LIZ LANGSTON, (202) 543-4174, llangston@kreative.net

MARK RUPPERT, (301) 986-0907, RupMarko@aol.com

DAVID LEE, (202) 986-0815, davidlee@zzapp.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., AUGUST, 1999---It's late summer, 1999, and while stressed-out Hollywood moguls go nuts about two independent filmmakers who made a little horror film that broke all the "establishment" rules and made $100 million on a shoestring budget of $35,000, another grassroots band of artists in the Washington area is hosting a spirited multimedia party that will fund a trilogy of even lower budget - but high quality - films. And, at the same time, they will celebrate in grand fashion the unique diversity and talent of the arts-all arts-in the Washington area.

It's called The Red Party, and the homegrown event has already generated a healthy buzz on the Internet, on local band Websites, in local music publications and in music, art and film hangouts throughout the Washington and Baltimore region.

Why? Perhaps because of the essence of the event itself. The Red Party is a multimedia overdose featuring all-Washington talent: rock bands the Spontanes, Clark's Ditch, Feckless Beast and Signs Point to Yes; diverse art exhibits by Tim Martin (sculpture/collage), Robert Cole (sculpture), photographs by April Sauerwine and Susanna Thornton, and paintings by Kevin Cowl, Gary Honig and Reneé Fox; underground house music spun by DJ Santamaria; a host of spoken work artists, including Dorothy Hickson, Mike Little, Cathy Robinson and Davy Rothbart; acoustic music by Shea Shackelford, Jonathan Taylor and Mark Whiteis-Helm; flamenco dancers; a palm reader; and a stand-up comedian.

Adding to the coolness factor is the location: Studio 1019, at 1019 Seventh Street NW. Studio 1019 is the home of the continually popular, twice-yearly Art Romps and cutting-edge theatre presentations by Scena Theatre and Cherry Red Productions. Located in a sprawling space behind a storefront that was home to Ruppert Hardware for nearly 100 years, Studio 1019 will serve as a concert hall, art gallery, poetry venue, dance club and screening room for The Red Party on the night of September 11. Studio 1019 is convenient to the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop on the Green/Red/Yellow Lines and the Mount Vernon Square/UDC Metro stop on the Green/Yellow Lines.

The party is really "a showcase for Washington artists and musicians," says Liz Langston, the Washington filmmaker and musician who wrote and co-produced "Seeing Red," the first of a planned film trilogy that will be funded by proceeds from The Red Party. "We're very lucky that so many incredibly talented D.C. artists are involved in this event."

"The party is not just about raising money for the film, but to showcase the arts in Washington," adds Mark Ruppert, who directed and co-produced "Seeing Red" and runs his own Washington-area video production company, Shut the Door Productions. "We've got everything from sculpture to photos to painting. Local artist, Tim Martin, has really helped us put together a neat combination of art. David Lee is coordinating the music for the event, and we've booked some cool bands." The bands play different shades of indie rock, some with post-punk leanings and others with more pop sensibilities. According to Ruppert, "What we're trying to do is expose the music of these bands to a broader audience."

And eventually, to expose his and Langston's films to a broader audience. The filmmakers hope that The Red Party will fund "Seeing Red," its planned successor "Lottie's Quest" and a third film so that they can be shopped to film festivals - just like that other successful, low-budget independent film.

"Big money is not the motivating factor," stressed Langston. "In the long run we would like to make films that have commercial potential, but our main goal is to make films that tell a meaningful story in an interesting way." Langston describes the budget for "Seeing Red" only as "very low." She and Ruppert are financing the film themselves. Hence, The Red Party.

Langston and Ruppert see everything that's important about the Washington arts scene coming together with The Red Party-celebrating local arts in all its forms, helping those local artists reach a wider audience, further utilizing the still-emerging Studio 1019 space and fostering a good vibe by having varied artists work together. And Mark sees some help for a recently revived local film community: "I hope this builds a buzz for local filmmakers." In some ways, The Red Party has already accomplished that goal.

For the complete schedule of artists and performance times, see The Red Party Website at www.fecklessbeast.com/redparty. Cover charge is $10; must be 21 years of age to enter. Doors open at 8:00 pm.