Tim Barsky is a traditional Jewish storyteller and musician who has also worked extensively in the hip-hop community. A graduate of Brown University with a degree in Islamic & Judaic religious studies, he has also studied at the Berklee School of Music, and with the renowned Chassidic folklorist and archivist Fishel Bresler. He has worked as a producer for the Providence Black Repertory Company, as a fire juggler in Dublin Ireland, a street outreach worker for the state health department of Rhode Island, and as a flutist and beatboxer with over a dozen b-boy/b-girl (breakdancing) crews including Ground FX, Fillmore Rocks, & Sisterz of the Underground. His work has been performed at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco (2005), Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley (2005), Traveling Jewish Theatre in San Francisco (2004), The Exit Theatre in San Francisco (2003), The Finborough Theatre in London, UK (2002)and AS220 in Providence RI (1997-2001). In addition he is a co-founder and lead organizer for The Vowel Movement, an organization which supports beatboxing in the bay area and beyond. A community artist with the Hybrid Project at SF's Intersection for the Arts, and a former artist-in-residence at AS220, he has also been a guest lartist and lecturer at the Royal College of Art, London, The Stanford University Graduate School of Design, RISD, & Oberlin College, a featured speaker at The American Press Institute, and a beatboxing instructor in SF juvenile detention facilities.  He also teaches 4th-5th grade circus arts in East Oakland as a resident artist with the Prescott Clowns.

Resume

Education

Brown University: Baccalaureate in Islamic and Judaic thought

Appointments

Guest Lecturer/Artist: Stanford University, Oberlin College, The Royal College of Art, London, The Rhode Island School of Design,  The American Press Institute, Prescott Clowns, Pacific News Service

Performance Credits Include

Sisterz of the Underground, Fillmore Rocks Crew, The Hybrid Project, Killing my Lobster, Kid Beyond, The Vowel Movement, DJ J-Boogie, Dj Laird, DJ Soulsalaam, Felonious, The SF Circus Center, Wise Fool Puppets , Big Nazo Puppets, Abdoul Doumbia, Bakari Kane, Bala Tounkara, Moutar Ghania and the Gnawa Musicians of Essouria Morocco, Mackie Burnette, 10 Hands Puppet Theatre, The Steam Industry, The PBRC House Band, HipHop220 House Band, Round Midnight House Band, Ground FX Crew, State of the Art, POAM Breakers, Aiye Dance Company

Performance Venues Include

Project Artaud (SF), The Magic Theatre (CA), Intersection for the Arts, The Ashby Stage (CA), Ashkenaz (CA), The Oakland Metro (CA), Cafe VanKleefe (CA), SOMA Arts Space (CA), Cellspace (CA), Cafe Du Nord (CA), The Exit Theatre (CA), The Berkeley Jewish Music Festival (CA), The San Francisco Radical Performance Festival (CA), In the Street Festival (CA), Burning Man Arts Festival (BRC), SF Puppet Love Puppetry Festival, AS220 (RI), The Providence Black Repertory Company (RI), Makor Jewish Cultural Center (NYC), The Sugar Refinery (BC), The Da Club (IRE), Temble Bar Art Gallery (IRE), The Dublin Fringe Festival (IRE), The Finborough Theatre (UK), Die HafenKlang (Germany)

Radio (interviews & airplay)

San Francisco/Bay Area: KUSF, KPFA, KZSU, KALX, KQED

Additional Education

Percussion, flute, drums/percussion, beatbox, and music theory:
At Brown University and The Berklee School of Music: Martin Obeng (Ghana), Jamee Hadad (Lebananon/USA), Mackie Burnette (Trinidad), Sandip Berman (India), Dr. Paul Austerlitz; Private study: Kathleen O'Donnel (Boston Symphony Orchestra), Fishel Bresler, MC Raidge (Providence Black Repertory Company), Carlos Aguirre, Mibbet Threats

Physical Theatre, Puppeteering, Storytelling and Folklore:
Erminio Pinque (Big Nazo Puppets), Dr. Yann Montelle (Brown University), Jeff Raz (SF Circus Center), Fishel Bresler, Mama Be, Valerie Tutson, Marilyn Meardon, Toby Two-Dogs

Oral history, field collection, and the Research-to-Performance Method:
Professor Elmo Terry-Morgan, (head of the African-American Theatre program at Brown University), Dr. Kimere LaMothe (Harvard), Dr. Normanul Haq (Rutgers), Dr. Lewis Gordon (Brown University)