PROGRAMS
Real life comes in all shapes and sizes at the 2010 First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art.
You’ll find Sonia Sanchez, a CNN star, a man in a van, the Wienermobile, Mormon amore, a museum of the people, and the best storyteller in Philly. Debate red state versus blue. Dine on cocktails and kugel. Watch indie pop drama and prison musicals. But whatever you get at the First Person Festival, you’ll know it’s the real thing. No imitations.
First Taste Dinner with Soledad O’Brien
BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez: A Tribute in Words, Music and Dance
Life’s a Stage: Live Performances
Life Off the Page: Author Readings and Presentations
Reel Life: Documentary Films
Say It, Act It, Write It: Workshops
The First Person Museum
CALENDAR LISTING OF ALL EVENTS
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Sunday, November 14
6-8:30pm
Main Stage
$35 per person ($28 for First Person members)
Hosted by author Lorene Cary, founder, Art Sanctuary.
RSVP by Friday, November 1st.
Advance reservations required.
Buy tickets here!
The First Person Festival closes with a star-studded tribute to award-winning poet and activist Sonia Sanchez. Celebrate Sonia with Danny Glover, Talib Kweli, Ruby Dee, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Evan Solot and Monette Sudler, and other leading artists who will illustrate the breadth of Sonia’s influence. Using poetry, prose and music, they will honor one of the most significant artists of our time.
The tribute will be filmed live for inclusion in BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez, a feature-length documentary being produced by award-winning filmmakers Janet Goldwater, Barbara Attie, and Sabrina Smith Gordon.
In partnership with Art Sanctuary.
If you like this event, check out shiFt/transFer or The Real Americans.
BACK TO FESTIVAL HOMEPAGE.
Monday, November 8
7-9pm
Le Meridien (1421 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA)
$135 per person ($110 for First Person Members)
First Taste VIP Reception Package
6:00PM – 7:00PM pre-dinner reception
$250 per person – limited to 50 tickets
VIP Package includes private reception with Soledad O’Brien, First Taste Dinner (with preferred seating) and one signed copy of The Next Big Story.
RSVP by Monday, November 1st.
Advance reservations required.
Buy tickets here!
Savor the start of the First Person Festival with guest of honor, CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, over a meal of Latino specialties prepared by Douglas Rodriguez, executive chef of Philadelphia’s Alma de Cuba.
O’Brien’s new memoir, The Next Big Story, sets the stage for an intimate look at her experiences covering some of the most important events in recent history, including Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, and our 2008 presidential election.
Chef Rodriguez will create an exclusive menu for Ms. O’Brien and our First Taste guests. This special event will also include a silent auction of unique and exciting prizes from local businesses and supporters in the Philadelphia region.
Be our exclusive guest and further your support by purchasing our First Taste VIP Reception Package. In addition to preferred seating at the First Taste dinner, you will join our guest of honor during a private cocktail reception and receive a signed copy of her new memoir, The Next Big Story.
Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning anchor and special correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe and has produced record-breaking documentaries on the most important stories facing the world today. She also covers political news as part of CNN’s “Best Political Team on Television.” O’Brien’s most recent documentaries include Rescued, a look at Haiti’s remarkable children before, during and after the devastating earthquake, and Gary and Tony Have a Baby, the story of two gay men and their struggle to have a baby that has a biological and legal connection to both of them. In 2009, Soledad reported for Latino in America, a wide-ranging look at Latinos living in this country; how they’re reshaping America and how America is reshaping them.
Chef Douglas Rodriguez, globally-acclaimed Godfather of Nuevo Latino Cuisine, has been taking the nation by storm, opening award-winning restaurants across the United States. His culinary creativity has changed the image of Latino food in America. He received the prestigious 1996 James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the Year Award.
Sponsored by Janney Montgomery Scott.
All proceeds benefit First Person Arts programming and services. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Tiffany Tavarez at 267.402.2019 or ttavarez@firstpersonarts.org.
If you like this event, check out BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez, The Real Americans or Patchwork Nation.
BACK TO FESTIVAL HOMEPAGE.
The first round of this summer’s First Person Museum StoryCircles is well underway. Over the last two weeks, we have made some fantastic visits to our community partners, and started doing one of the most rewarding things we can do: listen.
So far, the stories that have been shared by participants have been electrifying. Each account comes from a different place in the city: Norris Square, Germantown Avenue and Hunting Park. Each storyteller comes from a different generation; from proud grandmothers to our youngest participant so far- just eight years old!
Members at Village Of The Arts & Humanities swap stories.
But in all, each story has so greatly reminded us of our many connections to one another on our day to day adventures in Philadelphia.
The objects that have been shared have emphasized the importance of noticing what the small things in life mean to us when we take a bigger look.
Serena holds a photo of a participant's 40 year-old portrait.
Hopefully, The First Person Museum will display these community stories as small but intricate pieces of the huge and dynamic story of what makes Philadelphia so vibrant.
Over the next few weeks, I will be visiting upcoming StoryCircles to bring photos and video from our visits. As a storyteller behind the lens, I invite you to come on the journey of these community visits with me and not just explore the art of storytelling, but the art of community building.
Artifacts at the Village For Arts & Humanities
Village Artist and StoryCircle member Jon Kaufman.
Art found in Norris Square Project's learning center.
Our next Story Circle is TONIGHT, hosted by First Person Arts.
Upcoming StoryCircles
• Thursday, August 5 hosted by the Coffee Cup
• Thursday, August 5 hosted by the Philadelphia Young Playwrights
• Wednesday, August 11 hosted by the Art Sanctuary
All events are FREE.
Bring yourselves and your story!
- Maya Shipman, Museum Marketing Intern
Like StorySlams? Think the themes could be even better? Wanna win free tickets? Check out our StorySlam theme contest, running till August 27.
UPDATED 8/27: This contest is now closed. Stay tuned for a fall announcement of our next season of StorySlam themes!
