INTERVIEW
Q. In a style of one of your performers, how would you describe Art House Productions?
A. Well, the style of an Art House performer could be poetry, so here it goes:
home
is where the
ART
is.
But seriously, our vibe is about supporting the artist; creating non-oppressive, dialogue-driven environments for artists to develop and showcase their work. People take risks at our events because they know they can (and we love them for it), and because they know risk is essential to developing one's craft.
Q. How do you manage to keep AHP's program funded?
A. Our programs are currently funded 100% by individual supporters. Tax deductible donations can be made online at: www.arthouseproductions.org/donate.html
We have also partnered up with IGive.com (visit our link at: http://www.iGive.com/AHP), where anyone can make online purchases through our link to tons of stores like Amazon.com, Lands' End, Barnes and Noble, and Target. It's free to sign up and for every purchase, Art House Productions gets a donation of up to 26% of the total amount. So it's a great opportunity for people who are already making online purchases to help our cause.
For our events, we look for donated space and materials to keep the admission costs down. We know what it means to be a struggling artist and we want our programs to be accessible!
Q. Is there anything else like this going on in Jersey City?
A. The creative landscape has certainly changed since AHP began in 2001. I am thrilled to see new galleries, arts centers, and open mics popping up all the time! The "Links" page on our website, www.arthouseproductions.org, is a great way to find out what else is happening in Jersey City.
Q. What have been your favorite recent performances?
A. They're all my favorites! I love them all equally! But some of our most exciting recent events have included:
- The world premiere of our multimedia comedy, "Sleeping with Management," in the New York International Fringe Festival
- THE ART HOUSE open mic/performance night featuring Reggie Cabico (HBO's "Def Poetry Jam," PBS's "In the Life" and MTV's "Free Your Mind")
- THE ART HOUSE featuring David Amram (Beat legend and world-famous musician, composed the original scores for "Manchurian Candidate" and Arthur Miller's "After the Fall")
- The 2004 Jersey City Art Studio Tour, where we had a full day of "Spontaneous Performance" and a Wall of Words" where anyone could write a poem and post it on the wall
- Our Pablo Neruda Centennial Celebration
Q. Have you had any big stars make guest appearances?
A. Our first event, "What Do YOU Say?" was held in a tiny preschool playroom on Grove Street in Jersey City. Reg E Gaines (Book/Lyrics for "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk," Grammy winner, two time Tony nominee) was at this "little reading that could." He's an amazing Jersey City poet, always into creating community. And he totally dug what we were doing. I didn't even know who he was until he became a regular at the events and one time somebody gasped and said, "Oh my gosh! That's Reg E Gaines!!"
Q. And in addition to all this, you're an accomplished actress?
A. I perform a lot of my own writing (my most recent performance was a one-woman show), both as an actress and as a spoken word artist. I also do a lot of Off-Off theatre, because I truly believe that's where you're going to find theatre's meaty stuff. No offense to vegetarians. I also do film and television, and that's nice because I actually get a paycheck for it. Paychecks are rare! Paychecks are nice! www.christine-goodman.com
Q. Is it difficult to keep your acting career focused when you have all these other people's careers to nurture?
A. Actually, it's quite the opposite. They nurture me as much as I nurture them. Art House Productions has helped me find my voice, which in turn has helped me grow as an actress. AHP is a constant inspiration to me -- it keeps me going!
Q. Were you the kind of kid who was orchestrating talent shows in the neighborhood?
A. You betcha! I was also the one knocking door to door selling Girl Scout cookies and getting sponsors for the Read-a-thon. I've always been passionate about producing, fundraising, and organizing for things I believe in. Art House Productions is definitely something worth believing in!
Q. What's next for AHP?
A. On May 1st and June 2nd, we will present THE ART HOUSE performance night/open mic. May 18th is the Local Poets Showcase, part of the 16th Annual Cathedral Arts Festival. And on Thursday, June 23rd from 7-11pm we will present our End of Season Blowout Celebration/Fundraiser at Uncle Joe's in Jersey City.
In November 2005, Art House Productions will present our most ambitious project to date: the world premiere of "The Heist Project." This play is a large-scale, multimedia performance piece based on the largest unsolved art theft in American History; the 1990 robbery of pieces by Rembrandt, Degas, Manet, and more from the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA.
Within this context, we are incorporating audio/visual recordings of interviews by Jersey City artists who had studios in 111 First Street, speaking to us during their final days inside the building. For those unfamiliar with 111, this was an artist's warehouse housing professional artists, and the cornerstone of the arts scene in Jersey City. After a long struggle with the building's owner, 111 closed its doors in February 2005, and have now these artists have dispersed to other areas. But the memory of what they have created lives on. "The Heist Project" is an examination of the value we place on art and artists. It's about our history, and how our history will inform the future.
For more information about our events, please visit
www.arthouseproductions.org
