Sunday, June 28, 2009

Touch the Water - a play about and at the LA RIver





To see more photos go to....

I learned a lot about Frog Town playing Jade Kenten-Denton green in Cornerstone Theater's environmental justice piece, 'Touch the Water'. This small community, because of its strong sense of... 'this is ours!' ..... kicked butt and took names when Joseph T. Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy came and said, "I'm a white guy who likes to stand and look at the river!" He strutted around and yanked mikes out of peoples' hands and shook one man by both arms just to bully them into submission. He has millions of our tax dollars and power and proudly states "You can't vote me out!" and everyone can just lick his shoes! The community was shocked at first and then they finally pulled together and told the L. A. City Council, Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy where to go and what they wanted to have built. WAY TO GO!!!!

You can go to the Conservancy's website but you won't read much of how this community was treated by the State agency. But isn't that the way?

I wish more communities were as head strong.... but then, the folks in Frog town were thrown out of two other communities before they learned you have to FIGHT CITY HALL!

And as I was driving home from rehearsals downtown Los Angles, where I have gone to many meetings of Los Angeles City Councils and Los Angeles County Supervisors trying to stop unwanted projects cooked up by public officials and their friends.... this is what I would see before getting on the freeway ....

And à propos of something...