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Performance Artist: Creation, Performance, Acting, Production, Direction & Design
                         
Education/Training/Companies:

The University of La Vern, La Vern, CA  B.A. Theatre with Honors (Acting Emphasis) 1998 – 2002 (merited 4 year acting scholarship)

The Guildford School of Acting- Guildford, England One Year Post Grad. Acting Course with Certificate, 2000 – 2001

Studied with Rachel Rosenthal via Rachel Rosenthal Co. Los Angeles – Performance Scholarship Recipient 2004 - 2006

Founding Member of FAUVE CONSPIRACY, performance collective, Los Angeles, Artistically directed by Rachel Rosenthal 2006 -2007

CREATION & PERFORMANCE (selected works after 2002):

"CHINATOWN, CIAO!" (full solo) Celebration Theatre, L.A. February 8, 2009

"The Talk Show" with George Earth Hyperion Tavern, Silver Lake: (every monday 12/08-1/09) I perform solo pieces

"CHINA-CAKE-8" full solo show (creation, performance, direction) 12/7/08 Echo Curio, Echo Park

"A.M.P." Edgar Valdez Gallery, L.A. presented solo piece 11/15/08

Jean Natailia's "Wig Out!" Bordello, L.A. 9/11/08, 12/11/08 & 2/12/09

Garage Comedy Presents:"Vaudeville Follie" El Cid, L.A. Host & Headliner Performer 9/22/08

"The Tomorrow Show" Steve Allen Theatre  - solo pieces8/22/08, 10/11/08, 2/14/09

"Red Velvet Vaudeville Variety Show" New Solo: "Chinatown Red" 8/12/08 Echo Curio, Echo Park

"April Fools Pig!" Producer, Creator, Director & Principle Performer with ensemble of 5. full length production Theatre Asylum, Los Angeles May 23 - 31, 2008 (L.A. Splash Review)

"Vice Versa" One hour show created & performed by Adam Shenkman & April Hava Shenkman Westside Eclectic Theater, Santa Monica February 2nd & 9th,  & March 1st 2008

"Stratchatilla" Garage Comedy, El Cid Los Angeles, January 21, 2008
Messi Shenk Show, Silver Lake, January 24, 2008

"Untitled" collaboration with Richard Shenkman & Adam Shenkman
Electric Loge Theatre, Venice December 3, 2007

“April Fools!”  PIG  Full length show, cast of 6, - Producer, creation, writer, director, principle performer, choreographer, designer
Highways Performance Space– July 14, 2007

"Ventilation" Anatomy Riot #23, Open Space Theatre, L.A.
Electric Lodge, Venice December 3, 2007 & Garage Comedy, El Cid, Los Angeles November 26, 2007

“Bourbon St.”/ “A Tribute to a New Orleans Street Performer” (solo):
 Garage Comedy, El Cid, Los Angeles, March 24th, 2008 Steve Allen Theatre, Hollywood – May 26, 2007
The Comedy Store – Main Stage – December 13, 2006 Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, Los Angeles – October 21, 2006
Zen Sushi, Silver Lake – June 12, 2006Electric Lodge, Venice – June 5, 2006
Unknown Theater, Hollywood – October 15 – November 26, 2005 (an alternate piece every Friday & Saturday for a 7 week run)

Chantill (solo)Highways Performance Space,– Presented in “In Constant Flux,” with the Bapudi Collective, June 29 & 30, 2007

Cupcake Clown (a piece on war – solo)
Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, Los Angeles – January 28, 2007
Unknown Theater, Hollywood –October 16, & 22, 2005

ORANGE (Cast of 9) Highways Performance Space, December 8, 9 & 10, 2006 – presented in “Arboretum” with Fauve Conspiracy

CUPCAKE CLOWN CONNIPTION (One woman show) – co-producer
Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica – September 8, 2006

COSMIC CUPCAKE CONNIPTION meets Pink Clouds Over Capricorn (Full Length Solo)
The University of La Vern, “Engendering Women, Gender & Sexuality Conference” – March 31, 2006

COSMIC CUPCAKE CONNIPTION (Full Length Solo) – Producer Unknown Theater, Hollywood – December 18, 2005

HAPPY HAPPY (cast of 3), and Sunscreen & Tomatoes (Duo, collaboration with Jason Jenn) Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica – September 2, 3 & 4, 2005 – presented in “Hot Proscenium” with The Rachel Rosenthal Co. ESPACE DBD – Rachel Rosenthal Co., Los Angeles – May 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2005 

Pink Clouds Over Capricorn (A one woman show) - Producer,
The Tamarind, Hollywood (review L.A. Weekly) – June 30, August 11 & 18, September 16, 23 & 30, October 7, 2004
The Progress Space Gallery, Pomona Art Colony – December 11, 12 & 13th, 2003 – all proceeds benefited The Robert & Beverly Lewis Cancer Care Breast Fund in Pomona, CA

Apples on Strings (A one woman show)The Arden Playhouse, Manhattan Beach – December 13, 2002 

The University of La Vern, Cabaret Theatre – May 24 & 25, 2002


April made her stage debut at twelve in “Broadway Kids” with The Karousel Kids winning the award for “Best Beginning Actress” out of 200 kids. April stayed performing with Karousel Kids for five years.
April studied voice and dance performing in Musical Theatre & Drama through High School. April received the CA state Thespian Festival Senior Scholarship Award for Acting, (1 of 5 in CA to receive the award); previously winning the under-graduate award the previous year.
April received a 4 year Acting Scholarship to The University of La Vern in Southern CA, where she received her B.A. in theatre, graduating with honors, (only one in her department). April also received an academic excellence award in theatre.
April had a month residency by invitation to The International Theatre Festival in Mostar, Bosnia in the summer of 1999, where she also performed.
April has taken and taught several types of theatre work-shop locally and internationally. April spent her junior year of college abroad at The Guildford School of Acting, out side of London, in a one year post-graduate acting course, receiving a certificate for that. April created & performed her first solo show, “Apples on Strings,” as her senior project at The University of La Vern. It was this project that ignited her path as a “Performance Artist.”
April studied and performed with Performance Maverick, Rachel Rosenthal via The Rachel Rosenthal Co, in Los Angeles from 2004-2006, with a merited performance scholarship.
April was a founding member of Fauve Conspiracy, a performance collective artistically directed by Rachel Rosenthal from 2006-2007.
April has created, performed and produced full length works, (solo and full cast productions), including: “Pink Clouds over Capricorn,” (The Tamarind, Hollywood, now UCB), “Cosmic Cupcake Conniption,” (Unknown Theatre, Hollywood), “Cupcake Clown Conniption,” (Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica), and most recently “April Fools! PIG,” (Highways Performance Space).
April has traveled profusely in Europe exploring idiosyncrasies of European culture, theatre & art, all of which greatly informs April’s theatre.
April is also greatly inspired by Japanese Theatre, which also is infiltrated in her work.

"April Hava Shenkman was no stranger to the stage. Having been performing since childhood Shenkman demonstrated the serious talent she possesses, fully immersing herself in the comic character of April. I was unable to look away, as she travelled through a wide range of exciting emotions. Shenkman created, directed and performed amazingly in “April Fools Pig” with style and seeming ease, a feat to be greatly admired." Alice Hunter, L.A. Splash