Overtone Industries

Nothing like a summer night of tunes and tales by the fire! 🔥🎶 to our 2019 remount of Katy Cruel by O-Lan Jones & Kathleen Cramer 💫

It may be August 1st, but we’re celebrating with a maypole! 🌸 ☀️

Having a lot of feelings out there? Hey, us too… We’re having ALL of them! 😂🤪

🖼️: Still from 🎥 by Nicholas Casillas of our recent workshop production of selected scenes from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands.

LAST CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - due by midnight tonight (July 15th) 😉! We are looking for original stories of mythic proportion. See our call for proposals and apply at https://www.overtoneindustries.org/original_vision. 🪟

📸 by Nicholas Casillas of Paul Chwe MinChul An & Molly Pease & Kion Heidari performing in RANSOM PLACE by Daniel Hass & Jameel Martin during Original Vision: Leveling in Dec 2023 🍑

Embracing new, genre-bending opera-theatre with open arms - that’s what we’re all about! 🫂 We are now accepting applications for Original Vision 2024 - due by this coming Monday, July 15th. We are looking for original stories of mythic proportion! https://www.overtoneindustries.org/original_vision

See our call for proposals and apply at our link in bio. Want to support this kind of boundary-breaking work? Head to https://www.overtoneindustries.org/donate 🔆

📸 by Nicholas Casillas of Molly Pease & Bright Work Ensemble performing in FAY AT BEGONIA by Maesa Pullman during Original Vision: Leveling in Dec 2023 🍑

Our constant: keep making art. 💫 We are now accepting applications for Original Vision 2024 - due by July 15th. We are looking for new stories of mythic proportion - if you’ve got one, please apply!

See our call for proposals of NEW Opera-Theater works and apply at overtoneindustries.org/original_vision. Want to support this kind of boundary-breaking work? Head to overtoneindustries.org/donate 💜

Enjoy the long weekend all! 📸 by Nicholas Casillas of Angelica Rowell performing in RANSOM PLACE by Aiden Feltkamp & Isaac Io Schankler during Original Vision: Leveling in Dec 2023 🤖

What’s next for Overtone Industries? A lot! 💫💜

We look forward to bringing you a full-scale remount of Songs & Dances in 2028 to coincide with the Olympics coming to LA. We are currently following up with local, national, and international opera companies interested in collaborating with us on this massive project. In 2025 and 2026, we plan to produce a full-scale production of MINE, a new opera from O-Lan Jones, and an Icelandic production of ICELAND by O-Lan Jones & Emmett Tinley is in the works.

PLUS we continue with the fourth year of Original Vision, our incubator project focused on encouraging and guiding composers and librettists to develop their unique visions in an authentic, boundary-breaking environment. Applications open now!

There’s even more to share - and we will announce another exciting collaboration very soon. Until then, if you are able, please support our development of new, ground-breaking opera-theatre. As always, our audience is our most important collaborator and we appreciate your support. 🔆 Link to donate in our bio 🔆

📷 by Nicholas Casillas from our private workshop of MINE at Rachel Rosenthal Studio

💫 Now Accepting Applications for Original Vision 2024 💫

See our call for proposals of NEW Opera-Theater works and apply at https://www.overtoneindustries.org/original_vision

Due by July 15th. Please share this opportunity widely with your networks!

Overtone Industries is pleased to announce a call for proposals of New Opera-Theater Works as part of our Original Vision development workshop and presentation in the Fall and Winter of 2024. The project includes a 4-week libretto development period, followed by a 6 week music development period, all with mentorship from Overtone’s artistic leadership. The project culiminates in three composer/librettist teams presenting new scenes performed and directed by Overtone’s creative team.

We are looking for new stories of mythic proportion - if you’ve got one, please apply! 💜

📸 by Nicholas Casillas of (L to R) Molly Pease, Kion Heidari, Angelica Rowell, and Paul Chwe MinChul An performing in THE JOINING by Aiden Feltkamp & Isaac Io Schankler during Original Vision: Leveling in Dec 2023 🤖

CONGRATULATIONS 🎊 and 🎊 THANK YOU to the supremely splendid cast, crew, creative team, and audiences who joined us for our workshop production of selected lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands 💜 We look forward to bringing you a full-scale remount in 2028 to coincide with the Olympics coming to LA with a stellar crew of collaborating international opera companies ☄️

In the meantime, we will slow down a bit…JUST KIDDING! Applications for Original Vision will be opening soon. Stay turned for exciting updates of all kinds ☮️

Are you ready for a SOLD OUT closing night?!? We are! 🥰 Today we’re highlighting our intrepid music director David O and the musicians with whom we frequently collaborate, Brightwork newmusic - without whom we’d be nowhere. Certainly not in any of our wondrous imaginary lands!

David O shared: “I have always been honored to be involved with Songs & Dances of Imaginary lands, both as Musical Director and as Composer of two of the lands. I’m thrilled that we have embarked on a new journey towards another upcoming production of this highly adventurous opera, with the possibility of new collaborators from new and exciting Lands, both Imaginary and Real. Also, this is easily the most BONKERS piece of music-theatre I have ever had the pleasure of bringing to life.”

Bummed you missed this most bonkers of operas?! We’ll be bringing it back in 2028 - so stay tuned for that and more ground-breaking, genre-defying work from Overtone Industries 💥

Thanks all for a fantastic opening night! 💫 We just released a handful of additional tickets for Friday night at our link in bio! Grab ‘em before they’re gone…

Today we want to shout out the all-too-often-unsung heroes of every production: the understudy! We’re so grateful for the hard work and talent of Rae Shrum, a mezzo-soprano gaining increasing notice on both concert and operatic stages 🌹 Love having you on the team! 🙌

Get ready to be wow-ed by Christin Byrdsong as Tassos and Anthony Moresi as Teacher on Wednesday June 5th (overtoneindustries.org/buy-tickets) and Friday June 7th (sold out!) ❤️💕

We cannot wait to share this workshop with you all! It’s almost opening night…

Say hello to the AMAZING ensemble of our workshop production of selected lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands! Our Friday performance is SOLD OUT but you can still snag tickets for Wednesday June 5th at 7pm at 💜💫

Mallory Fabian says, “I am thrilled to be part of this program, as singing in an opera is a completely new experience for me. I love being challenged, and through this journey, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some incredibly talented individuals. I am truly happy to be here.”

Elliot Menard joins us for her first appearance in an Overtone Industries production.

Menghe Jing shared, “I’m excited about the mix of musical styles and forms in this production. Seeing how different composers bring their unique, humorous touches to the piece has given me a fresh perspective on what opera can be.”

TJ Sclafani also makes his Overtone Industries debut with Songs & Dances!

It’s the week of the show! 🔥 Welcome to 🔥

Thanks for the shout out Beverly Press Park Labrea News 💙 https://beverlypress.com/2024/05/opera-ventures-to-imaginary-lands-with-song-dance/

Meet Tom & Sue, played by Kion Heidari and Molly Pease! 💜 Come see them TOMORROW Friday at 7pm at our open rehearsal (email [email protected] to RSVP) or grab tickets to our Wednesday June 5th performance at our link in bio! 🔥

is pictured here performing in last year’s Original Vision performance of a scene from THE JOINING by & , photo by Nicholas Casillas ❤️

is pictured here performing in last year’s workshop of Cynosemma: A Dirge From the Dog’s Tomb by & , a co-production with for , photo by 🩶

We are thrilled to have these two fantastic performers and collaborators joining us!! 😻 Do not miss them - June 7th is SOLD OUT - we may be able to release a few more tickets at the door but this is not guaranteed… Seats are now available for Weds, June 5th at 7pm + our open Sitzprobe Fri, May 31st at 7pm!

FRIDAY May 31st, get a unique look behind the scenes of Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands. 🔥 Join us for our Sitzprobe (first sing-through with full instrumentation) at 7pm at Teatro Frida Kahlo! There is a suggested donation of $10-$20 but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds 💚 RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Tickets to the June 7th performance are all but SOLD OUT - tickets to the just-announced Wednesday June 5th performance are available now at https://www.overtoneindustries.org/songs_dances_june5th!

This performance is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In addition to our workshop presentation of selected lands from “Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands,” (tickets at our link in bio!) we’re excited to shout out fellow participants in ! Today, we’re featuring & 💜 Learn more and reserve your tickets at their profiles…

LBO is thrilled to continue its collaboration with composer Kate Soper, presenting the West Coast staged premiere of her “philosophy-opera” Ipsa Dixit—a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist that explores the relationship between music, thought and language.

Puccini’s Turandot is back in LA for the first time in over 20 years in a dazzling production with sets from artist David Hockney.

SURPRISE! Now you have THREE opportunities to support Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands! Due to popular demand, Overtone Industries is adding a second performance of our presentation of selected lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands ❣️ Tickets to our Wednesday June 5th AND Friday June 7th performances here: https://www.overtoneindustries.org/operafestla_songsanddances_tickets

AND - you can also get an exclusive look behind the scenes!We are allowing a limited number of audience members to join us for our Sitzprobe on Friday May 31st at 7pm at Teatro Frida Kahlo. These audience members will have an opportunity to speak with some of the creative team about the development process and engage in collaborative, community art-making in addition to enjoying the performance.

There is a suggested donation of $10-20, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. To attend, please RSVP to [email protected] 🎊

This performance is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Join us Friday for an exciting look behind the scenes of the development of a piece of opera theater...

Open Sitzprobe of Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands Developing and presenting new original multidisciplinary opera and music theatre.

🎊 Happy birthday to our Artistic Director, the legendary 🎊

She’s directing our workshop presentation of select lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands on June 7th at 7pm ( 🔥 tickets at https://www.overtoneindustries.org/buy-tickets) as part of the first stages of a full remount with multiple opera company-collaborators to coincide with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles 😮 Want to wish her a happy year or learn more about our big plans?! Comment below…

It’s time to of Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands! 🌎 💚🧡 https://www.overtoneindustries.org/buy-tickets

Kathryn Krasovec is Tom’s Mom, Gretchen Johnson - Artist Page is Sue’s Mom, and Jacob Sidney is Tom’s Father in our workshop presentation of selected lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands Friday June 7th 7pm at Teatro Frida Kahlo 🎶

Kathryn shared, “At the moment my most relatable land would be University of Alaska. I find it very interesting how this particular movement takes on real life issues with such a sense of humor AND a sense of hope.”

Gretchen has been part of the development of this project since its first performance more than a decade ago. She says, “Birthing this work was an all hands on HUGE collaboration among what seemed like a cast of thousands! It was worth it!”

Jacob told us, “My career onstage has always straddled classical voice, dance, and experimental theatre. I’m excited to join Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands to integrate all three in pursuit of a genuinely new storytelling experience.”

We look forward to sharing their performances with you on June 7th!

In addition to our workshop presentation of selected lands from “Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands,” (tickets at our link in bio!) we’re excited to shout out fellow participants in OperaFest LA! Today, we’re featuring & 💜 Learn more and reserve your tickets at https://www.operaamerica.org/programs/events/conferences-webinars/los-angeles-2024/opera-conference-world-opera-forum/performance-festival/

How would an American navy man and a young Japanese woman communicate? Certainly not in Italian! POP presents Puccini’s beloved opera as you’ve never heard it before – in Japanese and English at the JACCC Aratani Theatre June 1-9. Tickets from just $15.

Magdalene is a chamber opera in thirteen movements—a wild meditation on transformation and desire scored by the collective voice of fourteen women composers. June 4-5, 7-8 at REDCAT.

Will you join us Friday June 7th at Teatro Frida Kahlo? Join Overtone Industries for a presentation of selected lands from Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands on June 7, 7pm at Teatro Frida Kahlo. Grab your tickets at https://www.overtoneindustries.org/operafestla_songsanddances_tickets!

This “imaginative,” and “groundbreaking” (L.A. Times) opera first made its world premiere in a vacant Culver City car dealership in 2010. The 25,000 square-foot establishment served as the only suitable backdrop for Tom and Sue, a couple nearing the end of their lives, to be catapulted into the Lands of their childhood, adolescence and adulthood after falling victims of Identity Theft at the deepest levels. They visit the Social Services office to find a remedy and are launched separately into these imaginary lands and then brought together.

The wondrous lands each create a unique world and hold the Indigenous Dances of pivotal moments in each of their lives. Tom and Sue are immediately participants in each dance that holds the essence of that particular time in their lives. After their arduous journey through the 21 lands, they find themselves together again in “The Land With An Answer For Everything” – our own world. This journey celebrates how memories are held in our bodies and feelings, rather than the mental narrative people fall back on to describe their lives.

The work is a large-scale, collaborative effort, written by 21 librettists and 11 composers where everyone, the singers, the dancers, and even the audience, is on the move. We look forward to sharing this first step toward a full remount to coincide with the 2028 Olympics!

Thanks for the shout-out San Francisco Classical Voice!

This June, Opera Will Be Booming in Los Angeles You’ll be able to catch everything from full productions to pieces in progress during the Opera America conference next month.

In addition to our exciting re-mount of “Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands,” we’re excited to shout out other participants in OperaFest LA! Today, we’re featuring our pals and . Learn more and reserve your tickets at https://www.operaamerica.org/programs/events/conferences-webinars/los-angeles-2024/opera-conference-world-opera-forum/performance-festival

Synchromy Music invites you to embark on a surreal journey with Minute to Midnight –a comic opera unraveling the Cuban Missile Crisis and the three men who drove the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation.

Mission Opera’s take on ‘The Merry Widow’, will take you on a trip down memory lane as you’re transported back to the glamorous 80’s and a world full of comedy, culture, and fabulous fashion!

Join us for a workshop production of selected lands from “Songs and Dances of Imaginary Lands” on Friday, June 7th at 7pm - ticket link in bio! ⚡️

This “imaginative,” and “groundbreaking” (L.A. Times) opera first made its world premiere in a vacant Culver City car dealership in 2010. The 25,000 square-foot establishment served as the only suitable backdrop for Tom and Sue, a couple nearing the end of their lives, to be catapulted into the Lands of their childhood, adolescence and adulthood after falling as victims of Identity Theft at the deepest levels. They visit the Social Services office to find a remedy and are launched separately into these imaginary lands and then brought together.

The wondrous lands each create a unique world and hold the Indigenous Dances of pivotal moments in each of their lives. Tom and Sue are immediately participants in each dance that holds the essence of that particular time in their lives. After their arduous journey through the 21 lands, they find themselves together again in “The Land With An Answer For Everything” – our own world. This journey celebrates how memories are held in our bodies and feelings, rather than the mental narrative people fall back on to describe their lives.

Our workshop production of our critically acclaimed Songs & Dances of Imaginary Lands is something of a ‘sneak peek’ of the extravaganza we have planned for the 2028 Olympics - make sure to stay tuned and attend to learn more about that!

The work is a large-scale, collaborative effort, written by 21 librettists and 11 composers where everyone, the singers, the dancers, and even the audience, is on the move.

Directed by O-Lan Jones
Music Directed by David O
Composers: J. Raoul Brody, Bart Hopkin, Eric C. Culver, Jeff Fairbanks, Richard Marriott, David O
Librettists: Merle Kessler, Sissy Boyd, Ruth Margraff, Chiwan Choi, Kathleen Cramer
Based on a concept by J. Raoul Brody, Kathleen Cramer, and O-Lan Jones

See you there!!

We’re thrilled to be a part of the first-ever OperaFest LA! June 1st-10th, see 13 works from eight companies all across LA county, spanning the whole range of operatic expression. Learn more at https://operaamerica.org/operafestla

But wait - there’s more! 🤩 We are exceedingly grateful to and our county supervisors and for prioritizing funding for the arts, knowing those investments will pay great dividends for LA County! 🍾 Congratulations to all the grantees - we are in great company 😍