EVENT: Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Show
DATE & TIME: Sunday, Aug. 17th
LOCATION: Palace of Wonders
COST: $5
DETAILS: Revival of the Dr. Sketchy's series
Last night Sugar Ann Spice and I performed in the revival of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Show ... and it was a revival in more than one sense. The new MC of the latest iteration of the DC franchise is the "Reverend Loveseat" - aka Jared Davis/Art by Jared/former Lobsterboy Revue scene & set master and artist of the Al portrait over the Palace stage. The Reverend is everything you'd imagine he'd be ... slimy, donning a bad suit, gray pompadour, too much flashy bling for a man of the cloth and loves to read horribly bad "groaner" jokes from back issues of Playboy to his congregation.
For those who have never attended or who are not familiar with this series of shows, it's a combination of a mini-burlesque show followed by timed poses by performers in costume for live model sketching to be done by artists in attendance as audience members. This series was started in NY (of course) by Molly Crabapple and has since had franchises pop up in major cities across the country always using performers as models. Here in DC we have had both burlesque and sideshow performers (namely, our own Mab) participate.
As a performer - and particularly burlesque, it was imperative for me to remind myself this was not a "typical" burlesque show nor audience in most cases, however genuinely appreciative. The performances were well-received and posing commenced quickly after their conclusions. I also found myself challenged for coming up with interesting poses for the artists - holding yourself in a contoured (i.e. sometimes contorted) pose for up to 12 minutes at a time. This experience made me think about body form, angles and stage position dramatically more than I ever have before. I believe this will come into play during my future acts.
The Reverend led a successful "sermon" overall and put much effort into a balanced line-up, provided interesting props for posing and engaged the artistic audience as best he could while they concentrated on their work. The show finale was a game of Twister between Sugar Ann Spice and me - each Twister pose was held for a brief amount of time to allow for quick sketches by the audience ... I lost, by the way - I sense a theme developing here, for those of you who have also seen our Lucha match. Tube socks and a plastic mat don't mix together as well as I'd hoped.
Let's hope the good Reverend decides to bring back his revival of this Sunday service to the Palace ... even if once in a blue moon. I for one know I'll be back next time, but as an artist ... er ... member of the congregation. Hallelujah Reverend and thanks for having us to your pulpit.
Amen!
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Review of LIVE HUMANS
EVENT: Live Humans
DATE & TIME: 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 7:30 - midnight
LOCATION: Palace of Wonders
COST: FREE
DETAILS: Open Mic Variety Night
Thumbs up - thanks Andy!
DATE & TIME: 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 7:30 - midnight
LOCATION: Palace of Wonders
COST: FREE
DETAILS: Open Mic Variety Night
I have only been performing and producing burlesque for about a year-and-a-half although I think in my mind I have been a performer all my life. By no means do I profess to be an expert or professional performer like so many wonderful artists I know - I just really happen to enjoy performing, seeing others have opportunities to have fun, work their craft & express themselves and mostly - entertain people and help us all forget the mundane even if momentarily! I will be the first to admit that I need all the practice in the world to refine my moves, stage presence, act development, confidence ... you name it. But one thing's for sure, I truly believe that practice does make perfect (at least for me, and as close to perfect as possible).
I was recently contacted by Andy Rothwell of LIVE HUMANS to perform -- as were many other area performers -- and I was excited to take advantange of this opportunity to test out a new act on stage and see what other hidden talent we have in our midst. Plus, it's free to everyone, no pressure and was really energizing to meet new people and discover a new night at the Palace.
Thumbs up - thanks Andy!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
where to look for things to do - My super secret sources!
This week I've been slack with the posting of events. I do apologize. But, to make it up to you, allow me to reveal some of my sources!
Washington post has the going out guru, they sometimes gets lucky and find something worth while. same with the City Paper. I would be happier if they posted more events along the lines of Variety entertainment, but that's just me.
dcist tends to hit the mark more often. they have great coverage of the fringe festival, and jazz, theater, hip-hop, spoken word, dance, and much much more. I have no idea how they find out 1/2 the stuff they do. and furthermore, I have no idea how they find out about stuff and city paper and washington post miss it. What's your secret DCist?
upcoming.org is wildly popular in other parts of the country, but no so much here. DCist has access to this site, and I think they might be using it to find out about events. sometimes I see one of my shows that I posted on upcoming.org make it to DCist. then again, they could have heard about them in one of the hundred other places I post as well.
livejournal washington dc community is where usually start my event postings. it's a great resource not only for events, but for local advice; where to find the best haircut, bad neighborhoods to live in, favorite all night diner, etc. at the moment, that's the first place I turn to get opinions on local matters, and the first place I post about my shows.
palace of wonders website - you know nothing at the Palace is going to suck. you want to find something interesting to do next week? check out what's playing at the palace. and then go.
yelp is a new one to me. it seems a bit like Upcoming.org, but with more reviews. I haven't gotten crazy into it yet, but I can see where this might be a nice resource.
tribe.net is lousy with bellydancers. :-) ooooohhhh yeaaaaaah. baby. it's a networking website for anyone, but it seems to attract bellydancers and burners. this is my main source for fire and belly events. anyone can set up a discussion group (called a "tribe") on any topic. I have set up two - dctribal and dc 10-in-1 (one for tribal bellydance and one for variety artists). they have national, international, and local groups. and it's fun to get lost in the clickie click of information.
myspace - if you have a favorite local artist, band, show, your best bet would be to "friend" them on myspace. if you are a performer, and you don't have a myspace page, you should get one now. I know, I know. the interface can be extremely annoying. but the thing is, this is where the people go. and with 1/2 hour's work, you can get over 1000 eyes on your words.
and if they don't come to you, go to them. check out your favorite venues and artists event listings. take a gamble. find the hidden gem. if a venue has a tendency to consistently host shows you like, take a chance and go on a night that you don't know the artists. you might find something that blows open a whole new world.
now that I have sent you all over the net, would you like to know my super secret secret? using rss and atom post feed technology, I have all these sources going to one place. I don't have to spend all day surfing the web, I only check one page throughout the day.
if you have any other suggestions for places to look for events, I am always looking for new places to promote! drop me a line.
Washington post has the going out guru, they sometimes gets lucky and find something worth while. same with the City Paper. I would be happier if they posted more events along the lines of Variety entertainment, but that's just me.
dcist tends to hit the mark more often. they have great coverage of the fringe festival, and jazz, theater, hip-hop, spoken word, dance, and much much more. I have no idea how they find out 1/2 the stuff they do. and furthermore, I have no idea how they find out about stuff and city paper and washington post miss it. What's your secret DCist?
upcoming.org is wildly popular in other parts of the country, but no so much here. DCist has access to this site, and I think they might be using it to find out about events. sometimes I see one of my shows that I posted on upcoming.org make it to DCist. then again, they could have heard about them in one of the hundred other places I post as well.
livejournal washington dc community is where usually start my event postings. it's a great resource not only for events, but for local advice; where to find the best haircut, bad neighborhoods to live in, favorite all night diner, etc. at the moment, that's the first place I turn to get opinions on local matters, and the first place I post about my shows.
palace of wonders website - you know nothing at the Palace is going to suck. you want to find something interesting to do next week? check out what's playing at the palace. and then go.
yelp is a new one to me. it seems a bit like Upcoming.org, but with more reviews. I haven't gotten crazy into it yet, but I can see where this might be a nice resource.
tribe.net is lousy with bellydancers. :-) ooooohhhh yeaaaaaah. baby. it's a networking website for anyone, but it seems to attract bellydancers and burners. this is my main source for fire and belly events. anyone can set up a discussion group (called a "tribe") on any topic. I have set up two - dctribal and dc 10-in-1 (one for tribal bellydance and one for variety artists). they have national, international, and local groups. and it's fun to get lost in the clickie click of information.
myspace - if you have a favorite local artist, band, show, your best bet would be to "friend" them on myspace. if you are a performer, and you don't have a myspace page, you should get one now. I know, I know. the interface can be extremely annoying. but the thing is, this is where the people go. and with 1/2 hour's work, you can get over 1000 eyes on your words.
and if they don't come to you, go to them. check out your favorite venues and artists event listings. take a gamble. find the hidden gem. if a venue has a tendency to consistently host shows you like, take a chance and go on a night that you don't know the artists. you might find something that blows open a whole new world.
now that I have sent you all over the net, would you like to know my super secret secret? using rss and atom post feed technology, I have all these sources going to one place. I don't have to spend all day surfing the web, I only check one page throughout the day.
if you have any other suggestions for places to look for events, I am always looking for new places to promote! drop me a line.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Review: Evil Come, Evil Go-Go
Review of Evil Come Evil Go-Go
Staring L'il Dutch, Prissy Pistol and Little Darling
hosted by Mr. Deadguy
Clean-up/corpse removal by Gary Gutter
What a great show! I'm really glad I made time for this little gem.
To start off, as I approached the Palace, I saw skeleton cutouts dressed like Vegas showgirls at the door into the Palace. They were a great touch. The folks who decide such things offered discounted admission for anyone in costume - I saw some great outfits in the audience that night. That's a great idea to get the crowd involved and really helped create the right atmosphere for a successful evening.
The show started off with a group number. Anytime there is more than one performer in a piece, it stands out in my mind. The coordination involved in getting artists to work together garners much respect from me. This piece was no exception. I loved the choreographic tribute to thriller (a staple in any un-dead dance routine).
The show on the whole was well put together, each artist getting their moment to shine. there were some pieces that stood out for me:
L'il Dutch just commands the stage. every one of her pieces look like they are right out of time, From vintage 1950's to swinging retro 1960's, which speaks of her attention to detail. I think my favorite piece had to be the mourning widow, complete with the necro ending. I love L'il Dutch's box. And the goodies she pulls out of it.
Little Darling made my jaw drop. several times. I don't know if it's the fact that I was standing right up front, but every time she bent over...my eyes popped like a 3 week old cadaver's. merow. Great job working the crowd too!
Prissy Pistol's "Brain Picnic" really grabbed me. I felt that she had an amazing connection to the song. It was a familiar tune that I couldn't quite put my finger on, which added to the allure of the piece. I really enjoyed the combination of sensuality, savoring everything, juxtaposed with the horrifying brain goo. (mmmm, goo). this piece is a keeper!
Miss Joule joined the Evil girls, bringing a little fire to the show. I'm not sure if I have seen that particular fire finger piece before, but I really enjoyed. Only, and this comes as a bit of surprise to me, I can't specifically tell you why. You will just have to catch her next show and see for yourself why this girl is amazing.
Mr. Deadguy was wonderful. This was the first opportunity I had to see him perform, and I had heard great things about him. His costume was impeccable, right down to the spats! Anyone who wears spats is aces in my book.
He managed the MC position pretty well. MC is a challenging role. You have to keep the show rolling, but you can't just pop out and say "next up, la de da". You have keep the energy up with tiny mini bits. My favorite mini bit was his pulling a worm out of his skull. It was almost like a tease with how slowly he extracted it. Totally wonderful!
A little while later his buddy, Baby Cheezwits, joined him...wearing a cleaver in his head. Babies with cleavers in their head are funny in and of themselves. Still, what followed was some excellent comedic interaction. The timing was (to quote an audience member) "tight". I have found a new found love for ventriloquists. I want to see more bits from them!
As a performer myself, I love to eavesdrop on the audience to hear their completely candid opinions of a show. I am happy to share that every thing I heard was pegged in the positive.
Great job folks!
An excellent treat with delightful tricks!
Link-O-Rama
http://www.myspace.com/evilcomeevilgogoshow
http://www.myspace.com/lildutchburlesque
http://www.myspace.com/heartsandstarlets
http://www.myspace.com/lil_package_of_sexy
http://missjoule.com
Photos by Derik Moore (brutally lifted from their myspace pages)
Staring L'il Dutch, Prissy Pistol and Little Darling
hosted by Mr. Deadguy
Clean-up/corpse removal by Gary Gutter
What a great show! I'm really glad I made time for this little gem.
To start off, as I approached the Palace, I saw skeleton cutouts dressed like Vegas showgirls at the door into the Palace. They were a great touch. The folks who decide such things offered discounted admission for anyone in costume - I saw some great outfits in the audience that night. That's a great idea to get the crowd involved and really helped create the right atmosphere for a successful evening.
The show started off with a group number. Anytime there is more than one performer in a piece, it stands out in my mind. The coordination involved in getting artists to work together garners much respect from me. This piece was no exception. I loved the choreographic tribute to thriller (a staple in any un-dead dance routine). The show on the whole was well put together, each artist getting their moment to shine. there were some pieces that stood out for me:
L'il Dutch just commands the stage. every one of her pieces look like they are right out of time, From vintage 1950's to swinging retro 1960's, which speaks of her attention to detail. I think my favorite piece had to be the mourning widow, complete with the necro ending. I love L'il Dutch's box. And the goodies she pulls out of it.
Little Darling made my jaw drop. several times. I don't know if it's the fact that I was standing right up front, but every time she bent over...my eyes popped like a 3 week old cadaver's. merow. Great job working the crowd too!
Prissy Pistol's "Brain Picnic" really grabbed me. I felt that she had an amazing connection to the song. It was a familiar tune that I couldn't quite put my finger on, which added to the allure of the piece. I really enjoyed the combination of sensuality, savoring everything, juxtaposed with the horrifying brain goo. (mmmm, goo). this piece is a keeper!
Miss Joule joined the Evil girls, bringing a little fire to the show. I'm not sure if I have seen that particular fire finger piece before, but I really enjoyed. Only, and this comes as a bit of surprise to me, I can't specifically tell you why. You will just have to catch her next show and see for yourself why this girl is amazing.
Mr. Deadguy was wonderful. This was the first opportunity I had to see him perform, and I had heard great things about him. His costume was impeccable, right down to the spats! Anyone who wears spats is aces in my book.He managed the MC position pretty well. MC is a challenging role. You have to keep the show rolling, but you can't just pop out and say "next up, la de da". You have keep the energy up with tiny mini bits. My favorite mini bit was his pulling a worm out of his skull. It was almost like a tease with how slowly he extracted it. Totally wonderful!
A little while later his buddy, Baby Cheezwits, joined him...wearing a cleaver in his head. Babies with cleavers in their head are funny in and of themselves. Still, what followed was some excellent comedic interaction. The timing was (to quote an audience member) "tight". I have found a new found love for ventriloquists. I want to see more bits from them!As a performer myself, I love to eavesdrop on the audience to hear their completely candid opinions of a show. I am happy to share that every thing I heard was pegged in the positive.
Great job folks!
An excellent treat with delightful tricks!
Link-O-Rama
http://www.myspace.com/evilcomeevilgogoshow
http://www.myspace.com/lildutchburlesque
http://www.myspace.com/heartsandstarlets
http://www.myspace.com/lil_package_of_sexy
http://missjoule.com
Photos by Derik Moore (brutally lifted from their myspace pages)
A Word From Me
This will come as no surprise to anyone who has talked to me for more than 5 minutes, but you should know...I have opinions. It's a blessing and a curse.
Incidentally, I have no reservations about telling someone my opinion. Fortunately, I have managed over the years to control my urge to share the bad opinions. I do try to follow the rule of "if you can't say something nice..." blah blah blah, you know the rest.
To that end, I have decided to start posting reviews and ravings about other performers in the area. Reviewing other artists, helps me as a performer analyze elements in a piece. When I see a piece that really strikes me, I break it down to figure out exactly why I like it. After I understand the base element, I can then incorporate it into my own work.
DISCLAIMER: The one thing I am ~not~ trying to do with any of my reviews is to slather on false flattery or insult. I get absolutely no gain, money, social standing, or anything other than my own reflections out of this. You, as the reader, are to take anything said here as pure opinion, and to disregard it appropriately. If you happen to like what I've said, you can certainly quote me. Please send a link back to my website or this blog, so that others can share the joy. Also, if you are so inclined, feel free to post a comment. Discussion is healthy.
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