Carol D. Bradley
Email: cdbradleymex@gmail.com Phone: 33-2506-7525 “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections, and the truth of imagination.” -John Keats The Lake Chapala Society hosts Open Circle every Sunday at 10AM, a popular community gathering in Ajijic, to enjoy a diverse range of presentations. For more information and to make reservations, see their website: opencircleajijic.org. In order to follow State of Jalisco safety precautions, the presentations will be on the south lawn, close to the gazebo, the entrance will be by the side door on Ramón Corona, chairs will be socially distanced. Gate opens at 9:30. During this period, we recommend bringing a hat and bottled water, and please remove containers upon departure. Attendance is limited to 80 persons, please make your reservation if you want to attend https://opencircleajijic.org/reservation_form.php Use of masks is mandatory and temperatures will be checked on entry. May 2nd, Michael Reason A Melody for Change Throughout history music has often reflected social and political change. However, since the beginning of the 20th Century and the advent of recorded sound, music has become a catalyst for change. Pianist and conductor Michael Reason will lead us on a journey to discover how music has become a driving force in shaping the world for the past 100 years. After leaving music college, Michael worked on numerous theatrical productions as Music Director in England during the 1980s and emigrated to Canada in 1991. Since then, he has had a highly successful career as a professional orchestra conductor working with orchestras across Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. In addition, he has held the position of Music Director for the Prince George Symphony, the Niagara Symphony, and the Hamilton Philharmonic in Canada. He now lives in Ajijic where he helped found Michael Reason the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra in 2018 and has assumed the roles of conductor and artistic director. He is also the Music Director for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Riberas. May 9th, Kat Miller That Aging Thing With age we can see our life as from a great altitude taking in a panoramic landscape, with a deepening sense of how everything is connected, including all the losses. From here we can harvest the wisdom gleaned from our lives. We can also discover inner peace, love, compassion, and gratitude at the heart of our lives. We are all going to die, all of us. This terrifies most of us. When we make peace with death, we have a deeper appreciation of the ordinary small moments, surprisingly experiencing causeless joy, while also finding the magnificence of life ever more obvious. Join Kat for some ageist repudiation and reflections on how to live this stretch of life unimpeded by fear. Kat Miller, MA, currently has an active therapy practice in Ajijic, as well as out of the country. This is her 4th presentation at Open Circle. Kat Miller May 23, Ed Tasca Gun Violence Ed Tasca, local humor writer, novelist and playwright, will deliver a presentation, both comic and serious, on the complex story of gun violence, focused mainly on U.S. lust for
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possession of firearms and the psychology of their misuse, beginning with the U.S. Constitution’s 2nd Amendment. It includes a discussion of the psychopathology behind hyperrage and gun violence, regardless of race, nation, religion or culture. And offers a view of the mental health awareness and treatment requirements that can help identify and treat those who act out violently using firearms, from pistols to militarygrade weapons. Because of the controversial nature of the subject, Ed asks that you bring questions only, and check all guns at the door. ART, Ajijic Readers Theatre, at Lakeside Little Theatre on The Angel Terrace presents MARJORIE PRIME by Jordan Harrison. Ed Tasca Show Dates - May 28 – 30, 2021. All shows at 4pm, tickets 150 Pesos Directed by Lynn Gutstadt Staged by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. A futuristic story surrounding the love and tragedy of a deeply committed family and the themes of loss and memory. This 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist asks us about the limits of our interaction with technology, and how we shape and retain our identities in a world where artificial intelligence can be more reliable than our own memories. It is also a wonderfully moving, human drama about the fear of aging and obsolescence, and our inability to let go of the past. Tickets can be purchased and paid for by credit card at lakesidelittletheatre.com or by visiting LLT’s box office Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to noon or one hour before showtime on performance days. Covid 19 protocols will be in place, including socially distanced seating on the Angel Terrace and mandatory masks. Taking and Giving Direction, the newest workshop presented by BRAVO! and Bare Stage Theatres, under the tutelage of Bernadette Jones, will begin on May 7th and there still may be room if you want to develop your craft. Bernadette brings decades of professional experience to share with our local actors and directors interested in furthering their theatre arts endeavors. Her ability to communicate is almost magical, according to those who took her last workshop, which introduced acting techniques through monologue work. Students praised her with statements like; “Thanks again for taking time and care to help me develop as an actor”; “I really enjoyed the whole process.”; “I have learned a lot from this workshop and I very much enjoyed working with you”; and “As an observer, watching her directing the actors and watching the actors ‘take’ her direction was beyond fascinating.” This is a wonderful opportunity to raise the bar for our local theatre community. When our theatres are open, all scenes will be showcased along with the work of the actors in the previous Monologue Workshop given by Bernadette. Each class will be 2 hours / 1 day per week. (16 hours total) via Zoom. Start date will be May 7 – June 25, 2021 (Fridays 11:00 am – 1:00 pm) Class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 actors and 4 directors. The fee for this exciting workshop is 3,200 pesos but register by May 1st and pay the ‘early bird’ price of only 2,900 pesos. Register NOW online via mymytickets@gmail.com or roswilshere@gmail.com. Payment will be arranged individually. See our Facebook Page for more information and updates; https://www.facebook.com/ barestagetheatre2018 ***The total fee will be donated to help with rent for The BRAVO! and Bare Stage Theatres. Musical Theatre Alive and Well in Lakeside! The performing arts have become very dormant worldwide over the past 12 months. Closely packed theaters and concert halls are not conducive to pandemic safety. However, many organizations and individuals have used the situation to discover new and safe ways of presenting plays and music. Michael Reason certainly falls into that category. As the conductor of the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra, he was able to present 2 chamber orchestra concerts last Fall. The chosen venue was the Unitarian/Bare Stage venue in Riberas which is open on 2 sides providing excellent airflow. With socially distanced seating, 50 people were able to enjoy live music at each of the four performances.