Biography of Luis Chaluisan

Since launching web operations during the national slam poetry championships in 1997/98 New Edge moderators have been going full speed on a daily basis. At first the goal was to create an interactive e book utilizing film, sound and text to create a unique nuyorican project. To initiate that effort, New Edge set up the MP3 download/newsletter service attracting our initial subscriber base of 450 members. Upon moving back to NY in November 2000 the project expanded with the creation of Newricane and the formation of the first of the AOL El Extreme webpages. In 2001 New Edge produced the live ensemble and solo productions of SPIC CHIC: s.panish p.eople i.n c.ontrol and developed a production agreement with Mike Tapp at Branekandi TV (broadcasting from MNN studios in NYC) to document the progress of Spic Chic plus record additional projects formulated by the company including the Lola Magdalena series based on the 1991 El Extreme/Talkworks release "Catholic Girl From Hell" and Blue Lunch Records release "Joke Em If They Cant Take A Funk" Early in 2002 New Edge was approached by Sleeping Dog Films to produce the narration and an interview/performance section for the documentary FROM MAMBO TO HIP HOP. This was accomplished while simulataneously working the Off Broadway Chelsea Playhouse production of Spic Chic, overseas trips to Japan, France, Brazil, South Africa and eventually Germany at the Bienelle Bonn Theater Arts Festival. FROM MAMMBO TO HIPHOP IS BEING PRESENTEDAT THE SMITHSONIAN THIS JUNE you can watch the entire doc on line at http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ FROM MAMBO TO HIP HOP: THE VISTA BROADBAND EXPERIENCE for best results to view WEPAwebTV digital library you should be on a broadband connection AND USE ANY BROSWER EXCEPT AOL By Special Request from New Edge Cafe and WEPAwebTV'S global audience roughrican productions presents FROM MAMBO TO HIP HOP - the whole one hour open source of funky digital rice and beans on one streaming screen. Ride the Web 2.0 Experience with New Edge Theater and our universal association of committed OUTLAW ARTISTS! see it on the group streaming site WEPwebTV WEPAwebTV BRONX new edge Broadband/WiFi New Edge Theater featured its first on line video shot by Film maker Marco Leavitt 4 yrs ago. The digital film was viewed more than 876,936 times February 2003 - March 2006 when the company evolved from elextreme.info into newedgecabaret.com. What started as a simple poets newsletter on AOL in 1999 offering MP3 download performances has now blossomed into a global streaming and live performance phenomenon. Surf the Viral Dream with Lola Magdalena and El Extremes Electric cabaret today - part of the New Edge Theater WEPAwebTV network. NEW EDGE THEATER EL EXTREMES ELECTRIC CABARET: AN OVERVIEW http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ Bronx, NYC based New Edge Theater presents contemporary comedic musical theater performances drawn from the many creative influences of pop culture in the United States. It is the direct result of the off center multicultural experiences of the companies dozen core performers led by Nuyorican Playwright/Poet/Creative Anarchist Luis Chaluisan (aka El Extreme) - a former CBS/Telemundo/PBS news reporter/producer turned Theater Director with thirty years experience under his belt. (This includes featuring videos from groupmembers) http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ "The cabaret form is a natural solution to include the creative resources of blending music, poetry, dramatic monologues, comedic stand up, and ensemble acting While other NYC Latino and subculture theater companies emphasize traditional performance forms, New Edge is intent on breaking boundaries. The company takes it cue from the surrealistic paintings and writings of painter Salvador Dali and Nuyorican playwright Pedro Pietri, the street sense of outlaw artist Miguel Pinero, grittiness of film director Sam Pekinpah, and humor of comedians Rick Aviles and Richard Pryor -- all of whom New Edge founder El Extreme either worked with or studied for inspiration. New Edge has three major units: Legal Alienz, its musical component led by bassist Brian Tully, spoken word performance led by El Extreme and Dramatic Live/Film Players headed by Actress Maria Hernandez. http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ The companies music: Traditionalist and Renegade; its Comedy: Romanatic and Fatalist; Spoken word: for every Betrayal an act of Redemption. "People think when they read our press releases that were just throwing a concert but its much more than that. It's the human experience with all its flaws and beauty - packaged in a 90 minute dose. All these things we do, the music, the word, the comedy, the drama - well, its a lunch counter art. But art is so vague and lunch is so real. "(Luis) Chaluisan's unique and pioneering show combines the music and theater worlds into one energetic performance; Influenced by the honest emotions of the blues and the pulse and rhythm of street salsa ... no one will go home disappointed." Noah Fowle Bronx Times "In an era when spoken-word poetry has carved out a niche in "slam" competitions and even on HBO's Def Poetry, Chaluisan's work is old-school - often as literate as it is lyrical, stuffed with images drawn from New York City life." Clem Richarson NY Daily News THANKS FOR THE USE OF THE HALL!" Group Email Address Subscribe: http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ (you can also request admission to our private NY yahoo group mambohyperspace@yahoo.com) STORYTELLING-WORD-COMEDY-LIVE MUSIC-PERFORMANCE-FILM Visit our websites http://www.newedgecabaret.com/ and enjoy audio streaming and download recordings of our show material through links on website portal. Bookings and promotions outside NYC welcome. Since launching the play S.panish P.eople I.n C.ontrol at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in August 2001, New Edge Theater has not looked back once knotching successes with the plays Spic Chic, Lola Magdalena, the off beat WEPA!news, the Pietri Learning Dish Program (mentoring students in the NYC area and successfully putting one of its students on track in admission to Manhattanville College) and work on completing the official El Extreme boxed CD/DVD set covering thirty years of creative work by New Edge Artistic Director/founder Luis Chaluisan. Visit the website for samples and news about New Edge Theater and our gang of "cultural teroristas" stars of the Biennalle Bonn International Theater Festival, NY International