More Monkey Business at ODU!

Azucena Villaflot comin at ya!

Darling Journal,

Yee haw!  What an action packed pair of days!  I met up with the girls in the wee hours of the morn, ready to jet-set down south.  Well, we may have been ready but the jet had a bit of trouble getting started.  Not to worry – all it needed to do was “power down”!  Apparently, planes function similarly to laptops these days.  Who knew?  After only a brief moment of feeling the need to call my mother and tell her I loved her, all was well and we were taxing down the runway.  Of course I did what I always do on airplanes.  Sleep with my mouth open.  Before I knew it we were in Norfolk (which I still can’t pronounce without making it sound like a dirty word).

Isadora Duncan, Me, Bea Arthur 

Virginia is very green – a lovely change from New York City grey. We made our way from the airport and checked into the hotel where everyone felt compelled to say “Hello, how are you?”  Fascinating.  Next, we skipped over to Old Dominion University!  Whoo hoo!  Rehearsals went smoothly, especially after Josh showed up to save us when our student volunteer suddenly remembered she had a class!  Now I’ve heard ‘em all.  But we lucked out with Josh -- one of the most enthusiastic volunteers I have ever seen.  Thank you Josh!  You rock (and are now a permanent Baboon Boy member of the GGOT’s. 

BABOON BOY BEATS CHEST - JOSH!

The show (Silence is Violence) was a blast!  Even though the audience numbers may have been small, they were fierce.  Just another example of how size doesn’t mean a darn thing!

The girls had a delicious post-show outing where I was able to try my first “Norfolk Nojito”!  Similar to a Mojito except you get to put some muscle into it and mull your own mint right at the table!  After this long day, we all did like trees and slept like logs (mouth closed this time).  The following morning was spent at the beautiful Norfolk Botanical Gardens.  Here we witnessed turtles, butterflies, trams full of children, and more trees!  What a lovely way to say goodbye to this fair state. 

Can’t wait for the next Guerrilla Girls On Tour Adventure!

Hugs and kisses,

Azucena Villaflor

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY

L to R Isadora Duncan, Azucena Villaflor and Bea Arthur

April 18, 2012

Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA:

Dear Diary,

What a whirlwind tour to the South! We left the jungle of New York City in the early morning and got off the banana boat that afternoon to perform “Silence is Violence” at Old Dominion University. The theme of Old Dominion, we decided, was “labyrinth” judging by how massive the campus, buildings and dining options were. Whew! Thank goodness for military escorts.

Gretchen, from the campus Women's Center, welcomed us and provided us with space to rehearse and enjoy our Quiznos. There was still a lot of activity on campus, especially given that classes wrap up in only a week. After our rehearsal (and subs) we made our way to the venue for that evenings performance. “Silence is Violence” involves a lot of improvisation of different scenes which highlight options for protecting yourself in dating/social situations but also some great examples of how to be an active bystander. For several of these scenes, we work with a student volunteer to act them out with us. We were very lucky to have the creative, enthusiastic Josh joining us on the stage. His improv was off-the-cuff, authentic AND really funny!

Me, Bea! 

 Once show time rolled around, we were introduced by our host, Joanne, from the Women's Center who is doing some great work to highlight April as Sexual Assault Awareness month. Our audience was moderately sized but big on appreciation. I always enjoy the diversity of our audiences: women, men, college-aged (and sometimes younger) through the 70-somethings. In this crowd, we not only had students and professionals from the college, but also folks who work at the YWCA, the local women's resource center. They appreciated that we shared important statistics on sexual assault while at the same time having lots to laugh about in our show-stopping numbers. Our improvised scenes were the hit of the night and Josh more than rose to the occasion, engaging the crowd both in the scenarios during the show and after the show when hocking our t-shirts and posters. Thanks, man! 

THE FABULOUS JOSH 

And thank YOU, Old Dominion University!

Anchors Aweigh!!- Bea

NEBRASKA!

How much do I LOVE touring to RED STATES? Let me count the ways:

1) The people come out in droves…they drive from cities and towns hours and hours away because they support feminism and want to show that there are feminists everywhere – even in conservative red states.

2) You get to see landscapes (corn fields) and wildlife (horses) that you don’t see walking down 2^nd Avenue.

3) People talk A LOT during the Q and A’s after our performances

4) People talk A LOT during “Announcements from the Audience” and tell us about cool events like the WOMAN HOUSE project at UNL Lincoln.

5) Our student volunteer picks the name of a dead woman artist we’ve never heard of before i.e. Elmira “Buffalo Bone” Jackson. Check her out: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/A-Spectacular-Collection-of-Native-American-Quilts.html

6) The car rental place gives you a Lincoln Town Car because you are in Lincoln, NE.

Edith Evans and sculpture at Sheldon Museum of Art

Guerrilla Girls On Tour! made their very first visit to Nebraska today – Bea Arthur, Edith Evans and myself, Aphra Behn, were thrilled to fly to Omaha and drive to Lincoln in our Lincoln. What a tank!

We performed “Feminists Are Funny, the Corn Huskers edition” to a sold out audience at the Sheldon Museum of Art on the UNL campus. The UNL campus sits smack in the middle of Lincoln so the campus is fully integrated into the city. After a fantastic introduction by museum director Jorge Daniel Veneciano, we hit the stage and didn’t come up for air until the standing ovation. Yes, Corn Huskers rocked the house and were the most amazing audience we’ve had this season – thank you, thank you for being so vocal, so with it and so much a part of our show. We pride ourselves in the audience participation parts of “Feminists Are Funny” and you did not disappoint. We cannot wait to return.

Monkey Love,

Aphra Behn

March 12, 2012

National Hug A Cornhusker DAY!

With Edith Evans in front of the Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, NE!

March 12, 2012

University of Nebraska at Lincoln,

A love letter to the jewel of the Midwest:

“From the East coast to the West (and in the center of the Heartland!), Women are the best” and so are the audiences that support them in Lincoln, Nebraska! Guerrilla Girls On Tour! continued our 2012 rock star status in the heart of the Midwest. Listen up, New York... Nebraska supports equality for women in the arts and you should too!

We were welcomed with barrels of bananas (and Trader Joes treats) at UNL by Victoria Hoyt, fabulous MFA student, feminist and artist extraordinaire. The day of our show was as warm and sunny as the disposition of the Midwesterners we met in the Hy-Vee supermarket. We frolicked around UNL's lovely campus, embracing opportunities to pose for pictures with cheeky public art works and chewed on reeds of Nebraska straw like the nearby farmers. Oh Lincoln, NE -- with your football stadium that could house the population of 3 states, your surprisingly good statistics for women-directed theater and your legacy of Johnny Carson -- we love you! But I’m getting ahead of myself. We were honored to perform in the beautiful Abbot Theater, which is part of the Sheldon Museum of Art and we were supported by a meticulous tech staff AKA Donny and Jack (thanks guys!).

We ran through our tech smoothly and retired to our backstage area and low and behold we began to hear the enthusiastic yelps of the standing-room-only crowd gathered in the house. Aphra accidentally locked us our of the stage by clicking the stage door shut and we had to call Victoria on her cell to rescue us. I’m blaming it on her mask being too tight.) Anyway, Jack came to our rescue and we were able to hear the flattering introduction we were given by Jorge Daniel Veneciano, the museum director, before taking the stage. The show began and the crowd was electric! Let's just say that we weren't the only ones casting off bras, slips and girdles in the opening number... The crowd thoroughly enjoyed the show, participated whole-heartedly, taking the opportunity to announce many productions, lectures and art openings on campus and in the area. The audience was diverse with many college students, but also parents with children, local theater artists and supporters like the retired farmer we met who is a member of NOW. We were further inspired by Alisha, our student volunteer, who lent to us her talents for the last sketch and song. She also educated us about a Native American female artist who created quilts, named Elmira “Buffalo Bone” Jackson. I am contemplating dropping “Bea” and going by “Buffalo Bone” to give me more street cred but that's not really fair to Alisha so maybe I'll just rock a leather tunic style top.

Me and a sculpture by Tom Otterness at Sheldon Museum of Art

That's more in character for me. Thanks cornhuskers of Lincoln, for making us feel quite at home in your RED state!

xx-Bea Arthur

Mansfield University, PA tour diary

March 5, 2012

Dear Diary,

Sheep and kittens and feminists, Oh my! It is so exciting to find all these things in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

“Feminist are Funny: the Mansfield University Edition” was a hit and it was great to feel the audience become energized by funny feminists. In fact, the audience took over the show during our new song “Our Words” as they roared “lesbian”, “vagina”, and “feminist” with such enthusiasm that I bet it could be heard clear across campus. Way to reclaim some female words, Mansfield University!

Isadora Duncan, backstage at Mansfield, U!

After the show it was great to talk to some of the women of Mansfield who fight for equality on campus and beyond. From the female editors of the newspaper to people who work with HAVEN and REACT helping to end violence against women we were glad to hear that fighting sexism is taking many different forms in Mansfield. Thanks, gals, for taking some of our posters with you!

And now for the Isadorable part of the visit...

View from our rooms at the Arvgarden B and B

It was a joy to stay at the Arvgarden where we meet a barn full of sheep and cats. These sheep had spunk and will need it, for they will be giving birth to baby lambs in the weeks ahead (raised for their wool).

Isadora Duncan and Bea Arthur with lambs

It was also great to talk with innkeepers Hilma and Keith about spinning yarn, weaving, and the local history of northern Pennsylvania. We even got to hear about Hilma’s great great grandmother who kept a detailed diary of her life, family, and farming. She reminded me of the importance of keeping a diary like this one for GGOT.

Peace Out,

Isadora Duncan

Dear Diary,

You think Guerrillas are crazy? Try a night in the Pennsylvania countryside with a flock of sheep and some feminists from Mansfield University...Those sheep will run you ragged!

We had quite an adventurous time over in Mansfield, PA with the enthusiastic crowd that assembled for “Feminists Are Funny”. After traveling over hill and dale and even enlisting a Sherpa guide at one point (a long story...) we reached the beautiful Tioga county, where Mansfield University is smack dab in the middle, with a campus carved out of a mountainside. As we ascended campus to the theater building, I was reminded of visiting the island of Delos in Greece and ascending high above the ruins of the ancient town to the temple of the highest honor: the theater! This was a good sign for Mansfield, I thought. It was a good omen and we enjoyed a great audience with enthusiastic feminists, many of whom happened to be young men, who laughed AND asked questions. Thanks to our brothers in solidarity! My only disappointment in our Mansfield University show was the apparent lack of women-supportive activities on campus, especially in March of all times, when it's supposed to be Women's History Month. I was relieved somewhat at the end of show to hear about women's centers in the area and a plea from a lone female on the boxing club for other women to join. How bad-ass is that? She should have a bunch of women join up now. Maybe they can box in Guerrilla Girls on Tour! masks like the wrestlers in Mexico!

xx- Bea Arthur

Williams College Diary #2

March 1, 2012

Williams College

Dearest,

It's nice to ride up the Taconic Parkway to Williamstown, MA with a good cup of coffee in your hands, looking over the snow-covered landscape while The Monkeys play on the radio. Davy Jones has just passed away. He kissed Marcia Brady. I think 'Daydream Believer' was my favorite Monkey's song.

Something to always remember when you are on a road trip - Dunkin Donuts has really good coffee. I like my first cup of coffee for the day with half and half and two sugars regardless of the size of the coffee. At the road stop I pay and leave without my coffee. The woman working behind the register yells over "You want your coffee?" I do. I do want my coffee.

I haven't spent much time in the Berkshires. It is beautiful. The horses are shaggy and are all wearing blankets. I find that endearing. The barns that are falling down even though they are loaded with brand new equipment confuse me. We pass many of them. I suppose it is too expensive to fix a barn. We pass the Country Store in Chatham, NY, which brings back childhood memories for Aphra. Ask her about them – her email is on our web site.

Now to the point of this entry: The Williams College show. The mainstage at the ’62 Center is beautiful. It’s the largest stage we've performed on this year. It’s the theatre that the Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) uses. Not all colleges and universities have actual theaters like this. The dressing room and green room are huge. Everyone we meet and work with is amazing. We will be the only play written by a woman to perform on this stage this season. And there you have it.

Women playwrights do not get produced. I'm impressed with the number of female playwrights who produce their own work because they will die if their story doesn't get told. This means renting a theater, paying the actors/directors, advertising, etc. Which in other jobs would be just like:

- If a female playwright were a surgeon to be 'produced' she would have to rent an operating room and pay someone to operate on.

or even worse:

- If a female playwright were a surgeon who couldn't 'produce' herself, she would work all day at her 'I'm an administrator in a hospital job and play 'Operation' all evening.

and the final straw:

- If a female playwright were a surgeon who could not produce herself or bear to be in a hospital because it wasn't what she was trained for, she would have to buy a menagerie of Barbie’s and Kens from Wall Mart (super center), come home every night from 'some' job, remove Barbie's appendix, fix Ken's hernia, eat a pint of ice cream and go to bed.

Ta,

Edith Evans

Reports From The Front: Williams College, MA

Bea Arthur and Edith Evans backstage at WTF!

March 1, 2012

Williams College, Williamstown, MA

Dear Diary and Future Feminists who may discover this (Hint: Sell the movie rights and make millions!)

Guerrilla Girls On Tour! took Williams College by storm! We were delighted to perform on the ’62 Center Main Stage right in the heart of campus, a stunning modern venue with not only great acoustics, comfortable seats and amazing technical capabilities but also several dressing rooms that could count as luxury apartments by Manhattan standards. This theater is also the home of the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival, commonly referred to by the Guerrilla Girls On Tour! as “WTF” to reflect the lack of plays by women in past and future seasons. (UGH!) Once the news spreads about how thrilling, moving and hilarious our performance of “Feminists are Funny” is, I hope Jenny Gersten will be inspired to “rock out with her vagina out” and choose more plays by women for Williamstown in the future (and more female directors please!)

L to R: Aphra Behn, Me (Bea Arthur) Allison (our sound tech) and Edith Evans

This audience certainly enjoyed seeing our show….they were very enthusiastic in both their sing-a-longs and in their roistering for more bananas. We were generously supported by an almost all-woman tech staff- (how appropriate!). During our “Announcements from the Audience” section of the show, I noticed there was also a good amount of activities on campus that are featuring women directors, playwrights, choreographers and film makers. Go Williams College! I will certainly be back to bathe in your enthusiasm (and $5 burger specials at the Purple Pub).

Xx-Bea Arthur

Gender Discrimination in major literary outlets by VIDA

VIDA's 2011 analysis of gender discrimination in major literary outlets. For the entire account click here: http://www.vidaweb.org/the-2011-count

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A poster inspires a poster at Coastal Carolina University! What's the biggest obstacle to feminism? Hmmmmmm.......

Represent Asian: The Changing Face of New York Theater

Calling all NYC based playwrights, directors and Asian American Actors! Please fill out a short anonymous survey by Feb 3rd re your views on non-traditional/inclusive casting. Click the links below to fill out the survey. Also see below for information about an industry roundtable anddialogue on access and representation of minority actors on NYC stages and how best to overcome obstacles to more inclusive casting on February 13^th.

Asian American Actor Survey:http://kwiksurveys.com/?u=representasian

Director Survey:http://kwiksurveys.com/?u=aapacdirectors

Playwright Survey:http://kwiksurveys.com/?u=aapacplaywrights

Here's a great blog post by Randy Gener that features some of the illuminating statistics we have gathered on minority representation in NYC stages:

http://theaterofoneworld.org/2012/01/30/why-are-asian-actors-invisible-on-new-york-stages/

This is not an Asian issue. All minorities are still under-represented. We need the entire industry to come together to discuss how best we can overcome obstacles to more inclusive casting.

Join us for an industry roundtable with prominent producers, artistic directors, directors, playwrights, agents and casting directors to have a dialogue on access and representation of minority actors on NYC stages and how best to overcome obstacles to more inclusive casting. It will be co-presented with Fordham University and moderated by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Please feel free to invite any and all people who you think would be interested in joining the discussion.

Represent Asian: The Changing Face of New York Theater

Monday, February 13th @ 7:00 pm

The Pope Auditorium at Fordham University

60th St. & Columbus Ave. (just inside the main entrance)

RSVP: aapacrsvp@gmail.com