Jasper Welcomes Lucas Sams to First Thursday at the Bourbon Courtyard

It’s the Jasper Project’s second First Thursday at the Bourbon Courtyard and, this time, we’re excited to welcome Columbia-based visual artist Lucas Sams.

Sams is a multi-media artist living and working in Columbia, SC; an alumnus of the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, the University of South Carolina, and Temple University, Tokyo, working in painting, sculpture, film, digital/multimedia, sound and installation art, with works exhibited in major art festivals, galleries and alternative spaces, and featured in Jasper Magazine, the SC State Newspaper, Garnet and Black Magazine, and the Timber Journal of the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Sams is bringing a selection of his work to the Bourbon Courtyard for a one-night-only exhibit on Thursday, October 6th, as part of First Thursdays on Main.

Start your evening as early as 5 pm with a cocktail from Bourbon’s cutting-edge bar offerings while enjoying the art and chatting with the artist, then move on down Main Street to Columbia Museum of Art and one block over to Sumter Street and Sound Bites Eatery where Jasper is also hosting the opening night reception for First Thursday Artist in Residence, Marius Valdes.

It’s just like old times and we can’t wait to see you on and off the streets!

Jasper Welcomes Marius Valdes to October's First Thursday at Sound Bites

We’re delighted to welcome one of Columbia’s most soul-lifting artists, Marius Valdes, to the walls of Sound Bites Eatery for First Thursday, October 6th, starting at 6 pm—no matter what Facebook says!

Happy-hearted Valdes has a reputation for finding and appealing to the child in everyone, and we’ve been excitedly awaiting the day when we could finally hang his art on the walls of one of the happiest places in town to feed your body and spirit, Sound Bites Eatery.

Marius Valdes is an artist currently based in Columbia, South Carolina. He is an Associate Professor in studio art concentrating on design and illustration at The University of South Carolina. He lives in Forest Acres, South Carolina with his wife Beth, daughter Emma, and very lazy but adorable dog, Mary.

Valdes received his BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia and his MFA in Visual Communication from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2005.

Valdes has been recognized by design publications such as HOW, Print, Communication Arts, Creative Quarterly, STEP, and industry competitions including American Illustration, AIGA InShow, AIGA SEED Awards, and The South Carolina Advertising Federation Addy Awards.

Valdes' work has been featured in several books about contemporary graphic design and illustration. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions internationally. Valdes has presented at academic conferences about design and illustration related topics.

In 2017, Valdes completed a one-year residency as the first visual Artist in Residence at the award-winning and innovative Richland Library. Currently, Valdes putting the final touches on a mural installation at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. 

Sound Bites Eatery is the perfect place to begin or end your First Thursday Festivities with food and drink and happily-ever -after art by Marius Valdes!

News from 701 CCA

Tarish Pipkins | Isaac Udogwu | Cedric Umoja

Happy to Share this News from our friends at 701 CCA:

n Oppositional Free Gazing Tarish Pipkins, Marcel Taylor, Cedric Umoja and Isaac Udogwu disrupt the power dynamics of American visual culture through traditional portraiture, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Afro futurist visual renderings of Black language, and narrative portraiture through puppetry.

The white gaze has long determined whose stories are seen, what artists' voices are valued. Taylor, Pipkin, Udogwu and Umoja create work that speaks directly to the Black experience from ordinary to the extraordinary. They speak directly to Black audiences in unapologetic fashion, locating their work in largely ignored cultural, historical and political experience that operates outside of a response to white supremacy.

With algorithms and machine learning as the media, Udogwu uses what scholar Nettrice Gaskins describes as “techno-vernacular creativity” Possessed of reappropriation, remixing, and improvisation. With nods to both Francis Bacon and Jacob Lawrence Udogwu centers the Black male figure seen through Black male eyes. In fact Umoja, Taylor, Pipkin and Udogwu each use these tools that form the foundation of America’s two original music forms, Jazz and Hip hop and are firmly rooted in Black cultural and creative practices.

Marcel Taylor uses an interplay of acrylic paint, transparent paper, photographic collage, remixes images of Black people living in urban centers and seeks to capture the vibrancy, joy and life found in these spaces. Taylor’s socially-critical abstract work depicts urban landscapes and portraits inspired by rampant gentrification processes occurring in his home city of Washington DC, and many other cities across the nation. These paintings conjure images of urban dynamism, commotion, pandemonium, and chaos. Tarish Pipkins continues this tradition in performance work that centers Black stories and draws the line between historic calculation and contemporary experience.

This artists conversation will be moderated by Dr. Frank C. Martin, II. Martin is a graduate of Yale University and the City University of New York, Hunter College, with additional study in contemporary art at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of South Carolina. After working for more than 12 years as an Associate Manager of Education Services for the Department of Education Services in the Uris Center of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Martin transitioned to a position as Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, at South Carolina State University's I. P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium, where Martin currently serves as Director.

Art historian, art theorist, and critic of cultural interpretation, Martin has served as an academic advisor for the PBS documentary, Shared History and as contributing critic in the fine arts for The Charleston Post and Courier, one of the South’s oldest newspapers. Appointed as a Carolina Diversity Professors Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Martin’s area of specialization is the study of axiology, concentrating in the field of aesthetics.

Martin, Pipkins, Udogwu & Umoja

September 28, 2022

6:30 PM

701 CCA Gallery

701 Whaley Street, 2nd floor

Columbia, SC 29201

REVIEW: Kinky Boots at Workshop Theatre

Originally a smash Broadway hit, Kinky Boots is a musical about two people finding common ground in an unusual way: through shoes. With the book by Harvey Fierstein, Kinky Boots is the story of two seemingly different individuals who discover that they have more similarities than differences. Charlie Price (Taylor Diveley) inherits the family’s shoe factory just as he is attempting to start his life elsewhere. Unfortunately, the factory is bankrupt and may close. A chance encounter with Lola (Lamont Gleaton), a drag queen and cabaret performer, leads to an unconventional solution to save the business.

Jocelyn Sanders has done an admirable job of pulling together a talented cast of performers for a fun evening of theatre. As the leads, Diveley and Gleaton balance each other nicely and then shine beautifully during solo numbers. Gleaton dazzles as the outwardly confident Lola, taking the stage by storm with a larger-than-life persona and performance. At other times, Gleaton easily reaches the introspection necessary to convey the depth of Lola’s sometimes painful journey to true self-understanding. Diveley takes some of the same opportunities, as he energetically leads his factory workers to believe in the dream of success and then anguishes over his own shortcomings.

The supporting characters and cast play beautifully in the background of Charlie and Lola’s story without pulling focus away from those characters’ journey. Evident in their body language, the factory workers are initially tired and demoralized, anxious about what is around the corner. After Lola enters the scene, the factory comes alive with energy. Jessica Roth (Lauren) presents a nicely nuanced performance, a tad daffy when required and thoughtful and kind in other important moments.

Lola’s Angels do exactly what they’re supposed to do. They bring fun and energy to the stage through their marvelous dancing and sassy personalities. Mandy Applegate’s overall choreography is fun and sexy and gives all performers a chance to shine.

The live band is terrific, led by Chrystine McClellan, who is also the Music Director. McClellan has taken a group of varied performers and created not only a lovely ensemble performance but also has led individual performers to shine where their talents lie. The only sound drawback is that at times, it is difficult to hear certain dialogue and portions of songs.

When you first arrive, you find yourself looking at the exterior of Price and Son, the factory which Charlie inherits. During the opening number, the building opens to reveal an aging industrial space in which most of the action takes place. Both the set and light design are by Patrick Faulds, and both beautifully deliver an important underlying aspect of the show. The lighting seamlessly moves with the performers, capturing them as they move to different levels and areas of the stage, which is a credit to the design and designer. As the locations change, Faulds has designed clever movable set pieces, practically moved by cast members in character, adding to the overall success of the design.

The costumes, designed by Andie Nicks, also play a nice supporting role, and then step to the front to take a bow when appropriate. Nicks has chosen a basic monochromatic theme for most of the clothing of the factory workers, leaving it to Lola and the Angels to dazzle the eyes. The varied costumes sported by the Angels bring real life to their personalities, and Lola’s outfits . . . . Well, let’s just say “fabulous” is insufficient.

Kinky Boots runs about two and a half hours, with one fifteen-minute intermission. It runs through October 8 at Cottingham Theatre on the campus of Columbia College.

Gotta Catch ‘Em All – Artist Trading Cards with Jasper

There’s no better grouping than free live music, free art, and Jasper!

The Jasper Project will be hosting a tent at the Jam Room Music Festival on October 1! At our table, we will be participating in the artist trading card movement! The artist trading cards have been around since the late 1990s but has recently hit a cultural renaissance. With the return of something so great as Jam Room, we’re doing a test run of the artist trading card project at our tent!

This project is targeted towards audiences of all ages who want to make and collect both their own art and art from others around them. The trading cards are 2.5”x3.5”. After creating your piece of art, you can keep your card or trade it in with another artist’s card from our display wall of completed trading cards. Not feeling artistic? Are you short on time? Do you still want to take home some art? In an exchange for a donation to the Jasper Project, you can choose a trading card from the display to keep; several artists from around Columbia will have made trading cards prior to the festival for us to include in the display and make available for trading.

For the Jam Room table, we will provide alcohol markers and potentially pastels for visitors to use on their trading cards. In the future, we aim to feature different media for everyone to use and keep making art with. This is a project we also intend to bring to other events like happy hours or other low-key happenings.

Jasper Project board members and volunteers will be present throughout the day to talk with interested audiences about our upcoming projects and to answer any lingering questions you may have. Stop by, make some art, grab a Jasper magazine, and listen to the music!

People making cards at Artists Showing Artists (May 2023)

Cards made at the Jam Room Music Festival (October 2022)

Cards made at the Jam Room Music Festival (October 2022)

Desirée Richardson: “Say [Her] Entire Name”—and Remember It!

Photo by Lola Scott (@lolascottart) in Atlanta, GA

Vocalist, pianist, and writer Desirée Richardson—a member of local bands Say Femme, Flower Shopping and Pandercakes—has been performing and releasing music solo as Death Ray Robin since 2020. Classically trained, Richardson has an impressive vocal range and command as well as a writing style that is both refreshing and yet still comfortably familiar. She presents frustration, angst, and vulnerability in a beautifully melodic package that is a pleasure to listen to.

JASPER: How did Death Ray Robin come to be and what has it been like branching out on your own?

RICHARDSON: I started this project partially because of my ego and communication problems, and mostly because of the 2020 lockdown. I’ve been singing back-up for other musicians since 2010, and I was (and am!) sitting on a collection of songs that I had written in 2019. I decided that since I couldn’t attend any rehearsals or recording sessions, I could try doing my own thing. I’m someone who bottles my feelings until I can’t anymore, so I thought that singing through my problems could help me, whether or not I decide to actually tell people how I’m feeling. I was also tired of feeling nameless and faceless. There are people who have seen Flower Shopping and have never realized I was on stage.

JASPER: What does your writing process look like?

RICHARDSON: I approach songwriting by first identifying the mood or sentiment I’m trying to evoke. Next, I start with a single lyric and sing it to a melody. When I’ve sung whatever the melody is, I figure out what key it’s in. I like to work at the piano, so if it’s a key that’s too annoying (I’m lazy!!) to play, I transpose it to the closest, easiest key. After I’m done with the song, I decide whether or not I wanna transpose it back to the “original” key. I usually don’t!! When I’ve figured out what (sometimes temporary) key I’m gonna write in, I choose chord progressions that sound “right”. Luckily for me, I suck at music theory, so I kinda disregard some of what we learned in school. I build the song melodically/lyrically from there!!

JASPER: What inspires you?

RICHARDSON: I’m inspired by poetic, flowery language. I love words with more than one meaning, and I love subtext and just about all literary devices. I enjoy books with footnotes so I can understand whatever obsolete word or reference an author might choose to use. I’m inspired by melancholy, the day-to-day, things I don’t express but wish I would, my lived experiences, the concepts of revenge and forgiveness, and by hope.

JASPER: What gets in your way?

RICHARDSON: Depression and feeling like a fraud are my biggest obstacles. I know some of my peers can release an album every year or are able to write a song every day or are able to sing circles around me. I don’t know if I can truly improve on my songwriting and practice habits or if I have a whole album in me. On top of not always believing in myself, I feel terrible all the time, so I don’t do the things I “should” do, and that makes me feel worse. It creates an unending cycle of “could’ve, didn’t, hate-myself; hate-myself, can’t, won’t.” I wonder why I even bother to write songs or sing because I don’t feel like a “real” musician. Kermit the Frog once sang, “Why wonder?” I guess I do it because I’m drawn to it, so I try to be okay with that and hope it’s reason enough to sing or write.

JASPER:  How do you know if something is done?

RICHARDSON: I usually stop the writing process when I don’t have a “better” way of saying what I’d like to, or if I feel like I’m trying to cram too much into a single song. When this happens, I just remove the “extra part” and save it for something else. Another good stopping point is when I’m tired of writing. I choose to look at this as knowing my limits.

JASPER:  Tell us more about "You can have it (Boss Babe Pt. II )" and “Boss Babe (You Can Have It)”. Was there a specific event that inspired this, and what made you decide to do two versions ?

RICHARDSON: I wrote the song because of my experience with being both an office worker and a freelancer. I thought that if I worked as hard as I could, everyone would see that I was a good person, but I ended up burning out and resenting the folks who told me that hard work was a virtue. I was uninspired by my bosses, I felt overlooked, I was too depressed to come to work on time, and the workplace was really weird: some employees were treated poorly and others were treated well, and it wasn’t a secret. Some were paid to merely show up. I never want to judge anyone who chooses to hustle and grind, and I am someone who believes that capitalism doesn’t really give us a choice between working or starving, but I personally am only going to do what I have the mental and physical capacity to do. I’m not interested in the grind. I’m not interested in doing more than I want to do, so I simply won’t anymore.

I was working on a track for Comfort Monk’s Pursuance, Vol. I around February or March of 2021. I decided that I wanted to shelf the recording and save it for another project. I wrote Boss Babe (You Can Have It) soon after, but I was new to recording with Ableton and couldn’t figure out a workflow. I ended up missing the deadline. Coincidentally, SceneSC opened submissions for their 2021 compilation the same week. I decided to ditch Ableton and go back to GarageBand to re-record the song. This is going to sound silly, but I used predominantly Asian instruments because I was feeling full from noodles, fried rice, and steamed bao I made for dinner. I had some help using some effects pedals, compressors, and “stuff like that” to finish it off and submitted it.

Comfort Monk reached out to me to ask me to contribute a track to Pursuance, Vol. II. I went back to the recording of Boss Babe that I had originally intended to send to them and started re-working it I recorded my vocals with Uzoma Udogwu at Orpheus Sounds. It sounded completely different from the SceneSC version of the song, and I wanted to separate the two while keeping them somewhat related.

JASPER:  If one of your songs was a TV show what would it be?

RICHARDSON: If my song “Say My Entire Name” was a TV program, it would be “Snapped” because while I’d never cause harm to anyone who did so, when people misspell or pronounce my name incorrectly, it makes me wanna scream. I imagine myself flipping tables, throwing papers across the room, breaking a coffee mug or two.

JASPER:  What is the ideal listening experience for your music? Like pie in the sky anything is possible.

RICHARDSON: My dream is to have all my songs mixed for Dolby Atmos, and I’d like the listener to be completely enveloped in the sound of an Atmos room. I think the listener could benefit from having some snacks and drinks nearby for maximum comfort. Perhaps a barf bag could be handy for if they don’t vibe with the tracks.

JASPER:   What’s your favorite and least favorite show you’ve played and why?

RICHARDSON: I have two favorite shows. My first was an Emo Night gig at the Charleston Music Farm in April 2022. We did a My Chemical Romance set to a crowd of about 600 people. The energy was wild, and the attendees were so sweet and made me feel like Gerard Way! Many Black and brown emo kids and adults hugged me and told me it meant so much to them to see someone like me on stage. I was moved and definitely cried a bunch that night. My other favorite show was with the Black Nerd Mafia at Curiosity Coffee in July 2022. I got to perform full-band in Columbia for the first time with my friends and felt so supported by all my friends in the audience.

Maybe it’s because it was two nights after our electrifying Music Farm gig

but my least favorite show was in Greenville, SC. We did another MyChem set as part of the ongoing SC Emo Night festivities, and I thought we as a band played very well and had good energy, but the crowd seemed so bored. I think a reason why there wasn’t as much life in the crowd was because no one under 18 was allowed to enter the Radio Room. Kids under 18 are some of the most avid MCR listeners!

JASPER:  Do you have any favorite artists? What about locally?

RICHARDSON: My favorite vocalists are Beyoncé, Björk, and Regina Spektor, my favorite band is My Chemical Romance, and my favorite local band is Flower Shopping. Ross’s songs are so thoughtful and beautiful. Does Toro y Moi count as a local band? Chaz is a real artist. His music, his artwork, his fashion sense; he has a distinct style and curated taste. I have a weird and annoying crush on him, and anytime I’ve crossed paths with him, I’ve been unable to act like a normal person. I apologize, sir!!!

I love Opus & the Frequencies. They sound great and their energy is sky-high. They know their worth. I also admire Stagbriar for their musicianship, songwriting, and their ambition. I look up to them, and I believe they’ll “make it”!

JASPER:  What are your thoughts on the Columbia music scene? What has it been like navigating a predominantly white male space as a Black-Korean woman?

RICHARDSON: I think that a lot of local bands are doing cool and exciting things, and I love how the younger musicians aren’t shy when it comes to putting themselves out there. I’m impressed by how revitalized New Brookland Tavern feels, thanks to the work that Carlin Thompson and the rest of the staff are putting into the venue. It feels like a special place to perform, and I’m grateful to be part of that.

Thankfully, no one in the scene has ever tried to make me feel less-than because of my racial and ethnic identity, but I sometimes wonder whether there are things I’m missing out on because I’m not checking certain boxes. I know I can always do more with promo and actually putting out recordings, but am I being overlooked by potential listeners or members of the music community because I don’t look or sound a certain way? Are people not interested in my music because I don’t play guitar? Is it because I said I play R&B? Should I call myself a pop songwriter instead? Would that even help? Should I drop some pounds? Do people not want to work with me because they don’t find me relatable? While I don’t question my identity, I think it’s clear to see that I question whether it affects how people interact with me or my music.

JASPER:  What do you want other musicians to know? Do you have any advice?

RICHARDSON: There will never be a time where you’ll be 100% ready or perfect, nor do I believe there’s a reason you’ll need to be those things when it comes to sharing your art. My advice is to do the things you’d like to do, even if you’re scared or if you think you’re not good enough. You ARE good enough and someone’s gonna love you. There’s enough sun for everyone.

JASPER:  What are you looking forward to in the near future?

RICHARDSON: I’m looking forward to the visuals from Beyoncé’s Renaissance album being released. It’s been almost two months, and we still have not received even a single music video! I’m also looking forward to the new Björk album at the end of the month.

 I’m also hoping to release some recordings next year. If I don’t, please forgive me and please keep coming to the live shows. I work more slowly than everyone else for several reasons, and I know it inhibits my potential growth, but I mostly care about being able to sing with y’all in the room! Thank you for giving me a chance, and I hope I make you proud!!!!

You can see Death Ray Robin at New Brookland Tavern Friday September 30th with Leone & the Ascension, Outerego.
Check out more info at the Facebook Event.

Little Shell, Big Feelings: Review of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is not what you expect. I mean, if you’re expecting to see a shell named Marcel wearing shoes, then, sure, it’s what you’d expect. But if you’re expecting anything other than absolute emotional devastation that makes you experience every feeling currently recognized by humankind, you certainly do not know what to expect. 

Expanded from a series of shorts, the film has a simple conceit: a young, divorced man moves into an Airbnb where he finds a young, animate shell and his grandmother, the last two remaining members of their once vibrant community that dwelled in the home and decides to make a documentary about them. What follows is a series of hijinks as a young Marcel informs Dean of the history of his family and what it takes to survive in his everyday life as a one-inch creature in a space made for humans, including tying rope from an orange tree to the electric mixer so that a simple switch shakes loose fresh oranges from the tree (rope made from leftover hair in the tub, which is of a particular wiry and curly nature). 

Dean (played by director of the film Dean Fleischer Camp) uploads these videos to YouTube, and the meta-audience in the film falls in love with Marcel alongside us, and soon, he is an internet sensation. This is when Marcel develops the plan that will drive the movie: he will use this new fame to recruit help in locating his family, who disappeared two years ago when the boyfriend of the pair who originally lived in the home stormed out, dumping the community’s safe space, aka the sock drawer, into a suitcase—unknowingly taking Marcel’s entire family with him. 

Though whether or not Marcel is able to be reunited with his community is the climax this film hinges on, it is very much a story that emphasizes the validity of the trope “it’s about the journey.” For even though this is a film about a talking shell, it is at its heart a poignant coming of age tale that focuses on a young boy hiding from change behind his fierce independence and quirky sense of humor. 

This heart is best represented in the scene where Marcel realizes his grandmother is sicker than he initially thought, and he begins once more refusing to do his interview with CBS (where he’s going to meet the actual Leslie Stahl!). He is concerned that bringing all this noise and commotion into the home will be too much for his ailing grandmother, and he is unwilling to risk the family he is sure he has for just a chance at getting back the family he no longer has. Unwilling to fully convey all his fears, he finally tells his grandmother that he just doesn’t want things to change, to which she replies, simply and unfalteringly: “Oh, Marcel—they will.” 

There is no falsity to her statement, no making it better through sweetly coated truths, only the truth itself. Marcel is a symbol of ritual, an attendant of the everyday. He knows how to survive, but his continued cycles of daily practice serve not just as survival but as an attempt to extend the present in a deeply rooted aversion to change. Change has taken everything from Marcel, and now it can give him everything back—at a cost, and for the first time in his young life, he has to decide if he’s willing to pay. 

While I won’t spoil it for you, simply know that in the scene leading up to the reveal of whether or not Marcel will find his family, I leaned forward and gripped my movie theater chair harder than in any marketed thriller. In all seriousness, this film is a masterclass in tone, thanks to Fleischer Camp, animators Stephen Ciodo and Kirsten Lepore, and cinematographers Bianca Cline and Eric Adkins.  

But really, though the script is fantastic, and the film makes almost all the right decisions, what holds this movie together, what really makes it work, are the main characters: Marcel, who is witty and biting among all his innocence is played spiritly by Jenny Slate (who also co-wrote the script with Fleischer Camp and Nick Paley). Golden Globe nominated actress Isabella Rossellini plays the grandmother whose gentle but firm tone brings the elder shell to life and provides a firm center to the story.

There is an awkwardness in not knowing what these living objects are, but the film plays it off well. Neither Dean nor his audience are trying to figure out who or what Marcel is, but to simply understand his way of living. We never know if these types of creatures exist everywhere or if this place is special, and the only hint we seem to get is Marcel discussing community building at the very opening of the film. And in the final scene, it seems as if this community exists not just of shells, but additional anthropomorphized objects (like peanuts, pretzels, and Cheetos).

In a sense, though, it doesn’t matter. The film shows us a symbiotic relationship between what we create and who we are. Here are these beings that may or may not even exist but do very clearly exist. They reckon with the desperation to belong and to hold onto what’s ours. The idea that we, as humans, may have been what anthropomorphized them in the first place only makes the humanity of these characters—and the invented nature of the boundaries of humanity—truer.

The film does not allow separation. It shows us a silly shell and then puts our deepest, most difficult emotions into words and images. It is not only a reckoning with what is alive and how we define the human experience but serves as a stark reminder that even the smallest beings in the corners of the universe have an everyday, lived experience that parallels our own.

Oh, and sometimes, they’re pretty darn cute.

Jam Room Music Festival Check-in with Dear Blanca

To make up for the missed time and excitement these past few years, the Jam Room Music Festival is chock full of great acts from across the country this year. Of course, the festival would not be complete without talented sound from our own back yard. Dear Blanca, a Columbia based band made up of members Dylan Dickerson (vocalist, guitarist), Cam Powell (bassist), and Richie Harper (drummer) will be featured in the lineup alongside regional and national acts including headliners Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Titus Andronicus.

If you are unfamiliar with Dear Blanca’s work, Dickerson said that the best way to describe their sound is “power-pop with a mild proto-punk obsession”-think The Who mixed with a bit of the Raspberries-and will mesh easily with the indie punk headliners. The band has been around for quite some time and has worked with some of the other acts from Jam Room before; “We’ve played with Titus Andronicus once,” Dickerson said. “I think it was around a decade ago. They are a great band.” Dear Blanca has been expanding their reach from outside Columbia and into the rest of the United States as they return from a joint tour with The Sloppy Boys out on the West Coast.

It’s been several years since Dear Blanca was a part of the Jam Room Music Festival, but they’re more excited than ever to get back to performing in something both local and massive. “The last time we played Jam Room was 9 years ago, so we’re excited to do it again. We’re also very excited to share a bill with Sun Ra Arkestra!” said Dickerson. There’s something magical and different about the energy of Jam Room that sets this festival apart from others for the acts involved; “Festival culture isn’t always my favorite, but Jam Room and other fests like this one are definitely a great time.”

Dear Blanca is one of the notable Columbia bands at Jam Room Festival alongside Bailey Road Band. The other involved acts are The Explorers Club, The Shaniqua Brown, Titan to Tachyons, Shiner, Mourning [A] BLKStar, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Titus Andronicus, and the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Jam Room Music Festival lasts all day on October 1st and the Jasper Project will be there, too, with a chance for you to win a Jasper Prize Packet full of all kinds of goodies!

A Short Chat with Stagbriar

“We’re looking forward to getting this pizza into your ears.”

Photo by Kati Baldwin, from left to right, Cam Powell, Alex McCollum, Brendan Bull, Emily McCollum, and Roger Caughman

Siblings Alex and Emily McCollum started Stagbriar over 10 years ago on a back porch. All though the band has since grown from a duo to a full band, and their sound has evolved as a result, their perfectly synchronized harmonies and poignant lyrics remain. Read on to find out what they have been up to and what’s next.

JASPER: What are you guys most excited about right now?

STAGBRIAR: We finished a new record in August. We’re pretty excited about how different this one sounds compared to our first two, and it’ll be fun to begin sharing bits and pieces of that in the next few months. 

JASPER: What is your favorite song off your last album? 

STAGBRIAR: We’ve really leaned into Bought the Rights when we play live—amped it up a bit and used it for sound check pretty often. It’s a good mid-tempo bop and it always feels good when we get to it in the set. 

JASPER: What does your writing process look like? How has it changed or evolved over the years? Do you each write something and bring it to the other for input or is it more collaborative? 

STAGBRIAR: The writing process has generally been centered around the songs we siblings bring to the band, but that’s changed a lot on the record we just finished in July. The band really put this one together as a team, and our new guitarist Roger Caughman had a heavy hand in a lot of the heavier guitar stuff you’ll hear throughout. A much more collaborative effort from the beginning through the end. 

JASPER: Do you have any tips or tricks for finding inspiration or getting over writer's block?

STAGBRIAR: Write a lot of bad songs. There’s probably another record’s worth of incomplete stuff that was thrown away for this latest session. We like to record everything twice—once at our house, and then a second time in the studio, hopefully giving us a chance to hear things from beginning to end. This can spark ideas that are more album focused instead of sitting down and trying to write from scratch — you can ask yourself “okay now what does the *record* need” instead of “what song am I going to write today.” 

JASPER: How do you know when something is done? 

STAGBRIAR: We don’t. We put it down and come back to it and repeat the pattern until one of us says stop or the money runs out. 

JASPER: If each of your albums were a meal, what would they consist of and why?

STAGBRIAR: Quasi-Hymns is like a really good hot dog and fries you made at home. It hits the spot cause it’s the best you could muster up at the time. It’s familiar and you can watch Wheel of Fortune while you eat it.  

Suppose You Grow is like a rustic bistro dish that took some time to get right but is still rough enough around the edges to appeal to the mentor that taught you how to fish. Served on a steel plate.  

The newest unreleased record is like a surprise pizza party in elementary school. You didn’t order pizza but it’s really tasty and you don’t know why but you suddenly feel like a ninja turtle.  

We’re looking forward to getting this pizza into your ears.

You can see Stagbriar September 24th at New Brookland Tavern with Alan Charmer, Cor De Lux, and Twin Toasters. Tickets and details on New Brookland’s website.

-Bekah Rice

Concert in the Gardens, September 22nd at Seibels House & Garden

One of the few good things to come out of COVID was the collaboration between the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Historic Columbia Foundation. Unable to perform indoors at the Koger Center, the Phil teamed up with Historic Columbia to present concerts outside in such beautiful settings as The Hampton Preston gardens and the Seibels House & Gardens. My friends and I attended the “inaugural” event and haven’t missed a concert since.

Thursday’s program features a string quartet, presenting a concert of light classics.  Columbia Repertory Dance Company will also be performing. 

You can arrive at 1601 Richland St. any time after 6:00 p.m. The concert starts at 7:00.  We always bring folding chairs and/or blankets, a picnic basket chock full of goodies, and bubbles. (What’s a picnic without bubbles?). Wine is available at the event for $5/glass, and you can become a member of the Historic Columbia Foundation at a discounted rate.

Tickets are $20.00 and may be purchased online.

See you there!

- Libby Campbell

COLAughs Comedy at NoMA Warehouse this Saturday

This weekend, on Saturday the 24th, catch COLAughs Comedy at NoMa Warehouse. The show starts at 8:03 p.m. and features headliner Jas Gill, as well as comedians Melanie Goldey and Shaine Laine. The event will be hosted by COLAughs founder Allie Johns and emcee Topher Riddle. There will be beverages available for purchase, air-conditioning (people ask every time!), and plenty of adult content — consider a babysitter!  

Host and founder of COLAughs, Allie Johns, has been doing her own stand-up comedy since 2018. But like many of us, the pandemic halted her plans. However, in January of this year, Johns was excited to get back to work. She noticed that Columbia was overflowing with comedic talent, yet there weren’t many spaces putting on comedy shows or supporting comedians. She decided to start COLAughs in order to bring Columbia’s comedy scene “out of the dark basements and into unique venues.”

Allie Johns

The first COLAughs show was in January of 2022, and the show this weekend at NoMa Warehouse will be the ninth. Johns says that partnering with venues who share her vision is key to helping the Columbia comedy scene come alive again. COLAughs now has regular shows at NoMa Warehouse, the Gardener’s Outpost, and the Warmouth. Johns is proud to say that they even have recurring guests in attendance, and that most of these shows have sold out. 

In addition, Johns assembles comedians for COLAughs shows from her own personal connections, and she likes to return favors. She frequently books comedians who have hosted her in the past. Her goal is to give exposure to both regional and out of town comics. Johns met the headliner Jas Gill doing comedy in Greenville. “Jas has a bubbly but sarcastic personality that everyone can relate to,” Johns says. 

The other two comedians, Melanie Goldey from Savannah, and Shaine Laine from Charlotte are sure to get some giggles as well. Goldey gives comedy ghost tours and hosts Totally Awesome Bar comedy in Savannah. Laine, on the other hand, works on the Funny Bus in Charlotte. He’s even toured internationally and is just getting back from a show in Canada. Topher Riddle, Johns’ trusted emcee, is in charge of the music and the lights, but he has his own comedy shows in Columbia too, including Movie Mockery and Tomorrowquest. 

This experienced group of comics is sure to cause a ruckus. Don’t miss this hilarious show, or the opportunity to help the comedic Columbia community keep on growing! Tickets are available for purchase online.

Written by Meg Carroll

Jasper Announces Call for Scripts for Play Right Series 2023

Still reveling in the success of Colby Quick’s Moon Swallower, The Jasper Project is pleased to announce the next cycle of the Play Right Series, a collaboration between South Carolina theatre artists and Community Producers, culminating in 2023 with the staged reading of another brand new South Carolina play.

The play submission window is now open; it will close on December  31, 2022 at which time the Play Right Series committee will select a play for the next round of development. 

“Development,” in this case, means round-table readings and discussions with paid professional director, cast, and crew, and attended by Community Producers and other professionals, followed by rehearsals, and a public presentation of a fully realized staged reading.

Read about the 2022 staged reading of Colby Quick’s Moon Swallower, directed by Chad Henderson..

The development process will be facilitated by Community Producers—audience members invested in the development process and supportive of the state’s theatrical and literary talent who exchange a modest financial contribution for the experience.*

A final version of the winning play will be published and filed with the Library of Congress, with copies distributed to the winning playwright as well as industry leaders in the area and beyond.

Professor Jon Tuttle will serve as the Project Manager for the Jasper Project’s Play Right Series again in 2023..

• Playwrights must be natives or residents of South Carolina.  

• Plays may be on any topic, using language appropriate to the subject matter, though please: no musicals or children’s plays, and only one submission per playwright.

• Submissions must be one-act plays, 45-75 minutes in length, typed according to industry-standard format. 

• Collections of shorter revue sketches on a common theme will be considered.

• Please include, as a cover sheet, a short (one-page) biography of the playwright and description of the play, and include cast size and any unusual technical demands, bearing in mind that smaller and fewer are usually preferable.  

• Please submit your play to playrightseries@jasperproject.org

DEADLINE - DECEMBER 31, 2022

*In 2022 CPs each invested $250 tax deductible

Janet Kozachek and the Power of Ekphrasis Within Art and Poetry

“Port in Sicily, World War II”

Janet Kozachek knows a thing or two about the universal connection between all forms of fine art. Not only is she an experienced writer, but Kozachek utilizes the power of written and spoken word to influence her visual art. This body of work, entitled A Rendering of Soliloquies – Figures Painted in Spots of Time, has been frequently displayed in galleries within South Carolina and across the nation; now, it’s coming to Stormwater Studios.  

The Jasper Project highly values fostering connections within the realm of artists to writers, writers to performers, and everything in between. Kozachek’s multidisciplinary work fits perfectly within this circle, and A Rendering of Soliloquies is a connection throughout her own personal, extensive portfolio.  

“I frequently, but not always, use visual art to illustrate specific texts. Although I write about my other work, like my musical instruments, mosaics, and paintings, the writing does not constitute a body of published work,” Kozachek shares. “This exhibition features visual art that accompanies a collection of my poetry from a full-length book, A Rendering of Soliloquies – Figures Painted in Spots of Time.”  

Audience response is crucial for this particular set of paintings. Kozachek describes the relationship of visual image to the written and spoken word in this exhibition as both “ekphrastic and emblematic.” Audiences may be familiar with the concept of ekphrasis through poetry, and Kozachek hopes for audiences to take away that the written word and visual art reinforce each other, explaining the other form in a different manner. This is in part due to both art and writing both existing within her own work, rather than a second party writing a poem about her art. The poems and pieces, however, still leave plenty of room for audience members to respond in their own ways.  

“The truly ekphrastic part of this exhibition/event will be how the guest poets respond to the work,” she says. “There will therefore be two interpretations of the visual art; the original juxtaposition of artist’s word and image, then a reinterpretation based upon outside observations and responses.”  

Her work is extremely ambitious and showcases just how talented Kozachek is within multiple artistic disciplines. If there’s one key takeaway for audiences to know, it’s that “an artist’s intent, while historically significant, does not restrict the art from growing beyond that original intent, and becoming something more universal. Visual art, in this way, becomes a public intellectual property, there being essentially no one ‘correct’ way to understand it.”  

And, of course, Jasper is always eager to hear what artists think the most important thing they took away from their years of creating and exhibiting is, especially when they’re unapologetically in love with what they do. Upon asking Kozachek what the one piece of advice she would tell herself back when she first started getting into art would be, she aptly said, “I suppose it would be to advise having a marketable back-up or skill trade. But I probably would not listen.”

Those interested can see Kozachek’s work at Stormwater (413 Pendleton St.) from September 21st through the 25th. The poetry collection A Rendering of Soliloquies – Figures Painted in Spots of Time is also available for purchase on Finishing Line Press’s website.

The Return of the Jam Room Music Festival - A Q & A with Trey Lofton

The Jasper Project is extremely excited for the return of Columbia’s premier free music festival, Jam Room Music Festival on Saturday, October 1st. The Jam Room Music Festival has been a tremendous hit with the city for almost a decade, and this year’s will be the first festival hosted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We talked to Trey Lofton about the behind-the-scenes action of Jam Room, expectations for the year, and a little bit in between.

Jasper: How did you go about choosing which bands would participate?

Lofton: This is my first year being involved with the Jam Room Music Festival. I thought it was important to have input from the whole board. I reviewed all the previous lineups and generated a list of roughly 75 bands that I thought would fit the template that had been established. I met with several members of the board to go over that list to see if my ideas matched their expectations. They seemed highly enthusiastic about the names I had produced, so I began the process of contacting artists and agents. There is only so much money to go around so you must reach out to bands at different price levels. 

Bailey Road Band

We were fortunate to have several of the first bands we reached out to express interest. Once a few of the pieces were in place the next challenge was to make sure that we were being diverse in our lineup. That narrows down the next wave of inquiries. We also thought in terms of local, regional, and national acts. I think we did particularly well in this regard. We have two acts from here in Columbia (Bailey Road Band, Dear Blanca). We have two local / regional acts in The Explorers Club and The Shaniqua Brown. Both bands originated in Charleston and have played Columbia many times. The Shaniqua Brown is performing after a 10-year hiatus. I saw they were doing a reunion show in Charleston and thought they would be a great addition. The Explorers Club also originated in Charleston but have relocated to Nashville and are primarily a studio project of lead singer Jason Brewer these days.

Titan to Tachyons

Then we have a half dozen national acts. Mourning [A] BLKStar are a collective from Cleveland. I first heard them after their last album was named one of the best of 2020 by The Wire magazine. Shiner is from Kansas City, Missouri. They had some big albums in the college radio world in 90s. They had been on hiatus but put out a new album and planned to tour in 2020. Titan To Tachyons are from NYC. To people familiar with the Avant Garde jazz scene in NYC, the band is something of a super group: most notable is bassist Trevor Dunn who is a member of Mr. Bungle amongst many other groups. But the other members play in dozens of projects that involve luminaries like John Zorn and John Medeski. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Titus Andronicus are two big names to emerge from the indie, punk, college radio scenes of the 2000s. The Sun Ra Arkestra are part of a legacy spanning near 70 years. 

Jasper: How did COVID impact the organizational aspects of the festival? Did you decide to do anything differently or did COVID open any unexpected creative avenues for everyone to explore?

Lofton: I’m new to the board so it is hard for me to compare; I know that there are a few new members. Whenever that happens on a small board like our you lose some institutional memory. Covid has certainly had a major effect on the concert industry in general. Supply is high but demand is through the roof. Most bands and venues were shuttered for two years. While there are a lot of bands looking for an opportunity to perform there are way more venues trying to get back to putting on shows. A lot of bands are booking further out than I have previously dealt with, and I think prices are higher than they have been, along with touring costs. But now that we have a lineup in place, I don’t think we have any current COVID related obstacles to overcome.

Jasper: What would you like newcomers to Jam Room to know about the festival? Anything they should know about or do to prepare for the day?

Lofton: We would like people to know that the Jam Room Music Festival is a free community event that is meant for everyone. We are primarily funded by the generous support of the City of Columbia and Richland County through their h-tax programs. A music scene is an essential part of any community. The Jam Room Music Festival is an opportunity to celebrate that scene but also appreciate varied styles and artists from around the country. This year we feature rock, pop, soul, and jazz with variations of each. Wear comfortable shoes, pack sunscreen, and stay hydrated!

Stay tuned for more about Jam Room through Jasper!

JASPER'S TINY GALLERY: Amber Machado Explores Beauty and Pain in Nature and Her Own Body

“Painting is my outlet to unapologetically show my pain”

— Amber Machado

Amber Machado grew up in Lexington, South Carolina, surrounded by art and a love for it, with parents and siblings who made art and music. As the youngest, Machado grew up observing this love for creation regularly.  

“Truthfully, the thing that led me to art initially was wanting to be exactly like them,” Machado recalls. “My relationship with art has since evolved and become much more personal, but initially, art to me was like breathing air. I loved it, but it was so readily available that I took it for granted.”  

What finally made Machado appreciate what art meant to her was a 2018 Lupus diagnosis, which brought life to “a screeching halt.” Among days of confusion and pain, painting became a centering force and method of control. 

“This is when I fell in love with art. And I fell hard. Painting became my primary language, my center of gravity,” Machado intimates, “It’s ironic, because I associate the onset of my illness with so much loss, but at the same time it was a rebirth of sorts. I was born to be an artist. I know I wouldn’t have come to that realization without the onset of my disease.” 

The medium she gravitated to, and still utilizes today, is watercolor. Completely self-taught, she is a master of imitation, inspired once again by her dad and sister, and her creative journey now is indebted to “hours, and I mean HOURS of practice.”  

Machado also emphasizes that watercolor is a particularly convenient medium, especially for those easily discouraged and who desire something portable. The unique texture of watercolor and the way it bleeds and blends with the colors around it, makes it perfect for expressing the “dramatic mood” in her work. 

Ruth

“Moody, expressive landscapes and seascapes have always been my main focus. I’m greatly inspired by nature, and watercolor is the perfect medium to capture nature’s subtleties, drama, and unpredictability,” Machado explains, “I gravitate towards vibrant colors and add expressive markings to evoke an unpredictable, yet familiar atmosphere within each painting.” 

Machado has three main types of creating in which she produces these expressive scenes: she works from imagination, where she can transport herself anywhere; she works outdoors/on-site/en plein air where she can “paint what she sees and feels at that moment in time,” and she works around a particular theme, often inspired by travels upon finally returning home.  

Regardless, she does often move in one particular direction. 

“I tend to gravitate toward dark themes. Pain, loss, death, the things in life that you have absolutely no control over. I like to explore themes that make the average person a little uncomfortable. Landscapes serve as a great visual translation of this because nature is completely uncontrollable. It’s lethal,” Machado emphasizes, “On the other side of that, though, is a silent relentlessness. Nature takes beating after beating and constantly evolves. Trees are whipped by the wind and their physical forms change, but they don’t necessarily die. When I made this connection, I was able to make peace with my disease. Painting is my outlet to unapologetically show my pain.” 

When it came to Tiny Gallery, it seemed a natural fit as the 2.5 x 3.5-inch trading card paper her father gave her was Machado’s first canvas for her landscapes. These tiny new landscapes were all made for the show, and all have female names, which Machado asserts “just felt right.” All of the pieces encapsulate this balance of ethereal, untouchable beauty and the darkness and fear that vibrates around us, and Machado’s favorites in the show are Ruth, Seraphina, and Darling.

Darling

Before this gallery, Machado had shown her work at three Cottontown Art Crawls, which have been invaluable experiences for her. 

“In 2020, I participated in the Cottontown Art Crawl for the first time. Almost immediately after setting up, a total stranger came up and purchased a painting,” Machado reminisces, “She picked up a painting that I had actually considered not bringing, because I questioned if it was good enough. I felt like I was going to faint! Watching someone who doesn’t even know me willingly give me money for a painting was and still is one of the most wonderful moments of my entire life.” 

Machado will be bringing this energy into the new, unannounced series she has underway and the upcoming holiday markets at Curiosity Coffee Bar. To follow along, follow Machado’s Instagram @artistamachado, and check out her website. 

To view and purchase her Tiny Gallery pieces, go to Jasper’s virtual gallery space at any time:.

Meet Jasper Intern Kaitlyn Smith and Read her Review of a Favorite Film - Legend (1985)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Written by: William Hjortsberg

Produced by: Arnon Milchan

Soundtrack: Tangerine Dream

Sophomore at UofSC Columbia Campus, English Major, looking forward to meeting awesome people, getting involved in Columbia’s arts community as much as possible, and learning from the amazing staff at Jasper.

Synopsis: Jack (Tom Cruise) and Lili (Mia Sara) are lovers in an epic fantasy world in which light and love are threatened by the presence of a dark lord (Tim Curry) who’s mission is to rid of the world of innocence and send it into an eternal night. The film begins with Lili, a princess who despite being born into a life of lavishness, spends most of her time with the forest-child Jack, deep in the woods that he calls his home. One day, Jack decides, against his better judgement, to show Lili the unicorns. In the meantime, Darkness has sent his minions to kill the Unicorns and steal their horns, as the Unicorns existence on Earth threatens his power. When Jack and Lili witness the Unicorns appearance, Lili is immediately awestricken and wishes to touch them. Jack begs her to leave them be, but Lili goes against his wishes and approaches the Unicorns. Darkness’ minions use this as a distraction and fire poison, striking one of the Unicorns and triggering an early winter. Jack then teams up with a group of forest-swelling elves and a fairy and sets off on an epic adventure to save the world from Darkness’ influence. 

Legend is a fantasy film about love, lost innocence, and the coexistence of good and evil, written by William Hjortsberg and directed by Ridley Scott. The film’s dark fairytale aesthetic has been compared to The Lord of the Rings. Keeping in mind the types of characters encountered (elves, goblins, and fairies), sets, and costume choices, I can see how fans of Tolkien’s trilogy would have an appreciation for Scott’s directorial approach (I would know because I am the target audience). 

Right off the bat, I find the use of costume and makeup to be one of the film’s most impressive elements. The special effects makeup, courtesy of Rob Bottin, used to create the character Darkness stands out to me. The bright red skin, giant horns, terrifying fangs, and the edition of prosthetics to change facial and ear shape, make Darkness the scariest thing to come out of Hell.  

Another thing that stood out to me was the use of costume to highlight Lili’s journey throughout the film. She’s introduced in an elegant, almost medieval, white gown with tiny flowers on the bodice and golden accents throughout. The light and modest gown, perfect hair, and use of subtle glitter on her cheeks are true to Lili’s character, representing the innocence she possesses. As the film goes on and Lili finds herself running from goblins and becoming entrapped in Darkness’ lair, her dress becomes torn up to a point of unrecognition. Obviously, this would happen to anyone running for their life in the forest and being abducted by a gang of goblins. However, I’d like to point out the way that it’s reflective of her emotional journey. That innocence she possesses at the beginning of the film was slowly vanishing after she touched the unicorn and sent the world into an Armageddon like state. Another example is the dark fantasy dress that Darkness uses to woo her into marrying him. This is the final stage of her innocence being stripped away as the gown she dons during the last half of the film is a stark contrast to her normal attire; midnight black with a plunging neckline that ends past her belly button.

The cinematography is brilliant! Every shot is cohesive to the narrative and drew me in, allowing me to feel the presence of magic in my home. I should bring up that the special effects aren’t comparable to new-age film and the evolution of CGI. 

The film’s narrative, while right up my alley, was often confusing at times. For example, in the beginning of the film Lili seems to get a glimpse of the future, however, it is never touched on. There are no other scenes that seem to foreshadow the state of the world post unicorn touching, and no implication that Lili may have a second sight. There is also a scene in which Jack encounters a goblin like creature dwelling in the waters on the way to Darkness’ lair. It was the only creature encountered on the way and was on screen for about one minute. I’d also add that some dialogue between characters seemed rushed and bland. 

If you’re into experimental 80’s synth, the score is for you! The use of shakuhachi, an ancient Japanese flute, was a popular instrument to sample in the 1980s and is used a lot throughout the score. The closing song “Loved by the Sun” was perfect to wrap up the events of the film and struck me with lyrics like “Legends can be now and forever, teaching us to love for goodness’ sake.” I have no complaints about the use of sound in the film, and only wish to praise Tangerine Dream for creating music that ties together the film’s aesthetic to a T. 

Overall, the writing and attention to narrative are the only critiques I have. Otherwise, I believe Legend to be one of the most beautiful films to come out of 1985 and I encourage everyone to give it a watch!

Meet Jasper Intern Meg Carroll and Read her Review of a Favorite Film - Frances Ha

“I Make Love”: A Film Review of Frances Ha

by Meg Carroll

Shot in dimensional black and white, Frances Ha is the portrait of a jilted young woman, Frances (Greta Gerwig), and her precarious adventures in New York City after her best friend and roommate, Sophie (Mickey Sumner), breaks their lease and emotionally fractures their relationship. Left to find housing in the ever-tumultuous New York housing landscape alone, Frances reveals herself as a woman who is gently brash, undyingly witty, slightly codependent, and yet, ardently loving.  

Frances is 27 and is coming to terms with her age — “You look older [than Sophie]… like, a lot older” — and the fact that life seems to have left her behind — “… but less grown up.” Her new roommate Benji (Michael Zegen), who frequently quips that Frances is “undateable” because of her penchant for quoting literature and her man walk, tells her in a casually transparent moment, “You don’t have your shit together.” Frances’ character speaks to the parts of ourselves, in us young women particularly, that feel lost, undecided, and prone to imposter syndrome:  

“What do you do?”

“Well, it’s kind of hard to explain.”

“Because what you do is complicated?”

“Uh, because I don’t really do it.”

But in witnessing Frances’ many career pitfalls and social blunders — “Should I text him back, ‘Starboard anal sex?’” — the compassion for her character mounts, and we discover in her messy persona an enviable expressiveness. Her awkward and sometimes childish behaviors are juxtaposed with moments of mature references that even escape those around her: “You know what Virginia Woolf book this reminds me of?” But the most alluring aspect of Frances’ character is that she is unashamed of who she is, and she continues to be herself amidst all of the funny looks. Her confidence is often unfounded, but Frances always seems to find a way to live comfortably in chaos, and in her perpetually messy apartment: “I’m not messy, I’m busy!”  

While Frances Ha is a coming-of-age story about a woman getting her life together, it is most centrally a story about a woman vying for authentic love. Frances looks for love in many places after Sophie “breaks up” with her: “I kind of have a crush on this boy, but his name is Georgie… so I don’t really know how far its gonna go.” She seems to find new platonic love, however comparatively fleeting it is, with her new roommates Benji and Lev (Adam Driver), two men who embody the stereotype of edgy New York City artist languishing on family money. But if there is anything that Frances Ha is not, it is a movie about men. The men in the movie float around the periphery as Frances grapples with her career and tries to find a place to live.

Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha

She’s also busy trying to make new friends. At a dinner party with people her same age, yet who seem far more mature than she, Frances unabashedly — or maybe drunkenly — launches into the monologue that is the climax of the film. She proclaims truly what she wants “out of a relationship… out of life really, love.” However, the emotional fulfillment of the movie doesn’t come until the very end, when we discover who Frances is meant to love all along. It’s likely that the epiphany at the end of this film will leave you questioning your own relationships and the places you look for the most genuine love.  

If you don’t stay for the millennial humor, or the witty dialogue between Sophie and Frances, or the aesthetic scenes of New York City corner stores in black and white, or even the soundtrack — queue “Every1’s a Winner” by Hot Chocolate — stay for Frances herself. She would want you to. Her character reaches down into the throat of every young woman who has ever felt side swept by life and starts her heart beating again. Frances has flaws, yes, but they are overshadowed by the understanding that all Frances really wants is the same thing we all do: true love. And a steady job, too. 

Whether you see the movie or not, perhaps we should all strive to be more like Frances. We should run through the streets to Bowie’s “Modern Love,” we should read Proust in Paris because it’s nice “to do the things that we’re supposed to do when we’re supposed to do them.” We should tell our friends we love them and not expect to hear it back, and we should comfort random people we find crying in hallways. We should watch documentaries and live our lives in contradiction to them anyway, if only because it makes us happy, and we should make love, not fuck. Perhaps if we live in this way — openly and honestly and lovingly — everything will turn out all right, just as it does in the delightful and charming Frances Ha. 

Quotes taken from Frances Ha (2012) directed by Noah Baumbach and written by Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig.

Koger Center Brings Squonk to the New Outside Stage

If you’ve never heard of Squonk, then you’re in for an absolute treat! 

On September 25th and 26th , the Koger Center for the Arts will officially open their brand-new outdoor Plaza Stage with three performances of Hand to Hand. The performances are free to the public, with two performances on Sunday at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, and one at 6:00 PM on Monday.  

With a booming sound that has traveled across the United States since the ‘90s, Squonk is a performing arts group based out of Pittsburgh and are known for their extravagant stage presence. 

The group has competed on America’s Got Talent, performed on both Broadway and off- Broadway, and has even opened for prestigious performing arts festivals abroad and in South Korea. Their performances have been met only with critical acclaim, and the colossal interactive elements that always appear within their shows ensure that audiences never forget the first time they ever see Squonk perform. 

The iconic giant purple hands that Squonk brings, along with the rest of the performers in the troupe, are what make this show so distinguishable. The hands constantly move with the musicians on stage and can be manipulated by audience members invited up to the stage.  

Squonk’s performances are a part of a new Koger Presents series that focuses on the incorporation of the Plaza Stage into the already numerous performance spaces the organization has to offer. Audience members will be able to enjoy the stage performance while relaxing on the lawn surrounding the stage, located right in front of the lobby doors and near the University of South Carolina’s School of Music building.  

For those who want a more personalized experience with the members of Squonk, the troupe will offer a free hands-on session from 12-2 PM on September 26 near Russell House at the heart of UofSC’s campus. This will allow students and other attendees to interact with the props and performers before their last performance of the weekend. 

More information about the show can be found at KogerCenterForTheArts.com.

Socially Engaged Ceramics Reckons with the Immensity of the Everyday

“Clay/ceramics is not a single story—and neither are women” — Lydia Thompson

In the newest show at McMaster Gallery, University of South Carolina professor Virginia Scotchie has curated an exhibit rooted in femininity and race, in movement and stillness. Motivated to “highlight two women in ceramic sculpture whose work exemplifies that social engagement of the present and past in America,” Scotchie brought together Julie Schnell-Madden and Lydia Thompson to create Socially Engaged Ceramics.

“I curated the exhibition and defined the title because I believe these artists create work that is socially engaged,” she shares. “The work allows the viewer to look at the work created and see the importance and significance of today's issues through art.”

The women’s work appears vastly different at first glance. Schnell-Madden’s Rosettes are individually sculpted roses and rose-shaped objects of various colors and sizes, while Thompson’s Relic series features ceramic houses with individual features filled with figurine shards inherited from her grandmother.

In a closer look, however, these works are distinctly political and cultural, reckoning with the individual and collective histories surrounding each woman’s identity.

Schnell-Madden recalls when the pandemic first hit and what it felt like to have to reevaluate our everyday, basic needs. This “fear, frustration, and loss” started a spiral that she had no choice but to physically manifest.

“I started making spiral disks that expressed my level of fear and frustration and loss. I used a luscious dark brown clay that resembled chocolate (a comfort food?),” she recalls,” It was only after I made several that I saw the resemblance to a rose. The strips became petals. There was no doubt that these contained feminine imagery.”

Though the strips in Rose, the first part of the series which features pink petals with clear reference to the female anatomy, would loosen over time as we all leaned into our new normal, they also began to take on fear and rage. What began as a general observation of the feminine in relation to the ever-changing everyday became resilience in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the second part of the series, Resistance: Under Attack.

“Having lived at a time where this was an option for all those years, the idea of going back, letting men make decisions regarding my body is simply beyond,” Schnell-Madden says. “These pieces manifest the back-alley abortions some of our grandmothers had to endure.”

This resilience, this rumination on what stays and what moves, is where her and Thompson’s work converges. While Schnell-Madden thinks about how people’s every day is forced to change, Thompson thinks about how past change has now become our everyday. When traveling shortly after starting graduate school, Thompson began noticing the abandoned structures that stood out even as urban, suburban, and rural communities shifted in the landscape.

These structures made Thompson think about what remains when people leave, who has the freedom to move, and what happens when this movement is not desired, is rife with tension.

“The pieces on wheels symbolize the decision to move often for a better environment and opportunities (to migrate). There is also the notion of unpredictability or uncertainty of one’s future,” Thompson says. “The structures on pallets may have represented a stable life, but it is not promised, by generations of unemployment, discrimination, and multi-generational usage.” 

The inner shards, the pieces of her grandmother’s found relics from the Salvation Army, exist as the remnants of what proof of existence is left behind after people are forced to leave their homes. As Thompson says, “Relics usually have associations with objects, or heirlooms, or parts of a body. I see a direct relationship with the rubble/shards of objects with what once held value and/or importance to a group of people”

And there is an importance, a hope, and yet still a trepidation in these pieces. Schnell-Madden created her third set in the series, Renewal to emphasize a hopeful “resurgence,” with the pieces being “more tentative but regardless are solid and express my fervent hope that one day the reversal of the court decision will take place.”

Thompson has to balance how much personal she can explicitly share within her own desire and experience. “I’ve faced racism and gender discrimination in many of the institutions in my career. Some of those experiences are blatant and others are microaggressions,” she shares. “Unfortunately, history has repeated itself, and I feel several of the works serve as metaphors of what I’m feeling and experiencing as well as others in our daily lives.”

These women blur the boundaries between individual and collective, making art with their personal fears and hopes (and even heirlooms) that are shaped by events changing the everyday landscape of our country. They are putting their hands directly into these moments in time and using them to tell a story about what it means to be alive, to migrate, to resist.

If you’d like to see these pieces, the show will be up until September 29th and will conclude that day with a Closing Reception, from 5:00 – 7:00pm, featuring light refreshments and a gallery talk with both artists.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical from Columbia Children’s Theater Opening this Weekend

by Meg Carroll

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical — based on the children’s book by Mo Willems, the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling children’s Pigeon picture book series — is a hilarious and inspiring tale about a pigeon finding his purpose in life. The young Pigeon doesn’t get to do ANYTHING! But when an emergency situation threatens to delay the bus, Pigeon is determined to find a way to help. Willems’ penchant for humor coupled with Deborah Wicks La Puma’s catchy song writing means this musical is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping.

Mo Willems is an author, playwright, and artist. He is most known for his children's books, four of which he has since converted into musicals. Some of his most popular book series are the Pigeon series and the Knuffle Bunny series, and there have been musicals produced from both. Currently, he is the most produced playwright for Theater for Young Audiences in America. However, his career really began on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards for his writing.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical is performed with a combination of live actors and puppets. Jerry Stevenson, artistic director for Columbia Children’s Theater, said that one of the most important decisions that he had to make for this production was choosing which characters would be live people and which would be puppets. Director Chad Henderson commends actor and puppeteer Paul Lindley, who plays Pigeon, on his ability to transfer tangible energy into that little felt bird.

And that energy is often hilarious! To this, Henderson credits Mo Willems’ natural comedic genius. The play garners giggles from children and adults alike as it is “packed” with humor. When Stevenson approached Henderson about directing Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical, he was happy to come on board because he saw it as “an opportunity to have fun!” Henderson says that his return to CCT as a director of a Mo Willems play felt like “going over to a good friends’ house that you hadn’t visited in a while.”

Similarly, Stevenson found his calling as an artistic director when he realized that he just liked to make children laugh. He performed in many children’s theaters around the country before deciding to run his own, Columbia Children’s Theater. For this musical, Stevenson had the most fun designing puppets with puppet designer Donna Harvey.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical is sure to delight audiences young and old. It is a part of CCT’s Mainstage series, where professional actors perform for young audiences. However, there are also a few talented teenage members from CCT’s YouTheater.

Henderson says that it is incredibly valuable for young actors to work alongside professional ones, and he only has glowing remarks about the CCT community: the environment “truly creates a sense of belonging.” This is a non-profit organization openly making a difference in the Midlands.

The musical has offers performances this Saturday, September 17th, and Sunday, September 18th at the Richland Library Auditorium in Sandhills. Tickets can be purchased here, from the Columbia Children’s Theater website, by clicking the “Buy Tickets” button.