constantly being presented with new delicacies of writing and film to savor - which is great, because it means there are more grand surprises to come. The journey continues. As James says: FOLLOW YOUR OWN WEIRD!

Holding James's golden flying phallus recreation with artist manager, Marc Arranaga,
and film producer/co-director Stephen Silha after the One City One Pride screening

My Valentine to James Broughton & Poetry

This week marks the opening of the full length one-act production of "ECSTASY FOR EVERYONE: A Theatrical Celebration of the Poetry & Art of James Broughton"and I am indeed feeling ecstatic for it! James, I am ready to "beguile the rest of the world with the seductions of your frisky gospel"

It's been quite a year. It was last February when "Kitten" & David, the Radical Faeries from SF came to LA to promote the upcoming documentary film "BIG JOY: The Adventures of James Broughton". I knew I wanted to be involved in honoring James, but I didn't quite know just what I was getting into. But once I started reading his poetry, I knew there was a powerful piece of poetic theatre to be made. The blessing of James's partner Joel Singer, the guidance of Mark Thompson, the championing of filmmaker Stephen Silha, the coaching of Sky Palkowitz, and many others have come in to give this piece such loving wings.

So, February 14th may be Valentine's Day, but come February 15th I'll be sending up a vibration of love into the cosmos with the theatrically staged reciting of James Broughton's exquisite poetry.

Get your tickets NOW to experience the ECSTASY!
http://ecstasyforeveryone.brownpapertickets.com/

Saturday, February 15, 22, & March 1 @ 8pm
Sunday, February 16 & 23 @ 6pm 

Spirit Studio in Silverlake
3711 Evans Street (off Hyperion)
Los Angeles, CA 90027

"Come! Convalesce with me in the clarity of wonder 
Together we can dawdle in the hotbeds of heaven
And dance untrammeled in the palaces of wisdom!"

Ecstatic Alignment in ECSTASY FOR EVERYONE

“Bring your orbits into harmony - time to plant starseed in one another’s eyes”

5 performances begin Feb 15 - more info hiveworld.org

Counting down. 2 weeks until the opening of the show. Yesterday I had one of those “aha” moments as if my inner being had suddenly moved into some sort of cosmic alignment. I felt the harmony of my actions, saw the bigger picture of my life in play, and gained an appreciation for what already has been and an excitement for what is yet to be. I’m feeling the ecstatic bliss of working on ECSTASY FOR EVERYONE. Sure, there is a lot of work to do yet, but I’m feeling great about the show and my connection to the material. The more I rehearse, the more the words are taking root inside of me, and I feel that my life thus far has created a fertile landscape for its growth.

I have been swimming lately, and enjoying the way the movement in the water is making me feel. Admittedly I have been out of shape - enticed by many festive feast indulgences and using my busy busy activities as an excuse for not having enough regular exercise. But this show has activated me. I am indeed in a process of training, both the body at the gym and yoga mat, and in mind with the rehearsing and memorization. Creating a full length show of this scale is putting forth a good challenge to reach for. I think about the athletes training for the upcoming Olympics and the extreme amount of focus and discipline they manifest. Their dedication is why so many will be watching them in awe. Then of course my mind goes out to those who don’t have access or ability to the level of support and skill that Olympians do, and to all the people in Russia and other countries where being queer/gay has dire consequences. I feel very privileged in my life to live as open and free as I do. The community in LA is full of gay cultural riches. It may in fact, be too much and overwhelming at times, but right now I am in sincere appreciation for all those gifts. I feel that my creation and process of putting on ECSTASY FOR EVERYONE is making good on the opportunities I am granted.

from Arboretum/Ash 2006

And this show fits in so perfectly with the body of work I have already been doing over the past 13 years as a performance artist and 26 years as a multimedia artist (counting since age 13 when I got my first videocamera and made movies). I’m 39 years old and aware that the time is flowing by. I’m not a youngster anymore - there are certain things as a performer I just can’t do anymore (or at least not without aches and pains or other consequences). But this is exactly why I love working with James Broughton’s material - he is an eternally young trickster and his poetry is so utterly vibrant it brings out the inner child to frolic. In this piece I get to take all the years and various experiences of creating lush, sensual, homoerotic, fantastical, magical performance art and put it to use with the exquisite body of work that James Broughton brought forth into this world. It makes so much sense - the arc of my work over the years and now this piece of the cosmic puzzle allows me to appreciate and see the bigger picture.

from Cavafy's Caress 2011

I see connections to the show I did called “Cavafy’s Caress” - about the gay poet Cavafy. In fact it was because I did that show, that I recognized one could be created from James’s poetry. I see connections to my unorthodox spiritual cabarets - soulful singing and storytelling plays well with Broughton’s wise words - and I’ve even crafted three songs out of his poems. I see connections to my days in the Invisible Theater were we created some rather wildly amazing archetypal performances ranging from profound to campy for an intimate and mostly gay audience. I see connections to the various productions for Rachel Rosenthal or at Planet Queer/Queer Mondays/Phyllis’ Garage. It’s making sense to me, and I am in sublime appreciation of that.

from Confessional 2009

Sometimes I feel that I “should” be doing more for human rights around the world. It pains me to sit by while the world continues to mistreat and/or demonizes gay people. There are indeed amazing strides that have been made, but the battle is far from over. But I don’t feel I’m sitting by casually - I am incredibly active, and truly feel that I am doing my small part by creating a show like this, if nothing else because I can. And because it brings to life the words of a great man who deserves greater recognition in this day and age. And because it is so free and expressive of a show that celebrates sexuality and life, and will leave people feeling uplifted. My rehearsals for it are certainly bringing me to a euphoric state - it takes a lot out of me, but if it can be a fraction of as thrilling for those to see it as it is to perform, then hooray - that’s my little part to play in this crazy world we live in. I feel so utterly grateful for the opportunity to create and share this work.
Ok, back to work - only two more weeks - training, training!

“This is an alleluia of life - This is the humming of humansong.”

from Red Lights 2006

from Invisible Theatre Dreams & Desires 2006

from The Myth of Snowflakes 2005

Happy ReBegin 2014 Blissings!

Greetings!
Best wishes to you in this brand new 2014! Here’s hoping that the turn of another year finds you well and full of blissings in body, mind, spirit, and soul.

We always end the year with a flurry of activity (also known as the holidaze). In recent years I’ve found myself really desiring to turn within around this time of year, responding to the natural winter cycle and need to "hibernate".

January is one of the most fabulous months for carving out some personal space to ground oneself with intentions for the year ahead. Of course we can create resolutions, but it’s also a wonderful time to honor the previous year’s accomplishments and lessons learned from any set-backs or unfinished goals.



January is named after the Roman deity Janus, and you don’t have to believe in any kind of two-headed god, to contemplate the archetypal concepts and relevance that fresh beginnings have to our modern lives. Here is a link to a video I created last year about Janus Geminus for anyone who isn’t familiar with January’s historical roots.

What always fascinates me the most is how the month of January (and February) were once considered outside the measure of calendar months, a span of time in between the 1st month of March and 10th month of December, where people could cleanse themselves from the past year and prepare for the future. A time to stretch out, take care of our inner needs, and reflect upon the sunlight growing gradually longer each day (for the Northern hemisphere at least). It truly fascinates me how our modern societies measure of time is still based upon long gone cultures and evolved customs.

But now is the time for ReBegin. Renewal and rejuvenation. I wish you all generous amounts of time to cultivate and connect with your inner personal needs.

I took some time to cast reflection upon the year that was. For those who would like to join me on the journey of review, you can find me sharing some highlights here.

I took some time to gaze into the possibilities of the year ahead. Several exciting creative projects are in development and I look forward to sharing more about them over the course of the year.

The most immediate upcoming event that I am eager to share is the premiere of a brand new full length one-man, one-act show called “Ecstasy For Everyone: A Theatrical Celebration of the Poetry & Art of James Broughton.” I had no idea of the adventure I was in for when I set about creating a 10 minute piece for the after party of the “Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton” documentary premiere in San Francisco last June.

I became entranced by James’ poetry and knew that I had to bring an hour long performance of his words to life on stage somehow. The last two weekends of February and first one of March will bring the first incarnation of the show in Los Angeles as I prepare it for a gigs in San Francisco and beyond. More details about the show can be found here or in blogs to come!

2013 Year in Review

4 Seasons of Fabulous Feets of Daring Do photos in 2013

2013 proved to be the most diverse and busy year ever for this performing artist and creative consultant, with lots of growth and learning opportunities, new experiences, and fantastic artistic celebrations. I spent the New Year's Eve contemplating the year that was, reflecting upon the various accomplishments and lessons. Here are a few highlights by month.

January 2013

The year got off to a good start, with focus and attention being put on creative collages once again. My midnight collages brought my practice of art happening at night before bed, rather than during the day and became a great way to unwind throughout the year. I performed for the Theatre of Note's Annual Theatre Marathon as well as brought "Songs & Stories For Our Days" to Palm Springs (Thanks Tony & Michael). I also began working as an assistant for Video Designer and Programming wizard Jon 9, with my first gig at TEDX Caltech - the subject was the brain!

February 2013

February continued my love of gardening - wintertime being such a great season for growing winter crops in LA at The Alien UFO* Garden (*Urban Friendly Organic). A trip to Tucson for the annual crystal fair/show with good friends Sky, Orit, Theo, and Goldiscruffs (Scruffy) brought home some real treasures. I relaunched "Songs & Stories For Our Days" in LA, this time performing the show as a singing bartender and with some new staging twists - I look forward to finding some time to do the show again sometime in 2014.

March 2013

March brought another fun performance at PLANET QUEER, the monthly variety show hosted by Ian MacKinnon & Travis Wood. My experience with an earthworm in the garden created a festive and educational performance about the importance of the lowly creatures in life on the planet. Once again I worked for the LA Women's Theatre Festival as video editor and videographer. Getting to video and meet the festival gala host Danny Glover was a highlight, as he was one of my favorite actors from childhood. The month ended with a most wonderful camping trip to one of my favorite nearby getaways, Joshua Tree Nat'l Park.

April 2013

April started with the first annual Hay Days LA by the Los Angeles Radical Faeries to honor the founder, Harry Hay's 101st birthday. Joining the new community has become a wonderful part of life in the year 2013. Drag Bomb night was indeed the bomb. A trip to NYC was most inspiring - especially catching all the life in bloom. It was under a tree, with blossoms blowing in the wind like a fairy tale, where I finished writing the song "Are You Running With Me, Jesus?" based on the book by author & gay rights pioneer Malcolm Boyd. I performed the song in his honor at Lambda Literary's event OUT WRITE! I also enjoyed filming a scene for Ian MacKinnon's Gay Historgy Part 3 as Zephyrus.

May 2013

May turned up the heat! Once more Ian MacKinnon and I co-produced GAY MAY DAYS, a fantastic frolic and celebration of gay history and gay nature. Many memorable moments came from the weekend festivities, including a return of Doug Hammett's amazing unicorns, a return of a section of my Cavafy's Caress performance, the earthworm, being a drag queen bee, and a most wild pagan evening that ended in one of the most memorable May Pole experiences. The Alien UFO* Garden kept providing quite the bounty, and helped inspire my role as WildMan for the California Men's Gathering, where I covered myself in mud and garden materials to inspire men to embody the theme of "Flourish" for the opening nights performance.

June 2013

June kept me on my toes. First there was my Legacy Garden installation for The Lavender Effect in INSTALL:WEHO, in which various U-Haul trucks were host to various artist's work. The Legacy Garden is an altar space/shrine honoring LGBTQ greats from history created from repurposed & salvaged materials. It was complete with a glitter nail polish and make-up mirror station which several people enjoyed throughout the days festivities. I enjoyed getting all glittered up once again for original performances at both WIG OUT & PLANET QUEER. I volunteered for various events in West Hollywood celebrating One City One Pride. Then I journeyed up to San Francisco where I participated in FAETOPIA, a most marvelous week-long event by the Radical Faeries of SF. I got to perform 3 different times, including a 10-minute piece based on the poetry of James Broughton at the after party of the film documentary premiere of "Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton." Who knew that after the week was done, I would be on a new mission to create a full length tribute to his poetry?!

July 2013

I did the cross-country trek from SF to Iowa, where I spent another summer working and connecting with my family roots. While I was unable to work as much as I have in years past for Dirty Face Creek Farm I still enjoyed the bounty of farm life. You can still see what the farm is up and the cool wool rugs that Jessica makes at www.dirtyfacecreekfarm.com. I caught up with dear high school friends at our 20th reunion: I really love our class of '93 and enjoy how genuinely excited we all are to reconnect and how time has given each of us new appreciations and perspectives on our lives. I look forward to the 25th. I also enjoyed creating and presenting a brand new performance piece, "Songs & Stories 2 Fools Between Worlds", a sequel to the first cabaret show.  It was great to explore and share a new piece with around 60-70 friends and relatives and to present various costumes and props (which I dragged across country in my golden trunk case). I look forward to developing the show for a run in LA sometime in late 2014.

August 2013

The trek from Iowa to Los Angeles was another beautiful experience - taking a different route than I ever had before - across Kansas & Oklahoma. I caught up to some work in LA and then prepared myself for the indescribable and most wonderful experience of Burning Man. Check out my previous blogs for more details and images - there was so much to see and do - really remarkable. I am in such appreciation for my friends in The SunnyMooners camp for making it happen.

September 2013

After Burning Man, I once again had to catch up to work in LA. I am grateful to have flexibility with my schedule. I took on some new professional organizing and video editing gigs. One of the great joys of September was producing the gay theatre icon Robert Patrick's brand new, tour-de-force show "What Doesn't Kill You...Makes A Great Story Later" on his birthday! We're bringing the show back for some encores in March of 2014.  I also enjoyed once again performing the "Hymns to Hermes" James Broughton poetry piece for PLANET QUEER audiences.

October 2013

October brought a retreat to South America, where I was able to once more explore the Amazon jungle and complete my writing of the James Broughton show and some new songs! I enjoy the active busy bee life, but it's retreats like this that allow me to slow down and sink deep within to complete new work - much to appreciate.  I ended the month as a Nymphomancer Witch in a fabulous and glittery performance with Ian MacKinnon and Travis Wood - quite a fabulous way to celebrate Halloween and get my witchiness on with friends.

November 2013

In November I co-produced another wild performance art event with the remarkable Ian MacKinnon called HOMO-HARVEST, featuring a large ensemble of some of LA greatest underground performance artists. It was sublime to wear stilts and perform a new piece as Harvest Man. I wasted no time cleaning up the show, as the very next day I flew to NYC to be technical director/stage manager for R. SKY Palkowitz's premiere in the Broadway District of her solo show "CALLING AMERICA: DON'T HANG UP!!" While there I caught up with a few friends, visited museums, enjoyed leaves in Central Park, saw Charles Busch's cabaret, and went to the historic spot of Cafe Cino on founder Joe Cino's birthday and did a special frottage rubbing of the plaque there for Steven Reigns upcoming Feb 2014 event The Gay Rub.

December 2013

Things did slow down a little bit in December so I could catch up on work and enjoy family time in Iowa for the holidays. It was a cold week, but most heart-warming. Before the holidays, on lukcy Dec 13 I attended the comic book premiere in LA for my birthday sister April Hava Shenkman. Last year on our Dec 29 birthdays we performed our The Happy Happy ReBegin Day Celebration, which I know helped manifest the amazingly diverse 2013 year. I also worked backstage for three nights on a dazzling show called "Esque," featuring the remarkable international designer and performer talents of my friend Yozmit. I capped the year off by doing several more collages and grounding myself with artistic energy. Such a year demanded that I spend some alone time hibernating during my birthday and the new year -- otherwise I would never have been able to write this blog! Feeling rejuvenated, now...onward to 2014!

May the year ahead be filled with lots of creative honey to share!

Producing Robert Patrick Playwright

poster by Andrew Adam Caldwell

On Sept. 27, 2013 I produced the icon of gay theatre, Robert Patrick, in a brand new, one-man memoir show called "What Doesn't Kill Me...Makes A Great Story Later". It proved to be a very historic evening; not only was it celebrating Mr. Patrick's 76th birthday (our original title for the show was "The Spirit of 76"), but the audience was filled with long-time RP friends, fans, the "newly converted", and several performers from The Caffe Cino, THE historic NY performance venue that became the origin of Off Off Broadway theatre. Robert Patrick has done a great job of archiving much of the Caffe Cino history - one can see his presentation about it here.

Myself alongside 4 Caffe Cino "originals": Gwen Van Damme, Jacque Lynn Colton, Robert Patrick, and Jenny Ventriss

Robert Patrick thrilled the audience, taking them on a 90-minute ride through his humbling experiences of celebrity, with occasional outbursts into song and supported by video clips from various theatrical productions. He transformed the tragic into magic, bringing laughter through his witty remembrances, which hindsight has redefined into a very memorable and informative history.

Robert Patrick was a triumph! (photo by Jason Wittman)

His performance was a revelation to many. Only a theatre professional with the pedigree like Robert Patrick could pull off the amount of memorization, character impersonations, and a cappella singing as he did. Here are a few comments/responses to the show:

"I was expecting a good evening, but this was much more than I anticipated. It was a wonderful evening from a gay pioneer." - Wendell Jones 

"A brilliant evening of theatre. Wonderful to hear of your work through such a talent of story telling. Enjoyed meeting you and every moment of the show." - Robert Babish

"What a fabulous show. I'm so glad to finally get the full story on Robert! It was hilarious, and moving, what a ride!!"-  Ian MacKinnon

"Bravo! The singing, the stories, the celebs, quite the sleigh ride!" - Duane Otis Boyer

Robert watches Shirley Knight perform in his play "Kennedy's Children" for which she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Play (photo by Jason Wittman)

It was a sublime honor to work with Robert in producing this show, and naturally it feels good to have inspired such fantastic, new work from a pioneer of gay theatre. 

THERE WILL BE MORE PRODUCTIONS OF THE SHOW TO COME - DATES TBA!!!

PRODUCER'S NOTE (from the program)

Whenever I meet Robert Patrick for coffee or lunch I always leave having been entertained by his stories on a multitude of levels. They usually contain some element of theatrical history, a twist of fate, a dash of wit, a heaping helping of philosophical perspective, a dirty detail or two, and a rotating cast of celebrities thrown in for good measure. 

As a gay performance artist and writer I relish this unique and vibrant connection to the origins of gay theatre and these lunches become extravagant banquets for feeding the mind and spirit leaving me filled with ideas and chuckling amused by his.

It became obvious these memoir stories deserved sharing with an audience. We set a date for the show (which just happened to be his birthday), I left for the summer, I returned and he had a whopper of a story ready to tell as only he can. So now there is a fabulous opportunity to celebrate and go along on his journey with his new piece. One feels there is much more to come! The man is a walking treasure of stories and consummate entertainer, but with a very unique point of view that is singularly Robert Patrick playwright.

Hava Happy Hour / Sunscreen & Tomatoes

This month I look forward to taking to the stage again with April Hava Shenkman for her HAVA HAPPY HOUR - Imagine The Judy Garland Show directed by Fellini.

It was a pleasure to share in the special birthday fun of THE HAPPY HAPPY REBEGIN DAY CELEBRATION. Now I return to the stage to share two songs alongside several special guests. It all happens 8:30pm at Spirit Studio Silverlake, 2601 Hyperion Ave. LA, 90027

For more details visit the Facebook invite page


In honor of the event, here is one of the very first collaborations April and I created, back in 2005! A crazy little romp of a piece called SUNSCREEN & TOMATOES. It's a pretty sick and twisted, yet wild bit of fun satire on relationships and the stereotypical differences between men and women. Plus it was just a good time getting all sloppy and crazy on stage!

A Most Happy Happy ReBegin Day Celebration!

The ReBegin is here, and in a very Happy Happy way! The Saturday, Dec. 29th performance proved to live up to the name and be a wonderful way to honor the long-time collaboration between performance artists April Hava Shenkman and Jason Jenn upon their shared birthday.  It was a very festive occasion, honoring the archetype of Divine Fool in all of us, the idea of Calendar Girls and the human fascination with dates and time, Janus Geminus (the Roman God of beginnings and the New Year where we get the word January), and the cosmic transition our little blue planet is on as it recently went through a Triple ReBirth of the Sun (an alignment of the Earth, the Sun, and the center of the galaxy as predicted by Mayan Astronomers).

When I first met April, in Rachel Rosenthal's workshops back in 2004, I was immediately intrigued. She's always had her iconic spiky hair style and ability to bring intensity to spoken word and rattle off some fast-talking gibberish like no other. I was stunned when we discovered we shared the same birthday. It was jarring at first, there went my unique "possession" of the day, but then I realized we were kindred spirits, and there was a mirror there to explore. We performed and created several performances together in Rachel's workshops, but it had been some time since the disbanding of Fauve Conspiracy in 2007 that we'd done a true collaborative piece together. So this year, the timing of our birthday on a Saturday evening seemed a most auspicious time to manifest some magic again.

April has been hosting her cabaret style event, The Happy Happy Show at various venues for many years now. The idea was to combine that element with my concept of The ReBegin, and viola, the performance was born and the idea of piecing together elements began. April and her partner, Jared Whitham spent 2012 creating a series of 12 short movies to commemorate each month in The HAVA Calendar series. HAVA means life in Hebrew, and indeed, April brought the months to life with her unique styling and flare, a nod to classic Hollywood, vaudeville, and clowning. So we framed the first act of the show around videos with The HAVA Calendar Series as the centerpiece, and the second act around live performance.

It was indeed an outrageous outing, requiring a lot of work and energy to be generated around an already crazy holiday season and end of year chaos. But the end result proved to be the best way I could image spending the birthday and celebrating this once-in-a-lifetime cosmic transition we are in. I learned a lot about myself and my connection to the archetypes we celebrated. In particular I had always been drawn into the double heads of the Roman deity Janus, but I didn't quite understand the full relevance. In doing my research I discovered innate connections that astounded me and proved to add another piece of the puzzle into the mystery of life.

I had an incredible time that lived up to being a Happy Happy ReBegin Day Celebration! It was so much fun, that I am sure that our performance will manifest itself in some way, shape, or form again at some point in the future. The audience too appeared to brighten up as the evening progressed, and several beautiful comments afterwards assured that this was not just a birthday party, but a true gift to everyone who attended. It was a remarkable way to end a remarkable year and propel energy into 2013! Many blissings and blessings to all!

A special thanks to Spirit Studio Silverlake, all our support/tech crew, and wonderful audience!

Also, you can get your special edition, hand-drawn by April Hava Shenkman,  HAVA, 2013 Calendars here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/114946226/hava-art-calendar-2013-with-12-drawings