Skylight Salute (2018)
This ain't no rubber chicken event...
We salute and celebrate three artists who have defined and expanded our community and by extension, have helped us claim our stature among the best the Los Angeles artist community has to offer.
They are actress and activist Dale Raoul, Latinx arts expert and director Dr. Jorge Huerta, and playwright and teacher Lee Blessing.
What they do is personal, sometimes provocative but always creative. As champions of artists, and the art of theater they celebrate life and bring people together.
We are proud to honor these three very special people and invite you to join in on the fun and festivities.
Get ready! The evening will be hosted by Sandra Tsing Loh and John Fleck.
WHY THIS MATTERS…
We don't just "put on plays," we create opportunities, help launch careers, and sometimes we change minds.
Your dinner tickets, tribute messages and contributions support successful programs that nurture and develop artists from all across greater Los Angeles. They provide artistic opportunities for teens in Los Angeles high schools, and help promote dialogue and life-long learning through our education and community outreach programs.
"The Skylight Theatre Company, known for creating stories that help stimulate conversation, raise our consciousness, and expand our hearts." - Broadway World
Diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in the fabric of Skylight. Its more than multi racial casting, it's telling stories that would go unnoticed or could be controversial. It's taking a chance on someone without regard for age, gender, ethnicity or their zip code. It's actively seeking out artists that have never heard of Skylight and welcoming them into the family.
You help make all this happen. We're proud of the awards and the national recognition we've received, but we're prouder still of our community of friends - audience, artists, and supporters.
Please help. Come Celebrate with us. Purchase a Tribute Message. Make a Donation. Invest in the Future. Invest in Skylight.
OUR HONOREES
Dale Raoul
Actress and Activist - Touching Lives
Dale Raoul puts the word “act” in actress but many don’t know she simultaneously puts the word “act” in activism; beginning, in fact, when she committed to the Artists Confronting AIDS production of “AIDS/US” at the Skylight Theatre.
When the women who appeared in the groundbreaking docudrama were unable to perform because of the physical deterioration caused by AIDS, Dale would “perform” their words, she noted, “It was the most heartbreaking, life-affirming experience I’ve had in the theatre.” Since that 1986 experience, she has combined acting with social activism, raising funds for organizations such as Five Acres Orphanage, Caring for Babies with Aids, The Foster Care Project, and Lamp Community on Skid Row. She has headlined benefits for the MAMM Alliance which raises money for the performing arts under the CSU Fullerton’s Philanthropic Foundation, and for the past seven years performed “A Christmas Memory” to benefit her favorite local charity, Housing Works.
Jorge Huerta
Leader in Latinx Theatre - Bringing us together
Dr. Jorge Huerta is not only a theatre director working all across the country, he is recognized as a leading authority on contemporary Chicana/o and US Latina/o Theatre, and a published author. His books include: Chicano Theatre: Themes and Forms (Bilingual Press, 1982) and Chicano Drama: Performance, Society, and Myth (Cambridge 2000). Theatres he has directed in include the San Diego Repertory, Seattle’s' Group Theatre, Washington D.C.’s Gala Hispanic Theatre, La Compañía de Teatro de Albuquerque and New York's Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre.
He is an accomplished lecturer and conducts workshops in Chicana/o theatre throughout the U.S. Latin America and Western Europe. A friend to Skylight, he recently supported our production of THE MADRES and was a guest participant in our Beyond Conversation discussion series. The rich cultural diversity of Los Angeles is celebrated at Skylight and we’re especially proud to have such a champion in Dr. Huerta.
Lee Blessing
Playwright - Using Words to Bring Understanding
Lee Blessing’s sustained achievements in dramatic literature have not only earned him frequent productions internationally, but also the highest nominations and awards in American Theatre.
He is a dedicated play writing professor at Rutgers, and just this year became the Director of Skylight's resident writers PlayLAb. Promoting understanding and compassion through his words, he has raised the bar for countless playwrights helping them find their unique voice and advance their work through development. We are proud to salute a living master.
SCHEDULE
Elysian Masonic Temple - Oct 14, 2018
6:00pm
A Special Fundraising Event
Venue: Elysian Masonic Temple
1900 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles 90027
Parking on site, please carpool if possible
Community is at the center of this celebration so we'll be staying in our village, Los Feliz Village, at the Elysian Masonic Temple on the corner of Vermont Ave and Franklin Ave. We hope you'll make the time to be with us.
