Dom Casual & Bella Hagen speak out

It’s a new years, and I’ve decided (with much encouragement from our attorney) to “get online”. There’s a thing called myspace.com, and if you go to myspace.com/bellahagen, you can keep up on my musings; which, if you’re reading this, you already do. But more importantly, you can get the word out there to your friends about our ongoing legal battle with OmniDazzle Television (petition can be signed at www.comeflywithmenude.org) about how they humiliate artists.

Ready for the latest: unbeknownst to us, buried deep in the evil document we signed when we agreed to the Omni-Dazzle feature film about us, we are required — whenever mentioning the film on this site — to to direct you to their site, www.comeflywithmenude-movie.com.
I know if I just stopped talking about it, it would hurt less. But I can’t. I need to talk about it. For I hear that now they’re making additional “edits” (what I call “gross interpretations of the truth”).

After our triumphant return to performance art at the Turin Olympics, we’ve decided to reprise our stage show. This time in Hollywood. The thought of bringing our Art to Southern California, where it is so badly needed, was an opportunity even we couldn’t turn down. So we’re currently rehearsing, auditioning understudies, and counting down the days! It’s good to be back, creating again!

Breakthrough underground performance artists Dom Casual & Bella Hagen made an unannounced public appearance at the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin this past Sunday night. Crowds were stunned and gave an unprecedented 45 minute standing ovation.
No word yet on whether or not this means a return to the performance circuit for the legendary Mutual Muses. At last report, their annual holiday collaboration was cancelled when Bella went missing, citing “stress and exhaustion” over their legal battle with Omni Dazzle Television (www.omni-dazzle-tv.com). The duo starred as themselves in the biopic Come Fly With Me Nude (www.comeflywithmenude-movie.com), Omni Dazzle’s first foray into theatrical filmmaking.

Dom & Bella are protesting the network and all its merchandising, claiming they were “exploited”, “misrepresented”, and “made to look like complete imbeciles”. In retaliation, Omni Dazzle is suing the artists for libel and for failing to fulfill their obligation to promote the film. More information on the protest can be found at www.comeflywithmenude.org.

Mon Cher Dom,

Oh, How thrilled I was when I received your latest correspondence. Actually, I let it sit in my mailbox for a week, just to prolong the joy of coming home to a letter from you for several days.

I’m beginning to have doubts about finding my understanders down under. My run at the Club Paw Paw was terminated after one show. Here’s one review:

“Is this the direction of American Art? Ms. Hagen has finally premiered her much-publicized spoken work performance,‘Slipped in A Dry Spot’. The title itself is open to several interpretations; all of them repulsive. Perhaps the show would be better appreciated had we taken hallucinagenics–or amphetamines.”

Rather poorly worded, isn’t it? Je t’emmerde.

Honestly Dom, being a kept woman is different than I’d expected. While Paolo is sublime and never refuses my whims, his colleagues in art-import inhabit a different world. Their girlfriends and wives all look like they stepped off the pages of fashion magazines. You know, the young, outdoor-vacation types. Paolo tells me to spend more time with them, to “shop, do lunch.” I tell him:”No, no, I’m much happier creating.” He seems to be encouraging me to do so less these days. He must be jealous of my art and its place in my life. Something else rather odd: he and his cohorts speak Dutch whenever the women are around. It’s just that I could have sworn that Paolo told me when we first met that he spoke only English. At least he’s still surprising me, which has always been one of my favorite qualities about him.

Well, I’m off for now. Weather’s been beautiful the past couple of days. Bit of an Indian Summer (I wonder if it’s called an Aboriginal Summer here). Cheers, Mr. Casual. See you in my visualizations.

The Bella of Oz

The Press kit for the my current project is now available as a ZIP archive (48MB) and independent HTML page.

Here’s the site specific version:

File/Folder		Description
Stills Stage		Still images from  Award Winning 2004 SF Fringe Festival
	CFWMN_2.jpg	Dom & Bella in the “Howl” pose
	CFWMNfellini_bw.jpg	Dom & Bella in their Fellini scene outfits (B&W)
	CFWMNFosse.jpg	Dom & Bella do Fosse
	CFWMNfringe_radio1.jpg	Dom & Bella cross road (al la Beatles) on way to Radio interview.
	CFWMNDB2.jpg	Dom & Bella at Café Royale reading
	CFWMNfellini.jpg	Dom & Bella in their Fellini scene outfits
	CFWMNfringe_radio2.jpg	Dom & Bella await KPFA radio interview #1
	CFWMNfringe_radio3.jpg	Dom & Bella await radio interview #2
	CFWMNhark.jpg	Dom & Bella in the “Howl” pose (B&W)
	CFWMNSkate_1.jpg	Chronicle photo of Dom & Bella “on ice”
	CFWMNSONB.jpg	B&W of Dom & Bella candid
Stills Making Of		Still from behind the scenes on the film shoot
	CFWMNDiane directing.jpg	Diane directs the “Best Guys Electronics” scene
	CFWMNMark it boy.jpg	Grant and Green bar scene is marked by AD Daniel Clifford
	CFWMNAofC_set2.jpg	Behind the camera on the set of “The Art of Conversation”
	CFWMNDaniella.jpg	Make-up and wardrobe goddess, Daniella Turner, touches up the Bella look
	CFWMNdiane_bella.jpg	Diane as Bella marks the take
	CFWMNDan1.jpg	Dan Gomes takes photos of Cassie Powell for “Bad Coke Talk starring Tatiana!” poster
	CFWMNDK1.jpg	Diane Karaagienakos reviews photos from “Men of Leisure” shoot
	CFWMNSleeping Dancer.jpg	Boite Verte dancer (Stefan Smith Collins) naps between takes
Stills Film		Stills from the film
	BoitesLobbyCard.pdf	lobby card of Boite Verte Troupe
	DomEtBella.pdf	lobby card of  Dom, Bella, & Jack
	squid_dance.jpg	Wide shot of Dom as Squid in 1-man show “I’m Using That Arm, Man”
	CFWMNSlide.tif	Slide in the Basement of North Beach music store
	CFWMNDom _ Bella.tif	Bella & Dom discuss performing together in Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store
	CFWMNSparkle_Bella.tif	Sparkle admires Bella’s paining
	CFWMNDBS.tif	Slide, Dom & Bella in Grant & Green Poetry Scene
	CFWMNsquid.tif	Dom as 14 foot tall red squid in his one man show”I’m Using That Arm, Man”
Poster		Official poster art
	CFWMNPosterNoCredits.pdf	Poster with only the title, featuring Dom & Bella
	CFWMNPosterWithCredits.pdf	Dom and Bella poster, with key credits and sponsor logos
Film Script Samples		Sample script pages with director Diane Karagienakos’ notes and doodgels.
	CFWMNscript1of5.jpg
	CFWMNscript2of5.jpg
	CFWMNscript3of5.jpg
	CFWMNscript4of5.jpg
	CFWMNscript5of5.jpg
	CFWMNdirectorHeadShot.jpg	Official headshot for Producer/Director Diane Karagienakos
	CFWMNBios.pdf	Bios for key personel on the film project
	CFWMNdescription.pdf	Full description of CFWMN
	CFWMNtaglineLogline.pdf	Suggested Tag and Log lines
	CFWMNsynopsis.pdf	Project synopsis
	index.pdf & index.xls	PDF and Excel versions of this document
	PressKit.zip	All the above documents in a ZIP archive

To view the trailer of the film Come Fly With Me Nude, click HERE

For the record, we are vehemently opposed to this film. To learn why (and help us do something about it), please visit PROTEST!

Mon Cher Dom,

I regret having to deliver this news to you in such a public forum, but it would simply be too painful to say goodbye to everyone who has meant so much to me — including our understanders — individually. So all of them can read this as you read it, and then maybe you’ll be spared being inundated with inquiries.

But I must escape. The duress of this “Real World” dilemma which has overtaken our lives — this goddamn legal battle with Omni Dazzle, Mr. McMannan, and that fast-talking “indie film director” — has become too much for me. I need to be alone, alone with myself; alone to find myself. For I am lost. I have lost my art.

I’m so sorry I’ve let you without a choreographer for your brilliant holiday show. I’m so sorry I’ve left you without a muse. I’m so sorry this is all happening during the Holiday Season, your favorite time of year. I’m just… so sorry.

Au revoir,

Bella

Hey all you art lovers out there. At this time of the year I get giddy with holiday fever as you all do!!! Born into the Judeo-Christian faith and being reared on Christ’s Mass, (don’t leave the Christ out of Christmas!) I trim the tree, hang the stockings and have begun my soap sculpture carvings of the Nativity (a family tradition!). But having moved to the big city and becoming immersed in many cultures I celebrate Hannukah and Kwanzaa each year too. And I have started late this year in casting my Holidaze Happenings. Of course I will play Jesus but I am still casting the roles of Misty Mennorah and Kwanzaa Kenetia. It is a delightful holiday show that is a cross between Tony Orlando and Dawn meets Pink Lady and Jeff. Of course Bella will do the choreography this year. I couldn’t convince her to play Kwanzaa Kenetia again as she is busy with her paintings. Just wanted to send the shout out about THE cultural happening of the season. More soon!!

LOVE AND ART

dom

Dear Understanders,

First, thank you for your outpour of support during this, the bleakest period in our lives. Never did we think we’d find ourselves ensnared in a web of harsh letters from lawyers, threats from DISHONEST television executives, and accusations from some hotshot filmmaker. If it weren’t for our understanders, I can’t imagine finding any hope.

That said, even with all of your kind words — even with the inspiration of my muse Dom — I have no will to answer your many letters. I’m so sorry. The guilt I feel in disappointing you only compounds all of this misery.

Normally I can find inspiration in anything life hurls my way, be it joyous, heinous, or worst of all, banal. But not this time. I’m afraid any advice I might give at this point would only lead others down a very… I don’t know…. a very bad path. See what I mean! The best modifier I could come up with in that sentence was “bad”. This is what I’ve become.

I’m so sorry. I need solitude. I will be back, when the will to continue my journey in life — as an artist — returns. Until then, I suggest that if you really really need a muse, try Dom. I’m sure he won’t mind.

I’m so sorry.

Bella