Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Meet Danny Foner!

by Marie Libbin 

You've already read some articles by Danny. Now I wanted to let you know a little more about him. So his fellow intern Marie sat down and had a little chat with Danny about how he came to be an intern and the projects he's working on. Enjoy! -Nicole 

by Joel Foner

ML: How did you hear about/get involved with Monkeyhouse?

DF: I'm not sure when I first heard about Monkeyhouse. My awareness of it just sort of seeped into my consciousness, probably from either working with Nicole in musicals or through friends who were involved.

ML: How has your participation in the arts positively impacted your life?

DF: The arts have had an incredible impact on my life. I consider music, theater, dance, drawing, and others to be core parts of my identity. Without them, I have no idea where (or who) I would be. I think the creative aspect of the arts has encouraged me to grow as an individual, and art continues to be a major source of inspiration, relaxation, and motivation in my life.

ML: I know that college applications are in full swing right now. What are some of your goals for the future?

DF: In college, I definitely want to continue my involvement and growth in theater. Depending on the school, I hope to be either majoring in musical theater or acting, although only time will tell. After that, my plans for the future are a little less defined - right now, I barely have enough time to think about the next weeks or months, let alone the next years!

ML: You're currently involved in Natick High School's Fall musical production. Can you talk a little about the show and your role in it?

DF: Well, I'm currently in Natick High School Drama's production of Once Upon a Mattress. The show is a hilarious musical comedy based on the story of the princess and the pea. So far, I'm really enjoying it - the script is witty and surprising, the music is excellent, and Nicole's choreography is, as always, quite challenging, yet extremely rewarding to learn. I play Prince Dauntless, the hapless hero of the story, who yearns to find love. However, he is thwarted by his controlling mother, played by the excellent Katelyn Sweeney, who refuses every princess who arrives at the castle gates. I won't say much more, since I wouldn't want to spoil the rest, but all signs suggest that this show is not going to be one to miss!

ML: Thanks for your time, Danny! Danny is a senior at Natick High School and is a very talented musician, actor, and dancer. He's such a blast to watch perform onstage. His involvement and passion for the arts is admirable, and his sense of humor is undeniable. We're so lucky to have Danny on the Monkeyhouse team!

What's Wrong if You Don't Have Music Rights?

by karen Krolak

You may have noticed that Monkeyhouse does not use pop music in our concerts. Contrary to popular belief this is not because we lack an appreciation for Imagine Dragrons, FUN, or Macklemore. We just could not afford the rights to their music on our budget. (And, to be fair, we also a huge fans of more independent musicians.) Usually, when I explain this to people, I get this really strange look and occasionally someone will say rather too politely, "You know you can buy those songs on iTunes for less than $2." Now I will admit that back when I started at LeeAnn's School of Dance in the 70's, the teacher actually used a record player but that doesn't mean that I am ignorant about mp3's and digital downloads. However, few people realize that purchasing a recording of a song does not give you permission to perform to it. If this is news to you, you might be relieved to know that many of the choreographers we have mentored at Monkeyhouse were also startled to discover this fact.

This is a thorny topic that has become even more complicated in the age of Youtube and other online video sharing sites. So we have planned a couple of articles talking to people in the music industry to try to clarify things for people. To get the ball rolling, I highly recommend this well written piece on the DANCE/USA website.

THANKS Giving Week 2!

Here's the summary of THANKS Giving Week 2!  Send these amazing folks your love and be sure to say hi next time you see them!  (If you want to keep up every day, take a minute to "like" us on Facebook for regular shows of gratitude!)

Denise Sao Pedro - When Denise loves you, you are always aware of it.  Her giant heart and bounding enthusiasm are a constant source of encouragement to all of us.  Since Nikki worked on her first project with Monkeyhouse over six years ago we have loved having her mom as part of the Monkeyhouse family.  She is an eager and articulate participant at SKORTs, an engaged audience member, and fabulous volunteer. Thank you for being such a rockstar, Denise!

Susan Warnick - I’m guessing Susan is asked to host or emcee more events than any one person could ever do, so Monkeyhouse was thrilled and honored when she agreed to be a judge for the Your Just Desserts Bake Off last year.  Hailing from Natick herself, Susan is constantly giving her support to causes, groups and organizations that are doing good in the Natick area.  She has a giant heart and we thank her for sharing some of it with Monkeyhouse!  Next time you see her around town send her some love from Monkeyhouse!

Seven's Not Enough - Nicole has been working for Natick High School almost as long as she has been part of Monkeyhouse.  She has loved watching her students grow and take on new challenges over the years.  When they started a student run a capella group a few years back she was excited to find ways that Monkeyhouse could help the group find new opportunities.  In the past few years they have performed at events and even collaborated with another youth company in town (TAProject) to create a whole new piece for Against the Odds.  Seven’s Not Enough has allowed for a whole new generation of young artists to create and show work and they never shied away from cross disciplinary challenges.  This exceptional group of performers has been an inspiration to Monkeyhouse and the other groups they’ve worked with.  Thanks for sharing your art with us!

David Makransky - David joined NHS Drama his freshman year as an eager, excited young actor, ready to take on the world.  As he progressed through the program his enthusiasm only grew and he was always willing to take on any challenge Nicole threw his way.  When she came up with the idea of creating a work/study internship for young actors looking to expand their dance education, David was one of the first students she thought of.  During his time as an intern David was an active contributor to the newsletters and blog, volunteered at events and took the lead on collaborations with Seven’s Not Enough, the student run a cappella group at his school, and TAProject for Against the Odds.  Thank you, David, for being a part of Monkeyhouse!  We love you!

Gail Fine (by JK Photo)

Gail Fine - Better known as “Auntie Gail”, Gail has been a cheerleader for the members of Monkeyhouse (and her favorite niece (Don’t tell my cousins!), Nicole) since the early days.  She has shared her Thanksgiving table with Amelia, was on the committee for Your Just Desserts both years and helped arrange the reception after services for the Krolak family last summer.  She’s a great example of how Monkeyhouse helps to build community.  Her investment goes beyond the organization to support the individual members she has gotten to know over the past decade.  Thank you, Gail!  Monkeyhouse Loves You!

Mara Blumenfeld - Mara once transformed Karen into a killer chicken using only a few silk rags, a sports bra, and a kickass mask. (Oh, yes, somewhere there are incriminating photos.) Admit it, that alone is a great reason for Monkeyhouse to love her. As it turns out, though, she is also the reason that Karen purchased the iconic Princess Pamplemousse hat. It was originally intended for a Lookingglass Production called The Zoo King when Karen was Mara’s assistant costume designer. Oddly enough, Mara is also responsible for getting Karen hired at Impulse Dance Center. When LuAnn Pagella noticed a crushed lilac chapeau meandering around in the hallway, she stepped out of class and introduced herself to Karen. Without that birthday gift from Mara, LuAnn would never have offered the crazy lady a job. Mara is a member of the Tony Award winning Lookingglass Theater Company and somehow still finds time to bounce around designing for productions in Chicago, Portland, Boston, Princeton, Berkeley, New York, Italy, England, and Japan (I think that is just where she is going this year!).  We  love you Mara,  wherever you are!

Courtney Wagner (by Al Cripps)

Courtney Wagner- I first saw Courtney at the Boston Dance Alliance’s Open Call Auditions but I didn’t know she belonged at Monkeyhouse until 86 seconds in to her first Musing with the company in the courtyard outside the Multicultural Arts Center. That is when the convicts in the Cambridge jail started shouting colorful advice about how she could make the improvisation more exciting for them. (Ask Nikki Sao Pedro for some of the specific suggestions those men shouted.) Even though Courtney could have dropped that bottle off of her head, easily darted over to Lechmere station, and avoided ever seeing us again, she did not break her concentration. She didn’t start laughing or dissolve into a puddle of tears. She just kept dancing. In that moment, I realized that she was uniquely qualified to pick up glass shards with tweezers while being tied to Nikki for the inaugural Dance in the Fells festival. Witnessing her resolve under pressure, I know she will be a fabulous Physician’s Assistant when she finishes her degree this spring. We are so fortunate that she is part of Monkeyhouse and our lives! Thanks, Courtney!

By Rights

by David Parker 

In 2006, I arranged a song-and-dance number for Jeffrey Kazin and myself to perform at my parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration held at the Taj Hotel Rooftop in Boston. For me, the Taj will always remain the Ritz as it was for most of my life and, for this occasion, I would be puttin' it on. I chose Irving Berlin's intricate and witty contrapuntal duet called "Old Fashioned Wedding" written for the 1966 revival of "Annie Get Your Gun." Jeff and I sang it and then did a tap routine in which we portrayed a pair pledged and promised but ambivalent about the nature of our nuptials. In 2006, Massachusetts was the only state in god's country to have achieved marriage equality. This gave our performance a certain piquancy as well as a measure of poignancy. We seemed to have skidded on our taps into a zeitgeist moment. This was the beginning of the marriage equality tsunami which has since swept through the entire northeast and beyond. Catching the wave, Jeff and I performed this again at my company's benefit in New York the following winter and, in a twist worthy of a musical, Robin Staff, the visionary producer of the series of dance-cabaret-musicals which began with Doug Elkins' "Fraulein Maria" was there as a guest. She was searching for a second show to follow Fraulein at Joe's Pub at the Public Theater. I had been dancing in Fraulein Maria as Liesl and I leapt at the idea of making a show of my own. The kind of electricity that I felt performing a legitimate dance show in a cabaret was less easy to find in the soberer spaces of the avant-garde where I often toiled and spun. Thus was "ShowDown" conceived. I began with alacrity. I made a tantalizing distillation for Groundworks Dance Theater of Cleveland called "Annie Redux" which seemed to land in just the right way and then I transferred and expanded that into a somewhat too--loose version that I did in Boston as part of First Night 2008. At this point, the whole thing hit a snag.

I did an interview with The Boston Globe about it. I was immediately contacted by the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization because I had failed to ask their permission. They owned the rights to the show and, of course, to the Sound of Music, so they had actually seen me as Liesl when seeing the show in order to extend their permission to Doug Elkins. I was really quite stupid not to have sought performance rights. The Rodgers and Hammerstein organization handled this issue with extraordinary grace and generosity and, as it became clear that I was making this show out of my love for the material, granted their permission for me to continue. This was an enormous relief, because I was passionate about this project.

I saw in "Annie Get Your Gun" a classic show in which gender roles were still available for examination. A show in which the collision between romance and ambition was articulated against a background of the ramshackle allure of show business. As a middle-aged artist, I felt at one with these themes. The score is full of famous highlights-"There's No Business Like Show Business", "Anything You Can Do", "They Say It's Wonderful", "Doin' What Comes Naturally" and so forth, but their original context is less well-known. I had therefore, great freedom.

I would have been devastated if I'd not been permitted to work with this score and I've learned to be very scrupulous about the matter of rights and permission. My own ignorance brought me close to losing this opportunity. It is thus without the slightest hesitation, that we pay a modest fee for the right and privilege to perform this work each time we do it. My position was not common among people petitioning to use the score. I was not, per se, doing a production of "Annie Get Your Gun" (like a regional theater or Broadway revival) but was doing a kind of parallel work in another medium. I didn't use the whole score and we sang but one song. I used the music as a platform for choreography, as a point of departure. Although I worked with its rhythms and images very deliberately, I was, at first, confused about which version to use. I chose the unused recordings of the score made for the 1949 MGM movie by Judy Garland and Howard Keel because they are so beautiful and because neither Ethel Merman nor Betty Hutton is easy to listen to while watching dancing. Judy Garland's limpid renditions of the songs opened up possibilities and spaces in the score that I was able to negotiate and which were genial to my purposes. I felt that Judy became my friend during this process and, it must be said, I was already a good friend of Dorothy's.

"ShowDown" opened at Joe's Pub in 2008 to considerable enthusiasm and did an encore season the following year, it has been touring ever since and is one of my most beloved works even returning again to Joe's Pub last season. I followed up with two more cabaret oriented shows commissioned by DanceNow/NYC through Robin Staff. The second of which will premiere in February 2014. Having been involved in Fraulein as well as my own three shows (I also did a cameo in the first run of Nicholas Leichter's The Whiz which was third in this series) I came to see these modern-dance-musicals as an aesthetic movement which has astonishing implications for us all. We're not making commercial work, but we are making work which openly accepts the responsibility of communication. We perform in a celebratory environment. There is no dissonance or ambivalence about our purpose which is to work vividly with dance as a way to get to the heart of the kind of transcendence that musicals have, at their best, offered. For me, this is a return to my essence. As a youth, I watched musicals with the devotion of a seminary student pouring over the gospels. The truths contained therein may be ethereal but they are no less potent for it. They have to do with the sudden projection of imagination, through song and dance, into an otherwise quotidian environment thereby endowing it with splendor.

Throughout my career I've made a series of a capella dances in which the dancing itself makes the score. I've done this through body percussion, singing, speaking, vocalese, barefoot hoofing, actual tapping, percussive pointe work and even through the ripping and smacking of Velcro. That means, of course, that I compose the scores. These are largely metrical/percussive scores but I have also been exploring the use of a non-metrical form by tap dancing in Morse Code. In "ShowDown", Jeff and I tap out wedding vows in Morse Code. I've made a entire footwork equivalent of the Morse Code alphabet which is highly rhythmic but, of course, based in language and not music. When I work with music, though I may know it somewhat as I did with Irving Berlin's score, I still do not use it in rehearsal until I've established-composed, really-a strong rhythmic character in the choreography. Therefore I work with the dancers for a long time in silence until our rhythms are strong enough to stand up to the score. "ShowDown" is primarily about partnering both in the actual physical sense of people lifting and holding each other and in the temporal sense of contrapuntal sharing of rhythm. I take this to the level of the relationship between dance and music as well. They banter and spar, neither yielding all the way to the other. No quarter is given but the weight is shared.

I have been inspired and delighted by the works made by several New York artists for the DanceNow/NYC series and I want to bring this phenomenon to the Boston area. Therefore, in partnership with DanceNow/NYC, I am presenting a cabaret/dance series at Oberon in Harvard Square during the month of March which will culminate in commissions by three Boston choreographers. This happens on three consecutive Friday nights. The first two will feature The Bang Group's newest dance/cabaret and the third week will feature "ShowDown" along with commissioned work by three Boston choreographers: Lorraine Chapman, Kelli Edwards and Nicole Pierce. These ladies are ideal choices for this endeavor as they have all shown their savvy with regard to musicals and they are all fine artists whom I respect and admire. They have also all been guest artists in "Nut/Cracked", but that's a story for some snowy night by the fire. Until then, I look forward to seeing you, constant reader, in March at Oberon.

THANKS Giving Week 1!

Have you been keeping up with Monkeyhouse's THANKS Giving on Facebook?  Every day from November 1st through the end of the year Monkeyhouse is thanking one person (or group!) who has helped through our first thirteen years.  There are a wide variety of people who have intentionally or inadvertently pushed, lifted, poked or gently nudged us into the organization you see today.   Here's your chance to meet just a few of those folks!  If you come across someone you know, be sure so say thanks!  And keep an eye out for them at the next Monkeyhouse event!  Here is a summary of week one!  (If you want to keep up every day, take a minute to "like" us on Facebook for regular shows of gratitude!)

Jon Keith (self portrait)

JK Photo - Jon has been capturing choreography for Monkeyhouse for the past few years. It’s been great fun to watch his non-Monkeyhouse photographs begin to capture choreography too! JK Photo has a shiny new website that includes info on how you can hire him to capture your next big event! Thank you, Jon, for all that you do for Monkeyhouse!

LuAnn Pagella - Where to begin? LuAnn opened her doors to Monkeyhouse on day one when we were rehearsing for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and has been a rock for many of us personally and professionally ever since. LuAnn is the director of Impulse Dance Center in Natick where Karen and Nicole first met seventeen years ago, where Sarah Friswell, Sarah Feinberg, Nicole and many of our interns over the years (including Rosie, Laila, Elyssa, Ashley, Leah, Gaby and Remy) were once students and where Karen, Nicole and Sarah Friswell were/are members of the faculty. Without the support of this amazing woman many of us never would have had the chance to work together at all. From the bottom of our hearts, Monkeyhouse Loves You, Lu!

Joan Panek - Without Joan it would not have been possible to create Monkeyhouse. Long before there were any dancers in the studio, Joan enthusiastically brainstormed ways to build this organization with Rita and Karen Krolak. She was the very first donor and on our initial Board of Directors. Drawing from her experiences developing programs at the Dover Public Library and teaching in the Ashland school system, Joan guided us through our first outreach programs and helped us to establish a genuine community at Monkeyhouse. She is an outstanding ambassador for Monkeyhouse who has introduced friends to our projects, coaxed her son into videotaping early First Night shows, travelled hundreds of miles to see performances, and devoted thousands of hours volunteering. Monkeyhouse loves you dearly, Joan.
JP Licks - For more the later ¾ of Monkeyhouse’s existence we’ve had the great fortune of having a relationship with JP Licks. They have been our longest corporate sponsor and we are forever indebted to them. Whether donating ice cream for a closing night party, cross promoting events through their FB page or sending their head ice cream maker to judge the Your Just Desserts Bake Off, JP Licks has always been there for us. You’ve had the chance to grab a sundae at many Monkeyhouse events over the years. Take some time today to say a quick THANK YOU on their Facebook page for all that they do for arts in the greater Boston area today! Monkeyhouse Loves You!

Isabel Fine- Have you ever wondering how Monkeyhouse became an organization in residence at Springstep? It was all Isabel’s brilliant idea. She recognized that Springstep had some underused resources and approached us about how to combine forces. Thanks to her, Monkeyhouse was able to have regular rehearsal times, which expanded the number of dancers and choreographers presented in our concerts. We were able to develop pieces with prop elements and costume designs that would have been unwieldy if we had had to transport them each week. Our artists were inspired by the remarkable architecture of the building and have found bold ways to incorporate this into their creations. In addition, she is also the person who encouraged us to apply for the first Dance in the Fells concert. Best of all, she has gone on to join our Board of Directors where she shares her expertise on everything from administration management to curating concerts. Did you know that she currently curates the performances series for the Music Department at Wellesley College and that she use to be the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival? We are so honored by her support.

Zach Galvin - I’m not sure it possible to count the number of ways Zach has ties into

Zach Galvin (by JK Photo)

Monkeyhouse. He is a former classmate of Karen’s. Nicole was a student his first year as an English teacher at Natick High School, where he is now Vice Principal to many of our recent interns… The list goes on and on. And on top of that, Zach has been an active cheerleader for Monkeyhouse since day one. His encouragement and support are overwhelmingly appreciated! If you’re looking for another reason to love Zach, check out all the work he’s doing for the Jimmy Fund! Thank you, Zach!

Kelly Long - For close to the first decade of the 21st century Karen was choreographing musicals for Dover-Sherborn High School. It was there that she first met Kelly, a perky and outspoken young dancer. Kelly quickly began studying with Karen and Nicole at Impulse Dance Center and became a regular at Monkeyhouse company class. She volunteered at Monkeyhouse events (I have a vivid memory of Kelly, Ashley Chandler and Joanna Macone getting themselves horribly lost on their way to a fundraiser in JP then eagerly donning wigs and talking to donors without blinking an eye) and was always eager to engage in conversation about all sorts of big ideas. Since leaving high school Kelly has gone on to study dance therapy and is helping people find the very important meaning in their own movement. She has always been a huge ambassador for Monkeyhouse and because of her word of mouth we were given over $500 in donations last spring! Thank you, Kelly, for always having Monkeyhouse in your heart! We love you dearly!Pam & Steve Harris - Monkeyhouse is an all encompassing lifestyle for those of us at its heart. Many of our families and close friends have taken up the torch too, each in their own way. Nicole’s parents, Pam & Steve, are no exception. You may remember them from their gracious hosting of both Your Just Desserts and the ATO Thank You Luncheon at their beautiful home. (Did you know that Steve completely renovated that lovely house himself?) Pam’s homemade apple pie has been an often fought over auction item at fundraisers and they are both always on hand to lend us anything from a lemonade dispenser for post show events to drop cloths for a site specific performance. A heartfelt thank you to both of you from your daughter and all her Monkeyhouse friends.

Dance in the Fells

by Samantha Mullens

The piece that Monkeyhouse created for Dance in the Fells consisted of five sections, each with a different choreographer(s). Nikki's section was performed by Aisha and two recent Endicott College graduates Brianna Unsworth and Samantha Mullen. They each shared their thoughts with us on the experience. Here's what Samantha had to say. - Nicole




Dance at the Fells ended up being much more than just a performance; it was an eye opening experience. When I agreed to be a part of Nikki's piece, I thought it would just be learning her set choreography and rehearsing it. I had a perception that the performance would be just like the ensemble class at Endicott College. Prior to beginning the piece, I also hated improvisation, as I believed I wasn't good enough for it. The way that Nikki introduced the improvisation that would be used in her piece made me nervous; being water was difficult. My idea of stormy water is different from Bri's idea whose is different from Nikki's. I realized through the processes of putting the piece together that having my own style of improvisation is a good thing. In fact, it is what makes dance interesting. The first time we rehearsed at the performance site, I became more comfortable, and excited to be doing site-specific work. The evolution of the piece was also inspiring. It was the first time I had ever been a part of a company performance where it was out-of-the-box, strange, and beautiful. Painting the unitards helped me get into the mindset of being part of nature, not to mention that it was extremely fun to get painted. Working with other members of the company helped strengthen my commitment to my movement and really embrace whatever my body was doing. By the date of the performance, I had a better grasp on the dynamics of my movement, committing to the moment, and submerging myself into my character. Although it would have been much more enjoyable dancing in warm weather, the changing scenery made for a perfect placement for the story that was told. Looking back, it was a learning experience to find out what I truly like about dance, what I'm good at, and why it's okay to be quirky. It was a breath of fresh air to have viewers appreciate the art that was created instead of students who don't like what they don't understand instantly. I am extremely appreciative to be included in Monkeyhouse's performance.