Just back from New Orleans where we marked the 5th anniversary of Katrina by screening the AFTER THE STORM film at the North Rampart Community Center. Our first audience was made up of the some of the kids who now attend the after school program at the Center. For many of them, Katrina is a dim memory, but they were excited to see their own Community Center featured in a film. The difference between THEN and NOW is remarkable -- even to young eyes. We had three more screenings of the film, which gave some of the cast members an opportunity to come forward and speak to the audience. The Center itself is about to go through a major change. After four years of financial challenges, structural improvements and major miracles, Joanne Finley is stepping down as Executive Director. I think we can all agree that she's done wonders with the Center, raising it up from nothing and turning into a true hub of community activity, summer fun and after school care. During this past weekend, we got a chance to meet with the new board members who are taking the lead in making the Center even more essential to the kids and the community.

A special thank you to everyone who have helped us create change in New Orleans -- one neighborhood at a time.

December 2009

What an amazing year it has been for The After The Storm Foundation.

As many of you know, Hilla Medalia's film (AFTER THE STORM) premiered at The LA Film Festival in June, and it has already won several of awards including the Audience Favorite Award at The Woodstock Film Festival and at The Heartland Festival. Hilla also won a Crystal Heart Award for best Documentary feature at Heartland. Hawaii was a major stop on our film tour, especially because it was the first place we were able to screen the film for a theater full of kids, ages 8 to 18 (and the scenery wasn't bad either.) Our next scheduled screening is at The Windrider Forum, which is part of The Sundance Film Festival on January 30th if you happen to be in Park City, Utah. We also have a NYC screening at the JCC Manhattan on March 2nd.

Keeping the doors of the North Rampart Community Center open is the primary goal of The Foundation. Thanks to the efforts of the wonderful Deaconess, Joanne Finley, and the dedication of Coach Parker as well as the entire board of North Rampart Community Center (formerly St. Mark's), the kids in the neighborhood continue to have a safe and creative place to go after school.

Randy Redd has also been doing his part. He organized two very successful benefit performances this year at Joe's Pub in NYC to raise money for the Center. Singer/songwriters came together to celebrate New Orleans. This past Monday, December 7th, Randy Redd presented We Are The Song 2, a second helping of extraordinary new music at Joe's Pub to benefit North Rampart Community Center. This concert featured new songs by songwriters Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Chris Miller, Sam Willmott, Rob Rokicki, Jason Loffredo, David Sisco and Tom Gualtieri, Michael Walker and Kyle Ewalt, Barbara Anselmi and Ken Clifton. Save the date for the next Song/Storm concert. On Monday, February 15th, during Mardi Gras, We Are The Song 3: After The Storm will be presented at Symphony Space in New York City and will feature all new songs.

Not only did this concert raise money for NRCC but also raised awareness and introduced even more New York City singers, songwriters and musicians to The After The Storm Foundation and the new We Are The Song Songwriting Workshops. Thanks to a generous contribution from Freddie and Myrna Gershon and, Music Theater International, our first Song/Storm workshop will be held January 15-17 in New Orleans. During this 3-day workshop, local students (ages 13-18) will learn how a song is created from start to finish. Through games, singing, discussion, and exercises led by professional singers, songwriters and Broadway teaching artist, students will explore the components of basic songwriting: rhythm, rhyme, song structure, lyrics, and melody. After an introduction to songwriting basics, students will listen to a variety of well-known songs examining point of view, melody, lyrics, structure and arrangement. Then, using these tools students will write an original song of their own. This workshop is not about writing a hit song. In fact, no prior songwriting experience or musical training is necessary in order to participate. Students will be encouraged to share ideas, express themselves and tell stories thru songwriting. The students will also discuss individuality and community and how they might be able to express their individuality through song.

Stay tuned for more in the coming year.

We can't do it without you.

We Are The Song: After The Storm #2 December 7th at Joes Pub

We Are The Song: After The Storm (#1), an extraordinary night of new music was presented at Joe's Pub on August 31st to benefit The North Rampart Community Center and to celebrate the work that began in New Orleans...After The Storm.
The concert featured new songs by many songwriters.


We Are The Song 2!
will be presented at Joe's Pub on Monday, December 7th at 7 PM and will feature encore performances of the new songs sung by Broadway performers as well as a very special musical tribute to Once On This Island and a thank you to that show's creators Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Tickets are on sale now and are available at www.joespub.com.

Some of the people that were involved in We Are The Song: After The Storm #1:
Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Chris Miller, Sam Willmott, Rob Rokicki, Bill Schermerhorn and Doug Katsaros, Craig Fols and Fred Thaler, Michael Cooper and Hyeyoung Kim, Michael Walker and Kyle Ewalt, Kevin Hammonds, Lance Horne and Debra Barsha, Zach Zadek, Ken Clifton

and performances by songwriters Duncan Sheik, Jenny Giering, Wesley Whatley, Randy Redd, singers Cole Burden (Applause), Anderson Davis (Les Miserables), Kathy Deitch (Wicked, Footloose), Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Julie Foldesi (South Pacific, Little Women), Aaron Simon Gross (13), Jeremy Hays (Les Miserables), Rachel Bay Jones (Showfolk, Hair), Fabio Monteiro, Brooke Sunny Moriber (The Wild Party, Parade), Jill Paice (The 39 Steps, Curtains, The Woman In White), Megan Reinking (Hair), Rashidra Scott (Avenue Q, Finian’s Rainbow), Antonique Smith, Robin Skye (Parade, Cyrano), Ali Stroker, Michael Winther (33 Variations, Mamma Mia, 1776) and LaChanze (The Color Purple, Once On This Island). Musical Director and Coordinator Aaron Jodoin led a seven-piece band with singers Brandon Michael Arrington, Molly Hager, Justin Lopez and Mary Catherine McDonald providing background vocals and a new song by Barbara Anselmi.

Audience Award at Heartland

In Hebrew there is an expression, Today Started Off On The Right Leg. James and I woke up to a wonderful view of the ocean in Hawaii and then The Heartland Film Festival called to tell us that After The Storm won the audience favorite award. Of course everyone loves an award, but this one is especially important and special for us. After all the audience is what counts. We are hoping this will help us bring the film to more people. Thank you Indiana!!! Good morning Hawaii!

http://www.trulymovingpictures.org/news/Pages/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=58&Source=http%3a%2f%2fwww.trulymovingpictures.org%2fFilmFestival%2fPages%2fdefault.aspx&List=News&Web=65a936f6-2c25-413f-bf2b-1bda576ce277

Heartland Film Festival Follow-up...

THE HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL has to be one of the nicest festivals around -- if not the nicest. The people, the location and of course the world famous Hoozier hospitality make this a welcome change for those of us who've done the rounds of festivals. Located in the heart of the Midwest, (Indianapolis, Indiana) Heartland features what they call TRULY MOVING PICTURES. Our own film, AFTER THE STORM will be shown seven times over the next week, giving locals plenty of time to see it. At both of the screenings that Hilla and I attended, the theater was almost full and if the Q & A afterwards was a good indication, everyone was deeply moved and wildly enthusiastic. At the awards ceremony last night, the film won A CRYSTAL HEART AWARD in the documentary category! The momentum is really building and the word is getting out all over the country.

Tomorrow we're on to Honolulu to the Hawaii Film Festival!

James