Emboldened/Unsung Jazz Heroes tickets are now available!

Did any of you check out that fantastic piece in City Arts about our upcoming Engaged Theatre production, Emboldened? If you haven't, you should!

D'Vonne Lewis (left) and Reginald Andre Jackson (right)

Photo by Steve Korn

“When we’re playing well together and we don’t realize it and we’re in some other place, that’s where the beauty is,” Lewis continues. “But Buddy took it to that place and couldn’t handle it. Music can make you go crazy if you always want to get to that place. He always wanted to blow people’s minds every time he played, so much so he blew his own mind.” 

Read the full article by Jake Uitti here.
Buy tickets to Emboldened/Unsung Jazz Heroes here.

Emboldened poster. Artwork by Jay Mason

Freehold's Engaged Theatre program, in association with Theatre Off Jackson, presents an immersive music and theatre experience commissioned by Freehold and produced in partnership with the Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas and The Mahogany Project.

Emboldened/Unsung Jazz Heroes investigates the need to seek - both individually and collectively - an identity and a durable sense of self; and inquires into how necessity leads to the birth of inspiration. Juxtaposing stories from Seattle's historic jazz scene with the forgotten legacy of Buddy Bolden, the project examines the extraordinary internal worlds of these under-noticed souls and their struggle to break out of imposed limits - creatively and destructively.

A two-part experience featuring an interactive site-specific installation as well as an original play, Emboldened/Unsung Jazz Heroes will combine video, performance and music for a night of storytelling that will invite the public to encounter theatre - and each other - in a new interface.

The event features an original play, Emboldened: The Rise and Fall of King Bolden the First, byReginald André Jackson (winner of the 2010 AATE Distinguished Playwriting Award) about the life of Buddy Bolden, accompanied by an original score composed by D'Vonne Lewis (of Industrial Revelation, winner of the 2014 Stranger Genius Award in Music). The play will be prefaced by the live installation Unsung Heroes of Seattle Jazz, a contextual historic gallery showcasing the stories of Seattle's vibrant yet underdocumented jazz scene.

Freehold's Engaged Theatre program presents

Emboldened/Unsung Heroes

July 23, 24, 25 at 7:00pm; July 26 at 5:00pm

July 31, August 1, 3 at 7:00pm; August 2 at 5:00pm

Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Ave S, Seattle WA 98104

PAY WHAT YOU CAN

An interview with Andre Nelson

This weekend we had a chance to chat with Andre Nelson, a new instructor who's teaching Step I: Intro to Acting this summer. You may have seen him in various shows around town, including Bunnies at Annex Theatre in April. Andre's been involved with Freehold's Engaged Theatre tour for years, but this is his first time teaching with us. Welcome, Andre!

Freehold: Tell us a little bit about your background as a performer. How did you first become involved with theatre?

AN: I've been acting since age 10, when I played Cupid in a murder mystery at a winery. I was hooked soon after and began studying theatre intensively at an arts magnet program in my high school. 

Unfortunately, I had a rotten experience in the theatre program at my first college and swore off acting forever. A few years later, however, I had an epiphany while flipping burgers as a line cook in Portland, Oregon: I couldn't escape my need to act nor would I be happy without it.

Long story short, I finished up my BFA at Cornish College of the Arts and have been working professionally in theatre since.

What brought you to Freehold?

I first worked with Freehold doing their Engaged Theatre tour of King Lear to Washington State Prisons a few years back. It was an illuminating experience, and I am grateful I had the chance to connect with easily the most attentive, appreciative audiences I've ever encountered.

Tell us about a memorable onstage or backstage moment.

One memorable moment I had as an actor was my first entrance in a scene. It was the murder mystery I mentioned, in which I played Cupid in green tights and an oversized, ruffle-sleeved white shirt to boot. I was apparently too young to be trusted to make my entrance by myself, so someone was in charge of letting me know it was time for my one and only entrance in the play. Unfortunately, no one came to tell me. One of the actors on stage had to improvise and run backstage to grab me. It was an amusing, albeit embarrassing introduction into the crazy world of theatre!

Do you have a favorite role that you've played? Which role(s) would you be interested in playing in the future, and why?

One of my more memorable roles was playing the character Louis from Virginia Woolf's The Waves, an adaptation directed by Sheila Daniels at Cornish College of the Arts. Not only did I have to learn an Australian dialect and play an uptight social outcast, but I also got the pleasure of giving life to Woolf's beautiful poetry. 

I've always wanted to act in a Chekhov play - any of them really but Cherry Orchard and The Seagull in particular. Every character he wrote is well rounded and fascinating. 

What are you looking forward to teaching in your Step I class this summer?

I'm looking forward to getting to know the students and being inspired by them. I can't wait to learn from each class in order to grow as a teacher and give them the best experience possible. 

Step I: Intro to Acting runs on Monday nights, starting July 13th. Sign up today!

All's Well photos and 2015-2016 ETI Applications

First off, congratulations to the 2014-2015 ETI folks on their fantastic run of All's Well That Ends Well!

Thanks to Michael Brunk of NW Lens for taking these amazing shots! More photos can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Also, we've opened our 2015-2016 ETI applications up once again due to popular request, so get them in while you still can! The deadline is Wednesday, July 1st at 5:00pm. Auditions will be held on the evening of Thursday, July 9th.

To apply:

- Fill out this online application form.

- Email your theatrical resume, headshot, and 2 letters of reference to admin@freeholdtheatre.org

Freehold's Ensemble Training Intensive is the only independent 10-month certificate program for dedicated actors in the Pacific Northwest. Our central aim is the development of core acting skills that are as delicate as they are vital, and too often overlooked. ETI was created for the serious student who is ready to commit to the next level artistically, and professionally. ETI empowers emerging professionals with a dependable inner and outer process so that they can make a meaningful contribution to the community at large. 

More information about our ETI program can be found on our website.

2015 Summer Quarter Acting & Theatre Classes at Freehold

Hello friends of Freehold!

With June well underway, we hope you're keeping an eye on the start dates for our summer quarter classes! Here's the full lineup below:

Emerging Series

Step I: Intro to Acting with Sarah Harlett (weekday)  Class full! Waiting list only.

Step I: Intro to Acting with Andre Nelson (weekend)

Step II: Acting with Text with Meg McLynn 

Intermediate Series

Step III: Basic Scene Study with Annette Toutonghi

Rehearsal and Performance with Darragh Kennan 

Writing Series

 Playwriting I: Point of View with Rebecca Tourino

Workshops and Clinics

Acting for the Camera with John Jacobsen

Advanced Clown with George Lewis

Personal Clown with George Lewis

Shakespeare Intensive with Amy Thone

Voice Over with G. Valmont Thomas

Also, an update: our new summer office hours are Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm. Have questions about registration? Feel free to call us during office hours at (206) 323-7499.

Happy summer, everyone!

Hey everyone! Now that our annual dinner and auction has wrapped up, things are slowly getting back to normal around the office here.

A few things coming up:

1) Tonight! Join us at Northwest Film Forum for a screening of short films by our Directing Workshop students! There will be two showtimes: 7pm and 8:30pm. Reserve tickets here!

2) Summer class samples are on June 9th! Curious about what taking a Freehold class is like? Drop by at 6pm for a FREE preview of some classic Freehold offerings (Gin Hammond's Voice, MegMcLynn's Step I, and Matt Smith's Improv). Reservations recommended; reserve a spot here!

3) Freehold's Ensemble Training Intensive presents All's Well That Ends Well at 12th Ave Arts. Directed by Andrew McGinn with choreography by Donald Byrd. The show runs from June 11-14; don't miss it! All performances are pay what you can. Get your tickets here!

Also, our early bird discount just ended but it's not too late to sign up for summer quarter classes!

May news & updates

It's already May, which means we've got a lot going on here at Freehold.

First of all, our summer classes are now open for registration! We've got the return of our classic hits, such as Acting for the Camera with John Jacobsen, Personal Clown with George Lewis and the Shakespeare Intensive with Amy Thone. We're also welcoming new faculty members Andre Nelson and G Valmont Thomas, who will be teaching Step I and Voice Over, respectively. Register by May 26th to receive a 5% early bird discount.

Also, INCUBATOR Studio Series applications are due on Thursday, May 7th! A vital part of Freehold’s educational mission is to encourage those who study with us to experiment in a performance situation with the processes and tools developed in the classroom. INCUBATOR gives participants the opportunity to take a critical next step with their work by bringing it into an investigative setting with a director, and then into the public arena with an audience.

Tomorrow, GiveBIG to Freehold and have your donation go further! Every donation we receive on our online donation page on May 5th will be "stretched" (i.e. partially matched). Want to support radical accessibility in the arts? Donate to Freehold on May 5th!

Finally, we've been busy getting ready for our annual dinner and auction at the Palace Ballroom. We've got a wide selection of fabulous prizes to bid on, music will be provided by the talented D'Vonne Lewis trio and wine will be provided by Chateau Ste Michelle. Matt Smith will officiate the auction, and we'll be honoring two special guests: Sharon Nyree Williams and John Jacobsen. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, do so now! Ticket sales end this weekend.

Can't make it on May 18th? Check out our online auction, open from May 7th to 14th!

An interview with ETI alum Kiki Yeung

Happy Monday, friends of Freehold! Have you ever wondered what former Ensemble Training Intensive (ETI) students have gone on to accomplish? Over the weekend the multitalented actress, model, producer (and ETI alum!) Kiki Yeung was kind enough to answer some questions for us about her life since ETI.

FREEHOLD: What first made you interested in acting and theatre?

Kiki Yeung: Since I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor. When I lived in Hong Kong, my dream was to become a pop singer, then my family immigrated to Bothell, WA when I was twelve. Growing up, my dad played a lot of Hollywood movies such as Die Hard, Jaws, Star Wars and Indiana Jones at home. I wanted to be like Julia Roberts after watching Pretty Woman. When I went to UW, I wanted to major in film acting, but there was only theater major. Theater and monologues were such foreign concepts to me. Luckily, there was no audition necessary to enter the Drama program, and I'm so glad I majored in Drama and learned the production side of things.

Since graduating from ETI, what are some of the projects you've been involved with?

I continued to develop my one woman show "Second Chances For Grace" from the ETI solo class. I met an amazing actress and teacher, DeAnna Driscoll in San Diego. She directed the show and it won an award at the San Diego Fringe Festival in 2013. It was a challenging and exciting process to play eight characters based on my life. I am a producer and actress at Titan Sky Entertainment. We are in development for GodMachine, a sci-fi film featuring some alums from TV series Star Trek and Earth Final Conflict. Our latest feature Star Leaf is premiering at Seattle Northwest and making an appearance at Hempfest and Hempapalooza in June 2015. I worked in Hong Kong recently and traveled to London for filming with some of my favorite actors from Hong Kong. I got to work with Thailand superstar Tony Jaa on a big budget action film and booked a feature role in another feature film.

You've been involved in several different types of projects (acting, modeling, producing), often simultaneously--how do you manage it? And how do you feel that your different areas of work influence each other?

I never thought about how I manage it. Good question. I pray and go with my instincts on projects I feel passionate about and work with people who inspire me and complete their projects. Timing is very important. I learned to be more patient while waiting for things to fall into place. I get to act in the film or play I produce, and modeling just comes when I get a call from my agents. Everything is interconnected and the experience contribute to my growth as a human being and an artist.

How has your participation in ETI impacted the work you are doing currently?

ETI changed my life. I'm still absorbing things I learned from voice and movement. I still practice the warm ups and vocal progression very often. I swear by them. The yoga practice helped me tremendously to tune into my body and mind. I learned to be open and have a child's mind at any stage of production. I definitely am confident about my process and am constantly refining it as time goes by. Suddenly, something I learned from ETI clicks. Being part of an ensemble taught me how to communicate with and manage people when I am acting and producing.

How has being an actor of color affected your career?

It's been a roller coaster ride. As a woman of color, an immigrant and an actress, I have to create opportunities for my peers and myself. In San Diego, colorblind casting is almost non-existent. It gets frustrating playing the same characters that have a few lines. I'm good at it but it no longer challenges me anymore. I feel I have to be 200% better, faster, prettier, more well spoken, useful and prepared as an actor of color. I cannot just be an actor, I have to learn how to produce, writer, direct, edit and market my own projects. All this is good because it made me a stronger more multifaceted actor. I learned to accept my strengths and weaknesses.

Can you tell us a little bit about the organization you founded, the San Diego Asian Artists Ensemble (SDAAE)?

It was out of frustration and passion to connect with other Asian artists in San Diego and create opportunities to share our talents with the community. We are rehearsing for our inaugural production San DiAsians! The show is written by the cast and is a dynamic presentation of sketch comedy and monologues. The monologue brings each actor's story to life with a splash of music, dance, martial art and some soy sauce on the side. We are launching an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the production. The cast, writers and musicians have all pulled together to create a promo trailer. I'm impressed by the amount of talent in San Diego and feel so blessed I get to be a part of this. Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/sdasianartistsensemble

What were some of your favorite or memorable moments from your time during ETI?

Voice class when my teacher, Kimberly pressed the spot on my tummy and I started crying as if a door has unlocked. She told me it's ok. You are enough. I never felt enough for myself, my parents, my acting. That moment woke me up. Being in George's class doing crazy movement and handstands. Just playing and trying new things. Testing my limits. Being in voice class and seeing my classmates open up and be vulnerable. Making friends that I still contact now. Getting suffocated with a pillow by Lance McQueen for our Othello scene. Running after Tony and getting dragged by his leg as Helena in Midsummer Night's Dream. Playing Fate #3 in Pericles. I loved the process and being on the stage, anchoring the fake boat. Imagining the waves coming in, laughing and smiling to myself, thinking how much fun I was having and the audience can feel that energy. Breakdancing with a stick in Pericles. Spraining my right ankle then my left ankle during stage combat and rehearsal. Falling back on my head with a mild concussion during rehearsal. Graduation day, the look in my friends' eyes, the hugs we shared and how proud Robin and the teachers were of us. The look in Robin's eyes when she's saying something that means something to her...she tears up.

What advice do you have for those considering applying for ETI?

Just go for it. I didn't think I would get in let alone receive a scholarship since I applied six or seven years post graduation from UW and was rejected. Timing and not giving up is key. Get a coach and work on some new material. Be prepared to play and collaborate in a group setting. Breathe, stay in the moment and connect with the group during the audition. Just have fun! Not everything or everyone will be fun, but those things will test your character and stamina, and that's what a truly great actor is made of.

To learn more about Kiki, visit her website: www.kikiyeung.biz 
Or find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kikiyeungactress

Interested in learning more about the ETI program? We've got an info session tonight at Freehold at 6pm. Applications for ETI's 2015-2016 season are due on April 20th.