TURBINE MONTAGE
Eclectic Artists in Performance
CHRISTINA ORTEGA and STEPHANIE ROJO met earlier this summer as co-stars in a musical workshop production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Stephanie’s vibrant stage presence and Christina’s comedic swagger during rehearsals drew them together and they soon discovered a mutual ardent love for dogs, Dolly Parton, and Mr. Darcy. They are excited to debut their newly formed collaborative project — Las Hermanas Chingonas (“The Badass Sisters”, for you gringos out there) — dedicated to the lost art of sisterly duet singing minus the family drama that comes with being actual blood relations. @singwithstephy
QUEER LATIN DANCE L.A. hosts salsa, bachata & other dance classes, dance parties and performances. Learn how to dance with other LGBTQ folks in a friendly and safe environment. @queerlatindancela
AARON GROOVES is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, & music educator. His passion for all forms of music-making have led him to become proficient in piano, tap dancing, singing, ukulele, live-looping, and many other instruments, which he utilizes to pursue his mission of spreading joy and elevating humanity.
Aaron achieved internet fame with his viral video, Mario on Marimba, which has received over 100 million views worldwide. He is the composer of “Jazzy Note Blocks,” the music behind Alan Becker’s Note Blocks - Animation vs. Minecraft Shorts Episode 5, which has racked up over 150 million views on YouTube. Aaron is one half of the explosive duo group, Collision of Rhythm, where he performs, teaches, and keynotes all over the world with his “rhythmic soul brother,” Bronkar Lee.
In addition to his online and commercial successes, Aaron is a world-class music educator. He holds Level 3 Certification in Orff Schulwerk pedagogy, and he has presented teacher training workshops for AOSA, KIPP Schools, CMEA (California Music Education Association), and several colleges and universities. He is a recipient of the ACEMM Winter Spotlight Award, which is granted for outstanding work in learning communities utilizing music and movement. Aaron has done extensive work as a Band Director, Private Lessons Instructor, and Music Specialist for humans of all ages. @aarongrooves
MATT KNUDSEN was born in Hawaii, raised in the Mid-west and sailed around the world as a merchant marine. After trips to Europe, Africa and the Far East, he eventually put down his sea bag, picked up a microphone and began performing stand up comedy all across the country.
As an actor, Matt has shared the screen with Oscar winners Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin, Sean Penn and more, and has appeared in dozens of Emmy and Golden Globe winning television shows like Key & Peele, Workaholics and The Big Bang Theory. You can see him recurring as Steven in the upcoming Apple+ series Shrinking starring Harrison Ford and Jason Segel. @thatmattknudsen
KATHLEEN WILHOITE is an accomplished actress, singer/songwriter, professor. As an actress, she has amassed over 100 film and TV credits including multi-year roles on the hit series “Gilmore Girls,” “ER,” “Yellowstone” and as a VO artist, she was the title character of Disney’s Saturday morning animated “Pepper Ann.”
Kathleen has performed in many projects including the theme of “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Ally McBeal,” “Roadhouse,” “Cop Rock” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She has also placed her own compositions in film and TV projects including “Rita Rocks,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Drowning Mona,” “Valarie Flake,” “Nice Guys Sleep Alone” and “Murphy’s Law,” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine.” Kathleen has released 2 albums, one through Richard Branson’s V2 and the other on her own label, Ruby Ray Records.
She was a fulltime professor of Performing Arts last year at SCAD and has taught at Cal Arts, Cal State Long Beach, Columbia College Hollywood. She also has an ongoing zoom class held every Friday at noon called “The Build Me Up Buttercup” Series. Contact Wilhoitedrama@gmail.com if interested. @realkathleenw
HELEN SLATER is an actress, composer and singer/songwriter. She has produced five CDs of her original songs and stories. helenslater.com
KARL HERLINGER is an actor, filmmaker and variety performer who has performed his mind-boggling re-invention of ventriloquism alongside Reggie Watts, Kristen Schaal, Fred Armisen, and many others. You can find him at venues all over the country, including here in L.A. at the Magic Castle, Brookledge Follies and Scot Nery’s Boobietrap. @karlherlinger
JOSHUA SILVERSTEIN is an award-winning actor, comic, writer, beatboxer, and educator. His various performances and productions throughout the country have received admiration from creative geniuses ranging from Norman Lear to Prince.
Beatboxing since the age of 5, Joshua has become the West Coast’s most sought-after beatboxer, named by the Jewish News Service as “one of the best beatboxers in the world.” His various collaborations with artists such as Slash from Guns and Roses, poetic icon Ursula Rucker and Improv legend Wayne Brady have earned him the title of “the hardest-working performer in L.A.”
The first beatboxer to be featured regularly dropping beats on network television, Joshua performs for The Late Late Show with James Corden on the segment Drop The Mic and the stand-alone, half-hour TNT/TBS series by the same name, which can now be seen on the web.
His solo show, “The Joshua Silverstein Show,” received rave reviews during its preview at the Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles in 2014 and when it ran at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles in 2016. That version, titled “Tell Me I’m Pretty” (directed by Diana Wyenn) included a a three-piece band accompanying Joshua as he playfully wove through personal narratives pertaining to race and gender constructs in America. Using devices including pantomime, beatboxing, rapping, and spoken word, Joshua created a show that continues to inspire, challenge, provoke and motivate.
As an educator, Joshua has facilitated uncountable theater, improvisation and spoken word workshops, as well as in-school residencies, all designed to create a safe and open space where students of all ages indulge in the freedom of creative expression. @thejoshuasilverstein
Stage Manager/Lights/Sound: EILEEN SOONG
Producers: JOSH WILLIS/ROB WATZKE
House Manager: EMMA BENSON
THANK YOU to all our Turbine friends and artists who helped prepare the Lankershim Arts Center for occupancy: Audrey Austin Moore, Dixie Aragaki, Nancy Barragan, Molly Brandenburg, Ray Chibnik, Terry Franklin, Adam Haskins, Dionne Lea, Kari Lizer, Jeffrey George Moline, Ben Paladini, Samantha Paladini, Tracy Paladini, Joshua Silverstein, Anna Varnon-Grier, Miyo Yamauchi, Chelsea Zareczny
Special Thanks: Elvia Gaitan, James Singleton, Stacey Patino, Ellen Bienenfeld, Adam Haskins, Josh Willis, Chelsea Zareczny, and to Audrey Austin Moore for the art curation and spacial rehabilitation.
And thank you to the artists who have loaned us work for the walls: AUDREY AUSTIN, MOLLY BRANDENBURG, MAX BUSSELL, JAKE LANGSTON, CECIL(Y) MILLIKEN, NIKOLA MOORE, ZEA MOORE, and STACEY PATINO.
Contact information is on the nameplates, please reach out to them directly for purchase information.
USE OF VIDEO OR STILL PHOTOGRAPHY IS PROHIBITED, UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY PRODUCTION STAFF.
Turbine Arts Collective
Board of Directors:
Elvia Gaitan, Helen Slater, Rob Watzke
Advisers to the Board:
James Singleton, Terry Franklin
Accounting:
Ellen Bienenfeld
For the City of Los Angeles
ERIC GARCETTI, Mayor
PAUL KREKORIAN, City Councilmember, 2nd District
For the Cultural Affairs Department
DANIEL TARICA… Acting General Manager
NICKI GENOVESE… Acting Performing Arts Director
For the Lankershim Art Center
CASANDRA REYES… Venue Manager
URSALINE BRYANT… Administrative Coordinator
Visit www.turbine-arts.org
for more information