LA Downtown News

Wishing for a Christmas miracle so the theater does not close. They talk about the magnificent marionettes, but, oh boy, what an archive of music that man also has! The puppets have to dance to something. And that something makes the American Folk Anthology a little jealous.LA Times article on the possible closure....
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Toasting the French   Exhibition at Pico House Tells Another Lost History of L.A. Immigrants by Saskia Vogel Published: Friday, December 14, 2007 5:17 PM PST If Bordello, a bar at the edge of the Arts District, had indeed graced Vignes Street in the 1800s, as its decor suggests, it may have had a legacy of patrons saying...
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Fragments and ‘Lies’   Downtown Gets a Congolese Kick From Choreographer Faustin Linyekula by Saskia Vogel Published: Friday, October 19, 2007 4:54 PM PDT In the 1990s, ndombolo blew up. The Congolese booty-shaking dance drew such crowds that it inspired music marathon events with food and drink. Always kicking off after midnight, ndombolo evenings were a much-needed diversion...
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The Road to ‘Durango’   East West Players Kicks Off Season With Young Playwright Julia Cho’s Road Trip Story by Saskia Vogel Nothing sets the stage for adventure like a road trip. But as many families know, conflict can percolate in the confines of a car. By telling a quintessentially American story from a Korean family’s perspective, rising-star...
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Wattstax Reloaded   CAAM Exhibit Highlights the 1972 Concert That Brought African-American L.A. Together and Packed the Coliseum by Saskia Vogel Published: Friday, September 7, 2007 5:37 PM PDT While almost everyone is familiar with Woodstock, the 1969 festival that unfolded on Max Yasgur’s New York farm, relatively few Angelenos know about an event closer to home that...
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The Phoenix and The Puppet Master   Bob Baker, who has been staging puppet shows for 75 years, and Charles Phoenix, known for his tours and slide shows, join forces Downtown this week for a tribute to the puppet master. Photos by Gary Leonard. Two L.A. Icons Come Together in ‘Bob Baker: This Is Your...
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