Los Angeles Downtown News 05-23-22 by Times Media Group

SUMMER GUIDE

May 23, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #21

FuelFest Irwindale Speedway celebrates cars, ‘The Fast and the Furious’

Mobile Vote Center Dodger Stadium will be available to voters May 28

+ Feuer drops out

of mayoral race

It’s time to VOTE

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By Jordan Rogers LA Downtown News Staff Writer ignity Health is partnering with Health Care LA and Samaritan to provide the unhoused with access to funds to improve their living situations. Alina Moran, president and CEO at Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center, said this initiative falls in line with what the organization looks to accomplish with its homeless patients. “We’re always looking for creative solutions,” Moran said. “We were just really intrigued by the kind of the use of technology in this space; it is something that we had not heard about before. We’re always thinking about ways that we can be more creative with our patients that are experiencing homelessness and we thought it would be a good way to partner with (Health Care LA).” Moran said 15% of Dignity Health’s patients are experiencing homelessness. Since it began in April, the partnership between Dignity Health, Health Care LA and Samaritan has been smooth, Moran said. Health Care LA offers the memberships in its ambulatory care clinics, while Dignity Health is offering them through its emergency rooms. But for both sides, the assistance doesn’t cease at the first stop. “It’s a partnership that we’re doing jointly,” she said. “We do a lot of different navigation services for our patients that experience homelessness. We have navigators and social workers that are sitting in our emergency department and assisting patients. They’re connecting them with housing resources and additional primary care clinics if they don’t have our primary care provider. “We connect them to recuperative housing if they need stabilized stabilization of housing or food resources. So,

we’re really trying to provide the social determinants of health that our patients need to be able to kind of lead healthier lives.” Samaritan’s part in this is its smart wallet. The smart wallets serve as controlled bank accounts enrollees. They always stay on person in the form of what is basically an identification card, and the funds on that card can be accessed by Dignity Health and Health Care LA to ensure the funds are used toward things that will help improve living situations. With this technology, the public can donate to members as well. “If you download the Samaritan app — and let’s say you’re walking by a person who has signed up to be part of the Samaritan app and you see someone that is experiencing homelessness and they’re part of the Samaritan app — you can actually donate funds to that person specifically through that beacon,” she said. For Moran, this part of the technology intrigued her. She said she recognized that the public can be hesitant to donate to the unhoused. “It’s a little bit of a different spin because sometimes people want to be able to contribute, but they don’t know exactly where that money is going to go,” she said. “This is a way where you could contribute to the app, and then that app is helping individuals meet their goals, whether that’s applying for housing resources, helping them to apply for a job, helping them with interview skills, or getting food on the table. Whatever the goals that are set up by the individual, and it’s all individualized by the person.” Even though the project is new, the response from patients has been positive, Moran said. “People have been excited to sign up,”

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Alina Moran is president and CEO at Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center. File photo

she said. “We were a little bit hesitant “I think when we’re thinking about the about how many people would actually issue of people experiencing homelesssign up, but we’ve gotten a few people ness, I think the best thing that we can to sign up already. Some have already do, in general as a community, is just EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina accomplished their first goal, andFuoco-Karasinski some think about creative solutions and thinkAndrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero of those areSTAFF just WRITERS: attending their first pri- ing about ways of how different orgaCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk mary care visit.” nizations can partner together to think ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres Sitting atSTAFF 17 patients, the Luis goal is to about how to improve the situation,” she PHOTOGRAPHER: Chavez Myriam said. Santos reach 200. IfCONTRIBUTING that goalPHOTOGRAPHERS: is reached, MoACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb ran said they will attempt to secure ad“I would just say this is just one way FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris ditional funds to serve more patients. that two organizations came together to Long-term goals and achievements are improve the lives of their patients.” in the cards for Moran.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley STAFF WRITER: Scianna Garcia, Jordan Rogers CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jeff Favre, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Xavi Moreno, Dennis Murphy, Matthew Murphy, Diana Ragland, Steph Verschuren/@stephverschuren ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548 FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

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Mayoral candidate Gina Viola seeks to tackle city’s inequities By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor ayoral candidate Gina Viola is seeking to foster a brighter future for Los Angeles with an independent’s approach to the city’s crises. Originally from Bethpage, New York, Viola has lived in LA as an adult and has since become involved in organizing around LGBTQ rights with AIDS Project Los Angeles. “I had started losing some friends to AIDS,” Viola said. “As I got older, I just wanted to work more with youth, young girls in particular. So, I joined an organization, Girls and Gangs, and through that realized we had a lot of work to do in terms of racial and social justice. And that eventually brought me to White People 4 Black Lives.” With Girls and Gangs, Viola worked as a mentor for young women and later joined its board. During her time as a mentor, Viola hired several of the girls for her staffing company, Trade Show Temps. “I was able to blend my work life and my activism life, which was very rewarding,” Viola said. “For several of the girls, it was their first job. Giving them an opportunity to work in the business-to-business sector was exciting, and several have told me it really paved the way for careers later on.” After the shooting of Michael Brown, who was killed by Ferguson law enforcement in 2014, Viola focused on racial and social justice work. She joined the LA-based, anti-racism collective White People 4 Black Lives and attended the LAPD’s board of police commission meetings. Viola recalled that she didn’t see mayor in attendance. She said she felt there needed to be a change. “I was just really despondent about the inequities with police killings, and I started to realize that was happening right here in my hometown,” Viola said. “I don’t think the LAPD will ever stop killing Black and brown people in our city, and I don’t think anyone is ever going to hold them accountable for it.” As mayor, Viola would seek to redirect the city’s police budget into resources that address housing, health care, social programs and community-led emergency response teams. “A budget is a moral document and reflective of our values. … The LAPD’s budget has increased 52% in the last 10 years,” Viola said. “No other line item, including houselessness, has seen that kind of increase. And what have we got-

As a mother of two LAUSD children, a 25-year business owner and a community advocate, mayoral candidate Gina Viola hopes to tackle the city’s social inequities as mayor of LA. Gina Viola/Submitted

ten to show for it? “I would like to alert folks to what I think is the most pressing issue, which is the atrocious decline of the Black population in Los Angeles. In the year 2000, we had almost 1 million Black people living in the city of Los Angeles, and as of the 2020 census there are less than 400,000. … Black people have been terrorized out by the LAPD, choked out by environmental racism, and priced out by gentrification. And this to me should be at the forefront of what’s coming out of everyone’s mouth.” Viola said limiting residents’ interactions with the police would benefit everyone, particularly the homeless community, and a reduction of officers would free up funds for social services and education. Viola said she also believes that different public safety situations require different responses. For example, a person experiencing a mental health episode should be seen by an unarmed mental health professional instead of an armed officer.

“I’ve been in police commission meetings where I’ve even heard the police say, ‘We don’t want to be the houseless outreach workers,’” Viola recalled. “We have violence prevention workers in the city now who somewhat work with police but try to work outside the police. And I think the more we can look to those folks to take care of our communities while we’re transitioning and infusing more resources and care back into those communities, the better off we’ll be.” By shifting funds into systems of care, Viola would look to address numerous other issues impacting the city, such as housing and environmental justice. The first step to addressing homelessness, in Viola’s eyes, is to determine that housing is a human right and that permanent, supportive public and social housing is the answer. Viola wants to repurpose vacant buildings throughout the city to immediately serve transitional housing entirely funded by the government. She sees value in utilizing the myriad organizations that

have presented the city with plans for micro and modular homes with a bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. “That can be built for $20,000 more than what we’re paying for the tiny sheds to temporarily house people in now,” Viola explained. “Is anybody going to get wealthy on that? No, and therein lies the problem. We have so many different entities that rely on their cut of every single development that gets proposed that by the time we get to the table, we’re hearing it’s $850,000 of affordable housing. And this is outrageous.” Viola wants to break ground on government land to construct at least 50,000 transitional units of housing and to eventually have half a million no-, low- and mixed-income affordable units across the city. “We need a ‘housing first’ approach to houselessness, or we will continue to spin our wheels,” Viola said. “If we just continue to build FEMA tents of congregate shelters, we will never house folks coming out of this pandemic.” In addition to reducing homelessness,

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Viola will fight to make LA a greener city. As mayor, she would abolish fossil fuel drilling on day one as well as approve the Sunrise Movement LA’s Green New Deal, which calls for public policy addressing climate change and the creation of high-paying jobs in clean energy industries. “We don’t have five years to wait. We don’t have 10 years to wait,” Viola said. “These plans that are going to sunset over time are killing us, and it’s because our current politicians are beholden to the big oil money. Everybody wants their piece of the pie for as long as they can get it, but it’s a great expense to our community. “(About) 86% of the drinking water in Watts has lead in it. How can this be in the in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest state in the wealthiest country on the planet?” Viola said. “The only reason they’re able to get away with that is because that’s in a Black and brown neighborhood. That would never be acceptable on the west side, Mid-City or Hollywood Hills.”

Viola would shut down the operations of natural gas fracking and oil drilling companies in locations like Aliso Canyon and Westchester while promoting sustainable, renewable energies instead, such as the desert wind farms generating power for the DWP. While Viola said she believes in the importance of moving toward energy sources like wind and solar, she also wants to use that shift to help provide a stable transition of jobs from oil drilling and fracking into sectors of sustainable energy resources and create a better future for all of the city’s residents. “I’m the abolitionist candidate running for mayor, and it’s not just about shutting down a police department; it’s about building new systems of care, resources and connection for our community,” Viola said. “We are not well as a city, and if we redirect our funds, because there are tons and tons of funds to be redirected into systems of care, we will start to thrive again as a community. When the most vulnerable among us are well, we are all well.”

Gina Viola for Mayor WHEN: The 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election is Nov. 8, with its top-two primary on June 7 INFO: ginaforla.com

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Dodger Stadium to host mobile vote center By LA Downtown News Staff he Los Angeles Dodgers have partnered with the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to host a mobile vote center at Dodger Stadium for the 2022 primary election. This is the second time that Dodger Stadium will act as a vote center. The first time was in 2020 when the Dodgers became the first team in Major League Baseball to make its stadium available for voting. The mobile vote center will be available to all voters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28 — opening day of the voting period. LA County voters can visit the stadium and cast their ballots, drop off their voteby-mail ballots, or register to vote. A second mobile vote center will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 1. Beginning at 3 p.m., voters attending the Dodgers’ 5:10 p.m. game against the Pittsburgh Pirates will be allowed to enter the stadium.

“We are very proud to once again partner with Los Angeles County to make Dodger Stadium an accessible voting location for county residents,” said Stan Kasten, Dodgers president and chief executive officer. “Voting is a civic duty, and by bringing the LA County Mobile Vote Center to Dodger Stadium, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all Angelenos have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election.” There will be Dodger giveaways and a special-edition Dodgers “I Voted” sticker for those who turn out to vote at Dodger Stadium on May 28. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers to highlight the importance of voting and to provide our voters with a unique opportunity to cast their ballot at their iconic stadium,” said Dean C. Logan, Los Angeles County registrar-recorder and county clerk. “The Dodgers organization represents

Dodger Stadium will host a mobile vote center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28. Los Angeles Dodgers/Submitted

the fabric and history of our communities. It’s partnerships like this that speak to the spirit of participation that is the

foundation of our representative form of governing.” Info: lavote.gov

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Feuer drops out of LA mayoral race By Scianna Garcia LA Downtown News Contributing Writer ith just a few weeks until the June 7 primary, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has dropped out of the mayor’s race. “I’ve done a lot of soul searching, and pride takes second place. The future of the city and what the city needs takes first place,” Feuer said. The announcement to withdraw from the race came May 17, following Los Angeles Councilmember Joe Buscaino’s withdrawal a week before. Feuer and Buscaino’s names will still appear on the June ballot. Reportedly, Feuer and Buscaino struggled to gain support in the race to replace Eric Garcetti as mayor. “I reviewed my recent polling, and while things are moving in the right direction, without a major infusion of additional money to stay on the air, I can’t win,” Feuer

said at a press conference. Shortly after Feuer’s announcement, he joined Rep. Karen Bass at a rally in Encino, where he publicly endorsed the six-term congresswoman for mayor. Feuer said he’s known Bass for decades and that she personifies core Los Angeles values. “She has connections everywhere because she is one of the great listeners in public service, because Karen treats everyone with respect and makes sure they know that they and their views matter,” the city attorney said. “In a business where authenticity is often an afterthought at best, Karen is genuine, she is trustworthy, and she earns trust from others.” A Los Angeles native, Bass focused on combating the city’s homelessness issues, with a promise to house 15,000 people in her first year. In 2008, she became the first Black woman speaker of the state assem-

City Attorney Mike Feuer has dropped out of the mayoral race, but his name will still appear on the ballot. File photo

bly and later led the Congressional Black Caucus. She is one of the highest-profile candidates to enter the race. The congresswoman voiced her praise for Feuer’s leadership as well during her campaign rally. “He knows that the only way Los Angeles will move forward from the crisis we face today is by uniting people of all backgrounds,” Bass said. “We will prove that

together, nothing can get in our way, no matter how many attacks come, no matter how much money is spent to tear us down.” As ballots have already been mailed to Los Angeles homes, Bass, Kevin de Leon and Rick Caruso are the remaining candidates in the mayoral race. June 7 is the last day to submit ballots for the primary.

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MAY 23, 2022

SMITH’S OPINION

We’re mad as hell By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist athered outside the front steps of the wedding-cake splendor of the Pasadena City Hall, hundreds of us rallied on May 14 to protest the leaked SCOTUS majority opinion poised to inelegantly overturn Roe v. Wade. It’s 8:30 a.m. on an already-hot Saturday morning. I do not want to be there. At least I know many of the speakers, including federal, state and local representatives. The sign that most reflects my mood is: “Been here; done this; have hundreds of T-shirts.” “How many of these have you attended?” my friend asks. “I’ve lost count,” I say. Besides marches, I’ve defended family planning clinics, often while escorting women into them. That was entertaining — not. I’ve had rabidly fanatical men yell in my face things like, “I bet you’re glad your mama didn’t have a choice!” And I was once cursed at by Cardinal Roger Mahoney while defending a Silver Lake clinic. What a prince — not. I marched in Washington, D.C., in both 1992 and 2005. We were angry then, and we’re even more enraged now. Women of all colors, sizes, ages and backgrounds marched. We were systematically undercounted in the papers and were barely mentioned in print and broadcast media. How can editors ignore hundreds of thousands of women protesting? It’s easy when significant media corporations and outlets are run by older white men. Simply put, too many men have con-

Hey you! Speak up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community. Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

Ellen Snortland sidered “women’s rights” to be for women only. What gets covered by any media is that story or topic which convinces the deciders of what’s essential and what’s not and what those gatekeepers perceive to be of particular interest to their male audience. Hence, we were ignored, but the World Cup got (and still gets) tons of attention. My favorite chant in the 1992 march that proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue by the White House was, “We’re tired, we’re cranky and we don’t like the government!” Sadly, the chant continues to be relevant. Try it and see! March around your house, turn on your fitness tracker of choice, and rant with me. “We’re tired, we’re cranky and we don’t like the government!” My mood lightens, and I increase my daily steps.

Back to the May 14 protest. Regarding “what’s next,” a growing number of people, especially on social media, think that religious arguments will be the best route. There’s nothing more fundamental to our rights as Americans than escaping religious persecution. The Bill of Rights begins with the First Amendment, known as the establishment clause: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” By extension, SCOTUS is the third branch of the government, so they should not be able to inhibit religions that trust pregnant folks to make their own choices regarding their reproductive and family lives outside the scope of the government. Rabbi Mara Nathan of San Antonio says, “The Torah, the Mishnah, the Talmud and later rabbinic sources consider the woman’s physical and emotional health before that of the fetus. Until the baby is born, Judaism considers the fetus to be part of the woman’s body. She is never the villain when difficult choices need to be made.” It boggles the mind that five Supreme Court in-justices could be such blatant boosters of fringe Christianity. There are many pro-choice Christian churches and congregants. And the ones that are anti-choice use their captive Sunday audiences as a means of politicking in direct conflict with their nonprofit status. We need to be suing those parishes. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is not representative of the majority of American Christians or even Catholics with their rigid stance not only on abortion but birth control in any

form. I know many Catholics who have very small families (wink, wink) thanks to not using the so-called rhythm method. After the Pasadena Pro-Choice rally, scads of us jumped on the Gold Line and rode into Downtown LA, where we joined the “big” rally in the shadow of Los Angeles City Hall. I actually felt guilty that I was not pumped up. Why? It’s protest deja vú. I realized I was protesting the need to protest over and over and over. Yes, it was inspiring, and yes, I’m glad I attended. To make the event extra special, it was heckled from the sidelines by the hateful, hate-mongering Fred Phelps Westboro Baptist crazies, all male. They held signs like “Abortion is Murder” while screaming through megaphones that we were all going to burn in hell, especially gays and women. Geez, if they are trying to recruit new members, they are sorely out of touch. I kid. I’ll end this with the biggest takeaway I got. In the crowds at both rallies was a much larger than usual turnout of sons, fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, boyfriends and husbands than I’ve ever witnessed. Thanks for responding to the memo, boys. We have always needed you to stand with us. Women’s rights are your rights, too. Ellen Snortland has written this column for decades and also teaches creative writing. She can be reached at ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

MAY 23, 2022

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FuelFest celebrates cars and ‘The Fast and the Furious’ By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor ody Walker and Tyrese Gibson were catching up at Red Lobster when the conversation turned to Cody’s late brother, Paul, of “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. “First, I was so offended that he had never been to Red Lobster,” Gibson said with a laugh. “Cody said, ‘I don’t know what to order, dude. What are the hits here?’” After a little ribbing, Cody told Gibson about he and Chris Lee’s plan to host festivals surrounding all-things cars called FuelFest. Gibson said count me in. For the fourth year, FuelFest is coming to Irwindale Speedway on Saturday, June 4. FuelFest blends the enthusiast’s passion for the automotive world with celebrities, live music, food, drinks and art. The show features more than 600 top custom, exotic, rare and exclusive cars and trucks. There are car and drift exhibitions and drag racing. Gibson is not slated to appear at this event, as the next chapter of “The Fast and the Furious” is filming. “This is going to be our biggest event by far and the biggest stage we’ve ever had,” Cody said. “We have the biggest musical act, Joyner Lucas, as our headliner. He’s blowing up. We’re really excited about that. There’s going to be a lot of really cool, influential people from the car culture attending, the Hoonigans for some fun drift action.” Cody said FuelFest is using Irwindale Speedway in a different manner than last year. The festival will cover the speedway, too. “It’s going to be awesome,” Cody said. “We’re very excited about the new layout. Last year, we had some issues with parking because demand was so high, and the venue was incapable of handling it all with general admission parking. “We’ve tackled all that. We have a pulse on the venue and how it works. You always want to improve upon your previous event. You learn to make the experience bigger and better each time. That is what we’re doing.” A portion of the events proceeds benefit Reach Out WorldWide, the nonprofit founded by Paul and continued by Cody, who is 15 years younger than his brother. The organization was founded in 2010 by the late actor/producer after

Cody Walker and Tyrese Gibson stand onstage at a previous year’s FuelFest. Gibson is not slated to appear this year, as he is busy filming a new chapter of “The Fast and the Furious.” FuelFest/Submitted

a massive earthquake devastated Haiti and Paul was inspired to organize a relief team that responded to the disaster. ROWW’s mission is to fill the gap between the availability of skilled resources in post-disaster situations. ROWW completed four deployments in 2020 and continues to operate where needed. “We’re proud of Paul for creating it,” Cody said. “I know he’d be blown away by how much it’s done to date, how many people it’s reached and impacted. It’s something we want to continue for years and years to come.” To date, FuelFest has raised more than $180,000 for the charity, Cody said. Cody was flattered when Gibson agreed to be part of FuelFest. “Obviously, Tyrese and my brother go way back — all the way back to ‘2 Fast 2 Furious,’” he said. “We’ve all had a passion for cars, and our careers are surrounded by cars. I’m heavily influenced by my brother and the whole car culture. It’s what I live and breathe every day. “I knew Tyrese and I could put on something really special and unique for car fans and ‘The Fast and the Furious’

fans to come and experience with us together. It’s such a home run in so many ways to be able to do what you love and give back at the same time.” Gibson echoed Cody’s sentiment. “My thing has always been taking the culture and the energy and the fanbase of ‘The Fast and the Furious,’ which has had this worldwide cult following for 20 years, and turning it into an event. “Paul Walker — everyone loves him. I miss him every day. He’s my brother, but Cody’s real brother. I want to take all of this energy and allow the fans to experience something that feels like ‘The Fast and the Furious’ without it being a movie premiere. Cody came up with this idea, and it was a no-brainer to be involved. Your background doesn’t matter — your

religious or sexual preference. Cars and car culture is a universal language.” Gibson explained the festival is “escapism” at its finest. After all, everyone wants to be in or own a nice car with “nice-smelling leather” and that’s brightly colored with cool rims. “We all know guys will go broke and literally have no gas money, but they will be more committed to rims and tires and souping up their engines,” Gibson said with a laugh. “They want to compete and win and beat everyone in their neighborhoods. Every man has a hot rod covered up in their garage. They may be married for 40 years and have 10 grandkids, but they take the car cover off and start that engine and they’re rejuvenated.”

FuelFest WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4 WHERE: Irwindale Raceway, 500 Speedway Drive, Irwindale COST: Tickets start at $40 INFO: fuelfest.com

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Magical new play introduces a Latina Mary Poppins By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he Latino Theatre Company is reopening its doors with a new work by its resident playwright, “Sleep with the Angels,” a show that is definitely a family affair. Running from Friday, May 27, through Sunday, June 26, “Sleep with the Angels” is about a magical nanny who literally dropped in from Mexico to help out a newly single mom with her two teenagers. It was written by Evelina Fernández, an award-winning company resident playwright. Her husband, José Luiz Valenzuela, is the company’s artistic director and the director for this show. The lead actress playing the part of Juana, the fantastical Mary Poppins-like nanny, is Esperanza America, daughter to Fernández and Valenzuela. America’s husband, Robert Revell, composed the play’s music and performs it live. Fernández said she didn’t particularly have her family in mind when she wrote this piece many years ago. “Sleep with the Angels” was written as a commission for another theater that eventually passed on the rights. It was then it came home to the Latino Theatre Company. “I knew Jose would be involved because of our involvement in the Latino Theater Company for 37 years, but I didn’t specifically think about my daughter to play the role of Juana and I didn’t think about my son-in-law to play the music,” Fernández said. America read the role of Juana during a pandemic Zoom call. While she hadn’t expected that would be an audition, she was drawn to the show. “Sometimes we’ll do a reading for the company, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who’s going to be cast in the show,” America said. “So, I told my mom, ‘If this isn’t me, it’s totally fine. I don’t know who you want for this.’ Then we did the Zoom reading and Robert and I wrote music for it, and it just kind of evolved from there. They haven’t fired me yet.” It is important to them that Latino stories are told in ways that are authentic, culturally specific and uplifting. The theater company specializes in putting important issues onstage and talking about them from a Latino perspective. “Many people talk about single, professional moms and young people in search

The cast of “Sleeping with the Angels” is bringing the new play to the Los Angeles Theatre Center stage. Xavi Moreno/Submitted

of their gender identity, but not necessarily from a Latinx perspective,” Fernández said. “That’s been the trajectory of our company to tap into issues from our community’s perspective.” Just putting a professional, educated Latino woman onstage is a political statement, Fernández said, in part because it isn’t often seen. “It’s really important for people to know that our community is as diverse as any other community,” Fernández said. “Many times, you only see one image of us onstage or on screen. It’s always the same.” She also wanted to contrast the two women who both leave their children in the hands of other women so they can survive. She wanted to do so with elements of Mexican humor and folklore and the cultural remedies that people in the community use daily. “ They don’t seem magical to us,” Fernández said. “They seem like everyday things. When people observe it from the outside, it might be enlightening and humorous. The beautiful thing about our culture is that we tend to approach everything with a sense of irony and a sense of humor. That’s what we do in this play.” Valenzuela said people often hire Latino nannies and immigrants and barely know anything about them and their private life and struggles. They’re expected

to take care of the family, while no one is concerned with them. “That’s kind of beautiful to put on the stage in this magical way,” Valenzuela said. “There is the relationship to Mary Poppins because Mary Poppins was the nanny who came in to solve the issues of that particular family. Juana in a way has great magic, but all to do with cultural things.” He is also entranced by how the everyday cultural things intermix with complicated issues about being a single mom and the relationship to the estranged husband and teenagers. “The play starts out on a whimsical note — Juana is a sort of Indigenous Mary Poppins,” Valenzuela said. “Before we realize what’s happening, it has us thinking about serious issues: immigration, homophobia, parent-child relationships, marriage. The magical part is learning to be a real human being and the complexity of that.” Since the script was written, Fernández was inspired to rewrite many times due to the pandemic and racial and political divide. “I had to do some soul searching about the script I wrote,” Fernández said. “Many things don’t ring true anymore, even though we’re still dealing with the young person’s gender identity. Just in two years that subject is so much a part of daily life for young children, so much more than it was before.”

She finds it fitting that her daughter plays the main character, because she inspired the script. One of her daughter’s side jobs before she became a mother was to be a nanny to a young boy. She shared stories with her mom, which gave her the idea for “Sleep with the Angels.” “It’s not biographical by any means, but it inspired me — the story of a nanny to a single mom and this young boy who wasn’t Mexican but really wanted to be,” Fernández said. “He was Jewish, and he had his bar mitzvah with a mariachi and taco truck. I just loved the relationship that they had with each other.” While America drew upon that experience as she created the character of Juana, she said the character is a blend of many people. One of them was her own nanny, one of her mother’s cousins. She arrived in the United States for a few months before America was born. “She was very funny, and Juana is very funny,” America said. “Juana represents many, many people, especially in LA, because there are a lot of people in the entertainment industry who have nannies and housekeepers who you never see. Without them, daily life would not be able to go on, because they take care of the kids, they clean the house, they cook. I think it’s important for them to get recognized.” For the show, she had to hire a nanny to take care of her young child. She

MAY 23, 2022

searched for someone who spoke Spanish and had the same endearing personality as her aunt. Even then, when the nanny started her first day, America realized she didn’t even know the woman’s last name. “I had to really try to get to know her,” America said. “At the beginning, you’re just focusing on yourself and the needs you have.” Revell, who frequently composes for TV shows, said he is enthusiastic about working with the Latino Theatre Company because the music is more intimate and varied. Too often with television, he said, he wrote similar music. In the theater, things are different. “In these kinds of plays, when it’s talking about family and it’s talking about relationships between parents, between kids, between family members and friends, it’s much more personal,” Revell said. “There are moments where my goal is

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to create nostalgia for a place that the audience may not have ever been. So, if we’re doing a flashback to a small town in Mexico, the idea is that I want to emotionally convince the audience members’ hearts that they are longing for a place they’ve never actually been to.” Music, he said, can transcend physical experiences and touch people directly, which he finds fulfilling. The music in this play was created through a collaborative process. “I will be onstage playing music,” Revell said. “Esperanza will be singing. We co-wrote the music, and Evelina wrote a lot of the lyrics. It’s just a great family project.” After years of being closed, they are eager to once again welcome back all of Downtown LA’s residents. The show, Fernandez stressed, is not just for the Latino community but for everyone. America agreed: “You’re going to laugh, cry and dance.”

“Sleep with the Angels” by Evelina Fernández; performed by The Latino Theatre Company WHEN: Various times Thursdays to Sundays; previews through Thursday, May 26; performances Friday, May 27, to Sunday, June 26 COST: Tickets start at $10 INFO: 213-489-0994, latinotheaterco.org

Esperanza America is the daughter of the playwright and the director. She plays the magical nanny, Juana. Latino Theatre Company/Submitted

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MAY 23, 2022

Covered California SUMMER GUIDE will help

Venues heat up with the industry’s top shows By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor f there’s anything we learned from the pandemic, it’s that entertainers are passionate. They continued to perform for us, albeit in a new realm: livestreaming. Now that the pandemic is calming, performers are hitting stages once again. Welcome to LA Downtown News’ summer guide. Have a look here and buy tickets to support the folks who lifted our spirits during the pandemic. Here is a snippet of shows coming to DTLA. Venues like Pershing Square Downtown Stage as well as the festival DTLA Proud are expected to announce details soon.

Ahmanson Theatre

135 N. Grand Avenue 213-628-2772 centertheatregroup.org “Hadestown” To May 29 Intertwining two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — “Hadestown” is a hopeful theatrical experience that grabs the audience. “Come from Away” May 31 to June 12 “Come From Away” tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. On Sept. 11, 2001, the world stopped, and the following day their stories moved everyone. “Dear Evan Hansen” June 29 to July 31 The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, “who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn.” “The Prom” Aug. 9 to Sept. 11 “The Prom” is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all. “Oklahoma!” Sept. 13 to Oct. 16 The first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Oklahoma!” is based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play “Green Grow the Lilacs.” Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her courtship by two rival suitors,

cowboy Curly McLain and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie.

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1111 S. Figueroa Street cryptoarena.com Mixtape Tour: New Kids on the Block: May 27 Pancho Barraza: June 18 Nick Cannon Presents: MTV “Wild ‘N Out:” June 26 Bronco: July 22 Miel San Marcos: July 23 Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin: July 24 James Taylor: July 28 The Lumineers: July 29 Shawn Mendes: Sept. 10 to Sept. 11

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 135 N. Grand Avenue musiccenter.org

“Aida” To June 12 Latonia Moore and Russell Thomas star as secret lovers from rival kingdoms in the lavish spectacle of “Aida,” directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by James Conlon. “The Brightness of Light” June 18 Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry return to LA Opera for the song cycle by Kevin Puts, which chronicles the romance of artist Georgia O’Keeffe and her mentor-turned-husband Alfred Stieglitz. New Zealand-born conductor Gemma New makes her LAO debut leading the LA Opera Orchestra.

Grand Performances at California Plaza

340 S. Grand Avenue grandperformances.org June 4: COLA 2022 artist fellows June 11: Aditya Prakash Ensemble and Nick Smith June 18: Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band June 25: Boleros De Noche: A Tribute to Agustin Lara July 2: “A Midsummer Livestream” (online only) July 9: Scary Pockets and Rozzi Crane July 16: World Stage presents Black Nile and Linafornia July 23: Pakistan Arts Council presents Ali Sethi July 30: KCRW Summer Nights

The Lumineers will visit Crypto.com Arena on July 29. Submitted

Aug. 6: Melissa Polinar Aug. 13: Extra Ancestral Aug. 20: Farhang Foundation Aug. 27: Dublab presents Alice Coltrane: An Expansive Spirit Sept. 3: KCRW Summer Nights Sept. 10: The Fountain Theatre presents Citizen: An American Lyric Sept. 17: Cumbiaton Sept. 24: Renee Goust

Microsoft Theater

777 Chick Hearn Court microsofttheater.com Volver Juntas: June 4 Gerardo Ortiz: July 9 Funk ‘N Soul Fest: July 16 Eden Munoz: July 29 Your Real-Life Playlist: July 30 Bud Light Seltzer Sessions with Teo Gonzalez and Rogelio Ramos: Aug. 6 Los Inquietos Del Norte: Aug. 12 Russell Peters: Aug. 13 ’70s Soul Jam: Aug. 26

The Music Center

135 N. Grand Avenue musiccenter.org Dance DTLA June 3 to Sept. 2 The Music Center’s Dance DTLA series has returned for dancing on the Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center. The top LA dance instructors in forms like salsa, Bollywood, Colombian cumbia, disco and bachata

provide beginner dance lessons with easyto-follow steps so guests can hit the floor ready. June 3: Motown June 17: Salsa July 8: Hip-hop July 15: Bollywood July 22: Colombian cumbia July 29: Argentine tango Aug. 5: Voguing (the official kickoff of DTLA Proud, dtlaproud.org) Aug. 12: K-pop Aug. 19: Disco Aug. 26: Bachata Sept. 2: Samba

Redcat

631 W. Second Street 213-237-2800, redcat.org “American Artist: Shaper of God” May 28 to Oct. 2; opening reception and artist conversation on May 31 Featuring several new commissions spanning video, installation, sculpture and drawing conceived for Redcat, “American Artist: Shaper of God” takes inspiration from science-fiction author Octavia E. Butler’s novels, life and the lives of other African-diasporic people who formed and were formed by Altadena and Pasadena. Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra June 4 The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra is a Black music ensemble from Los Angeles

MAY 23, 2022

founded in 1961 by Horace Tapscott. The group started as a collective of jazz musicians as a response to the racial inequality in the United States. Artists subjected to prejudice who saw opportunities denied to them found an outlet to express themselves via the Ark. Dana Berman Duff: Short Films June 6 Dana Berman Duff’s program includes selections from the Catalogue Series, in which fantasy tableaux and objects from the pages of a designer furniture knockoff catalogue are reworked into contemplations on the control and selling of desire. Duff’s art is in collections of the Museum of Modern Art and New Museum of Contemporary Art, and her films have shown in the Toronto, Rotterdam, Edinburgh and other international film festivals. Carl Hancock Rux & Carrie Mae Weems: “The Baptism” June 9 Written and performed by Alpert Award-winning poet and artist Carl Hancock Rux, “The Baptism” is a three-part poem and tribute to the legacies of civil rights leaders John Lewis and C.T. Vivian. This live event will also include two iterations of a short film — “The Baptism” and “The Baptism” (rhetoric) — directed by

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seminal artist Carrie Mae Weems, with the latter featuring an original score by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello. Partch Ensemble & Vox Dance Theatre June 17 and June 18 The Grammy Award-winning Partch Ensemble returns to Redcat with two world premieres. Sarah Swenson & Vox Dance Theatre return for a live performance of the entire triptych of “Plectra & Percussion Dances,” the composer’s 45-minute “Evening of Dance Theatre” that has never been choreographed in its entirety since being written 70 years ago. Kaneza Schaal: “KLII” June 23 to June 25 “KLII” exorcises the ghost of Belgium’s King Leopold II through a mytho-biographical performance by theater-maker Kaneza Schaal. Designed and co-directed by Christopher Myers, “KLII” draws on Mark Twain’s King Leopold’s “Soliloquy,” a fictional monologue written after Twain’s visit to the Congo Free State, and Patrice Lumumba’s 1960 independence speech in the Congo.

Continued on page 14

Shawn Mendes performs Sept. 10 to Sept. 11 at Crypto.com Arena. Submitted

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VENUES HEAT UP WITH THE INDUSTRY’S TOP SHOWS,13 New Original Works Festival 2022 (artists TBA) Aug. 18 to Aug. 20; Aug. 25 to Aug. 27; Sept. 1 to Sept. 3 The New Original Works Festival is a three-week interdisciplinary program offering a variety of short works and some longer projects in its Los Angeles premieres.

Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Avenue laphil.com

Gustavo Dudamel Conducts Beethoven’s 9th May 26 to May 29 Written when Beethoven was completely deaf, this epic piece has three movements that end with voices. To begin the evening, music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel gives world premieres of music by Peruvian-born composer Gonzalo Garrido-Lecca and Francisco Cordes-Alvarez from Mexico.

Morgan Siobhan Green plays Eurydice in the first national touring company of “Hadestown.” Submitted

“Hold On, We Shall Overcome!” with Nathaniel Gumbs May 29 Nathaniel Gumbs honed his musical craft learning to play by ear in his Baptist church in the Bronx, sneaking in on Saturday nights to teach himself how to play the

church’s organ. Now serving as director of chapel music at Yale University, Gumbs has championed traditional spirituals, recording an album with Dashon Burton titled “Songs of Struggle,” as well as underperformed music of Black composers. “Still and Negron” with Gustavo Dudamel: Power to the People Festival June 2 and June 5 Gustavo Dudamel conducts the most recognized symphony by the dean of African American composers, William Grant Still. The program also boasts a world premiere from the multitalented Puerto Rico-born composer Angelica Negron. “Canto en Resistencia”: Power to the People! Festival June 4 Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil in music by Angelica Negron and a world premiere by Victor Agudelo. Special guest singers join the orchestra to celebrate protest music from Latin America and the United States. Dr. Angela Davis: Power to the Imagination: The Role of Art and Creativity in Social Change. Power to the People! Festival June 5

It’s time to VOTE It’s once again time to show your favorite DTLA businesses some love! From May 23rd to June 23rd, you can vote for your favorite DTLA businesses simply by going to ladowntownnews.com – look for the Best of DTLA “VOTE” button. You can vote one time per device per day! Voting starts at noon on May 23 and closes at noon on June 23. If you have a business and would like to be involved in the Best of DTLA this year, please contact Catherine Holloway at 213-308-2261 or Michael Lamb 213-453-3548

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Scholar and activist Dr. Angela Davis in conversation about the role art has played in social justice movements and its potential to effect change today. “Place”: Power to the People! Festival June 7 Hearne’s “Place” explores the complex and contentious map of the place everyone calls home. Co-produced and co-commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects. Mon Laferte June 8 Singer-songwriter Mon Laferte is a beloved musician in Chile. Her music brings together sonic traditions of her native country and that of Mexico. Emmylou Harris June 11 The 14-time Grammy winner makes her return to Walt Disney Concert Hall for the first time since 2005.

Olafur Arnalds June 14 Composer and

Olafur Arnalds has played in metal bands and toured in a dance music duo, but the music he releases under his name has been called a “signature gorgeous melancholy.” His most recent album, 2020’s “Some Kind of Peace,” was lauded for its breathtaking vulnerability. Bach’s “B-Minor Mass” June 25 and June 26 Bach spent his final years composing and compiling a lifetime’s worth of his most powerful music into this single work, which Robert Shaw called “the most remarkable musical allegory of human existence — its pain, aspiration and promises.” World Projects’ Los Angeles “Sounds of Summer” Festival June 28 The 2022 Los Angeles “Sounds of Summer” Festival presented by World Projects Corporation affords top ensembles from around the country the chance to perform at this world-class venue. This year’s concert features ensembles from Oregon and California.

From June through September, a variety of Grand Performances are slated at California Plaza.

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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help

The North American touring company of the musical “Come from Away” portrays many real-life passengers stranded for five days after 9/11 in the small Newfoundland town of Gander and the locals who took care of them. The musical returns to the Ahmanson Theatre for two weeks. Matthew Murphy/Submitted

Acts of kindness inspire a musical

By Jeff Favre LA Downtown News Contributing Writer hen two little-known composers interviewed Kevin Tuerff about his 9/11 experiences, he didn’t remember what he said 10 years later. Soon thereafter, he attended the first production of “Come from Away” at Sheridan College in Toronto, and he was more than a little surprised. “I wept the entire time,” said Tuerff, who became one of the characters written into the show by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. “It was overwhelming. It took me right back to 9/11. Everything about that experience was so spot on in portraying the experience I felt in that town. And when I got back to the U.S., I wondered if we would do the same, and the answer was probably not. The town he’s referring to is Gander, in Newfoundland, where nearly 7,000 air travelers were rerouted after the attack. The people opened their homes and hearts to the strangers for five days.

“Come from Away” made it to Broadway in 2018 and earned seven Tony nominations. Its popularity in Los Angeles during the North American tour prompted Center Theatre Group to request a return engagement. The two-week stop at Downtown’s Ahmanson Theatre begins Tuesday, May 31. Tuerff, who onstage is portrayed by Jeremy Woodard, was the first of the stranded travelers to see the production. He explained that while some alternations were made, such as changing his hometown from Dallas to Los Angeles, much of what you see and what the characters say is real. One special moment, which he didn’t remember telling Sankoff and Hein, happened after the week in Gander. He was sent back with his partner at the time (Kevin J in the show) to France, where they had been on vacation, instead of home, where they wanted to go. Tuerff visited Notre Dame and was moved by the Parisians praying for Americans who died on 9/11. He left the cathedral humming the hymn “Lord, Make Me An Instrument of Thy Peace,” which wound up in the musical’s “Prayer” song.

“Come from Away” made it to Broadway in 2018 and earned seven Tony nominations. Matthew Murphy/Submitted

MAY 23, 2022

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Beginning Tuesday, May 31, “Come from Away” will be at Ahmanson Theatre for two weeks. Matthew Murphy/Submitted

“That first time I saw it, it was a sucker punch,” he said. “When the young college student came out and started singing that song, I thought, wait, I never told anybody that song was in my head. Apparently, I did and completely forgot. So that was amazing, a shocker.” That song will be sung at the Ahmanson by Woodard, a North Carolina native, whose Broadway credits include “Rock of Ages” and “School of Rock.” The pair met when the tour stopped in Nashville, where Tuerff’s parents live. “I took my mom and dad and they brought 40 of their friends, and so I jokingly told him, ‘It’s time to meet your mother and father,’” he said.

Woodard appreciated making the connection, which has been one of many high points doing a show he loves. “People might think I’d say this is my favorite show because I’m in it, but it was my favorite show before I was ever involved in it,” he said. “The last thing you want to do when you’re in shows is to go to the theater on your day off, but my buddy was in it, and he said he’d get a ticket. I watched it and was blown away. It’s seamless.” Even with positive reviews and strong ticket sales, a return visit to Los Angeles this soon is somewhat unusual. But, according to Ahmanson Theatre presentations manager Eric Sims, it was an easy choice. “It’s also a great show to revisit,” he explained. “This is an incredibly positive and life-affirming and community-going experience, especially now, when the world is so polarized. This play is really about gathering with those who are different from you. It could not be more perfect for this moment.” Tuerff believes “Come from Away” connects with audiences because the compassion shown by the people of Gander, which he has shared in his book “Channel of Peace” and through speaking engagements. He also founded PayitForward911.org, a movement that encourages people to commit random acts of kindness. “In America, we do step up in times of major events, after 9/11 or when there’s hurricanes and tornadoes,” he said. “But the question is, why does it take a natural disaster or a pandemic for us to act that way, when this is how they roll on a daily basis in Newfoundland. I’d never met any of the Gander people represented on 9/11. I never met the mayor, had never met the police, but now those people are my second family.”

“Come from Away” WHEN: Various times Tuesday, May 31, to Sunday, June 12 WHERE: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $40 INFO: 213-628-2772, centertheatregroup.org

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‘The Mandalorian’ star parlays talents into ‘King Lear’ By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor mily Swallow sees a common thread between the “Star Wars” saga and Shakespeare. She should know: Swallow plays The Armorer in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” and now, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, she’s starring as Goneril in “King Lear.” The two address “epic emotions” surrounding families. “It’s family drama, but it’s a family who is at the point of incredible crisis,” said Swallow, whose “King Lear” runs through June 5. “ This is a family who is facing the exact same problems that people today face. There’s trust. There are people who want to love each other but are afraid to love each other. There are power struggles in terms of family dynamics, and people who want to feel powerful in the world and express that.” The Bram Goldsmith Theater has been reconfigured to transport the audience to an immersive, future American dystopia riddled with environmental catastrophe and social chaos. King Lear, once a skilled geopolitical leader, has been reduced to a dazed and infuriated wanderer exposed to the elements, and is forced to grapple with violent power struggles and a dysfunctional family. This radical reinvention of one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays explores questions of truth, love and power, and offers a glimpse of redemption.

Emily Swallow, who plays The Armorer in “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” is starring as Goneril in “King Lear.” Diana Ragland/Submitted

MAY 23, 2022

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

To use a modern phrase, King Lear “cancels” one of his daughters because he doesn’t like the way she expresses herself, even though she’s expressing her truth, Swallow said. “She’s trying to get him to understand that this is the way she sees the world,” she added. “He doesn’t like what he hears. He just wants to forget that she ever existed. In a way, that’s what we do these days with this idea of cancel culture. “We want to forget people ever existed, and we don’t give them a chance to explain themselves. That might be a bizarre comparison, in some ways, but I think that there are parallels to that.” In the meantime, King Lear’s two other daughters are trying to get through to him and express their points of view. “They don’t trust him, and he doesn’t trust them,” she added. “You can see how people just keep missing each other. On the outside, you can appreciate that. “You can say, ‘Man, I wish that I could sit down with these people and could tell them exactly how they’re not seeing eye to eye. But then you appreciate how, in the middle of that, you’re stubborn and you’re willful and you’re prideful. It just doesn’t work out quite so logically. You end up hurting each other. Sometimes there’s no coming back from that.” “King Lear” continues with themes of reconciliation and second chances, two things she said she believes in. “I choose to believe that there’s always a chance for reconciliation. We can always mend those broken bridges,” she said. “King Lear” marks the first time in four years that Swallow has performed live. She called it “challenging in wonderful ways.” “You get the whole rehearsal process,” she explained. “So often in television, you’re trying to shoot so much of the script in such a short amount of time that you have to come into the set, having done all the work on your own. You don’t really get time to rehearse with the other actors.

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“You’ve solved everything on your own. Then, of course, once you’re with the other actors, you can respond to what they’ve brought in as well.” She said she hopes her performances in “King Lear” will turn “Star Wars” fans on to Shakespeare. “One of the reasons that Shakespeare and ‘Star Wars’ endure is because Shakespeare wrote about themes that hit us in our heart and George Lucas wrote about themes that hit us in our heart. “People are searching for what has meaning and trying to find their purpose and what’s right. But, of course, they’re stumbling on their own shortcomings and being imperfect and still trying to find — to quote my own character — why we keep coming back to him.” There’s something Shakespearean about The Armorer, because she’s theatrical, larger than life and outside of reality, Swallow added. In approaching her work on her, she said it was helpful to have had experience in theater and physical work. “With The Armorer, I don’t get to use my face,” she said. “It’s not like naturalistic work, where I’m trying to be very subtle. I have to feel her emotions through my whole body and feel her expressing herself through my entire body. I think John (Gould Rubin, ‘King Lear’ director) said to me that it was appealing to him that I had viatical experience on my resume. That came in handy.”

“King Lear” with Emily Swallow and Joe Morton WHEN: Various times through Sunday, June 5 WHERE: Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills COST: Tickets start at $39 INFO: thewallis.org

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Anna Sofia recalls tumultuous career beginnings By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor et Me Out I’m Free!” couldn’t be a more apt name for Anna Sofia’s latest release. The EP shares the beginnings of the Toronto songstress’ career. “It is just a very honest EP,” the 18-yearold Sofia said. The entire EP talks about a point in my career where I was very manipulated by the industry and the opinions of people in the industry. “I was very controlled by the industry. I really couldn’t do myself or my own thing. That was a rough point.” Sofia said she’s relieved that the manipulation came early in her career, before it could turn into “something really bad.” The EP is accompanied by a co-directed cinematic film project that soundtracks four of the songs and closes with a new song, her single “Caged Birds Don’t Sing.” The lyrics and visuals showcase the singer-songwriter’s storytelling truths in the

“L

Anna Sofia recently released the “Let Me Out I’m Free!” EP. Steph Verschuren/@stephverschuren/Submitted

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point of view of Gen Z, facing the mental and physical barriers that come with anxiety and fear. The film will screen at Braindead Studios on May 24. “We did a release party in Toronto and performed the music,” she said. “In LA, we’re playing the short film at Braindead Studios. That’s going to be really cool.” Sofia made her LA premiere at It’s a School Night, a live music showcase founded in 2010 where chart toppers and Grammy winners got their start. “Every awesome artist I look up performed at It’s a School Night, like Bruno Mars,” she said. “I got really, really good feedback from the audience. To see that before I started performing in a couple different places was great. I met some cool artists, and it’s really nice to have built those relationships. It was a nice point to practice that music.” With her music, she hopes it’s meaningful to her fans and other listeners.

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THE VOICE OF D OWNTOWN LA S INCE 1972

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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help “There are different things that I want them to take with them per project,” she said. “For this project, I didn’t expect people to have a good time. It’s not uplifting music. It’s not music you’re meant to feel happy. It’s an awareness thing. No matter what — whether you’re in music, in school, whatever you do — I want people to really understand that they carve their own path in life. “They should do whatever makes them happy. Don’t let anyone control you. That’s what I want people to take away from my music.” Growing up just outside of Toronto, Sofia performed on stages ranging from school

recitals to her family restaurant. Admiring Sir Elton John and Tyler, the Creator, Sofia has since accrued millions of streams. “I’ve always been in the arts,” she said. “I was a piano player and dancer really young. I did them both competitively, and I did a grading system for piano ballet. “I was very musical from the beginning. I was singing when I was a kid. It wasn’t anything like, ‘Oh, my God. She is it.’ I didn’t force anything. When the time was right, I got into piano lessons and writing my own music. It all ended up happening at the right time.”

“Let Me Out I’m Free” WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24 WHERE: Braindead Studios, 611 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles COST: Visit website INFO: studios.wearebraindead.com

Anna Sofia will screen a new cinematic film project at Braindead Studios on Tuesday, May 24. Steph Verschuren/@stephverschuren/Submitted

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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help Fantastic Negrito shares his family history on new album By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor like many musicians, singer-songwriter Fantastic Negrito used the pandemic lockdown to write music. The subject, however, was deeply personal. “During the pandemic, I discovered my deep family secrets that were hidden from me,” said Negrito, born Xavier Dphrepaulezz. “I made an album and a movie about it.” Due June 3, “White Jesus Black Problems” is based on the true story of Negrito’s seventh-generation white Scottish grandmother, an indentured servant, living in a common-law marriage with his seventh-generation African American enslaved grandfather, in open defiance of the racist, separatist, laws of 1750s colonial Virginia. The film, “White Jesus Black Problems,” will screen at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at the Grammy Museum. The event features a post-screening interview and acoustic performance. “It was super, super inspiring to me,” he said about his family’s lineage. “This is my most ambitious work thus far. Who knew I was 27% European?” Negrito researched his family the old-fashioned way: online. “I just started digging online,” he said. “You have these websites that have all of our family information these days.” The first single from “White Jesus Black Problems” is “Highest Bidder,” a track tackling themes of racism, capitalism and the meaning of freedom itself via African rhythms and Delta blues. Another track, “Oh Betty,” was “very emotional.” “It’s the story of my grandfather, of his humanity,” he said. “He’s toiling in captivity and the only light at the end of this dark hallway is his love, Betty Gallimore, and he won’t give up on her. So that’s Grandpa Courage reaching out and singing that ballad. “In the movie, there’s a scene where she meets him in the for-

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est and gives him cornbread from the house. When you think about the garbage that enslaved people were fed back then, the taste of that sweet cornbread must have been the taste of love. And for grandma, sneaking that food to him was an act of true love as well. So it’s a song of love and longing but also doubt and fear.”

Reel to Reel: “White Jesus Black Problems” WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 2 WHERE: The Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles COST: $25 INFO: grammymuseum.org/programs

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Fantastic Negrito will perform acoustically at the Grammy Museum following the screening of his film “White Jesus Black Problems.” Shore Fire/Submitted

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