TOCA Backstage

Celebrating 50 years of friendship with Torrance’s sister city, Kashiwa, Japan, this evening will highlight some of the talented past delegates who have gone on to professional careers in the performing arts. You will be treated to the likes of master storyteller Takekawa Shinoharu (Ittetsu Kojima) from Japan, MacIntyre Family Singers featuring Carol William (South High School alumni), Todd (Mama Mia), Katelyn, and Taiko drummer Alex Ito, will perform techno interpretations of traditional taiko pieces. The Torrance Civic Chorale who performed in Kashiwa in 1987 and greeted the Kashiwa delegates at Torrance City Hall in 2018 for the 45th anniversary will be performing selected pieces for the occasion, plus other surprise guest performers. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime event and join in the celebration of friendship and the good work that the Torrance Sister City Association does.

Multi instrumentalist Alex Wersen talks about his new project, "Remember When the Music: The Songs of Harry Chapin". Harry Chapin’s short, but impactful life is celebrated in this world premier show. A master storyteller, his songs were full of heart and soul and included the hits “Cats in the Cradle,” “WOLD” and “Taxi.” Chapin was also a lifelong philanthropist and joined fellow musicians Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, and John Denver to form the Food Policy Center which monitored the President’s Commission on World Hunger. Join us for a night of incredible music guaranteed to uplift, move and inspire.

Montana natives turned Angelenos, Joselyn & Don’s intoxicating music feels like a walk through mountain wildflowers and Southern California Joshua trees. Enter their wild garden - where blues, folk and jazz form an understory illuminated with lyrical truth. Joselyn Wilkinson (the founder of women’s global fusion band, ADAAWE ) and Don Barrozo (a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer with many album credits, also serves as film editor for long-running animated series, “The Simpsons.”) forage musical ideas from many sources and plant those seeds in rich Americana soil. These are deeply rooted songs reaching for new light.

This family-friendly performance features lively instrumental tunes on fiddle, flute, uilleann pipes and harp, along with thrilling Irish old-style dancing from Samantha Harvey. In addition, evocative photographic images provide a backdrop to some of the rich historical traditions of Ireland. Take a memorable glimpse into the enchanting spirit of Christmas, as the finest traditional artists from Ireland, bring you on a fun-filled start to the holiday season of 2022. “Irish Christmas in America admirably refuses to pander to the lowest common denominator. By doing so, they all convey the spirit of the season with uncommon taste and integrity.” Irish Echo

Ayline Artin is a well-known South Bay vocal coach who is also a very talented singer/songwriter. She may be familiar to some from accompanying her students during previous South Bay’s Got Talent competitions or from the streaming concert she did for TOCA during the pandemic shut down of the theatre. TOCA Executive Director talks with Ayline about her music and her words of wisdom for auditioning for South Bay’s Got Talent. A truly giving artist and inspiring conversation. South Bay’s Got Talent auditions are February 5, 6 & 7, 2023 Application deadline is January 23, 2023 and are available at www.torrancearts.org Performance will be February 25, 2023

Ali Angel Friday and Saturday November 18 & 19, 2022 LA-native musician Ali Angel’s retro-soul production and classic songwriting style emanate a 1970’s influence, giving lovers of classic rock, indie, soul, and country music all something they can gravitate towards. Full of surprises, she keeps listeners intrigued by effortlessly shifting from sweet, daydreamy twang and gentle vocals to gritty soulful rock and attitude. Upon releasing her debut single, “Play Pretend” in April of 2021, the record amassed over 80k streams on Spotify independently and was added to more than 3k user-made and tastemaker playlists. She’s been featured by curators like Relix Magazine, DittyTV and Ones To Watch.

Perla Batalla - Songs and Sundries Variety Hour (and a half) Part 2 Friday and Saturday October 21 & 22, 2022 Perla’s return to our cabaret will feature hand-picked selections from Batalla’s vast repertoire, including songs from her original Mestiza song cycle, Perla’s inspired arrangements of Spanish language classics, The Great American Songbook, and of course, personal favorites from her mentor, the great Leonard Cohen. Expect a surprise guest or two and plenty of laughs. Tickets available at www.torrancearts.org

Musician/actor Scot Bruce celebrates what made Elvis not only the king of rock & roll...but the king of cool! See the magic that made a generation swoon in the 1950’s and 60’s, before the white jumpsuit, sunglasses and the glitter of Vegas. Along with his rockin’ 4-piece band, Bruce meticulously and respectfully recreates the electrifying musical excitement of Elvis in his prime...right down to the vintage instruments, the hip ‘threads’ and the grease in the hair. Bruce has performed in sold-out venues worldwide, and has won critical acclaim for his uncanny musical portrayal. This is one show guaranteed to have you all shook up!

UnitOne, a professional taiko group based under the umbrella of Asano Taiko U.S., presents their long awaited full length concert. SHIKI (“four seasons” in Japanese) draws from intimate memories of the four seasons in Japan. From the fiery heat of summer to the frigid depths of winter, Shiki is a look inside UnitOne's memory of a distant place. Artistic Director Young Kang intertwines some of UnitOne’s popular pieces and brings a unique vision that will touch the soul.

Question: What happens when you invite veteran comedy writers and character actors to tell tales of their love able friends with tails? Answer: you get MY DOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR DOG, a hilarious and heartwarming evening of stories about our four-legged friends. This story driven show features comedian Carol Leifer (Writer/Producer Hacks, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld), Humorist and novelist W. Bruce Cameron (A Dog’s Purpose) and award winning actor and storyteller Stephen Tobolowsky (Groundhog Day, The Goldbergs), as well as a story and short film by Writer/Director Cindy Chupack (Sex and the City, Modern Family, Otherhood), plus some surprise guests. Hosted by Tasty Words’ Wendy Hammers.

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience is the nation’s most innovative and unique show utilizing the works of the Beatles. This amazing group, anchored by brothers Billy, Ryan and Matthew McGuigan, does away the worn out “tribute” format of bad wigs and fake accents. Instead, they perform as themselves and leave the song choices completely in the hands of the audience. This is done through request cards that audience members fill out prior to the show. On those cards, the audience member only needs to fill out three things: their name, their favorite Beatles song and the reason why they chose that song. The cards are collected and two minutes before the show begins, a set list is created based upon the songs chosen by that particular audience. As an added treat, the reasons that the audience members chose those songs make up the narrative of the evening. Performing live at the Armstrong Theatre on Sat. May 14, 2022 Tickets at www.torrancearts.org

Many of us recognize her from the platinum-selling Number 1 hit song “Stay (I Missed You)” from the film Reality Bites. Since then, she has enjoyed a successful career in music, film, television, voice-over work and children’s recordings. In addition to raising two children in LA, she stays busy working on her growing eyewear line, her music for grown-ups as well as books and CD’s for kids and families. Her most recent collection of songs is called “A Simple Trick To Happiness." TOCA is proud to bring you Grammy® winner singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb. Lisa will be in concert Saturday March 19, 2022 at 8pm Tickets at www.torrancearts.org

A mime with noise, stand-up with no talking – drama with no acting. Viral sensation Tape Face has to be seen to be believed. Tape Face is a character created by performer Sam Wills; delightful, wry, many-layered, hilarious and with universal appeal. He accesses an inner child in us all that must be fed. Through simple, clever and charming humour, aimed at satisfying that hunger, this America’s Got Talent Finalist gives a performance which is delightful, wry, and hilarious. Through simple, clever and charming humour, Tape Face has created one of the most accessible and enjoyable shows the world has ever seen. Tickets available at www.torrancearts.org or the theatre ticket office at (310) 781-7171

Terry Casey and Chris Pierce talk about the band

Emmy® nominated, Irish singer - producer, Michael Londra is from the opera capital of Ireland, a small town on the South East coast called Wexford. He decided in his early 30’s to follow his heart and pursue a professional singing career. His leap of faith was rewarded when he soon became a leading man in musical theater in Dublin playing many roles culminating in becoming the lead singer for Riverdance and touring internationally.

Every now and again, something so cool comes along that I just have to share it with you. Audiojack is a very unique experience that I highly recommend you give it a try. As the website describes it, it is an audio based movie with no words to mindfully engage your imagination. In short, you close your eyes, listen to a bunch of sound effects that are specifically designed to elicit a response from your imagination. The story that is created is yours and yours alone. It was my pleasure to speak with David Tobin the creative genius behind Audiojack. With a history of working in film, television and music, David stumbled upon the creation of this unique tool that is used not only for education and health programs around the world but to engage the imagination of everyone. The best part is that it’s free to use (there is a subscription price to the app if you want to unlock all the “stories”) and it will help you escape to hustle and bustle of the craziness we are all going through.

Chris Jacobson is an enthusiastic businessman who learned about the plight of foster youth who are aging out of the foster care system. Rather than just feeling sorry for them, he took it upon himself to create a company that not only sells great coffee, but also involves these young people in hopes to give them a foundation for building their future. Building on the premise of helping those in need, Chris has set up a system to give 20% of coffee orders to selected non-profits. Just like TOCA. Coffee is available in whole bean, ground, Single Serve Cups, decaf and flavored. You can buy just one package or subscribe. Click here to check it out! goodstuffcoffee.com/toca

If you don’t have plans for this Saturday October 3, I can recommend the streaming performance by Los Angeles Virtuosi under the direction of Maestro Carlo Ponti. To learn more about this event, check out our podcast here. Maestro Carlo Ponti has been bringing music to the world for over 20 years. From the Russian National Orchestra to the San Bernardino Symphony. In 2013, he founded the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra – an ensemble emphasizing music’s educational value of which he is the Music and Artistic Director, and currently performing its’ sixth concert season (2020-2021) in Los Angeles, California. For tickets to the October 3rd event, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carlo-ponti-the-los-angeles-virtuosi-orchestra-rising-stars-tickets-118365603707

Typically, these newsletters and podcasts are used to let you know about the exciting shows we have coming up. A quick glimpse into the background of the artist, a simple reminder to get your tickets or just come interesting information about TOCA or the art as they relate to the South Bay or Torrance. I feel, however, that I would be remise in my duties if I didn’t make you aware of a virtual program that is coming up on October 2. I first learned about “Mortified” over 12 years ago. I heard about the book, then discovered that they had a show in Hollywood. My wife and I drove out to a small performance venue on Hollywood Blvd not sure what to expect… we ended up laughing so hard and enjoyed the show so much we went several more times. Each time a new and different group. Hailed a “cultural phenomenon” by Newsweek and celebrated by This American Life, Entertainment Weekly, Time, Wired, The AV Club, The Today Show (twice), and beyond, Mortified celebrates stories revealed through the strange and extraordinary things we created as kids. It was great to speak with the Mortified artistic director, Neil Katcher who gives more details on what Mortified is and what it has become. Once just a small show presented in Hollywood, now shows being created around the globe, television series, podcasts, book and now a game you can play at home. If you can’t make their live event on Oct. 2, I highly recommend that you check out their Netflix documentary and series.

It was a pleasure speaking with Oisín Mac Diarmada about his upcoming virtual performance, Breakfast in Ireland. This special performance will be Zoom live streamed from Sligo, Ireland with Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle) and Samantha Harvey (dance / piano) Fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada has spent most of his musical life living in Sligo, an area noted historically for an extraordinarily rich fiddle tradition. Founder of leading traditional group Téada, with whom he has toured extensively throughout the world since 2001, Oisín’s solo performances have seen him play at specialist music festivals such as Masters of Tradition in West Cork, accompanying former Irish President Mary McAleese on a State visit to Romania and performing Charlie Lennon’s Island Wedding suite with the Southern Georgia Symphony Orchestra in the US and the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen in Germany. Oisín has toured frequently in recent years with noted singer/accordion-player Séamus Begley, with whom he has released 2 duo albums. Most recently, Oisín was co-author along with fellow-Sligo musician Daithí Gormley, of Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook, a publication focussed on the Sligo fiddle tradition. Providing masterful accompaniment on piano, Samantha Harvey originally from Ventura, California now living in Sligo, is also an award-winning step dancer. Samantha's energetic dance and musical performances on stage has seen her become an increasingly prominent touring performer and teacher. Samantha has toured with a number of touring shows such as Téada, Irish Christmas in America, Ireland – The Show, and Tomaseen Foley, including performances with orchestras such as the Omaha Symphony and Edmonton Symphony. Since this will be streamed via Zoom, you may want to make sure that you have your robe on.