Carnevale COMES TO LAGUNA

Suzie Harrison

Elaborate masks and costumes have danced in full color for 900 years

in the tradition known as Carnevale in Venice, with other European

cities following suit and adding their respective nuances.

Now those interested need not even travel to Europe, the

celebration is being brought to Laguna with its vibrant full-of-life

fashion at “Carnevale Laguna Beach,” beginning Sept. 27 at the Forum

Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds.

The festivities begin with a Carnevale Film Festival, extending

its scope and experience with a Costume Workshop and culminating with

a Carnevale Party and Costume Contest that will transport the

revelers to the cobblestone streets of ancient Venice.

Jon Beau Lee, former Laguna Beach resident and renowned producer,

photographer and filmmaker is bringing this experience to Laguna and

can’t wait for Laguna’s reception of this time-honored tradition.

He’s been attending Carnevales in Europe since 1986.

“I have a performance art background in mime, dance and theater,”

Lee said. “I originally went just to perform and when I saw what

happened -- it was so unique and surreal in it’s nature -- I felt

compelled to communicate this to a larger audience.”

So he went behind the cameras and started documenting these events

with their extraordinary costumes and masks, unlike anything he had

ever seen before.

“In 2000, I began digital video documentation in addition to the

photography I’ve been doing,” Lee said. “In 2001, I released the

first of a series of video tapes to the home video market entitled

“Venetian Carnevale.”

As a performance artist and mime he had a series of costumes. He

began his performance work in San Francisco after studying mime for a

few years and doing theater training.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the freedom a costume and a

painted face or mask allows a person in terms of an alternate

personality or character, as in allowing the child within to emerge,”

Lee said. “So costuming has always been a tool for me to express the

inner joy and fun aspect of life.”

Lee decided to bring this idea to Laguna Beach because he lived

here in 1996 and 1997.

“Laguna Beach is truly where my heart is,” Lee said. “If I could

find a location that can facilitate a space for my production I would

move back. Unfortunately Laguna Beach has become too expensive for me

to live and work here.”

That is one of the reasons for him doing the Carnevale here. He is

hoping to raise money for artist live/work spaces in Laguna with this

endeavor.

“Laguna Beach is in danger of losing more and more artists due to

the expense of living,” Lee said.

He explained that the Carnevale in Viareggio, Italy brings

millions of dollars to the economy, as do the other Carnevales,

filling the hotels and restaurants during that period

“It also supports artists in creating costumes and floats and

such,” Lee said. “So it is my vision that through the production of

the Carnevale events in the fall and spring off season in Laguna --

we can increase the number of visitors to Laguna and create a new

economic engine for the support of the artists who are involved in

the production of the Carnevale events.”

The film festival consists of three films on the Carnevale in

Italy. He got the idea to do a documentary on Laguna locals Tim Dey

and Nussbaum after seeing their costumes at a Long Beach Halloween

event in 2002.

“I saw Tim Dey’s creation of the Los Angeles Times newsprint and

immediately said that they have to come to Venice for Carnevale and

they said sure,” Lee said. He immediately knew he wanted to do a

documentary film of their preparation in Laguna and going to Venice.

“I knew they were going to win and they won second place in the

International Costume Competition at the Carnevale in Venice,” Lee

said. “It was the first time an American designer has placed.”

He explained that is the premise of the film he’ll show at the

Laguna festival called “Adored in Languages I Don’t Understand.”

The idea for his film “Two Masks of the Italian Carnevale” is that

the Carnevale in Venice and Viareggio are extremely different in

their celebration of the same traditional holiday.

The third film “Once Upon a Mime” is Lee’s story.

“It’s a documentary on both my photography and video work as well

as my playful character in costume,” Lee said. “This year I took a

second camera man along so that I could also record footage and

communicate the dynamic of being on both sides of the camera.”

In addition to film, another facet of the Carnevale is a Fantasy

Costume Workshop, which will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 5, 12,

19 and 26 in Lang Park.

The final event is the Carnevale celebration from 1 p.m. to 10

p.m. on Nov. 1 at the Festival of Arts grounds. This event will

feature a Carnevale theme Lee said with fun entertainment, a costume

contest, music, dancing, art, films and other happenings.

To find out more about the Laguna Beach Carnevale events -- time,

location and cost, call 1-800-762-5278 or go to

www.laguna-carnevale.com.