I’m a long time resident of the Twin Cities.   I am lucky to be able to see things evolve in the city.  I’ve seen buildings burn down, restaurants close, bridges collapse, city council people go to jail, and houses foreclose…

I’m 27 years old.  Certainly not old enough to see neighborhoods turnaround or see a reduction in car traffic or see public transportation become fashionable.  But I have seen social scenes develop and change.  One of the highlights of Minnefabulous emerging fashion and arts scene is the almost annual VOLTAGE FASHION AMPLIPHED show at First Avenue. 

This event is a fine example of the Minneapolis arts and commerce scene working together.  The leg work it takes to produce this show is impressive and the results are theatrically and musically satisfying—dozens of models, make-up artists, stylists, public relations people, an avalanche of photographers, six bands—and it all adds up to a perfect venue for showcasing the niche market of local design.

So, the following is my run down of the amazing proceedings.  Granted, I’ve never wrote about fashion or music, so my critique will represent solely my sensibilities, informed very little by the standards of the profession. 

I missed the first band, Zibra Zibra (I’ve seen these young dandies MANY times, but I just found out they are of my same sexual persuasion).   I’m bummed that I missed the futuristic athletic wear designed for the band by everyone’s favorite 19 Bar bartender, Ivan.

My pal Lola and I came in as The Haves Have It were playing their set.   This mostly female punk quartet had a thrashing style reminiscent of The Soviettes, a bit more down tempo, but a lot more head thrashing as their blonde tresses cascaded in the lights.   I liked the spring dresses and combinations created by Belle, and the short jumpers by Calpurnia Peach.  They were very youthful, high-waisted combinations, frequently using straps, bright colors and cut-outs.  Both collections looks marketable, creative and well made.

The next band was a complete turnaround.  Bella Koska was very B(roing)jorkish (I’m trying to create a word combining borking and Bjork).  They were neither fun or challenging or interesting.   This is not to say that they weren’t great musicians or dynamic singers—and they looked great on the cover of Vita.mn in Laura Falk’s boxy silhouettes.

Visually, however, designers Max Lohrbach and George Moskal provided a back to back watershed of visual delights.   In Lohrbach’s collection the models floated down the runway like a parade of wistful Zelda Fitzgeralds in delicate summer wear.  Most pieces had whimsical embroidery; I saw tropical fruits on the drape of one of the gauzy dresses.   Interspersed throughout his collection were men in stripped tight fitting athletic swimwear, evocative of a production of Anything Goes set in an asylum.

George Moskal answered Lohrbach’s Zelda Fitzgerald with something along the lines of Grace Kelley.  The film noir inspired collection used a stunning palate of rubies, burgundies and chocolates.   They were extremely well excessoried with shoes and purses.   I nearly expected the models grab a microphone and purr out “The Man That Got Away” or some torch song of lost love and gun smoke.

By this time I had gotten close to the stage (close enough to be completely seduced by the action) .  I credit Bella Koshka for thinning the crowd and a sweet PR intern for letting me sneak up into the VIP section.

Next onstage was White Light Riot, in their most up tempo set I’ve seen.  They were clad in Willy Wonka style Victorian velvet jackets.  On the runway were two very polished collections by

Katharine Gerdes star turn was a little underwhelming but gorgeous.  The sweeping evening wear used sustainable fabrics dyed in regal tones.  The looks were elegant, but a bit bland (they reminded me of something between Rami and Sweet Pea’s signature looks on Project Runway). 

Things amped up even further when MC/VL hit the stage.  The pair was outfitted in red and white Member’s Only jackets and impressively tight jeans.  The looks by Erin Smith did not hold back their spry athleticism.  They pounced up and down the runway.  One gal from the VIP section even climbed on to the stage to join the jam.

On the runway was a sloppy concept by Swank Dollar, but the styling and accessories amped up the theatricality and gave the look huge impact on the runway.  Gorgeous hair extensions cascaded down the backs of each model, tied on with silk flowers; each model had a satchel/backpack further adorned with quirky trinkets from some magical forest floor.  With MC/LV hip-hopping in the background and the models all in miss-matched pastels, the collection actually worked nicely.  I imagined, “This is what the Guthrie’s Midsummer Night’s Dream COULD have been.”

Red Shoe Clothing Co. had one of the most impressive collections of the evening.  Most of the looks used black complemented with jewel-toned colors on marketable silhouettes.  She made fun use of holsters, but this collection was upstaged by stunning styling and severe bangs (again, great work styling team!)

The final band of the evening was the Birthday Suits, thrashing about ferousiouly this duo nearly tore off their threads.  On the runway was Russell Bourienne men’s collection.  The well-tailored long vests and Asian inspired pants looked durable, but dull.  It was nice to see the open shirts of the male models.  

In contrast, Laura Falk’s finale collection was high on concept, weak on tailoring and weak on quality.  Swank Dollar and Laura Falk both fell into the category of Minneapolis design that fails to raise fashion expectations above that of a hipster hobbyist.   Falk’s concept was inspired by Midwest pioneer women, and they had huge visual impact, but the concept outweighed the quality of construction. 

I’m a bit late weighing in on this one.  But I totally dug it.  Thanks to the Rake for the pictures!

I’m trying to avoid self-aggrandizement.   But I REALLY want you to come see this show.  Broken Brain Summit at the Old Arizona (2821 Nicollet Ave. S. ) 

This is my big directorial debut!  Though I’ve certainly been directorial in most projects I work on, but this project has offered that challenge of synthesizing the contribution of designers, choreographers, technicians and actors.   (I even had to try and run production meetings—all the while tending to bathroom needs, “de-escalating the hot temperaments of some of our actors). 

Naturally the greatest challenge is the one posed by the actors in the cast of the show.  22 actors who live with brain injuries, mental illness, autism and developmental disabilities.   Directing at Interact frequently means finding an aesthetic that sets all of the actors up for success—and they are all so different in their approach, they have unique strengths and deficits.   Each actor has a completely unique social compass, navigating dramatic situations from a lens that is completely different than conventional actors.  

But now that opening has come and gone, I can hardly recognize the struggles.  The actors are wonderfully at ease with the material.  They will surely grow through the run of the production—deepening their characterization and selling the songs with their whole being. 

So come see it for yourself!  Audiences who attend Interact shows, especially those seeing them for the first time, frequently leave experiencing those intangible thrills of live performance… the thrill of self-actualization, the thrill of dreams realized, the risk of smashing paradigms.

We’ve also gotten some nice press from HOW WAS THE SHOW.

I’m glad Janet Preus enjoyed the show, it seems like she took in the show during a preview (referring to our show as it sort of “lurches about in a way that suggests the erratic timing of a broken brain”)… it’s become much more slick.

There’s also an interview on MINNPOST. 

(I’m trying to upload audio–thanks to the fabulous Elliot Durko Lynch) 

We’re performing at Old Arizona 

Wednesdays at NOON

Thursdays at 7:30 

Fridays at 7:30

Saturdays at 3:00 and 7:30

(I’m learning how to embed things) 

When Irish Eyes are Shining, the second bout of the 2008 Minnesota Rollergirls Season, was a make or break bout for all four teams as we sprint into the Championship bout on April 12th.  The Dagger Dolls, all but written off after a winless season in 2007, look fresh and fierce.  They made easy work of the Atomic Bombshells in two 20 minute periods. The Rockits notched up another win with a well-oiled performance along side the always hearty Garda Belts.  Both bouts were a testament to the Minnesota Rollegirls new style of smart defensive play.    

The first period between the pink team and orange team had lagging moments as each team took the first ten minutes to warm-up from the bitter cold that had fallen upon downtown St. Paul.  The first period opened with Lizzie the Axe and Sparkle Ninja on the jamming line. Lizzie took the lead, followed by the Bombshell’s Mitzie Masaquer, but both teams had a difficult time putting substantial points on the board. The Dolls didn’t have a lead jammer until the 6th jam, when Rebel Stella took the lead, woke up the crowd proved the Dolls were going to not only going to run away with bouquet, but throw some sand in the eyes of the immodest 2007 champions.  The rest of the period was a display of impressive hits from the likes of Scootaloo and Lydia Punch and a marathon of jams from Sparkle Ninja and Rebel Stella.  Ninja was a timid rookie last season, but seems to have gained the confidence and wisdom to be a dominant scoring presence in 2008.    

Through the 2nd half, the Bombshells were determined to go out with a splash.  Their blocking line made rallied their arsonal and began throwing huge body blocks.  The refs kept a tight fist on the team and kept a faction of the orange team in the box nearly the entire 2nd half.  The Altastic Hitter of the Game was Marilyn Monrogue, who amassed 14 minor penaulties and two major penalities.  She was even ruthlessly deliverly body blocks on her way to the penaulty box.  Only Chinese Take-Out left the rink with a clean record.  Some of their blocks made a difference.  Star jammer Lizzie the Axe scored 25 for her team’s 42 points.   Sparkle Ninja had the game high of 26, she was named the Pizza Luce Player of the Game.  The finals score was 50 to 42.   

The Rockits and Garda Belts bout showed a definat contrast in character.  The early both set the pace for the evening, while the Rockits and Garda’s 

After many months battling teams from across the country, our veteran skaters joined forces with the 2008 rookie class for the opening of the new season of Minnesota Roller Girls roller derby at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium.  What we saw Sunday night painted a clear picture of who might dominate the 2008 season–but promises two months of scramble as each team fights to leave a mark.

We had two bouts, each with two 20 minute periods (Rockits vs. Atomic Bombshells and Garda Belts vs. Dagger Dolls).  The Rockits were returning an entirely veteran roster of high minded and hard nosed skaters.  They won the 2006 Golden Skate championship, but were destroyed in the final bracket last season by a staked team of Bombshells.  But after a few shake-ups in the Bombshells roster, this has become somewhat of a rebuilding year for the orange team.  Joining their roster are six new skaters (Calamity Crush, Bad Dream, Racy Roughles, Punishment Patty, Sugar Cain and Chinese Take Out).  The Garda Belts have maintained a reputation for a rough, physical style of play, earning both fans and foes among roller derby fans.  Several rookies from last season (Suzie Smashbox and Demora Liza) have earned respect for their dedication and hustle on the rink.  Fans should keep their expectations high for these ladies in their sophomore season.  The Dagger Dolls have proven they can pull out a power play at the right moment, and their unpredictable antics have earned them many fans and a couple trips to the championship (and many penalties).

The Rockits / Bombshells battle was a much anticipated rematch of last year’s championship.  The Bombshells were skating without all-star 1-900 Lady Killher (who is resting some nagging injuries) and two strong personalities from last season (Velvet Hammer and Dragon Chaos).   The Rockits lost the championship last year.  They are eager to prove they can win it back.    

In the first period, the Rockits showed they wanted to play a “thinking” game.  In every jam, the Rockits managed the clock and kept the score low, giving up lead jammer to the Bombshells just three times in two periods.  We saw several jams where Harmony Killerbruise or Dudezilla would seize lead jammer and immediately call it off with out any scoring attempts.  The fans loved the face-off betweens Lizzie the Ax and Jawbreaker.  When the Rockits weren’t milking the hands of time, they were depending on Jawbreaker to run up the score while their defense (led by pivots Couchie Coup and Rizzo and ruthless blockers like Honeydew Felon) slammed the door on Lizzie the Axe.   No Bombshell jammer was able to crack the code of Rockits defense.  They used sprightly positional blocking and clean hits that sent the jammers out of scoring range.    The Bombshells played a much more physical game.  Rear blocker Mitzie Massacre was tallied at 8 body blocks and three jammer take downs.  Marilyn Monrouge made several trips to the penalty box in her desperate attempts to throw limbs in the direction of Jawbreaker, but the timing of their defensive approach did not hold back the Rockits jammers for long. 

The unfocused blocking of the Bombshells created problems in the 2nd period, as their jammers were in the box at key many moments.   From the first jam, with Vuedoo Prodigy unopposed on the jamming line, the gap widened in favor of the Rockits.  The Bombshells had a thrilling power surge in the last five minutes when co-captain Cleosplatra nabbed lead jammer.  She was followed by Lizzie the Axe, continuing their momentum and wowing the fans.  But Jawbreaker and Dudezilla sealed the deal in the last three jams.  Jawbreaker was the high scorer with 33 points in seven jams.  The Rockits razor sharp strategy proved near flawless.  The final score was 75 to 21. 

Rookie Bombshell, Chinese Take Out, was named the Pizza Luce Player of the Game.  She demonstrated clear hustle on the front line, fearlessly taking on the Rockits jammers, tag teaming with The Bonesetter.  She showed keen derby smarts and stayed firm on her skates.

The real thrills of the evening were in the Dagger Dolls and Garda Belts match-up.  The Garda’s blocking formation was fierce and quick, spinning the action around within the pack.  Hannabelle Lector and Optimiss Crime tossed around the Dagger Dolls jammers, each accumulating four jammer take downs, while their Jammers, Angel Fire and Suzie Smashbox, put points on the board.  However the Dagger Dolls were able to keep the margin narrow, never dipping far below the Garda’s.  Big jams by Rebel Stella and Sparkle Ninja kept the action even and exciting.

The Garda Belts were ahead at the top of the 2nd period, but something magical must have happened in the Dagger Dolls locker room (something beyond the usual pixie sticks and lolli-pops).  In the second jam of the period, Mary Tyler Roar stepped up to the line jamming line, scored six points and ignited the Dagger Dolls offence.  She was followed by Rebel Stella and Scootaloo, each grabbing lead jammer and pushing the Dolls to a six point lead. These points were answered by Suzie Smashbox, and the Garda’s were back on top.  The Dolls defense stepped up, playing unusually rough.  Barbie Brawl and Lydia Punch nailed five jammer take downs, railing hard on rookie Garda Belt jammer Dieanne Isis and captain Rumble Bee.  Tiki Torture retaliated and pulled Candy Pain to the floor in the final seconds.  The period clock ran out with the score tied at 62 to 62. 

The Roy Wilkins Crowd has never seen a tie breaker play out by the new WFTDA regulations.  Still dizzy from the escalating tension of last period, the crowd hung on breathlessly for the two more minutes, as Suzie Smashbox and Rebel Stella took the line.  According to the regulations, in a tie-breaker there is to be no lead jammer.  Each jammer attempts to lap as many of the opposing teams skaters as possible in two minutes.  Tragedy struck for the Garda fans, as Suzie was sent to the box on accumulated minors, already having scored four points.  Rebel Stella skated gracefully to victory and a bout total of 26 points in 7 jams.  The Garda Belts felt the sting, realizing too late that Suzie was in contention of a major penalty.  Had they put another jammer on the line, the outcome of the final minutes may have been different.  Suzie ended the evening with an impressive 33 points in nine jams.  The final score was 68 to 66.

Dagger Doll Scootaloo was named the Pizza Luce Player of the Game, scoring a total of 13 points in four jams, nailing four jammer take outs and skating her cleanest game to date (no minor penalties).

Hold your breath for more Minnesota Rollergirls action.  On March 8th the Dagger Dolls will take on the Atomic Bombshells and the Garda Belts will stare down the Rockits.

We’re honoring the dedicated waitstaff, butt whippers, bartenders, tatoo artists and union plumbers who have been our loyal fan base from the beginning.

Now is your chance to see our 2008 Rookies in action. The Garda Belts have been empty handed three season in a row. Could it be their season to dominate?

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
Sunday, February 24
6:30pm doors, 7:30pm bout

Half-time entertainment by Corpse
Show Creeps. Pre-show by the ALT Boys Freestyle Team. First 200 people in the doors
get a limited edition t-shirt! *

*Tickets |
Directions | Parking

*SERVICE INDUSTRY DISCOUNT
Show your service industry paystub or union card and get $2 off at the door.
*

CHARITY: *Family and Children’s Service*

www.mnrollergirls.com

Last weeks installment was a thrill–great energy in the crowd, great space, terrific performers.   Look for more every Friday this month.  Including me and MARIA BENSON on Friday February 29th.   It might be a cooking show, in SONG!

 For two Fridays in February I will take on the truely terrifying… performing my own work!

I’m will be performing selections from a new work, working title: GIRLYMAN LOOKS AT THE FEMINIST WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTER.

Roma di Luna, Scott Reynolds, Kristoff Krane, Katie Rose , Emily Johnson and Brushed Metal One. 

I will be joined by good pal Jillia Pessenda on this project.  Please come and let me know what you think.  I’ve been exploring themes related to ideological compromise, femanist collectives, sexual identity, etc… hopefully it’s fun!

 I will also be on the bill February 22nd, but on that evening, I will be singing!

ExerciseEXORCISE
6 Evenings of Dance, Theatre, Music & Film
Curated by Jeremey Catterton
at The Bottling House Theatre:
Performed every Friday at 10pm, February 1 through March 7

Broadcast Live & Web-Stream by Twin Cities Radio

(Minneapolis, MN) It is not every year that there are 5 Fridays in

the month of February, and this year Minneapolis theatre company

Lamb Lays with Lion is embracing this unique occurrence by

unleashing the strange and unique performers of Minneapolis.

Lamb Lays with Lion is proud to announce ExerciseEXORCISE, the
Twin City’s opportunity to Exercise its creative demons and Exorcise the winter
ennui, with 6 completely diverse evenings of performance. Each performance will be
Broadcast by Twin Cities Radio, streamed on the web, as well as air by their sister
station in Queens, NYC. 

 www.lamblayswithlion.org

www.twincitiesradio.net

The Bottleing House is located on the campus Grain Belt Brewery.  79 13th Avenue NE

Out There is over. The buy product for me has been a few free glasses of champagne, a chance to congregate with a grab bag of very exciting people in the performance/dance world, and now–a blog.

The last piece, David Neuman’s feedforward, will live on as my favorite. The Maguire was again visited by a bunch of New York dancers (from the “downtown scene”), but their concept had more color and sprawl than any of the previous productions. The flat expanse of the stage became the transforming terrain for nine athletic dancers to sally forth through the perils of the sporting life.

The piece was described in PR materials as “Merce Cunningham coaching a soccer team”. I can’t do much better than that, except to contend that Neuman and his Advanced Beginner Group, throw much MORE into the mix.

The action is accompanied by an original score and a studdly trombone choir. The performers (donning costumes that place them somewhere between tennis player and baton twirler) are comic, stoic, euphoric and victorious–running the gammote of emotions available to those who sacrifice sleep, calories and LC bands for the sake of competition. They also handle text extremely well! The script is credited to Karinne Keithley, but the grunts, growls and exclamitory releases of breath are all original (or seemed spontaneous and inspired).

All the ingredients are there to satisfy Scotty’s appetite. I love performance events that ride the fine line between competative / combative ritual and performance. I love allusions to Middle-American traditions (pep fests, marching bands, etc). I love the athlete as icon (disposable icon, especially if you are female–like Kerri Strug and Bonnie Blair). The dancers on David Neuman’s mat evoke these personas—articulate the human experience for our amazement, responding to sideline commentators with quips like “I was trying to keep my head in the game” and “God blessed me with a positive attitude”.

There is great drama in athletic performance. I have memories of seeing NCAA champ and current Team USA member Carrie Tollefson run and being on the starting line with Luke Watson (another Team USA member–I finished 3 minutes behind him). These are burned into my skull (or shins rather) like the melody of a Liz Phair song.

http://www.teamusaminnesota.org/athlete_bio.asp?id=1

http://www.teamusaminnesota.org/article.asp?id=152

There is great drama in music (especially when that music is there to manipulate a roaring crowd of sports fans). I also loved my marching band experience (despite some of those JERKS in the trombone line–not all of them were studdly).

I also have an affection of sports commentary. I’m knee deep in the roller derby world and proud to see this sporty performance on rise.

David Neuman had a lot of great elements to work with.  These solid ingredients all smell great in the package, but I’m not sure they really let the dough rise (I’m practicing my cliche analogies for the twister ). For my sensibility (which always prefers theatricality, surprise, and pandemonium) the performance could have stolen a bit more from the roller derby world. The collision of these ideas (sports and dance) was a bit listless and never took any head first plunges. There were no surprises.

It was a treat to watch the stage co-exists as golf course, wrestling mat, gymnast mat, tennis court and football field. The shifting dynamic was powerful.

There seems to be some very cool people connected to the project.  Especially Mr. Lower East Side, Neal Medlyn, who claims to give good head to unicorns.  (Can he have a solo slot next year?)

www.nealmedlyn.com

Writer/performer/musician Karinne Keithley has a lot of good stuff to peruse on-line as well.

www.fancystitchmachine.org

I don’t have much to say, other than, I hope I see you there…  
FEBRUARY 2nd is going to be totally awesome…

Come to Intermedia Arts for LoveROX….

I will be one of MCs for the World Largest game of TWISTER…

http://www.intermediaarts.org/pages/special/love_rox.php
Heiruspecs will be there… and one of my favorite DJs… DJ King Otto will be spinning while you play twister…

There will be lots of other stuff too… plan to be over stimulated.

5:30 pm to Midnight….

Tix are $35 for students and artists…

call 612-871-4444

2822 Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis 

Intermedia Arts is a catalyst that builds understanding amoung people through art.
Forget everything you thought you knew about Valentine’s Day only Intermedia Arts could bring you a night like this:

silent auction, graffiti valentines, kissing photo booths, grab bags, massage, hair styling, live music, DJs, a 30’ hanging food table (what?!)… you’ll seriously have to see it to believe it.

Whether you’re aching to be a part of our Guinness Record Longest Twister Marathon, or bidding on that one-of-a-kind arts experience your sweetheart will be talking about for years to come, Love Rox is going to be the best Valentine’s date of your life.

Bring your lover, bring your friends, bring your lover’s friend … single or stag, you can’t miss this night.
 
Performances throughout the evening in our gallery feature Quilombolas, Mighty Fairly, Marvelle and Foxy Tann, interspersed with enticing silent auction “art burst” showcases of spoken word, theater and music by local artists Ibé, Isis, Teatro del Pueblo, and Heiruspecs.
 

Claude Wampler is totally OUT THERE

I saw the third installment of the Out There Series on Thursday night. The premise can be described very simply. Cue the haze…. cue the projections….The audience watches a trio of musicians rehearse a new song… I’m no scholar of music… it sounded to me like some fusion of The Who, The Stones and Concrete Blonde…. sort of like sex music with a bad Beach Boys refrain of “bah bah-da-bah bah”.  They exchange pithy comments like “the high hat is too trashy”.  The projections floated on the haze, giving the omnipresent musicians a ghost like quality as they floated above their instruments. Cue replenish the haze…The effect was often very cool…After the 50 minutes rehearsal, are rewarded a payoff as the Maguire transforms and the ghosts of the rehearsal dissipate.  Suddenly we’re at a rock show.  The band members return in spandex and perform live.  The crowd loved this moment, enthusiastically assuming their new role as rock show audience.It was very difficult to tell when the show was over.  The tension held the crowd cheering and shrugging shoulders for nearly 10 minutes.  The house light finally came up and suddenly we a group of baffled (or punk’d) Walker goers.I was pissed and irritated through most of the performance.  The audience is wedged into a seating arrangement.  I was moved by the house management twice according to the specifications of the director.  Visibility was apparently essential to our enjoyment of the project.  It was obvious all we needed to see was the set up for a 70s rock/funk on-stage…   Apparently, there were “demands” from the director.  I’m not sure how the seating arrangement would have affected the already listless concept.Reflecting, though I didn’t enjoy it at the time, I’m very glad I attended.  I can’t speak for any intention; there was certainly an unusual practice on display. www.claudewampler.com 

We Welcome the TEAM to the Mid-West

We’re onto the 2^nd installment of the Out There Series.  Last night I saw Particularly in the Heartland by another young company from New York City—The TEAM (Theatre of the Emerging American Movement).    Initially, I had high expectations.  It’s right up my alley.  It’s an ensemble creation featuring a cast of six, including five of the founders of this young company (and most of the founders are women—and I have an on going curiosity in feminist collectives—not that The TEAM is such a collective, but their workshop promises to explore the principles of democracy within the creative process).  It promised high physicality, audience participation, and content charged with “the now”.  Indeed the piece felt very current and offered two hours worth of colorful characters, theatrical tricks and comfortable ideas.    At the center of the piece are three fundamentalist siblings (orphaned in the opening of the play) who speak of the rapture and the ”end times”, read the Left Behind series, and play games like “base”.  Thrown into the mix are an east coast advertising executive, the ghost of Robert F. Kennedy and an alien (an Asian woman).  Very compelling ingredients!  This seemed to be exactly the piece I’ve been waiting to see—a theatrical response to the divisiveness that defines our country.  I also assumed I’d be challenged or at least entertained. Journalists and sociologists have put out quite a bit of work about divisiveness and alienation in our current climate–Thomas Frank’s What’s the Matter with Kansas and Robert D. Putnams’ Bowling Alone are good examples…. I’m sure the Claremont Institute has put out some stuff about this too… I haven’t touched that yet).  I’m not expecting any answers, but certainly some fun can be had with these ideas. But after two hours, The TEAM did little but reinforce the view that fundamentalist Christians living modestly in the heartland are nothing but hicks with a disposable belief system and consumption habits that usher in the death of small town America.  The east coast characters were even less convincing (and less interesting given so little development, they say things like “everything’s easier with a Harvard education”).  But the production gives the educated/creative classes the upper hand.  Kennedy and the ad exec become the parents of this family-brought-together-by-fate.    These “Brooklyn based” performers certainly make a lot of assumptions about those who live thousands of miles away.  But somehow the discourse and rhythms and colors of the urban spectrum of our nation had no place in this production.  These dogmas must be untouchable (even the costume and styling for the ad exec was dull).    Were these dramaturgical holes?  Missed opportunities?  I’m not sure, but it won over people in Europe I guess—and a lot of the audience on opening.   There was certainly a lot to love about this production.  The actors had incredible ease interacting with the crowd on opening.  Like impervious substitute teachers, they won our affection quickly and were able to facilitate audience response naturally.  The staging was very effective.  They pulled out a lot of tricks, from the sobering opening which moves quickly from a rousing version of the Battle Hymn of the Republic (a sharp reference to the moral superiority that defines our foreign policy) to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.   The group borrows a lot (again) from Anne Bogart (plastic sheets, food smashing, American flags, competitions, extended dance breaks, cultural references… I’m surprised they got away with it… it doesn’t really feel that fresh anymore).  Playfulness was king, earnestness was queen.  The actors shift gears quickly, breaking narrative fluidity.  They create a universe on the Maguire stage, with intentions so clear the props, tables and chairs move according their creative whims.  Most outstanding in the cast was Kristen Sieh as Anna, the youngest of the siblings.  I only wish her jump rope showcase had actually been 15 minutes long.  Libby King, as middle sibling Sarah Springer, was also excellent, totally authentic.   Again, I must say, I LOVE the Out There Series.  I love the youth of the first two pieces in the series: two companies demonstrating great stage craft, compelling ideas and a full commitment to their process.  I just didn’t eat it up.  I was hoping for something a bit more difficult to swallow.  www.theteamplays.com       Miguel Gutierrez went shopping for Denim  The Walker Art Center’s 20^th Annual Out There Series kicked off with a dance / theatre creation by Brooklyn based choreographer Miguel Gutierrez and his company, The Powerful People.   I’m writing in response to this work—as the nature of the Out There Series is to  bring in boundary crossing material that begs response and discussion.  The piece was titled “Everyone”. The piece used a lot of familiar conventions: ·                            attractive young performers in street clothes, they looked straight out of an American Apparel advertisement—ethnically ambiguous, pleasingly fit without too much bulky muscle so they are pleasingly androgenous, well styled hair and familiar well worn sneakers ·                            Minimal music, mostly repetitive drones that the movement can ride upon ·                            Choral text, words spoken in unison, mostly expressing mundane observations on urban existence, pithy comments on the state of the times, references to the angst of an artist hoping to “connect”.  EXAMPLE:  I talked to my friend on the phone.  He said “real estate, real estate, real estate”.  I thought, “Ummmm…” ·                            Challenging use of the space and architecture, placing the audience on-stage and performing in front of a closed curtain, until the last 1/3 of the piece when the drape opens and the performers have new terrain to explore ·                            a manner of movement that was repetitive, playful, sensual, improvisational I am a theatre artist who genuinely enjoys all things playful, kinesthetic, explorative.  I found the content extremely underwhelming.  I was captivated, though not by choice.  I was forced to be captivated—always expectant of some moment when the clichés would subside.   There were unending repetitive moments (for example the opening when each performer enters one by one each with great focus, and they stand and stare at the audience for 15 minutes)—I was captivated in anticipation for something (I’m not sure what) but I was compelled to leave just to see if, upon my reluctant return, I had possibly missed anything. By my estimation, the content was generated from a series of improvisation structures and ensemble exercises.  The exercises seemed very transparent to me.  (This section is about partnering, this section is about playfulness, this section is about jumping, this section is about hands).   I can only compare it to what I’ve encountered in my studies, but Miguel Gutierrez work was reminiscent of work pioneered by Pina Bausch, Anne Bogart, Ruth Zaporah (Action Theatre) and Butoh exercises.  And perhaps Gutierrez has a new approach to ensemble generated performance—but his exercises added up to little more than what one might see in a college level movement performance class.  A friend of mine described it as “Napoleon Dynamite teaching Viewpoints”.”  The company of performers were very well in synch, but to my viewing only Minneapolis’ Otto Ramstad performed with a spontaneity that evoked genuine raucousness, pedestrian passiveness and human desire.  It has been stated in various forms that this piece is about “connection… performer / audience relationship”.  Gutierrez may have been successful in creating a piece striving to “connect / not connect”.   But for me as an audience member, 90 minutes of clichés was not a compelling route for connection.  The Walker’s blogger Charles Campbell stated that the piece “surpasses or escapes our ability to articulate a message, subject or agenda”.  For me, this suggests everything is excusable, regardless of the content.  Gutierrez has an enviable arsenal of funding and laurels from NY press but his gaze, a NYC hipster yearning for connection / vitality feels tired.  (can we have discussions about the greenhouse impact of their travel to Minneapolis?  A pal of mine suggested that if Minneapolis’ own Hijacks could explore similar themes with greater success and for my part speak from a broader range, perhaps multi-generationally).  Friends of mine have said there were times during the piece when they felt compelled to participate, to run up on stage and add gestures to the composition (and perhaps that would have been more interesting—exercises like the ensemble was executing can be fun and liberating—and watching them in action suggests the endless potential of a human ensemble existing in space and time).  Last year I was spoiled by the Out There Series.  2007 was full of pieces of a more recognizable theatrical leaning, relaying heavily on text, music, dramatic situations.  This year’s series seems to favor movement.  Dancers might enjoy “Everyone” for its reductionist quality, relaying heavily on simple moments, gestures, focus, intention and shifting relationships.  If what you were looking for is another meditation on the shallowness of human interaction, a chance to be in the same room with a gang of much heralded Brooklyn hipsters, this piece might satisfy.  If you are looking to latch onto something, you might leave saying “… and no one was ever wearing their jeans that well.”   

More info….

 www.walkerart.org 

www.miguelgutierrez.org

(hope these links work)