By Daily Press staff
H. Thomas Jones of the Santa Monica-based Halo Group won “Best Producer” honors at this month’s Beverly Hill’s film festival for the documentary “The Real Deal,” which chronicles the evolution and impact of the homeless performance group Los Angeles Poverty Department, (LAPD), which offers free performance workshops to the Skid Row community.
“The Real Deal,” written by LAPD founder John Malpede and directed by Jones, utilizes a one-man performance by Malpede and interviews to detail the 20-year history of the organization. The LAPD transforms the experiences of the Skid Row community into performance, establishing a forum for social action and development. Among those interviewed is theater director Peter Sellars.
To find out more about the film, go to www.lapovertydept.org. Troupe dancing to freedom
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 21, 2006. Read the original PDF.