Mayra Avellar and Rio

By Doug

Aug

17

In terms of sumptuousness in all things, Rio has an edge over nearly every other city that was ever in contention. The center of town is one of the liveliest places on earth, and it’s extremes of conspicuous displays of the good life are visible long after Carnival is over. The city has beautiful versions of everything that’s good in the world, food, beach, the Rio de Janeiro hotels , and for some reason, here it just all seems even better than good.

Aside from the nightclubs that have captured the attention of poets and filmmakers for decades, there are a number of other spectacular things about the city that make it well worth spending time here. The glitz and the glamor are very much a living presence, but the city also fosters some rather extraordinary people. These can be artists and theater-makers, as well as professors and writers. People like Mayra Avellar are not only practicing their art forms in the city, but also changing the world for the better.

This was made manifest when Desmond Tutu awarded her the Children’s Peace Prize in 2008. It was for her work with her company, The Favela Force Theater , that works to bring attention to the conditions of children in the favelas, and to find possibilities for change.

New York’s Performing Schools

By Doug

Jun

2

Growing up and wondering if one should become an actor or a musician is a memory that is shared by a rather large number of people. Most kids think about it for a little while in their search for what to want to be when they grow up, and some kids never grow up and get to be the artists that others dream of. When the first version of “Fame” came out in the theaters, there were thousands of people who were suddenly vindicated in seeing their own stories on the screen.

It didn’t only appeal to teenagers and adults who had attended performing arts schools, because at the time, there were very few, including the high school the movie was based on. This was called PA, and is now folded back into the school La Guardia Arts in New York City . It still functions today, and has a rather high reputation for turning out the next generation of highly trained performers. Visitors to New York can see the school, as well as the site that the film was based on, and there are a number of other excellent arts schools in New York that meet the needs of different populations.

Some of these are for youth and teenagers, and the others are for adults. As it might be expected, New York City has some of the finest universities for acting and music in the world. Many great hotels in New York are close enough to Tisch to visit, and there are plenty of familiar landmarks here that most people have seen in films and television long before they see them in person. Of all the arts schools in the city, Julliard could very well be the oldest. It was founded by the godson of Franz Liszt, Dr. Frank Damrosch, in 1905, so that students of music in the city could have a formal education in classical music without having to move to Europe.

The schools here have vision, and have visionaries in the past and at the present, working to bring out the visionary in today’s upcoming talents. The dream of pursuing this difficult life did not begin with the film, but it has certainly helped to bring visibility to the thriving artistic life available in the city.

The Best Type of Writing for Films

By Doug

Apr

13

When movies changed from silent films to talkies, the whole style of writing also changed. It turns out that there is a very specific style of writing that is ideal for script writing in modern films, and there are a number of people who go to school for it under a different name. Here is the full story because she can put it much better than I can.

Movies in Bethesda

By Doug

Apr

8

Bethesda, Maryland is a gorgeous city, close enough to DC to enjoy all the cultural offerings there, and far enough out to enjoy quiet neighborhoods in a rather elegant town. It has a quaint history as a town in between places, having once served as a stop along the way for the postal service in the 19th century, and is now one of the most attractive places to live. The affluence is very apparent by the lovely homes and streets, and always ranks highly on the lists of best places to live. It’s also a great place to stay, with some exquisite hotels that compliment the area rather nicely.

People visiting here have a lot of options for things to do, with nice restaurants, great sight-seeing, and some pretty spectacular offerings for film-lovers. For top of the line film showings, there’s the remarkable Bethesda Row Cinema , which might seem like any ordinary cineplex, but a visit here will reveal some rather extraordinary differences. They have eight screens showing work that’s not typical run-of-the-mill fare, but is actually some of the best in foreign and independent film today. It’s on several stories, so that each auditorium has a feeling of vast space, as well as intimacy. They also have a gourmet snack bar, so that movie buffs can enjoy some espresso and fresh-baked goods while watching their favorite new movies.

Part of the reason for its excellence in film is certainly due to the elegant taste of Cinema Art Bethesda , a non-profit organization made of volunteers who all have a great love of cinema arts. And if that’s not enough, visitors to Bethesda can pop over to DC to check out the newest works in film presented by the AFI , one of the nation’s true cultural treasures. One can also find plenty of classics to see on the silver screen, the way the filmmakers intended.

Video Art in Boston

By Doug

Apr

2

Boston is a spectacular city with a very solid reputation in terms of art, finance, politics, and culture. It’s a very cosmopolitan place, with cultures from all over the world settling here to make it their home. It also has a fairly colorful history, being the seat of many of the past centuries’ more complicated world events, and it stands to see more of the same in the years to come. Although it may have been regarded for a time as a feeder city to New York, where actors and musicians would test out their talents before moving to the big apple, it is now becoming its own center.

There are plenty of new innovations here every day, offering a lot of opportunity for guests to enjoy all the latest offerings in arts and culture. In terms of video, and video art, there is a culture for it here, with educated and savvy audiences helping new artists make a start in an atmosphere that is competitive and still very nurturing. It may not have been so amenable had it not been for the visionary efforts of people like Fred Barzyk , whose contributions have been splendidly archived by the Video History Project.

One of his greatest contributions, perhaps, was in developing the New Television Workshop with the help of WGBH . The project is to create a historical archive of some of the most innovative works in the early years of the art form. His own work began in 1967, and it evolved to a point where he could help arrange for other artists to participate in residency programs. They would develop specific projects based on materials and time constraints, and one of the biggest assets was its openness to experimentation.

This also included a kind of fearlessness about failure, so that even the most renowned artists in the field, like Nam June Paik, could feel free enough to create work for the moment at hand, without the usual constraints that accompany such projects with institutional support. This work helped to push the boundaries of the form, challenging expectations on the part of the viewer, and daring to move forward and test the capabilities of the forms. In this way, it’s helped to make Boston the attractive city that it is today, so that visitors can enjoy the city’s hotels while becoming familiar with the work here, in the present as well as in its fascinating past.

Rosicrucian Poetry in NYC

By Doug

Jan

20

We met in Central Park, that much is true.  Or at least, we were introduced to each other there, which counts as meeting.  But it wasn’t until much, much later that we would have our first conversation, the one leading up to the moment where I realized that I was meant to study under her.  I’d heard about her before our introductions, and also took some time to learn about her after the first glance, so by the time we were sitting together, and learning how to breathe from her, I was already sold that she knew some things that other people would only dream about. 

So when I find myself in my hotel in Central Park, waiting to meet with her again, I see that this is a repetition that is welcome in the new year.  She’s been training people to work with these kinds of energies for a few generations, and it won’t be something that goes away like sand on the edges of a boot in the rain.  This is something that will continue, and I am starting to understand that the most essential lessons are those that are learned when you are walking in one direction, with the intention of learning something specific.

You are suddenly thrown in another direction, and one that you could not have predicted.  This is the real meaning of desire, its hidden meaning.  In the alpha and omega of the book of longing, there are chapters written from the dead to the living.  There are things in this fate-line that are beyond understanding, in this life or any other.  There is also another book that has been lost because of certain kinds of flooding, not related to water, which told the rest of our story, and we won’t know where it is until we get to the end, where the rose lies in the center of the four roads.

Forja Arte Contemporáneo in Valencia

By Doug

Sep

30

Considering a vacation in Southern Spain is like contemplating a romance.  There are new daydreams that constantly accompany you, and no one can even guess why you’re smiling all the time.  Valencia is one of the world’s treasures for travelers.  It has all the sumptuousness of Europe with the splendor and history of the Mediterranean Sea.  It is a big draw for tourists looking for a large city that’s not overpowering, and for celebrities looking for some quiet spice.  Valencia has a rich urban scene with its own underground, and there’s always the choice between the city and the sea.  Fortunately, you can always choose both, and if you’re staying in our 5 star hotels, Valencia is right at your doorstep.

Spain is almost synonymous with style, and our hotels are a reflection of the place, so that you can fall asleep and wake up in the studied elegance that is characteristic of the place.  And after a positively gorgeous meal prepared by world-class chefs who are studied in international and local cuisines, you’ll be ready to have your waking daydream in Valencia.  There are many spectacular galleries in town, representing works from the many important movements in Spain, and there are also contemporary organizations producing and promoting edgier work.  One of these is the Forja Arte Contemporáneo.

This group is dedicated to investigating the limits of art through the juxtaposition of established and new media.  They do an impressive array of projects, and seem to be connected to most of the more recognized exhibitions of provocative new art work in Valencia.  They’ve been connected to a collective called La Sala Naranja, who present new works of digital media as far away as Finland.  The focus is on establishing themselves in relation to a larger international network of like-minded artists, and part of an exciting new way of conceiving art in the 21st century.  When in Valencia, keep an eye out for their name connected to any exhibition, because their taste is really quite eclectic and smart, and their eyes are focused on the larger world of art and collaborations.

Norman Catherine, Cape Town Artist

By Doug

Aug

20

When traveling to Cape Town, luxury hotel accommodations can make the trip from lovely to heavenly. With only the finest of amenities, our hotels are stunning examples of grace and stature. Treating yourself to a truly decadent experience can invigorate the mind and the senses, and no better place to do it than in the beauty of South Africa, with its rich land and gorgeous sea. Our luxury hotels offer the best in both hospitality and contemporary design. You’ll also be perfectly connected to the world at large with state of the art technologies and in-room entertainment. The dining here is also exceptional, featuring local and international recipes created by world class chefs. Your stay here will leave you rejuvenated, and ready to explore the city.

Cape Town is very lively, and rich in culture. With the long and troubled history in South Africa, there are many sights that have great interest for all the members of the family. There is also a thriving art scene, with a stunning array of galleries and museums. If visual art is particularly appealing to you, then chances are very good that you’ll run into works by one of Cape Town’s most pre-eminent artists, Norman Catherine. His use of everyday material to create unforgettable works of painting, sculpture, and mixed media are almost iconic in the world of African art generally, and South African art specifically.

Norman Catherine was born in East London in 1949, and his work features prominently in South African art exhibitions, and is also shown at an impressive number of international galleries, and is featured in many exhibitions of public art around the world. He began painting in oil on traditional canvas as well as bone and other found objects. By the 1980s, his signature style was already well-established. The visceral humor and splendid use of color make the work of Norman Catherine enormously distinctive. The subject matter is often based in the history of South Africa, and suggests allegorical and metaphorical representations of certain metaphysical truths. His stunning work is unforgettable, and worth watching out for.

Avant-Garde Theater Tickets

By Doug

Aug

5

I was all abuzz about receiving my Theater Tickets to the avant-garde theater event: Fringe Theater Festival in Washington D.C. My friends managed to see several shows yesterday. They called me up and told me how much fun they had. They were trying to describe one show where two women, dancing up and down and then hanging from the ceiling. They told me they couldn’t wait for me to join them so that we may see many different kinds of performers, in so many different kinds of venues.

The intriguing part about the Fringe Theater Festival is you don’t know if you’ll pick a performance that could be great or that it could be atrocious. My friends told me at one small theater, the audience, one by one, made it’s way into a 30-seat black box room, and they were so close to the actress performing that they could, if they wanted to, reach our and touch her hair that was pinned up in the style of the 1940′s. In the play, she was reminiscing about the post World War II in London.

On another stage, my friends, an actor went on about how she left a bar late at night by herself, that was the play, her telling a story about her bar experience, but that the audience was spellbound by the story. In another theater, a tall fellow wearing blue jeans and a cowboy hat, acting all like John Wayne.

The Fringe Theater Festival, is suppose to be like the original Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where for 3 weeks in the months of August and September, Edinburgh is turned into a theater heaven where 1000 shows are being performed everyday, morning, noon and night in any venue they can find. The Fringe started up when actors were excluded from the traditional theater event, so they would camp outside the event and do their own performances, on the fringe, and all the performances were off-beat, edgy, political and avant-garde. And now, D.C. has it’s own Fringe. I’m looking forward to being a participant in tomorrows off-beat and edgy performances.

Renaissance Festivals

By Doug

Aug

5

Every year in towns throughout the United States preparations are underway for their town’s annual Renaissance Festival. Depending on the state and the weather for that time of year, these popular festivals can be held most anytime. If you have never attended one of these medieval reproductions, you really need to make plans to do so. Plan to make this an all day event because this is an outing the whole family will enjoy. You will be transported back in time to kings and queens, their courts and their knights. It is truly a delightful experience as you leave the present and step into the far distant past. Get your event tickets and prepare yourself for quite an adventure.

There are acres of activities for your entertainment and dozens of vendors offering their wares. You will find many booths offering unique hand crafted items for sale ranging from low cost, simple, souvenirs to very detailed, exquisite and expensive pieces of art. Whatever your taste, whatever your budget you will surely find it at the yearly Renaissance Festival. And the food…you have to try the food. Steamed corn on the cob still in the husk, smoked turkey legs, you name it and you will probably find it here. As you walk around among the crowd and the succulent aromas fill the air, you will definitely find your way to one or more of the food booths, keeping in mind you have gone back in time. You are now in a different era so enjoy all that is being offered. Walk in the shoes of those from long ago.

Do not be surprised if you come across a jousting tournament with spectators choosing their favorite combatant, or the belly dancers, or maybe the circus catches your eye, the court jesters and jugglers, the magicians. Be sure and check out the many theatres and their performances. Stop and listen to the music, enjoy the flamboyant, colorful costumes, talk to the Renaissance participants, many of whom perform at numerous festivals throughout the country. Watch it all, smell it all, taste it all, remember it all. It’s a wonderful trip back in time.

Camping for Concert Tickets

By Doug

Aug

4

I remember I would spend my time in lines for Concert Tickets back in the day, the early 80′s. I would choose a Ticket location which I thought would be the least busiest. Now, when the concert was for a rock show, I would have to drive into the inner city, the more scarier part of town, because it was mostly deserted in the early morning hours. It beats camping out the night before.

Tickets for a Rap concert, I would head to the suburbs, the malls and find a Ticket place there. Of course this strategy won’t work today, but back in the 80′s Rap was almost only listened to by black people. Whites generally stayed away from Rap music, so the suburbs was perfect for getting concert tickets. I also remember many of times police had to be stationed at many Ticket place locations and make sure that the wristbands which were distributed a half-an-hour before the box-office opened, to prevent anyone trying to cut in line, or push and shove their way to the front of the line. The wrist band was our insurance that we had a legitimate place in line. That was good strategy too, because I didn’t have to camp out when I knew wristbands would be passed out in a lottery kind of method.

But, what I found the most frustrating was almost being the first in line, but the person in front of me took a long time in purchasing their tickets, they were buying up as many tickets as possible, so by the time I got to the window, seating choices were limited and the concert was almost sold out! I was third in line one time and when I got to the ticket window, the concert was already sold out! That’s when I had to find scalpers to get my tickets. Now a days, the Internet as virtually removed any necessity to stand in line, but hasn’t stopped the tickets from being sold out as soon as they go on sale.

No Children’s Theater Tickets

By Doug

Aug

4

Back in the day, when I was a teenager, my mother and I were standing in line to buy Children’s Theater Tickets. I remember, when finally, there was only a few more people in front of us for the ticket counter. They seemed to be together, like they were a family. If so, it was a huge family, like eight or nine children. They didn’t seem to be rich either; more like they were dirt poor cause their clothes seemed really worn and out of date, but they were clean at least.

My mother made a comment to me that I should be more like the children in front of us because they were well behaved. I just gave her a look, like ‘what? I’m well behaved!’, I mean, after all, I was just standing there, not doing anything wrong. The parents were in front of the children not even worried that their kids were miss-behaving. I noticed too that the parents were holding hands and they kept eyeing each other, like they were going to kiss, but held back from doing so.

When the family in front of us reached the ticket window, the ticket lady asked them how many tickets and the father said it loud enough for my back teeth to hear, ‘I would like eight children’s tickets and two adults, please.’ When the ticket lady responded with the price of all those tickets, I saw the father looked down and then back at his wife. I then heard him ask, even though this time he was asking in a hushed voice, ‘How much did you say?’ Of course the price didn’t change, and I saw a look of such deep sadness come across the fathers face. He didn’t have enough money.

I didn’t know my mother was paying any attention to what was happening in front of us, but she was and she immediately pulled out a $20 from her purse and dropped it on the ground. Now, let me tell you, we weren’t that loaded with money either, my mother being a single parent. I watched my mother reach down and pick up the $20, then tapping on the young fathers shoulders saying ‘Excuse me sir, but this fell out of your pocket.’ The father looked straight into my mothers eyes and I could see a whole wordless conversation going on between the two. And finally, the father said, ‘Thank you, Miss. I thought I had lost it on the way here, you truly are a blessing.’

My mother and I didn’t get to see the Children’s Theater http://www.classicsonstage.com/that day, we ended driving home in silence, but we we’re both smiling.