The House of Ash

At our last COTE Ensemble meeting we spoke of our New Years Resolutions and how when you put them up on a social networking site or a blog, you're holding yourself publicly accountable to get it done. So, here we go...

... Holding myself publicly accountable:

listen more/see more/write more/continue to watch COTE take on a life of its own and flourish/continue to watch PGPC take on a life of its own and flourish/get smart(er) about finances/start learning an instrument (piano and guitar)/exhibit photography/read the classics/read more fiction/read EVEN more nonfiction/voice lessons/book Law and Order: SVU/do an arts and theatre rehabilitation program with incarcerated people/create work that encourages thoughtful dialogue/get back in touch with good friends from yonder years/rid myself of unhealthy and dead relationships/create my own "1000 places to see before you die"- blog it/finish a collection of short plays/once and for all - do something with this blog/step it up - work off broadway and regionally/ stop being afraid to ask for more $$$/attempt to see all of the work and shows my friends are doing/workshop new pieces/study psychoanalysis/finish all my sentences/challenge myself/associate with people who challenge me/work with the Culture Project/finish reading all of the books in my current library/host a "dinner party" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dinner_Party)/do my part to see more women empowered and more positively represented in the theatre world/ have a vegetable garden/study Arabic and Italian/be more present/post 1 blog entry per week/Stop cussing... use more colorful vocabulary (though the occasional "fuck" is totally fine)/find and join political group that's actually doing something - be active/work on my relationship with food and my body/assign specific times in the day to do e-mail and phone business so it doesn't take over my life/be more physically active/ let her go/let them go/ lose iphone addiction/be more present/learn about astronomy/learn about astrology and what the hell "birth signs" actually mean/travel to 3 new places I've never been before

and the longer reaching stuff:

own a feminist-progressive book store and cupcake shop/direct and-or write a play that starts a revolution (or at least a riot)/get a cedar tree tattoo/run a groundbreaking cultural organization/have an art or photography installation at a gallery or museum/visit the "1000 places to see before you die" (according to the 2007 edition of the book...apparently there is a new edition every few years)/grow my hair super long and then shave it all off and allow it to grow back in its natural color without ever dying it again/foster cats/adopt a child/be part of the movement that ends violence against women


That's all for now.

Happy New Year!

My OCD, list making and workaholic nature go in hyper mode this time of year... New Year, Birthday etc...

As we approach the end of 2010, I like to take a look at my 2010 resolutions and see what was NOT done. I've managed to cross out the things I accomplished this year and revisit some of the others for 2011. Of course, many of these things cannot be done by one person alone and are parts of a larger goal for which my work (and activists fighting for peace, equality and justice) must address. As for the things I didn't get to (doing SOMETHING with this blog) well, it will happen in 2011.

Lose 20 pounds; See Co-Op Theatre East grow and flourish; See more shows that my friends are in or part of; Be more assertive in relationships and financially; Dance; Stop allowing distorted views and expectations of "femininity" dictate the way I see myself; Write; See GirlPower take on a life of its own; Visit a new museum each month; Make theatre that changes and inspires people; Create work that encourages thoughtful dialogue; See all of my friends/colleagues achieve their dreams; Be present; Perfect my Arabic; Stay inspired; See more women directors and playwrights represented in the commerical theatre world; Be more diligent about responding to e-mails in a timely manner; Finish "What to do in case you miss the Rapture"; Spend more time out doors; Learn how to love my body and stop criticizing it; Shoot more photos;Do something with my blog; Read the books I haven't read on my bookshelf; Start research project on young competitive dancers; Visit places that I've never been; Stop cursing... use more colorful vocabulary; Get rid of clutter; Post one tweet a day for COTE (@cooptheatreeast); Perfect what sometimes feels like lackluster listening skills; More funding for the arts and small theatre companies; End Violence Against Women; More action/Less talk all around.

The "body" stuff is interesting to reflect back on because while I haven't lost 20 pounds, I am working on a much healthier mental approach to body image issues. I still have a ways to go. Hopefully I can continue to adopt healthier eating habits in 2011 and beyond.

...and while we're at it, let's take a look at random life aspirations from 2009. (http://ashley-marinaccio.blogspot.com/2008/06/random-life-aspirations.html). 95% which I hope to still do. Gotta make a few of these things happen in 2011, starting with finishing all those books on my shelf. =) Perhaps, I will end the year getting rid of the clutter.

Mom - Oh yeah, I have an autographed copy of Abbie Hoffman's book, Steal this Book...

Ashley- Wait. WHA? How?

Mom - I went to his book signing up near Columbia, right before the big anti-war march in DC

Ashley- Why didn't you tell me any of this?

Mom- You never asked

Ashley - Ma, you were so cool...

"If you really want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, dahling. Be an audience." - Talullah Bankhead

I've managed to compile a few of my favorite photos from 2010. The good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. I uploaded an entire album to facebook.

God, I love Halloween! God, I love Dr. House (and Hugh Laurie at that!) What a perfect opportunity to put two of these great things together, eh? So... without further hesitation I present my fabulous Dr. Gregory House Halloween Costume of 2010.

There's House...

And there's me...

And yes, I met a ton of House fans (and non fans) who totally knew who I was and got appreciated it. Happy Halloween!!!!

Dirty Sugar is in the house!!!!

Ideally, at some point I will get better at updating this blog as things happen. In any case, I am super excited about my recent photo shoot with the gang at Dirty Sugar. They are FIERCE. Follow them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/dirty-sugar-photography/30540017687 . Dirty Sugar is hands down some of the most talented photographers out there (not to mention, the coolest people) . I had an absolute blast working with them and learned a whole lot about photography. Their use of color and light is like no other. Check out their website: http://dirtysugarphotography.com/site/splashpage.html . They first came on my radar via facebook about a year ago and I fell in love. Of course, I will continue to facebook stalk. In any case if you're looking for new headshots, these are the guys to go to! Highly recommended to all!

Some highlights from this past month's theatrical activities:

COTE Tales. Co-Op Theatre East's new play reading series.

Trojan Women dramaturgy rehearsal.

Reading of my play "Documentary: A Suicide Narrative" at the Brecht Forum

Co-Op Theatre East Ensemble Photo Shoot

Encore performance of "GirlPower: Survival of the Fittest" at the Estrogenius Festival

(Above and Below) Scenes from Radio COTE, new socio-political radio plays

"The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation. The theatre is a spiritual and social X-Ray of its time. The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation." - Stella Adler

"Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free." - Arundhati Roy

‎"[Human beings] will begin to recover the moment we take art as seriously as physics, chemistry or money." - Ernst Levy

I’m a creator of excessive lists. At the beginning of the summer, when I made the commitment to pursue the business of acting (I never actually stopped performing, I just wasn’t actively in the pursuit of acting work) I plotted my return plan of action carefully in a list that now looks somewhat like this:

June:

Research Acting Classes

Start Diet and Exercise Routine

Pick 3 Killer Monologues

July:

Narrow Down Acting Classes

Start Researching Headshot Photographers

Make schedule at the beginning of the week that includes dance class (don’t skip it!)

August:

Audition/Sign Up for Acting Classes

Narrow down Headshot Photographers

Submit for every role I’m right for

Audition, Audition, Audition

I keep my lists. I cross tasks off as I finish them and then I file them neatly, if they aren’t already in one of the notebooks I’d never be caught dead without. I’m also an excessive note taker. I write everything down from general observations of people I see in the streets and favorite quotes to ideas for new plays. If there are no words to express it, I draw pictures or take photography. My notebooks end up looking like that of a mad scientist or artist, which I guess we theatre types are both.

I often have to remind myself that this business is a marathon, not a sprint. There’s always so much work to be done at all times and I am the type who will happily forego a night out with friends to finish the tasks on a list. (Have you read Emily Kinney’s blog entry on Back Stage Unscripted http://backstage.blogs.com/unscripted/2010/09/what-its-like-to-be-a-flake.html, “What It’s Like To Be a Flake”… I identify) I don’t think of it as flakey though (I’m probably in denial)… rather, I tell myself I’m a recluse by choice. Though recently I’ve written this proverb on the top of my white board “All work and no play makes Jack a boring boy”. Next month’s list looks a bit like this:

October:

Find the Balance

I'm debuting 2 new radio plays in COTE's 2010-2011 Season Kick-off called "Radio COTE" on October 6th, "Live from Pod 305" and "Standing in Front of 9/11 Waiting for the End of the World", a collaboration with my creative partner, Robert A.K. Gonyo. It's going to be a fun night filled with some of COTE's favorite performers and playwrights. Check out the info below and meet the cast here, http://www.theateronline.com/PB.xzc?PK=25817.

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Co-Op Theatre East presents:

Radio COTE
New Radio Plays on Current Events
(with a Revisionist Twist)

Written by
Jacob Dickerman, Robert A. K. Gonyo*, Ashley Marinaccio* and Mariah MacCarthy

Directed by
Andi Cohen, Robert A.K. Gonyo, Veronique Ory and Katherine Sommer

Featuring
Hannah Rose Barfoot*, Kerrie Bond*, Mike Callahan*, Tyrus Cucavac*, Theresa Christine*, Jacob Dickerman, Jessica Greer Morris, Tony De Meglio,Robert Gonyo*, Alex Herrald*, Ashley Marinaccio*, Lauren McCullough, Todd Meredith, Michael Rehse, Anna Savant*, Lynn Spencer*, Laurence Waltman, Ruis Woertendyke

* member of the COTE Ensemble

Admission is free but there is a suggested donation of $5. All donations collected at the door will go to the Stefanos Tsigrimanis Memorial Fund established at NYU’s Department of Performance Studies, to sponsor future projects by departmental students that embody the spirit of Stefanos’s own work. Contact Laura Elena Fortes at the Department of Performance Studies at LF65@nyu.edu for any questions regarding the fund.

About the Plays

Live from Pod 305
Written by Ashley Marinaccio and Directed by Andi Cohen
Featuring Anna Savant, Ashley Marinaccio and Jacob Dickerman
At the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, two pod mates discuss the concepts of revisionism and escape through a nightly grassroots radio broadcast from Pod 305.

Bachelor/Bachelorette
Written by Mariah MacCarthy and Directed by Katherine Sommer
Featuring Hannah Rose Barfoot, Lauren McCullough, Theresa Christine,
and Tyrus Cucavac
On the eve of her wedding at her bachelorette party, Dani is torn between an androgynous stranger and a call from her future wife.

Conference
Written and Directed by Robert A. K. Gonyo
Featuring Kerrie Bond, Mike Callahan, Alex Herrald and Todd Meredith
In the midst of delicate negotiations for a new health-care bill, a seasoned Congressman learns that his re-election campaign just got alot more complicated— voting has been made mandatory. Over a conference call, he & his campaign staff strategize through this turn of events, and weigh the costs of winning on Election Day.

Unus Populus Fidens (A Nation Without Fear/A Confident Nation)
Written by Jacob Dickerman and Directed by Véronique Ory
Featuring Lynn Spencer, Laurence Waltman, Jessica Greer Morris, Ruis Woertendyke, Michael Rehse and Tony De Meglio
In the wake of alterations to the Texas Social Studies curriculum, the US of A realizes the freedom that can be had when we subjugate our reason to our desires.

Standing In Front of 9/11 Waiting for the End of the World
Written by Ashley Marinaccio and Robert A.K. Gonyo
Performed by Ashley Marinaccio and Robert A.K. Gonyo
Toby and Rachel are professional disaster tour guides in need of some quick cash. While standing in front of the World Trade Center site they attempt to create a business plan that will demolish the competition of the surrounding street vendors and 9/11 memorabilia peddlers.

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About Co-Op Theatre East
Founded in April of 2008, Co-Op Theatre East (COTE) believes in the power of art to foster a dialogue for social change. COTE provides an entertaining performance forum in which to ask evocative, challenging questions of artists and audiences on our way to creating collaborative answers. www.cooptheatreeast.org

About the COTE Ensemble
The COTE Ensemble are the resident artists of Co-Op Theatre East. The company membership exists to develop and expand both the performance technique and social consciousness of the individual artist, provide a supportive and safe atmosphere to create new work, and present new theatre that challenges the stories being told in dominant culture.