Published by The Boston Globe
By Kathleen Burge and Katrina Ballard
“Adam Underground,’’ a new short film produced by two Newton North High School graduates, tells the fictional story of a group of entrepreneurial students who discover a lucrative way to make money: churning out finished homework, for a fee, for their less academically talented peers.
But the film is also an ode to Newton North — not the gleaming new building that recently opened awash in controversy and acclaim, but the old, empty hulk of a school that sits abandoned beside its replacement, waiting for demolition.
The film’s two directors, Nicholas Weiss-Richmond and Rachel Cole, met at Newton North and are now in their mid-20s. When they collaborated on the movie, they decided to film it at their old high school during its final student-filled months last spring.
The pair became artists-in-residence at the school and created an apprenticeship program for the film, eventually working with more than 100 Newton North students who helped create the film during the week of April vacation.
“I had such a blast on set, on screen, and working off screen,’’ said Philip Halin, 17, who was a production apprentice and an extra on the set. “I definitely always felt like a part of the process, it wasn’t just, ‘We’re making a movie, let’s have these kids tagging along.’ ’’
Tonight, the first sneak peek of “Adam Underground,’’ as well as a documentary about the making of the short film, will be shown at the new Newton North. Tickets are $15, an attempt to pay off debt remaining from making the film, which the directors have submitted to the Sundance Film Festival.
The seed for the film came one winter a few years ago in New York City, when Weiss-Richmond and Cole were sharing a Brooklyn, N.Y., apartment. Weiss-Richmond escaped to a coffee shop to stay warm and began to sketch out the idea for a television series about an underground high school homework factory. Cole embraced the idea, and then they both got distracted by life.
Last year, while Weiss-Richmond was recovering at his parents’ Newton home after a bicycle accident, his mind returned to the underground homework factory, this time in the form of a movie.
He brought in some friends, and pitched the idea to school administrators — who signed on, enthusiastically. “So we walked out a little stunned,’’ Weiss-Richmond said. “Then we had all the work of figuring out what it was going to be.’’
They hired a New York casting director and watched auditions from 50 actors before they chose the main characters. They hired crew largely through friends and previous projects. They were allowed to film for free at the high school, although they had to pay for extra custodians. In all, they spent $45,000 on the film, though much of the cost was covered through fund-raising.
Weiss-Richmond and the rest of the crew took over the high school during April vacation, working around rain and hail for an outside shot and turning a classroom into the fictional homework factory.
They painted the walls of the classroom and ran out of time to restore the paint to the original colors, but school officials told them not to worry. That was the beauty of filming in a building that would be torn down by year’s end.
“It’s been said to me in no uncertain terms in this new building, it wouldn’t ever have happened,’’ Weiss-Richmond said.
Vice principal Deborah Holman said she taught Cole and Weiss-Richmond when they were students and supported their project. “I thought it was completely within their personality as I remembered them as students — wild and outlandish, but thoughtful and artistic,’’ she said.
Holman said she did not realize the scale of the project ahead of time, but was happy Cole and Weiss-Richmond were vague on the details.
“I remember going down to one of sets on the first day . . . whole rooms were utterly transformed,’’ she said. “I sat there gawking, so glad they didn’t tell me they were going to do this, but I just laughed and said, ‘This is totally Nick and Rachel.’ ’’
It was also a way for students to get a feel for a real film set, as well as an example of how recent graduates were pursuing their creative passions, she said.
The crew and the student apprentices worked every day from morning until midnight, barely finishing their filming before school reopened at the end of April vacation ended.
As they filmed, the old building began to play a role in the film.
“In a way, the building was decomposing around us,’’ Weiss-Richmond said. “It definitely lent an end-of-days feeling to us.’’
Now Weiss-Richmond has been preparing for this week’s debut in an office in the new building. This gleaming Newton North feels sterile to him, much like a hospital, he said. “I’m very attached to the old building.’’
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Fighting for Food at a Playhouse in Florence
Published by Blending Magazine and Trazzler
First-time diners at Teatro del Sale be warned: pace yourself. I received the same piece of advice on my first night at the restaurant but promptly ignored it when I saw the platters of antipasti spread across a big table, surrounded by locals clamoring for a taste. Beans, hummus, salads, polenta with a hint of cinnamon and warm focaccia are only the beginning of the delicious home-cooked buffet. Every few minutes, a chef leans out the kitchen window, ringing a bell and shouting in Italian the names of the next courses- meatballs, pasta bolognese, chicken and roasted potatoes.
After the guests consume as much of the half dozen courses as they can, drink a few glasses of wine and top off their meals with espresso and chocolate tart, the wood-paneled dining room transforms into a theater. The night I attended, we enjoyed an hour and a half of Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, courtesy of an Italian cover band. For 30 Euro (plus a 5 Euro membership fee), Teatro del Sale guests get the whole package: unlimited food, great entertainment and a fun, cultural experience.
First-time diners at Teatro del Sale be warned: pace yourself. I received the same piece of advice on my first night at the restaurant but promptly ignored it when I saw the platters of antipasti spread across a big table, surrounded by locals clamoring for a taste. Beans, hummus, salads, polenta with a hint of cinnamon and warm focaccia are only the beginning of the delicious home-cooked buffet. Every few minutes, a chef leans out the kitchen window, ringing a bell and shouting in Italian the names of the next courses- meatballs, pasta bolognese, chicken and roasted potatoes.
After the guests consume as much of the half dozen courses as they can, drink a few glasses of wine and top off their meals with espresso and chocolate tart, the wood-paneled dining room transforms into a theater. The night I attended, we enjoyed an hour and a half of Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, courtesy of an Italian cover band. For 30 Euro (plus a 5 Euro membership fee), Teatro del Sale guests get the whole package: unlimited food, great entertainment and a fun, cultural experience.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Regent Theater hosts ukulele summit
Published by The Boston Globe
Two ukuleles, a squeeze box and a mouth trumpet were all the instruments necessary for last night's "Ukulele Summit" featuring a touring duo at the Regent Theater in Arlington.
Victoria Vox, who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and Brittni Paiva from Hawaii played original songs and covers before an audience of about 50 people. They performed separately and then together, amusing the audience with the unique sounds of their instruments and anecdotes that inspired their songwriting.
“I wrote this song for my husband to tell him that I loved him. That didn’t last long,” said Paiva, prefacing “Made for Me,” an original. She plucked the strings of her ukulele, which stretched over sparkly letters reading “Brittni” on the frets. “Just kidding.”
Paiva, 22, said she started playing at 11 years old when her grandfather passed down his mother’s ukulele to her. From then on, she couldn’t stop. In Hawaii, the instrument is known as a place to experiment with songwriting, she said.
“When you strum it, it makes everyone happy,” she said. “Everyone smiles.”
Vox, who also sings, said she was given her first ukulele by a musician in her hometown of Green Bay, Wis. seven years ago. She likes the instrument for its portability and versatility.
“I’m challenged by its limitations,” she said. “The simplicity aided my songwriting; less is more.”
And her songs are versatile—she played two numbers in French, a poignant breakup song, one with a squeeze box (a type of accordion) and “Tug Boat,” a song about “a sexually frustrated tug boat.” '
She recently raised $21,000 from her fans to make her latest record, “Exact Change.”
Vox, now 30, said she started playing guitar when she was 16 and got a songwriting degree from Berklee. Now, she records and tours around the country, jamming at ukulele festivals and playing the mouth trumpet—she likes to fool her audience by accompanying her strumming with her mouth as they search for the source of the trumpet sounds.
“Like most college kids, I’m not doing what I went to college for,” she said.
Vox said she thinks the ukulele is growing in popularity for its economy—a good ukulele can cost about $100, she said. When she asked the crowd how many players were present, about 15 raised their hands. Some even brought their instruments with them.
“People’s compliments drive me to continue,” she said. “The music keeps me feeling young.”
Two ukuleles, a squeeze box and a mouth trumpet were all the instruments necessary for last night's "Ukulele Summit" featuring a touring duo at the Regent Theater in Arlington.Victoria Vox, who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and Brittni Paiva from Hawaii played original songs and covers before an audience of about 50 people. They performed separately and then together, amusing the audience with the unique sounds of their instruments and anecdotes that inspired their songwriting.
“I wrote this song for my husband to tell him that I loved him. That didn’t last long,” said Paiva, prefacing “Made for Me,” an original. She plucked the strings of her ukulele, which stretched over sparkly letters reading “Brittni” on the frets. “Just kidding.”
Paiva, 22, said she started playing at 11 years old when her grandfather passed down his mother’s ukulele to her. From then on, she couldn’t stop. In Hawaii, the instrument is known as a place to experiment with songwriting, she said.
“When you strum it, it makes everyone happy,” she said. “Everyone smiles.”
Vox, who also sings, said she was given her first ukulele by a musician in her hometown of Green Bay, Wis. seven years ago. She likes the instrument for its portability and versatility.
“I’m challenged by its limitations,” she said. “The simplicity aided my songwriting; less is more.”
And her songs are versatile—she played two numbers in French, a poignant breakup song, one with a squeeze box (a type of accordion) and “Tug Boat,” a song about “a sexually frustrated tug boat.” '
She recently raised $21,000 from her fans to make her latest record, “Exact Change.”
Vox, now 30, said she started playing guitar when she was 16 and got a songwriting degree from Berklee. Now, she records and tours around the country, jamming at ukulele festivals and playing the mouth trumpet—she likes to fool her audience by accompanying her strumming with her mouth as they search for the source of the trumpet sounds.
“Like most college kids, I’m not doing what I went to college for,” she said.
Vox said she thinks the ukulele is growing in popularity for its economy—a good ukulele can cost about $100, she said. When she asked the crowd how many players were present, about 15 raised their hands. Some even brought their instruments with them.
“People’s compliments drive me to continue,” she said. “The music keeps me feeling young.”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
You don't know Jack
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
It’s been four years since Andrew McMahon was diagnosed with leukemia. After the release of “The Glass Passenger” last year with his band, Jack’s Mannequin, he is embarking on an acoustic solo tour to promote a documentary about his hospital stay.
“Passenger” was McMahon’s musical recovery, but the film exposes the real thing. The product of many nights alone in the ward with a handheld video camera, “Dear Jack” is the last episode about his recuperation.
“I feel free. Now, the place I’m in is much different. I don’t have that issue as such a relevant part of my life,” says McMahon about his health.
As soon as his body would allow it, the 26-year-old pianist and songwriter hit the road in 2006, opening for bands like the Fray to crowds of 20,000.
“There’s a certain chance you can take and certain things you can do that you can’t pull off in front of big crowd,” he says of the his headlining set. “Some songs will fall flat, and some might be magic.”
Jack’s fans will recognize some of the tracks on the EP, like “Dear Jack,” which inspired the band’s name, and “There, There, Katie,” about his sister whose stem-cell transplant saved his life.
“It’s intended to tell a story that inspires some hope in people,” he says. “To put your chin up and stay positive during a tough time can lead you to happy ending.”
HIT THE ROAD (FOR) JACK
McMahon is touring with his guitarist to raise money for the Dear Jack Foundation, which he established to support cancer research.
The documentary will include a few new songs, written before Jack’s Mannequin even began and revived for the movie’s release in three major cities and on DVD Nov. 3.
An Evening with Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin
Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave., Somerville
SOLD OUT
It’s been four years since Andrew McMahon was diagnosed with leukemia. After the release of “The Glass Passenger” last year with his band, Jack’s Mannequin, he is embarking on an acoustic solo tour to promote a documentary about his hospital stay.
“Passenger” was McMahon’s musical recovery, but the film exposes the real thing. The product of many nights alone in the ward with a handheld video camera, “Dear Jack” is the last episode about his recuperation.
“I feel free. Now, the place I’m in is much different. I don’t have that issue as such a relevant part of my life,” says McMahon about his health.
As soon as his body would allow it, the 26-year-old pianist and songwriter hit the road in 2006, opening for bands like the Fray to crowds of 20,000.
“There’s a certain chance you can take and certain things you can do that you can’t pull off in front of big crowd,” he says of the his headlining set. “Some songs will fall flat, and some might be magic.”
Jack’s fans will recognize some of the tracks on the EP, like “Dear Jack,” which inspired the band’s name, and “There, There, Katie,” about his sister whose stem-cell transplant saved his life.
“It’s intended to tell a story that inspires some hope in people,” he says. “To put your chin up and stay positive during a tough time can lead you to happy ending.”
HIT THE ROAD (FOR) JACK
McMahon is touring with his guitarist to raise money for the Dear Jack Foundation, which he established to support cancer research.
The documentary will include a few new songs, written before Jack’s Mannequin even began and revived for the movie’s release in three major cities and on DVD Nov. 3.
An Evening with Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin
Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave., Somerville
SOLD OUT
Friday, September 25, 2009
You betcha!
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
When Curtis K. Hughes watched the vice presidential debates last year, Palin and Biden’s amusing personalities and musical voices inspired him to compose a full-fledged opera he called “Say It Ain’t So, Joe.”
“Sarah Palin is melodious,” says Hughes. “Biden just drones on and on and on in one or two notes, or gets incredibly dynamic and wide ranging, then seems to exhaust himself and go back to the drone.”
The production, currently being staged by Guerilla Opera, aims to stay politically neutral, says Aliana de la Guardia, who acts as Diane Sawyer and Palin.
“A message is definitely that people should think for themselves and be aware of the media and how it works,” she says.
Most of the opera’s lyrics come straight from the text of the debate.
“I came out of it feeling like there were really no purely heroic figures in any of this,” says Hughes.
“If there’s any kind of evil character, it’s probably the media itself. I was just continuously dumbfounded by the really stupid things the media had to say and ask.”
‘Say It Ain’t So, Joe’
Through Sunday
Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway, Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Hynes
$7-$12, 617-912-9222
When Curtis K. Hughes watched the vice presidential debates last year, Palin and Biden’s amusing personalities and musical voices inspired him to compose a full-fledged opera he called “Say It Ain’t So, Joe.”
“Sarah Palin is melodious,” says Hughes. “Biden just drones on and on and on in one or two notes, or gets incredibly dynamic and wide ranging, then seems to exhaust himself and go back to the drone.”
The production, currently being staged by Guerilla Opera, aims to stay politically neutral, says Aliana de la Guardia, who acts as Diane Sawyer and Palin.
“A message is definitely that people should think for themselves and be aware of the media and how it works,” she says.
Most of the opera’s lyrics come straight from the text of the debate.
“I came out of it feeling like there were really no purely heroic figures in any of this,” says Hughes.
“If there’s any kind of evil character, it’s probably the media itself. I was just continuously dumbfounded by the really stupid things the media had to say and ask.”
‘Say It Ain’t So, Joe’
Through Sunday
Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway, Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Hynes
$7-$12, 617-912-9222
Sunday, August 30, 2009
A Crush that makes a One Night Band
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
You never know what you’re going to get when you go out to see a band you’ve never heard before. Boston Band Crush is taking that sensation one step further.
BBC’s ‘One Night Band’ is an experiment that mixes up local musicians and challenges them to create three original songs in just seven hours. Then they have to perform them onstage.
Boston Band Crush is a blog about local music, and its members came up with the project after reading about a similar event in Texas called the ‘Rock Lottery,’ says Ashley Willard, one of the blog’s founders. But whereas ‘Rock Lottery’ involved 25 artists, ‘One Night Band’ will include 40. Each group of five, randomly assigned, must have a drummer and a bassist, and no two group members can have played together before.
“Some of the bands very well may fall flat on their faces,” says Willard. “We’re OK with that.”
Most of the participants play indie rock because Boston Band Crush invited acts they were familiar with, she says. But some musicians, like mandolin player Jimmy Ryan, were selected for their talent and to add some variety.
“I’m hoping to match up a few people who haven’t met before and who find that they are very in tune, no pun intended,” says Willard. “Maybe we’ll see some bands that form out of the One Night Band ashes.”
The proceeds will benefit Zumix, a nonprofit children’s music school in Willard’s neighborhood in East Boston. A band of teenagers who all attended Zumix will open the show, while film students from the Center for Digital Imaging Arts will document the entire process.
The bands will have to work hard all day, because they won’t know their performance time until the last minute, says Willard. She hopes One Night Band will strengthen a cohesiveness among the Boston music community seen at this year’s Rock and Roll Rumble.
“I think we’ll see a lot of novelty songs, a lot of simple sort of two-chord, three-chord songs. Some humor, hopefully,” says Willard. “But I also think we’ve got some really talented people in this group who will be able to really impress with their sets.”
‘One Night Band’
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Middle East Downstairs
472/480 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Central
$10-$12, 617-864-EAST
www.onenightbandboston.com
You never know what you’re going to get when you go out to see a band you’ve never heard before. Boston Band Crush is taking that sensation one step further.
BBC’s ‘One Night Band’ is an experiment that mixes up local musicians and challenges them to create three original songs in just seven hours. Then they have to perform them onstage.
Boston Band Crush is a blog about local music, and its members came up with the project after reading about a similar event in Texas called the ‘Rock Lottery,’ says Ashley Willard, one of the blog’s founders. But whereas ‘Rock Lottery’ involved 25 artists, ‘One Night Band’ will include 40. Each group of five, randomly assigned, must have a drummer and a bassist, and no two group members can have played together before.
“Some of the bands very well may fall flat on their faces,” says Willard. “We’re OK with that.”
Most of the participants play indie rock because Boston Band Crush invited acts they were familiar with, she says. But some musicians, like mandolin player Jimmy Ryan, were selected for their talent and to add some variety.
“I’m hoping to match up a few people who haven’t met before and who find that they are very in tune, no pun intended,” says Willard. “Maybe we’ll see some bands that form out of the One Night Band ashes.”
The proceeds will benefit Zumix, a nonprofit children’s music school in Willard’s neighborhood in East Boston. A band of teenagers who all attended Zumix will open the show, while film students from the Center for Digital Imaging Arts will document the entire process.
The bands will have to work hard all day, because they won’t know their performance time until the last minute, says Willard. She hopes One Night Band will strengthen a cohesiveness among the Boston music community seen at this year’s Rock and Roll Rumble.
“I think we’ll see a lot of novelty songs, a lot of simple sort of two-chord, three-chord songs. Some humor, hopefully,” says Willard. “But I also think we’ve got some really talented people in this group who will be able to really impress with their sets.”
‘One Night Band’
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Middle East Downstairs
472/480 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Central
$10-$12, 617-864-EAST
www.onenightbandboston.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
All in a day’s Cirque
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
When Cirque du Soleil created the traveling show “Alegria” in the ’90s, Internet technology was only beginning to permeate our everyday life. Though the show fittingly became about the battle between old and new, tradition and modernization, the Cirque’s new arena-hosted version of the show actually pares down on technology and brings attention back to the performers.
After years of touring under the big-top, which takes nine days to set up and two days to tear down, Cirque du Soleil decided to adapt the show for arenas, allowing more intimate performances and access to smaller cities, says Sheryl Lynne Valensky, assistant artistic director.
“One of the nice things about taking a show running for 15 years back into rehearsal is you get to update it, like a rebirth of the show,” says Valensky. “The nice thing about ‘Alegria’ is there’s not a lot of technology. The show’s acts showcase what the artists do and the incredible things the human body can do.”
“Alegria,” which means “jubilation” in Spanish, is about the conflict in society between the old world and the new and how they converge. The resistance to change is represented by the Old Birds, aristocratic characters dressed in brightly colored masks, and on the other side, a group of Angels symbolize youth, energy and moving forward.
The arena tour brings the show to a new city every week, meaning set-up time is limited to eight hours, says Valensky. That’s why the equipment is minimized, and most of the grandeur comes from the artists’ abilities. The performances include intricate trapeze acts, contortion girls, and a “power track” involving a giant trampoline, she says.
“Every show is so unique; you see different acts in every show, and we don’t repeat anything,” says Valensky. “Our show in Japan right now is more theatrical, and this show is more abstract.”
Though every Cirque du Soleil show has a theme, the purpose is not to make a statement but to simply present a concept in a way that audiences across borders and age groups can grasp it. The storyline is presented through movement and music, and while some songs have verses in multiple languages, the message is mostly visual.
Boston is the show’s third stop in three weeks, and “Alegria” will continue touring the U.S. and Canada for the next three years.
“The whole idea is that we could go anywhere, and everybody would get to see the same show. No one’s experience would be lessened because they couldn’t understand,” says Valensky.
‘Alegria’
Tomorrow through Sunday
Agganis Arena
925 Comm. Ave., Boston
MBTA: Green line to
St. Paul’s
$36-$95, 617-931-2000
www.cirquedusoleil.com
When Cirque du Soleil created the traveling show “Alegria” in the ’90s, Internet technology was only beginning to permeate our everyday life. Though the show fittingly became about the battle between old and new, tradition and modernization, the Cirque’s new arena-hosted version of the show actually pares down on technology and brings attention back to the performers.
After years of touring under the big-top, which takes nine days to set up and two days to tear down, Cirque du Soleil decided to adapt the show for arenas, allowing more intimate performances and access to smaller cities, says Sheryl Lynne Valensky, assistant artistic director.
“One of the nice things about taking a show running for 15 years back into rehearsal is you get to update it, like a rebirth of the show,” says Valensky. “The nice thing about ‘Alegria’ is there’s not a lot of technology. The show’s acts showcase what the artists do and the incredible things the human body can do.”
“Alegria,” which means “jubilation” in Spanish, is about the conflict in society between the old world and the new and how they converge. The resistance to change is represented by the Old Birds, aristocratic characters dressed in brightly colored masks, and on the other side, a group of Angels symbolize youth, energy and moving forward.
The arena tour brings the show to a new city every week, meaning set-up time is limited to eight hours, says Valensky. That’s why the equipment is minimized, and most of the grandeur comes from the artists’ abilities. The performances include intricate trapeze acts, contortion girls, and a “power track” involving a giant trampoline, she says.
“Every show is so unique; you see different acts in every show, and we don’t repeat anything,” says Valensky. “Our show in Japan right now is more theatrical, and this show is more abstract.”
Though every Cirque du Soleil show has a theme, the purpose is not to make a statement but to simply present a concept in a way that audiences across borders and age groups can grasp it. The storyline is presented through movement and music, and while some songs have verses in multiple languages, the message is mostly visual.
Boston is the show’s third stop in three weeks, and “Alegria” will continue touring the U.S. and Canada for the next three years.
“The whole idea is that we could go anywhere, and everybody would get to see the same show. No one’s experience would be lessened because they couldn’t understand,” says Valensky.
‘Alegria’
Tomorrow through Sunday
Agganis Arena
925 Comm. Ave., Boston
MBTA: Green line to
St. Paul’s
$36-$95, 617-931-2000
www.cirquedusoleil.com
Monday, August 24, 2009
Shakespeare at the disco
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
For her first show as American Repertory Theater director, Diane Paulus wanted to push the envelope and pull in a new audience: the nightlife crowd.
That’s why, staying true to the theater’s mission to “expand the boundaries of theater,” this season at A.R.T. kicks off with “The Donkey Show,” Paulus’ 1970s disco interactive adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“We tend to have a limited conception of what theater is,” says Paulus. “It was a conscious decision to shake up our program this way.”
In “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the characters pursue unattainable lovers in an enchanted forest. In Paulus’ version, co-written by Randy Weiner, the struggles for love are told through the passionate lyrics of disco songs, and the forest is instead a hopping nightclub.
Paulus compares the musical numbers to a group of girlfriends singing along with Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” when they’re out on the town, explaining how ’70s music captures emotion. One scene illustrates the well-known exchange between Helena and Demetrius with the club classic, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” as Helena grovels at her love’s feet.
The show is more social than traditional plays and is meant to show audiences, both old and new, that theater doesn’t always fit into typical conceptions, says Paulus. The actors sing along to the music as a DJ spins, and the audience can go to the dance floor, drink in hand, and get their groove on while watching.
“It’s a very free environment,” says Paulus. “To me, this is more like the way Shakespeare was experienced in his time. In the Globe Theater, you had groundlings that stood on floor — the Elizabethan version of a mosh pit.”
Fresh off a gig in New York City, Paulus brings “The Donkey Show” as one of three original Shakespeare adaptations she’s dubbed “Shakespeare Exploded.” Having toured in London, Madrid and Seoul, Paulus hopes to introduce her work to more conservative regions of the U.S.
“It’s important in educating the Boston audience that the show is unique; it’s a party, but it’s also a show,” says Paulus. “It’s a combination of something to give you something to talk about, but also to have fun with and dance.”
‘The Donkey Show’
Friday through Oct. 31
Oberon Theater
2 Arrow St., Cambridge
617-495-2668
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
www.americanrepertorytheater.org
For her first show as American Repertory Theater director, Diane Paulus wanted to push the envelope and pull in a new audience: the nightlife crowd.
That’s why, staying true to the theater’s mission to “expand the boundaries of theater,” this season at A.R.T. kicks off with “The Donkey Show,” Paulus’ 1970s disco interactive adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“We tend to have a limited conception of what theater is,” says Paulus. “It was a conscious decision to shake up our program this way.”
In “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the characters pursue unattainable lovers in an enchanted forest. In Paulus’ version, co-written by Randy Weiner, the struggles for love are told through the passionate lyrics of disco songs, and the forest is instead a hopping nightclub.
Paulus compares the musical numbers to a group of girlfriends singing along with Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” when they’re out on the town, explaining how ’70s music captures emotion. One scene illustrates the well-known exchange between Helena and Demetrius with the club classic, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” as Helena grovels at her love’s feet.
The show is more social than traditional plays and is meant to show audiences, both old and new, that theater doesn’t always fit into typical conceptions, says Paulus. The actors sing along to the music as a DJ spins, and the audience can go to the dance floor, drink in hand, and get their groove on while watching.
“It’s a very free environment,” says Paulus. “To me, this is more like the way Shakespeare was experienced in his time. In the Globe Theater, you had groundlings that stood on floor — the Elizabethan version of a mosh pit.”
Fresh off a gig in New York City, Paulus brings “The Donkey Show” as one of three original Shakespeare adaptations she’s dubbed “Shakespeare Exploded.” Having toured in London, Madrid and Seoul, Paulus hopes to introduce her work to more conservative regions of the U.S.
“It’s important in educating the Boston audience that the show is unique; it’s a party, but it’s also a show,” says Paulus. “It’s a combination of something to give you something to talk about, but also to have fun with and dance.”
‘The Donkey Show’
Friday through Oct. 31
Oberon Theater
2 Arrow St., Cambridge
617-495-2668
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
www.americanrepertorytheater.org
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Seeing behind the scenes
Boston Movie Tours takes you to the local locations you’ve seen in Hollywood films
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
If you’re serious about your Boston movies, it won’t be a spoiler to mention the scene in “The Departed” where Martin Sheen falls off the roof to his death. We need to mention it because that building is just one of the stops on Boston Movie Tours, which you can take as a guided walk or bus ride around the city.
The walk explores Beacon Hill, where almost all Boston movies were shot, to survey scenes from “Blown Away” and “The Boston Strangler.” The guides carry screenshots to point out differences between the real locations and the Hollywood scenes, poking
fun at how Martin Scorsese turned Charles Street Cleaners into a restaurant. They joke that Scorsese had to get his vision just right for that clip, which lasts a mere five seconds, but the guides’ admiration for every production detail is apparent.
Less intimate than the walking version, a longer bus tour ventures into Southie to visit the tourist favorite: L Street Tavern, a spot made famous by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s breakout movie, “Good Will Hunting.”
Nick Pistorino, director of operations at Boston Movie Tours, says the city has long been a top choice for filming because of its diverse neighborhoods and palette of backdrops.
“Because Boston is so eclectic, you can figure out where they’re shooting,” he says. “What helps most of the time is going around in my car and finding it out.”
Thanks to a Massachusetts tax incentive passed back in 2004, movies are increasingly filmed in Boston but are not necessarily “Boston movies,” says Pistorino. “The Pink Panther 2” was filmed here to save on costs but is actually set in France.
“It’s starting to turn around. Ever since ‘The Departed,’ we’re waiting for a really big movie to come out that’s good for Boston,” he says. “‘The Company Men’ with Ben Affleck looks like it might be that next big movie.”
Tourists and students will enjoy the waltz through Boston’s swankiest streets as they answer movie trivia, learn about the city’s history and see just where on the Common Matt Damon played rugby.
Boston Movie Tours
Tours daily, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
866-668-4345, $13-$39
www.bostonmovietours.net
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
If you’re serious about your Boston movies, it won’t be a spoiler to mention the scene in “The Departed” where Martin Sheen falls off the roof to his death. We need to mention it because that building is just one of the stops on Boston Movie Tours, which you can take as a guided walk or bus ride around the city.
The walk explores Beacon Hill, where almost all Boston movies were shot, to survey scenes from “Blown Away” and “The Boston Strangler.” The guides carry screenshots to point out differences between the real locations and the Hollywood scenes, poking
fun at how Martin Scorsese turned Charles Street Cleaners into a restaurant. They joke that Scorsese had to get his vision just right for that clip, which lasts a mere five seconds, but the guides’ admiration for every production detail is apparent.
Less intimate than the walking version, a longer bus tour ventures into Southie to visit the tourist favorite: L Street Tavern, a spot made famous by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s breakout movie, “Good Will Hunting.”
Nick Pistorino, director of operations at Boston Movie Tours, says the city has long been a top choice for filming because of its diverse neighborhoods and palette of backdrops.
“Because Boston is so eclectic, you can figure out where they’re shooting,” he says. “What helps most of the time is going around in my car and finding it out.”
Thanks to a Massachusetts tax incentive passed back in 2004, movies are increasingly filmed in Boston but are not necessarily “Boston movies,” says Pistorino. “The Pink Panther 2” was filmed here to save on costs but is actually set in France.
“It’s starting to turn around. Ever since ‘The Departed,’ we’re waiting for a really big movie to come out that’s good for Boston,” he says. “‘The Company Men’ with Ben Affleck looks like it might be that next big movie.”
Tourists and students will enjoy the waltz through Boston’s swankiest streets as they answer movie trivia, learn about the city’s history and see just where on the Common Matt Damon played rugby.
Boston Movie Tours
Tours daily, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
866-668-4345, $13-$39
www.bostonmovietours.net
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bearing the burden
Singer Brett Dennen on drawing, touring and giving back
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
Singer-songwriter Brett Dennen is more than just the next Dave Matthews, as he is often described. He’s a mountain man with the voice of a jazz singer, who decorates his guitars with Sharpies and shimmies his hips onstage as he smiles bashfully at the audience. We met with him earlier this summer.
Q: Did you draw that elephant on your guitar?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: What other pictures do you have?
A: I’ve done tons of them. A friend of mine had this photograph of the dock that he lives on in Chesapeake Bay with a sailboat on it, so I did that. I once did one of a woman in the desert holding a cow skull.
Q: How is touring with OAR?
A: The nice thing about their crowd is they have a pretty strong college following. It seems like they’re the kind of people who pass CDs around.
Q: Are you out to change the world with your music?
A: I would like to be a part of many people changing the world. I would like to be the part that inspires people. I want to highlight things in the world that need to be spoken about, or people that need to be given the microphone.
Q: Is that where your practice of having nonprofit organizations set up booths at your shows, and your Love Speaks project, comes from?
A: It does. Before I was a musician full-time, I was working in nonprofits. Writing about change in music is one thing, but actually having it involved in your life is another. A couple years into playing music full-time, I started to feel like I was lacking the latter. So we bring nonprofits to our shows and give them a chance to speak with the audience.
Q: How do you stay attached to home when you’re out touring?
A: The only tangible thing I have is a little piece of wood that my dad made for me. He got it from a bristlecone pine forest in the White Mountains [of California] near where I grew up. It’s a little piece he cut and shellacked and wrote “Home” on it. So I stick that to my peddle board.
OAR
with Brett Dennen
Friday, 7 p.m.
Bank of America Pavillion
290 Northern Ave., Boston
MBTA: Silver Line to World Trade Center
$35-$80, 617-931-2000
www.livenation.com
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
Singer-songwriter Brett Dennen is more than just the next Dave Matthews, as he is often described. He’s a mountain man with the voice of a jazz singer, who decorates his guitars with Sharpies and shimmies his hips onstage as he smiles bashfully at the audience. We met with him earlier this summer.
Q: Did you draw that elephant on your guitar?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: What other pictures do you have?
A: I’ve done tons of them. A friend of mine had this photograph of the dock that he lives on in Chesapeake Bay with a sailboat on it, so I did that. I once did one of a woman in the desert holding a cow skull.
Q: How is touring with OAR?
A: The nice thing about their crowd is they have a pretty strong college following. It seems like they’re the kind of people who pass CDs around.
Q: Are you out to change the world with your music?
A: I would like to be a part of many people changing the world. I would like to be the part that inspires people. I want to highlight things in the world that need to be spoken about, or people that need to be given the microphone.
Q: Is that where your practice of having nonprofit organizations set up booths at your shows, and your Love Speaks project, comes from?
A: It does. Before I was a musician full-time, I was working in nonprofits. Writing about change in music is one thing, but actually having it involved in your life is another. A couple years into playing music full-time, I started to feel like I was lacking the latter. So we bring nonprofits to our shows and give them a chance to speak with the audience.
Q: How do you stay attached to home when you’re out touring?
A: The only tangible thing I have is a little piece of wood that my dad made for me. He got it from a bristlecone pine forest in the White Mountains [of California] near where I grew up. It’s a little piece he cut and shellacked and wrote “Home” on it. So I stick that to my peddle board.
OAR
with Brett Dennen
Friday, 7 p.m.
Bank of America Pavillion
290 Northern Ave., Boston
MBTA: Silver Line to World Trade Center
$35-$80, 617-931-2000
www.livenation.com
Sunday, August 16, 2009
‘Degrassi’ does parody
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
Degrassi: The Next Generation” has said hello and goodbye to many young personalities over its eight, gripping seasons, but old favorites are returning for a full-length movie that takes a different approach to the issues: parody.
This comic angle comes courtesy of longtime “Degrassi” devotees Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, who you probably know better as Jay and Silent Bob.
In “Degrassi Goes Hollywood,” Lauren Collins reprises the early years of bossy head cheerleader Paige Michalchuk. This time, the Canadian crew takes over Los Angeles, and Paige’s demands escalate after she lands a starring role in a new film.
“I still think, even though there is the gloss and glamour to the whole element, it’s about the characters this time around, rather than the issues,” says Collins.
Adamo Ruggiero, who plays Marco Del Rossi, notes that the theme of the movie is presented differently than in the show, which has explored such weighty topics as rape, drugs and coming out of the closet. But he says the film is still true to the show’s mission by portraying Paige’s classic struggle for success while commenting on the Hollywood culture of “ridiculous” teen stars.
In true Degrassi fashion, there isn’t a Hollywood ending for “Hollywood.” An incident with Marco and Paige, for instance, questions whether the two actors are truly done with Degrassi. “Maybe Paige’s story isn’t over,” she says.
For Ruggiero, leaving his character will be difficult; Marco’s coming out helped him with his own. “Marco is my inspiration. He was a manual for everything before it happened,” he says.
For now, they say they are moving on, although Marco will make some appearances in Season 9.
“The movie was a blast. We could just enjoy one last hurrah, and we appreciated it more because it was gone.”
Degrassi: The Next Generation” has said hello and goodbye to many young personalities over its eight, gripping seasons, but old favorites are returning for a full-length movie that takes a different approach to the issues: parody.
This comic angle comes courtesy of longtime “Degrassi” devotees Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, who you probably know better as Jay and Silent Bob.
In “Degrassi Goes Hollywood,” Lauren Collins reprises the early years of bossy head cheerleader Paige Michalchuk. This time, the Canadian crew takes over Los Angeles, and Paige’s demands escalate after she lands a starring role in a new film.
“I still think, even though there is the gloss and glamour to the whole element, it’s about the characters this time around, rather than the issues,” says Collins.
Adamo Ruggiero, who plays Marco Del Rossi, notes that the theme of the movie is presented differently than in the show, which has explored such weighty topics as rape, drugs and coming out of the closet. But he says the film is still true to the show’s mission by portraying Paige’s classic struggle for success while commenting on the Hollywood culture of “ridiculous” teen stars.
In true Degrassi fashion, there isn’t a Hollywood ending for “Hollywood.” An incident with Marco and Paige, for instance, questions whether the two actors are truly done with Degrassi. “Maybe Paige’s story isn’t over,” she says.
For Ruggiero, leaving his character will be difficult; Marco’s coming out helped him with his own. “Marco is my inspiration. He was a manual for everything before it happened,” he says.
For now, they say they are moving on, although Marco will make some appearances in Season 9.
“The movie was a blast. We could just enjoy one last hurrah, and we appreciated it more because it was gone.”
Sunday, August 9, 2009
'A great queer'
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
When Joey Pelletier began writing his first full-length play a year and a half ago, he was recovering from a drug addiction and a recent breakup. But “Where Moments Hung Before” debuts this weekend not as a painful self-reflection but as comic relief to the woes of sexual identity, grief and desire.
“Whatever I was feeling back then — whatever loss — I don’t feel anymore,” Pelletier says. “Maybe there’s a lot more love in the play now. It’s definitely a lot more fictional.”
With characters like a gay Jewish rapper and homosexual male and female leads, Pelletier’s play attempts to rev up issues thus far handled gently by local gay theater. Though the story follows the friends and family of a man named Jasper Kelly as they mourn his death, Pelletier sums it up as “a big gay drama with big queer laughs.”
“Even my straight friends wanted to play these gay characters,” he says.
Pelletier says the play took many forms before it was ready for an audience, including an epic musical and a soap opera. His friends, who became the cast of the production, acted out three workshops and threw in their own two cents about the play’s
direction.
“There’s a lot of self-deprecation that, when we workshopped the show, my friends laughed at but also made fun of,” says Pelletier. “Who doesn’t find humor in darkness?”
Other than his colleagues, Pelletier says he also found inspiration in music, an element that has remained in the final product. He says “Moments” draws influences from artists like Elliott Smith, Death Cab for Cutie and Regina Spektor.
Also included in the play’s soundtrack are an original rap and a few numbers sung by Pelletier himself. That’s right: The writer has also stepped into a role originally based on himself, yet the persona emerged as a reflection of the whole cast.
“It is just a wonderful feeling because it’s a mix of the past, present and the extensive future,” Pelletier says about his character. “He’s a great queer.”
‘Where Moments Hung Before’
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
Through Aug. 16
949 Comm. Ave., Boston
$10-$15, 16+, 866-811-4111
BostonActorsTheater.com
When Joey Pelletier began writing his first full-length play a year and a half ago, he was recovering from a drug addiction and a recent breakup. But “Where Moments Hung Before” debuts this weekend not as a painful self-reflection but as comic relief to the woes of sexual identity, grief and desire.
“Whatever I was feeling back then — whatever loss — I don’t feel anymore,” Pelletier says. “Maybe there’s a lot more love in the play now. It’s definitely a lot more fictional.”
With characters like a gay Jewish rapper and homosexual male and female leads, Pelletier’s play attempts to rev up issues thus far handled gently by local gay theater. Though the story follows the friends and family of a man named Jasper Kelly as they mourn his death, Pelletier sums it up as “a big gay drama with big queer laughs.”
“Even my straight friends wanted to play these gay characters,” he says.
Pelletier says the play took many forms before it was ready for an audience, including an epic musical and a soap opera. His friends, who became the cast of the production, acted out three workshops and threw in their own two cents about the play’s
direction.
“There’s a lot of self-deprecation that, when we workshopped the show, my friends laughed at but also made fun of,” says Pelletier. “Who doesn’t find humor in darkness?”
Other than his colleagues, Pelletier says he also found inspiration in music, an element that has remained in the final product. He says “Moments” draws influences from artists like Elliott Smith, Death Cab for Cutie and Regina Spektor.
Also included in the play’s soundtrack are an original rap and a few numbers sung by Pelletier himself. That’s right: The writer has also stepped into a role originally based on himself, yet the persona emerged as a reflection of the whole cast.
“It is just a wonderful feeling because it’s a mix of the past, present and the extensive future,” Pelletier says about his character. “He’s a great queer.”
‘Where Moments Hung Before’
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
Through Aug. 16
949 Comm. Ave., Boston
$10-$15, 16+, 866-811-4111
BostonActorsTheater.com
Monday, August 3, 2009
Giving Everybody Access to Theater
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
Every summer for one night only, Boston Center for the Arts hosts a musical featuring one of the most diverse casts in the city. The show is a product of Access to Theatre, a program involving young adults of many back-grounds, with and without disabilities and showcasing various talents.
Though the play is promoted as “accessible” for performers and audiences alike, Donna Folan, artistic director, says ATT isn’t centered around disabilities. The goal is for a diverse group of people to find a common ground, forming one “creative space” despite their differences.
After three weeks of hard work, the company, whose members range in age from 13 to 25, will perform a two-hour, original play in a fully accessible theater.
The first week of the workshop facilitates ice breakers and brainstorming, while participants bring in scripts, poems or dance routines. Suggestions from all 26 performers are included in the play, which will be ASL interpreted and audio described.
“It’s everybody’s idea, and it shows what everybody thinks of and that everybody’s a team,” says Trayvon Tennyson, 14, an ATT newcomer.
“It involves people and helps people grow in areas they haven’t experienced — adventure and new opportunities,” says Ben Kimbrel, 24, a peer leader who has been with the program for 10 years.
Tennyson says he joined ATT this summer to learn how to better interact with others. After a week, he says the group is like a family.
“If we unite and believe in each other, I think we can really pull it off,” says Tennyson. “People getting out of their wheelchairs — I’ve never seen that before. It just shows the comfort and love.”
Access to Theatre
Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Cyclorama at the Boston
Center for the Arts
539 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange line to Back Bay
Free, 617-556-4075
www.bcaonline.org
Every summer for one night only, Boston Center for the Arts hosts a musical featuring one of the most diverse casts in the city. The show is a product of Access to Theatre, a program involving young adults of many back-grounds, with and without disabilities and showcasing various talents.
Though the play is promoted as “accessible” for performers and audiences alike, Donna Folan, artistic director, says ATT isn’t centered around disabilities. The goal is for a diverse group of people to find a common ground, forming one “creative space” despite their differences.
After three weeks of hard work, the company, whose members range in age from 13 to 25, will perform a two-hour, original play in a fully accessible theater.
The first week of the workshop facilitates ice breakers and brainstorming, while participants bring in scripts, poems or dance routines. Suggestions from all 26 performers are included in the play, which will be ASL interpreted and audio described.
“It’s everybody’s idea, and it shows what everybody thinks of and that everybody’s a team,” says Trayvon Tennyson, 14, an ATT newcomer.
“It involves people and helps people grow in areas they haven’t experienced — adventure and new opportunities,” says Ben Kimbrel, 24, a peer leader who has been with the program for 10 years.
Tennyson says he joined ATT this summer to learn how to better interact with others. After a week, he says the group is like a family.
“If we unite and believe in each other, I think we can really pull it off,” says Tennyson. “People getting out of their wheelchairs — I’ve never seen that before. It just shows the comfort and love.”
Access to Theatre
Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Cyclorama at the Boston
Center for the Arts
539 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange line to Back Bay
Free, 617-556-4075
www.bcaonline.org
Off the 'Walls'
Published by Boston Metro
‘Walls Have Ears’
Director: Patrick Jerome
Cast: Dahiana Torres, Scott Neufville, Romond Pamphile
Rating: NR
Grade: 2/5
‘Walls Have Ears’ is a combination of a bad soap opera and a viral YouTube video. The local Bway 7 Productions film has all the intentions of an action drama — money, sex and drive-by shootings —but the costumes are so ridiculous and the timing so awkward that it becomes an unintentional parody.
Romond Pamphile makesfor a jolly villain, and for a damsel in distress, Dahiana Torres can’t keep a straightface. But Scott Neufville, who plays Johnny, has the most talent of the cast and could someday star in “Step Up 3.” Still, the movie is amusing, though possibly in an accidental way.
‘Walls Have Ears’
Director: Patrick Jerome
Cast: Dahiana Torres, Scott Neufville, Romond Pamphile
Rating: NR
Grade: 2/5
‘Walls Have Ears’ is a combination of a bad soap opera and a viral YouTube video. The local Bway 7 Productions film has all the intentions of an action drama — money, sex and drive-by shootings —but the costumes are so ridiculous and the timing so awkward that it becomes an unintentional parody.
Romond Pamphile makesfor a jolly villain, and for a damsel in distress, Dahiana Torres can’t keep a straightface. But Scott Neufville, who plays Johnny, has the most talent of the cast and could someday star in “Step Up 3.” Still, the movie is amusing, though possibly in an accidental way.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
‘Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ hardly a golden [Ice] ‘Age’
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’
Directors: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier
Cast: John Leguizamo, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, Denis Leary
Rating: PG
Dinosaurs aren’t the only extinct species in the third “Ice Age” film. The heartwarming characters and parent-friendly humor of previous installments are lost in “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” The 3-D sequel introduces a new world, literally breaking the ice as the band of prehistoric creatures fall into a cracked frozen lake and discover an underground dinosaur jungle. But the jokes are as old as the movie’s setting, and the lukewarm theme of moving through life’s many stages lacks substance.
Woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, voiced by Ray Romano and Queen Latifah, respectively, are about to have a child. They are accompanied by Diego, the saber-toothed tiger (a disappointingly tame Denis Leary), and Buck, a Jack Sparrow-like weasel voiced by Simon Pegg.
Pegg’s character, with his apparent madness, is the only memorable personality other than that darn squirrel.
Though an easy pick for an 8-year-old’s birthday party, “Ice Age” is otherwise not quite worth the extra cost for 3-D.
‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’
Directors: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier
Cast: John Leguizamo, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, Denis Leary
Rating: PG
Dinosaurs aren’t the only extinct species in the third “Ice Age” film. The heartwarming characters and parent-friendly humor of previous installments are lost in “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” The 3-D sequel introduces a new world, literally breaking the ice as the band of prehistoric creatures fall into a cracked frozen lake and discover an underground dinosaur jungle. But the jokes are as old as the movie’s setting, and the lukewarm theme of moving through life’s many stages lacks substance.
Woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, voiced by Ray Romano and Queen Latifah, respectively, are about to have a child. They are accompanied by Diego, the saber-toothed tiger (a disappointingly tame Denis Leary), and Buck, a Jack Sparrow-like weasel voiced by Simon Pegg.
Pegg’s character, with his apparent madness, is the only memorable personality other than that darn squirrel.
Though an easy pick for an 8-year-old’s birthday party, “Ice Age” is otherwise not quite worth the extra cost for 3-D.
Putting the ‘sing’ in Downtown Crossing
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
“American Idol” auditions in Boston are over, but rock star hopefuls will sing this Friday at Downtown Crossing.
Ten finalists compete for a shot at fame and $80,000 at the Massachusetts Competition of the 2009 World Karaoke Championship on Friday in Downtown Crossing. The winner will go on to compete in Europe for the cash prize.
Bradford McKeown, 30, says he based his song selections on his range rather than his usual standards. That will be him you’ll hear performing “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister and “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain.
He says he normally starts with a ballad “because they will be impressed I’m doing a good job, but I would pick something a little more rock ’n’ roll later in the night.”
Casey Rae, 25, is an amateur singer who says she’s excited to perform in the same spot she remembers watching a young *NSYNC.
Rae auditioned for “American Idol” recently and though she didn’t pass the first round, “Idol” sparked her interest in competing.
“I feel like ‘American Idol’ is more like a reality show and they are looking for characters,” Rae says.
But “Idol” didn’t only turn away newbies. Liz Lohnes, 19, attends Berklee College of Music and frequently sings the national anthem at Celtics games, yet she didn’t make it past the judges, either.
“This is a lot less people. There’s a bigger chance that I’d be able to make it,” she says. “‘American Idol’ is probably one out of a million.” katrina ballard/metro
Massachusetts Competition of the 2009 World Karaoke Championship
Friday, noon, Downtown Crossing in front of Macy's
450 Washington St.
MBTA: Red/Orange Line to Downtown Crossing
Free
www.limelightboston.com
“American Idol” auditions in Boston are over, but rock star hopefuls will sing this Friday at Downtown Crossing.
Ten finalists compete for a shot at fame and $80,000 at the Massachusetts Competition of the 2009 World Karaoke Championship on Friday in Downtown Crossing. The winner will go on to compete in Europe for the cash prize.
Bradford McKeown, 30, says he based his song selections on his range rather than his usual standards. That will be him you’ll hear performing “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister and “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain.
He says he normally starts with a ballad “because they will be impressed I’m doing a good job, but I would pick something a little more rock ’n’ roll later in the night.”
Casey Rae, 25, is an amateur singer who says she’s excited to perform in the same spot she remembers watching a young *NSYNC.
Rae auditioned for “American Idol” recently and though she didn’t pass the first round, “Idol” sparked her interest in competing.
“I feel like ‘American Idol’ is more like a reality show and they are looking for characters,” Rae says.
But “Idol” didn’t only turn away newbies. Liz Lohnes, 19, attends Berklee College of Music and frequently sings the national anthem at Celtics games, yet she didn’t make it past the judges, either.
“This is a lot less people. There’s a bigger chance that I’d be able to make it,” she says. “‘American Idol’ is probably one out of a million.” katrina ballard/metro
Massachusetts Competition of the 2009 World Karaoke Championship
Friday, noon, Downtown Crossing in front of Macy's
450 Washington St.
MBTA: Red/Orange Line to Downtown Crossing
Free
www.limelightboston.com
One final ‘Season of Love’
PUBLISHED by Boston Metro
Adam Pascal on reprising his role in ‘Rent’
“Rent” may have left Broadway, but bohemia’s not dead. The production is touring across America this summer for one more season of love with two of its original cast members.
Also stars from the movie version, Anthony Rapp returns to play amateur filmmaker Mark and Adam Pascal will reprise his role as Roger, a sulky musician. After leaving the show in 1997, Pascal says he and Rapp enjoyed filming the 2005 movie so much that they decided to lead the tour.
“We both longed for, in a way, the opportunity to finish out our ‘Rent’ journey on stage where it began,” says Pascal.
If you’re not among the millions who have seen the show in some incarnation, “Rent” is based on Puccini’s opera, “La Boheme” and follows the journey of seven young friends as they struggle with heartbreak, greedy landlords and the AIDS epidemic.
Though AIDS is no longer the death sentence it was when the show first began in the mid ’90s, Pascal says the show’s core is still just as much, if not more, relevant to today’s audience than it was more than a decade ago.
“The show deals with crisis,” he says. “The concept of age is not important. People are feeling anxious these days because of the economy and wars; I think there’s a resonance.”
Once the run is over, however, Pascal and Rapp will hang up the Doc Martens for good.
“This tour has been the most fun that I’ve had performing in the show,” says Pascal. “In a way, it will be hard. Hopefully we all grow and move on in our career to do other things that mean something to us.”
Pascal and Rapp have already grown quite a bit since they first performed in “Rent,” some might even say they’re a little old for the 20 something roles they play. Pascal says he believes he now brings “more maturity and depth to performance.”
“We’ve both had 13 years to grow as human beings.”
‘Rent:’ The Broadway Tour
Through July 26
The Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
Adam Pascal on reprising his role in ‘Rent’
“Rent” may have left Broadway, but bohemia’s not dead. The production is touring across America this summer for one more season of love with two of its original cast members.
Also stars from the movie version, Anthony Rapp returns to play amateur filmmaker Mark and Adam Pascal will reprise his role as Roger, a sulky musician. After leaving the show in 1997, Pascal says he and Rapp enjoyed filming the 2005 movie so much that they decided to lead the tour.
“We both longed for, in a way, the opportunity to finish out our ‘Rent’ journey on stage where it began,” says Pascal.
If you’re not among the millions who have seen the show in some incarnation, “Rent” is based on Puccini’s opera, “La Boheme” and follows the journey of seven young friends as they struggle with heartbreak, greedy landlords and the AIDS epidemic.
Though AIDS is no longer the death sentence it was when the show first began in the mid ’90s, Pascal says the show’s core is still just as much, if not more, relevant to today’s audience than it was more than a decade ago.
“The show deals with crisis,” he says. “The concept of age is not important. People are feeling anxious these days because of the economy and wars; I think there’s a resonance.”
Once the run is over, however, Pascal and Rapp will hang up the Doc Martens for good.
“This tour has been the most fun that I’ve had performing in the show,” says Pascal. “In a way, it will be hard. Hopefully we all grow and move on in our career to do other things that mean something to us.”
Pascal and Rapp have already grown quite a bit since they first performed in “Rent,” some might even say they’re a little old for the 20 something roles they play. Pascal says he believes he now brings “more maturity and depth to performance.”
“We’ve both had 13 years to grow as human beings.”
‘Rent:’ The Broadway Tour
Through July 26
The Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Cambridge’s Paul Solet finds ‘Grace’ in horror
PUBLISHED by The Cambridge Chronicle
Cambridge —
Paul Solet’s first feature film got the best reaction a horror writer and director could hope for: two audience members fainted at its Sundance premiere. The Cambridge native and Emerson College graduate said he is excited to bring his film “Grace” to the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square. The thriller will screen once on April 25 at 11:59 p.m. for the Independent Film Festival of Boston.
The Chronicle’s Katrina Ballard spoke with Solet by phone earlier this week.
What is “Grace” about?
The film is about a woman who is eight months pregnant and determined to have a natural birth, and she loses her child in an accident. She makes the decision to carry the baby to term anyway, and when she delivers the baby it is miraculously reconstituted, not without sinister consequences.
Why did you decide to make this movie?
The idea came from a conversation I was having where it came up that there is actual medical science that if you’re pregnant and you lose your child, some of the time if labor isn’t induced, you’ll carry the baby to term. Instead of having labor induced, some women will carry it to term. To me, as a man, that’s such a potent horror, and the script wrote itself from there.
As a horror fan, I’m always looking to get shaken up, like I was when I was a kid. This really gets under my skin; the material seems to shake me up. What’s so exciting about horror is you can take an otherwise mundane idea and put it into the genre and blow it open … with no limitations except your imagination. The genre is this wonderful playground.
If you make a theme that’s already interesting, like the uncanny bond between mother and child, you can’t not have an intense personal reaction to it. That’s a large part of why the film has been so successful. It really reaches a very broad audience because we’re dealing with universally accessible scenes. This film gets an audience every time.
I heard two of your audience members passed out—is that the kind of reaction you were looking for?
That happened at the Sundance premiere. I wasn’t sure what to think. Luckily, everyone was OK, and the ambulance came. There’s nothing more flattering to a genre filmmaker to know the genre is unnerving enough for people to lose consciousness. It’s a great compliment. It was the first time in the history of Sundance that two people passed out. It happened before during “Reservoir Dogs,” but it was only one [person].
What are you looking for people to take away from the film?
I’m a story guy … I’m not interested in getting a political or social message across. My job is to get you thinking and get you talking, to reach you on not just surface level. So many genre films abuse shock and suspense to distract you from a lack of substance and distract you from the fact that you’ve got no story. My main goal is to entertain you. I want to move you.
What are you afraid of?
As far as things you’ll see in a movie, very few things are still getting under my skin. What still threw me is body horror. The ideas of losing control over your own health and your own well being—horror from within—that ’s the ultimate terrestrial horror.
When did you first start watching horror films?
My parents did a pretty good job; they did their best to keep me from watching inappropriate stuff. But if you want to find horror, you will find horror. I went to friends’ houses renting movie after movie, and Eli Roth [writer and director of “Hostel”] was my camp counselor. He became my mentor in more obscure horror films. I was the only kid running around camp with a horror magazine.
Is there anything scary about Cambridge?
Cambridge is a pretty good, safe place. I pretty much feel pretty damn safe in Cambridge. It’s hard to come up with something that is scary in Cambridge. I don’t know that my own environment could inspire my films directly; [it’s] something I draw on for creating a real universe. Horror is either in your blood or it’s not. In a horror film, you take any situation and fuse it with terror.
How do you feel about the film’s success so far?
It’s been an amazing, awesome ride. I’m just sort of overflowing with constant gratitude for the film’s reception. This film is definitely an underdog story. We shot the film very fast; we shot 192 scenes in 17 nine-and-a-half hour days in Regina, Saskatchewan. The film looks and feels like it cost a great deal more than it did.
What are you looking to do next?
I have a number of projects. I’m always writing. One project in particular looks like it’s about to go, but I’m not allowed to talk about it.
I’m hugely thrilled to be bringing the movie back to Cambridge. It is just as magical to bring the film home to the Brattle as it is to premiere the film at the Sundance Theater. I grew up going to it, my parents are still members of the theater and I have all kinds of memories there.
Cambridge —
Paul Solet’s first feature film got the best reaction a horror writer and director could hope for: two audience members fainted at its Sundance premiere. The Cambridge native and Emerson College graduate said he is excited to bring his film “Grace” to the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square. The thriller will screen once on April 25 at 11:59 p.m. for the Independent Film Festival of Boston.
The Chronicle’s Katrina Ballard spoke with Solet by phone earlier this week.
What is “Grace” about?
The film is about a woman who is eight months pregnant and determined to have a natural birth, and she loses her child in an accident. She makes the decision to carry the baby to term anyway, and when she delivers the baby it is miraculously reconstituted, not without sinister consequences.
Why did you decide to make this movie?
The idea came from a conversation I was having where it came up that there is actual medical science that if you’re pregnant and you lose your child, some of the time if labor isn’t induced, you’ll carry the baby to term. Instead of having labor induced, some women will carry it to term. To me, as a man, that’s such a potent horror, and the script wrote itself from there.
As a horror fan, I’m always looking to get shaken up, like I was when I was a kid. This really gets under my skin; the material seems to shake me up. What’s so exciting about horror is you can take an otherwise mundane idea and put it into the genre and blow it open … with no limitations except your imagination. The genre is this wonderful playground.
If you make a theme that’s already interesting, like the uncanny bond between mother and child, you can’t not have an intense personal reaction to it. That’s a large part of why the film has been so successful. It really reaches a very broad audience because we’re dealing with universally accessible scenes. This film gets an audience every time.
I heard two of your audience members passed out—is that the kind of reaction you were looking for?
That happened at the Sundance premiere. I wasn’t sure what to think. Luckily, everyone was OK, and the ambulance came. There’s nothing more flattering to a genre filmmaker to know the genre is unnerving enough for people to lose consciousness. It’s a great compliment. It was the first time in the history of Sundance that two people passed out. It happened before during “Reservoir Dogs,” but it was only one [person].
What are you looking for people to take away from the film?
I’m a story guy … I’m not interested in getting a political or social message across. My job is to get you thinking and get you talking, to reach you on not just surface level. So many genre films abuse shock and suspense to distract you from a lack of substance and distract you from the fact that you’ve got no story. My main goal is to entertain you. I want to move you.
What are you afraid of?
As far as things you’ll see in a movie, very few things are still getting under my skin. What still threw me is body horror. The ideas of losing control over your own health and your own well being—horror from within—that ’s the ultimate terrestrial horror.
When did you first start watching horror films?
My parents did a pretty good job; they did their best to keep me from watching inappropriate stuff. But if you want to find horror, you will find horror. I went to friends’ houses renting movie after movie, and Eli Roth [writer and director of “Hostel”] was my camp counselor. He became my mentor in more obscure horror films. I was the only kid running around camp with a horror magazine.
Is there anything scary about Cambridge?
Cambridge is a pretty good, safe place. I pretty much feel pretty damn safe in Cambridge. It’s hard to come up with something that is scary in Cambridge. I don’t know that my own environment could inspire my films directly; [it’s] something I draw on for creating a real universe. Horror is either in your blood or it’s not. In a horror film, you take any situation and fuse it with terror.
How do you feel about the film’s success so far?
It’s been an amazing, awesome ride. I’m just sort of overflowing with constant gratitude for the film’s reception. This film is definitely an underdog story. We shot the film very fast; we shot 192 scenes in 17 nine-and-a-half hour days in Regina, Saskatchewan. The film looks and feels like it cost a great deal more than it did.
What are you looking to do next?
I have a number of projects. I’m always writing. One project in particular looks like it’s about to go, but I’m not allowed to talk about it.
I’m hugely thrilled to be bringing the movie back to Cambridge. It is just as magical to bring the film home to the Brattle as it is to premiere the film at the Sundance Theater. I grew up going to it, my parents are still members of the theater and I have all kinds of memories there.
A fresh look at Fresh Pond: New book explores raw beauty of Cambridge landscape
PUBLISHED by The Cambridge Chronicle
Cambridge —
Fresh Pond means many things for Cambridge: a source of beauty, a playground, a water supply, an escape. For U.K. native Jill Sinclair, the pond meant a graduate studies thesis.
Sinclair’s new book, “Fresh Pond: The History of a Cambridge Landscape,” grew out of her work at Harvard University Landscape Institute in 2001 and is the first book chronicling the pond’s noteworthy history. She is currently working on a master’s degree in Paris about managing historic gardens more sustainably, but she arrived back in the U.S. last week.
Sinclair recently talked with Katrina Ballard in an e-mail interview.
How did you come to know Fresh Pond?
I lived for 4 years in a little historic carriage house on Brattle Street — we came over from the UK when my husband was posted to the British consulate in Boston. I used to visit Fresh Pond with my baby daughter to walk around the paths and later to go sledding.
Why did you write this book?
I studied landscape history at Harvard's Landscape Institute, and Fresh Pond was originally the topic of my academic thesis. It's a landscape that interests me for all sorts of reasons; Fresh Pond has such a rich past but this is the first book to be written about it.
Why is Fresh Pond such an important landmark?
As landscape architect Charles Eliot said, it is "the largest open space that Cambridge can ever hope to possess." Its size in such a tightly packed city makes it a special place. And then, its history is remarkable.
Two things I would particularly highlight are the pond's role in the 19th century natural ice industry. Local businessmen and women made fortunes cutting ice from the pond and shipping it around the world for sale. At its peak, the industry spread to many lakes in New England and beyond, but Fresh Pond was really the first site of commercial ice cutting, and remained the heart of the industry for decades.
The second thing is the 1897 park design by landscape architecture firm Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot. This was such an important firm — and all three partners were heavily involved in the work at Fresh Pond. And of course it has been the source of the city's water supply for almost 150 years.
How did you conduct your research and find all the photos? How long did it take?
The original thesis took seven months of fairly intensive research. I spent a lot of time digging around in archives, libraries, historical societies, reading old journals and newspapers, finding books that were long out of print.... Turning the thesis into a book took about another 18 months.
What is your favorite memory of Fresh Pond?
Enjoying the leafy shade on Kingsley Park, imagining some of the things that have happened there — working out where the resort hotel stood for most of the 1800s, imagining the fruit trees that once grew there, walking on the paths designed by the Olmsted firm.
What is your favorite part of the pond's history?
As a Brit, I found the ice industry an extraordinary episode. But there are other elements that proved fascinating: the First World War soldiers who dug trenches and practiced trench warfare on the northern shores of the pond; the Catholic schoolgirls who for a time were educated on Kingsley Park. All the memoirs of Harvard students, for whom Fresh Pond was a major source of recreation in the 1700s and 1800s. There are great stories of the students feasting, swimming and skating at the pond.
What do you see for Fresh Pond's future? How should it be used?
The city produced a master plan in partnership with local people in the year 2000 which planned for the future management of the pond. Lots of work has gone on to implement the plan, and I hope that continues. It's great to see the landscape being considered as a whole.
What is the central message you wanted to get across to your readers?
I think that learning about the past helps us better imagine the future; and hope that people will find some of the pond's stories fascinating and inspirational.
Why do Cambridge residents love Fresh Pond?
I think because of its size… it offers such opportunities to people, for sport, for enjoying nature in the city, for escaping some of the pressures of city life.
Cambridge —
Fresh Pond means many things for Cambridge: a source of beauty, a playground, a water supply, an escape. For U.K. native Jill Sinclair, the pond meant a graduate studies thesis.
Sinclair’s new book, “Fresh Pond: The History of a Cambridge Landscape,” grew out of her work at Harvard University Landscape Institute in 2001 and is the first book chronicling the pond’s noteworthy history. She is currently working on a master’s degree in Paris about managing historic gardens more sustainably, but she arrived back in the U.S. last week.
Sinclair recently talked with Katrina Ballard in an e-mail interview.
How did you come to know Fresh Pond?
I lived for 4 years in a little historic carriage house on Brattle Street — we came over from the UK when my husband was posted to the British consulate in Boston. I used to visit Fresh Pond with my baby daughter to walk around the paths and later to go sledding.
Why did you write this book?
I studied landscape history at Harvard's Landscape Institute, and Fresh Pond was originally the topic of my academic thesis. It's a landscape that interests me for all sorts of reasons; Fresh Pond has such a rich past but this is the first book to be written about it.
Why is Fresh Pond such an important landmark?
As landscape architect Charles Eliot said, it is "the largest open space that Cambridge can ever hope to possess." Its size in such a tightly packed city makes it a special place. And then, its history is remarkable.
Two things I would particularly highlight are the pond's role in the 19th century natural ice industry. Local businessmen and women made fortunes cutting ice from the pond and shipping it around the world for sale. At its peak, the industry spread to many lakes in New England and beyond, but Fresh Pond was really the first site of commercial ice cutting, and remained the heart of the industry for decades.
The second thing is the 1897 park design by landscape architecture firm Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot. This was such an important firm — and all three partners were heavily involved in the work at Fresh Pond. And of course it has been the source of the city's water supply for almost 150 years.
How did you conduct your research and find all the photos? How long did it take?
The original thesis took seven months of fairly intensive research. I spent a lot of time digging around in archives, libraries, historical societies, reading old journals and newspapers, finding books that were long out of print.... Turning the thesis into a book took about another 18 months.
What is your favorite memory of Fresh Pond?
Enjoying the leafy shade on Kingsley Park, imagining some of the things that have happened there — working out where the resort hotel stood for most of the 1800s, imagining the fruit trees that once grew there, walking on the paths designed by the Olmsted firm.
What is your favorite part of the pond's history?
As a Brit, I found the ice industry an extraordinary episode. But there are other elements that proved fascinating: the First World War soldiers who dug trenches and practiced trench warfare on the northern shores of the pond; the Catholic schoolgirls who for a time were educated on Kingsley Park. All the memoirs of Harvard students, for whom Fresh Pond was a major source of recreation in the 1700s and 1800s. There are great stories of the students feasting, swimming and skating at the pond.
What do you see for Fresh Pond's future? How should it be used?
The city produced a master plan in partnership with local people in the year 2000 which planned for the future management of the pond. Lots of work has gone on to implement the plan, and I hope that continues. It's great to see the landscape being considered as a whole.
What is the central message you wanted to get across to your readers?
I think that learning about the past helps us better imagine the future; and hope that people will find some of the pond's stories fascinating and inspirational.
Why do Cambridge residents love Fresh Pond?
I think because of its size… it offers such opportunities to people, for sport, for enjoying nature in the city, for escaping some of the pressures of city life.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Cambridge opens up for the arts
PUBLISHED by The Cambridge Chronicle
Cambridge —More than 100 artists in Cambridge will open their homes or studios to their neighbors at the first Cambridge Open Studios at the end of this month.
Previously, Cambridgeport Artists Open Studios and North Cambridge All Arts Open Studios provided artists living or working in certain areas a forum for displaying their work every fall and spring. Last year, the Cambridge Arts Council began working with CAOS and NoCa to include artists everywhere in Cambridge, said Julie Madden, Cambridge Arts Council director of community arts.
“It’s absolutely vital to artists in Cambridge to have a support network from the city,” said Madden. “And it’s all-encompassing. There’s not a sense of elitism or people being left out — not to say NoCa or CAOS were elite in any way, but the perception was you had to be in the area to participate.”
The smaller open studios of the past had about 40 to 60 participants each, and Cambridge Open Studios will host about 140 artists this year, said Madden. Artists will display their work, ranging from paintings to wire sculptures to jewelry, in their homes or in a shared studio space donated by local vendors, she said.
Catherine Ezell, who will display her paintings in her home at 4 Bellis Circle in North Cambridge, said she has participated in NoCa’s open studios for the past 11 years. Her “fingers are crossed” that the success of Cambridge Open Studios matches NoCa’s success, she said.
“It’s easier for us, but it probably will take time to get off the ground,” said Ezell. “We’re hoping we get as many people this year as we had in the past … people can only go to so many open studios.”
Open studios in Cambridge are unique because they are held in artists’ homes rather than a large shared studio, so people attending can explore the neighborhood at the same time.
“Artists are not good at doing their own publicity because they want to spend time doing their own artwork, so it’s a chance to be before the public and hope to sell their work,” said Ezell.
Porter Square Books will host a day of poetry and a play on April 25 from noon-4 p.m. as part of the program, said Madden. The whole event spans three weekends from noon-6 p.m. each day, on April 25 and 26 in the north and west; May 9 and 10 in central Cambridge; and May 30 and 31 in the east. A map of all locations and an artist listing is available on the Cambridge Arts Council Web site, www.cambridgeartscouncil.org.
Cambridge —More than 100 artists in Cambridge will open their homes or studios to their neighbors at the first Cambridge Open Studios at the end of this month.
Previously, Cambridgeport Artists Open Studios and North Cambridge All Arts Open Studios provided artists living or working in certain areas a forum for displaying their work every fall and spring. Last year, the Cambridge Arts Council began working with CAOS and NoCa to include artists everywhere in Cambridge, said Julie Madden, Cambridge Arts Council director of community arts.
“It’s absolutely vital to artists in Cambridge to have a support network from the city,” said Madden. “And it’s all-encompassing. There’s not a sense of elitism or people being left out — not to say NoCa or CAOS were elite in any way, but the perception was you had to be in the area to participate.”
The smaller open studios of the past had about 40 to 60 participants each, and Cambridge Open Studios will host about 140 artists this year, said Madden. Artists will display their work, ranging from paintings to wire sculptures to jewelry, in their homes or in a shared studio space donated by local vendors, she said.
Catherine Ezell, who will display her paintings in her home at 4 Bellis Circle in North Cambridge, said she has participated in NoCa’s open studios for the past 11 years. Her “fingers are crossed” that the success of Cambridge Open Studios matches NoCa’s success, she said.
“It’s easier for us, but it probably will take time to get off the ground,” said Ezell. “We’re hoping we get as many people this year as we had in the past … people can only go to so many open studios.”
Open studios in Cambridge are unique because they are held in artists’ homes rather than a large shared studio, so people attending can explore the neighborhood at the same time.
“Artists are not good at doing their own publicity because they want to spend time doing their own artwork, so it’s a chance to be before the public and hope to sell their work,” said Ezell.
Porter Square Books will host a day of poetry and a play on April 25 from noon-4 p.m. as part of the program, said Madden. The whole event spans three weekends from noon-6 p.m. each day, on April 25 and 26 in the north and west; May 9 and 10 in central Cambridge; and May 30 and 31 in the east. A map of all locations and an artist listing is available on the Cambridge Arts Council Web site, www.cambridgeartscouncil.org.
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