The Artists Group Creates
Theater Performance History
at Tilles Center for the
Performing Arts
Artmosphere - The Big Bang to
the 21st Century
Artmosphere OPENS the fall
season at Tilles with a show
unlike any other that has
graced its stage --- a
multimedia extravaganza that
envelopes the audience, making
it a part of the performance,
part of the ARTMOSPHERE. Never
before seen Visual Art created
live right in front of the
audience as they share the
stage with the performers on
September 4, 5 , 6 and 7, 2008
8PM.
What event
in the Earth’s history sparks
the imagination more than the
moment of creation? An ongoing
debate that has explanations
in religion, science and
mythology. Now we can add
another point of view to that
list, “Artmosphere”, the
creation of the universe as
interpreted by Debra Ann
Kasimakis and being brought to
the stage of Tilles Center by
the talent that is the Artists
Group. “It’s funny to think
back on it all” Debra said
recently,” I was asked to
participate in a Designer
Showcase and The Kasimakis
Karmic Kontainer was born, an
“old” wicker trunk that had
been rescued, from places
hither-to unknown.. A painting
was created for the inside lid
of the trunk. Parcae & the
Birth of the Universe.” From
this simple piece of art has
developed an amazing show.
The Artists Group started
after a fundraising event for
the Hicksville Gregory Museum
in 2004, The Art of
Paleontology. This event
consisted of Long Island based
artists & artisans selling
their wares, a performance
stage with local dance
companies, poets, & musicians.
But, the highlight of the two
day event, which was held in
the three days between
hurricanes Bonnie & Charlie,
was the 12 visual artists
recreating Paleolithic images
on fiberglass boulders live on
the museum grounds. The
patrons of the event were
amazed to see the creative
process and the artists were
gratified by the
interaction and the immediate
response from the public. This
core of artists has grown into
a collection of talent that
includes dancers, poets,
photographers, musicians and
more. Under the direction of
it’s founders, Hicksville
natives, Debra Ann Kasimakis
and Robert Goida, the group
has set up many programs
throughout Long Island.
“History in Bloom - Gold Coast
Gardens” is currently on
exhibit at Cedarmere in Rosyln
and the group maintains a year
round rotational art program
at Briarcliff College in
Patchogue. “One of our biggest
programs, however is “Art
Under Glass”, a collaboration
between
The Artists Group and Tilles
Center.” said Robert Goida
“The rotational program fills
the Atrium at Tilles each
season with a new and exciting
piece of sculptural art.” So
far they have presented the
works of Adam Brown, Laurette
Kovary and Max Yawney and this
upcoming season “Spirit of
Movement” by Debra Ann
Kasimakis will fill the space.
“The way this has come
together is kind of crazy.”
she said recently. “The art
committee at Tilles picked
which pieces would be
displayed and in which order
three years ago, long before
Artmosphere was even a
thought.” "Artmosphere” is a
display, a live piece of art,
a simultaneous participation
of several disciplines with
the involvement of the visual
arts in a dynamic way. What
sparked the initial thought
was the idea that visual
artists never get a chance to
perform live. This concept
then began to evolve into a
collaborative show featuring
music, dance and poetry as
well as visual art and a
performance was born. The
audience will feel the air as
the dancers whiz right by
them, and they too will share
the stage for this show. In
this way, the sensory
experience will surround the
audience. Elliott Sroka,
Executive Director of Tilles
Center, and Dr. Cara Gargano.
Chair of the C.W. Post
Department of Theater Film and
Dance, both embraced the idea
for
it’s unique and groundbreaking
approach to theater. And from
this a show was born. “I can't
believe we are actually going
to perform this piece of
artwork, LIVE ! I have been
searching for something
similar to “Artmosphere” and
there seems to be nothing else
that combines all of these
elements in one live
performance.” Kasimakis said,"
When we first thought about
doing this it was totally
conceptual. But, when we
actually got the go ahead, it
became very real and serious
indeed. We all needed to bring
it to from a thought to the
stage!” The list of performers
in “Artmosphere” span Long
Island from north to south and
east to west. Artists Andrew
Leipzig from Sayville, Alan
Semerdjian from Huntington,
Laurette Kovary from East
Norwich, composers Jane Leslie
of Long Beach, Jay Jii from
Northport and Joe Satriani,
San Francisco by way of Carle
Place, demonstrate the reach
of this project and its focus,
Long Island creativity. “Our
dancers and musicians come
from Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau
and Suffolk, even though some
claim that the first two are
not really Long Island, they
seem to be attached on the map
I have.” laughed Goida “This
show is a collaboration of
many talented individuals and
we would like to invite you to
become a part of
“Artmosphere”. With only 200
seats available for each
performance, this is that rare
opportunity to be part of
theater history.”
“Artmosphere” will have four
performances at Tilles Center
this September on the fourth
through the seventh, all shows
are at 8pm and tickets are
$30.
Tickets are available at
www.ticketmaster.com,
www.tillescenter.org, or by
phone at
Tillescharge 516-299-3100. For
more information about
Artmosphere or The Artists
Group visit the website
www.debbydoll.com
Pandagraphics Design Studio