Great Leap Presents: Order to Go

Great Leap presents "Order to Go," the culminating performance of its Collaboratory mentorship program, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State Park in Culver City.

Featured artists are Janet Dandridge, Jumakae (June Kaewsith), Zumi Mizokami, Ayuko Sato and Shannon Shue. These five emerging artists have taken on the formidable topic of the environmental impact of take-out food containers and utensils. "Order to Go" is their funny, fierce and heartfelt response to this ecological dilemma to which virtually everyone contributes.

The artists are engaged in an immersive nine-week experience: exploring collaborative performance methods, working with visiting artists, listening to guest speakers, researching their topic, and even touring a recycling center and manufacturing plant. The final two weeks of the program will consist of an intensive creation/rehearsal period during which participating artists create the work-in-progress performances, which will be presented at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook.

Hosted by noted actress Amy Hill, the evening will also include a live musical performance by Nobuko Miyamoto & Friends plus the premiere live screening of Great Leap's environmentally-themed music video, B.Y.O. Chopstix, written by and starring Nobuko with rapper Aidge, and directed by performance artist Dan Kwong.

Under the guidance of Dan Kwong (Project Director) and choreographer Young-Ae Park (Co-Director), the Collaboratory mentorship program is designed to nurture the next generation of artist-leaders in the Los Angeles region, and to pass on Great Leap's legacy of more than 32 years of community-based, art-making practice. Along with artistic development, the program also emphasizes leadership development through improving communication skills, clarifying decision-making process, and heightening awareness of internal group dynamics.

Collaboratory has graduated over 50 artists since its inception in 2005. Previous rounds have focused on topics such as communities of color, immigration & democracy, interfaith coalition building, and caring for the environment. Offered free of charge to local artists, Collaboratory selects participants through an online application process.

Founded in 1978, Great Leap, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based multicultural arts organization that uses art as both performance and creative practice to deepen relations between diverse communities and transform how we live on the earth. This performance is made possible in part by the California Arts Council, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Cecilia Nakamura Arts Fund, and the Duane Ebata Memorial Fund. It is sponsored by California State Parks Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook.

Collaboratory VIII: Order to Go will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook on 6300 Hetzler Road, Culver City CA, 90232.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.greatleap.org. For more information, please contact Corazon Rios by calling 213-250-8800 or by emailing corazon@greatleap.org.