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12 April 2015, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

A Red Room Radio Redux*** event in two-parts:

PART ONE:
A round-table read-aloud where guests will be welcome to read from a collection of poems and short prose on food. Everyone is encouraged to bring short pieces of poetry or prose, original or otherwise, on the theme of food. A variety of recorded music will accompany the readings.
We will be joined by special guest readers from the performing arts community of Taipei and environs.

Works by DH. Lawrence, Mark Strand, William Carlos Williams, Maya Angelou, MFK Fisher, Roald Dahl, Tennessee Williams and others.

PART TWO :
A MAD TEA-PARTY faithfully adapted for radio drama by Red Room Radio Redux* from Lewis Carroll’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

Cast of MAD TEA PARTY in alphabetical order:
Sarah Brooks will narrate the story
Taili Huang as the Dormouse
Emmanuel Felix Lespron as the Cheshire Cat
Alton Thompson as the March Hare
Pat Woods as the Hatter
Whitney Zahar as Alice

Produced and directed by Ruth Giordano
***Red Room Radio Redux is part of the Red Room Community “dedicated to listening”. The Red Room is an ever-expanding community, exploring and extending the boundaries between audience and performer; a not-for-profit platform for events developing a culture of learning to listen to each other, what is around us and our selves.
Our sponsor is the Ripplemaker Foundation, enabling people to realize their dreams by supporting entrepreneurial, social, cultural and environmental projects. Ripples change lives.

Sunday, April 12 2015

from 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Tickets: NT500
Ticket price includes a selection of raw canapes and wine.
Naked Food
1F, No. 22-1, Lane 160, Xinsheng South Road, Section 1, Zhongzheng District Taipei

Proceeds to Christian Salvation Service (CSS)
www.csstaipei.com

Drew’s Drama Sessions are back!

February 26, 2015/in Projects & Programs, Upcoming Events /by RRadmin

This Sunday we had our welcome-back-class. It mostly consisted of games and exercises in ideas and themes we had covered before the long break, which included Charades (of animals), and telephone. Afterwards we did exercises in the the 8 effort actions. Followed by an introduction to the Hieratic gestures (gestures that have dual meanings, and are used across cultures and time periods), as well as exercising using different centers of movement and motivation (moving with the heart full or empty, moving with strong or weak bones, etc.).
For the next class we will begin to delve deeper into the Hieratic gestures, as well as continuing a review of previous lessons.
As I have mentioned to some of the parents this past Sunday, we will be working under R4 in an afternoon performance with our own performance of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, and Cat in the Hat. This means that we will also begin to incorporate text into the lessons, and begin learning about interpretation and performance of text.

All the best,

Drew
2-26-2014

In R4 news: July 2014

August 5, 2014/in Reflections /by RRadmin

Short Story Project

Back in May, a few of our readers met at the ICRT studio to record voice tracks for a few Great Western Short Stories .
I’ve been listening to those audio files and pairing them with some Great Western Music in preparation for the mixing process which will start in a few weeks..
The folks at ICRT are especially keen on our Sherlock Holmes story: A Scandal in Bohemia. They recommend creating a series and the Holmes/Watson stories of Arthur Conan Doyle could be a good choice.

Incidentally, Pat Woods and Charlie Storrar read our Ignatz Ratzywatzky’s adaptation of the SCANDAL aloud at the Taipei Literature Festival on August 2 at Huashan Park.

Promotional Video Project

Meanwhile, William Openshaw of the RR video-recording division has been working on a video of our WasteLand performed at the April Aside @ The Red Room. He and I will meet in August to take the next step towards a functional promotional video for R4.

The R4 Portfolio

Lastly but not leastly, with a deeply appreciative bow to Roma Mehta: the R4 portfolio has passed the design/development stage and gone to the Printers! Looking forward to putting that item to work making good connections with potential clients.

Daniel Black, June 2014

July 18, 2014/in Original Writing /by RRadmin

PIECE #1

The smoke filled room was dimly lit by hanging paper lanterns.

I had a tough time dealing with the smoke only cause it would periodically rise from my own cigarette and hover over my eyes, causing a slight sting but nothing unbearable.

She looked on across from me. Worrying thoughts flitting across her eyes. I could see her preoccupation with a thought. It was written in the way the emerald green of her eyes shone in the candle light .

The waiter appeared with our drinks. He placed them in the center of the table and moved back through the fog to service another couple.

I looked on as I reached for my drink.

The brisk smell of twelve year old Japanese whiskey filled my nostrils as I went about bringing the cup to my lips.

She stared at me for a moment. The tension building as I waited. We had spent the better part of the night talking about life, books we’ve read, places we’ve been and things we wanted to do.

I could feel the ebb and flow of our interaction, and now we were at a very pivotal point. All because of a question.

“ How are you really feeling?

She blushed slightly as the words left my mouth. I could see that she had anticipated my inquiry.

The cherry of her cigarette lit up as she inhaled deep. Biding her time to either make up a lie or to gauge if I was asking honestly.

I was.

“ Daniel, I –

The faint crack of her voice was noticeable. Her eyes became wrapped in a light film. Either because of the smoke or the truth of the statement that was about to leave her lips.

“ I’ve been so lonely since I’ve been here. I think the most alone I’ve ever felt”

She took another drag. The ash building up on the end. She tapped it lightly on the edge of the ashtray. It fell amongst the rest. I could also see that it wasn’t just the weight of the ash that had been lifted.

She breathed out the smoke, it billowed over our heads as I sipped on my whiskey. The red light fixtures adding to the confessional ambiance in our corner of the lounge.

“ Such a beautiful woman, how could you be lonely?

She laughed at the remark. The remaining smoke escaping in her laughter.

“ The men I’ve met want me for my body”

And a body she had.

5’11” with dirty blond hair that down over her tanned skin. A frame that insisted on recognition regardless of what she wore. I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that a portion of my intrigue was to see what her dress was hiding.

But believe it or not my penis doesn’t do all the thinking.

“ I just don’t want to feel this way”

She extinguished her cigarette. The small wisps of smoke rising up.

She looked me square in the eye,

“ I was thinking maybe…

I caught on immediately but I hesistated so as to not ruin the moment.

We go back to my place and finish this conversation over a bottle of wine?

She smiled. So did I .

PIECE #2

The lavish marble designed with patterns that weaved in and out of each other. I stood in the hallway. Mesmerized by it. The wall lamps that shone with such a brightness that made sure to light the decadent nature of the place I was standing in.

“ How had I gotten here? ”

The questioned echoed in my head as I tried to keep my vision from swimming.

The champagne glass in my hand was no bordering on half empty. Although I’m a glass half full kind of guy I’m not unrealistic.

I walked down the hallway admiring the décor. The noise of the party in the distance quietly grazed my ear drums.

The gold curtains covered the windows. I touched them to feel the soft texture and to make out the subtle designs.

As I reached the end of the hallway and the bottom of my glass I looked around and saw a figure standing to my left.

I couldn’t make out a face. My vision started taking a dive in the deep end my champagne filled pool.

I grasped onto one of the tables next to me. Barely maintaining my balance. The sound of the champagne flute shattering next to me echoed in the corridor.

The person was saying something, I couldn’t quite make it out. I focused as hard as I could. Finally being able to make out a few words I heard

“ Not yet, You’re not ready for this yet”

I tried to respond but my voice was gone. I looked down at my hands but they were gone. I looked up and I saw that I was in my room. No lavish hallway, no marbled floors. It had been a dream that felt as real as my waking life. Yet I wonder still what it meant and what I wasn’t ready for.

Daniel Black is a native of New York. Is in Taiwan teaching and working on his short film for release in October. He writes often from the memories of his own life. Hope you enjoy it.

Daniel Black d.black@tothetopproductions.com

Kelvin Kane, ABTF 2

June 21, 2014/in Artists Break the Mold /by RRadmin

Wendy Chen’s Reflections of Stage Time and Wine LI, February 2014

March 14, 2014/in Reflections /by RRadmin

Wendy Chen’s Reflections of Stage Time and Wine LI

The sound of the heartbeat comes in different forms at the Red Room. With every performer, comes a new form of self-expression. At times, it is in the guise of the condensed words of a poet; at other times, it is simply the melody of a Kate Nash’s song titled “D**khead.” In any case, I am always ready to listen because I understand that this heartbeat is the passion within the performers. Every third Saturday of the month, artists of all sorts–musicians, poets, writers, and painters–and cultural aficionados from every possible corner of the world gather at the Red Room for one purpose only: to share and support each other’s art.

Poet Outis is an African American poet from Indiana who strongly resembles an Ancient Greek orator–he utilizes the technique of memorization and theatre training to bring his words to life.In an online interview, he reveals that he was first recommended to the Red Room by Kung Fu enthusiast, David Gentile, “but also several musicians and actors referred me to Red Room as well.” The Red Room is, indeed, very well hidden; we are almost like a myth, except we exist and for those who find us, they deem us as a shelter from the daily cacophonies of the city. Outis also adds that, “Red Room is attractive [because it] allows actors and artists to have a place to count on.”

“I love Red Room’s atmosphere,” says music student Anya Chau. “People are ready to listen and be respectful to others.” Anya has the voice of a nymph and steady fingers of Jimi Hendrix–the combination of the two turned me into an instant fan craving for more.To appease the shouts of “encore,” Anya plays a song off the top of her head called “D**khead” by Kate Nash. Anya is, at first, hesitant about voicing a mixture of soft melody and offensive words. But with Manav the MC and his drums at Anya’s side, the impromptu performance quickly evolves into a fun and quirky segment.”I’ve performed at Red Room a few times before, it’s fun,” says Anya Chau, “I had missed the last few Red Rooms when I was in America [for school, but] since I was back I didn’t want to miss [the latest one].” Anya and her brother, Andrew, have been with Red Room since the beginning. Andrew is Red Room’s drama instructor for kids and young adults, and he is at almost every Stage Time and Wine–just sitting in the audience and listening to the inner soul of every performer.

At Stage Time and Wine, I can’t emphasize the culture of listening enough because listening is truly an amazing process. If I did not stop to listen today, I wouldn’t have recognized the Brazilian diplomat by the name of Jean R. M. Taruhn to resemble the charm of Enrique Iglesias; and I would not have understood how a painter somehow miraculously merged her art with her friend’s classical music.The Stage Time and Wine experience is new every time, thanks to the individuals that attend. As a Red Room intern, it is most meaningful to notice performers willing to amplify their most inner selves and let go of all the boundaries and simply trust the community. I believe that is what makes Stage Time and Wine something truly special each and every time.

Wendy Chen is a Red Room intern and a student at National Taiwan University.

Wendy is a Taiwanese diplobrat who’s spent more than ten years abroad. She’s followed her father to Singapore, Brunei, New York, Miami, and New Zealand. Wendy is an aspiring writer who has had no interest in reading or writing until her parents had made the decision for her to become an English major at National Taiwan University four years ago. She started to develop a strong passion for writing after she has contributed several articles to the newsletters in her department and her school; since then, she has found her calling and never stopped working to achieve her goal.

STJ: Playing for change, September 2013

October 17, 2013/in Stage Time & Juice, Upcoming Events /by RRadmin

In the spirit of Playing for Change Day, September’s STJ was an afternoon full of music, dance, and inspiration. From classical instrumental pieces to modern dance routines, children amazed and delighted everyone in the room with their performances.

Click to view slide show

STJ is a family-oriented space for expression, so it was wonderful to see adults and children sharing the stage. The afternoon began with a mom and toddler team performing an upbeat ribbon dance. We then had a student-teacher duet of Let it Be, a brother-sister duo on flute and drum, and a father-daughter violin performance. Kindermusik teachers and Stage Time and Wine regulars shared their talents with the audience, opening young eyes to the possibilities music can bring.

Dispersed between the musical performances were skits, jokes, and a reading of an interactive story. One family got up to perform an original skit, and a young boy got up to tell a quick joke. To the delight of the very young ones, we also had the return of the adorable puppet Mimi.

To the emcee, photographers, mug artists, kitchen-hands, door people, supportive parents, adult performers, Canmeng Aveda, Nonzero, Red Room Volunteers, thank you for supporting STJ. This is a true community effort, where many people are joining together to expand the creative lives of our future generation. To new families, whether your child would like to try something new or just be part of the audience, feel welcome to join us at STJ on November 16th, 2:30pm.

Katrina Brown

the dog
song written by Hannah.
Performed by Hannah and Kyle Hsieh.

The dog says woof and I say woof and you say nothing but a little woof woof woof.

With the TV in front of you, you cannot see me; I’ve got such an ugly little face.

What the dog says is: woofy woofy woof! I want more, food!!!!

Hor-sey walked cross the river again, Bit the dog and bit me and ouch a-blen!

we died and turned into monster skeletons. We know we should go to the ponster skeletons.

The dog put his head back down into the garage, he died with a sound, with such a little parage.

Read about Stage Time and Juice in The Centered october issue http://issuu.com/centeredontaipei/docs/cot_102013/16
(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room. Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you.

Isao Kato, August 2013

September 15, 2013/in Original Writing /by RRadmin

Isao Kato

Whenever I meet a new Taiwanese friend and strike a short conversation, I have an obligation to answer two standardized follow-up questions: 1. You speak Chinese so well! 2. Why are you in Taiwan?

And I reply with an equally standardized—but equally honest—answer: Thank you, it is because I love Taiwan. (This answer catches three birds in one stone by issuing a preventive strike against the third question: Do you love Taiwan?) Technically I am not answering anything but we both become happy and that’s what a conversation was born for.

To be precise, I love living in Taiwan because I can be myself in this country. (I do stay inside a special privileged category called “foreigners” where local people generally leave me unbothered.) The strange thing is that living here for eight years has been turning me into a “local” year by year, but at the same time my self-identification of “this is who I am” is reinforced. It is just contradictory: I am assimilating and identifying myself at the same time.

But anywhere in Taipei city, you may just stop in the middle of the street and look around. You will realize that despite being a bustling city with three million residents, Taipei is green. Plants somehow find a way to invade everywhere: on a porch, on a rooftop, and sometimes inside a house.

You will then realize that the old and the new, the East and the West, the soft and the hard, all occupies their places, welding each other across their boundaries, forming a symbiotic system.

I don’t care if I am a Japanese or a nomad or a translator or a business owner anymore. I am I. You may define me however I am, but I myself is just a fluid being, blending my identification like a chameleon, comprising a small part of this Taiwanese landscape.

I become this comfortable myself by allowing myself to melt into my surroundings, and vice versa. I have no doubt that various “Taiwanese-ness” is infiltrating my skin. I might even be thinking like a Taiwanese unconsciously. But no matter what, I am becoming free from associating myself with any label and am comfortable in my own skin. And that has been achieved by learning to co-exist with my environment.

In my olden days I defined myself by being separate. I had to “lift” myself up artificially to call myself, because I was in fact too weak and insecure and the only way to claim my identity was to put myself into a mentally sterilized cage. Imprisoning myself was how I claimed my independence.

I might look identification-less these days. I might not fit into any category. I might look no different from other “Taiwanese” elements. Yet I am being myself, more so than ever.

You will become more “You” by allowing yourself to be influenced, and to influence back. That is the beauty and power of Taiwan. I will continue to morph and melt into my surroundings. I might not remain distinct, but I will certainly broaden my existence—by fusing with others.

Isao Kato is a long-time Taiwan dweller, originally born in the land of the rising sun. He writes, translates, daydreams, runs his small company, rides his motorcycle, and shares his insights on RR. Check out isaokato.com for more.

Charlie Storrar, June 2013

July 15, 2013/in Original Writing /by RRadmin

A Letter to Nivea

The story of this poem dates back to 1997, when I returned home to my native Britain after a period of six months living and traveling in Austria, Switzerland and former Yugoslavia. While away I had used Nivea shampoo, mainly because it was inexpensive. I looked for it at home but Nivea in the UK seemed only to sell skincare products aimed at women. I decided to write to them to complain, and because I’ve found that a poem tends to brighten the day of often beleaguered customer service staff, I wrote them the following:

In recent times in Europe have I traveled,

Where many a fine adventure has unraveled.

I have sampled of the fare and dwelt among

Folks of the German, French and Slavic tongues.

Their culture and their customs are diverse,

Yet all agree that few things can be worse

Than the abuse, or the inadequate care

Of the strands that crown our heads – our hair!

O excellent mop! Thou glorious plume!

We all delight to wash and style and groom.

Though dead, you decorate and display.

I always wash you every other day.

Yet such is the fussy nature of today,

Confounded by the frightening array

Of haircare products – someone help!

I merely want clean hair and healthy scalp.

Not ‘Pantene protein penetrates profound’!

Wonderful! That on my travels then I found

Your Nivea brand! To my great delight,

Packaged in a stylish blue and white,

Classic yet simple, honest and demure,

And well-priced too – that instant I was sure

Here was a shampoo of a noble distraction,

Not just aloe, jojoba, or henna extraction.

And thus it proved – thereafter, months on end,

Nivea shampoo was my constant haircare friend.

Yet now to native climes do I return.

And now do native chemists cause concern.

Yea, though I seek and search the shopping strand,

Alas! No more, no more my favored brand!

Were I a lovely lady I would rub

Your lotions and your toners from a tub.

But no! Young man am I – as such

I cannot but spurn the glaze and silky touch

Of creams and salves and firm foundations.

It took no leave, yet vanished from this nation

Is your shampoo! Your products condition

But you have cast your head soap to perdition!

Please, kind sir, I feel I must insist:

Did you really feel that nobody would miss

Your fine shampoo? Am I doomed to delve

In dated crates or dig at backs of shelves

In hopeless quest that one day I might find

One bottle to ease my greasy hair and mind?

Dear sir, I find it hard to act my age

In the face of such a farce and gross outrage –

But to remove from sale your Nivea shampoo

Is more than just a sham – it’s poo!

(In response, Beiersdorf, which owns the Nivea brand, thanked me for my “charming” letter and confirmed my fears that Nivea shampoo was no longer available in the UK, though they were kind enough to enclose a bottle for my trouble.)

Charlie is from the UK and currently works as an editor in Taipei. He also hosts the comedy quiz show Charlie Storrar’s Death Panel. You can find him on Facebook or add him on Twitter @CharlieStorrar

The Song Room

June 7, 2013/in Projects & Programs, Upcoming Events /by RRadmin

Imagine finding the words and music within yourself to create a song that is truly yours. Within all people there exists a unique melody and message to share.
Let us help you capture it!

The Song Room – featuring international guests Red Room co-founder Ayesha Mehta and music producer Arik Blum.

The Red Room is offering 10 lucky people the chance to develop their songwriting over the course of 3 workshops with internationally acclaimed writer/music producer Arik Blum and professional vocal coach Ayesha Mehta.

All participants will walk away with invaluable tools help them unlock their inner songwriter as well as an original track with their own voice and their own words.

3 day Red Room Songwriting Workshop for NTD 5400 includes:

Lyric writing
Stream of Consciousness
Lyric and Melody Writing
Songwriting
Group vocal coaching
One on One recording

Dates: 19, 20, 21 June 2013

Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Venue: Jeff Ukulele Studio Rm. 10, 12F., No.50, Sec. 1, Zhongxiao W. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City 10041, Taiwan 10041台北市中正區忠孝西路一段50號12F-10

For registration and more information, please contact Manav Mehta 0910947307 / e: red.room.taipei@gmail.com or Jeff Uke 0988284572 / 2-2370-7880

試著想像… 透過探索屬於妳自己專屬的文字和音樂，來創作一首歌，並且欣賞其他參與者獨特旋律和歌詞分享的環境，是個
多麼棒的事。讓我們幫助妳來捕捉它吧！

紅房 (Red Room) 提供10位幸運朋友們擁有這樣的機會，透過三堂工作坊由廣受好評的作家 / 音樂製作人Arik Blum以及專業聲樂教練Ayesha Mehta的指導，來練習創作寫自己的歌。

所有的參與者都能帶回打開寶庫的鑰匙，用自己內在歌詞作者的潛力來解開屬於個人詞彙和聲音原曲。
工作坊內容含概：

歌詞創作
音樂主流意識
歌詞和旋律寫作
歌曲創作
聲樂教練
對一錄音 (3 day workshop plus a recorded track to take home – 5,400NTD).

Intermediate level translation from English to Mandarin will be available upon request.

日期: 2013年6月19, 20, 21日時間: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
地點: Jeff Ukulele Studio 傑夫烏克麗麗學苑台北市忠孝西路一段50號12樓之10
報名及詳情請洽：Manav 馬那夫 0910947307 / email: red.room.taipei@gmail.com /
Jeff Uke 0988284572 / 2-2370-7880

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A Letter to Nivea