com·bus·tion

Pronunciation: k&m-’b&s-ch&n
Function: noun
1: an act or instance of burning
2: a rapid chemical process that produces heat and usually light
3: violent agitation
4: a new series presented by SparkPlug Productions featuring unique evenings of original works that bring together the diverse media of the arts

As part of our effort to inspire, create and produce new work, SparkPlug Productions is proud to present the third evening in our ongoing series Combustion:

Combustion: THE SLOW BUILD

Thursday, November 9^th, 7:00pm

The Amato Opera House

319 Bowery @ Bleeker

$10 at the door

Featuring NEW works presented, performed and created by:

· Kathryn Alexander · Michael D. Arthur · Jess Barbagallo · Johanna Berke ·
· Misha Calvert · Frank Campanella · Paige Collette · Jack Condon ·
· Michael Hagen · Jason P. Howell · Laryssa Husiak ·
· Erika Karl · Lauren Koch · Christopher Lee · Tommy Meade ·
· Pauline Miller · Scott Organ · Matt Pavlovich · Rebekkah Ross ·
· Chris Rozzi · Gabriel Silva · Meghan Turbitt · Zero Boy ·

*Followed by an after-party across the street at Mannahatta*

What’s it all about?

Combustion is part of the creative process that we have employed to encourage artists to create new work by giving them a deadline, a guideline, our pool of talent and resources, and an audience. Presented as a series of three 90 minute performances over three months, each evening will be unique and feature new works in progress united by a word or phrase. The ultimate goal is to produce fully-fledged theatrical productions, films, art openings, and more out of these shorter pieces.

SAVE THE DATE NOW FOR FUTURE COMBUSTING!

2007 Combustion dates coming soon…

For questions, more information or to reserve your seat, please contact us at info@sparkplugproductions.net.

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First things first: if you haven’t marked our performance dates on your calendar, do so now! Do not delay! Do not risk having to give up concert tickets or dinner dates or baseball games or other hard to re-schedule things. Because we simply couldn’t bear it if you missed out on these performances:

September 28th, 7:00pm: Combustion:RESCUE
October 12th, 7:00pm: Combustion: COVET
November 9th, 7:00pm: Combustion: TBA

Each evening is unique and these pieces are going to be amazing! Which pieces? Well, these for starters:

Hot Pink on Forest Green - by Paige Collette
Ivanov (from A Very 80’s Chekhov) - by Misha Calvert
Orphans of the Digital Era - by Jack Condon
Philomel & Procne - by Michael Arthur
The Cold (an excerpt) - by Scott Organ
UNTITLED - by Michael Arthur
UNTITLED Radio Play - by Chris Rozzi
Plus the debut of Team Rescue

(See? Told you you wouldn’t want to miss it.)

Now, you may be saying to yourself right about now, “But who in the what now?! I need to be a part of this spectacular creative process! I’m available dammit, I’ve got the skills to pay the bills and I’ve got mad hits like I was Rod Carew! How do I get involved?!” Whoa there Mike D. - we urge you to quit beating yourself up and honestly? So many exclamation points are only going to give you a headache. But we understand these strong feelings because we feel the same way.

*We still need directors, actors and volunteers for September 28th. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t stormed with us, the important thing is that you want to be involved. Email us ASAP with your conflicts, your contact info and what it is exactly that you are offering us. We are also accepting submissions for the website and for the 10/12 and 11/9 performance dates.*

Also, if there’s a hole not mentioned above that you think you can fill, let us know. We’re up to our eyeballs with producing these mad affairs so we may be overlooking a very important person like you which would truly be a shame.

More thoughts on covet are going to be making their way up here soon to help you with that craving we know you have. In the meantime, two other things to put on your radar:

AD Lauren Koch is starring in a new internet sit-com that will have it’s debut very soon! Check the website for Floaters details to make sure that you don’t miss it!

AD Rebekkah Ross is going to be performing with El Jefe & His Empire City Band Wednesday, September 20th at Kili in Brooklyn (check back here for times).

We think you’re really pretty,

SP3

Workin’ workin’ workin’. We are busy little bees! A full line-up of pieces for Combustion: RESCUE will be up soon. Casting is in the works and we’ll start rehearsing very soon. Additionally, we will be posting web-only content and bossing you around a lot. Are you ready?

Excellent.

Rescue is up first, but right on the heels of rescue is covet and so, turning our thoughts to things more green-eyed in nature…

Covet: one of seven deadly sins; and the tenth commandment states pretty clearly that thou and I should not covet - asses nor oxen nor wives nor nuthin’. (Not a direct quote.) As a rule, bad things happen when you covet: Samson & Delilah (shave and a hair cut…and a gouging out of your eyes and a building on your head); David & Bathsheba (dead husband, dead baby, a lifetime of war, strife & shame), Adam & Eve (can’t quite remember…something bad happened, right?…)

At the surface, biblically speaking anyway, things look pretty cut and dry. Now take a quick look in your other heavy book at the definition of covet and you will see that it yields an interesting opposition of thought:

1. to wish for earnestly

2. to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another

One sounds downright innocent. It’s the cartoon angel and devil on your shoulder. How about a little desire? Is a little desire okay?

As a society we are encouraged to covet but we call it pretty things like capitalism and manifest destiny. Pretty (and governmentally sanctioned) turns of phrase allow us to tap into our deep-rooted feelings of entitlement with all the pleasure and none of the guilt. What’s mine is mine and what I want I should have because I deserve it.

As it was put so deliciously succinctly in an episode of Buffy : Want. Take. Have.

Tricky too is the fact that you can be covetous of anything: time, goods, good fortune, talent, company, release, seats behind home plate at Yankee Stadium. (Ahem. Just a random example.)

When is it okay to be greedy? To want what isn’t yours? Justification is generally easy to create and readily available even from the most level-headed among us. We are programmed to reward ourselves - you deserve it! You work hard for the money! So hard for it, honey.

Temptation and desire are excellent drivers of art. So get a little dark with blue-green envy and see what you come up with. Then do share!

Us? We’ll be over here singing “Tempted” and jealously craving your attention as we are ever yours,

SP3

We’re still walking on air after Start ‘er Up and so we blow kisses and send out a huge thank you to everyone who came out for our Launch Party! It was a smashing success on a beautiful night and we’re already talking about our next fete. Thanks also to everyone who helped, donated auction items, bid on auction items, danced and were just fabulous in general. Check out the side bar for some pictures of the evening.

If you weren’t there, you’ll just have to make it up to yourself by being there for the next one…

…but before there is a next one, we’ve got some combusting to do. Combustion: RESCUE is coming right up on September 28th and in anticipation of our second Combustion on October 12th we officially announced the second WORD at the party. On October 12th we will present Combustion: COVET. Oooo. Scandalous! Just like we like it. So get to storming on your own and let us know if you have anything covetous you’d like to contribute.

So sad and lonely storming on your own? Don’t be blue - storm with us instead! We’re downright stormtastic. Stormy Monday details can, as always, be found on the sidebar.

Saving a spot for you on our dance card,

SP3

Christopher Lee, Lauren Koch & Rebekkah Ross cordially invite you to an evening under the stars to celebrate the launch of SparkPlug Productions:

Monday, August 7th at 6pm

The Roof Deck at Bar 13
35 East 13th Street (at University Place)

$25 at the door

Please join us for an open bar, silent auction and the jazz stylings of El Jefe & His Empire City Band (featuring: Jeff Haley - guitar, Rebekkah Ross - vocals, & Konrad Meissner - drums) swinging you gently into the night to benefit the upcoming Combustion series.

For questions or to RSVP, please contact info@sparkplugproductions.net

SparkPlug Productions exists in order to promote the creation, production, performance, understanding and appreciation of new theatrical works. To that end, SparkPlug Productions seeks to present productions of theatre for the general public, provide experiences for audiences that enhance their appreciation of theatre and the arts, offer a working environment and experiences for artists that enhance their ability to create and present original theatrical works, and enlist the involvement and support of the community in its activities.

SparkPlug Productions is a venture that seeks to create a safe and inspiring environment for artists across all areas of the arts. Our aim in bringing together a diversified group is to foster collaboration and to offer the opportunity of creative control over one’s own work. Ideally, artists will join forces with like-minded people. Part of the spirit of this forum is to build and audience and to be an audience. By working together, we hope to develop a platform that allows us to break through boundaries and conventions: to create new works as well as a community of artists. For more information about SparkPlug Productions, please visit http://www.sparkplugproductions.net.

There’s something about a party that just puts us in a spin. And we’re lovin’ the spin we’re in. Under that old black magic called splug. The launch is the talk of the town (or will be shortly) and it’s hard for us to focus on much else. We’re going on crash diets to fit into our frocks, experimenting with hair-dos and thumbing through our records for just the right mix when the lights are low. With aqua-net in hand and stars in our eyes (from the aqua-net? from excitement? who knows?!), we give you your abridged recap:

This week we talked about the voyeurism that often accompanies a rescue, particularly in the form of documentaries and books or other collections of writings that are often brought before the public eye when a rescue isn’t so successful. A couple of recommendations on that front included the films Grizzly Man and My Best Fiend and books Into the Wild and Into Thin Air.

We also talked about what’s happening. “What is happening,” you ask? Well, I’ll tell you:

• podcasts are happening
• scenes are happening
• radio plays are happening
• short films are happening
• sculptures are happening
• photography is happening
• digital art is happening
• party is happening

Did someone say a party?!

We’ve got the time and the place and the rhythm. All we need is you to go with ‘em,

SP3

Abandon all hope ye who enter here!

Ninety-seven? Ninety-seven?! Had Dante been able to see into the future, perhaps he would have described our particular ring of hell: NYC Heatwave Limbo. Unable to focus, we find ourselves staring into space while visions of Nair and Gillette dance in our heads, contemplating the hasty removal of every hair on our bodies. We turn our sweaty backs on our significant others, choosing instead inappropriate relationships with window air conditioning units. But last night? Last night with icy beverages in hand and rescue on our minds we were cool cool cool in the evening. Here is your steamy recap:

Artists, prepare for bossing: get thee to a computer and send us your bio! You are late, but you are forgiven. We’re nice that way. Shoot ‘em on over to us . We would also like to offer you a SparkPlug email, if you’d like, in one of two forms: a SparkPlug mailbox that you log into and check; or email forwarding (your Splug email gets automatically forwarded to your everyday email address). Let us know which you would prefer and we’ll get on it.

And while you’re at it, if you haven’t yet alerted us regarding any silent auction or other donations for the big party, said alert would be greatly appreciated… If you have alerted us and we haven’t yet responded, do be patient with our heat-addled brains as we continue to organize.

As another friendly reminder/bossing, please keep in mind the August 1st deadline for Combustion: Rescue submissions. Again, these need not be fully formed, we just need to know of your intent to create so that we can include you in the master plan. We also want you to get your Rescue thoughts in order so that you can move on the second WORD which we will reveal right after the launch… curious? We bet you are, but our lips are sealed until after the big party.

What else do we need? We need you to spread the word about the launch! Check the sidebar for a fancypants save-the-date that will magically appear shortly.

And what of our sultry storming? We talked quite a bit further about the idea of Rescue of Self and also the repercussions self-rescue can have on those around you who didn’t think you needed rescuing to begin with (ex., the husband who thought of his wife as spirited until she put herself on anti-depressants).

These thoughts on how our behavior effects those closest to us whether or not our need for rescue is directly related to them led us to a discussion on the Rescue of Memories within a family. As we move into adulthood, are our memories rescued or snuffed out by our families? How does the dynamic in the conversation change when you are reminiscing with a friend as opposed to a sibling (ex., with a friend you tell of the visceral memory of the sun on your skin as you floated on the lake the summer you learned to swim - with a sibling you argue over who pushed who off the pier first)? Are memories of sibling connection that are precious to us - secret languages, imaginary worlds - and that we feel are formative to who we are as adults made less-important if they are undervalued by our siblings? Are we less likely to rescue them? And what of the obligations attached to being an older or more responsible sibling? How much further do you bend, how much farther do you go because of long-standing expectations?

Before we head for a cold shower, we’d like to ease your mind on the Stormy Monday tip. Stormy Mondays are not mandatory, but are there for you the Artist to use as a tool to spark your creativity. It’s a weekly check-in not a guilt-trip. So if you are feeling shy because you haven’t been by in awhile, come on in - the water is fine and so much cooler than the air out there.

Like David Lee Roth: we are crazy from the heat and totally jumping for your love,

SP3

As the mercury reaches up, up, up the thermometer, we find that we are walking slower and speaking in Southern accents. Suddenly we are unable to refer to ourselves in the first person and insist on being addressed with titles normally reserved only for family. So be a dear and mix Aunt Bekkah a drink while we fan ourselves on the porch and give you a very genteel recap:

Behold the fancy!

Splugger Erika has saved our hides once more and facilitated the move on over from the old site with the scary talking lady to our new digital home. It’s an internet revival, so put on your Sunday best and come on out to the tent! Witness! The new sidebar! Witness! The blog integration! Witness! The new forum with the old posts saved and testifyin’ in their new home! Can I get an amen?

Amen!

There will be more to come including but not limited to: galleries, podcasts, articles, Splugger artist profiles, and merchandise. So throw out the old bookmarks and point yourselves right here from here on out for all your SparkPlug information and congregatin’. As always, we will keep you aprised of important dates and Stormy Monday meeting details in the sidebar…

So what else is new? We got official word this week that we have been granted fiscal sponsorship by the good people at Fractured Atlas! What does that mean? That means that we, through them, have 501(c)3 status. What does that mean in English? That means that people can give us money and get a wink-wink nudge-nudge from Uncle Sam in the form of a tax deduction. We are very excited about this and proud to be working with such a great group of people. Check out their link on the sidebar to see all the good they do for the arts and artists.

And while you’re clicking around over there, make sure that you click on our *Important Dates* link and mark them in your calendars. Then circle the dates and dot the ‘i’s’ with hearts.

Allow us to hitch up our bossy-pants and remind you of your deadlines once more:

Things we need by July 15th: Notify us of any silent auction donations. Send us your bio so we can get you on our Splugger Artist page.

Things we need by August 1st: Get something down on paper (scene, concept, vague idea, sketch, doodle or otherwise) for Combustion: Rescue. We will have plenty of time to flesh them out, but we need to have the ideas down so we can start to put together the evening and the e-zine.

And to spark your rescue thoughts once more, think on this: measures we take to rescue ourselves. The very American “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” attitude that leaves us sometimes unable to ask for help - embarassed to even admit that we need it.  The lengths people will go to to avoid asking for help.  The depths we reach before we seek rescue.  The deals we make with ourselves - I will make a change/seek help when I reach this certain point.

Aaaaah.  Mint julep.  How did you know Aunt Bekkah wanted a mint julep?  You are just a piece of sweet potato pie is what you are.  As our rocking chairs begin to gently beat out the time of the soft hymns we are singing and the ice clinks against our glasses, we smile, hum and nod as we wish you a fine evening and remain yours ever,

SP3

Sweet Uncle Sam in his starred ‘n’ striped undies! We’re only a month away from our launch party! What are we doing about it? We’re stormin’ like Norman, that’s what. As we wave sparklers in our hands and perform (quite a spectacular if we do say so ourselves) high-kick routine to Neil Diamond’s classic They’re Comin’ to America we present you with your terribly patriotic recap:

As with all very special episodes, this one was a good one filled with tears, group hugs and many lessons learned. A big thanks to everyone who came out. People have asked us to be bossy of late so please be aware of the generous sprinkling of bold text throughout the post. Because bold text means we’re totally bossing you.

Paaaaaartaaaay! It’s going to be great. We will have live music, booze, snacks, a silent auction, a live auction and YOU, darling. We’ll have a special electronic save-the-date for you to send out shortly and non-digital materials soon thereafter. Please spread the word dear spluggers. We want to have a strong showing and it will be a great audience builder for Combustion. It will also be an opportunity for us to utilize an informal setting to talk to people about our mission of creating new works. Who knows what future producers may lurk next to the crudites? And speaking of that auction, we are still accepting donations, so if you have something you’d like to offer, please let us know by July15th so we can shyly kick at the dirt while we blush and thank you profusely. Other fantastic ideas for our fete? Hit us with an email.

We talked about several pieces in the works for Combustion: Rescue that we are very excited about. One that we went over was Team Rescue. It’s coming along nicely and should be a really fun runner through the evening in-between other pieces. Interested in being a part of TR? We need writers, rescuers, and more so do drop us a line…

Yes, I too have been working on TR and having read my work aloud lo these many nights to my cat, I know that having a couple of friendly ears is a valuable part of the writing process. But my cat is not so great at dialogue.

Keeping the limitations of felines in mind, we are prepared to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Well you could, but it would be very unbecoming. Attention writers!! If you are working on a piece and need to hear it aloud please let us know and we will be happy to put you in a quiet room with some actors for an hour to help you with the writing process. We just need to know how much you have, who you need and when you’re available. These pieces don’t need to be polished or even finished, they just need to exist. We are also happy to serve as eyes-only readers if you just want to send us your stuff to look at… or are afraid of actors. Email if you’ve got ‘em and we’ll get you what you need.

We will be announcing the second WORD at the beginning of August, so please buckle down and get something on paper (scene, concept, design or otherwise) for Combustion: Rescue by August 1st.

We’re hoping to have everything (blog included!) over at sparkplugproductions.net shortly. We’ve got Erika workin’ workin’ day and night and it looks amazing. All will be revealed soon… To that end, we’d love to get a jump on our contributing artist info, so if you’ve got a bio you can send our way, please email it along with any visuals or links you’d like us to include. If you don’t have a bio, isn’t it about time you did? Don’t be shy, now. We’d like to have you listed in time for the party so please email us by July 15th.

Keep an eye on the blog for more announcements and come on out to see us on Monday. We miss you already. Sing it with us now: Got a dream to take them there! They’re comin’ to America! Got a dream they’ve come to share! They’re comin’ to America…TODAY!

With a song on our lips and Neil Diamond ringing in our ears we remain,
SP3

While reminding myself that indeed I do love New York in June, gentle readers, I present you with your humidity ridden recap:

First things first - we have a date, so send your suit to the cleaners, schedule the dance lessons and circle the day in red on your calendar:

SparkPlug Launch Party
Monday, August 7, 2006
Bar 13

More details will be posted here as they become available, but in the meantime, feel free to spread the word…

In other news, the good folks of the State of New York have finally recognized that we exist (so nice of them to notice) by filing all that paperwork we sent them and we have applied for fiscal sponsorship through Fractured Atlas to be up and running as an official not-for-profit before you can say, “Please make the check out to…”.

Ah, rescue. How you stoke the fires of our thoughts. How you, like significant condensation resulting in the production of a wide range of water droplets and ice crystals in an atmosphere that is unstable and supports deep, rapid upward motion, …make our brains all stormy. Here for you to think on is some of what we discussed regarding the WORD:

The decision to rescue: What pushes a person over the edge (if not love) to decide that a rescue is worth the work, pain and trouble? What makes you decide to step into battle if not love? Does the worth need to have weight on both sides? And outside of love, does rescue become completely self serving - a matter of pride? Does the desire to do good purely for the sake of others exist? Is there such a thing as purity of heart and intention? Does it matter?…

The celebrity of rescue: How often do people who need to be rescued put themselves in that position purely for attention? The celebrity who ends up on The Smoking Gun, families who turn to Nanny 911 to discipline their children, the terrifying Wife Swap, Dr. Phil, Jerry Springer, etc. Does being on TV make people feel that their problems are legitimate in the same way that we lend legitimacy to those in front of the camera? Does it rescue them from the loneliness of facing things on their own, from insignificance? It is similar to the irresistible urge to tell a secret: “You can’t help me, but at least the burden doesn’t lie with me alone now that I’ve saddled you with it. (You’re welcome.)”

Rescuing from a distance: I’ll send my money to Sally Struthers but that is where my charity and interest end. A rescue to alleviate guilt. The, “just be happy with what I’m giving you” or, “I gave at the office” attitude. Don’t get uppity, etc.

Compulsive rescuers: People who are always on the look out for someone/something to save - cat collectors, women who serially date men as projects, picking out the most pathetic person at the bar to spend your evening with.

**Please note that due to crazy fireworks, cobbler eating and flag waving, we will be storming on Thursday, July 6th at Mannahatta. Details, as always, are on the sidebar.

Speaking of the sidebar, we are trying to keep up with you all, but there may be sites out there in the world wide internets that we don’t know about. Got one? Want us to plug it? (Or splug it?) Give us a shout!

With condensation dripping from our noses and love in our hearts,
SP3