This summer, thirteen members of the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Theatre classes of 2010 and 2011 at Culver City High School have formed a new theatre company, called SKITco.
They have written a new play, Styx Run Dry, about what happens to Greek gods when people stop believing in them.
They will perform their work next week, Thursday through Sunday, in Hollywood at The Complex, Ruby Theatre, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd. Curtain times are at 8 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, plus two matinees, at 2 o’clock, on Saturday and Sunday.
The company roster includes co-founders Joey Guthman and Lexa Grace, along with company members Brandon Blum, Zak Malsich, Luke Medina, Kevin Mitchell, Conor Murphy, Madison Neufeld and Emma Niles.
Skitco. is comprised solely of 2010 and 2011 Culver High graduates, and it works in a unique way.
Although a core team of writers works for six hours a day to put the group's ideas on paper, regular company meetings bring everyone's jobs together. The artistic director conducts the meetings, news on fundraising comes from the director of finance, and the marketing director updates the company on publicity. These young, driven people have formed a legitimate company.
SKITco. has taught valuable business and communication skills to the thirteen recent graduates, and it has continued the Culver City tradition of inter-faith, socioeconomic and cultural understanding.
I believe that a great story has come from the SKITco.'s first year, and we hope that others in this wonderful city will learn the details of a passionate young theatre company.
The company website: http://skitcompany.com/
A video explaining the company: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/
From the company’s site:
Joey Guthman and Lexa Grace founded SKITco. in 2011. The company began work on their first project at the end of May. SKITco. develops its theatre pieces by honing in on a specific social boundary the company feel needs to be crossed. The company members research the issue they choose to work with, enabling them to improvise characters and plots with which to explore the topic at hand. After these workshops, the company will compose a piece that aims at breaking the silence surrounding its subject. SKITco. plans on taking its premiere piece though this process from May to June. The piece will premiere on Thursday, July 21, at The Complex in Hollywood. The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts’ first Senior Seminar class inspired SKITco.’s creation. Senior Seminar was a class created in 2010 by Joey Guthman, Lexa Grace, and the rest of the 2010 Academy seniors. The class was dedicated to showcasing two works, one of which was an original piece, produced and performed by the seniors of The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. For the original work showcase, the 2010 seniors created Corinthians 6:13, a haunting story about abuse of power and misconceptions in the Catholic Church. The piece went through several research and improvisation workshops, resulting in the creation of a physical script written by Lexa Grace and Lucy Linderman. The piece was then directed by Lexa Grace and premiered in March 2010. This process inspired the idea of SKITco.’s collaborative process, which resulted in the formation of the company.
