New 80's Music; Lip Dubs & Other Gayest Things You'll See This Week

Uncle P Was Here

So far, this weekend has been really excellent and this year's fourth quarter seems to be (finally) starting out to be better than last year's. After a terrifically fun & funny dinner and drinks with five other close co-workers (the official closed Facebook invite was called "Drink and Bitch") I came home on Friday, not quite ready to call it a night. So I hopped in the shower, changed and headed toward Southeastern PA's gay Mecca, New Hope and had a very fun evening which included getting to see my favorite comedian/bartender Adrian Colon (among other things; wink-wink, nudge-nudge). 

Today, Uncle P got to spend time with some dear young theatre friends at the Philadelphia Fall Festival (photo above), held in Center City's 'Gayborhood.' Tons of amazing food, cocktails and craft beers (I had a particularly delicious raspberry ale that was amazingly subtle and not sweet at all) as well as vendors and artists and tons of live entertainment from all over the region. We left around 3:30 (taking an hilariously unnecessary route back to the garage where we'd parked, but encountering a very cool, functional R2D2 because of it) and the increasing crowd was already becoming increasingly inebriated. I think we got out while the gettin' was good. Oddly, for what was promoted as an LGBT event, there very few LGBT-related booths or activities. After coming home, I ran some errands, defrosted the meats for tomorrow's Meatloaf Florentine and caught up on "Gray's Anatomy" (shut it!). After checking Facebook, I went to visit a few of my usual cyber-haunts, where I found a few music videos which I just had to share, because I loved them (and you should too).

First up (via) is The Department, with their decidedly 80's sounding and looking "As If Transformed." Electronica Lives!

Wow! That takes me back! 

Next (also via) is proof that artists and art everywhere. This weird, wonderful and super-fun single-take lip dub of Kiesza's "Hideaway" is just amazing and deserves to go viral.

Of course, Kiesza's original single-take video is pretty amazing, too.

Last, though hardly least (and to keep 'The Gayest Thing' tag relevant), the very adorable Berkshire Boys are back with their lip-dub of Demi Lovato's over-played "Really Don't Care." They're so cute, you can forgive one more listen!

All this and I still have a Sunday evening first date to look forward to. Whee! Yes, I still have my moments, but after Bluebird and these past few weekends, I'm finally starting to really feel like myself, again. And while I am always loathe to quote a criminal One Percenter, "That's a good thing." 

More, anon.
Prospero

The Next Gayest Things You'll See This Week

I was going to talk about Jonathan Winters' passing, but I've had enough sad stuff this week. And yes, I will finish yesterday's post. I'm still trying to figure out how I want to say what I want to talk about, without coming off as maudlin or sappy. Again, it's been a tough week.

So instead, tonight I thought I'd I'd write about some pretty funny; somewhat sexy and very, very gay things.

First up (via) comes a film industry oddity - a teaser trailer for a movie that hasn't even started shooting (um... so where did the teaser footage come from?). Anyway, the movie (for which I can find no IMDb listing) is called TOM, a long-rumored biography of illustrator and designer Tom of Finland. Born Touko Laaksonen in 1920, Tom of Finland's illustrations influenced and informed mid-century gay culture with his stylized, hyper-masculine erotic art. Featuring leather-clad muscle boys; tightly-uniformed sailors and fetish-wearing Pony Boys (most with impossibly large um... 'equipment'), Laaksonen's work most certainly influenced The Village People and the controversial Al Pacino movie Cruising in the late 70's and early 80's. The teaser's very amusing (and fairly safe for work until the last 30 seconds or so). Nathaniel at The Film Experience identifies the adorable actor playing the artist as an actor named Olli Rahkonen. I love his dirty smirking!

It also reminds of the time I was playing the Cowardly Lion in a 1978 production of The Wizard of Oz and my innocent young sister bought me a greeting card with Dorothy and Toto in a leather bar, lamenting about not being in Kansas. That card was funny to a 10 year old girl in a very different way than it was to her 16 year old gay brother. Yikes! If only she'd known.... wait. DUH!

In less salacious gay entertainment news. Britain's ITV has released the trailer for "Vicious," (via) about a bickering older gay couple (Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi - wow!) whose lives are changed when a new neighbor moves in. I should be so lucky...

If "Vicious" is a hit, it won't be long before we see an American version. Who would you cast? I can see Fred Willard and Martin Mull. Scott Thompson (so happy to see him on "Hannibal" this week!) and Stephen Rutledge, perhaps? Now there's a duo I'd love to direct.

More, anon.
Prospero

Philadelphia

Honestly... Not the Best Sandwich in America

Yesterday was K's birthday. She's 3 2 years older than Uncle P, but just like me, acts 10 (or more) years younger. Today, our two other BFFs (Q and Dale) treated K to a day in Center City Philadelphia, starting with a visit to the Reading Terminal Market and a stop at Tommy DiNic's for an Italian Pork Sandwich with Kohlrabi broccolirabe (voted 'Best Sandwich in America' by Travel Channel's cute bear Adam Richman). Yes, the roast pork was delicious, but the kohlrabi broccolirabe was cooked with some rather intense garlic, which made the sandwich a bit too garlickly to be actually good. I saved half and will remove most of the kohlrabi broccolirabe before I eat the rest. Truth be told, I've had a better sandwich at any number of more local places.

We wandered about the very crowded market for another hour or so and I ended up buying some delicious local cheese; a jar of seedless blackberry jam; an amazingly delicious black cherry balsamic vinegar and a homeopathic remedy for my poor mother's increasingly painful night leg cramps. I also got to taste a sample of an astoundingly delicious Maple/Bacon cupcake, which found both Dale and myself in foodie heaven.

Afterwards, we made out way to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which I haven't visited in a very long time. We wandered about the first floor which houses the museum's collection of Modern Art (much of which confounded K - and some of which confounded Uncle P) and then made our way up to the second floor. There we found some amazing and intricate Renaissance and early Dutch; English and American art and furniture. Nearly exhausted from all the walking, eating and carrying-on, we made our way home having spent a day with people we love very much... and that's what really mattered in the end. 

Between last night's rather wonderful date and today's visit to the very nearby Cradle of American Democracy, this weekend has proven to be one I will remember for quite some to come. Of course, tomorrow will involve involve bill-paying, grocery shopping, house cleaning and laundry... a bit of a let-down from what's come before. But I'm not complaining.

More, anon.
Prospero

Blasts from the Past

Ah... the 70's. They weren't all Disco, cocaine and Studio 54. The 70's were a time when Independent Cinema grew into its own and experimental "Art Rock" bands were paving the way for the Punk and New Wave movements of the 80's. 1979 saw the release of Pink Floyd's best-selling album ever, The Wall. My musical education truly began with that album. While several years earlier, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; the first album I actually purchased for myself and the first time I realized that Elton was probably gay.

Having grown up with a Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner-loving father and an Elvis-idolizing mother, I must thank both of my parents for letting me know that while not all music is equal, good music can be... transportive. I may have mentioned that I attended Saturday Night Fever High. I had a 3-piece cream suit and dark brown Qiana shirt for the big dance on the last night of our Senior Class trip to Orlando (the very first time I set foot inside the Magic Kingdom and several years before EPCOT existed).

Earlier today, fellow blogger and often hilarious Facebook friend Pax Romano posted that he was listening to Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of  The War of the Worlds, which immediately made me think of YES keyboardist Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Center of the Earth and finally to YES' weirdest and most amazing album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. It came in a fold-old sleeve with some amazing art by Roger Dean and each side of the 81:15 minute long concept album is just one song. I was introduced to the album by my first out-of-high-school boyfriend amid a cloud of smoke and vodka and I wasn't sure which of the four of them was more intoxicating...  Many years later, I was surprised to learn a later BF loved the album, as well. We spent a July Saturday afternoon in Provincetown with this album blaring on his Pathfinder's stereo.

If there is anything I really miss about the music industry when I was growing up and learning to love an even wider variety of musical genres, it's great album art.

Here's some awesome music from when Skrillex and Dead Mau5's parents were kids:






And here's some random bad album cover art:

A Warhol Wannabe?

No, Let ME Touch Him

Move Along. Nothing Gay to See Here

As What, a Giant Q-Tip?

Bwomb-Chicka-Wow-... Oh, Hell No!

Hope I made you smile, at least!

More, anon
Prospero

Awards Season Nonsense

Golden Globe Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Pohler

I don't know if it's age-induced cynicism, bitterness or just an increasing awareness about what's really important in life, but I have come to loathe the entertainment Awards Season and the shows which present said awards.

It honestly seems ridiculous to me to offer up awards for any art form, especially since art is so very subjective. I may love a film; TV show; play; musical; painting; song; album; composition;  sculpture or installation that you absolutely detest. Or vice-versa. You might find something uproariously funny while I find it repulsively disgusting. I may be moved to tears by a poem or novel, while you simply shrug your shoulders and say "Huh?" No one else I know is as fascinated by Dali's "The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus" as I am. And that's as it should be. Art (and one's response to it) may be one of the few truly individual things we have.

Here's a very personal example: Dear D's favorite actor is Sylvester Stallone and his favorite movie of all-time is Rocky. I have no favorite actor (really, how can one?) and my favorite film of all-time is Bringing Up Baby. If I did have a 'favorite actor,' I can assure you it wouldn't be Stallone. That doesn't mean Stallone hasn't been in some highly entertaining films. It also doesn't mean that every film he's been in, has been bad. Or even that the bad film's in which he's appeared weren't entertaining. Demolition Man is by no means be 'high art,' but I was amused and entertained by it (though, unlike D, I don't have 3 seashells in my bathroom - no matter how hilarious I may find it). 

Awarding folks for their achievements is hardly new. And while I wouldn't be opposed to winning an award of any kind, I imagine that winning a Nobel or Pulitzer or even an Olympic medal would mean much more to me than a Golden Globe, Critics' Choice or Academy Award. While awards shows may be just as entertaining to some folks as great art is to others, to me they are just ego-inflating parties thrown by and for rich people who have nothing better to do than pat one another on the back.

Oh, and for famous LGBT people to publicly come out (via):

Sorry for the bad audio. It's what they had.

More. anon.
Prospero

Obsessions Will Soon Collide

Some of the Cast of Iris at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles

In a little less than six days, I will be sitting in the Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre) watching Iris, Cirque du Soleil's "journey through the world of cinema." It's been about three years since I've seen a Cirque show (the absolutely astounding Kooza, which was a return to the kind of  breathtaking feats of acrobatics that make Cirque so amazing).

If you've never seen a Cirque du Soleil show live, you should. You will never forget it. It's truly circus as theatre. For ethical reasons, they employ no animal acts, displaying feats of human dexterity only. Incorporating music; dance; song and non-traditional clowning, each Cirque show is unique, using an amazing array of sets; costumes; makeups and lighting effects to create thrilling and beautiful productions worldwide. There are currently 20 Cirque shows, both on tour and in permanent residence. Iris is the only permanent show in California. There are several permanent shows in Las Vegas, as well as one in Orlando, FL (La Nouba) and Biloxi, MS (Allegria). The shows I've seen include Saltimbanco; Allegria; Quidam; Dralion; Quidam; La Nouba; Kooza and Wintuk. I first fell in love with them when I saw the HBO version of their first U.S. tour, We Reinvent the Circus. You can often catch video performances of their older touring shows on A&E. 

With a score by prolific film composer Danny Elfman, Iris examines the history, genres and technologies of one of America's few truly original art forms. As a professed cinephile from a very young age and a professed Cirque fanatic for the last 20 years, I am honestly salivating at the thought of seeing Iris.

You can be sure I'll talking about the show again, after I get home next Sunday.

And here's the trailer for Kooza, the last Cirque show I saw (with K).



More, anon.
Prospero

Pole to Pole (or: Art Can Be Sexy and Sex Can Be Artistic)

Travis Scott, Chris Talbot and Luke Quadrio - Pure Pole Studs

There has been some talk of adding Pole Dancing to the 2016 Olympics. Some people I've mentioned this to have expressed disdain and even disgust at the notion. Yes, I know - Pole Dancing is usually associated with sleazy girls in "Gentlemen's" clubs. But lately, the grace and athleticism required for such performances has been acknowledged as something more than just "dirty." Hell, on last season's 'America's Got Talent' a male pole dancer, Steven Retchless, almost made it to the semi-finals.

The upper-body strength required to do these impressive moves is nothing less than amazing. Personally, I would give almost anything to be able to do what these guys do. Gay Aussie trio Pure Pole Studs are proving that athletes can be sexy (not that anyone doubted that, anyway). Take a quick look at what these boys can do (via):

How can anyone say these guys aren't athletes? Can you do that? I doubt it. I know I certainly can't (nor ever could). And honestly, what delineates Pure Pole Studs from the Chinese Poles performers in Cirque du Soliel's Saltimbanco? I'm guessing it's fancy costumes and and a live orchestra:

Saltimbanco was the first of many live Cirque du Soleil productions I have seen. My dear friend Elizabeth and I were entranced. They never fail to amaze and excite me and always make me wish I was capable of performing such astonishing feats of athleticism. Many Olympic gymnasts have gone on to become Cirque performers and Prospero's own Ariel (the very sweet and intensely focused Christina) has studied with them, going on to create her own athletic clowning duo which performs all over the world. Cirque even has a show in Vegas that is all about human sexuality, "Zumanity" at the New York, New York casino and hotel:

So, where do we draw the line between 'Sex' and 'Art?' Not an easy question. Nor should it be. Pole dancers as athletes? Athletes as sexual beings? To me, it's all just part of being human.

More, anon.
Prospero

On the Merits of Community Theatre

A rehearsal still from my 2008 production of The Skin of Our Teeth

The Antoinette Perry (or 'Tony') Awards are wrapping up as I write this post. I did not watch them, nor have I for a long time. I don't watch them because Broadway is completely irrelevant to the vast majority of Americans, especially those who love the theatre. Excuse me, The Theatre. 

Yes, Broadway can be wonderful. I've seen some amazing shows on Broadway. I was in the audience for the final performance of the full original cast of Kiss of the Spiderwoman (amazing, by the way). I first saw one of my favorite comedies about theatre, Noises Off, on Broadway. I sat in the second row, in the seat next to where the character Sally Simpson would eventually join the audience in The Who's Tommy. I've seen the original casts of Pippin; Timbuktu; The Wiz; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Hurly Burly; Victor/Victoria; Wicked; Xanadu; Rent; Aida; The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? and dozens more plays and musicals. I've seen Broadway revivals of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; West Side Story; Candide; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Richard III;  and many more. But how many of us have access to Broadway, especially at today's ticket prices? A top-tier musical can cost $150 or more. That's not including transportation to New York, parking and a meal. Add taxes and tips, and an evening on Broadway can easily cost several hundred bucks. These days, I can barely afford a movie ticket, let alone a ticket to a major Broadway show.

What's the alternative? Well, you might be lucky enough to live in a city where the traveling company of a show might play (still exorbitant). But most likely, if you love the theatre, you're going to see your local community theatres' shows. And that's a good thing. For every professional regional company (whose prices can be almost as out of reach as Broadway), there are probably 10 community theatre companies who charge less than $20 a ticket. And many of them do truly terrific work. Case in point: This past Friday I saw an absolutely delightful and expertly-executed community theatre production of The Drowsy Chaperone. The cast was excellent across the board, the direction was dead-on and the production values were rather spectacular. Yes, of course there are plenty of truly awful community theatre companies out there. But there are also plenty of truly awful professional theatre companies, as well. Trust me, I've seen (and even been party to) some truly wretched 'professional' shows.

Having done my share of both professional and community theatre, I have to say, I much prefer the latter. People who perform, direct and otherwise create for community theatre do what they do because they truly love the theatre. That's not to say that professionals don't love what they do but professional theatre is a profit-driven business. The cast and crew may love what they do, but their primary goal is to make money. Community theatre companies are mostly non-profit organizations whose sole intent is to provide entertainment for the community at large and allow creative outlets for local actors, designers, technicians and craftspeople. Whether they do it well or not, doesn't really matter (though a job well-done is always better than the alternative). The fact that they do it at all, makes it worth doing.

I started this blog almost four years ago in an attempt to document the process of putting on a community theatre production of The Skin of Our Teeth for Shakespeare '70 and the Thornton Wilder Society's first annual conference at The College of New Jersey in 2008. My 'Steampunk' inspired concept for the show was embraced by both the company and the conference attendees, which only served to validate not only my own artistic sensibilities, but led credence to the existence and artistic value of community theatre in general. 

Here's the thing: If you live in or near New York and can afford to see Broadway shows, by all means, do so. Many shows have lotteries for folks who can't afford the regular ticket price and discounted tickets are always available at the TKTS booths at Duffy Square and Battery Park (which is how I could afford many of the shows I've seen on Broadway). If you don't live near or in Manhattan, I urge you to please support your local theatre companies. They have just as much passion, drive and artistic integrity as the companies who have millions to spend and you can see original and differing interpretations of so many plays and musicals.

Remember - Art Can't Hurt You.

More, anon.
Prospero

Friday Gratuities, Faux Holidays, Cooking and Other Assorted Nonsense

Nature

Let's start with some gratuitous Nature porn, shall we?

I found that picture on this site, listed as an "Epic Win!" I've seen this photographer's work before (if you know his name, please let me know so I can credit him). He specializes in shooting ocean waves in motion and has captured some amazing things, so I don't doubt to the veracity of the photo and I don't think it's been Photoshopped. Light through water is exceptionally beautiful and this wave looks like magically stained glass thanks to a remarkably colorful sunset. Luck, skill, timing and being in the right place at the right time.

Now, I know some folks who would say "God made that wave like that." Um... Okay. If you want to think that, I'm not going to stop you, but actually the photographer used a combination of science, art and nature to capture that moment when the three come together to create something extraordinary as that photograph. Truth is, art couldn't exist without science. Paint; photographs; videotape; compact discs; Mp3s... all of them impossible without chemistry, biology and physics. And quite honesty, it is science that proves how we exist, even if it still doesn't exactly know why.

"Ai-Ooo-Gah!"

And speaking of beautiful (and slightly less philosophical) things, it's time to move on to some gratuitous male flesh. Because you see, Uncle P has fallen in lus... er, uh... love with  ballet dancer Jonathan Guijarro, pictured to the right. You should all expect your "Save the Date" notifications, soon. Jonathan and I will be honeymooning in St. Tropez, Monaco, Nice and Paris, followed by an extended stay with his parents at their beach house in Ibiza.

In lieu of gifts, please donate enough moeny to convince Jonathan to marry me. For reals, ya'll. I mean it. Help a brother out!

Honestly, I don't know the young man's real heritage. He could be Latino or Spanish, but who really cares? The boy is smoking hot! I'm talking 12 alarms. Mui caliente.All that and a bag of chips. The cat's pajamas. The bee's knees. Wait... what? Australia's number one gay men's magazine, DNA has a small photo feature (may be NSFW) of Jonathan on their website this week. Like Hrthiik Roshan; Chris Evans; Ryan Reynolds; Bradley Cooper and My Obsession, Guijarro is just another gorgeous person with whom I actually have nothing in common. But that doesn't mean I can't look at, admire and comment about people I find to be particularly attractive. I'm only human, afterall. And we all like pretty things...

Of course, it's genetics (more science, thank you) that makes people like Jonathan so attractive. Not everyone's DNA is wired for such esthetic perfection. But enough of that.

May the Fourth Be With You!

Let's move on to Faux Holidays. This weekend sees two of the silliest...

Today of course, was "Star Wars Day" (every self-respecting Sci-Fi geek knows why). My equally demented friend and co-worker Mia, shared the image on the left. Of course, Luke Skywalker isn't quite as Christ-like a figure as Spielberg's E.T. but I suppose he'll do in a pinch, even though he's more like young Arhur Pendragon than Jesus of Nazareth. 

And tomorrow (today, actually) is the Mexican St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo. Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo celebrates a single victory against the French in 1862. In Mexico, it is only celebrated in the state of Puebla. In the U.S., it is celebrated in Mexican restaurants both good and bed; bars and cantinas (talk about a Star Wars seque!) with tequila shots, Margaritas and dos Equis; tacos; enchiladas; salsa; cilantro; tortillas and rice. All of which, by the way, I will be doing tomorrow.

It just so happens that the next dinner with my college friends falls on May 5th, so we're obviously having a Mexican-inspired feast. We're trying hard not to do the usual. I'm making a "Creamy Taco Casserole" and a rice dish that combines elements of two different recipes I found online, along with my personal tweaks and embellishments.

 

Candy-filled Pinata Cookies

I was very tempted to try to make the candy-filled pinata cookies on the right, but I'm not really a baker. I do well enough with pies, tarts and crisps I suppose, but cookies have never been my thing and while I found these to be delightfully whimsical, they're also pretty complicated for a novice cookie maker. I imagine a sweaty version of myself, cursing and decrying my clumsy ape-like fingers as rainbow sugar cookies crumbled to into rainbow crumb-fetti.

Of course, I'll be posting about our gas-inducing indulgence afterwards.  There are some very yummy-sounding dishes on the menu and I'm looking forward to both seeing my friends and eating great food. What more can one ask of life? Wait... Don't answer that... 

I'll be sure to let you know if I ever do make those cookies.

More, anon.

Prospero

Playing the Flute

Nom-nom-nom-nom....

I'll bet you though this was about sex... Shame on you!

I am often amazed by the number of truly talented artists, actors, dancers, poets, writers and musicians I come across on a daily basis. Of course, thanks to YouTube, we can see these folks whenever we want. Still, every once in a while, one finds something truly exceptional and extraordinary. Such is the case with young flutist Jeemini Lee.

I wish I knew where I first saw the video I am about to share. I posted it on Facebook this past Sunday, but only one of my friends seemed to be as enamored of it as I was. I've watched it a dozen or more times and I am still fascinated by it. This high-schooler actually beat-boxes while playing the flute. Yes, the piece she's playing was intended to be just that, but still... See for yourselves:

Amazing, no? It almost makes me wish I had kept up with those clarinet lessons I took in elementary school.

I may like to think of myself as artist. Indeed, many lesser and/or more talented folk than I think of themselves that way. But seeing something like that is both humbling and inspiring. There is no indication as to whether or not Jeemini won the competition in which she played this piece, though I know if I were judging that day, she would have gotten my vote.

That video helped lift my Winter Blues a bit. I hope it did the same for you. She's certainly an artist to keep an eye on. I've subscribed to her YouTube Channel and can't wait to see what else she has to show us.

If you have seen something which excited and inspired you, please share it with me. You know how much I love your comments.

More, anon.
Prospero

Allusions, Allegories and Downright Rip-Offs

What Are They Sitting On?

So, we finished blocking the first scene of Top Girls tonight. It's long and complicated and filled with tales of both triumph and woe.

And since Churchill is so specific about the seating arrangements in the scene, I couldn't help but take advantage of it and use an iconic image everyone knows towards the end of it. It's not the first time I've done such a thing. I put the Sistine Chapel into The Most Fabulous Story... and hope to find a place to use this image in the scene that follows the dinner in Act I. In fact, I may very well put an iconic image in every scene of the show...

Top Girls is a play so filled with social commentary, I'm sure it won't be difficult to find plenty of places to add such images. The trick, of course, is finding the right image for the right scene. And since one of Churchill's characters is right out of an iconic image, I can't imagine she'd be very upset by the idea.

I'm not afraid to admit that Top Girls is probably the hardest thing I've ever attempted as a director - it's loaded with layer-upon-layer of psychology; politics; feminism; mythology; symbolism and social commentary, all of which need to be explored in order to create a cohesive piece out of a play that asks a million and five questions without answering a single one of them. 

Still, I'm confident that my most excellent cast is up to the task. They certainly aren't afraid to take the journey (and the risks that go along with it) with me, and that's what every director hopes for when he or she casts a show. I just have to convince myself that I'm up to it, as well.

More, anon.

Prospero

...But I Know What I Like.

I've always been a fan of guerrilla art. Nothing destructive, of course. Good guerrilla art should be not only provocative, but actually display some talent. I came across this image on the blog LOLGod, which is basically an atheist humor blog that often borders on brilliant.

I can't help but think Darwin would love this piece which appears to be by an artist with whom I am not familiar, KreiBel (a German artist whose work can be viewed here) very much in the style of the elusive British art prankster Bansky. And before you stop reading, no I am not going on another rant about religion and all the terrible things that come from it - there's plenty of evidence for that in the daily headlines (and throughout all of recorded history, for that matter).

No, tonight I am going to talk about art.

Pretentious? No. Good art is never pretentious. Pretentious art is, by definition, bad art. That's not to say all bad art is pretentious. There is plenty of earnest and well-intentioned bad art out there, in all of its forms. And even that has its own merits. But truly good art has to be an honest expression of the artist's intentions, even though those intentions may be interpreted differently by each person who views it. Good art resonates with many people; on many different levels, for many different reasons and in many different ways, but it resonates, none the less. Any and all responses to art are valid, despite one's education or previous exposure to the medium. As the old line goes, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."

Art usually holds value to only two people: the artist and the viewer who responds to it. You and I may like the same film, but for different reasons, while any given viewer's response may differ wildly from the artist's intentions. As a director, I often tell actors "There is no 'right' way, but there is most definitely a wrong way, and even the least sophisticated audience member can smell BS a mile away."

I have dozens (if not hundreds) of favorite artists, working in almost any medium you can think of: Painters; sculptors; writers; actors; designers; musicians; singers; composers; directors... the lists go on. If forced to choose a favorite artits, in the way in which most people interpret the word, it would have to be Salvador Dali, the Spanish painter/sculptor/filmmaker who in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, redefined 'art' for his generation. My favorite Dali piece usually resides in the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

The painting features a beatific Columbus, Dali's wife as the Virgin Mary and more crosses than I have ever been able to actually count. It is a massive work, easily 15' tall by 10' wide (or more) and speaks to me in a way no other painting, sculpture, film, novel or play ever has - and I have absolutely no idea why. I can spend hours lost in the painting, discovering some new extraordinary detail with each and every viewing. Dali was known for painting in a trance, transposing his trance dreams onto the canvas. I try to do that in my own writing, with limited success, though more than one of screenplays has been born out of a dream.

So, what's the point of this post? I'm not exactly sure, except to maybe remind all of you to find art that inspires you. It can be anything from Neolithic cave paintings, Egyptian hieroglyphs or the Sistine Chapel to "Huckleberry Finn," The Nutcracker or Star Wars. It can even be in an amazing rainbow:

Remember: Art Can't Hurt You.

More, anon.
Prospero

Tiny Art Director

This is a quickie tonight (again), but I love this blog I've just found (via) so much, I had to share.

The painting to your left is "Dog Legs" by artist Bill Zeman, who as been collaborating with his now 5 year-old daughter, since she was 2. Basically, she tells him what to paint, and he does so. Then he posts the results and his daughter's critiques. The directive for this particular painting was "Draw a dragon sneaking up on a girl. She's picking flowers." She complained that the dragon had dog legs, hence the title.

Tiny Art Director is also now a book, which I will be buying for a certain someone for a certain day coming up, because I know this person would love it (and I'll be buying a copy for myself, as well). I urge you to buy it, too. Prints of Zeman's works are also available for purchase on the site.

Off to write elsewhere but as always, more, anon,
Prospero

My Other Obsession

Speaking of the Circus... I don't know if I have ever mentioned it before, but ever since the early 90's I have been absolutely obsessed with the Cirque du Soleil.

Yes, we all know the circus traditions, dating back almost as far as medievel times and (until recently) culminating with the so-called "Greatest Show on Earth." But Cirque du Soleil is something quite different. It is in fact, Circus as Theatre. Founded by a group of hippie street performers in the early 80's, Cirque du Soliel transcends traditional circus (and refuses to use animals), creating something unique and exhilirating. Combining acrobatics, contortion and daring stunts with astonishing and ecclectic music, this French-Canadian company has established itself as THE 21st Century Circus. With touring shows around the world as well as permanent shows in Orlando, Biloxi and Las Vegas, they are one of the most influential and original performance companies in the world. If you aren't familiar with their work, I invite you to watch the videos embedded below. Thrilling, daring, beautiful and awesome, I haven't missed a show since Saltimbanco, their first major North American tour. Simply Stunning.

First, here's a clip from Allegria, their second major tour:

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Next, here is their first permanent Las Vegas show, Mystere:

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Then came their next permanent show, O, at the Bellagio, which built a special water theatre just for them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS0pW2ty75s

Then came La Nouba, a permanent show at Disney Village in Orlando, Florida:

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Then came their most ambitious show, Ka, a Russian-inspired Vegas show which featured their first ever full orchestra and choir:

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Another Vegas show soon followed. Zumanity is aimed at Sin City's adult audiences and explores the circus that is human sexuality:

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And for one of their more recent Vegas shows, they collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Martin to create Love, a tribute to the Beatles:

Cirque du Soleil continues to create new and amazing experiences - I saw Kooza last year and am looking forward to Ovo (an apparently insect-inspired show) and Jukari on tour soon, as well a new Vegas show featuring illusionist Criss Angel, Believe. If you've never experienced them live, make it a point to do so. I promise you will be awed, inspired and completely entertained.

By the way, this post has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I would run away and join this circus at the drop of a hat. I just want to sit and watch them mesmorize again and again. If you can, watch these clips in Full Screen. And Ill be posting about their films, soon.

More, anon.
Prosper

Lost Arts

Briefly mentioned in Jurassic Park, the Flea Circus is mostly a thing of the past. Dark Roasted Blend recently featured a fabulous post about this lost art which was sometimes real, but more often a bit chicanery.

Trained fleas would be put on display, along with a variety of tiny props, giving the illusion that they (the fleas) were willingly participating in any number of "Circus" acts. In all honesty, they were merely displaying typical flea behaviors, while tethered to miniature wagons, swings, chariots and other paraphernalia. And more often than not, there were no fleas at all; merely mechanical and/or magnetic devices controlled from afar. I like to think of it as "Micro-Theatre" and like the long lost Coney island attractions of the early 20th Century, sorely wish I could have seen them in their heyday. Now I'm all itchy...

Not to be outdone, the good folks over at MatchstickMarvels.com have posted a fascinating look at a matchstick sculpture of J.R.R. Tolkien's "City of Kings," Minas Tirith, built by someone who obviously has way too much time on his hands. Check out this picture below and then click the link to see the work in progress. Impressive, geeky and very cool.

Personally, I would never have the patience (or skill) to pull of something so massive and detailed. Though the Fantasy/Sci-fi geek in me has to admit to loving it a lot. Kudos to matchstick sculptor Patrick Acton, whose models include matchstick recreations of the USS Iowa; the Spaceshuttle Challenger; the U.S. Capitol and the Titanic, all of which can be seen at his Matchstick Museum in Gladbrook, Iowa. Acton's models can also be seen in Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museums around the world.

Hear Something Wonderful, etc.

Lots to talk about tonight, so this will be a multi-post kind of night. First, a co-worker sent me a link to this video last week. The sound on my work computer is terrible, so I forwarded it to my home email account and just got around to watching it. Much to my chagrin, I'm sorry I didn't watch it before, because it is truly a moving piece.

Playing for Change is an organization that wants to promote world peace through music (something which I whole-heartedly endorse). Below is the video for their version of the Sam Cooke classic, "Stand By Me," as performed by street musicians all over the world. Somehow, they got these folks to to do the song in the same key and tempo, and then edited the performances together into this amazing vid. It actually gave me chills. Please enjoy (and click the link to learn more about Playing for Change).

Honestly, how can one not be moved by that?

On Judging Art

I was invited to be a judge at my Alma Mater's annual 24-hour play contest, "Wired." Six teams of students were given a theme, topic and several plot twists. They had 24 hours to write, rehearse and produce a short play, complete with props, costumes and scenery. They started Friday night at 8 PM and the shows went up Saturday night at 8 PM. The plot twists were often introduced at the last minute. For example, near the end of the writing portion, the teams were told they had to add a "death monologue." A character had to die (whether he/she was originally intended to or not) and had to deliver a monologue while dying. There were other random things assigned, as well. Each play had to use the word "Wired" at least 5 times; each play had to include the line "Who is Miley Cyrus?" and each play had to start and end with the same line. The young actors had basically one day to rehearse and memorize the scripts.

The resulting plays were often hilarious. In the first, two failing history students travel back in time to steal the Golden Fleece for extra credit, only to find themselves in the midst of a Trojan War where Paris and Achilles are actually in love with one another, leaving one of the students to whisk Helen away to the present just as Cupid's arrow pierces Achilles' heel, killing him before he and Paris can consummate their love. In another, celebrity gossip follows the dead into the afterlife: Moses is dating Princess Di ("She's only 12 years dead, you pervert!") and after Eva throws him out, Hitler moves in with Anne Frank. And another examined what might have happened if McCain had won the election -- He dies while taking the oath, Palin takes over and abolishes Congress; establishing herself as Overlord Palin while Al Gore leads the resistance from his secret Cold Fusion lab in Switzerland. Offensive? Maybe. Funny? Definitely.

We were all given rubrics which broke the shows down into three categories of points; 20 for Acting, 20 for Writing and 15 for Directing. The show I scored the highest (the one about Sarah Palin), didn't strike the same chords with the other judges (a friend and acting teacher, another alumnus, a randomly chosen audience member and the event's arbiters). Of course, we did finally choose, but it was far from easy.

I suppose the point of all this is, how does one judge art? Art, by definition, is completely subjective. What may move and inspire me, may leave you scratching your head and asking "What the...?" My favorite painting of all time is Salvador Dali's "The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus." It is a sprawling, gigantic work, depicting a beatific Columbus landing on the stepped shores of America, surrounded by thousands of crosses. The painting is housed in the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL, and every time I see it (about every two or three years) I get a lump in my throat and have to spend an hour or so just taking it in. I'm hardly religious; I am not a history buff and I don't believe that Columbus was the first European to visit North America. So why does this painting painting speak to me? I have no idea. It just does. Synapses fire, a mood is set and I am in awe.

At the end of the evening, as the awards were handed out, I felt that we had in fact, chosen the best play. Though I can't help but wonder how different the outcome would have been with a different set of judges.

Art is a very important part of what makes us Human. Only Humans truly create art. Yes, I know there are elephants whose paintings sell for thousands of dollars - but are the elephants sentient enough to know what they are doing? No. They are simply displaying behaviors imposed upon them by their trainers. Art is a Human trait, and I hope and believe that it is art that will save the Human race from itself.

So, how does one judge art? I don't know. I suppose it can only be judged if it moves you. If you are inspired; outraged; confused; excited; turned on; turned off or just made to think, then the artist has successfully done his or her job. And to that end, everyone was a winner at "Wired."

More, anon.

Prospero