Reviewed by Amalisha HuEck
The Avant-Garde Movement ranging from paintings and graphics to architecture and interiors throughout the 1920s and 1930s transformed Modern Art into a unique artistic style that showed new and completely original ideas, which combines the fine arts with arts and crafts, continuing its influence on modern and contemporary art.
Presented by Open Fist Theatre THE BAUHAUS PROJECT, meaning a 'construction house', a world premiere theatrical event, consists of 3 parts; Weimer (Part 1) - focuses on the school's founding and early years in the city of Weimar, Dessau (Part 2) - looks at the school's moves, and Berlin (Part 3) - show us the face of increasing Nazi surveillance. Walter Gropius (a German architect) founded the Bauhaus school in 1919 in Weimar. There the school with its modern art movement takes a leap into its unique approach to architecture and design. Though it is most closely associated with Germany, it attracted and inspired artists of all backgrounds. Today, the Bauhaus style influence can be found within the walls of the museum or on a residential street, all over the world.
In this stimulating play, five Southern California art students re-enact the history of the famous Bauhaus School, using fine art, music, graphic design, environmental design, and theater recreating the artistic intuition and combining art and technology into a new creative style. The rise of fascism and antisemitism in Germany has its gigantic effect on the arts. 'Today, Bauhaus is often credited as the catalyst for modern architecture and furniture and as an important influence on mid-20th century painting and sculpture. Carried away by a morality of new design, 'some buildings-including Bauhaus Dessau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site-have been turned into house museums and tourist destinations, while many major modern art museums incorporate the works of art into their permanent displays and popular exhibitions. Dedicated to uniting all branches of the arts under one roof, the school acted as a hub for Europe's most experimental creatives, with well-known artists like Josef Albers, Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee offering their expertise as instructors.'
'The Bauhaus Project takes place on several levels,' explains Open Fist artistic director Martha Demson, who worked closely with Jacobson to develop the piece and is directing it. 'The framing device is a play within a play in which modern-day art school students trace the historical narrative of the Bauhaus, a groundbreaking art school.'
The incredible cast played multiple characters: Jack Goldwait plays Owen Winston Hughes, who in turn portrays Walter Gropius, Paul Klee, Paul Schulze-Naumberg, Rudolf Diel;
Sang Kim plays Duck Liu, who plays Wassily Kandinsky, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Dancer;
Cloe Madriaga plays Brec Takahashi-Blum, who plays Gunta Stolzl, Herbert Bayer, Marcele Breuer, Heinrich Peus, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Dancer;
Katarina Joy Lopez plays Ellis Anderson, who plays Fritz Ertl, Otti Berger, Hannes Meyer, Dancer, Adolf Hitler; and
John C. Sweet plays Kai Lee-DuBoisRobinson, who plays Arnold Schonberg, Oskar Schlemmer, Fritz Hesse, Ludwig Hilberseimer, Gestapo Officer, Alfred Rosenberg. Each of the actors had, within these three acts, so many pages to remember and characters to find. And they did it, with an incredible energy, passion and enthusiasm.
Martha Demson and Amanda Weier produce for Open Fist Theatre Company, and Nychelle Hawk is associate producer. The scenic designer is Richard Hoover, lighting designer Gavan Wyrick, composer and sound designer Tim Labor, costume designer Michael Mullen, projections designer Gabrieal Griego, prop masters Bruce Dickinson and Ina Shumaker. The assistant director is Sarah Zuk.
The performances are: Part 1 - Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 p.m,
Part 2 - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m.
Audience members can choose to view the entire "Bauhaus Project" over the course of two evenings (any Friday and any Saturday at 8 p.m.); two matinees (any Saturday and any Sunday at 4 p.m.); or on a single Saturday, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. (The history has a flow of events, so it is not advised to view the parts out of order.)
A combination ticket to both Parts 1 and 2 is $50, while admission to a single part is $35. Students receive a $5 discount, and preview performances are Pay-What-You-Can. To make a reservation for The Bauhaus Project, call (323) 882-6912 or go to www.openfist.org
The Bauhaus Project is playing at the Atwater Village Theatre on 3269 Casitas Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90039 and runs from Friday, July 19 through Sunday, August 25 at 8:00 pm. The tickets range from $30-$50.
Open Fist wants to make theatre accessible to all so, if you are unable to pay the ticket price, please contact our Box Office at
oftchouse@gmail.com
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.