WAIMEA — Imagine a space in the community dedicated to celebrating creativity and expression. Bring It! does just that.
WAIMEA — Imagine a space in the community dedicated to celebrating creativity and expression. Bring It! does just that.
Beginning Dec. 17, the creative group will begin public performances in the Mike Luce Studio at Kahilu Theatre.
Every second Saturday for the past two and half years, local residents have assembled to encourage people to take risks as they share original poetry, songs, comedy, dance or any other form of entertainment through the group.
“It’s one of the best things I’ve been involved in,” commented Waimea resident Scott Nelson. “The audience is so receptive as people truly bear their souls.”
He and his wife, Roslin, are responsible for organizing the events along with three other volunteers, Ma’ata Tukuafu, Richard Adoradio and Stephanie Tatum-Ford. Scott, who regularly performs, is no stranger to the stage as a member of the popular local rock band, Lorenzo’s Army.
The impetus for Bring It! is rooted in what is known on the mainland as “No Shame Theater.” Established in 1986, the first performance supposedly was in the bed of a pickup truck parked in a theater parking lot in Iowa City, Iowa. A surge of activity has occurred over the last 30 years and No Shame Theater is now found everywhere from Los Angeles to New York and various small cities in between — even as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska where it was established in 1998. Their tagline is, “Dare to Fail.”
The Bring it! logo is similar to the invitation to be yourself. “Dare to Be Yourself” is a statement inspired by one of Roslin’s favorite books of the same title by author Alan Cohen. The logo of Bring It! is based on a “cheeky tiki” first inspired by member Tukuafu.
In order to step on stage at a Bring It! event, participants must first be the author or have permission from the author for what they will perform. Second, there never is a repeat of a performance. Third, performers are asked to obligingly follow the simple rule of not breaking anything, including the law. This may seem obvious, yet with a call for absolute creativity some performers may cross the unwritten line. The attempt is to create a never before seen show and to never see it again.
Matt Binder of Waimea frequently performs at Bring It!
“I have written over 100 songs and performed about 40 of them during the past two-and-a-half years of Bring it! It has really helped me figure out what is working and what is not,” he said.
Binder further commented that the call for originality is a huge help, as there is no competition of people playing old favorites, making his newer songs difficult to relate to.
But Bring it! is not just about the performers. The audience also plays a pivotal role, as there is a sort of alchemy of theater between the person or persons on stage and the audience. During a performance, audience members are asked to remain quiet and to only support. However, with a 5-minute time limit on each act, the audience may break the concentrated and supportive silence after 5 minutes. When this happens, the routine at Bring It! is the playful ushering off stage with the waving of a giant sponge hand.
At the new location, the first 15 original scripts or performances are accepted and sign ups begin at 7:30 p.m., with the performance at 8 p.m. Until recently, the Red Water Cafe in Waimea hosted the event. But Bring It! seems to have outgrown the restaurant and has since secured the newly renovated, 1,500-square-foot Mike Luce Studio just off the main stage at Kahilu Theatre, formerly the backstage or greenroom for performers.
Mike Bennett, a Kahilu board member, commented, “Named after longtime Kahilu Theatre supporter, Mike Luce, the idea behind the studio is to have a flexible space that can act as a performing arts education classroom. The space features a sprung dance floor and rigging for trapeze. It also functions as an intimate, 65-person, black box performance space.”
Kahilu is offering Bring It! a trial run of this arts showcase event. Two upcoming opportunities to “dare to be yourself” will be Dec. 17 and Jan. 14 from 8-11 p.m. The admission charge to participate or attend is $10 in cash, per person. All bar proceeds at the Bring It! events will benefit the Kahilu Theatre’s children’s arts education programs.
Info: Regarding Bring It! contact Roslin Sinclair at 887-1366 or bringithawaii@gmail.com