June 4th -

It was a beautiful night with almost 500 people in attendance! As the Administrative Director at About Productions, I had the pleasure of helping to organize and produce the LA Premiere and Benefit Concert - Stories & Songs: An intimate evening with Los Lobos' David Hidalgo & Louie Perez at the LA Theatre Center.

The event supported About Productions' innovative literacy through theater programs: YOUNG THEATERWORKS. YT, as we call it, has been doing amazing work building literacy among East LA Youth. Its such a pleasure to watch youth transform as they develop communication and interviewing skills, interview elders, work with a mentor and develop an original theaterwork from these interviews. Our Through the Ages project was featured in the LA Times (Click HERE) earlier this year.

During the benefit concert, About PD also shared an excerpt from the new piece in development - Evangeline, The Queen of Make-Believe. This new theaterwork features the music of David Hidalgo & Louie Perez and is co-written by Perez and AP's Theresa Chavez and Rose Portillo.

Below: Alison w/ Louie Perez. Photo: paul-redmond.com
You know I have to admit - I first heard of Los Lobos because of the movie La Bamba. But over the last 3 years, while working at About PD, my appreciation for Louie and David's music has grown tremendously. Its been exciting to see how the creators of Evangeline are engaging with the Perez & Hidalgo songbook. Its been exciting to meet the poets and composers behind the Lobos catalogue and to hear David and Louie talk about their work. In the course of creating the video promo (see below) I fell in love with the song "Saint Behind The Glass."So it makes total sense that my favorite moment of the concert was hearing David and Louie perform it.

Since the event was pretty much sold out - I didn't sit in my seat - I gave it to a friend. Besides, as a producer and organizer, I actually had more fun standing in the back of the theatre, the doors swung open from the theatre, and hearing the music pour through the mini-lobby and out into the marbled-fabulousness of the great lobby at LATC.

If you know anything about me I hope it would be - I am from Los Angeles. I was born here. I LOVE being from L.A. I LOVE L.A. and by extension, I particularly love producing, supporting, and sharing in the work of LA artists (whether native or now rooted transplants). It was also particularly fun to watch David and Louie get a Proclamation from the City of Los Angeles (presented by Councilman Jose Huizar) honoring their 40 years of artistic collaboration, their artistic work and their international impact.

I'm so honored that I got a chance to help produce this musical homecoming in such an intimate venue for long-time fans and friends - as well as the newbies just discovering more of these East LA poets.

For more information about Louie Perez and David Hidalgo check out their website. Its an awesome site!

Excited about my work at About Productions? Join us - donate today.

Here is the promo DVD that I helped to create for the event.