Arts and Entertainment

Artist snapshot: Alex Cohen

2012-02-17T17:49:00.002-06:00

Alex Cohe

Standing with a plastic redcup in hand, a furry winter hat and a shirt adorned with a flock of flamingos,Alex Cohen is hard to miss. The 22-year-old student at the Art Institute was theembodiment of everything that last week’s “Short Court: Tropical Aesthletics” stoodfor – funky art, indoor summer sports and sand galore even as a blizzard ragedon outside Antena Gallery.

Cohen, whose friend Chris helpedto curate the event, was invited to take part in the show, which displayed workby some of the city’s young and up-and-coming artists. Inspired by ancienttotem poles, Cohen’s work was in keeping with the show’s tropical theme andresult was an impressive life-sized cardboard installation that instantly dominatedthe room.

The Pilsen Project caught up with Cohen to talk art and the inspiration behind his work.

Where did you get the idea for the piece?

I was thinking tropical andI was also thinking about totem poles stacked on top of each other so that wasthe tropical lure.

What art do you interested in?

All the different types:figurative, non-representational, just everything really.

What’s your favorite medium?

I like to use acrylics, anywater-based mediums and ceramics.

What was it like to create the piece?

It was a lot of fun. I wentto the Field Museum to look at their totem pole and I drew inspiration fromthat.

The naked truth behind Neo-Burlesque

2011-11-16T20:54:00.001-06:00

Annie Weinert, 31, has justspent the day powdering doctors’ noses. Life as a freelance makeup artist meansthat weddings and TV commercials dominate her daily schedule. Come nighttime,however, she’s not just Annie – she’s Red Hot Annie, Chicago’s fiery red-hairedtemptress who gracefully bumps and grinds for a cheering audience as she stripsoff one article of clothing at a time.

Kelly Williams of GTB

Weinert is one of the city’snearly 120 professional burlesque performers who are part of a growing globalNeo-Burlesque revival. “It’s a style of doing dance,” explained Weinert,founder and CEO (or, rather, C.E.Oh!) of burlesque troupe, Vaudezilla. “At somepoint in a tap routine you’re going to shuffle. At some point in a ballet act,you’re going to go on pointe. At some point in a burlesque act, you’re going totake your top off.”

Burlesque, which was first popularizedin New York by Lydia Thompson and the British Blondes in the 1840s,continues to gain momentum, thanks to a group of women and men who infusetradition with a dose of modern humor. From ‘Glee’ to ‘Lord of the Rings’burlesque shows, no cult favorite is too precious for performers at the Gorilla Tango Burlesque (GTB) troupe who are clearly having fun while poking fun atbeloved icons of pop culture. “We’re not trying to be smutty,” said KellyWilliams, GTB’s executive producer, marketing and PR director. “We’re trying tobe cheeky, irreverent, entertaining, sexy and fun.”

A disappearing act

Despite the growingburlesque following in Chicago, performances today often take place in front ofsmaller audiences in basic black box theatres – a far cry from an era when actswere held in the city’s majestic theatres. Burlesque was the epitome of glitzand glamour when nearly everyone in the industry came across club regulars suchas Frank Sinatra and Orson Welles.

Leslie Zemeckis

“Chicago was one of themajor hubs,” said Leslie Zemeckis, director of ‘Behind the Burly Q’ adocumentary on the history of burlesque, which will be screening at the Chicago History Museum in February 2012. “Everyoneworked there because they had all the big theatres and clubs.”

According to Jane Briggeman,author of ‘Burlesque: A Living History,’ the State-Congress Theatre, the Starand Garter Theatre and the Rialto were just some of the places where legendaryperformers made their mark. “KittyMarlowe was a popular performer and the very last exotic dancer to perform onstage in the final burlesque show at the Town Burlesque Theater in Chicago in 1970,”explained Briggeman, who’s working on the second edition of her book due forrelease in December. “After that performance, the theatre reverted to runningskin flicks; it bore little resemblance to the day when it flourished as aprominent vaudeville house.”

“It was really sad,”recalled Doris Kotzan, who’s also known to fans as Bambi Jones. Now 80, the LasVegas-based veteran used to dominate the stage at the Gem Follies Theatre inthe 1950s. Burlesque at that time, she said, was already on its way out. Whenthe popularity of television delivered the final blow, performers scattered tofind jobs at nightclubs, supper clubs, and in some cases, taking up non-showbizjobs that required a completely different lifestyle.

“Everybody sweeps burlesque under therug – it’s like a black eye nobody wants to admit they were associated with,”said Kotzan, laughing. “I was in and out of the burlesque closet constantly. Ihad to deny it because people look at you funny because right away, theythought you took your clothes off and that’s all you knew how to do.”

Sigrid Spangenberg, whosestage name was Lillie Marlene, is now retired and living with her husband in SouthCarolina. She also recalls the stigma surrounding burlesque during her days inChicago. “If you asked some clubs if they had “exotics” booked there, they willdeny it to this day,” she said.

'Burlesque: A Living History by
Jane Briggeman

Making a comeback

Accordingto former performers and members of the Burlesque Historical Society, burlesquedied when theatres and big clubs closed, giving way for other forms ofentertainment. “Every one of them says “Go-Go” killed burlesque,” saidBriggeman.

Go-Gowas eventually replaced by strip clubs in the '70s when strippers and poles becamethe main attraction. Ironically, it wasthe same technology that spelled the end of burlesque that would bring the artform back into the public consciousness. TV miniseries such as ‘The Josephine Baker Story’ in 1991 took a curious look at the industry and brought burlesqueback in the spotlight.

Yet, not everyone in theindustry is thrilled with the modern representation of burlesque and themisconceptions that continue to be perpetuated. When asked about the 2010 movie‘Burlesque’ (starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, Weinert rolls her eyes. “Ohgod, it’s expected,” she groaned. “Although there was one clever stripteaseact, it was mostly a great cabaret movie but I think they just didn’t have thattitle left.”

Briggeman is also hesitantto join the burlesque bandwagon, claiming that the term is being used far tooloosely. “Forme, unless a club creates a full show with comics and scenes, emcees, varietyacts, and even includes a small chorus line, only those clubs that include allof this, besides the feature dancers, are putting on a (real) burlesque show,”she stated.

Zemeckisagrees. “It’s two different artforms, really,” she said. “We’re more sophisticated in our sense of humor andour sense of what we (are allowed to) see. There was a time when you couldn’tsee nudity – now it’s everywhere.”

Some adaptations of the newburlesque movement have left even veterans such as Spangenberg taken aback byperformances, which she describes as “pretty raw.” When asked if she had anyadvice for new performers, she said, “Don’t show it all – leave something tothe imagination, it’s always nicer.”

LikeSpangenberg, Kotzan bemoans the amount of tattoo-covered skin shown on stage. “As far as neo goes it’s because they don’t know(about it) – who’s there to teach them?” she asks. “What about those tattoos?We wouldn’t dare have a tattoo backin the day.”

The return of burlesque

Whether the industry willbe able to recapture its former glory is still up for debate. However, thegrowing interest in burlesque has been instrumental in helping the community inother surprising ways.

While researching materialfor her book, Briggeman discovered that “everybody wanted to find old friends.”The result was ‘The Golden Days of Burlesque Historical Society,’ a websitemaintained by Briggeman and relatives of veteran performers. “We’re rapidlylosing these legendary performers; they will all be gone before we know it,”she stated. “With them (will) go their stories and this history – that’s whythese books are so special; it’s part of them.”

As for Kotzan, the releaseof her memoir ‘My Journey Burlesque: The Way It Was’ has forced her to step out of the burlesque closet for good. Thesedays, she does presentations on the history of burlesque, teaches burlesque atsenior centers and performs at conventions where she meets today’s rising stars.“I like anything that’s keeping burlesque alive, no matter what,” she states.“These girls look up to us the way we looked up to our trailblazers in our daysuch as Rita Hayworth and Yvonne de Carlos.”

Weinert, who also teachesburlesque classes at Vaudezilla Studios, has seen an influx of studentsinterested to learn about the craft. “I always tell my students that it’s avery creative striptease,” explained Weinert. “It’s very female-centric so it’sa lot about what women find sexy.” She also states that unlike the gentlemen’sclub atmosphere of original burlesque, today’s diverse audiences include women andmembers of the city’s gay community. “It’s awesome and they’re reallyoutgoing,” she said. “It’s a pretty young crowd, too.”

In the meantime, Weinertand her troupe, Vaudezilla, are in the midst of rehearsals for the upcomingDecember 3 performance of “TRIM! An Xmas Burlesque Craptacular” – Weinert isset to appear as Frosty the Snowman.

Across the city at GorillaTango Theatre, the GTB group will continueto don Super Mario and Luigi costumes for their hugely successful weeklyperformance of “Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque.” The show, whichparodies the 1985 video game hit, has already been extended due to populardemand. While Williams admits that the show is a loose interpretation ofburlesque, its appeal is quite simple.

“I think what we do issuccessful because it is silly, campyand fun,” she explained. “People love a good time – even more so with boobs.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

'Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Bros Burlesque' showing on Fridays and Saturday at 11pm at Gorilla Tango Theater, 1919 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, tickets $20, (773) 598-4549, www.gorillatango.com
'TRIM! An Xmas Burlesque Craptacular' showing on Saturday, December 3 10:30pm at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Avenue, Chicago, tickets $18, http://vaudezilla.com/xmas.htm
'Behind the Burly Q' screening on Sunday, February 12, 1:30 p.m., Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614, (312) 642-4600, www.chicagohistory.org
'Burlesque: A Living History' (second edition) by Jane Briggeman, to be released December 2011.

The Great Bambi Jones from Rylee Jean Ebsen on Vimeo.

“HotTix gives theatres access to audiences they couldn’t otherwise reach”

2011-11-04T12:18:00.002-05:00

Ryan Butts, Deputy Director at League of Chicago Theatres

The beloved, magical and“practically perfect” nanny waved goodbye, beaming as she floated over anappreciative audience during the finale of Disney’s “Mary Poppins” at theCadillac Palace Theatre. With the thundering applause and“supercalifragilisticexpilidocious” ringing in one’s ears, the cacophony couldeasily drown out any remaining misgivings at having just spent over $100 on aticket.

At least, until the creditcard bill arrives.

It’s a dilemma thattheatre-goers frequently face: to buy or not to buy? At such eye-wateringprices, theatre can be a painfully expensive hobby. Thankfully, sites such asHotTix offer a welcome relief. Since tickets to hugely popular shows can pop upthe day before or even on the night of the show, it does require someflexibility. But at 50 per cent off, it’s not a deal to be sniffed at.

The site is managed by theLeague of Chicago Theatres, a non-profit organization that acts as a networkfor over 190 theatre companies of all sizes. Deputy director, Ryan Butts, 31,talks about what makes the site a hot online tourist attraction and howaudiences can have an equally great (and budget-friendly) evening out.

How did the concept for HotTix come about?

The League of ChicagoTheatres is a membership-based organization where an annual fee gets themaccess to professional development workshops as well as HotTix. The League wasfounded in the late seventies and their first project was HotTix, which is ahalf-price ticketing outlet. There are two downtown outlets as well as ourwebsite, which began as a volunteer group project. It grew over the years and aprofessional staff and a board of directors who come from theatres of all sizesnow help manage it.

Tickets to shows such as "Mary Poppins" can pop up
at just half the price on HotTix

Are tickets always sold at half price?

Tickets are all half the priceof the face value. Because HotTix reaches a broader audience, it’s anopportunity for theatre companies to reach out to audiences that they couldn’totherwise reach. If it’s $100 a ticket, you’ll get it for $50 – that’s ourregular rate.

How does HotTix benefit your members?

We sell tickets through thewebsite but the sales go directly to the theatre companies. There aretraditional ticketing fees that go with those sales and our organization keepsa portion of the ticketing fees. While we make money from that, the bulk of theticketing price goes back to the theatre companies.

For example, last year wehad an increase in ticket sales. We sold just over 100,000 tickets, whichreturned almost $2 million to theatre companies. The League receives a fewdollars per ticket and while it’s a small portion of the organization’s overallbudget, it’s still a couple of hundred thousand dollars.

How do you manage to keep costs down?

We aren’t guaranteed anumber of tickets from our member companies – it’s completely up to them.Tickets are based on availability. For example, if Broadway in Chicago has anyavailability, then they’ll put a block of tickets for us for half the price.However, if their show is selling really well, then we probably won’t get them(laughs). But we will get a lot of calls from people saying, “Did you get ticketsfor this show?” Some companies can provide us with tickets in advance; some doit on the day of the show.

With all the other ticketing sites online, how do youreach out to audiences?

We give a lot of informationto hotels downtown. As you can imagine, HotTix is very popular with touristsbecause when they see it, they go, “Okay, what’s playing? It’s all half price!”So we do a lot of promotions with downtown hotel concierges. We have goodrelationships with them because they love being able to tell people that thetheatres are just down the street.

What do you think makes this concept successful in acity like Chicago?

The city is creating some ofthe best theatre in the world. There are so many theatre productions that werein Chicago in the last few years that are now in New York or elsewhere acrossthe continent. People are recognizing that the quality of the work here is ashigh as anywhere else but the spirit of it is really special.

‘By taking away, they’re opening it up to interpretation’

2011-10-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

Q&A with Adriana Nijensohn, Museum of Contemporary Art Tour Guide

Adriana Nijensohn, MCA Tour Guide

Along Chicago Avenue, a blast of wind whips trees, leavesand tourists into a frenzy of movement. In contrast, the Museum of ContemporaryArt (MCA) stands still, silent and solid, a block of glass and concrete withlittle to announce its identity save for its discreet letters and a bent coathanger sculpture by artist Mark Handoforth.

Inside, Adriana Nijensohn stands patiently waiting. Calm asthe sparse interiors of the museum, the veteran tour guide is waiting totake visitors through a series of paintings and sculptures featured in ‘TheLanguage of Less (Then and Now).’ Carefully and brilliantly selected by chiefcurator, Michael Darling, the exhibit showcases works by influential Minimalistand Contemporary artists.

She was a tour guide at the Art Institute of Chicago for the pastten years, mostly explaining Egyptian art and culture to curious fifth graders.Now a tour guide at the MCA for the past year, the soft-spoken Nijensohndiscusses the significance of modern art in today’s culture and why Picassowill continue to mystify.

Where are youoriginally from?

I’m from Argentina and I’ve been in Chicago for 43 years.

How long have youbeen working as a museum tour guide?

I used to work full-time and as a museum visitor, I lovedthe other side of art. So when I stopped working, I wanted to give back andthis is my way of contributing and expanding my horizons.

I’ve been doing this for over ten years at the Art Instituteof Chicago and I wanted to do something different. The children are a lot offun but I also wanted to work with adults. When I’m standing here (waiting fora tour to start), I don’t know if I’m going to have one or 20 people. I don’tknow their background so it’s all very spontaneous.

What is the ‘Languageof Less (Then and Now)’ about?

The whole show is divided into two collections. ‘Then’features work from the ‘60s and ‘70s that are fundamental to Minimalist Art.‘Now’ features five new artists to show how their art is a reflection of theolder artists. It gives us an idea of how these artists started their work.

Minimalist Art strips away everything that you normally seein pictures, such as a face, a landscape or a building in order to help us seethe basics. What are the basics? It can be the lines, the colors and the shapeof the canvas and from there they want us to expand on our thoughts. By takingaway, they’re opening it up to interpretation.

Do you find thatpeople are dismissive of Modern Art?

Yes, which is why it’s wonderful that people come into themuseum. A lot of people wouldn’t even come inside, saying, “I don’t like stufflike that, it doesn’t speak to me.” But it’s about discovering new things andopening your mind. The more difficult a piece looks, the more people assume that it mustcost a lot of money and that’s what people associate as good art.

What are thechallenges in explaining this exhibit to the public?

I was walking around the museum today and I overheardsomeone say, “I could have done that myself.” It’s a typical reaction. There’sa misconception that there’s no difficulty in Modern Art but there’s a lot ofthought behind pieces such as the black painting by Ad Reinhardt. You mightjust see it as a black painting but there are lines created by the canvas.There’s a depth that draws you into the painting. I think if you have that inyour house, depending on the light and your mood, you’ll always see somethingdifferent in it that you hadn’t seen before.

What are yourfavorite pieces from the show?

"Untitled (Stacks)" by Donald Judd

From “Then” I like the simple lines of Donald Judd’s“Untitled (Stacks).” In “Now” it definitely has to be artist Carol Bove’s work.There’s a strength and softness that I like. It’s feminine but not in a frillyway. I adore her piece “Tears” - it’s just gorgeous.

Who’s your favoriteartist?

Picasso because I can never totally figure him out. Healways surprises. I know that his work had a study, his ideas were there, andhe had muses and people who inspired him. But if I ever had the opportunity tomeet him, I’d probably ask him how he could work on so many pieces at the sametime. He worked on three to four pieces at the same time, whether it was asculpture or a canvas. How could he do something like that? He didn’t feel theneed to concentrate on just one thing. He was a genius.

"The Language of Less (Then and Now)," Museum of Contemporary Art, October 8, 2011 - April 8, 2012. For information, visit www.mcachicago.org

Miles of style

2011-10-21T02:28:00.000-05:00

The man in the green shirt: Miles Davis on
the iconic 1958 album cover

Jazzmusician, Miles Davis, slouches on a chair against a copper backdrop. He’scasual in a pale green button-down shirt and dark trousers, trumpet in hand ashe stares out defiantly. The picture, which appeared in 1958 as the second coverversion for his album ‘Milestones,’ remains one of the most iconic images ofthe legendary artist. Tracks like ‘Sid’s Ahead’ and ‘Dr. Jekyll’ may havecaught the attention of fans and critics alike but his self-made cool andeffortless image spoke to yet another group – the fashion pack.

Fiercelytalented, passionate, irreverent and an eternal rebel (he was known to walk outon his audience with barely an apology), Davis was the whole celebrity package.
Such was his influence that men across the globe tried to emulate his look. “Peoplein London and New York went to men’s stores asking for the green shirt of thatcolor in Miles Davis’ album,” says author, music professor and journalist, John Szwed, who wrote the newly released book ‘Miles Davis: The Jazz Musician asDandy.’

Szwed explainsthat a camera filter could have been the simple and practical explanationbehind the pale and unusual shade of green. Button-down with a simple collar, theshirt is almost unremarkable, yet, Szwed explains, “there was something aboutthis shirt.”

Indeed, it evenprovided the inspiration for an illustrated book by author Richard Williams.Titled ‘The Man in the Green Shirt,’ it was published in 1993, two years after theartist’s death. The 150 pictures chronicle the life of the artist starting fromhis Bebop years. In the 1940s, he appeared dapper in sleek suits by the Brooks Brothers, a look that defined his aptly named album, ‘Birth of the Cool.’ Inthe 1950s, he added his trademark casual country club look complemented by apair of Bass penny loafers.

WhateverDavis played, he played it with passion and intensity. And whatever Davis wore,he wore it with attitude and grace. With sleeves rolled to the elbows and shirttailstucked in almost as an afterthought, Davis had the charisma to transform thesimple green shirt into a must-have.

He passedaway at the age of 65 in September 28, 1991 but Davis lives on in the musicalgenre that he helped to shape and the fashion trends that he left behind. “MilesDavis says he changed his music five or six times but it was more six or seven,”says Szwed about the artist’s continuously evolving style. “He changed the waymusic was heard (as well as) the persona that he had built in the process.”

Miles Davis - Sid's Ahead

The rules of musical attraction

2011-10-14T11:46:00.000-05:00

Lost in the moment: performer Scott Dusenbery regularly draws a curious crowd

It’s rushhour at the Clark and Lake subway stop. A frantic flurry of coats andbriefcases marks the beginning of the end of the day. And then it ducks andweaves through the crowd: a violin’s sweet, sorrowful song permeates the tiredold tiles of the station. Trains barrel in and out. Yet a handful of commutersremain rooted to the spot – for now, home and other destinations can wait.

His name isScott Dusenbery. Neat and nondescript in jeans and a preppy white polo shirt, hecoaxes his violin into a mellow tune of lingering notes, seemingly oblivious tothe crowd. Nearby, a silver-haired woman leaning against a paint-chipped beamshakes her head in admiration. “Wow,” she whispers. “Just… wow.”

Anoccupational therapist graduate, Dusenbery learned to play the violin at theage of five. After graduate school, he started playing in subway stops “for theside money and for fun.”

“I think whatI play brings out something that’s within people, whether it’s sadness orhappiness,” he says. “Music has the ability to evoke an emotional response frompeople.”

Judging bythe small cooler overflowing with tips, it seems Dusenbery’s efforts certainly don’tgo unappreciated. In 2009, he appeared in “Sweet Home Chicago,” a music videoby the Chicago Street Musicians (CSM), a non-profit organization founded by its director,Gabriel Chapman. The four-minute clip, produced and directed by ColumbiaCollege professor, Mark Schimmel, is a sampling of the city’s most remarkable streettalents. “When I was filming, I completely stopped dead in my tracks,” recallsSchimmel. “They were these amazing, amazingperformers and you just have to stop – you’re pulled into it.”

Finding the right frame

But sometimesan artist’s caliber isn’t enough to draw a crowd.

The videoalso features singer Crystal Bowersox in her pre-‘American Idol’ days andaccording to Schimmel, “she was singing her little heart out” yet everyonewalked past. “There’s a perception in our culture that if it’s free it’s notworth it,” he says.

Whilethere’s no set formula for what makes people stop and listen, it’s apparentthat context matters. “The context in which people experience music frames howwe value it,” explains Katherine Brucher, a professor at DePaul University’sSchool of Music. “People aren’t attracted to just one type of music – it has todo with people’s cultural backgrounds and what they perceive as beautifulmusic.”

InDusenbery’s experience, it can be due to something as simple as timing. “If I’mplaying something slow and everyone’s excited about a Cubs game, then I’ll justgo unnoticed,” he shrugs. “But if I set it up right and at the right moment,music can be a magnet that draws people in.”

An unusual attraction

Sometimes,admits Brucher, the way we perceive music is shaped by the wide array of recordedmusic available online. She says, “Listening to recorded music changes people’sexpectations so when they hear (something different), their reaction is like, ‘Wow,it’s a lot better than I hadexpected.”

ForDusenbery, it simply boils down to three things: location, location, location. “Ifpeople see a performer in Vienna playing a violin concerto outside an operahouse, people wouldn’t think twice about it,” he explains. “There can be asense of pretentiousness to classical music and by bringing a violin into asubway station, I’m making it more accessible for those who wouldn’t normallyhave the money or desire to see an orchestra.”

Back on the subwayplatform, Dusenbery is in a reverie as he sways with his violin to ‘Falling Slowly,’ a song from the indie flick ‘Once.’ He ends the piece to a burst ofapplause. Dusenbery self-consciously avoids the eyes of the strangers watchinghim. He’s about to start his next piece until a man approaches him with abusiness card. A teenager gets closer for a better view, recording a video thatwould likely join the string of YouTube clips that have left viewers curiousabout the identity of this mystery musician. It’s an outpouring of appreciationthat one rarely associates with street musicians. “It’s this overarching vibewhen everybody’s on the same page,” he says, smiling. “It’s addictive, likeriding a wave.”

In aninstant, the moment is snatched away as a train screeches and clatters into thestation, taking with it Scott Dusenbery’s impromptu audience.

A cheap date and even cheaper laughs

2011-10-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

Anna Faris (center) in 'What's Your Number?'

It’s thatmodern tale of love: girl meets boy. Girl and boy end up in bed. Girl losestrack of her sexual partners.

Directed byMark Mylod, ‘What’s Your Number?’ follows the life of Ally Darling (AnnaFaris), who realizes she’s had 19 partners too many – according to MarieClaire, any more than 20 and she’d have missed the opportunity to find Mr.Right.

Whereas herbride-to-be sister Daisy (Ari Graynor) is a Ralph Lauren ad brought to life,Ally’s life is a ‘Sex and the City’ episode full of one-night stands, drinkingand bad decisions. After the life-changing article, she enlists the help of hercommitment-phobic neighbor Colin Shea (Chris Evans) to track her exes in searchof The One That Got Away.

We’reintroduced to a revolving door of exes who manage to induce a few chuckles.While the ensemble’s collective performances are mediocre considering the materialthey have to work with, the biggest disappointment is Emmy-winner BlytheDanner. As Ally’s social-climber mother, it’s sad to see such a talent portraya one-dimensional character.

The moviecertainly lives up to its R-rating – it’s not short of clips of Ally in herunderwear and shots of Colin’s naked rear are plentiful. It’s not the next‘When Harry Met Sally’ and nor does it pretend to be.

It may be arom-com you’re likely to forget after 15 minutes but the location andcinematography steals the spotlight. The wedding scenes could have been shot inanywhere suburbia but Director of Photography J. Michael Muro proves himself anexpert at creating stunning eye candy. The requisite scene of the girl runningafter her man showcases Boston’s lush gardens and cobblestone streets. It’s ashame when the location proves to have more character than the actorsthemselves.

'What's Your Number?' trailer

Music, lyrics and missed connections

2011-09-30T11:29:00.000-05:00

The cast of 'Enter Love'

Although she spends her time behind thescenes, Lynn Lupold’s life is on the stage under the bright lights and in frontof the entire audience. As the composer, lyricist and co-director of themusical ‘Enter Love,’ she watches as actors bring her songs and, ultimately,her own experiences to life at The Blue Theater.

Lynn Lupold, composer, lyricist and
co-director of 'Enter Love'

“I told [the actors] that my life is outthere on the stage through these songs,” says Lupold, who’s also the founder ofthe theater company, Red Boat Productions. “‘Enter Love’ was by no means meantto be autobiographical but each song has meaning to me – these are my own experiencesso it’s very personal.”

And indeed it should. A former principalat Lawrence North High School and Lafayette Jefferson High School, theIndiana-based composer’s enthusiasm for academia seems rivaled only by herpassion for music. Despite her formal training as a professional musician atButler University, Lupold eschews the rigors of classical music for anotherform of performance art: cabaret. “The classical style was never something Ienjoyed but as an educator I certainly enjoyed being a part of musicals,” sherecalls.

Jason Bowen, actor and founding member
of Quest Theatre Ensemble

‘Enter Love’ was a success in Indianawhere it was originally a “songbook” of performances based on songs written andcomposed by Lupold. With her sights set on Chicago’s theater district, Lupoldapproached Quest Theatre Ensemble who saw the potential of transforming her work into afull-blown musical. The remake explores the dynamics of relationships, both oldand new, in the frantic and emotionally charged environment of O’Hare Airport.“We really made a strong, concerted effort to rewrite a lot of the lyrics tohelp move the story forward,” she says, adding that her song selection wasdesigned to showcase the talents of the entire cast.

“Anyone who writes music writes from theheart so it must be hard to let go of the music and have someone sing it andnot have it done the way they had intended,” says Jason Bowen, actor andfounding member of Quest Theatre Ensemble, who also plays Frank in ‘Enter Love.’ Onworking with Lupold, he says, “We made sure to try to do her work justice andone of the things she was really adamant about was that people had to sing fromtheir hearts.”

So what is Lupold’s favorite song from theshow? “That’s a really interesting question to ask someone who wrote all ofit,” she says, laughing. “It’s like asking someone: who’s your favorite child?”

‘EnterLove’ is open through Oct. 16 at The Blue Theater, 1609 W. Gregory, Chicago;free; 312-458-0895 and www.questensemble.org

Scare or amuse: shows open room for debate

2011-09-23T12:01:00.000-05:00


"The Spirit Play" written by Emily Schwartz. Photo credit: Tyler Core

Sally Morgan, British psychic to the stars, recently cameunder fire after claims that she might be a fake, while across the pond,experts continue to debate over the existence of a post-racial America. In thecase of art imitating life, headlines become food for thought in the upcomingensemble-driven comedy on nationalism with "The Americans", while"The Spirit Play" is a period piece that struggles with the conceptof spiritualism.

Produced by The Strange Tree Group, "The SpiritPlay" is an atmospheric dramedy set in the late 1870s. The story takesplace in the affluent homes of Chicago’s elite at a time when séances andmediums were popular means for people to contact their lost loved ones.Grieving families become easy prey for a group of scheming con artists untillead character Jane starts to receive messages from beyond the grave.

Based on an original script by Emily Schwartz, the group’sartistic director and resident playwright, several scenes were inspired byoriginal transcripts of séances and a book that exposes popular tricks bymediums. “The theme is about belief versus truth,” she explains. “Even thoughall the evidence might point to the fact that (spiritualism) isn’t true,there’s still that kernel of belief and the question: what if?”

Despite its post-Victorian setting, the concept ofspirituality is still very much alive with the popularity of celebritypsychics. “Mediums are still operating across the globe and have thousands uponthousands of followers,” says Schwartz.

Emily Schwartz, artistic director and resident
playwright of The Strange Tree Group.
Photo credit: Tyler Core

Wrapped in the group’s steampunk aesthetic and glossed overwith effects by magician Brett Schneider, "The Spirit Play" packagesthis hot button issue into a highly entertaining show that hopes to draw nextmonth’s horror movie-loving crowds.

Halcyon Theatre’s "The Americans", on the otherhand, skips the smoke and mirrors in favor of a bare bones production involvingan ethnically diverse cast of twenty. “When Shakespeare’s plays were firstperformed, there were little more than a bench and a potted plant in his shows,”says artistic Director, Tony Adams. “The world is created with words.”

And create worlds it does. Written by playwright Coya Paz,actors explore their identity as an American in today's world using humorousand touching narratives. In doing so, Paz puts forth the many faces and thelives affected by headline fodder such as racism, the Tea Party movement andimmigration laws.

Tony Adams, artistic director of
The Halcyon Theatre

“When an artwork gets more political, there’s a temptationto channel your own view point, which is neither entertaining nor very goodart,” says Adams. “[Paz] has done a good job of presenting both sides in a fairmanner because you can’t create change if you can’t find a middle ground.”

Together, "The Spirit Play" and "TheAmericans" set the stage for controversy, whether through spiritualism orpatriotism. While techniques vary from the highly stylized to the minimalist,together they attempt to understand the very human need to explore identitythrough various facets. Of course, neither one will spoil it by giving us allthe answers with endings that leave plenty of room for debate. Just like thereal-life headlines that inspired them in the first place.

“The Americans” starts September 26 atthe DCA Studio Theater, Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street; $5suggested donation; 312-742-8497 and www.dcatheater.org

“The Spirit Play” starts September 27 atthe Studio Theater, Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street; $5suggested donation; 312-742-8497 and www.dcatheater.org