Real life comes in all shapes and sizes at the 2010 First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art. You’ll hear stories from Sonia Sanchez, Soledad O’Brien, a man in a van, “the most notorious Oscar Meyer Wienermobile driver of all time,” a Mormon gal looking for love, and the best storyteller in Philly! See documentary film premieres and exciting live performances. Participate in workshops on writing, storytelling and performing. Listen to award-winning authors read from their latest work. But whatever you get at the First Person Festival, you’ll know it’s the real thing. No imitations. Brought to you by First Person Arts
Friday, 11/5
Monday, 11/8
Wednesday, 11/10
Thursday, 11/11
Friday, 11/12
Saturday, 11/13
Sunday, 11/14
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Opening Night of the First Person Museum5-7pm
It’s the opening night of Philadelphia’s “museum of the people!” Celebrate the stories behind the meaningful objects in our lives with a First Friday reception. Click for more information.
First Taste Dinner with Soledad O’Brien at Le Meridien6-7pm VIP Reception
7-9pm First Taste Dinner and Silent Auction
Savor the start of the First Person Festival with guest of honor, CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, over a meal of Latino specialties prepared by Douglas Rodriguez, executive chef of Philadelphia’s Alma de Cuba.
Click for more information and to buy tickets.
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Grand Slam and SoireeSlam Soiree 6-8pm
Fall Grand Slam 8:30-10:30pm
Winners of our popular monthly StorySlams storm the Painted Bride stage with their savviest tales as they vie for the title of “Best Storyteller in Philadelphia.” Start the party early with the Slam Soiree. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Patchwork Nation6:30-7:30pm
In a climate of culture wars and economic uncertainty, America is often reduced to simple dichotomies: red state versus blue state, left versus right. Journalist Dante Chinni and political geographer James Gimpel reveal their surprising “12 community” hypothesis about American society, and what it means for our culture now, and in the future. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
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First Person Museum Gallery Talk
7-7:30PM
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a “Museum of the People” when First Person Museum artists, designers and historians share their process and product. Themes will be announced shortly. FREE. Click for more information.
The Real Americans – Opening Night
EAST COAST THEATRICAL PREMIERE
8-9:30pm
Obama Nation and Palin Country collide in the hit one-man show, The Real Americans, coming to the First Person Festival after a nine-month sold-out run in San Francisco. Anti-war gun salesman, Reagan-ite union coal miners, liberal rednecks, yuppie hipsters — these are just some of the people whom Dan Hoyle, described by the New York Times as “a first-rate reporter and actor,” met while traveling the U.S.A in his van. He brings them all to life with humor, honesty, and extraordinary versatility, opening our eyes to what makes up our “real America.” This show also runs Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Dan Hoyle will also lead a performance workshop on Sunday, November 14.
The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance
Philadelphia Premiere
9:30-10:30pm
This American Life contributor and Moth storyteller Elna Baker brings the comedy of her popular memoir, The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance, to life for two nights at the Festival. Finding love isn’t easy when you’re a twenty-something Mormon actress living in New York City… but it can be hilarious, at least when Elna’s talking about it. This performance also runs on Friday, November 12. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Elna Baker will also lead a storytelling workshop on Saturday, November 13.
Friday, 11/12
The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween DancePhiladelphia Premiere
6:30-7:30pm
This American Life contributor and Moth storyteller Elna Baker brings the comedy of her popular memoir, The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance, to life for two nights at the Festival. Finding love isn’t easy when you’re a twenty-something Mormon actress living in New York City… but it can be hilarious, at least when Elna’s talking about it. This performance also runs on Thursday, November 11. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Elna Baker will also lead a storytelling workshop on Saturday, November 13.
First Person Museum Gallery Talk
7-7:30PM
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a “Museum of the People” when First Person Museum artists, designers and historians share their process and product. Themes will be announced shortly. FREE. Click for more information.
The Real Americans
East Coast Theater Premiere
8-9:30pm
Obama Nation and Palin Country collide in the hit one-man show The Real Americans, coming to the First Person Festival after a nine-month sold-out run in San Francisco. This performance also runs Thursday, November 11 and Saturday, November 13. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Dan Hoyle will lead a performance workshop on November 14.
First Person RAW- shiFt / transFer
World Premiere Workshop Performance
8:30-9:30pm
Why do we leave our homes to start new lives? What are we hoping to find when we arrive? How does this affect the generations after us? Based on his life as a first-generation Filipino-American and intertwining stories from his ensemble, theatre artist Justin Jain weaves a tapestry of movement, music, and dialogue that asks these questions. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
First Person RAW- My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey
Philadelphia Premiere
10-11pm
Get behind the wheel with Robin Gelfenbien, an insecure goody-goody who finds redemption on the road in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Gelfenbien tells the story of her transformation from underdog to “one of the most notorious Oscar Meyer Wienermobile drivers of all time.” (TimeOut New York) This show also runs on Saturday, November 13. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Saturday, 11/13
First Person Museum Gallery Talk
11-11:30am
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a “Museum of the People” when First Person Museum artists, designers and historians share their process and product. Themes will be announced shortly. FREE. Click for more information.
Quiches, Kugels and Couscous
12-2:00pm
Brunch with popular cookbook author Joan Nathan and hear about her latest culinary adventure- exploring Jewish cuisine in France. Nosh on Jewish and Moroccan delicacies from Argan Moroccan Cuisine, Hershel’s East Side Deli and Zahav, and explore America’s own Jewish food heritage. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
The Philadelphia Nondenominational Anyone Can Tell A Story: Storytelling Workshop With Elna Baker
1-3pm
Learn the art of storytelling from This American Life contributor and Moth storyteller, Elna Baker. She’ll share tools for bringing your stories to life on the stage using humor and personal revelation. Craft tales you can bring to the next First Person StorySlam! Click for more information and to buy tickets.
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Prison 101
2:00-4:30pm
Prison 101 is a two-part program that pairs the documentary film Girls on the Wall and the world premiere of Prison 101, a play written by inmates at Graterford prison to demonstrate the power of storytelling in two different prison communities. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
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Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields
5:30-7:30pm
The new documentary Strange Powers goes backstage with The Magnetic Fields, the band responsible for some of the quirkiest, saddest, sweetest tunes in indie pop. Enter the world of enigmatic singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt and witness his deep connection to band member/manager Claudia Gonson and the impact of the epic album 69 Love Songs. Claudia Gonson and filmmaker Kerthy Fix will talk about the impact of The Magnetic Fields following the screening. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
First Person RAW- Voices of Afghanistan
6:30-7:30pm
Join Heather Metcalfe for a visual journey through Afghanistan that reveals glimpses of the struggle, resilience and hope of its women. Metcalfe weaves their stories with her own tale of travel to Afghanistan in June 2009, resulting in the film/book Voices of Afghanistan, which she will share at this event. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
First Person Museum Gallery Talk
7-7:30PM
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a “Museum of the People” when First Person Museum artists, designers and historians share their process and product. Themes will be announced shortly. FREE. Click for more information
The Real Americans
East Coast Theater Premiere
8-9:30pm
Obama Nation and Palin Country collide in the hit one-man show The Real Americans, coming to the First Person Festival after a nine-month sold-out run in San Francisco. This performance also runs Thursday, November 11 and Friday, November 12. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Dan Hoyle will lead a performance workshop on November 14.
First Person RAW- My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey
8:30-9:30pmGet behind the wheel with Robin Gelfenbien, an insecure goody-goody who finds redemption on the road in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Gelfenbien tells the story of her transformation from underdog to “one of the most notorious Oscar Meyer Wienermobile drivers of all time.” (TimeOut New York) This show also runs on Friday, November 12. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
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First Person RAW- shiFt / transFer
World Premiere Workshop Performance
10-11pm
Why do we leave our homes to start new lives? What are we hoping to find when we arrive? How does this affect the generations after us? Based on his life as a first-generation Filipino-American and intertwining stories from his ensemble, theatre artist Justin Jain weaves a tapestry of movement, music, and dialogue that asks these questions. This show also runs on Friday, November 12. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Transformative Acts: Performance Workshop with Dan Hoyle (of The Real Americans)9am-12pm
Dan Hoyle, fresh off his run of The Real Americans, is a master of creating a diverse array of specific and distinct personalities within one show. He’ll use an on-your-feet approach for solo performance using observational techniques and exercises. Come prepared to move! Click for more information and to enroll.
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The Sandwich Generation
12-1:30pm
The only thing harder than being a parent of adolescents is being an adult child watching your parents’ health decline. Both of our guest authors are members of the Sandwich Generation, but each brings a unique perspective and artistic approach to sharing that experience. Join Beth Harpaz, author of 13 is the New 18, and Joyce Farmer, author of the graphic memoir Special Exits, for a reading and discussion over a lunch of bánh mi (Vietnamese hoagies) from Bridget Foy’s. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
Beth Harpaz will lead a memoir writing workshop immediately following this program.
Family Matters: Writing Workshop with Beth Harpaz
1:30-2:30pm
Beth Harpaz has opened up about her family in two books, 13 is the New 18 and Finding Annie Farrell, using both her current experience and her family’s history as inspiration. Her workshop will address how to expose your family’s intimate details to the world without destroying your most important relationships! Click for more information and to enroll.
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First Person Museum Gallery Talk
2-2:30PM
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a “Museum of the People” when First Person Museum artists, designers and historians share their process and product. Themes will be announced shortly. FREE.Click for more information
Inside Hana’s Suitcase
3-5:30pm
A battered suitcase travels from Auschwitz to Tokyo, where a group of Japanese school children unravel the story behind it. Its owner was a young girl named Hana, a victim of the Holocaust. With the help of their teacher, Fumiko Ishioka, they find Hana’s brother and learn about the plight of a child during an unspeakable time. Fumiko Ishioka will conduct a Q&A after the film. Click for more information and to buy tickets.
BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez at The Baptist Temple
6-8:30pm
The First Person Festival closes with a star-studded tribute to award-winning poet and activist Sonia Sanchez. Celebrate Sonia with Danny Glover, Rennie Harris, Talib Kweli, Ruby Dee, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Evan Solot and Monette Sudler, and other leading artists who will illustrate the breadth of Sonia’s influence. Using poetry, prose and music, they will honor one of the most significant artists of our time.Click for more information and to buy tickets.
