The Land

The More Things Change

2011-10-29T19:12:00.003-06:00

The more they stay the same! Gilad Shalit was finally released after years in Hammas custody. Apparently his kidnappers treated him well and honored their word, returning him to Israel in exchange for over 1000 political prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Parents were happy, people were experiencing glimmers of hope - if the "terrorists" could negotiate w/Israel regarding the prisoner swap, perhaps other things were negotiable as well....Today I see, Gaza was hit by IAF jets and rockets are now raining on Israel's border towns once again. Methinks it is time to resurrect The Land! If you'd like to help, please donate via our paypal button on the sidebar. It's costly to put on this play and although we all work for nothing but the cause, it helps if our expenses are covered! Please browse the blog archives for more information and feel free to contact us with any and all questions. Comments are also appreciated!

Borders what borders?

2011-06-08T10:18:00.002-06:00

It's been awhile since I posted here but the latest events in the so-called Holy Land have made me more determined than ever before to take this play to a wider audience. In the past month we have witnessed the continued failure of the peace process along with protests by Palestinian refugees on Israel's alleged borders. What borders I ask? The Golan Heights were annexed by Israel in War, no international Body of Law recognises them as legally belonging to the Zionist State. Meanwhile inexplicable force has been used to prevent these unarmed protesters from crossing into Israel. Innocent people are once again dying. Over in Gaza, Hamas continues to hold the people it claims to represent, prisoner, by closing the Rafa crossing with Egypt just weeks after it was opened finally for the first time in years! We must start to look at the greater agendas at work, which is what this play, The Land attempts to do. Without placing blame, The Land looks at the ongoing violent scenario through new eyes and gives voice to the people on both sides who's lives have been torn asunder by the few who hold power in their hands. Please help us continue to stage this play wherever and whenever we can. Any donation will be appreciated. Our paypal button is on the right of this page, above ourTwitter and Facebook links. Please click those too. Share our link wherevr you can! Thank you from the cast and crew of The Land.

The Land

2011-03-24T09:52:00.002-06:00

Yesterday's explosion in Jerusalem that killed a British National and wounded over thirty others is a clue that the so-called Peace Process that seeks a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine is an obsolete notion. As rockets fly into Israel from Gaza once more,and Israel retaliates with supreme force, The Land is even more relevant than ever before. Please spread our blog link far and wide and help us have this play staged everywhere, so people can understand the truth about the political agendas that have created this conflict without end.

While the cat's away...

2011-03-22T11:14:00.004-06:00

As the rest of the world concerns itself with Japan, Libya and other uprisings in the Mid-East, Israel takes this opportunity to retaliate to Hamas mortar fire, with five bombings in the last week, killing children and civillians. The Land takes a strong stand against Hamas/Iran's continual interferance in the interests of Peace, along with American backing of a so-called Jewish State that does not stand for Jewish values of protecting ALL life. With Syria now in the loop with peaceful protests being violently shut down, we cannot stand by and watch while greater, global agendas continue to thwart peace in the region. Please share our link and help us in any way you can, to have this play seen everywhere! We can be contacted at the address provided on the right side of this page.

Celebrating Women

2011-03-08T18:43:00.001-07:00

The Land celebrates women everywhere!

Let Freedom Ring

2011-03-06T19:06:00.005-07:00

In a perfect world, all members of the Human family would live and let live. Unfortunately, this world remains shrouded in Darkness. Millions still live without Hope. The Land is dedicated to all good men and women who unceasingly remain dedicated to a vision of Peace On Earth. The ones who have died fighting for Truth and the ones who remain in the trenches. Today, all around the world, Freedom's bells are ringing. The Army of Love grows ever more powerful. And to quote a personal hero, Che Guevera once said, " let me say, at the risk of sounding rediculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love." Please support The Land - help to have it staged wherever the struggle for equality continues. The Israeli/Palestinian story is but a microcosm of the larger picture, but the human drama that unfolds in this story, belongs to all who continue to fight the good fight.

Power To The People

2011-02-14T09:47:00.003-07:00

Today the PA dissolved its Cabinet - the Cairo uprising reveberates through the Middle East - a movement begun by one brave woman has changed our world! Please support The Land which gives voice to the women on both sides of the Palestinian/Israeli divide - more crucial now than ever! Our paypal button is on the right of this page - please be generous and donate what you can. 10% to Grassroots Jerusalem - a combined Israli/Palestinian grassroots movement for change in The Land!

Cairo to Jerusalem

2011-02-11T13:41:00.003-07:00

It's been sometime since I posted here; The Land is in transition - being read in London with hopes of having it shown there - and me, on another writing deadline. The events in Egypt this past month have made it clear that unless we collectively address the balance of global power, uprisings among the people, disenfranchised by corporate greed and other political agendas, will continue. They will also be aided and abetted by fundamentalist groups unless we, in the free world get our heads out of the sand and participate in grassroots movements for change. The Land is again accepting donations for more performances Stateside. Look for our paypal button on the right of this page, and please be generous! The downtrodden people of the region need our voices!

Time Out

2010-08-30T10:20:00.003-06:00

I took the month of August off - except for Kickstarter I've done nothing with The Land. Instead I've been of service and support to members of my family who really needed me through difficult times. On the other side now, in bed with a nasty cold, thanks to Genevieve, my youngest daughter who plays Catherine in The Land and is not affected by the aforementioned problems..As Fall approaches with chilly nights and shorter days, I'm reminded of the fleeting nature of time - right now I feel there is none to waste and it's time to get back into rehearsal and on the road.We need help - not so much but enough to stay on our feet through the winter, while we oil the machine. Hope you'll log onto Kickstarter, check out our page and pledge! There's a link two posts below!

The Land

2010-08-25T09:54:00.002-06:00

As Autumn approaches, it's time to take The Land back into rehearsals - we are hoping to do a few regional shows this season and are asking for your help - please log onto Kickstarter (link in post below) and help us raise the funds we need to do so! Only a $1.00 minimum pledge - less than your morning latte! $10.00 or more gets you our poster (see top of this page) and big virtual hugs for assisting us in getting this crucial message out there via the potent medium of theatre!

Funding For The Land

2010-08-17T11:01:00.003-06:00

We'll not be accepting any donations here until Kickstarter is done - want to keep it simple. All amounts received thus far and privately will be counted toward the $2500 by the end of September goal! Please check out our page at Kickstarter and pledge!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/402359860/the-land-by-lynne-robinson

Kickstarter Redux

2010-08-10T13:11:00.009-06:00

Good thing I cancelled Angel Fire! Crisis left and right. Ana lost one near and dear, Chris has to fly East for family stuff, my family stuff - Drama in the Stars! So as far as The Land goes we've accomplished much but still need to do much more. We see The Land as part of a self sustainable collective of like-minded souls trying to change the landscape. Within the next year, with your help, we also see ourselves earning enough to support our 15 member cast/crew, enabling us to donate a percentage to Grassroots Jerusalem. What we still need are travel expenses and the like, plus theatre rental deposits for a few regional shows this Fall, hence- we're trying Kickstarter again - keeping it small and relevant We'll keep fundraising with different events over the next several months, as we attempt to do this, with poetry, music and more! Our goal is $2500 by the end of September - $1500 on Kickstarter and $1000 here. All donations received get the poster and through August, donate $25.00 here on the blog and you get a Tarot reading on us! Thanks to all of you who have donated! Check back for updates and please pledge on Kickstarter! $10.00 gets you the poster on top of the page!

Land Locked

2010-08-09T11:24:00.002-06:00

Due to unforeseeable events occurring in my personal life, I have decided to postpone the Angel Fire performance and focus on tightening up the play in intensive rehearsals through September, for a Santa Fe performance. We appreciate all your feedback and support so please keep it coming! We can't do this without your help! I'll keep you in the loop here so check back often for updates!

Kickin' it again!

2010-08-04T12:51:00.006-06:00

We are about to launch a second Kickstarter project! The Land is now raising funds for theatre rental deposits, transportation and other misc. costs. After succesfully raising funds privately, which resulted in us cancelling our first Kickstarter page, we are about to Kick off once again- this time we are asking less and hoping you give more! Stay tuned for launch date and updates!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for more video and feel free to donate here, via paypal as well. All donations of $25.00 on the blog, during the month of August receive a Tarot reading on us. See next post for details!

Gratitude

2010-07-27T09:48:00.013-06:00

We would like to express our gratitude to all of you who have helped and continue to help fund our production as we continue to workshop and develop this play. This coming month our goal is to have as many of our friends donate just $5.00 ($10.00 if you can afford to) each! Every litle bit adds up and nothing is too little! Our paypal account is a secure means to make your pledge. Below is a list of those generous friends and supporters who have come though and continue to help us! Just to clarify -over the past year, I have donated over $3000.00 of my hard earned money to this production -aside from one of our sponsors, I am The Land's biggest donor and will continue to give, but we need your help too!

Amanda blue Leigh - your friendship, support and incredible generosity is so appreciated. Jean-Louis Bourgeois, Tom Blankenhorn, Carrie Leven, Toni Leigh, Patti-Jayne Halpert, Janet Gauthier, Allegra Huston, Brooke and Michael Wilding, Candace Whitaker, Bernice Whelan-Crotty, Josie Lenwell, Patricia Britton, Beth Robinson, David Ternlund,Mir Bohem, Finian McLonergan, Sharon Porter, Wanda Shapiro - Thank you all.

The following businesses in Taos have been consistently supportive as well.

The Taos Gallery,Webb Design, Shank, Crossroads Realty, Dow Bond,Leatherworks, Red Cat Antiques, The Love Apple,Embudo Station, Marshall Thompson, Human Line Studio, The Spy Place, Shree Yoga, Pieces, Desert Blends, Wildlife, Cids, Steve Parks Gallery, Joseph's Table, El Gamal, Arabian Nights, KTAO Radio (special thanks to Marcus) Copy Queen and Southside Copies.

Funding The Land

2010-07-20T11:17:00.004-06:00

A new play is a work in progress - we have worked on this play for a year and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. In developing this theatrical piece, we have chosen to raise funds privately, online and via our personal networks, in order to keep our message and art pure and free from compromise with Foundations and/or major investors. We need travel expenses covered, the cost of rehearsal and theatre rentals and misc props/sets still needed. We are counting on you and your social networks to help us get the word out about our project! Our goal is $2500.00 by September 1st. With your help we can do it! Every little bit adds up - $5.00 dollars from each of you will get us there!By late Fall with your support, The Land will be ready for a serious producer to step in. All sponsors included in our program notes! Our message is clear; a multi-cultural cast with a multi-cultural voice. One world, One people. Please help us get the truth out about the political agendas standing in the way of Peace!

Santa Fe

2010-07-19T09:16:00.005-06:00

We are working on booking a Santa Fe venue for early September. Luckily for us prices are much lower there than here (go figure) and we'll be able to put on the play for a lot less and make a little money to give away! We are looking for a rehearsal space that will enable us to work with our set and perfect our tech. These are the small details we've not had time, nor the right space, to concentrate on during past rehearsals. These details are critical to the play and once we nail them, we'll be ready to go to the next level ; a serious producer. Right now we have wardrobe, props and a commited cast .We still need money for materials to build a very simple, portable set that can travel and the cost of rehearsal space (unless someone donates one) and the deposit for our show in Santa Fe plus travel expenses. Our goal is to raise $2500 by September 30th! Please help us by donating here on the blog via our paypal link! Your names will be included in our program notes and any donation of $150.00 includes 2 tickets to our show in Santa Fe! We've already accomplished so much with your help and cannot tell you how much it is appreciated by all of us. Thank you.

The Land Updates

2010-07-14T09:18:00.002-06:00

Thanks to everyone who made our show at the TCA last Saturday night, possible. To all our sponsors and everyone who came to see the play - thanks so much! A new play is a continuing process; each time we perform it, we discover new ways to tweak it and make it better. We'll go back into rehearsal soon to iron out some problems and make a few changes. Next stop, Santa Fe - with help from a very talented and insightful Director who will be working with us to take this play to another level. Brooke Wilding has generously offered to get involved by consulting with me and giving notes to the cast Although we covered our expenses at the TCA, we made no money which means the cast performed for free and there was nothing left over to give away. I am now raising funds again - and I urge everyone to donate what they can. I realise this is a difficult subject but it's vital we tell this story and do what we can to help all the courageous people in the Holy Land who are putting their lives on the line for positive change! Please help us have this play seen by as many American audiences possible! You can donate right here on the blog via paypal!

Program ads

2010-07-02T12:38:00.003-06:00

The Land program still has a few spots available! Business card size ads are $50.00.You can pay here on the blog via paypal and send a pdf/logo to my email listed on the right of the page - scroll down a bit!
Deadline Tues July 6th

Blue Rose

2010-06-30T15:53:00.006-06:00

A country song I co-wrote with my best friend, Amanda blue Leigh, Blue Rose, is a fitting ending to The Land. Amanda's gorgeous vocals are backed by some amazing musicians, including Alan Pasqua, Steve Holly, Tony Cedrus, Dan Hovey and ...that's enough -I sound like I'm name dropping! Produced by my old homie and dear friend, Keith Lentin, it's our tribute to the women of the world who are bringing the feminine principal back into balance! You can listen to it here!http://amandablueleigh.com/onelove.html

Special Thanks

2010-06-29T09:13:00.009-06:00

As we go into our final week of rehearsals. I'd like to thank all of you who made this production of The Land possible. After cancelling Kickstarter (which never really kicked off - is this subject really that taboo?) I was gifted with enough money from a dear friend, to get this baby back into rehearsals and on the TCA stage. I still needed to raise additional funds however and am doing so with program ad sales and sponsorships. Out of the $964 pledged on Kickstarter, I received a little under $500 - I want to thank those people who gave what they could, so very much! Your names will be in our program and you are all angels to us! I'll be out on the street again today, selling as many ads as I can - I'm a one woman operation. After a misunderstanding regarding what Producers actually do, I decided to produce this show myself, having plenty experience in the area w/music events. We are still gifting Vista Paz 10%. After a day of sales work, I'll be heading to another long rehearsal. Once the curtain comes up and the lights create magic on stage, it all appears effortless and easy, but the truth of the matter is tons of hard work goes into making a play. The actors especially work so hard and are so drained emotionally by the end of rehearsal - I marvel at their capacity to give that much of themselves! My daughter Genevieve and Christopher Heron both deserve accolades for the extra hours they are putting into this play! Christopher is choreographing and co-directing the war scenes and his work is sensitive and brilliant! My daughter brings visceral and emotional insight to all the characters, the women most especially! Not only is she a very talented actress, she is a fantastic facilitator of the process. I'm grateful to them both and to the rest of my amazing "no drama" cast - Ana Chavez, Ruth Fahrbach, Dylan Trachtman, Gus Chinland, David Perez, Benjamin Tietelbaum, Anpo Cash, Kiki Siebenaler, Lisa Lastra, Nicole Scotto, Khalil and his niece, the precious Majdolene Kweis - I could not have done it without you! Arron Shiver also gets a special thank you for the work he has done with Ana and Ruth in his Monday acting class. To my friend Fossie Graham who is flying in from back east for a second time to assist me - honey you are a jewel ! Billy Shapiro, your generous offer of assistance and advice was taken to heart and is so appreciated! It's a much better play because of you! Iris Keltz, your friendship, knowledge and support is invaluable-and finally, a big thank you hug to Micha Kurtz, my inspiration and touchstone! Micha, this is for you and all who stand together courageously against the walls of fascism!

Why Should We Care?

2010-06-27T21:07:00.002-06:00

With disasters mounting around the globe - the Gulf oil spill, 98,000 troops headed to Afghanistan, a rumoured imminent US/Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facility and on and on, why should we care about the ongoing conflict between the Jews and Palestinian Arabs in the Holy Land? It is my firm belief that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is fed and nurtured by an ongoing political agenda that has its roots in the Great Game of the 19th Century and is essentially a tactic of diversion from a far more sinister, Global colonial agenda that threatens the freedom of all humanity. Please support our efforts by donating via paypal right here on our blog - no amount is too little! And if you live in or around Taos, don't miss our return to the TCA on July 10th at 8pm. 10% of our proceeds go to Grassroots Jerusalem - see Micha in the video above and visit their site via our links.

The Land Sponsorship Details

2010-06-21T09:01:00.010-06:00

Those who saw The Land workshop production at the TCA last December, will not be seeing the same play this time around. I have spent these past six months, revising and rewriting this piece. It is now a complete work; a fully developed Three Act play that will hold up, I believe, as a dramatic piece, regardless of the topic it covers. We are currently selling sponsorships for our program and are also accepting them via paypal, online. Ad rates are $50.00 (business card size) $100 (includes 2 tickets) $250 (4 tickets) $500 (8 tickets) All sponsors will be acknowledged in our program and any donations above $100.00 include 2 tickets to our upcoming performance on July 10th at the TCA. Please be generous! This is a large cast (12) who need to be compensated for their hard work, and we'd like to give as much as possible to Grassroots Jerusalem, who are doing crucial work on the ground in Jerusalem, as well as Visa Paz Taos, both of whom will receive 10% each of our profits. We'll also be doing a dinner ticket promotion with the Love Apple for the night of the event. Stay tuned for details here!

Logos/pdf files should be in to us by July 1st. Ditto funds!

Use our paypal button on the top of this page or
Make checks payable to
Lynne Robinson/The Land
P.O. Box 3451
Taos N.M. 97571

Please email files to Krystina Siebenaler
kikishakti@gmail.com

Rehearsals

2010-06-16T00:12:00.003-06:00

The rehearsals are so inspiring! The cast I've assembled for this production is really strong, so directing The Land, this time around, I'm giving the actors quite a bit of freedom to collaborate with me to give these characters new life. We've been rehearsing the play scene by scene these past couple of weeks, but next week, we'll begin doing run throughs. The process is exhilarating, exhausting, frustrating and rewarding. Just like painting, at a certain point one just has to stop. When is the painting finished? We've turned the play upside down and inside out -it bears little resemblance to its first incarnation last December; it's fleshed out, developed, cast members rearranged and characters re-envisioned and reworked. Obviously the subject matter couldn't be more timely, but more importantly, I feel it now holds its own as a theatrical piece: A human drama played out against the backdrop of War. It might take place in Palestine/Israel, but the story is universal and applies to us all. Please donate via our paypal account and help us bring The Land to a theatre near you. All our sponsors will be acknowledged in our program and any donation above $100, receives two tickets to our upcoming performance at the TCA here in Taos on July 10th. We give 10% of all proceeds to Grassroots Jerusalem and will gift 10% of the TCA show to Vista Paz Taos. The Land gives 10% locally wherever we stage the play.

Dedication

2010-06-14T10:24:00.014-06:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks here since Dennis Hopper passed on May 29th. As a family member of my oldest, closest friends here in Taos, Dennis was someone my children and I saw on Christmas Eve in a very un-Hollywood context, on and off for many years. Last year, as I watered the garden outside Human Line Studio on Bent Street, where I worked at the time, Dennis was attending the Summer Of Love opening at the Parks Gallery next door. When he saw me, he came over and asked if he could hang out for a bit and smoke his cigar, away from the fray. He left for a minute, to find his son, Henry and the three of us spent about fifteen minutes chatting about nothing much until we were joined by his brother David, his late wife, Mary and the photographer, Lisa Law. The subject turned to the old Mabel Dodge House days and his predilection for guns. "A myth!There were no guns!" Deadpanned Dennis."Not what I've heard!" I retorted.His bright blue eyes twinkled, "I've got a gun story!" He chuckled.He became quite animated as he described the night he'd come down into the Plaza after a long poker game which involved a lot of alcohol and a few tabs of LSD. The old tree in the middle of the Plaza, at the time, had appeared monstrous under the combined influence of drugs and booze, and Dennis' response had been to simply shoot it. Shots fired, he returned his gun to his pocket to find himself handcuffed and marched off to jail. The ending to his story does not jive with that of the family member who bailed him out, but rather involved the wife of a famous country singer who drove him to Las Vegas. Perhaps that did in fact happen later, but the true facts are far less romantic and far more disturbing. The Taos cops beat the living crap outa him. As he was telling his tale, others began to make their way over to the wall where we sat, and I watched Dennis shut down. Looking at his watch he realised he was late for his second Hopper At The Harwood appearance and said goodbye. As he was leaving, I told him a mutual friend was playing in Albuquerque the next week. He brightened as he asked the date. That was the last time I saw Dennis. I hear he did go to see the gig in Albuquerque the following weekend and that he had a little time with our friend. I've spent these past two weeks with members of his family and close friends. He has been very much around. In the aftermath of his moving and very private funeral, a few of us have gathered here and there sharing memories, tears and lots of laughs, as we celebrate this extraordinary man, who touched the lives of so many. As I rehearse The Land in the evenings, I'm calling on his generous spirit to guide and inspire me - this upcoming performance is dedicated to his memory. A brave and brilliant artist, Dennis knew that in order to make great art, one cannot be afraid to step over the edge; He continually and courageously revisited places he had already healed, in order to make authentic, powerful work. As a family member and a friend, he was kind, generous and loyal. He made amends to those he had hurt and was a wonderful, loving father to his children. He is missed but his bright light shines on.