tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34708360390291854492024-03-04T22:57:02.454-06:00Arts and EntertainmentIrish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-73756577307925953772012-02-17T17:49:00.002-06:002012-02-17T17:50:44.129-06:00Artist snapshot: Alex Cohen<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHrwhwKqPgYrgccaR8z608sPOCj0VxH_RWSaB2FY2j6n1xJejdqm9ircd6XA4nbwIe7_gzWSV4H1wqQa-1Q2aTIYLuOyaJBBHy-kL542y3BN9zDMpozFCuGvoNDtmVPKjrASYNIScWKtd/s1600/Alex+Cohen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHrwhwKqPgYrgccaR8z608sPOCj0VxH_RWSaB2FY2j6n1xJejdqm9ircd6XA4nbwIe7_gzWSV4H1wqQa-1Q2aTIYLuOyaJBBHy-kL542y3BN9zDMpozFCuGvoNDtmVPKjrASYNIScWKtd/s400/Alex+Cohen.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex Cohe</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"></span><span style="font-family: Times;">Standing with a plastic red
cup 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 the
embodiment of everything that last week’s “Short Court: Tropical Aesthletics” stood
for – funky art, indoor summer sports and sand galore even as a blizzard raged
on outside Antena Gallery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Cohen, whose friend Chris helped
to curate the event, was invited to take part in the show, which displayed work
by some of the city’s young and up-and-coming artists. Inspired by ancient
totem poles, Cohen’s work was in keeping with the show’s tropical theme and
result was an impressive life-sized cardboard installation that instantly dominated
the room.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times;">The Pilsen Project</span></i><span style="font-family: Times;"> caught up with Cohen to talk art and the inspiration behind his work. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">Where did you get the idea for the piece?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I was thinking tropical and
I was also thinking about totem poles stacked on top of each other so that was
the tropical lure.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">What art do you interested in?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">All the different types:
figurative, non-representational, just everything really.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">What’s your favorite medium?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I like to use acrylics, any
water-based mediums and ceramics.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">What was it like to create the piece?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">It was a lot of fun. I went
to the Field Museum to look at their totem pole and I drew inspiration from
that.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-59705595779984550022011-11-16T20:54:00.001-06:002012-02-10T21:29:14.722-06:00The naked truth behind Neo-Burlesque<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&&interval=5&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Firishmae101%2Falbumid%2F5675790343229820689%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="400" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="600"></embed>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Annie Weinert, 31, has just
spent the day powdering doctors’ noses. Life as a freelance makeup artist means
that weddings and TV commercials dominate her daily schedule. Come nighttime,
however, she’s not just Annie – she’s <a href="http://redhotannie.com/" target="_blank">Red Hot Annie</a>, Chicago’s fiery red-haired
temptress who gracefully bumps and grinds for a cheering audience as she strips
off one article of clothing at a time.</span></div>
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<tr style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kelly Williams of GTB</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Weinert is one of the city’s
nearly 120 professional burlesque performers who are part of a growing global
Neo-Burlesque revival. “It’s a style of doing dance,” explained Weinert,
founder and CEO (or, rather, C.E.Oh!) of burlesque troupe, <a href="http://vaudezilla.com/" target="_blank">Vaudezilla</a>. “At some
point 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 to
take your top off.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Burlesque, which was first popularized
in 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 infuse
tradition 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 <a href="http://www.gorillatango.com/" target="_blank">Gorilla Tango Burlesque (GTB)</a> troupe who are clearly having fun while poking fun at
beloved icons of pop culture. “We’re not trying to be smutty,” said Kelly
Williams, GTB’s executive producer, marketing and PR director. “We’re trying to
be cheeky, irreverent, entertaining, sexy and fun.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">A disappearing act</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Despite the growing
burlesque following in Chicago, performances today often take place in front of
smaller audiences in basic black box theatres – a far cry from an era when acts
were held in the city’s majestic theatres. Burlesque was the epitome of glitz
and glamour when nearly everyone in the industry came across club regulars such
as Frank Sinatra and Orson Welles.</span></div>
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<tr style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leslie Zemeckis</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">“Chicago was one of the
major hubs,” said Leslie Zemeckis, director of <a href="http://www.behindtheburlyq.com/" target="_blank">‘Behind the Burly Q’</a> a
documentary on the history of burlesque, which will be screening at the <a href="http://www.chicagohistory.org/planavisit/upcomingevents/film" target="_blank">Chicago History Museum</a> in February 2012.<i> </i>“Everyone
worked there because they had all the big theatres and clubs.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">According to Jane Briggeman,
author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BURLESQUE-LIVING-HISTORY-Jane-Briggeman/dp/1593934696" target="_blank">‘Burlesque: A Living History,’</a> the State-Congress Theatre, the Star
and Garter Theatre and the Rialto were just some of the places where legendary
performers made their mark. “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Kitty
Marlowe was a popular performer and the very last exotic dancer to perform on
stage 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 for
release in December. “After that performance, the theatre reverted to running
skin flicks; it bore little resemblance to the day when it flourished as a
prominent vaudeville house.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mhLuyQ-I04Y?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">“It was really sad,”
recalled Doris Kotzan, who’s also known to fans as <a href="http://burlesquebambi.com/" target="_blank">Bambi Jones</a>. Now 80, the Las
Vegas-based veteran used to dominate the stage at the Gem Follies Theatre in
the 1950s. Burlesque at that time, she said, was already on its way out. When
the popularity of television delivered the final blow, performers scattered to
find jobs at nightclubs, supper clubs, and in some cases, taking up non-showbiz
jobs that required a completely different lifestyle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">“</span><cite><span style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal;">Everybody sweeps burlesque under the
rug – 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. I
had to deny it because people look at you funny because right away, they
thought you took your clothes off and that’s all you knew how to do.”</span></cite></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Sigrid Spangenberg, whose
stage name was Lillie Marlene, is now retired and living with her husband in South
Carolina. She also recalls the stigma surrounding burlesque during her days in
Chicago. “If you asked some clubs if they had “exotics” booked there, they will
deny it to this day,” she said.</span></div>
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<tr style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">'Burlesque: A Living History by</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Jane Briggeman</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">Making a comeback</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">According
to former performers and members of the <a href="http://www.burlesquehistory.com/" target="_blank">Burlesque Historical Society</a>, burlesque
died when theatres and big clubs closed, giving way for other forms of
entertainment. “Every one of them says “Go-Go” killed burlesque,” said
Briggeman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Go-Go
was eventually replaced by strip clubs in the '70s when strippers and poles became
the main attraction. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Ironically, it was
the same technology that spelled the end of burlesque that would bring the art
form back into the public consciousness. TV miniseries such as ‘<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102167/" target="_blank">The Josephine Baker Story</a>’ in 1991 took a curious look at the industry and brought burlesque
back in the spotlight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Yet, not everyone in the
industry is thrilled with the modern representation of burlesque and the
misconceptions that continue to be perpetuated. When asked about the 2010 movie
‘<a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/burlesque/" target="_blank">Burlesque</a>’ (starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, Weinert rolls her eyes. “Oh
god, it’s expected,” she groaned. “Although there was one clever striptease
act, it was mostly a great cabaret movie but I think they just didn’t have that
title left.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Briggeman is also hesitant
to join the burlesque bandwagon, claiming that the term is being used far too
loosely. “</span><span style="font-family: Times;">For
me, unless a club creates a full show with comics and scenes, emcees, variety
acts, and even includes a small chorus line, only those clubs that include all
of this, besides the feature dancers, are putting on a (real) burlesque show,”
she stated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Zemeckis
agrees. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">“It’s two different art
forms, really,” she said. “We’re more sophisticated in our sense of humor and
our sense of what we (are allowed to) see. There was a time when you couldn’t
see nudity – now it’s everywhere.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Some adaptations of the new
burlesque movement have left even veterans such as Spangenberg taken aback by
performances, which she describes as “pretty raw.” When asked if she had any
advice for new performers, she said, “Don’t show it all – leave something to
the imagination, it’s always nicer.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Like
Spangenberg, Kotzan bemoans the amount of tattoo-covered skin shown on stage. “</span><span style="font-family: Times;">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 <i>dare</i> have a tattoo back
in the day.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times;">The return of burlesque</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">Whether the industry will
be able to recapture its former glory is still up for debate. However, the
growing interest in burlesque has been instrumental in helping the community in
other surprising ways.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">While researching material
for her book, Briggeman discovered that “everybody wanted to find old friends.”
The result was ‘The Golden Days of Burlesque Historical Society,’ a website
maintained by Briggeman and relatives of veteran performers. “We’re rapidly
losing 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 why
these books are so special; it’s part of them.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">As for Kotzan, the release
of her memoir ‘</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Journey-Burlesque-Doris-Kotzan/dp/0805996818" target="_blank">My Journey Burlesque: The Way It Was</a>’ has forced her to step out of the burlesque closet for good. These
days, she does presentations on the history of burlesque, teaches burlesque at
senior 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 day
such as Rita Hayworth and Yvonne de Carlos.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Weinert, who also teaches
burlesque classes at Vaudezilla Studios, has seen an influx of students
interested to learn about the craft. “I always tell my students that it’s a
very creative striptease,” explained Weinert. “It’s very female-centric so it’s
a lot about what women find sexy.” She also states that unlike the gentlemen’s
club atmosphere of original burlesque, today’s diverse audiences include women and
members of the city’s gay community. “It’s awesome and they’re really
outgoing,” she said. “It’s a pretty young crowd, too.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">In the meantime, Weinert
and her troupe, Vaudezilla, are in the midst of rehearsals for the upcoming
December 3 performance of “</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://vaudezilla.com/xmas.htm" target="_blank">TRIM! An Xmas Burlesque Craptacular</a>” –<b> </b>Weinert is
set to appear as Frosty the Snowman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Across the city at Gorilla
Tango Theatre, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">the GTB group will continue
to don Super Mario and Luigi costumes for their hugely successful weekly
performance of “Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque.” The show, which
parodies the 1985 video game hit, has already been extended due to popular
demand. While Williams admits that the show is a loose interpretation of
burlesque, its appeal is quite simple.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times;">I think what we do is
successful because it <i>is</i> silly, campy
and fun,” she explained. “People love a good time – even more so with boobs.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"> </span>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<b>UPCOMING EVENTS</b></div>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li><b class="detailhead" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>'Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Bros Burlesque'</b> showing on Fridays and Saturday at 11pm at Gorilla Tango Theater, </b>1919 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, tickets $20, (773) 598-4549, <a href="http://www.gorillatango.com/">www.gorillatango.com</a></li>
<li><b>'TRIM! An Xmas Burlesque Craptacular'</b> showing on Saturday, December 3 10:30pm at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Avenue, Chicago, tickets $18, <a href="http://vaudezilla.com/xmas.htm">http://vaudezilla.com/xmas.htm</a></li>
<li><b>'Behind the Burly Q'</b> screening on Sunday, February 12, 1:30 p.m., Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614, (312) 642-4600, <a href="http://www.chicagohistory.org/">www.chicagohistory.org</a></li>
<li><b>'Burlesque: A Living History'</b> (second edition) by Jane Briggeman, to be released December 2011.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/23867985?portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/23867985">The Great Bambi Jones</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/ryleejeanebsen">Rylee Jean Ebsen</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-21761327672631337292011-11-04T12:18:00.002-05:002011-11-08T22:57:48.561-06:00“HotTix gives theatres access to audiences they couldn’t otherwise reach”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4nsRwb-RuAzl1qeOafl2jnAb9rDFnQQZchhk7prmxQSNbP4a3EI2fhs5xy_WXTAcCj7Pl6Zpefmy0aOmnAGPA6SZd1lZ-BCXRjqDOOJH8V-dBaqVeFOtq2Vh4Bn6cebmsBo_yZcdBzXh/s1600/Ryan_Butts_headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4nsRwb-RuAzl1qeOafl2jnAb9rDFnQQZchhk7prmxQSNbP4a3EI2fhs5xy_WXTAcCj7Pl6Zpefmy0aOmnAGPA6SZd1lZ-BCXRjqDOOJH8V-dBaqVeFOtq2Vh4Bn6cebmsBo_yZcdBzXh/s640/Ryan_Butts_headshot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan Butts, Deputy Director at League of Chicago Theatres</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">The beloved, magical and
“practically perfect” nanny waved goodbye, beaming as she floated over an
appreciative audience during the finale of Disney’s <a href="http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows_dyn.php?cmd=display_current&display_showtag=MaryPoppins2011">“Mary Poppins”</a> at the
Cadillac Palace Theatre. With the thundering applause and
“supercalifragilisticexpilidocious” ringing in one’s ears, the cacophony could
easily drown out any remaining misgivings at having just spent over $100 on a
ticket.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">At least, until the credit
card bill arrives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">It’s a dilemma that
theatre-goers frequently face: to buy or not to buy? At such eye-watering
prices, theatre can be a painfully expensive hobby. Thankfully, sites such as
<a href="http://hottix.org/">HotTix</a> offer a welcome relief. Since tickets to hugely popular shows can pop up
the day before or even on the night of the show, it does require some
flexibility. But at 50 per cent off, it’s not a deal to be sniffed at.<a name='more'></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">The site is managed by the
<a href="http://www.chicagoplays.com/">League of Chicago Theatres</a>, a non-profit organization that acts as a network
for over 190 theatre companies of all sizes. Deputy director, Ryan Butts, 31,
talks about what makes the site a hot online tourist attraction and how
audiences can have an equally great (and budget-friendly) evening out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">How did the concept for HotTix come about?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">The League of Chicago
Theatres is a membership-based organization where an annual fee gets them
access to professional development workshops as well as HotTix. The League was
founded in the late seventies and their first project was HotTix, which is a
half-price ticketing outlet. There are two downtown outlets as well as our
website, which began as a volunteer group project. It grew over the years and a
professional staff and a board of directors who come from theatres of all sizes
now help manage it.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3W-REGIgqY_3UEG2t3Bt9twYrjzqd1IW-cuTDt6JIDHpPlVm8M9PcQHqh1eJdjX72BMmq1g63QgkgnMlgBEYljpOxfwUdmeEtNGj3q8fk1CIcJbbBb5JGGipDYZ0kpL4QHjbj7_egT5f/s1600/Mary+Poppins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3W-REGIgqY_3UEG2t3Bt9twYrjzqd1IW-cuTDt6JIDHpPlVm8M9PcQHqh1eJdjX72BMmq1g63QgkgnMlgBEYljpOxfwUdmeEtNGj3q8fk1CIcJbbBb5JGGipDYZ0kpL4QHjbj7_egT5f/s320/Mary+Poppins.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tickets to shows such as "Mary Poppins" can pop up<br />
at just half the price on HotTix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">Are tickets always sold at half price?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">Tickets are all half the price
of the face value. Because HotTix reaches a broader audience, it’s an
opportunity for theatre companies to reach out to audiences that they couldn’t
otherwise reach. If it’s $100 a ticket, you’ll get it for $50 – that’s our
regular rate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">How does HotTix benefit your members?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">We sell tickets through the
website but the sales go directly to the theatre companies. There are
traditional ticketing fees that go with those sales and our organization keeps
a portion of the ticketing fees. While we make money from that, the bulk of the
ticketing price goes back to the theatre companies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">For example, last year we
had an increase in ticket sales. We sold just over 100,000 tickets, which
returned almost $2 million to theatre companies. The League receives a few
dollars per ticket and while it’s a small portion of the organization’s overall
budget, it’s still a couple of hundred thousand dollars. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">How do you manage to keep costs down?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">We aren’t guaranteed a
number of tickets from our member companies – it’s completely up to them.
Tickets are based on availability. For example, if Broadway in Chicago has any
availability, 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 tickets
for this show?” Some companies can provide us with tickets in advance; some do
it on the day of the show.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">With all the other ticketing sites online, how do you
reach out to audiences?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">We give a lot of information
to hotels downtown. As you can imagine, HotTix is very popular with tourists
because 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 good
relationships with them because they love being able to tell people that the
theatres are just down the street.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times;">What do you think makes this concept successful in a
city like Chicago?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times;">The city is creating some of
the best theatre in the world. There are so many theatre productions that were
in Chicago in the last few years that are now in New York or elsewhere across
the continent. People are recognizing that the quality of the work here is as
high as anywhere else but the spirit of it is really special.<b></b></span></div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-26545276625616993202011-10-28T12:30:00.000-05:002011-11-08T22:58:22.233-06:00‘By taking away, they’re opening it up to interpretation’<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q&A with Adriana Nijensohn, Museum of Contemporary Art Tour Guide</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtAydCXAz0AH6zthdJ3J5DoHUWJgPDsBesxBaibO2QBL5WrJdhMQw2fkHAvTZcHuDkvYourcnfgZWu2xnO6vrFoe1fxGfD2cPb6nAhN8K0jNHDB8q6L78TpvK47z305RLQBZQXvu3RzzY/s1600/Adriana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtAydCXAz0AH6zthdJ3J5DoHUWJgPDsBesxBaibO2QBL5WrJdhMQw2fkHAvTZcHuDkvYourcnfgZWu2xnO6vrFoe1fxGfD2cPb6nAhN8K0jNHDB8q6L78TpvK47z305RLQBZQXvu3RzzY/s320/Adriana.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adriana Nijensohn, MCA Tour Guide</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Along Chicago Avenue, a blast of wind whips trees, leaves
and tourists into a frenzy of movement. In <span id="goog_948455259"></span><span id="goog_948455260"></span>contrast, the Museum of Contemporary
Art (MCA) stands still, silent and solid, a block of glass and concrete with
little to announce its identity save for its discreet letters and a bent coat
hanger sculpture by artist Mark Handoforth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inside, Adriana Nijensohn stands patiently waiting. Calm as
the sparse interiors of the museum, the veteran tour guide is waiting to
take visitors through a series of paintings and sculptures featured in ‘The
Language of Less (Then and Now).’ Carefully and brilliantly selected by chief
curator, Michael Darling, the exhibit showcases works by influential Minimalist
and Contemporary artists.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She was a tour guide at the Art Institute of Chicago for the past
ten 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 Nijensohn
discusses the significance of modern art in today’s culture and why Picasso
will continue to mystify.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Where are you
originally from?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m from Argentina and I’ve been in Chicago for 43 years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How long have you
been working as a museum tour guide?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I used to work full-time and as a museum visitor, I loved
the other side of art. So when I stopped working, I wanted to give back and
this is my way of contributing and expanding my horizons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been doing this for over ten years at the Art Institute
of Chicago and I wanted to do something different. The children are a lot of
fun but I also wanted to work with adults. When I’m standing here (waiting for
a tour to start), I don’t know if I’m going to have one or 20 people. I don’t
know their background so it’s all very spontaneous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What is the ‘Language
of Less (Then and Now)’ about?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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 the
older artists. It gives us an idea of how these artists started their work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Minimalist Art strips away everything that you normally see
in pictures, such as a face, a landscape or a building in order to help us see
the basics. What are the basics? It can be the lines, the colors and the shape
of the canvas and from there they want us to expand on our thoughts. By taking
away, they’re opening it up to interpretation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you find that
people are dismissive of Modern Art?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, which is why it’s wonderful that people come into the
museum. A lot of people wouldn’t even come inside, saying, “I don’t like stuff
like that, it doesn’t speak to me.” But it’s about discovering new things and
opening your mind. The more difficult a piece looks, the more people assume that it must
cost a lot of money and that’s what people associate as good art.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What are the
challenges in explaining this exhibit to the public?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was walking around the museum today and I overheard
someone say, “I could have done that myself.” It’s a typical reaction. There’s
a misconception that there’s no difficulty in Modern Art but there’s a lot of
thought behind pieces such as the black painting by Ad Reinhardt. You might
just 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 in
your house, depending on the light and your mood, you’ll always see something
different in it that you hadn’t seen before.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What are your
favorite pieces from the show?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFmCMx1fBJmNZTIKrQZkKuRVnq_MmKCo4ScAU0wmHq5xuekGzq8iBHcYoxh-KGfR0GfpWxtaI37EqbQDkwejjFSH2KIkngx38eJfb22rdiGhFw7F7OxauhpvDp7GLbL93QJw8w9vkQ0r5/s1600/Donald+Judd+Stacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFmCMx1fBJmNZTIKrQZkKuRVnq_MmKCo4ScAU0wmHq5xuekGzq8iBHcYoxh-KGfR0GfpWxtaI37EqbQDkwejjFSH2KIkngx38eJfb22rdiGhFw7F7OxauhpvDp7GLbL93QJw8w9vkQ0r5/s320/Donald+Judd+Stacks.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Untitled (Stacks)" by Donald Judd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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 frilly
way. I adore her piece “Tears” - it’s just gorgeous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Who’s your favorite
artist?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Picasso because I can never totally figure him out. He
always surprises. I know that his work had a study, his ideas were there, and
he had muses and people who inspired him. But if I ever had the opportunity to
meet him, I’d probably ask him how he could work on so many pieces at the same
time. He worked on three to four pieces at the same time, whether it was a
sculpture or a canvas. How could he do something like that? He didn’t feel the
need to concentrate on just one thing. He was a genius.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"The Language of Less (Then and Now)," Museum of Contemporary Art, October 8, 2011 - April 8, 2012. For information, visit <a href="http://www.mcachicago.org/">www.mcachicago.org</a></i></div>
</div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-56534410044126077612011-10-21T02:28:00.000-05:002011-11-08T23:03:50.396-06:00Miles of style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZKOs5KJUzyuVMUMspVEtRGHzvgIt9p4YdBpBprerb8f0BORRmlvWU3hfkSWRt4Wc2W1FQXzhFIkGjOL6irlV7oja3v5n-4GoVoYu3aUsLIfktM3grMMqfjcizcEFiMU8ilDuWYOhfjWs/s1600/Milestones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZKOs5KJUzyuVMUMspVEtRGHzvgIt9p4YdBpBprerb8f0BORRmlvWU3hfkSWRt4Wc2W1FQXzhFIkGjOL6irlV7oja3v5n-4GoVoYu3aUsLIfktM3grMMqfjcizcEFiMU8ilDuWYOhfjWs/s320/Milestones.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man in the green shirt: Miles Davis on<br />the iconic 1958 album cover</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Jazz
musician, <a href="http://www.milesdavis.com/">Miles Davis,</a> slouches on a chair against a copper backdrop. He’s
casual in a pale green button-down shirt and dark trousers, trumpet in hand as
he stares out defiantly. The picture, which appeared in 1958 as the second cover
version for his album ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Milestones-Miles-Davis/dp/B00005B58Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1319181630&sr=1-1">Milestones</a>,’ remains one of the most iconic images of
the legendary artist. Tracks like ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV9RiM_CsUA">Sid’s Ahead</a>’ and ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ5TT-ND4mQ">Dr. Jekyll</a>’ may have
caught the attention of fans and critics alike but his self-made cool and
effortless image spoke to yet another group – the fashion pack.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Fiercely
talented, passionate, irreverent and an eternal rebel (he was known to walk out
on his audience with barely an apology), Davis was the whole celebrity package.
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Such was his influence that men across the globe tried to emulate his look. “People
in London and New York went to men’s stores asking for the green shirt of that
color in Miles Davis’ album,” says author, music professor and journalist, <a href="http://www.yale.edu/anthro/anthropology/John_Szwed.html">John Szwed</a>, who wrote the newly released book ‘Miles Davis: The Jazz Musician as
Dandy.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Szwed explains
that a camera filter could have been the simple and practical explanation
behind the pale and unusual shade of green. Button-down with a simple collar, the
shirt is almost unremarkable, yet, Szwed explains, “there was something about
this shirt.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Indeed, it even
provided the inspiration for an illustrated book by author Richard Williams.
Titled ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miles-Davis-Man-Green-Shirt/dp/0805027041">The Man in the Green Shirt</a>,’ it was published in 1993, two years after the
artist’s death. The 150 pictures chronicle the life of the artist starting from
his Bebop years. In the 1940s, he appeared dapper in sleek suits by the <a href="http://www.brooksbrothers.com/">Brooks Brothers</a>, a look that defined his aptly named album, ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Cool-Miles-Davis/dp/B00005614M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1319181980&sr=1-1">Birth of the Cool</a>.’ In
the 1950s, he added his trademark casual country club look complemented by a
pair of <a href="https://bassshoes.harborghb.com/bass-mens-shoes">Bass</a> penny loafers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Whatever
Davis 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 shirttails
tucked in almost as an afterthought, Davis had the charisma to transform the
simple green shirt into a must-have.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
He passed
away at the age of 65 in September 28, 1991 but Davis lives on in the musical
genre that he helped to shape and the fashion trends that he left behind. “Miles
Davis 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 way
music was heard (as well as) the persona that he had built in the process.”<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Miles Davis - Sid's Ahead </span></div>
</div>
</div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-30851603193393792282011-10-14T11:46:00.000-05:002011-11-08T22:59:35.961-06:00The rules of musical attraction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr align="left"><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQux_NrVZnnqTC9ptM71sDv2Lw9sL4jYevo1aS_CbwhB3oEzTaSWhvDfX7NYEZLS6ILh8yRNGggQ2U6fVMlvV6bIxG2Ju1M9QykdCqOZe_eyiIQLu22ggXOzHWPjY-Ef8p_j4UUad-XO5/s1600/Scott+Dusenbery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQux_NrVZnnqTC9ptM71sDv2Lw9sL4jYevo1aS_CbwhB3oEzTaSWhvDfX7NYEZLS6ILh8yRNGggQ2U6fVMlvV6bIxG2Ju1M9QykdCqOZe_eyiIQLu22ggXOzHWPjY-Ef8p_j4UUad-XO5/s640/Scott+Dusenbery.jpg" width="640" /><span id="goog_1540855925"></span><span id="goog_1540855926"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Lost in the moment: performer Scott Dusenbery regularly draws a curious crowd</td></tr>
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It’s rush
hour at the Clark and Lake subway stop. A frantic flurry of coats and
briefcases marks the beginning of the end of the day. And then it ducks and
weaves through the crowd: a violin’s sweet, sorrowful song permeates the tired
old tiles of the station. Trains barrel in and out. Yet a handful of commuters
remain rooted to the spot – for now, home and other destinations can wait.<br />
<br />
His name is
Scott Dusenbery. Neat and nondescript in jeans and a preppy white polo shirt, he
coaxes his violin into a mellow tune of lingering notes, seemingly oblivious to
the crowd. Nearby, a silver-haired woman leaning against a paint-chipped beam
shakes her head in admiration. “Wow,” she whispers. “Just… wow.”<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
An
occupational therapist graduate, Dusenbery learned to play the violin at the
age of five. After graduate school, he started playing in subway stops “for the
side money and for fun.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
“I think what
I play brings out something that’s within people, whether it’s sadness or
happiness,” he says. “Music has the ability to evoke an emotional response from
people.”<br />
<br /></div>
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Judging by
the small cooler overflowing with tips, it seems Dusenbery’s efforts certainly don’t
go unappreciated. In 2009, he appeared in “<a href="http://chicagostreetmusicians.org/?page_id=31">Sweet Home Chicago</a>,” a music video
by the <a href="http://chicagostreetmusicians.org/?page_id=27">Chicago Street Musicians (CSM)</a>, a non-profit organization founded by its director,
Gabriel Chapman. The four-minute clip, produced and directed by Columbia
College professor, <a href="http://www.markschimmel.com/">Mark Schimmel</a>, is a sampling of the city’s most remarkable street
talents. “When I was filming, I completely stopped dead in my tracks,” recalls
Schimmel. “They were these amazing, <i>amazing</i>
performers and you just have to stop – you’re pulled into it.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Finding the right frame</b></div>
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<br />
But sometimes
an artist’s caliber isn’t enough to draw a crowd.</div>
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<br />
The video
also features singer <a href="http://www.crystalbowersox.com/home/">Crystal Bowersox</a> in her pre-‘American Idol’ days and
according to Schimmel, “she was singing her little heart out” yet everyone
walked past. “There’s a perception in our culture that if it’s free it’s not
worth it,” he says.</div>
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<br />
While
there’s no set formula for what makes people stop and listen, it’s apparent
that context matters. “The context in which people experience music frames how
we value it,” explains Katherine Brucher, a professor at DePaul University’s
School of Music. “People aren’t attracted to just one type of music – it has to
do with people’s cultural backgrounds and what they perceive as beautiful
music.”</div>
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<br />
In
Dusenbery’s experience, it can be due to something as simple as timing. “If I’m
playing something slow and everyone’s excited about a Cubs game, then I’ll just
go unnoticed,” he shrugs. “But if I set it up right and at the right moment,
music can be a magnet that draws people in.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>An unusual attraction</b></div>
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<br />
Sometimes,
admits Brucher, the way we perceive music is shaped by the wide array of recorded
music available online. She says, “Listening to recorded music changes people’s
expectations so when they hear (something different), their reaction is like, ‘Wow,
it’s a <i>lot</i> better than I had
expected.”<br />
<br /></div>
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For
Dusenbery, it simply boils down to three things: location, location, location. “If
people see a performer in Vienna playing a violin concerto outside an opera
house, people wouldn’t think twice about it,” he explains. “There can be a
sense of pretentiousness to classical music and by bringing a violin into a
subway station, I’m making it more accessible for those who wouldn’t normally
have the money or desire to see an orchestra.”</div>
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<br />
Back on the subway
platform, Dusenbery is in a reverie as he sways with his violin to ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFtWMQfqDq8">Falling Slowly</a>,’ a song from the indie flick ‘Once.’ He ends the piece to a burst of
applause. Dusenbery self-consciously avoids the eyes of the strangers watching
him. He’s about to start his next piece until a man approaches him with a
business card. A teenager gets closer for a better view, recording a video that
would likely join the string of YouTube clips that have left viewers curious
about the identity of this mystery musician. It’s an outpouring of appreciation
that one rarely associates with street musicians. “It’s this overarching vibe
when everybody’s on the same page,” he says, smiling. “It’s addictive, like
riding a wave.”</div>
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<br />
In an
instant, the moment is snatched away as a train screeches and clatters into the
station, taking with it Scott Dusenbery’s impromptu audience.</div>
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</div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-73557831457542966512011-10-07T12:06:00.000-05:002011-11-08T23:00:08.182-06:00A cheap date and even cheaper laughs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxMb5qW8wYtIgBm607KXpMd13_YIq7J-U9vidTkoVitOFixZ3sNK9O4gR-OxCppBlbvH_LZhKVVRQifhi6g3ffzWhQPhhLRAXgpf5Bb6uBAQGJZ5Tog23zIawitgjhpSnknFcBzKjlAPy/s1600/anna-faris-is-ally-in-whats-your-number_500x333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxMb5qW8wYtIgBm607KXpMd13_YIq7J-U9vidTkoVitOFixZ3sNK9O4gR-OxCppBlbvH_LZhKVVRQifhi6g3ffzWhQPhhLRAXgpf5Bb6uBAQGJZ5Tog23zIawitgjhpSnknFcBzKjlAPy/s400/anna-faris-is-ally-in-whats-your-number_500x333.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Faris (center) in 'What's Your Number?'</td></tr>
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It’s that
modern tale of love: girl meets boy. Girl and boy end up in bed. Girl loses
track of her sexual partners.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Directed by
Mark Mylod, ‘What’s Your Number?’ follows the life of Ally Darling (Anna
Faris), who realizes she’s had 19 partners too many – according to Marie
Claire, any more than 20 and she’d have missed the opportunity to find Mr.
Right.</div>
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Whereas her
bride-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, drinking
and bad decisions. After the life-changing article, she enlists the help of her
commitment-phobic neighbor Colin Shea (Chris Evans) to track her exes in search
of The One That Got Away.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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We’re
introduced to a revolving door of exes who manage to induce a few chuckles.
While the ensemble’s collective performances are mediocre considering the material
they have to work with, the biggest disappointment is Emmy-winner Blythe
Danner. As Ally’s social-climber mother, it’s sad to see such a talent portray
a one-dimensional character.</div>
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The movie
certainly lives up to its R-rating – it’s not short of clips of Ally in her
underwear 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.</div>
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It may be a
rom-com you’re likely to forget after 15 minutes but the location and
cinematography steals the spotlight. The wedding scenes could have been shot in
anywhere suburbia but Director of Photography J. Michael Muro proves himself an
expert at creating stunning eye candy. The requisite scene of the girl running
after her man showcases Boston’s lush gardens and cobblestone streets. It’s a
shame when the location proves to have more character than the actors
themselves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwHi7ods5IqFzaJtwMnNbOWDep6hfNOBqTPIpEolAYNzxe9Ph6CJckiF558_CUpRjxDT9jiPf3KgSU85oPHQ-PKrD1t3OYjNdClXeNwIyiXtnkz-fu7YK7TBmhFfjQ6mV3prrLwEv8ayz/s1600/two-stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwHi7ods5IqFzaJtwMnNbOWDep6hfNOBqTPIpEolAYNzxe9Ph6CJckiF558_CUpRjxDT9jiPf3KgSU85oPHQ-PKrD1t3OYjNdClXeNwIyiXtnkz-fu7YK7TBmhFfjQ6mV3prrLwEv8ayz/s200/two-stars.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwHi7ods5IqFzaJtwMnNbOWDep6hfNOBqTPIpEolAYNzxe9Ph6CJckiF558_CUpRjxDT9jiPf3KgSU85oPHQ-PKrD1t3OYjNdClXeNwIyiXtnkz-fu7YK7TBmhFfjQ6mV3prrLwEv8ayz/s1600/two-stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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'What's Your Number?' trailer </div>
</div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-77611937920997479862011-09-30T11:29:00.000-05:002011-11-08T23:04:19.321-06:00Music, lyrics and missed connections<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuTtuYGaIjCu8TCfhHOVa_xA_IE3lzYv_F7vRver9ikQ5d7N4rE2pC5ZddoIL12kQKwRQL8gzcp3eEirvDaYP1YlNdk7FqBBny-XbtYLm1M86xJxRnkTIqisSWVYi9q8QD-uEVI9S1R-5/s1600/Quest+Theatre+-+Enter+Love+-+Production+Photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuTtuYGaIjCu8TCfhHOVa_xA_IE3lzYv_F7vRver9ikQ5d7N4rE2pC5ZddoIL12kQKwRQL8gzcp3eEirvDaYP1YlNdk7FqBBny-XbtYLm1M86xJxRnkTIqisSWVYi9q8QD-uEVI9S1R-5/s400/Quest+Theatre+-+Enter+Love+-+Production+Photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast of 'Enter Love'</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kTVdw3tYVIOEEdvUQ4gol9qU753rS9J8uE4HZ4ME3n9Pt6usgM1wV2uenCp2Mc7sSMkvUcLQPek1AcpJhcXLpXmD7WAYTvQZr8UlZvyF0noF2c_Bdf2lWwvpl2JnZVE7tOkw6XY5YfRc/s1600/Jason+Bowen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Although she spends her time behind the
scenes, Lynn Lupold’s life is on the stage under the bright lights and in front
of the entire audience. As the composer, lyricist and co-director of the
musical ‘<a href="http://enterlovemusical.com/">Enter Love</a>,’ she watches as actors bring her songs and, ultimately,
her own experiences to life at The Blue Theater.<a name='more'></a></span></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxC7W18WsSEkwISiTJNz5ZKrhE471eHAYYic0E-kUhFiEWvS5iDtHr56gea-5O33ucJQY4eT5CmSC0gr317ef72UdZpA6LzT905a1GhDFplzrLbaIdQCJ1axYk_gqRYpkh223gbyNO8sa6/s1600/Lynn+Lupold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxC7W18WsSEkwISiTJNz5ZKrhE471eHAYYic0E-kUhFiEWvS5iDtHr56gea-5O33ucJQY4eT5CmSC0gr317ef72UdZpA6LzT905a1GhDFplzrLbaIdQCJ1axYk_gqRYpkh223gbyNO8sa6/s200/Lynn+Lupold.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynn Lupold, composer, lyricist and<br />
co-director of 'Enter Love'</td></tr>
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<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“I told [the actors] that my life is out
there on the stage through these songs,” says Lupold, who’s also the founder of
the theater company, <a href="http://redboatproductions.com/">Red Boat Productions</a>. “‘Enter Love’ was by no means meant
to be autobiographical but each song has meaning to me – these are my own experiences
so it’s very personal.”</span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">And indeed it should. A former principal
at Lawrence North High School and Lafayette Jefferson High School, the
Indiana-based composer’s enthusiasm for academia seems rivaled only by her
passion for music. Despite her formal training as a professional musician at
Butler University, Lupold eschews the rigors of classical music for another
form of performance art: cabaret. “The classical style was never something I
enjoyed but as an educator I certainly enjoyed being a part of musicals,” she
recalls.</span></h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kTVdw3tYVIOEEdvUQ4gol9qU753rS9J8uE4HZ4ME3n9Pt6usgM1wV2uenCp2Mc7sSMkvUcLQPek1AcpJhcXLpXmD7WAYTvQZr8UlZvyF0noF2c_Bdf2lWwvpl2JnZVE7tOkw6XY5YfRc/s1600/Jason+Bowen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kTVdw3tYVIOEEdvUQ4gol9qU753rS9J8uE4HZ4ME3n9Pt6usgM1wV2uenCp2Mc7sSMkvUcLQPek1AcpJhcXLpXmD7WAYTvQZr8UlZvyF0noF2c_Bdf2lWwvpl2JnZVE7tOkw6XY5YfRc/s320/Jason+Bowen.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Bowen, actor and founding member<br />
of Quest Theatre Ensemble</td></tr>
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<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">‘Enter Love’ was a success in Indiana
where it was originally a “songbook” of performances based on songs written and
composed by Lupold. With her sights set on Chicago’s theater district, Lupold
approached <a href="http://www.questensemble.org/">Quest Theatre Ensemble</a> who saw the potential of transforming her work into a
full-blown musical. The remake explores the dynamics of relationships, both old
and 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 to
help move the story forward,” she says, adding that her song selection was
designed to showcase the talents of the entire cast.</span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“Anyone who writes music writes from the
heart so it must be hard to let go of the music and have someone sing it and
not have it done the way they had intended,” says Jason Bowen, actor and
founding member of Quest Theatre Ensemble, who also plays Frank in ‘Enter Love.’ On
working with Lupold, he says, “We made sure to try to do her work justice and
one of the things she was really adamant about was that people had to sing from
their hearts.”</span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">So what is Lupold’s favorite song from the
show? “That’s a really interesting question to ask someone who wrote all of
it,” she says, laughing. “It’s like asking someone: who’s your favorite child?” </span></h4>
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<br /></div>
<h4>
<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">‘Enter
Love’ is open through Oct. 16 at The Blue Theater, 1609 W. Gregory, Chicago;
free; 312-458-0895 and <b>www.questensemble.org</b></span></i></h4>
</div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470836039029185449.post-32040478582213724272011-09-23T12:01:00.000-05:002011-11-08T23:04:58.704-06:00Scare or amuse: shows open room for debate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Spirit Play" written by Emily Schwartz.<br />
Photo credit: Tyler Core</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/20/psychic-sally-morgan-hears-voices?CMP=twt_fd%20">Sally Morgan</a>, British psychic to the stars, recently came
under 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 the
case of art imitating life, headlines become food for thought in the upcoming
ensemble-driven comedy on nationalism with <a href="http://halcyontheatre.org/theamericans">"The Americans"</a>, while
<a href="http://www.dcatheater.org/shows/show/the_spirit_play/">"The Spirit Play"</a> is a period piece that struggles with the concept
of spiritualism.</div>
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Produced by <a href="http://www.strangetree.org/">The Strange Tree Group</a>, "The Spirit
Play" is an atmospheric dramedy set in the late 1870s. The story takes
place in the affluent homes of Chicago’s elite at a time when séances and
mediums were popular means for people to contact their lost loved ones.
Grieving families become easy prey for a group of scheming con artists until
lead character Jane starts to receive messages from beyond the grave.<br />
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Based on an original script by Emily Schwartz, the group’s
artistic director and resident playwright, several scenes were inspired by
original transcripts of séances and a book that exposes popular tricks by
mediums. “The theme is about belief versus truth,” she explains. “Even though
all the evidence might point to the fact that (spiritualism) isn’t true,
there’s still that kernel of belief and the question: what if?”<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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Despite its post-Victorian setting, the concept of
spirituality is still very much alive with the popularity of celebrity
psychics. “Mediums are still operating across the globe and have thousands upon
thousands of followers,” says Schwartz.<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh234maDm0RAO_C0f8SBi99oNjN-QCgHdr-2fJHuITsG8zN-Nq9MMA6JUYSAsecS0NfzpsOex_tkmccnV1zDEo5VSDGKxU3u5NOO_ccNr9zXnQdfRmGrNRW3xwXo1JKbSg5upaeocLfjc2M/s1600/Emily+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh234maDm0RAO_C0f8SBi99oNjN-QCgHdr-2fJHuITsG8zN-Nq9MMA6JUYSAsecS0NfzpsOex_tkmccnV1zDEo5VSDGKxU3u5NOO_ccNr9zXnQdfRmGrNRW3xwXo1JKbSg5upaeocLfjc2M/s320/Emily+edit.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily Schwartz, artistic director and resident<br />
playwright of The Strange Tree Group.<br />
Photo credit: Tyler Core</td></tr>
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Wrapped in the group’s steampunk aesthetic and glossed over
with effects by magician <a href="http://www.brettschneidermagic.com/Magic_of_Brett_Schneider.html">Brett Schneider,</a> "The Spirit Play" packages
this hot button issue into a highly entertaining show that hopes to draw next
month’s horror movie-loving crowds.</div>
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<a href="http://halcyontheatre.org/">Halcyon Theatre</a>’s "The Americans", on the other
hand, skips the smoke and mirrors in favor of a bare bones production involving
an ethnically diverse cast of twenty. “When Shakespeare’s plays were first
performed, 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.”</div>
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And create worlds it does. Written by playwright Coya Paz,
actors explore their identity as an American in today's world using humorous
and touching narratives. In doing so, Paz puts forth the many faces and the
lives affected by headline fodder such as racism, the Tea Party movement and
immigration laws.<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR50lIb5H1rD0sly3VzuW2Ebjikow9psTEqibC0jKvbGjIRuStOultICUIkFLG-zkPvR_yI2x6Eotish6WvOKS-9OREXuhju_vIiEtQ9ERhPs9vuEX8ZGc50dUNRcP3WwdR5uXnv0wirdZ/s1600/tonyadamsheadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR50lIb5H1rD0sly3VzuW2Ebjikow9psTEqibC0jKvbGjIRuStOultICUIkFLG-zkPvR_yI2x6Eotish6WvOKS-9OREXuhju_vIiEtQ9ERhPs9vuEX8ZGc50dUNRcP3WwdR5uXnv0wirdZ/s320/tonyadamsheadshot.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Adams, artistic director of<br />
The Halcyon Theatre</td></tr>
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“When an artwork gets more political, there’s a temptation
to channel your own view point, which is neither entertaining nor very good
art,” says Adams. “[Paz] has done a good job of presenting both sides in a fair
manner because you can’t create change if you can’t find a middle ground.”<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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Together, "The Spirit Play" and "The
Americans" set the stage for controversy, whether through spiritualism or
patriotism. While techniques vary from the highly stylized to the minimalist,
together they attempt to understand the very human need to explore identity
through various facets. Of course, neither one will spoil it by giving us all
the answers with endings that leave plenty of room for debate. Just like the
real-life headlines that inspired them in the first place.<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<i>“The Americans” starts September 26 at
the DCA Studio Theater, Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street; $5
suggested donation; </i><i>312-742-8497 and </i><b><i>www.dcatheater.org</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“The Spirit Play” starts September 27 at
the Studio Theater, Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street; $5
suggested donation; </i><i style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">312-742-8497 and </i><b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>www.dcatheater.org</i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></div>
<br /></div>Irish Mae Silvestrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989837155766764776noreply@blogger.com0