ISC: Art Break

Independent Shakespeare Co. is back with This Little World ; our revamped Community Action Update podcast! This episode, Ensemble member and Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan interviews ensemble member, actor, poet, and proud Angeleno, Xavi Moreno about the harms we are experiencing in our streets of Los Angeles and the role we all have in looking out for our community...

Independent Shakespeare Co.’s Community Action Update podcast marks the start of its new season with an episode centering three incredible locals who stepped up to support their communities in the wake of the LA County Wildfires. Ensemble Member and Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan interviews Fin Lee, Teen Librarian for the Altadena Library District; Rebecca Graul Voc...

Independent Shakespeare Co.’s Community Action Update podcast returns for a special bonus episode ahead of the November 5th election. Ensemble member and Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan interviews Arts for LA’s Director of Policy and Advocacy Ricky Abilez, who shares their work and stresses the importance of voting this — and every — election. She also shares reflect...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast returns ahead of our summer festival with an episode centered on equitable and meaningful resiliency in the arts sector. ISC’s Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan interviews Center Theatre Group’s Director of Equity, Belonging, and Engagement Khanisha Foster, who speaks to the powerful and sustaining nature of truly inclusive art mak...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast series is back for a new season on the Ides of March! In this episode we explore the importance of labor and union organizing in the arts with Megan / Reagan of Star Garden, a North Hollywood Topless Dive Bar and the only current unionized (AEA) strip club in the country. We also speak with ISC Board members Elizabeth Dennehy and Paul Major about the SAG-AFTRA...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast series is back with our final episode of the year! Join us as we deep dive into arts advocacy at the state and local level with two powerhouse change makers in our community. We speak with Kristin Sakoda (Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture) about the current challenges our local arts sector is facing and ways their department is...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast series is back with an episode centered on critical arts funding legislation YOU have the power to support! The Advancing Equity Through the Arts and Humanities Act (H.R. 3239) would support public and nonprofit organizations that use the Arts to combat racism with funding and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the H...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast series is back on the Ides of March! This episode centers the importance of arts education and access and is jam packed as ISC Ensemble Member and Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan conducts a joint interview with Monica Horan Rosenthal (who recently graced our ISC studio stage in the fall production of Happy Days) and Jackie Lopez...

ISC’s Community Action Update podcast series is back with an episode full of fierce women! ISC’s Artistic Associate for Social Justice Carene Rose Mekertichyan spoke with local representative and Pulitzer Prize Finalist Kristina Wong (just before she made her way to Sardi’s to collect her Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance!) about the relationship between theatre artists and mutual...

Independent Shakespeare Co.’s Community Action Update podcast series returns on the Ides of March in a revamped format that will now be released quarterly! This episode features interviews with Sabra Williams and Major Bunton of Creative Acts and Inglewood Wrapping Arms Around the Community, Miry Whitehill of Miry's List, and a special Shakespeare reading by our very own David Melville. For ways t...

In this month's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to join ISC staff this Giving Tuesday in celebrating and supporting organizations that we feel are doing important work to uplift our communities and staying active in the fight for social justice and equity. Let us know who you are supporting this Giving Tuesday on our Twitter, F...

Ready for a Spooky episode just in time for Halloween? In today's episode of Off the Shelf, ISC Ensemble Member, Aisha Kabia, reads to you the dark story of W.W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw." Aisha Kabia Is an actress working and living in Los Angeles, CA. In Nine Seasons with Independent Shakespeare Company :  Thaisa in ‘PERICLES’, Titania in ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM’ Queen Elizabe...

In this month's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to protect Mauna Kea, The Creative Workforce Development Act, donate to the family and scholarship fund of Halyna Hutchins, stop Line 3, and other ways YOU can stay active in the fight for social justice and equity. Protect Mauna Kea: maunakea.konveio.com Stop Line 3: action.lakot...

In this month's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to support arts workers by advocating for SB-628, The Creative Workforce Development Act, stay informed and donate to aid current refugee crises, volunteer with SELAH and Waterdrop LA to support our unhoused neighbors, and other ways YOU can stay active in the fight for social jus...

Join us for our special August Community Action Update! ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, highlights SELAH, a local organization serving the unhoused in Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Atwater Village, and Hollywood. This year during the Griffith park Free Shakespeare Festival, ISC is partnering with SELAH to collect hygiene kits for the unhoused during our entir...

In July's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to support our unhoused neighbors with Water Drop LA, take part in La Defensa’s “Rate My Judge” program, join Justice LA’s efforts for criminal justice reform, and other ways YOU can stay active in the fight for social justice and equity. Learn more about Water Drop LA by visiting their...

Happy Pride Month! In June's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to donate to your favorite LGBTQIA2S+ organizations including the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Trans Defense Fund, take action to Save the San Marcos Foothills, urge your assembly member to support the VISION Act, and other ways YOU can stay active in the fight for...

It's a double feature in this week's Off the Shelf with ISC! In today's episode of Off the Shelf, ISC Ensemble Member, Sam Breen, reads to you the humorous tales of Mark Twain's "The Wary Prayer," and "A Dog's Tale." Sam Breen is a Swiss/American actor, writer and educator and ISC company member. He has performed at The La Jolla Playhouse, The American Repertory Theater, PACT Zolverein (Germany),...

For May's Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, invites you to aid in the movement to #StopAAPPI Hate by taking Bystander Intervention Training with Hollaback!, donate to Save the San Marcos Foothills, learn more about nationwide community based alternatives to police, and other actions YOU can take this month to stay active in the fight for soc...

Take an Art Break and learn more about ways you can mobilize for advocacy in the arts! Activist, actor and ISC Ensemble member Sabra Williams is in conversation with ISC’s Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan about her social justice work with organizations like the Actor’s Gang and Creative Acts, creating a National Truth Commission, the importance of the arts, and the many...

It's time to grab another book Off the Shelf with ISC! In today's episode of Off the Shelf, ISC Ensemble Member, William Elsman, reads to you the spine-chilling tale of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat." Known for his stories full of mystery and macabre, Edgar Allan Poe take audiences for a disturbing ride in "The Black Cat" as the unnamed narrator's strong affection for his pet black cat turns de...

In this April Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, speaks to what actions YOU can take this month to stay active in the fight for social justice and equity. List of Resources Stop AAPI Hate: stopaapihate.org Fundraisers for Victims and Families: Suncha Kim: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-sun-cha-kim Hyun Jung Kim: https://www.go...

This episode was recorded and edited before the horrific attacks against the Asian-American community in Atlanta. We stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and condemn the targeted violence that continues to escalate. We must dismantle systemic white supremacy in all of our communities. While we stay safer at home, Zoom readings and live streamed Shakespeare plays have served the need for som...

In this March Community Action Update, ISC's Artistic Associate for Social Justice, Carene Mekertichyan, speaks to what actions YOU can take this month to stay active in the fight for social justice and equity. List of Resources Black Lives Matter Survival Fund: blacklivesmatter.com/survival-fund Stop AAPI Hate: stopaapihate.org ISC Justice Page: iscla.org/justice Save the San Marcos Foothills: ht...

Grab your favorite book Off the Shelf and take an Art Break with us! We're kicking off the premiere of our newest segment, Off the Shelf, with ISC Co-Founder and Managing Director, David Melville reading a classic, light-hearted short story, "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest" from My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. One of many Wodehouse short stories, "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest" features the young...