Veronica C. Combs

Liquid Fire: Nasty
Location: SomArts, 934 Brannan St @ 8th St
Thursday, June 21 8 pm program 1
Friday, June 22; 8 pm program 2
Saturday, June 23; 2 pm program 1
Thursday, June 28 8 pm program 2
Friday, June 29 8 pm program 1
Saturday, June 30; 2 pm program 1
Saturday, June 30; 8 pm program 2
Sunday, July 1, 2 pm program 2

Liquid Fire: Nasty

Liquid Fire returns for its fifth anniversary performance—a selection of their “Greatest Hits”.

Liquid Fire 2001: Nasty marks the five-year anniversary of Liquid Fire, the annual multidisciplinary workshop and performance project dedicated to the exploration, reclamation, and celebration of the erotic power of lesbians of color. This year’s production will bring together artists from the last four years as they unleash “burning hot” spoken word, music, and song and dance performances that are sure to make your knees weak, your toes curl, and your mouths water. You do not want to miss these women in two separate orgasmic performance programs featuring “the best of Liquid Fire” and some unforgettable new surprises. Returning once again to drive the burning pulse of the show with their powerful rhythms is the multicultural lesbian percussion group Librations.

Program I {June 21, 23, 29, (8 pm), June 30 ( 2pm)}
Program II {June 22, 28, 30 (8 pm), July 1 (2 pm)}

Tickets are general admission:
Advance Tickets: $17, $13 students (w/ID), disabled and senior citizens (60 and over w/ID),
At the Door $22, $17 students (w/ID), disabled and senior citizens (60 and over w/ID)

Tickets will NOT be sold online after 5 pm for the 8pm shows.
Tickets will NOT be sold online after 11:00 am for the 2 or 3 pm show.

Tickets available via:
Phone for Tickets: NQAF: 415.552.7709, Buy Tickets onLine: NQAFestivalTickets
also at: A Different Light Bookstore, SF (415) 431-0891, 489 Castro @18th St.
and Mama Bears Bookstore, Oakland (510) 428-9684, 6536 Telegraph Ave. Berkeley.
For more info about the show email: [email protected]

Director Veronica C. Combs began Liquid Fire because, “The erotic is not only about sensual pleasure. It is also about the energy inside us that helps us to heal ourselves and others while motivating us along our life’s path. Historically women of color have been oppressed and stigmatized in our sexuality. We have been made to feel ashamed of our eroticism instead of honoring, celebrating, and claiming it as our true sensual essence.” Her goal is to spread the message: “As lesbians of color, it is okay, safe, and powerful to feel pleasure” to as many lesbian-of-color communities as possible. The cast includes Adella, Michelle Bolong, Lynn Bolton, Skyler Cooper, Kebo Drew, Pam Dunn, Rebeca Sanchez Glazer, Rhonda James, Dalila Jasmin, Ondrietta Johnson, Shari McKoy, Crisol Negron, Yolanda Noriega, Celeste Pearl, Aviance Rhome, Lolan Sevilla, and more. Also featuring the multicultural lesbian percussion group Librations with Yolanda Vierra Allen, Claudia Vierra Allen, Roz McMillan, and others. Liquid Fire is supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Cultural Equity Grants Program, Serpent Source Foundation for Women Artists, Queer Cultural Center, and Rainbow Grocery: A Worker-Owned Cooperative.

VERONICA C. COMBS
Veronica C. Combs, the mastermind behind Liquid Fire, has been producing groundbreaking lesbian performance programming in the Bay Area for the last six years. An accomplished producer, director, dancer, and choreographer, she was the artistic director of Luna Sea Women’s Performance Project in San Francisco from 1995 to 1998. While at Luna Sea, Veronica produced and directed a multitude of powerful shows, including Skin: the Black and White of It, a project that explored racism between African American and White lesbians. She also produced and directed the wildly popular Women of Color Month Performance Festival (September 1996 & 1997), featuring Juke Joint, Sistahs Singin,’ and Liquid Fire.

LIQUID FIRE:
In 1997, Liquid Fire started out as a sold-out weekend show at San Francisco’s Luna Sea Women’s Performance Project, featuring only African American lesbians. Based on the success of the 1997 run, the show was staged at Luna Sea again in 1998. Due to overwhelming audience response, and a personal desire to promote healing and empowerment for all lesbians of color, Veronica expanded the project to include a workshop process. She also invited the participation of Asian and Latina lesbians, ages 21-70+. Liquid Fire 1999 was also staged at Luna Sea. Liquid Fire 2000: Unleash The Fire was performed at SomArts Theatre as part of the Queer Cultural Center’s National Queer Arts Festival. Liquid Fire’s 2001 production of Nasty will once again be a highlighted event at the Queer Cultural Center’s National Queer Arts Festival 2001. There will be ten performances over the course of three weekends.

Program I

Title: Nasty
Artists: Featuring the entire cast including Michelle Ito, Michelle Bolong,
Shari McKoy, Crisol Negron, Kebo Drew, Skyler Cooper, Dalila Jasmin, Aviance
Rhome, and Lolan Sevilla.
Type of piece: ensemble spoken word with live percussion

Title: Survivor
Artist: Michelle Ito
Additional Cast: Michelle Bolong with a special guest appearance by Exodus
Type of piece: comedy theatre and spoken word

Title: Real Womyn
Artist: Shari McKoy
Type of piece: spoken word w/some live percussion

Title: Something About You
Artist: Crisol Negron
Type of piece: Live guitar and song/text, some spanish

Title: Woman Warrior of Breath / Breathless
Artist: Michelle Bolong
Type of piece: monologue/text, ritual dance and martial arts with live
percussion

Title: “Written On My Body”
Artist: Kebo Drew
Additional Cast: Dalila Jasmin, Skyler Cooper and Crisol Negron
Type of piece/mood: spoken word and modern dance

Title: My Daddy Taught Me How To Woo & The Art Of Office Politics
Artist: Lolan Sevilla
Additional Cast: Aviance Rhome and Michelle Bolong
Type of piece: monologue and musical interpretive scenario

Title: Imagine
Artist: Crisol Negron
Type of piece: diverse monologue including English/Spanish

Title: Butch Love
Artist: Skyler Cooper
Additional Cast: Aviance Rhome, Dalila Jasmin, Debo Drew and Michelle
Bolong
Type of piece: monologue/dialogue w/some live percussion

Title: Nasty Too!
Artisst: Entire Cast
Type of piece: ensemble spoken word and movement with live percussion

Program II

Title: Nastier
Artists: Entire Cast including Celeste Pearl, Dalila Jasmin, Kebo Drew,
Rhonda James, Aviance Rhome, Michelle Bolong, Michelle Ito, Lolan Sevilla,
Shari McKoy and Skyler Cooper
Type of piece: interpretive ensemble — recorded music

Title: Want
Artist: Celeste Pearl
Type of piece: monologue/spoken word

Title: Velvet Steel
Artist: Dalila Jasmin
Type of piece: slow Belly dance / modern dance – recorded music

Title: Shame
Artist: Kebo Drew
Type of piece: monologue

Title: Are You Sure?
Artist: Rhonda James
Additional Cast: Celeste Pearl, Aviance Rhome and special appearance by
Veronica C. Combs
Type of piece: dialogue and monologue with musical dance interpretation –
recorded music

Title: Facets Of My Fire
Artist: Celeste Pearl
Additional Cast: Lolan Sevilla, Michelle Bolong and Kebo Drew
Type of piece: voiceover monologue and dance/movement piece – recorded
music

Title: Hot Ice
Artist: Shari McKoy
Type of piece: monologue

Title: Untouched
Artist: Skyler Cooper
Type of piece: monologue – recorded music

Title: Obsidian
Artist: Aviance Rhome & Michelle Bolong
Additional Cast: Veronica C. Combs, Skyler Cooper, Celeste Pearl, Lolan
Sevilla and Michelle Ito
Type of piece: monologues and erotic dance – recorded music

Title: Nastiest
Artist: Entire Cast
Type of piece: interpretive ensemble – recorded music