"Hold Me Tight" is FULLY FUNDED!!!

We Did It!!!

With just 1 HOUR to spare we surpassed our goal, raising $2,051!

I just want to extend my gratitude and appreciate to you all for backing this campaign to Pay Our Actors and Designers!  Thank you for your donations, your support, and your shares on Facebook and Twitter.

This was only possible with your help - THANK YOU!

If you haven't donated and still want to, you can go to the Indiegogo campaign right now or in the next 10 MINUTES!  These extra funds raised will go to covering the percentage Indiegogo takes and to help pay for snacks for our cast and crew!

And don't forget to come see the show!  Hold Me Tight runs next Monday - Wednesday, October 20th - 22nd, at Cal State L.A.

Tickets and information available at Brown Paper Tickets.

And, if tickets was a part of your Perk, please email me at: notjusttheater@gmail.com and let me know when you would like to come!

Cheers!

Naomi/Nomi/Nina

p.s. One more cast photo, because obviously they are Head Over Heals that they will FINALLY GET PAID!

Indiegogo Update - Almost There!

We are all overwhelmed and full of gratitude with the support and donations that have been coming in, especially as we are in the last couple hours of our Fundraising Campaign!

We are nearly at our goal - $1,546 out of $2,000 raised and only 13 hours to go!  Help us get the last $450!

(while we will received the money if we don't make our goal, Indiegogo takes DOUBLE the amount in fees!  Making our goal will greatly increase our actual take-home amount, and Help Pay Our Actors!)

Remember, this money is being raise to Pay Our Actors!!!

 

Meanwhile, we are busy in rehearsals getting ready for our big opening this Monday, Oct 20th - seating is limited, so if you haven't bought your tickets, go HERE

 

And now, another peak into last nights reahearsal, as we began working in light and projection,

 

 

 

Our New (Acro)Door from Diavolo/Architecture in Motion

As you may have noticed in our pictures and videos over the last couple of days, we have a new door! But not just any door, this one comes to us courtesy of Diavolo/Architecture in Motion and is fully equipped to handle every acrobatic and high-flying desire of our ensemble!

though some people still tend to doze off from time to time...

But in the end, we just end up hanging out.

All in all, our ensemble and production team have been working tirelessly to get ready for our opening night, a week from tomorrow (Monday)! So, if you are in the L.A. area, and haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them now. Seating is very limited!

Tickets are available here: http://holdmetight.bpt.me

And if you have a moment to help spread the word, share, or tweet about our Indiegogo Fundraiser, any and all help is greatly appreciated!

http://igg.me/at/holdmetight

Cheers!

Hold Me Tight Ensemble

Indiegogo Update – New Faces! 

We are excited to announce some new additions to our design team and crew!

Heather Oliver, a recent CSULA graduate and company member at Circle Squared Collective, has joined Hold Me Tight as our Lighting Designer!

Also joining us are current CSULA students Alex Garrett as Assistant Stage Manager (and Backstage Guru), and Lilyana Melero Light Board Operator.

And finally, current CSULA MFA students Heqiyu Hemy, Kent Nabor, and Nidhin Patel will be helping with last minute prep, set up, and box office during the show!

With just 9 days left in our Indiegogo campaign, now is when we could use your support the most! If you haven’t had a chance to check out our fundraising page, you can find it here: http://igg.me/at/holdmetight
 
Remember, this money is being raised to Pay Our Actors!

And now, a peak into our rehearsals...

 

Tickets On-Sale!!!

Not.Just.Theater.

presents

Hold Me Tight
An MFA Thesis Production

 "In another life I was my sister's husband"

 

This is the final production of a year-long development of Hold Me Tight, devised with the ensemble as part of the thesis project of Naomi Bennett, MFA candidate in Television, Film and Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles.

 

October 20-22

Monday-Wednesday, 7:30pm

Arena Theatre

California State University, Los Angeles

Tickets available at: http://holdmetight.bpt.me

$12 General, $8 Student/Senior/Artist

Limited seating!  Get your tickets early!!! 

The Papin Sisters: A Brief History

Hold Me Tight is inspired by the true-crime story Christine and Lea Papin, sisters, maids and supposedly lovers.  On the evening of February 2nd, 1933, the two massacred their employer, Madame Lancelin, and her daughter, Genevieve, gouging out their eyes, smashing their skulls, and beating the two women to an unrecognizable pulp.

 

When asked afterwards why they did it, the sisters were silent, insisting only that they did it together.  During their incarceration, Christine, the older sister, is reported to have said: "I believe that in another life I was my sisters husband."  This quote, and the sisters obvious deep bond to each other, led many to speculate an incestuous affair between them.

 

On the 20th thru 22nd of October, the week before Halloween, you'll have a glimpse of our interpretation of "the Papin affair," the case that set France aflame.

 

About our Production

This original devised theatre-dance production is the thesis project of Naomi Bennett, MFA candidate in Television, Film and Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles. 

As an ensemble, we have worked for the past nine months using dance, spoken word, soundscaping, and integrated media to explore the supposed incestuous relationship of the sisters, their ostracization, isolation, and how we as performers can relate to their Delire a Deux.  Our explorations have unearthed issues of class, gender, sexuality, and the basic human need for physical touch.

Fundraising Update - Limited Perks!!!

We got Press!  

Check out our recent write Up on Bitter Lemons - Help MFA student Pay Her Actors!

And, we've raised $530 of our $2,000 goal!  That's 27%!!!

So just for fun, this week we are offering some NEW, Limited Perks:

Social Media & Career Consult: 

For a contribution of at least $50, get Two Hours of training with Cindy Marie Jenkins, Outreach Nerd, on the topic of your choice (Social Media, Career Goals, Branding, etc).  

For more info: http://cindymariejenkins.com/  (Two Available)

A Night at Dark Harbor: 

For a donation of at least $50, get TWO tickets to The Queen Mary's Dark Habor, the most unique haunted experience in Southern California, Oct 2 - Nov 2.  

http://www.queenmary.com/events/dark-harbor/  

(Local L.A. Only! -- One Available)

Flying for Two: 

For a donation of at least $75, get Trapeze for Two!  A pair of FLYING Trapeze Lessons at TSNY's Santa Monica Location!  

http://losangeles.trapezeschool.com/  

(Local L.A. Only! -- One Available)

These perks are super limited, check out our Indiegogo page for more info!

http://igg.me/at/holdmetight

Hold Me Tight Fundraising Update:
In the first two week we have raised 17% of our $2,000 goal! But wait, we have some surprises coming up!

Extra-Special Rewards!!!
Make sure to keep a look out for some more exciting news coming up in the next couple days... we've been planning and have come up with some Extra Special Rewards - but don't miss them, they will only be available for a limited time! http://igg.me/at/holdmetight

New Addition to our Team!!!
And, after a long search (and many auditions), I would like to welcome the newest member of our ensemble, actor Hayley Hirsch, a recent graduate from the USC theatre program and trapeze instructor at TSNY Santa Monica. Today was Hayley's first day and she definitely hit the ground running - it can be hard to join a cast that has been working together for so long, but Hayley fit right in.

Hold Me Tight  - Fundraising Update!

In just one week we've raised $290 - 14% of our $2,000 goal!  There has been an amazing amount of support for this project and  I feel very blessed to see donations coming in from my local L.A. community, as well as my former Boston home.

And, I'm happy to announce that we have added Natalie Beisner (actor) and Nadine Bedrossian (Stage Manager) to our ensemble!  We are so excited to have them join this ever growing production.

Remember, the money raised is primarily being put towards paying the cast and crew - people who often get overlooked in low budget theatre.  If you haven't had a chance to check out our campaign page (and possibly help us out with a donation), please take a moment now: http://igg.me/at/holdmetight - there are lots of wonderful rewards available, and you'd be helping to support the arts!

A couple rehearsal pics:

 

Save the Date!

Hold Me Tight

a devised theatre-dance performance

(inspired by the Papin sisters)

October 20-22

Monday-Wednesday, 7:30pm

Arena Theatre
California State University
5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles
Ticket info coming soon!

*A Study Guide will be available for classes!

About the project:Hold Me Tight is the production of a year long development with the ensemble to create this original devised performance, and thesis project of Naomi Bennett, who is studying for her MFA in Television, Film and Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles.  

Brief History:
Christine and Léa Papin worked as maids in the Lancelin household in Le Mans, France. On the 2nd of February 1933, after having gouged out their eyes, they beat Madame Lancelin and her daughter to a pulp. This October, just a week before Halloween, you'll have a glimpse at the Papin sisters and the case that set France aflame. This original devised performance uses dance, spoken word, soundscaping, and integrated projection to explore the supposed incestuous relationship of the sisters, their ostracization and isolation and how we as performers can relate to their Delire a Deux.