So We Begin.

Hello friends of At Play -

Happy MLK Jr. Day.

Welcome to the At Play Blog and I'm feeling quite the pressure with the first post of the week. But here we go! Thanks for coming along.

My head is still spinning a little because last night I witnessed Hip Hop History in the making. Thank you to Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica - and briefly P. Diddy - for an amazing experience that I'll be talking about for months. But only if you want me to.

I will mention this: Last night, Mos Def said, "If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, maybe you are the light."

That one statement sent my mind into a spiral of so many applications. So often we find ourselves stuck, seemingly without options - in our careers, our relationships, our art/creativity, our country, our industry. There is so much hope and optimism in that one simple statement that I feel it offers those who listen the courage to breakthrough what holds you back and be at the forefront of the change you want to create.

As artists we want to be visionaries. We want to be the next big thing - have the next big show - be the next revolution in the theater community or (insert applicable industry here). But feel like we can't compete with what we're up against. Kevin Spacey once told our company, and I paraphrase, look around at each other - the people next to you are going to be the people you grow in this industry with. They are going to be the next Artistic Directors of the next Big Theater. We should realize we are not competing with the current theater community - but that we are the next generation of the theater community. So that's what we work to build - a foundation of up and coming artists that respect each other and their talents, and have a strong desire to work together and collaborate. We create the industry we want to be a part of.

If you want to see the foundation that At Play and friends are building, or want to get involved, I hope you'll keep following along - also check out our At Play Facebook Page for regular updates on what our members are working on.

Speaking of hope and optimism... This Wednesday Jan 20th marks the 1 year anniversary of President Obama's inauguration.

To commemorate this event, At Player Julia Grob is organizing The People's Inauguration: Poetry & Dialogue on the one-year anniversary of Obama's Inauguration.

About the Event:
kahlil almustafa, The People’s Poet and author of From Auction Block to Oval Office leads an interactive event combining performance poetry and critical dialogue commemorating the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s inauguration.

When:January 20th, 2010
Where: The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space
44 Charlton Street(on the corner of Charlton and Varick)New York, New York 10014
Time:Doors 6:30pm, Poetry & Panel 7pm
Streamed Live: www.MVMT.com

Panelists include:
Rosa Clemente -2008 Green Party Vice-Presidential Candidate
Cindy Sheehan -author of "Not One More Mother's Child"
Michael Skolnik -Political Director to Russell Simmons & Editor for GlobalGrind.com

$10! Click Here For Tickets


Also, I'm sure you all have your charities for Haiti, but a fellow At Player Laura Savia has asked us to check this one out as well: Partners in Health - "have been working toward sustainable healthcare in Haiti for several decades and are now at the forefront of the earthquake relief efforts there. They are working literally around the clock to provide much needed aid to thousands." Check it out if you have a chance.

That's it for me. Hoping this is a welcome beginning to your week and that you'll join us again tomorrow for words from one of our amazing writer and blogger extraordinaires: Bekah Brunstetter.

xoxo
kb