Exciting Stuff at City Art Gallery - Dan Smith takes on the Civil War

For Randy Hanna at City Art Gallery in the Vista, art is his life. A none-too-shabby visual artist himself,  Hanna has a proverbial eye for art that stands out above the rest due to anything from its color palette to it execution. Once in a while, Hanna will reach out to let us know that something special is going up on the walls of the spacious turn-of-the-century railroad warehouse where he and Wendyth Wells have been showing art and selling art supplies for years.

We've learned to listen.

When Hanna contacted us yesterday to make sure we knew about Dan Smith's exhibit opening tonight with a reception from 5 to 8 and running through January 1st, he not only said that he hoped I'd get to see this exhibit, he continued with,  "I don't think we've ever shown anything like it."

The title of the show is “US: A Civil War, Artwork by Dan Smith” and here's some more about Smith and his work that Hanna was good enough to share with us so that we could share it with you:

Smith’s new body of work includes mixed media paintings, as well as photographs and installations inspired by the American Civil War. On May 15, 2014 the artist began his Civil War Travels throughout the United States visiting specific Civil War sites. Many of the sites presented 150 year-old re-enactments. Along with extensive reading, the sites became inspiration for Smith’s artworks. Sites like Ft. Fisher in Wilmington, NC, the Shenandoah Valley of VA, Columbia, SC, Andersonville, GA, and Lookout Mountain, TN, inform much of the work.

In 1986, Smith received a graduate fellowship from the University of South Carolina and moved to Columbia to earn his MFA in Painting. The US: A Civil War show is a component of a larger collection of works organized chronologically under what Smith calls his Extended Sites collection, which incorporates the dichotomies of nature and man into an ‘art ecology’. Previous exhibitions under the Extended Sites moniker were based on the English colonist John Smith of Jamestown, VA, fame, and the frontiersman Daniel Boone. “My art is about death and life packed in with stories. Mathew Brady's story and work are woven into the US: A Civil War exhibition. Ultimately the show is about me and my associations with the Manland thesis I began at USC almost 30 years ago”.

The artist will continue his research for two additional Civil War exhibits in Newton and Sherrills Ford, NC, in 2016. Partial funding for these and his City Art Gallery exhibition were provided by a grant from the United Arts Council of Catawba County through the North Carolina Art Council with funding from the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts which believes a great nation deserves great art.

Smith’s art has been featured in numerous exhibitions during the past 35 years including NYC, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, TX, FL, NM, VA, NC and the recent Artfields competition in Lake City, South Carolina. His artwork is included in collections throughout the US.

City Art Gallery is located at 1224 Lincoln St. in the historic Congaree Vista area in Columbia, South Carolina.  Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday 10:00 a.m. until 6 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  For more information contact Wendyth Wells, City Art Gallery, at 803-252-3613.

ArtFields' Call for Visual Arts is Open -- Here's Why You Should Give it Another Try

We know that a lot of people are frustrated with ArtFields based on some of the better quality art they have denied and the lesser quality art they have accepted. It's easy to say that someone doesn't know what they're doing -- which is entirely possible.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind.

One, everything has a learning curve -- let's give the folks at ArtFields the benefit of the doubt that they are trying and learning from their mistakes and they will get better.

Second, some truly brilliant art has been accepted. (See Jim Arendt's work above,for example.)

Third, participating allows for challenge; attending allows for inspiration.

Fourth, what other opportunities do our artists have for this kind of potential exposure and monetary take-home?

The bottom line is that we should support most any large-scale arts event in SC and work to be a part of making it into something that represents the arts in our state and that we can be proud of.

Here's the info on entering:

ArtFields^® Call for Submissions

Artist from across the 12 Southeastern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) are encouraged to submit artwork for the competition and their chance at a share of $100,000 in prizes. These life-changing prizes will be awarded as a Top Prize ($50,000), a Juried Panel Prize ($25,000), a People’s Choice two-dimensional ($12,500), a People’s Choice three-dimensional ($12,500) prize and ten $1,000 The Citizens Bank Merit Awards during ArtFields 2016. Emerging and established artists at all levels of recognition and education may submit one original 2-D or 3-D work or art. Artwork is submitted online to be reviewed by a jury of visual arts professionals. The jury will select 400 works of art to compete in Lake City for the prize money. Artists will be notified no later than January 4, 2016 of acceptance into ArtFields 2016.

For more information check out Artfields' comprehensive website.

Five Questions for Chad Henderson - Director of The Brothers Size Opening Friday Night at Trustus

 

From "The Brothers Size"

The Brother/Sister Plays

OSHOOSI SIZE:

            I know I am still on probation!

            I know Og.

            Damn!

            I know I was once in prison.

            I am out and I am on probation.

            Damnit man.

            I ain’t trying to drive to Fort Knox?

            I ain’t about to scale the capital…

            I want a ride.

            I want to drive out to the bayou…

            Maybe take a lady down there…

            And relax

There's a new play opening at Trustus Theatre on Friday that caught Jasper's attention for a handful of reasons. We know that it's part of the Brother/Sister trilogy written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and set in the Louisiana Bayou  exploring Yoruba mythology -- an African belief system, which some claim to be the oldest practiced religion. We saw In the Red and Brown Water last year and were pretty much overwhelmed by this playwright's ability to merge the worlds of the oldest of old Africa, probably what eventually became Nigeria, with something like a new world Louisiana. McCraney's career has been blowing up over the past 7 or 8 years and he is set to be one of the top playwrights around given that he's only 35 years old and everything he touches seems to turn to gold. We'd heard that The Brothers Size was another example of this phenomenon.

We also learned that this unique and promising play is being presented in Trustus Theatre's intimate Side Door Theatre, one of our favorite places to enjoy live theatre in the state. There is an intimacy that comes from being one member of a small audience in a relatively small theatre space with actors who are at full throttle sharing their art, whether the art is theatre, music, dance, whatever. Audiences always (hopefully) become another player in a live performance as they feed back and respond to the energy being offered on stage. (This is why people old and young continue to go to Phish concerts, I finally understand. Yes, there are drugs and herbal pleasures, but the energy itself acts as a drug, as well.) And being in such close communion with both the actors and the other audience members can be a rush and sometimes even a cathartic experience. To say the energy is palpable when you're locked (not really) in the room with a few dozen friends and three intense actors, as you will be in The Brothers Size, is an understatement. Opportunities like this are precious and yet another example of the quiet and unassuming way in which Columbia is an arts nerve center.

Finally, were also were excited to see what new magic Trustus Artistic Director and interim Managing Director Chad Henderson had up his sleeve. We really like Henderson for obvious reasons. (Full disclosure: Henderson is the son-in-law of this writer.) But long before the first flirtation, Henderson, as an artist, had the eye and growing respect of this writer, the Jasper Magazine staff, and pretty much anyone with a discerning eye in the area. In the past few years he has brought us such stellar theatre opportunities as Spring Awakening, Assassins, Next to Normal, Ragtime, and other shows of the kind of quality that make your Columbia, SC ticket price and not having to leave town a bargain. Henderson studied under Robert Richmond at USC, another Columbia treasure. (Richmond spent fourteen years as the Associate Artistic Director of the Aquila Theatre Company in New York and during his tenure there he directed over 50 productions that toured across the US, Off Broadway and Europe.) Richmond's influence on Henderon can be seen in a number of ways, but probably no greater way than in Henderson's confidence in his own ability to take his productions in innovative directions. Henderson looks only for exceptional scripts to which he knows he can add his own signature touches and, in doing so, improve upon an already excellent play. Given that, like McCraney, Henderson is also young, it's safe to say we haven't seen the best of him yet.

That's why we wanted to pin Henderson down on a few questions we had about this extraordinary theatre experience opening on Friday night at Trustus and running through Thursday, October 29th. Here's what we got.

Jasper:  This play is a little different from other performances at Trustus in that it is part of a series, right? Can you tell us how The Brothers Size fits in as the second in a three part series of plays?

Henderson:  The Brothers Size is the second part of a trilogy called The Brother/Sister Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Trustus produced the first part (In the Red and Brown Water) last season, and because it was such a wonderful success we knew we wanted to commit to the whole trilogy. These shows introduce the audience to a pantheon of characters derived from the Orishas of the Yoruban cosmology that are living in the “distant present” and the fictional projects of San Pere, Louisana. The plays are a brilliant mix of poetry, prose, music and movement that explore the universal truths of modern life filtered through a very specific world that the playwright has gifted to the audience and artists who tell his stories. Truly, Mr. McCraney is a voice all his own in modern theatre – and that’s what Trustus is constantly celebrating: the new powerful voices of American Theatre. These scripts are singular due to Mr. McCraney’s writing style that has won many awards over the years. These plays are here and now. Columbia deserves to have this type of fresh and modern theatre at its doorstep, and Trustus is happy to oblige.

The Brothers Size examines the power of family, the fight for survival, the consequence of circumstance, the contradiction of incarceration and freedom, and the deep roots of brotherhood. This production explores human truths through an imaginative production that will leave audiences spellbound – perfect theatrical fare for the Fall.

There are a host of elements that make this production a continuation of this trilogy. The language play is still very present because of Mr. McCraney's style of writing with these plays. The playwright also continues to celebrate the ritual of theatre with his ceremonial proceedings that give The Brother/Sister Plays so much vigor.We get to tune back in with Ogun Size and Elegba, who were characters in the last production. We're introduced to Ogun's brother Oshoosi. Scenic designer Kimi Maeda is bringing the set of the last production into the intimate Trustus Side Door Theatre - audiences will feel like they're exploring the last set they saw as they sit among the houses of San Pere in this production.

But don't worry - if you didn't see In the Red and Brown Water, you can still enjoy The Brothers Size - the story stands on its own legs just fine.

Jasper:  You also have a smaller cast than typical and you’re performing in the smaller Side Door Theatre. It sounds like a very intimate experience. Is it, and how so?

Henderson:  While the scale of the show is much smaller than the last play, I actually feel like this production feels like a bigger show than the Side Door than our patrons are used to. We're utilizing more sound and lighting equipment than we ever have in the Side Door. There's a broader use of the space with plenty of exciting motion.We're also performing this show in the round. This is nothing new as far as theatre conventions go, but in this circle we're able to become part of the community of San Pere. Much like the traditions of West African dance and drum circles, this circle is a safe place for experience and exploration.

Jasper:  Tell us what special gifts or talents each of the three gentlemen in the play bring to this project.

Henderson:  Jabar Hankins is undeniably genuine - relatable. Bakari Lebby will charm the pants off of folks even though his character is full of mischief. Chris Jackson is effortless in his struggle. Together, they are a powerhouse ensemble that courageously battle each other every night to gain unity.

Jasper:  Do you have a favorite scene or line that we can look for?

Henderson:  I'm particularly fond of the 4th scene of Act II where the phrase "You f**ked up!" Is yelled repeatedly. However, each scene is well sculpted by our playwright -Tarell Alvin McCraney. There are surprises around every corner.

Jasper:  Without giving anything away, tell us what you think will be the most surprising aspect of The Brothers Size for the audience.

Henderson:  I expect the experience of seeing a show in the round in the Side Door will be surprising. This show also gives you plenty of opportunities to engage your imagination. We hope that audiences get a chance to play and use their own creativity as they discover the story of Oshoosi and Ogun. Its truly a rich theatrical experience, and audiences get to live inside of it.

PREVIEW: Stop Kiss at USC's Lab Theatre by Rebecca Shrom

What do you want?”

“Sara asks this question repeatedly throughout the show, and I think it is important to ask that now and again,” explains Liz Houck, senior Theatre and Psychology major at USC, who is directing Stop Kiss in USC’s Lab Theater. Stop Kiss is a play about love. Not just the romantic love between a man and a woman, or the romantic love between two women, or two men, but the kind of love that builds from friendships, and all the fluidity that can be found in between.

Stop Kiss, by Diana Son, is a play, set in New York, which centers around 2 women, Callie (Jasmine James) and Sara (Imani Hanley), and their blossoming relationship. One fateful night, when Callie and Sara share their first kiss, they are both assaulted in the park. Callie remains physically unharmed, but Sara is beaten into a coma. The play then continues to jump back and forth between two timelines: the time before the accident and the recovery process. The play explores Callie and Sara’s relationship, their relationships with others, and how many different ways there can be to love someone, whether romantically, platonically, or otherwise.

“Stop Kiss is such a poignant, powerful play that says so much about systemic oppression and broken systems,” Houck explains. She is hoping that will bring back the question of “What do you want?” to the forefront of the audience’s brain. But not only that, she is hoping it will be a catalyst for discussion. She states, “… It’s even more productive to ask more specific questions such as ‘What do you want to change in the world in order to help people like Callie and Sara exist without fear?’ and ‘What do you want to do about the current system?’”

Stop Kiss, despite being published 17 years ago, still remains extremely relevant.  Freddie Powers (George) shares, “[The play] was an important message about violence against queer people when the play was published in 1998 and it's almost shocking how easily adaptable it is to 2015. We didn't have to make any changes in the script because nothing sounds out of place today; the message is still just as relevant.” Houck goes on to explain, “Considering the current social climate regarding race and sexuality especially, there is a call to action to be taken from the show, especially in a state where marriage equality happened in the same year as the Charleston Nine tragedy. How does that happen, and what does that say about us?

Houck also states that the production is going to use glitch art to address the issue of oppression visually. With the help of USC Media Arts MA alum OK Keyes, the cast was led in a workshop, took images from the media, and broke them in order to creat something new.  Houck says, “We are using glitch art as a means to break the systems which oppress the charcaters in the world of the play, which mirrors the world in which we live. Glitch involves breaking the image: the actual code is bent or broken, which distorts the image.”

But in the end, it really all comes back to the idea of love. Everyone should be free to love, and let others love in whatever fashion they desire. Abi McNeely (Mrs. Winsley/Nurse) shares, “There are so many different types of love: romantic, sexual, friendly, combinations of all three... and nowadays, these different types are even more prominent, especially with young people. There will always be people against these different kinds of love, but people love anyway. And that's important. It doesn't matter; love anyway.”

Stop Kiss will be performed in the Booker T. Washington Theater (1400 Wheat St.) on October 15-18 at 8 pm each night. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information about Stop Kiss or the theatre program at the University of South Carolina, contact Kevin Bush by phone at (803) 777-9353 or via email at bushk@mailbox.sc.edu.

 Stop Kiss contains adult language and content 
that is not suitable for children.

South Carolina Musicians Band Together For Flood Relief Compilation

Despite what you’re told when and if you call up a state office, it’s not a great day in South Carolina. In fact (and at the risk of severe understatement), the Palmetto State hasn’t exactly been having what you might call a banner year. But in the wake of the recent flooding and the devastation it’s brought to many of our friends and neighbors, a group of artists, musicians, organizers, and big-hearted citizens have pooled their talents and resources to bring us the SC Flood Relief Compilation. Featuring over 70 tracks—some previously released, some brand new—from homegrown acts (Say Brother, ColorBlind, She Returns From War, Abacus, Post-Timey String Band, Shallow Palace, E.T. Anderson, Ivadell, The Fishing Journal, Those Lavender Whales, and tons more), the compilation represents not only the massive amounts of talent we’ve got in this state, but the sense of community we share and the reassurance that we’re all in this together. The SCFRC has raised $750 as of Saturday afternoon and 100% of all donations are going to the Central Carolina Community Foundation. The music is available at http://scfloodrelief.bandcamp.com and any artists interested in donating their music can contact stereoflycollective@gmail.com. -Michael Spawn

Announcing the Jasper Artists of the Year (JAY) Finalists!

Jasper is delighted to announce our 2015 Finalists for Jasper Artist of the Year in music, theatre, dance, literary and visual arts. Winners in each category will be announced on Thursday, November 19th at the 2015 JAY Ceremony and Fundraiser at the Big Apple. Find your voting link at the bottom of this page.

Congratulations to all our 2015 JAY Finalists!

Literary Arts

Al Black

A lynchpin and ringmaster of the spoken word and open mic community in Columbia, Al Black produces and hosts Mind Gravy Poetry, a weekly poetry and performance venue that has been going now for five and a half years.  When Mind Gravy celebrated its anniversary in April, Black told Jasper that unity in diversity was his goal. “Going in, I was disheartened with what I saw as a fractured poetry scene that was divided in every way possible. . . . Publically they said many of the right things about each other, but privately it was condescension and purposeful segregation.” With Mind Gravy, he said, “I feel we have created a community.” In addition to Mind Gravy, Black produces and hosts three monthly performances: Poems: Bones of the Spirit, a monthly reading and discussion by three published poets, focused broadly on spirituality; Songversation, a monthly dialogue performance with a singer-songwriter; and Magnify Magnolias, a monthly poetry reading featuring female guest host. In the wake of the Charleston tragedy, he also started and coproduces with Len Lawson the Poets Respond to Race tour, which has included readings in three states. Finally, Black hosts a live band every First Thursday in the courtyard of Tapp’s. He also started and cohosts Non-Sequitur, a monthly poetry workshop.

Black published his first book of poetry, I Only Left for Tea, with Muddy Ford Press in August 2014. This year he has also seen work published or displayed in a number of local venues, including the chapbook The Collective I: Selfies, Real or Imagined; a collaboration with Susan Lenz for the Arts from the Ashes show; and poems to appear on the Comet this fall. In October 2014, he coproduced a poetry, music, and visual arts event and exhibition with Anastasia Chernoff and Bonnie Goldberg in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. He also organized two performance fundraisers for automated external defibrillators (used in case of heart attack in a public space).

Ray McManus

In an interview with the Spartanburg Herald-Journal last year, Ray McManus admitted his career path wasn’t always clear: “I’ve driven a dump truck, landscaped, been a logger, a stocker, and a merchandiser. I’ve laid bricks, carpet, linoleum; cut beef, pork, and chicken; framed houses; worked on small engines; and painted barns. I’ve loved every job I’ve had but one.”  He doesn’t say which one, but presumably it’s not poetry, as he not only published his third book and an edited collection within the past year, he has also devotes his summers and spare time teaching poetry to young writers and equipping public school teachers to use poetry in the classroom.

McManus says his third book, Punch, published by Hub City Press, was the “book I was born to write,” grounded as it is in manual labor, and “inspired,” he says, by every boss and supervisor he ever had. Punch was awarded the Gold Medal for poetry in the 2015 Independent Publishers Book Awards. Ray also published an edited collection in September with USC Press, Found Anew: Writers Responding to Photographic Histories, co-edited with R. Mac Jones. The collection includes 32 writers from South Carolina—including Nikky Finney, Terrance Hayes, John Lane, Bret Lott, and George Singleton—responding to historical photos from digital collections at USC’s South Caroliniana Library. In the past year, McManus has published poems in a number of journals, as well as locally in Art from the Ashes and Fall Lines (with work forthcoming in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature and Hard Lines: Rough South Poetry), and his essay “Ruts,” a paean to the dirt roads of the rural South, appears in The State of the Heart vol. 2. Readings this year have included the NC Blue Ridge Book Festival, the Upstate Literary Festival, Emrys Reading Series in Greenville, among others.

McManus directs workshops on creative writing for elementary, middle, and high school teachers across the state in the Arts in the Basic Curriculum Program, as well as conferences, such as the 2014 SC Alliance for Arts Education conference, the 2015 Curriculum Leadership Institute in the Arts at Converse College. An associate professor of English at USC Sumter (where he was named 2015 Professor of the Year), McManus also directs the creative writing program for TriDAC, the Tri-District Arts Consortium, a summer arts program for middle school students (www.cwtridac.com), and teaches in the USC Adventures in Writing program for high school and middle school writers. McManus describes the past year as “Busy. Crazy. Lucky. Stupid. Blessed.”

Julia Elliott

Julia Elliot describes the past year as “exhilarating and exhausting.” In addition to releasing two books since last September (with the continuing travel and book promotion), she turned in her tenure file in November, “all while rearing a headstrong toddler.” Her debut short story collection, The Wilds, was released in October 2014 to rave reviews. Reviewed by the New York Times last fall and recipient of a starred review in Publishers Weekly, The Wilds was selected as a New York Times Editor’s Choice at the end of 2014—along with being chosen for the 24 Best Fiction Books of 2014 by Buzzfeed Books, the Best Fiction Books of 2014 by Kirkus Reviews, The Best Books of 2014 by BookRiot, Electric Literature’s list of the 25 Best Short Story Collections of 2014, and featured on Salon in The Ultimate Literary Guide to 2014. Kirkus Reviews said of this “genre-bending” collection, “This book will take you to places you never dreamed of going and aren’t quite sure you want to stay, but you won’t regret the journey.” In August, she was included in LitReactor’s list of “5 Female Short Story Writers You Should Be Reading RIGHT NOW!”

Elliott follows up her award-winning short story collection this fall with The New and Improved Romie Futch, published in October by cutting edge press Tin House. An early edition was released in April as a Powell’s Indiespensable Exclusive. In September the novel was featured on LitHub’s Great Bookseller’s Fall Preview in September, and Elliott was highlighted in an interview-review on Kirkus Reviews. Elliott’s short story “Bride” was selected by T.C. Boyle for Best American Short Stories 2015, and her essay “On Whoredom, Demonic Possession, and Penitence” was published in August on the New York Times Opinionator blog.

 Music

Craig Butterfield

An associate professor of bass and jazz studies in the School of Music at the University of South Carolina, Craig Butterfield has had an unusually prolific year even by his standards. He’s released two CDs over the past 12 months: Pilgrimage, a classical contemporary collection with guitarist Matthew Slotkin featuring five new compositions commissioned by the duo and released by Summit Records, and Stickerfoot, a duo recording with mandolinist Jesse Jones featuring nine original compositions. He’s given dozens of solo recitals and concerts, including a seven-date Midwest tour with Slotkin, along with a variety of lectures, including one on vibrato for string instruments at the American String Teachers Association convention in Salt Lake City and one on recording solo double bass with electronics at TEDx in Columbia.

Jordan Young

Young, a recent MA graduate from the Media Arts program at the University of South Carolina, had a busy year blending his visual and audio production skills together in a variety of ways. Along with musical partner Chris Tollack, his experimental electro-pop duo We Roll Like Madmen released Hermetic Vol. 1 in October on Post-Echo records, and since then the two have toured steadily throughout the Southeast. He co-founded Fort Psych Media Events, a production group specializing in AV design and production, was a video performer and lighting designer for the Southeastern Piano Festival Opening Gala as well as the Ebb:Flow Music Collective, completed and showed his thesis installation Faceless, an audiovisual ecosystem exploring collaboratively using new musical instruments, at Tapp’s Art Center, and had his music with We Roll Like Madmen featured at the semi-annual Spork in Hand Puppet Slam.

Heyward Sims

While Sims, a talented guitarist in now-defunct bands likes of Parlour Tricks, Bolt, and Death Becomes Even the Maiden, has, when not busy slaving away as the designer and art director of Jasper, been plying his considerable production and songwriting skills under the Devereaux moniker. Last year’s Pineapple Flex, his debut full-length, showcased an uncanny blend of 80s pop, krautrock, EDM, and French disco that won rave reviews, and his music videos have been picked up by noted publications like Noisey, Vice, Under the Radar, Pop Matters, and other national publications.

Visual Arts

 

Kimi Maeda

Puppet Master extraordinaire, Kimi Maeda was selected as Tapp’s Artist in Residence, August-November, 2014, culminating in “ephemera” exhibition and premiere of new performance piece Bend.

She was awarded grants from the Jim Henson Foundation, Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Humanities Council, Alternate Roots, SC Arts Commission and the Japanese American Citizens League to perform Bend ” at the International Sonoran Desert Alliance Gathering in Ajo, Arizona, Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, a/perture cinema in Winston-Salem, NC, The Carrack Modern in Durham, NC, ROOTS Week at Arden, NC, Mechanical Eye Microcinema at Asheville, NC, Maiden Alley Cinema at Paducah, KY, Ron Robinson Theatre in Little Rock, AR, McGehee High School in McGehee, AR, Puppets in the Green Mountains Festival in Putney, VT.

Kimi developed “Occupation/Reconstruction” with choreographer Martha Brim for the Burning of Columbia and ArtFields – February, 2015 and designed the set for “In the Red and Brown Water” at Trustus – January 2015. She spoke on a panel about “Immigrant and Refugee Communities and the Changing South” at ROOTS Week – August 2015 as well as on a panel about “Generations of Otherness in America” at the Puppets in the Green Mountains Festival – September 2015.

Kimi helped organize Future Perfect art installations and the Spork in Hand Puppet Slam for Indie Grits – April 2015 and created live visuals for The Prairie Willows  “Guilty 2” at their CD release party – June 2015. She performed “The Homecoming” and “Guilty 2” at Norfolk, VA’s Mid Summer Fantasy Festival – July 2015, created shadow puppet workshop for teens for the Richland Public Library and St. Andrews Library – July 2015, and designed the set for “Marie Antoinette” at Trustus – September 2015.

Eileen Blythe

Visual Artist Eileen Blythe’s work appeared in Volume II - Women Bound by Art at Columbia College in November 2014, at Vista Lights/Gallery 80808 in November 2014, in Less is More, a Carolina Gallery Group Show in Spartanburg, SC in November 2014, in  "No Title/No Name," a group show in Kaiserslautern, Germany during the Winter 2015, and in "Drawing the Line," a solo exhibition at  Gallery 80808 in February 2015.

Her work also was also exhibited during Artista Vista/Gallery 80808 - April, 2015, Artfield's - April 2015, in the American Japanese Art Exchange - Tokyo - June 2015, at a Public Art Installation - Mayors Council of Art - Gillette, Wyoming - June 2015, a Group Exhibition - Art & Light - Greenville, SC - August 2015 in the 701 CCA Biennial - September 2015, the Broadside Project at Columbia Museum of Art - Group Project - Summer 2015, and in the "Big" group show - Anastasia & Friends - April 2015.

Russell Jeffcoat 

Photographer Russell Jeffcoat was selected for the prestigious Cassilhaus exhibition and auction benefiting the photography program at the Penland School of Crafts in Raleigh, North Carolina, in March 2014. In October 2014 he was a finalist in the International  “The Heart of Steinbeck Country”  exhibition in  Carmel, California, and was a selected nominee in the International Black & White Spider Awards, Los Angeles, California, the industry’s most important event in black and white photography. This selection places him “among the finest photographers in the world” by an international jury consisting of the heads of The Royal Photographic Society (London), The Stockholm City Museum (Sweden), and The Fratelli Alinari (Italy).

In Spring 2015 he was selected for The Photographic Nude, another internationally juried exhibit, this time in Astoria, Oregon, which celebrates the timeless elegance of classical,  alternative, and provocative styles. In May 2015 his photography was featured in Blur magazine (Blur is an international European magazine dedicated to the best in fine art photography). This fall he was also featured in "The Photography of Seven" exhibit at Gallery West in West Columbia, South Carolina.

Dance

William Starrett

Columbia City Ballet executive director William Starrett organized and presented the Body and Movement Explored evening inviting and facilitating 12 new works by 9 guest choreographers and choreographing a new dance of his own with music by Josh McCaa. He represented the company at the International Ballet Competition, in Jackson Mississippi, and as a and mentor to the competitors. He created the choreography for the world premiere of Santa Clause is Coming To Town an Educational Outreach children's program to support anti-bullying and was the first to bring this program and the Nutcracker performance to Hartsville through an invitation by the mayor  and the city where William directed and choreographed the performance. In addition to Hartsville he also continued and took it to 6 other cities.

William directed a number of ballet shows including Dracula, Nutcracker, The Lion King, Off The Wall, and Cinderella. He brought an excerpt of Off The Wall and Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green to Georgetown, SC for the first time and artistically directed the largest performing arts organization in the state, coordinating, hiring, managing and directing the most performing artists in the state of South Carolina last year.

Martha Brim

Martha Brim has been Professor of Dance at Columbia College from 1998-present. She is the Interim Director of the South Carolina Center for Dance Education and the Artistic Director of

The Power Company Collaborative. In February, Martha choreographed in collaboration with artist Kimi Maeda and musician Bill Carson, a solo public art performance installation, Occupation/Reconstruction, as I breathe I hope which was performed as part of the sesquicentennial commemoration of the Burning of Columbia. This piece was commissioned by the Historic Columbia Foundation and One Columbia for Arts and Culture. The work was 20 minutes in length and explored the parallels and distinctions between disease and war. She also choreographed Navigating Fallout in February 2015, which was performed by eight members of CCDC at Cottingham Theatre, Columbia, SC. Occupation/Reconstruction, as I breathe I hope was selected for Artfields, a juried art exhibition held in Lake City, SC.

Dale Lam

Columbia City Jazz executive director Dale Lam Received a 2015 "Dance Teacher Award" by Dance Teacher Magazine for being one of the top private studio/conservatory owners in the country. She was named an active Ambassador to the Dance Teachers Summit in Long Beach California - July 2015. For Columbia City Jazz, Lam directed and provided the majority of choreography for The Two Claras, a contemporary retelling of The Nutcracker story as well as A Beautiful Place – a contemporary duet, Never Forget – also a contemporary duet, and Clarity for the JazzGroup as well as Every Teardrop is a Waterfall for a Contemporary group for Danz Studio, Costa Rica. She has also choreographed and taught master classes for the following:  Center Stage in Asheville, NC, Dance Productions, Charlotte, NC, and Renee's Dance Floor, St. Louis, MO.

Theatre

 

Jennifer Moody-Sanchez

Jennifer made her Broadway debut this summer at Lincoln Center as Lady Macbeth in the Psittacus Production of, A Tale Told By An Idiot. She also was cast in a video game doing voice over in Los Angeles for 343 Industries (the creator of Halo) as one of the soldiers in their upcoming series. Jennifer just finished playing the title role of Marie Antoinette in Trustus Theatre's production,  Marie Antoinette, directed by 2014 Jasper Artist of the Year Finalist, Robert Richmond and will start rehearsals for Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC for their touring production of Hamlet and star as: Gertrude, Guildenstern and the Grave Digger. Jennifer has been seen this past year in, The Other Place, directed by Jim O'Connor playing three different characters at Trustus Theatre.

She was also in, Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays directed by Elena Martinez-Vidal, playing again ... three completely different roles also at Trustus.

Jennifer also performed in an original 10 minute production for the Lenten Drama series. She is also a drama teacher at Timmerman School here in Columbia.

Dewey Scott-Wiley

Dewey Scott-Wiley was co-Artistic Director of Trustus Theatre, September 15, 2014-August 31, 2015 and played Sonia in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Trustus Theatre, September 12-27, 2014. She directed The Actor’s Nightmare, USC Aiken, November 20-23, 2014, received recognition for faculty achievement in directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She directed Godspell, Trustus Theatre, March 20-April 11, 2015, recognized as “The Best Local Theatre Production” by the readers of The Free Times.  Dewey also directed Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Trustus Theatre, May 29-June 13, 2015.  This historically accurate account of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous was sponsored by Favor SC (Faces and Voices of Recovery).  The Side Door Show sold out before we opened. She directed Big City (World Premiere), Trustus Theatre, August 14-22, 2015, winner of the 2014 Trustus Playwrights’ Festival. She was the voice of Gladys the Grasshopper, Columbia Museum of Art, September 15, 2014-Present and served as Professional Division Chair of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, September 15, 2014-March 5, 2015. She was the Coordinator of Directing Initiatives – Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, September 15, 2014-Present and has been a Trustus Ensemble Member – August 1993-Present.

Kendrick Marion

Kendrick performed the following roles over the past year:  In a Christmas Carol he was Man 5 at Trustus. In In the Red and Brown Water, he was Shango at Trustus. He was the House Band singer in the Henderson Bros. Burlesque at Trustus and was the host of Link Up's The Orchestra Rocks for the SC Philharmonic at the Koger Center. Finally, in Dreamgirls, he played the role of  Jimmy Early at Trustus Theatre.

To vote for your favorite JAY 2015 nominees, click here.

If you have any issue with voting, please email kpetersen@jaspercolumbia.com. Voting closes at midnight on October 25th. Thanks!

Tamara Finkbeiner wins Audience Award at Jasper's 2nd Act Film Festival

 

Congratulations to Tamara Finkbeiner whose film Eva's Plug, won the Audience Award at Friday night's 2nd Act Film Festival sponsored by Jasper Magazine. Selected via audience ballot, the 2nd Act Film Festival Audience Award includes a check for $250, a First Draft editing program, and a one-of-a-kind trophy designed by Columbia artist, Matthew Kramer. According to film festival director Wade Sellers, "With any short film fest there are many films that could win an audience award, that was the same with this year's 2nd Act Film Fest. There is usually a film, however, that just connects with an audience in that room at that moment and that was the case with Tamara's film Eva's Plug. You could feel the energy and enthusiasm for the film build as it played. That experience is what 2nd Act is all about."

This was the second 2nd Act Film Festival (the first was in October 2013) which played once again to a capacity house at Tapp's Arts Center and included the films of 10 adjudicated filmmakers from South Carolina including Lucas Sams, Brian Harmon, Jason Stokes, Bessy Adut, Phyllis Jackson, Caletta Harris-Bailey, Bradley Wagster,  Dustin Weibel, Jordan Young, and Tamara Finkbeiner. The selected filmmakers, who applied to participate earlier this season, were chosen over other applicants based on their abilities and the freshness of the voice the jurors thought they would bring to the project. Jurors included Lee Ann Kornegay, Lee Snelgrove,  Caitlin Bright, Wade Sellers, and Cindi Boiter. 

"This year we put more pressure on ourselves to assist the filmmakers," Sellers says. "We offered script notes, production advice and assistance, and editorial suggestions once the films were turned in. As a whole the films were more diverse in voice and just better as a whole than our first event." Sellers is the owner and director of Coal Powered Filmworks, a three-time Emmy nominated filmmaker, and the film editor for Jasper Magazine.

In keeping with Jasper's efforts to foster a multi-disciplinary arts community, both visual artists and musicians played a part in the festival and its presentation.  Visual artist Michael Krajewski created an original painting which was used for the festival poster and program; visual artist Matthew Kramer created the Audience Award; and Pedro Ldv entertained festival attendees both before the event and during intermission. In addition, original music from several Columbia-based musicians, including Stan Gardner, Daniel Machado and more, was used as background music during the films themselves.

Columbia-based writer Don McCallister also served as a consultant on the first and third acts of the screenplay which was given to the filmmakers with the challenge that they write the second act and create a film, six minutes long or less, using all three acts. Participants in the 2013 2nd Act Film Festival including Ron Hagell and OK Keyes lent the knowledge of their experience to this year's filmmakers by consulting on films and screenplays.

In the aftermath of Columbia's devastating flood last week other artists including Michael Krajewski,  Bonnie Goldberg, Kara Gunter, Nancy Marine, and Sean McGuiness voluntarily stepped up and offered the fruits of their labors to benefit flood victims through a silent auction which generated $1060 which will be delivered to the Central Carolina Community Foundation. Two large bins of children's arts supplies was also collected from audience members for distribution to children effected by the flood.

The festival staff would like to thank Precision Overhead Garage Door Service, the Mouse House, Coal Powered Filmwork, and Bourbon Columbia for their sponsorship funds and services.

"It was exciting to see these ten filmmakers create these films," Sellers says, "and it only makes us more excited for the future of the event."

Art to Benefit Flood Victims at 2nd Act Film Festival

Everyone has a role to play as we, as a community, keep making our way through one of the strangest and trying times in our city's history. Our role, on Friday night, will be to go ahead with the 2nd Act Film Festival and offer everyone the opportunity to sit down for a while and enjoy some art. We thought long and hard about whether to postpone the festival and this is where we landed.

We have 10 exciting 6 minute films created for you by 10 different South Carolina filmmakers. While each film is decidedly different, each filmmaker and her or his team sought to solve a common problem.  Each filmmaker was given the first and third acts of a screenplay and charged with writing the 2nd act and making the film with all three acts. This year's theme is consciousness. From a time-traveling Richard Nixon to a wife whose man has cheated for the last time and suffers the altered penis to prove it, each film brings its own unique perspective to the challenge.

We have a couple of announcements though.

First, we'd like to invite everyone who attends and is up for it (and even if you can't attend you can still do this) to bring a donation of children's arts supplies that we will be sure gets to local children who have lost their supplies in the flood. Crayons, coloring books, colored pencils, sketch pads, markers, craft kits -- everything is welcome. If you'd like to go ahead and drop your donation off at Tapp's Arts Center (1644 Main Street) Caitlin Bright has set up a collection bin for us there and is open from 10 am until 6 pm daily.

Next, thanks to the generosity of visual artist Michael Krajewski and the gorgeous framing by Susan Lenz and Steve Dingman at the Mouse House, we will be (silent) auctioning Krajewski's second painting in a series of art he has created specifically for Jasper and the 2nd Act Film Festival. This beautifully framed painting (above) is valued at more than $1000 - we hope to make a generous donation to our local flood victims.

So, please come out and see us on Friday night at 7 pm at Tapp's. A special VIP champagne reception to meet and greet the filmmakers -- with snacks generously provided by Bourbon -- will take place at 6 pm. Tickets are available via http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2304300 -- we sold out of even our SRO tickets at the last festival, so please keep that in mind when planning your Friday night rest for the weary.

Jasper Goes to Hopscotch, 2015 Edition

In some ways, returning to Raleigh for Hopscotch 2015 felt like catching up with an old friend. This was the festival’s sixth year, and Jasper’s fourth year attending, so much of what the astoundingly dynamic and eclectic festival offered felt comforting, familiar. The convergence of noise artists and rappers, EDM ravers and folkies, metalheads and indie rock tastemakers is what makes this festival tick, with the diversity of its booking and venues locations (ranging from the seedy dive of Slim’s to the posh intimacy of Fletcher Opera House to the, well, festival-esque City Plaza) giving it the kind of distinct character and vibe such undertakings count on.

While talking about the event from year to year is always going to center on a few things focused primarily on the music itself. How did the headliners fare? Godspeed You! Black Emperor delivered a predictably swollen, cinematic head trip of a set that was a welcome counterpart to the opening night’s rain; TV on the Radio proved to be a phenomenal live band adept at bringing art rock to the masses; and Dwight Yoakam was a straight shooter who lets his songs bring the heat.

Who blew the roofs off? Phil Cook & Friends at Fletcher felt like a celebration of everything that makes Hopscotch great as they played his new solo LP Southland Mission from start to finish (check out the amazing video our photographer Thomas Hammond shot below); Working with a dramatically different sets of tools, Lincoln Theater headliners Battles and Pusha T closed out Friday and Saturday nights respectively by putting on workshops on how to own the stage when compared to just about anybody; and Waxahatchee’s  last minute solo set proved just how entrancing some simple, heartbreaking songs and a voice can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc6hfxGs7wQ&feature=youtu.be

What new discoveries had us buzzing? The haunting collection of traditional folk tunes by Jake Xerxes Fussell’s debut on Paradise of Bachelors is destined to end up on my year-end favorites list, and I’ll eat my shoe if Raleigh’s electro-R&B act Boulevards and/or upcoming rapper Ace Henderson aren’t making waves nationally by the end of 2016.

But part of what makes Hopscotch great is also what stays mostly the same—the day party traditions that range from the Trekky Records-centered lineups on Saturdays at Pour House to the noisy, avante-garde acts that fill Friday afternoon at King’s, the sprawling outdoor markets and official Hopscotch block parties, and the wonderful vendors and venues in Raleigh that team up to make the festival great from year to year.

What made this year especially memorable for South Carolina attendees, and what will hopefully be added to the list of traditions, is the collaboration between Stereofly, SceneSC, and Free Times that led to two day parties on Thursday and Friday that brought the first significant South Carolina presence to the festival since its inception.

While there have been some token inclusions from the Palmetto State in recent years—acts like Shovels & Rope, Say Brother, and Brian Robert’s Company have all been played official sets in the past, and Keath Mead got an early slot at Tir Na Nog this year—the bounty of North Carolina acts and the dearth of folks from our own music community has always given us pause, particularly when those NC acts benefit from national coverage of Hopscotch. This year was a welcome change.

Settling into the cool, dimly lit confines of Deep South on Thursday for an imitate, story-laden set from JKutchma followed by the haunting songs of She Returns from War and the electrifying country-rock of Say Brother at their sloshy best, even with their mid-afternoon start, was a great start to the festival; even better was the sprawling eclecticism of Friday’s day party at Legends Nightclub. Packed to the gills with mostly-SC acts, highlights included a grand opening from Charleston’s The High Divers, a classic rock-minded indie rock act with impeccable harmonies and a debut LP out 10/9, a fiery, mathy set from recent Post-Echo signees Art Contest, who recently moved from Columbia to Athens, GA, and a seasoned performance the Justin Osborne-led alt-country act Susto, which has been touring hard in recent months, including some opening slots for Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, and Moon Taxi. Recent Jasper centerfold Danny Joe Machado’s performance was another standout, provided a fascinating window into how an unfamiliar audience dealt with the acerbic persona The Restoration has created as a solo act.

More than any one performer, though, what struck me the most about these day parties was a sense of pride in South Carolina, as well as a rare sense of home community in a Hopscotch world where Jasper has always felt like an outsider before. Whereas in prior years “hopping” from set to set would be the norm for day parties as much as it is for the evening sets, we were happy to camp out at Legends all day on Friday, content to revel in our hometown riches before taking in the official schedule.

We can’t praise the folks and bands who put this on enough. It can be hard to see or sense forward movement for a scene, but those few hours on Thursday and Friday felt like something.

Below are some selected photos from the festival by Thomas Hammond:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashammondphotography/sets/72157659157764610/

PREVIEW: Exhibition John D. Monteith and Everyone Gets Atrophy - TONIGHT

There is a curious beauty to the art of John D. Monteith—his models overly made-up in unnatural eye shades, lacquered lips across bared or parted teeth, breasts just so perfectly presented whether freed or restrained with what you know must be silken sashes from kimonos that at first smell of sweet woodruff or bergamot but, ultimately, when the base notes kick in, smack of ambergris. It is this kind of intrigue and promise of intoxication that crooks a cherry finger toward the viewer in Monteith’s new exhibit opening tonight at Tapp’s Arts Center as part of the city’s long-lasting First Thursday gallery crawl and celebration.

In Everyone Gets Atrophy, a provocative title that fits the exhibit only oddly, Monteith offers luscious and lustrous portraits of a half dozen or so models, going back over as many years, who appear burnished both in visage and presentation. Monteith accomplishes the effect—the sense of a fine skin on his paintings—via his use of oil on Dura-lar matte, a technique he uses almost exclusively now. “Its limits are its virtues,” the artist says of the technique, citing an appreciation for the resulting flatness and fluidity.

“These pieces are somewhat experimental,” Monteith says. “I like creating problems and solving them.” One problem that he recognizes, though not of his own creation, is how to create contemporary figurative work that can be provocative and reticent at the same time. How to find “infinite nuance within a finite set.”

Tonight’s opening suggests that he, in fact, knows the answer.

It is rare for Monteith to exhibit in Columbia, but a quick look at his recent exhibition history will find his work up and down the east coast. The artist is represented by Stephen Romano Gallery in Brooklyn. Joining him in the festivities tonight for their debut performance in the Skylight Room will be James Wallace and Rob Cherry as safe_space, “an ambient industrial synthesizer percussion duo” with local band Space Coke performing in the Tapp’s Park Courtyard.

Tapp’s is located at 1644 Main Street.

- Cindi Boiter

PREVIEW: USC's Threepenny Opera

The Threepenny Opera, written by Bertolt Brecht and directed by Steven Pearson, is back at the University of South Carolina. This production brings about USC’s first musical Mainstage production since another of Brecht’s works, Mother Courage and Her Children, was performed in April of 2009!

The Threepenny Opera follows the deeds of the charming, but innately vile, Macheath (Josh Jeffers). Macheath is a notorious criminal who is widely admired by beggars and thieves of Victorian London, and is known for thousands of heinous crimes, including thievery, adultery, and murder. Macheath only sees wild success in all of his endeavors until he takes the young, and naïve, Polly Peachum (Candace Thomas) as his wife in secret. For when Mr. and Mrs. Peachum (Benjamin Roberts and Rachel Kuhnle), discover that Macheath has ‘stolen’ their daughter away, they vow to have him arrested and hanged.

“[The play] was radical when Brecht first introduced it as a sort of anti-opera, anti-establishment sort of theatre,” Pearson explains.  “It has a sociopolitical bent which says, ‘Look at what is going on the country and in society, at thieves and beggars and the commodification of people.” Threepenny is Brecht’s adaption of John Gay’s 1728 satirical ballad opera entitled The Beggar’s Opera. Both plays take a socialist standpoint to make social commentary on the inequality of the classes in capitalist societies. “Brecht was talking about the same things that are happening now, and even though the play is set in the 19th-century, it has a very contemporary feel,” says Pearson.  “It all keeps coming back, people wanting to cut funding that supports the poor, the discrepancies between the haves and have nots…  Really, nothing has changed.”

By placing such a self-serving, ironic-hero in a role that one is intended to sympathize with, it forces the audience constantly question who in the play they should be identifying with or fighting for. Even Mr. Peachum, who is the strongest supporter of traditional morality, still only gains income through the exploitation of others and only truly has selfish intentions. “The play centers around beggars, thieves, and whores, or “the poorest of the poor”, trying to lift themselves from their current socioeconomic state,” explains Josh Jeffers (Macheath).  “…Not a single character has the luxury of remaining incorruptible, nor bears shame because today, not only is the financial gap between the poor and the wealthy significantly wide, but we’ve become profoundly desensitized to corruption.  If our audiences feel confronted with this theme in either capacity, then I think we’ve succeeded. “

And being a Brecht production, which focuses on the alienation of the audience, or verfremdungseffekt, Threepenny should be considered less a ‘musical theatre production’ and more ‘a play with music’. “The audience plays a major role.  We use music and, occasionally, direct address to include them in this story because the themes are so universal,” Josh Jeffers explains, “…The music in a Brecht piece is a tool used to comment on the theme of the moment, rather than advance the plot or reveal characters’ intentions.  Brecht’s music isn’t necessarily as melodic as we’re used to.  It’s rough and messy because the characters and themes are rough and messy. “

Mack is back! Show times for The Threepenny Opera are 8pm Wednesdays through Saturdays, with additional 3pm matinees on Sunday, October 4 and Saturday, October 10.  Tickets for the production are $12 for students, $16 for USC faculty/staff, military personnel and seniors 60+, and $18 for the general public.  Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 803-777-2551 or by visiting the Longstreet Theatre box office, which is open Monday-Friday, 12:30pm-5:30pm, beginning Friday, September 25.  Longstreet Theater is located at 1300 Greene St.

The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill English Translation by Robert MacDonald Original German text based on Elizabeth Hauptmann's German translation of John Gay's The Beggar’s Opera

Directed by Steven Pearson Musical Direction by Matthew Marsh

Preview by Rebecca Shrom

Just say no to Facebook

This week started out great. Lots of exciting stuff on the calendar, interesting meetings, tasks that I absolutely love to do. Looking ahead and all the way through Saturday morning's game, I was psyched for what the third week of September held in store. My Facebook calendar was full and I was happy!

Monday was a bit of a chore, though. For the fifth day in a row I was still working on a 2nd Act Film Festival project that should have taken less than two days to finish.

Tuesday was a little tougher. It was the last day for Jasper Artist of the Year nominations which means the beginning of a lot of sorting and stuff and I was continuing to work on last week's merciless mess of a project. I ended up forgetting about one meeting and rescheduling another.  I did make it to the Nick to see Grandma that evening and didn't feel too guilty about that since I reviewed it for the blog.

Wednesday meant day seven of the same old project, day two of the JAYs, and only two meetings, both about very exciting stuff.  By the end of the day one meeting got pushed back 30 minutes and the other two full hours, but that was OK because that night was the first night of ARTS101, our much anticipated series of arts history and appreciation presentations from esteemed members of our arts community. I remember when we first announced this series -- so many people were happy about it! And the Facebook event racked up 19 yeses and 19 maybes almost immediately. With a possible 38 people (no, I never expected the maybes to show up but I don't believe in being unprepared) coming out, the mag staff and I, along with two eager interns, were ready to greet our crowd with carefully prepared and reproduced copies of the ARTS101 calendar, a primer on John Constable, who was the subject of Mary Gilkerson's fascinating presentation, a slideshow loving prepared by our buddy Shige at Tapp's, a bar set up by Daniel, and a plate of assorted cookies. Three different kinds.

I'll just cut to the chase. No. One. Showed. Up. No, the maybes didn't show up, of course, but neither did the yeses. None of them. We did have a gentleman come in from off the street but I don't know if he knew he was coming in for a presentation or not. We were glad he was there. And we were glad we were there. It was a casual and informative presentation enjoyed over cold Coronas and cookies and I am thrilled with the knowledge I now have about landscape artist John Constable. (Primer below for your enjoyment and edification.)

Now, we're at Thursday and by the end of the day my buddy and Jasper film editor Wade has ably taken the cursed week-old project off my crippled hands.  I'm still working on the JAYS but the end is in sight, and I've turned my attention back to the next issue of the mag as well as the bones of the non-profit that's at a steady boil on the back burner of my life, waiting patiently to be moved up front and served. I wanted to go to the closing reception for Figure Out at Tapp's, one of my all-time favorite shows in town. In fact, I wanted to blog about the reception and appeal to the powers that be--in this case gallery owners and operators in the city-- that we must not relegate figurative and nude shows to one event a year held behind warning signs on closed doors. We must make the human body, clothed or unclothed, a part of our everyday art experience. As an arts community we can no longer be afraid of breasts and penises! But, of course, I didn't have time to go to the show or write the blog and only sneaked out to the Trustus fundraiser at The Whig (63 yeses and 24 maybes -- I don't think so) because I love Trustus and I love The Whig and I knew my kids would be there. I came home and went back to work.

So here it is on Friday afternoon. I'm tired, it's been raining for the past two days, the temperature is fall-ish, and new episodes of good TV started this week and are waiting on my DVR.

But wait, according to Facebook I have six events to go to tonight. Six different exciting events. Six events that would enlighten me, make me a better person, and allow me to enjoy the company of all the other yeses who want to go to these events and see each other.

You all know how this is going to turn out. I've already taken off my bra, smudged my makeup by rubbing my eyes, and poured myself a glass of wine. I ain't going nowhere.

But on Wednesday night of this past exciting and life-affirming week, in addition to learning about John Constable I learned something else. I learned about the power of the yes and I learned about the power of the no. (Maybes never really count.) So before I poured that vino and unsnapped that brassiere I visited the pages of all the fun events I will not be going to tonight and I changed my status. Yes, I could have done it earlier, had I been more honest with both Facebook and myself. But I'll take credit for doing it at all and I challenge myself to be better about it next time.

And I challenge you. Just say no to Facebook unless you really are planning to attend an event. But if your enthusiasm gets the best of you and you really believe you can make it to all those openings and receptions and concerts and presentations that you want to go to, do what I'm going to try to start doing. (I admit to being the worst about this in my life prior to this evening.) See where Facebook expects you to be and, if you're not going to be there, don't pretend. Change your yes to no and, if you must, leave a little message. You're tired, you're drained, you have a date with Olivia Pope. Doesn't everyone's head hurt a little? Just be honest with Facebook. Change it to no.

--Cindi

And here's that John Constable primer I promised you:

John Constable

• Born June 1776 – died March 1837
• English Romantic Painter
• Landscape artist known for his paintings of Dedham Vale in the Essex-Suffolk area of England, now known as “Constable Country”
• Most famous works – ‘Dedham Vale’ (1802), ‘The Hay Wain’ (1821), and ‘Wivenhoe Park’ (1816)
• Inspirations include Thomas Gainsborough, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Van Ruisdael, and Annibale Carracci
• Known for the sense of realism and vitality that he imbued in his art
• Known for taking landscape painting in a new direction
• Believed his paintings should come as directly as possible from nature
• Made hundreds of outdoor oil sketches, capturing the changing skies and effects of light.
• Happiest painting locations he knew well, particularly in his native Suffolk. He also frequently painted in Salisbury, Brighton and Hampstead, making numerous studies of the clouds over the Heath.
• Received little recognition in Britain in his lifetime, but was much better known in France.
• In 1824, ‘The Hay Wain’ won a gold medal at the Salon in Paris and Constable had a profound influence on French Romantic artists.

Show Alert: Capital City Playboys CD Release This Saturday, September 26th at Art Bar

On Saturday, September 26, local lounge-rock trio the Capital City Playboys will release their first full-length LP, Bad Bad Man. The album’s lead single and title track is a kinetic burst of ominous, surf and blues-influenced rock and roll based around clean guitar lines and tight, unflashy rhythms. With guitarist Mary Fort’s deep-bellied croon leading the charge, one is almost reminded of Glenn Danzig and his early work with fuzzy doom-punkers the Misfits. The unrelenting gloom in his voice makes for an interesting contrast with the waves you can almost hear crashing somewhere in the background. This song belongs over the opening credits of a Tarantino flick. Don’t believe me? Just listen here. -Music Editor Michael Spawn

REVIEW: Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type at Columbia Children's Theatre by Melissa Ellington

Longtime fans as well as newcomers to the children’s book Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type by author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin will be enchanted by the marvelous production at Columbia Children’s Theatre. Through songs like “Music To My Ears” and “Electric Blankets Feel Like Home,” the musical by James E. Grote and George Howe invites audiences into the amusing and often surprising world of Farmer Brown and his animals.

When the barn residents discover a typewriter, their newfound ability to communicate with the farmer develops into a dramatic standoff: no milk or eggs until the animals get electric blankets. As Farmer Brown protests, “Cows that type. Hens on strike! Whoever heard of such a thing?” Farmer Brown is played by talented performer Julian Deleon, who brings the beleaguered character to life with engaging charisma. Jackie Rowe sparkles in the fierce and funny role of the Hen, while Paul Lindley II charms the audience as Duck, serving as both narrator and participant in this farmyard tale. Frances Farrar and Georgie Harrington excel as the title characters: Cows 1 and 2 are vibrant individuals with impressive commitment and loads of personality. At certain shows, Taylor Diveley (Duck), Brandi Smith (Cow 1), Imani Ross-Jackson (Cow 2) and Erica Cooper (Hen) will perform.

Cast members capitalize on the physical comedy made feasible by a remote control feature with humorous “rewinding” and “translating” from animal speak. The script retains key elements from the beloved book while also opening up inventive possibilities. For instance, while Duck is presented as a “neutral party” in the book, the play suggests a more complex (and hilarious) situation. Guided by accomplished director Jerry Stevenson, the production team has crafted an appealing farm experience with a touch of whimsy and a whole lot of creativity. Just wait till you see the clever take on a duck pond as realized by set designer Robert Michalski. Costumer Donna Harvey evokes animal characteristics while also suggesting distinct identities, especially with the cows’ outfits. Courtesy of expert choreographer Cindy Flach, the tap sequences provide energy and flair. My tap-dance-loving daughter was star struck by the spiffy tap number that enlivens the title song. Music Director Lindley guides adept singers through the enjoyable score, while stage manager Crystal Aldamuy and sound/light technician Jim Litzinger ensure that top-notch quality emerges in every aspect of Click, Clack, Moo with gratifying attention to detail.

My kindergarten child was overjoyed to see one of his all-time favorite books come to life on stage. “Oh, wow! That was great! Hooray!” he cheered while clapping vigorously. Hooray, indeed. Hooray for this extraordinary cast and crew, hooray for a community that supports local theatre for families and schools, and hooray for a brilliant launch to Season 11 for Columbia Children’s Theatre.

Click, Clack, Moo will be performed on Saturday, September 26 at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. as well as Sunday, September 27 at 3:00 p.m. (There will also be an adults-only “Late Night Date Night” version of the show presented at 8:00 pm on Friday, September 25). For more information, call (803) 691-4548 or visit www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com.

Jasper Announces New Music Editor

It was the natural thing to do. Kyle Petersen, having served as music editor of Jasper since its inception, had been so intimately involved in the day-to-day running of the magazine, acting as the editor's sounding board, copy editor, proofreader, and both music and literary guru. When the level of responsibilities grew greater than the editor could continue to juggle it was only natural that Kyle move into the position of assistant editor last spring.

But that left the position of music editor empty.

Not anymore.

Effective with the September/October issue of Jasper, Michael Spawn, handpicked by Kyle Petersen himself, is the new music editor for Jasper Magazine.

Michael Spawn was born in Johnstown, NY and raised in Simpsonville, SC. He is a contributing writer for Columbia's Free Times and Stereofly, the author of numerous short stories and two novels, and the drummer for Shallow Palace. His favorite dead band is the White Stripes. His favorite living band is pre-Ratitude Weezer. He graduated from USC in 2008 with a B.A. in English and he wants Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" played at his funeral.

Welcome Michael Spawn!

FILM REVIEW: Grandma

There’s a scene in the new film "Grandma," starring Lily Tomlin in the title role, in which the character of Tomlin’s 18-year-old granddaughter, Sage, played by Julia Garner, flips through a stack of signed first edition books from the second wave feminist canon—books like The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer, and additional works by the likes of Simone de Beauvoir and others—with absolutely no regard for the magnitude and cultural importance of the books she holds in her hands. But for Sage, who is 10 weeks along in an unplanned pregnancy, that’s OK. Sage may not have read the books or know the story of the women who went before her and paved the way for the legal abortion she has asked her Grandma to help her fund, but Grandma, whose name is Elle, did. And so did Mom, whose name is Judy and is played by Marcia Gay Harden in all her long-haired glory. And because they read these books and they live in an environment in which other thinking people read and learned from these books, Sage now lives in an environment in which the word “abortion” is not whispered. Same sex couples may kiss and love and split up and die as if it is a completely common thing to do. Women say “fuck” and nobody winces. Little girls sucker punch bothersome strangers with knuckles wrapped with multi-colored rubber bracelets. Women who are grumpy and irritable are “assholes” rather than “bitches.” And a whole film can go by without the viewer even realizing that the only men on the screen were a cab driver, two jerks in a café, a loser of a boyfriend, a one-lined tattoo artist, and the brilliant Sam Elliott who may have played the best role of his life.

If passing the Bechdel Test was a category at the Academy Awards Grandma would win the Oscar hands down.

No, Grandma is not a fantasy film and there is no science fiction involved. It’s simply a Slice-of-Life film, but the life is one apparently devoid of homophobia (Elle is still mourning the loss of her long-time partner, Violet, whose name is tattooed on her wrist); racism or transphobia (Laverne Cox plays an old friend who Elle and Sage visit as they try to raise money for the abortion and whose sexual identity is never noted); or ageism (as Elle’s most recent partner Olivia, Judy Greer, who looks, acts, and is 40-years-old, is depicted as a too-youthful match for Elle.)

Whether director Paul Weitz ("About a Boy," "Admission") wrote and directed Grandma as a paean to all things healthy and progressive is hard to say. It seems more likely that he set out to create a film in which an unlikely character rises above self-imposed restrictions as she tries to save the day and be there for her granddaughter who is facing something Elle warns the young woman she will think of everyday for the rest of her life. If this is the case, Tomlin carries out Weitz’s wishes with a kind of precision and efficiency that leaves little time for sentimentality. One can only imagine how refreshing it must be to Tomlin, at 76, to play the role of a wise old lesbian poet given how many straight “ditzy dame” roles she’s been cast in throughout her career. Even the closing shot has Tomlin walking healthily and happily down a lengthy road laid out before her as if she has many more stops on her journey ahead.

But that’s not the point of Grandma, the film. As comfortable and validating and reassuring as Grandma is in its understated respect of the diversity of humanity, the film is ultimately about getting along with the people we love, have loved, and want to love more. It’s about the age-old challenge of swallowing our pride when we think we shouldn’t have to. Valuing the happiness of another over one’s own happiness. And more than anything it’s about growing and learning as long as we live. Beautifully written, directed, and acted, Grandma is ultimately a feel-good film about family and both personal and inter-personal growth. See it. Feel good. Feel strong.

Grandma is playing at the Nickelodeon Theatre through October 1st.

-Cindi Boiter

Improv at USC by Rebecca Shrom

Improvisational comedy is everywhere, from SNL to local community theatres. Even if you have not been to an improv show yourself, traces of it can be found all over the media.

The University of South Carolina even has its own thriving improv community that centers around two groups: Toast and OverReactors Improv.

Both groups exist on campus harmoniously, but each serve very different purposes in the community. Toast Improv is a small group that has auditions once a year and tends to take 2 or 3 people a year. But, there are a lot of people who attend USC, and a lot more people who might want the opportunity to do improv. That is where OverReactors Improv comes in. The OverReactors is an open group that holds practices open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday in the Booker T. Washington Theatre at 10:30 pm. For their monthly shows, Freddie Powers (President) and the core group of 3 other individuals (Gabe Crawford, Megh Ahire, and April Drafts-Johnson), hold auditions per show, which allows for a rotating cast of 4 or 5 additional people in each performance.

The open practices can have anywhere from 10 to 30 people, depending on the time of the semester. “We’re entirely open to new members regardless of experience level. So that kind of low stress low pressure environment is really good for introducing people to improv,” Powers explains. But that is the beauty of the OverReactors: you can come and go when you want. If a member knows they have a big paper due in the coming weeks, then they don’t have to audition for the next show if they don’t think they will have the time. (That is the catch of auditioning for a show, if you are chosen; you are required to attend every open practice, and an additional practice only for members of the show cast every week.) And if someone doesn’t want to perform in a show at all, then they don’t have to audition. They can just come and enjoy a practice here and there.

This system allows for people who have demanding majors, or who may not have discovered improv until later on in the year or later on in their college careers, to still have a chance to learn improv and grow as performers.

But on a campus that focuses so much on athletics, the question is: is improv accessible to everyone? Why should anyone who is not interested in theatre or the arts care about improv? Powers explains, “I think something that’s really important about improv is that because of what it is. Because it’s about people making stuff up like from their own experiences kind of it’s very much something that you can watch and laugh at but you can also really relate to. Because everything that’s happening on stage, even if it’s absurd, is still very grounded in people and their relationships and interactions with each other and it’s really easy to watch it laugh at it and see some of yourself in it and laugh at it too.”

The humor in improv isn’t exclusively from acting ridiculous, or being able to make up puns on the spot. Some of the best humor can come from relationships, and the ability for the audience to see themselves in a scene.

But it’s not just the audience who can benefit. There is plenty one can learn from attending a practice. It’s not just about theatre or performing. It’s about everyone. And even if one might not be interested in performing, they can still benefit from coming to practices.

“Improv is very much about building something with your team members ... If everyone is trying to make different ideas happen without considering their team members then nothing really happens,” says Powers, “If you take what your team members give to the scene and build more with them, the cooperation is what makes the team really good, funny, and substantial.”

The OverReactors shows are always located in Benson Theatre (226 Bull St.) at 11:00 pm (Doors open at 10:30) and cost only $5. Their next show is on Sept 18^th, then their shows for the remainder of the 2015-2016 school year will be Oct 16^th , Nov 13^th, Jan 22^nd, Feb 26^th, March 25^th, and April 15^th.

If you are looking for more updates on OverReactors Improv, you can find them on Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.

REVIEW: Marie Antoinette at Trustus Theatre - by Jennifer Hill

“I was built to be this thing and now they're killing me for it." -- Marie Antoinette

Trustus Theater starts off its 31^st season strong with Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi. In the first act, Director Robert Richmond takes the audience down the rabbit hole to a French rave where Marie Antoinette is the Mad Hatter presiding over what appears to be her own opulent, insane tea party, which sets the pace for the evening. This is not a stuffy historical piece by any means. It’s sexy, provocative, humorous, and it eventually takes you to a very dark place.

Jennifer Moody Sanchez is our Marie, the girl who was plucked from Austria at 14 years old to marry wimpy Louis XVI, played by G. Scott Wild, and then went on to become the Queen of France at the tender age of 19. Moody Sanchez is a strong performer, giving us a Marie that is silly and frivolous, but grows strong with backbone as the play goes on, and ultimately descends into madness during her final days.  Moody Sanchez did some of her best work of the night in the second act as Marie grapples with sanity in her prison cell. It’s a series of intense scenes and Moody Sanchez gives a haunting performance. Props to Robert Richmond for being willing to take it so dark. Bold choices are powerful, especially when a director uses them to create a very consistent stylized world, like Richmond has. That said, I would have liked to have seen more vulnerability in Marie at times, something with which we can empathize and connect.

Sanchez is not alone in offering a fine performance. G. Scott Wild gives us a perfect Louis XVI; an awkward, possibly impotent, man-child. Marie’s ladies of the court, Therese De Lomballe, played by Lindsay Rae Taylor, and Yolande de Polignac played by Ellen Rodillo-Fowler are like those two girls at a party who keep pressuring you to take another shot; the kind of women who tell you “go ahead, buy it in both colors” on a shopping trip, the ‘yes’ women to Marie. I especially liked Rodillo-Fowler in her scene as a creepy peasant and Taylor’s scenes as Therese showing true friendship to Marie. Eric Bultman plays the most striking and sexy sheep anyone would ever want to see. That’s right, he plays Marie’s sheep friend, her spirit animal, and he sometimes informs her of the realities of her situation. Bultman physically nails every beat. The terribly handsome Ben Blazer plays Axel Fersen, Marie’s man on the side. Blazer has a nice natural stage presence that is so easy to believe. Paul Kaufmann plays the Revolutionary who imprisons Marie and her family. Kauffman is a strong actor who makes a nice subtle transformation over the second act, in that he starts out with extreme hatred for Marie, but that hatred slowly turns to pity as her execution draws near. Chris Cook plays Joseph, Marie’s brother, come to get answers for why an heir hasn’t been produced in the seven years since Marie and Louis have been married. Cook is a joy to watch: he has impeccable timing and gives some really delightful deliveries that keep the audience laughing. Cade Melnyk, with a face of a cherub, plays the little Dauphin very well. He happens to be in one of my favorite scenes, a carriage ride depicted using only three chairs. The three actors sell it with perfect timing and movement which results in a very believable and entertaining scene.

Costumes by Jean Gonzalaz Lomasto were a joy. Marie’s frocks are one-of-a-kind pieces of art, as were the wigs by Mark Ziegler and the jewelry by Neely Wald. The lighting design by Marc Hearst was on point; I particularly enjoyed a scene where Marie and Axel watch fireworks in the distance. I really enjoyed what Baxter Engle did with the sound during the prison/madness scenes; an echoing treatment that is very effective. The set, designed by Kimi Maeda and constructed by Brandon Mclver is quite impressive as basically a giant reflective guillotine blade, always there, always reminding us where this is all going to end.

And that’s really what it’s all about, right? The falling of a great star. We build them up to burn them down a la 2007's Britney Spears. Marie herself pretty much sums it up toward the end of the second act, “I was built to be this thing and now they're killing me for it”. Overall, it’s a beautiful production, well played and well executed. (Pun intended.) A feast for the eyes. Get your tickets to the disco mad tea party now as shows will be selling out. The show runs through Oct.3^rd.

Correction: A previous version of this review omitted the contributions of Neely Wald. 

The Jasper Project presents ARTS101 - A 6-Part Arts Appreciation Lecture Series

Ever wanted to take that art history class you neglected in college or revisit some of the stories of arts greats you may have snoozed through way back when? The Jasper Project is making it easy to brush up on your cultural literacy and we’re doing it in intimate settings with folks you already know and admire.

The Jasper Project presents ARTS101, a series of presentations by Columbia artists of stature about the great artists who have gone before us and influenced the world of art. All events are informal, free and open to the public and all start at 7 pm at Tapp’s Arts Center.

Please join us.

September 23, 2015 Mary Bentz Gilkerson talks about John Constable

October 28, 2015 Stephen Chesley talks about Edward hopper

November 18, 2015 Tish Lowe talks about Antony Van Dyck

January 27, 2016 Kirkland Smith talks about John Singer Sargent

February 24, 2016 Mike Dwyer talks about Richard Diebenkorn

March 23, 2015 Cedric Umoja talks about Dondi White

Cedric Umoja's Millwood Mural Project - by Jessica Blahut

For years, an abandoned, unfinished mural has stood near the intersection of Millwood and Gervais, a reminder of the obstacle that urban communities everywhere face. However, a group of three artists in partnership with One Columbia hope to bring the mural and community back to life by refinishing the wall with a mural that will speak to the optimistic future of the community.

“I was just driving I saw the wall that needed some finishing,” says local artist Cedric Umoja.  “I just wondered if it was ever going to get done and who started it and that type of thing.”

From there Umoja and others at One Columbia gathered information about the existing mural and how to transform the existing wall into something new and fresh for the community.  Umoja contacted fellow artists Brandon Donahue (Nashville, TN) and Karl Zurflüh (Charleston, SC) to collaborate on this project and a shared vision of growth and revitalization was born.

“We came together and said that this was really about the idea of community, but what does that mean?  What does that word mean to you, visually speaking?” said Umoja.

For Umoja, community cannot exist without the promise of the future.  His portion of the mural is a commentary on the necessity of helping the public grow and prosper now to ensure that it can continue. Zurflüh took a different approach, coming from a graphwriting background, he broke up the word “community” into “commune” and “unity” in order to break it down into its purest definition.  Donahue used the imagery of an insect from African folktales, taking the perspective of growth and rebirth.

This mural, which will bridge that gap between high art and street art, has the potential to be a jumping off point for the visual arts community of Columbia; there has been a growing trend in cities around the country of holding “open walls” and inviting street artists to create murals to enhance the existing urban landscape.

“It’s happening everywhere except Columbia, and I think there’s a lot of wall space for it to happen and grow the city in the right way,” says Umoja of Columbia’s potential to follow in the footsteps of other cities.

“I think that it’s going to elevate the quality of life for people that live there, not just the city, but in the community too,” says Umoja “I think that is what we as artist try to do, a lot of us are trying to make people think but we are mostly just trying to enrich people’s lives and educate them from different perspectives.”

Though One Columbia initiative is funding a portion of the project, it does not cover the entire projected cost of the mural.  The artists are also responsible for prepping the wall, supplying their own materials, and other logistical expenses.  In addition to the labor costs of the three muralists, a filmmaker and photographer who will be documenting and archiving the process will also need to be compensated.  Unfortunately, these factors are getting in the way of this project being realized.

Those interested in supporting the Millwood Mural Project can make a contribution at www.gofundme.com/millwoodmural.