CAP UCLA Presents THE PLASTIC BAG STORE

UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) presents the much-anticipated arrival of Robin Frohardt's The Plastic Bag Store, opening to the public in Los Angeles' downtown Arts District Wednesday, June 30 - Sunday, July 11. To purchase tickets, make a reservation, contribute or for more information on how to get involved in Plastic Free July please visit cap.ucla.edu/theplasticbagstore.

There are two modes to experience this presentation: timed entry to the "store" itself to wander the aisles and discover the abundant products devised by the Brooklyn-based artist Robin Frohardt; or, a limited number of tickets are available to the 'live immersive experience' where a puppet film, performers and handmade sets tell the darkly comedic story of how the plastic waste left behind today might be interpreted by future generations.

Frohardt states, "The Plastic Bag Store is a visually rich and humorous experience that hopefully encourages a different way of thinking about the foreverness of plastic, the permanence of the disposable and that there is no "away" when we throw something out. There is great humor to be found in the pitfalls of capitalism-humor and satire can be powerful tools for social criticism especially with issues that feel too sad and overwhelming to confront directly."

Co-produced by Frohardt and Pomegranate Arts, The Plastic Bag Store premiered in the heart of New York's Times Square, a surprise success story in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. The Plastic Bag Store was created over several years by Frohardt in collaboration with her puppetry ensemble and features original music by long-time creative collaborator, the award-winning composer Freddi Price.

"This has been years in the making, and Robin Frohardt has created something that is singular and amazing. The Plastic Bag Store is the story - one with purpose - of an artist who put a lot of small things into a rather big thing, thanks in part to friends stockpiling plastic material for her," said Kristy Edmunds, Executive and Artistic Director of CAP UCLA. "CAP UCLA took up the idea of bringing The Plastic Bag Store to L.A. - not exactly a small gesture, but I have learned so much about how to even comprehend the scale of plastics from working on this project. When we introduced The Plastic Bag Store to organizations working on the environmental side - for me it was like stepping across a threshold of feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered. When an artist's creativity is conjoined with research, knowledge and enthusiasm - which is exactly what has happened with our extended collaborators in the advocacy and sustainability communities - the impossible becomes incredibly possible!"

Timed entry to visit The Plastic Bag Store will be open on a set schedule each day. Advance reservations and a suggested donation of $10 per person is requested. Due to health protocols, at the time of this release, up to 20 people, each half-hour can explore inside The Plastic Bag Store: Installation. Patrons will be greeted by rotisserie chickens, cupcakes, sushi and popular products such as Yucky Shards cereal and Bagorade sports drink all made from discarded, single-use plastics. Then several times each day, the "store" transforms into The Plastic Bag Store: Immersive Film Experience. This 60-minute experience is currently limited to 20 people per show for a $35 adult or $15 student advanced ticket.

In association with CAP UCLA and The Plastic Bag Store, there are numerous ancillary events taking place online and in person. In advance of the official opening of The Plastic Bag Store, CAP UCLA has partnered with the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific for a special film screening and talk with the artist Robin Frohardt on Sunday, June 27 in the Honda Pacific Visions Theater at 7 pm. Tickets are limited and will benefit the Aquarium.

Additional activities, experiences and special events will be available from Art at the Rendon; The Skirball Center; The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA); Plastic Pollution Coalition, Friends of the LA River and CAP UCLA's Art in Action space, next to the installation, will provide a dive into local and environmental issues with a mobile pop-up library and art-making tables.

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