Photo courtesy Colby Q. Lindeman

Opening in Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the four-time Tony Award-winning musical “An American in Paris,” which boasts of an impressive cast starring Garen Scribner and Sara Esty in lead roles. The play is directed by the British Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon who was recently appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to promoting British classical and theatrical dance worldwide.

“An American in Paris” is the story of expatriate Jerry Mulligan who wants to start his life afresh in Paris after witnessing the horrors of World War II. The story of his life as he encounters Lise Dassin and his attempts to gain her unrequited love against the backdrop of a love-torn city form the crux of the story.

Wheeldon’s adaptation is loosely based on the 1951 musical film of the same name directed by Vincente Minnelli. The play opens in Philadelphia Nov. 22, and in an up, close and personal interview with Colby Q. Lindeman, who plays the role of a “swing” in the play, we get to know what makes Wheeldon’s adaptation so unique and what makes “An American in Paris” an unforgettable journey through the city of Paris.

The Triangle: Hi Colby! Tell me a little bit about the play and your role in it.

Colby Lindeman: The play is loosely inspired by the 1951 movie. It follows an American soldier after war staying in Paris and the rebirth of the city of Paris. The story follows his falling in love, a journey through true love and how a love triangle develops as the story progresses. The play has many familiar songs as well as some new ones as well. It is a very visually appealing piece of theater.

My role is of a swing. So, a lot of people don’t know what that is, but I’m one of the people who learns and remembers all the parts of the male ensemble of the show. There are nine male ensembles in the show. The swings (there are more than one) have to know all the parts to these ensembles, all the lines, all the choreography, so that if anyone is injured, or sick, the swing can replace them and that way, there are no missing pieces to the show.

It’s a tough job because we’re not in the play every day. But we have to be able to know all of the parts to ensure that the show keeps going as anything can happen in live theater.

TT: Where are you from and how did you get involved in theater?

CL: I grew up in Norristown and went to the Creative and Performing Arts high school in Philadelphia, so I spent a lot of time in downtown Philly, doing shows for high school during Christmas time and spring time, like dance concerts twice a year.  From there, I went to college in Oklahoma City University. My early years in Philadelphia marked my beginning in theater as I wanted to be a concert dancer growing up. I went to two different local studios in Philadelphia that were in the northeast area to study dance when I was 5 years old.

TT: What are some things that you are looking forward to while performing in Philadelphia?

CL: I’m really looking forward to being back at the Academy – I had my high school graduation there and I haven’t been in that theater since. I’m looking forward to being back in that actual physical space and reliving some of those memories. I also enjoy Philadelphia as a city as it offers so much in terms of culture and food and art and I’m excited to be able to spend some time back in the city and actually explore it. And granted, I’m happy to be able to spend some time with my family around the holidays as well. But who can resist a Philadelphia soft pretzel?

TT: What is your favorite theater performance?

CL: Well, that’s a hard question. I’m not sure. But when I was a kid, I saw the play “Fosse” in Broadway, a collection of musicals inspired by Bob Fosse, and I remember just being totally obsessed with the choreography and the style and the musical, and that was a turning point for me. As a young kid, that was a strong memory as it made me say this is what I want to be doing. It struck me as so exciting and different, and I knew that that was what I wanted to be doing. Any time I can get to do something related to Bob Fosse that would be pretty incredible.

TT: What’s your favorite city to perform in?

CL: Can I be biased and say Philadelphia? There’s something nice about coming home, you know? You have friends and family coming to see the show and you feel proud. Plus, as a high schooler in Philadelphia, you don’t get to experience the city that much because you’re busy with schoolwork, but now that I’m back, I think Philly is so great. It’s the only place besides New York City where I can see myself living. There’s also a great local theater community in Philadelphia that know each other and are supportive of each other.

TT: What is different about Wheeldon’s adaptation than Minnelli’s 1951 film of the same name?

CL: I think that the play that we’re doing is definitely different than the movie. I personally find it more exciting, but I think it’s also deeper. We’re telling the story going deeper into the heart of what it would be like coming out of World War II. It has more emotion in it, and it even has a little bit of darkness that the characters have to overcome from the war.

The way that Christopher Wheeldon has set up this show is that visually, it tells a story and keeps your eye moving so that you see all these different pieces. If you found a way to put all the pieces of a puzzle in this musical together, like the scenic design, the lighting design and the choreography, you’ll see that each of these elements works in a way that accentuates the others. It’s stunning.

TT: What is your message to Drexel students who aspire to work in theater?

CL: A piece of advice would be to remember to be nice; to be kind. I think the theater world, in general, whether in Philadelphia, or New York, or anywhere, is connected — it’s a small world. So being nice and being kind to people, be it people in the workroom or people working in sound, it pays off and it comes back to you. I always think that those things are important in any career or profession but especially in theater as we can get so caught up in the art or the financial aspect that things can get a little grey sometimes. But if you remember to be nice to everybody, it just makes everybody’s life better. There is a lot of competition in theater because there is a lot of talent. But I think that there is enough room for everybody.

Nick Spangler and the An American in Paris Touring Company. Photo courtesy Matthew Murphy

Fred Siegel is a Professor of English at Drexel and Assistant Director of the First-Year Writing Program. But his professional pursuits do not come in the way of his vocational ones. He is an actor, a comedian, a magician and a writer. He translates his mastery over these fields into his one-man-show called “Man of Mystery.”

“Man of Mystery” is more than mere entertainment—the show masterfully combines amazing magic tricks with autobiographical narratives and comedy to pack an engaging performance and cut close to home for the audience. As the show is written by Siegel, it gives him an excellent platform to truly displays his versatility as an artist. I had the pleasure of witnessing this “man of mystery” Nov. 6 at ComedySportz Philadelphia.

The show’s description on CSz’s website is very tantalizing, stating that, “In ‘Man of Mystery,’ Fred tells tales of dark magic shops, manipulative mentors and his summer telling lies for money on the Coney Island Boardwalk all while performing astonishing sleight of hand right before your very eyes. It’s a funny, freaky intimate magic show you will not forget.”

Siegel’s performance exceeded my expectations – unlike cheap thrills that lack depth, his show provided plenty of moments that engaged the audience with the power of the narrative—one could say that he doesn’t perform, but the audience on a journey. Siegel began his show with card tricks. Throughout the show, he amazed his audience with the depth of his personal narratives (which ranged from humorous to sentimental), his ability to improvise and of course, his magic tricks. During one card trick, a young man from the audience had to pick a card and show it to everyone else except Siegel. He misinterpreted Siegel’s instruction and did not see the card himself. Nevertheless, this did not stop Siegel from running the show. He performed the trick successfully and left the audience filled with awe.

After the show, I was thrilled to interview Siegel. The intention behind this interview was more personal. I wanted to know how this man can do it all. He answered my questions with honesty that, one might argue, is not characteristic of magicians. In a way, he is a paradox. After the interview, Siegel appears ever more mysterious to me than before. He performs the first Friday of every month at 8 p.m., and the last show of the season is Dec. 4. I highly recommend that you get your tickets. You won’t forget this journey with the “Man of Mystery.”

The Triangle: What was your first encounter with magic? And when did you know that you had found your vocation as a magician? 
Fred Siegel: Like many kids, I got a magic kit as a present, I had an uncle who pulled quarters from behind my ears, and I saw magicians on television.  It was the same for millions of children, but I just kept up with it.  By the time I was in fifth grade, I was performing magic for my teacher. In sixth grade, I performed a show for the school assembly. By seventh grade, I was a magic maniac, carrying my bag of tricks to people’s’ houses and doing shows in their living rooms.

TT:  Who has been your biggest influence, and are there any contemporary magicians that you follow? 
FS: I learned the most from a cantankerous old magic shop owner named Chanin. I hung out in his shop and learned a lot from him. When I think about what I do, I see that he’s imprinted on much of it. As for contemporary magicians I admire, there are many for different reasons. I love Penn and Teller, because they are completely original and their magic makes reference to larger ideas than just “doing tricks.” My favorite comedy magician is Mac King, who has an afternoon show in Vegas. While most comedy magicians are funny but not very mystifying, King is funny and he fools the heck out of everyone. The most inspirational magician out there now is a Spaniard named Juan Tamariz. He’s a great performer, a generous teacher, and he’s diabolical.  He’s not well-known here, but he’s a star in Spain, and he’s loved and admired among magicians everywhere.

TT:  What is the first thing people people ask you when you tell them you’re a magician? 
FS: Can you make my wife disappear?  Ha ha…

TT:  When you are performing, have there been times when a trick failed? How much margin for error do you keep in mind, and how do you recover if a trick doesn’t go as planned? 
FS: Of course tricks fail, but there are different types of failures. You saw one on Friday: the volunteer picked a card and showed the audience but didn’t look at it himself. This was a failure on my part to give good instructions. I was able to bring the trick to a satisfactory conclusion, however, so this was a minor failure but I never did find the card the volunteer originally picked.  There have also been major failures. It’s not fun to rip the newspaper to pieces and, instead of having it become whole again, have it fall to the floor in pieces. That has happened to me.  Still, I’ve come to believe that it’s only a total failure if the audience sees that you’re upset by it.

TT:  How often do you practice? Do you try to learn new tricks to incorporate different elements into your show? 
FS: I don’t have a practice regimen the way some people might imagine magicians have. However, every day I fool around with playing cards and small objects. When it comes to set performances, however, I practice the difficult parts of it and do full run-through rehearsals before I do the shows. My wife watches and tells me when I’m doing something wrong. I owe her a lot. As for new tricks, I learn them for fun, but mostly I try to find ways to make the old tricks better. What I put into my show has more to do with the overall story I’m telling than with finding novel tricks.

TT:  I think for a lot of magicians, money might be a big part of why they perform tricks. What do you think is the biggest reward for you?
FS: It’s not about money for me. I do magic as a medium for self-expression. I want my show to be unique and personal. I don’t want to be confused for any other magician. At the same time, the reward for doing magic is giving people the experience of wonder. They are looking at something they know can’t have happened and they have no explanation. That can be a profound experience. And it’s an experience that I enjoy having whenever I watch a great magician.

TT: Do you ever disclose how you perform a trick to people outside the magician community, like your family?
FS: My family knows how many of my tricks are performed, but then, I often perform with my family. My brother-in-law escapes from a strait jacket. My wife and sister-in-law communicate telepathically.  Or so it would seem….

TT:  What would be your advice for aspiring magicians?
FS: I would tell them that a magic performance is about giving a gift of wonder to people who are watching them. If they’re in it to show off, or to show they’re smarter than everybody else, I would urge them to do something else. Too many people have had bad experiences with obnoxious magicians.

The post Drexel professor Fred Siegel wows in one man show “Man of Mystery” appeared first on The Triangle.

There are Broadway shows that make you want to act, dance and join the cast onstage, that make you understand the joy of a musical, and then there’s “Memphis,” an unnecessary drag of a show that strips you of all hope in the existence of a plotline in a musical. Walnut Street Theatre featured the local production of the Broadway hit musical from May 12 to July 12. If you missed it, don’t worry, you made an excellent decision. Set in the 1950s, “Memphis” contains an unnecessarily complex story that tries to address too many issues at once, all this time having racial relations in the 1950s as the main theme of the story. The story follows the life of Huey Calhoun (Christopher Sutton) who wants to change the world (and by world, we mean racial relations in America) through his radio show on which he features music produced by African-Americans. Apparently, the story is inspired by true events and is based on DJ Dewey Phillips and the music that became known as rock n’ roll.

Soon enough, Felicia Farrell (Kimber Sprawl), a beautiful African-American woman who sings at her brother’s club, comes along and unsurprisingly, her life trajectory intersects with our very idealistic hero’s. Huey is set to launch her on his radio show in an attempt to woo her (and also improve race relations in America — let’s not forget what a crusader Huey is). Love happens. Drama happens. And two hours and thirty minutes of my life are lost.

To simplify an overly complex story in a few sentences — Huey becomes a successful radio host, gets a TV show and wants to marry Felicia. Felicia feels unsafe in Memphis and wants to have a career in New York. Huey, who makes his adoration for Felicia clear, proves his love to her by kissing her onscreen during his show which leads to the end to his career. Meanwhile, Felicia (shocked and saying “How could you?” all this time) gets a reason to leave Huey and go on to greener pastures (or skyscrapers) in New York.

If I recall correctly, there are some twenty songs that are sung in between. Sure, the choreography is great and the dance numbers are performed well, but the cheesy lyrics (“Love will stand when all else falls”) and the climax make you want to run for the door (as many people surrounding me did during the interval). Ironically, love doesn’t even stand where all else falls — our very empowered heroine shuns Huey for a record deal in New York and, wait for it, gets engaged to someone else. But hey, there’s a silver lining — her brother lets Huey know that he doesn’t like her new fiance all that much. Phew. That makes everything better. The show ends with a morose image of Huey in a dark, little radio station with only one listener. Felicia comes by in an expensive fur coat and lets him know about her awesome new life in New York and, as a consolation, invites him to her show. That makes everything better. And everyone (at least Felicia and the background dancers) lives happily ever after. The end.

Don’t get me wrong, I was not rooting for a happy ending, but “Memphis” could have played out in less than an hour where it took more than two. And where were we at the end? There was no mention of race relations getting any better. The hero (who was portrayed to be the nicest guy ever) gets flushed down the toilet by Felicia. Felicia comes back to rub salt in his wounds in the end. I guess the story did have a lesson — nice guys finish last.

If there is ever a rerun, I highly recommend that you avoid “Memphis” and spend your time doing something more productive like lying on your couch eating popcorn and steering clear of bad musicals.

The post Walnut Street Theatre’s ‘Memphis’ is waste of time appeared first on The Triangle.

“Sketchy Dragons” has only been around the block for three years, but during that time, it has managed to attract a loyal viewership. Founded in 2012, “Sketchy Dragons” is Drexel University’s film and video sketch comedy show comprising over 30 Drexel film and video majors with varying degrees of involvement. Each show is based on three topics, which are mashed together in the show’s “Sketchy Finale” skit. The storylines range from short, comedic vignettes like “Operation: Flirting,” to longer segments like “Superheroes Dancing Reactions.” The group is exemplary of the limitless talent at Drexel.

I got the opportunity to interview Jack McCafferty, the creator and showrunner of “Sketchy Dragons” Jan. 12. McCafferty, a film and video production major at Drexel, talks about his inspiration behind the group, his plans to increase the group’s visibility on campus and the future of “Sketchy Dragons” as he sees it.

The Triangle: How did you come up with the idea for “Sketchy Dragons”?

Jack McCafferty: I always wanted to be a comedian. Even when I was little, I wanted to make people laugh like the crazy characters I saw on TV. I became a film major for that very reason. I need to make people laugh. It’s just in my DNA. During my freshman year, I and many of the original “Sketchy” cast were a part of another student-run show. I wrote a couple sketches for the show which got a great reaction from my peers, but wouldn’t [make the final cut for the show] due to time and budget restraints. It wasn’t that show’s fault. It wasn’t a sketch show. But that made me realize that if I wanted to write sketches, I needed to be the one who has to make them. I told my buddies I wanted to do a sketch show and, to my surprise, they were all on board. This all happened fall quarter of our freshmen year, and from then on, much of my time has been spent making the show.

TT: Are there any particular sketch comedy groups or artists that have inspired you?

JM: Anyone who knows me knows my dream is to one day be a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” Almost everything I do is to get me closer to that goal. The actual show is inspired by one of my favorite comedians’ show: “Important Things with Demetri Martin.” That show took a single topic and based its sketches off of that subject. I really like that idea, so I took it, and modified it to a format that is a lot of fun to write for. I also liked the pacing, madness and mixing of different styles in the show “Mad” on Cartoon Network, so I tried to inject some of that fun in the show. At the end of the day, that was the goal. Have the show be fun. If the show weren’t allowed to be fun and silly, we wouldn’t have such gems as a naked dance instructor, or a trailer for a movie that is so scary the audience poops themselves. Maturity is for poopy heads anyway. I’d like to point out we do actually do some intellectual comedy with the goofy stuff. It’s all about balance.

TT: I watched some of your videos online, and I noticed that they are longer than usual sketch comedy vignettes and sometimes they are shorter. Is that a conscious decision?

JM: The show’s length is to accommodate the show’s format. Our actual sketches are typically shorter than your average sketch show, but we do a lot of them. For each show, we choose three topics for our sketches. Each topic gets its own segment of the show, with a bunch of sketches and animated gags based on that subject. After we do each topic, we have a Sketchy Finale, which is one final sketch that combines all three of the topics together. Those can end up being a bit crazy. While many of the sketches can stand on their own, the show really shines as a whole because of that unique twist. Or at least we think so.

TT: Do you intend to expand or increase your visibility on campus? If so, how?

JM: We intend to expand as much as we can. Last year, we did our first Sketchy Dragons Live Show to a packed house at the Black Box Theatre. The show had live sketches, music and stand-up and [we] got a great reception from the audience. We had a blast putting it together –– even when we were pulling our hair and working double time to make it happen –– and hopefully we’ll do it again sometime in the near future.

TT: I am sure that your entire team works very hard, but could you tell us what all goes into making each “Sketchy Dragons” video? How much time during the week do the actors and creators invest in the production of one video?

JM: Oh, man, is it a ton of work to make this show. Even the seemingly simplest sketches take a long time to produce. I remember one day we were shooting a sketch for the first episode that only lasted about a minute, but because of all the locations we had to travel to, we ended up shooting for about seven hours. Then we have to edit and add all the bells and whistles to the video. And then all the graphics and animations take hours upon hours to make for what will end up being a 10-second gag. Now, repeat all of that until you have a 20-minute episode. It’s a huge undertaking. But, if we get that coveted chuckle from a viewer, it’s all worth it.

TT: What all do you have lined up for 2015?

JM: We have a bunch of stuff coming down the pipe for “Sketchy.” Our third full 20-minute plus episode is on the cusp of its release and we have some new “Sketchy” projects in the works. As you pointed out, our full episodes are quite long, which can be a bit intimidating for a first time viewer to sign on to watch a 20-minute show on YouTube, so we’ve started a new part of the show. We like to call them “Sketchy Gaggles.” These will be videos that comprise of the quick and quirky animated gags that yours truly makes. They’ll each have a Sketchy Topic of their own to lampoon and will run about two or three minutes long each. These will give us a constant flow of content while we work on bigger episodes and will give people some videos to watch without a big time commitment.

TT: Could you tell us who all comprises “Sketchy Dragons”?

JM: I’m definitely at the head of “Sketchy.” “It’s Jack’s weird baby,” as my crew lovingly calls it. I’ve spent many sleepless nights rewriting a script or making props or puppets for a shoot the next morning. But, as much work as I’ve put into the show, I can say without a doubt, without the “Sketchy” crew, the show would never have become what it is now. It would have died the day I said, “Hey, let’s do a sketch comedy show.” Sketchy Dragons is comprised of over 30 Drexel film and video students with varying degrees of involvement. I wish I could name them all to you, but that will result in a long article. But, I will say, I am beyond lucky to be able to work with many of these amazing up and coming film makers. They are so talented in what they do, and I’ve learned more working with them than in any class I’ve taken. They are not just my colleagues, they are my best friends and working with them rarely feels like work. They are all invited to my funeral. (Hopefully, not for a while though.)

TT: Where does “Sketchy Dragons” see itself in another two or three years?

JM: Hopefully, Sketchy will still keep on trucking after graduation. I know I’ll still be writing and shooting sketches then. We’d love for the show and all its videos to take off and hit it big on the web. That may be a group of young film majors daydreaming, but, hey, stranger things have happened. But, we intend on working hard to make the best show we can make.

The post Founder of Sketchy Dragons discusses group’s influences appeared first on The Triangle.

Photo Courtesy Philadelphia Artists’ Collective
The Bridegroom (Eric Scotolati) and the Mother (Judith Lightfoot Clarke) visit the Bride. Drexel University’s Co-op Theatre Company and the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective to present “Blood Wedding.”

A lover awaits. A bride runs away. And so, Federico Garcia Lorca’s classic tale of passion, deception and vengeance begins. The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective teamed up with Drexel University’s Co-op Theater Company to present “Blood Wedding” at Drexel’s Mandell Theater.

Founded in 2008 by Damon Bonetti and Dan Hodge, the PAC has quickly established itself as a promising theater company with talented artists that teamed up with the Mandell Professionals in Residence Project at Drexel University to produce “Blood Wedding.” The show ran from Nov. 6 to Nov. 23.

There was a “pre-show” performance in the lobby of the Mandell Theater. The performance was very engaging and involved three dance pieces choreographed by Elba Hevia y Vaca, artistic and executive director and founder of local flamenco company “Pasion y Arte Flamenco.” The actors, dancers and musicians staged a celebratory wedding procession, which introduced the audience to the “El Novio,” the groom, played by the wonderful Eric Scotolati, who led the audience into the theater through a side entrance. As I walked through the dim-lit narrow corridor, I was amazed to see the little decorations overhead and on either side of the corridor –– there were decorative strips of crops along with the dainty handmade lamps overhead. As the place started filling up, everyone noticed “The Moon,” played by Laura Allan, and a mysterious beggar (Stephen Lyons) present before them.

Lorca’s original three-act play was presented in two parts and ran for approximately two hours and 30 minutes. Not once did the hackneyed love-triangle or the predictable ending bore me, thanks to the artists’ powerful performances.

The first act began with a ballad sung by “The Moon” and the beggar. Interestingly, all sound effects were created live, including a rich forest soundscape which was to follow during the show. Barrymore Award-winning theater artist, composer and guitarist Christopher Colucci composed all of the music to be performed throughout the play, with lyrics based on Lorca’s poetry and prose. The song was followed by a scene between the Mother, played by New York and regional theater veteran Judith Lightfoot Clarke, and the Groom. Right in the beginning, the audience sensed the tension as it was revealed that the Father was killed by men of the Felix family, and how the Mother fears knives and guns. The tension intensifies as later, a neighbor (played by Virginia Barrie) reveals that the girl that her son loves had an ex-lover named Leonardo Felix, a relative of the men who killed the Mother’s husband. The Mother is furious, but she decides to visit the girl and her family anyway. Meanwhile, Leonardo Felix (played by J. Hernandez) is introduced with a lovely ballad by his wife (Joy Weir) that also subtly hints at the restlessness and violence that is to unfold. It is revealed that Leonardo is unhappy with his married life, and it is not hard to guess why –– he is still in love with his ex-lover, now the Bride of “El Novio.”

The audience has a first-hand look at how the groom’s and the bride’s families interact, and there are a few comedic dialogues that win hearty laughter from the audience. It is then that the Bride, played by Victoria Rose Bonito, is introduced. It becomes apparent how much the Groom loves her and how much she does not reciprocate the feeling. Furthermore, it is revealed that Leonardo paid the Bride a visit a night before, and that she still has strong feelings for him.

The audience is soon transformed to the wedding day with the song “Let the Bride Wake” and celebratory singing by the ensemble, who served as the Greek chorus and included Dean Bloomingdale, Alex Cummiskey, Betina Dalope, Corey Fedorowich, Sophie Hirsch, Georgie Mandera and Ben Webster, all Drexel University students.

As the celebrations come to an end, the Bride is nowhere to be seen. It is then that Leonardo’s wife comes running into the celebrations and screams, “They’ve fled! They’ve fled, she and Leonardo. On his horse. She was holding him tight; they went past like the wind.” Act one ends with the Bridegroom leaving with another guest, and the Mother ordering everyone else to follow to save the tragedy that is to follow.

Act two begins after a short interval. The stage is now transformed to look like a forest. It is revealed that the beggar is actually Death. Leonardo and the Bride reappear in the forest, trying to evade their trackers. They perform a very passionate scene on-stage where the intensity of their love and desire for each other is depicted. Their happiness is short-lived because soon, the Groom arrives from behind as Death envelopes its cape around them. The next scene shows the Neighbor and the Mother, and by the former’s weeping, it becomes obvious that the Groom and Leonardo killed each other.

The performances were nuanced and captivating. The show also managed to elucidate the sexism persistent in society, with the Mother often educating her son about ways to “control” his wife by biting her. With heartfelt performances, engaging dialogues and lyrics and Damon Bonetti’s skillful direction, “Blood Wedding” was a joy to experience and a production to be cherished by its audience for ages.

The post ‘Blood Wedding’ completes month-long run at Mandell appeared first on The Triangle.

The Theatre of the Living Arts was jam packed with exuberant people on the night of Nov. 9. After all, the queens of alternative modeling had promised an unforgettable night of burlesque, parodies and striptease. When I arrived at the venue, the entire setup looked rather shady to me — there were tattooed people in line with hair colors that I did not know to exist, the little entrance room had piles of albums with naked women with their legs open and the hall in front of me appeared uninviting as I walked towards it. However, my anxieties were put to rest once the SuicideGirls took to the stage and performed a quite entertaining act.

SuicideGirls started as a pin-up photography website for celebrating alternative beauty among women. As the photography got popular, its founder Selena Mooney (“Missy Suicide”) decided to take her venture to the next level with her “Blackheart Burlesque” tours that began roughly 10 years ago. The shows are choreographed by Manwe Sauls-Addison, who has previously worked with big names like Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

The crowd went insane as the girls stepped out fully covered in animal suits with music blasting in the background. And soon, it began. One after the other, the girls started stripping to reveal tattoo covered skin, piercings and finally, nothing but nipple pasties and panties. The show was 90 minutes of the SuicideGirls jiggling their (quite toned, I must add) butts at the crowd, shimming and writhing across the stage and parodying “Game of Thrones,” “Star Wars” and “Planet of the Apes,” among many others. In the background, the stage was covered with a huge poster of a SuicideGirls painting with what looked like two naked women about to make out. The self-proclaimed female-empowering ensemble included into their act concepts like sexuality and orientation with the girls performing in very intimate acts onstage, like groping each other’s nipples and slapping each other’s behinds.

I was afraid that the show would get banal after a while. I mean, there are only so many breasts and butts that I can endure for one night. However, the SuicideGirls proved that there is nothing like too many breasts as they engaged their audience in the act. The tiny, redheaded hostess, Sunny Suicide, provided funny interludes with her cheeky commentary, such as “Amen to the boobies, amen to the titties,” and my favorite — an adult version of “The Little Mermaid” song “Part of Your World,” which she concluded by stripping away her mermaid shell bra while crooning, “Wish I could be a SuicideGirl.”

The SuicideGirls’ disc jockey, Mel Suicide, stood in the background and played everything from M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” to “The Time Warp” from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Meanwhile, the girls kept the crowd thoroughly entertained with their antics. The hostess invited three women from the crowd onstage to perform stripteases. It was quite scandalous to see the girls go wild as one of them took off her clothes and danced in lingerie while the other two grinded and jiggled their behinds. The winner won a free one-year membership to SuicideGirls online, which, considering that it grants access to naked pictures of women, doesn’t appear to very useful to heterosexual women. Another time, a guy from the audience was invited onstage for a special striptease performance. “Paper Mache,” one of the SuicideGirls, performed a very raunchy act while the guy giggled and tried to read a story assigned by the hostess to him. The hostess was to ask him three questions about the story, which, if he answered successfully, would also win him membership to SuicideGirls online. When the poor guy failed to answer the third question, the hostess said, “You know what, I’m going to give you this membership anyway because I like a man who doesn’t ignore a titty in his face.” The place was driven into a wild frenzy as the crowd cheered and lauded the humorous act.

Burlesque performances used to be limited to bachelor party itineraries and an overwhelmingly male audience. However, with their bold and inclusive performances, SuicideGirls have created a platform for burlesque shows that can be enjoyed by men and women alike. As the show was coming to an end, I looked around myself to find punk boys and girls, tattooed men and women and giggling couples all having a wonderful time. What SuicideGirls brings to the table is more than just raunchy entertainment — it is entertainment that speaks to a diverse audience, consisting of but not limited to sex-positive feminists, alternative men and women and anyone who yearns to have a good time.

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The French understood the value of art when they proposed the famous 19th century slogan, “L’art pour l’art,” meaning, “Art for art’s sake.” There is something uniquely inspirational about standing in the middle of an art gallery and staring at the immaculate walls adorned with exquisite works of art. Professor Joshua Weiss, art and art history area coordinator at Drexel University, is bound to agree.

Photo courtesy: Drexel University

Weiss had two consecutive gallery openings Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 at Abington Art Center in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and Mount Airy Contemporary in Philadelphia, respectively. The former gallery is showing a multidisciplinary exhibition called “Listening In: Philly Artists Speak” until Dec. 7. The members of Grizzly Grizzly, an artist collective in Philadelphia, are curating one another in separate gallery spaces at the Abington Art Center, working with local artists outside of their immediate group of collaborators. Weiss, one of the six primary members of Grizzly Grizzly, is exhibiting and curating his work alongside artists such as Mary Smull, Talia Greene and Rubens Ghenov. “Listening In” uses Grizzly’s idiosyncratic curatorial model but reflects that process onto its own members. In simple words, artists are paired with each other to curate works. This idea was employed by Weiss, who suggested that Grizzly Grizzly should extend its curatorial work to attract Philadelphia-based artists into a place like Jenkintown for the exhibition.

The gallery had a big opening night with a turnout of over 200 artists and guests. The artists’ works are exhibited in four rooms, each devoted to a “visual agenda.” These agendas include large format works, photography, botanical works, geometry, pieces hinting at entomology, anthropology and abstraction. Weiss’ room is dedicated to abstract paintings. His second exhibition at Mount Airy, called “Miracle Grow,” runs until Nov. 28 and focuses on oil paintings.

I had the opportunity to talk to Weiss about his current exhibitions, his previous works and his professorship at Drexel. Weiss is a difficult man to pin down and talk to. As a former student, I have witnessed him in class. Everything about him displays his passion for teaching art. He possesses an animated air and a confidence that displays his wealth of knowledge.

So as soon as I entered the fifth floor of the Paul Peck Problem Solving and Research Center and saw him arranging a stack of paintings to be displayed in the lobby, I knew the interview would be conducted without chairs.“[Art] instills in me the love of making,” he said, pushing another thumbtack through the edges of the monochromatic painting, securing the paper onto the wall. Weiss knew his calling from as early as grade school. He was always passionate about drawing, except maybe that one time when he wanted to be a fireman after high school. He guffawed and shared excitedly, “I was weeks away from being a fireman. I met fire guys and started working out to build my upper body, [but] it got all over when I went to [Savannah, Georgia].” Meanwhile, his colleague, Mark Stockton gushed from behind, “Yeah, he joined the art mafia,” jokingly referring to the Drexel art community.

Weiss pursued a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He went on to receive his master of fine arts degree from Yale University. “I love teaching,” Weiss elaborated, “It has nothing to do with my paintings [so] it doesn’t intrude my work.” For Weiss, teaching is problem solving, and he has a knack for that. “I like facilitating. I am not a dictator in class either,” and as his former student, I can attest to that. Weiss has been a teaching at Drexel for six years now. As an instructor of the design foundation courses, Weiss allows his students space to create and discover their own unique meaning of art.

Furthermore, Weiss’ own work relies heavily on abstraction. His exhibited work is an excellent example of his focus on the creation of atmospheric spaces and visceral surfaces. He makes use of a variety of tools like brushes, knives, “and stamps … but that’s when I’m too desperate,” he jested, quickly following it up with a solemn truth: “I paint out of desperation.” According to Weiss, paintings need to be “high-stakes.” He wants to create paintings that bewilder people at his technique. He calls himself an aggressive risk-taker with an unconventional and unattainable method of painting. “I don’t like recipes,” he stated flatly, emphasizing how much he tries to push his work to be more narrative. His works cover abstract concepts like science fiction and landscapes which he makes unique by adding touches of surrealism.

Weiss’ biggest influence is the Spanish Romantic painter Francisco Goya. According to Weiss, Goya’s work possesses a “visceralness” that he tries to emulate. Weiss’ displayed paintings are a fine example of how he successfully applies Goya’s principles to work.

To the art lovers at Drexel, I highly recommend visiting either of the galleries and viewing the exhibited works. It is a chance to get inspired by the work of a distinguished instructor and artist within our own community. What he creates through his paintings is a remarkable process of expression that is worth witnessing. Weiss is not just an artist, then, he is an innovator.

Photo Courtesy Dean Chalkley
British songstress Lily Allen shocked audience members at the Electric Factory Sept. 19 with her onstage antics, including smoking and twerking.

It’s “hard out here for a bitch,” and Lily Allen makes it harder for herself with critically panned videos and a cascade of egotistic antics. After a five-year hiatus, Allen, now a mother of two, returned on the scene, but this time without her usual catchy music and sharp lyrics. Allen’s third album, “Sheezus,” came out earlier this year and earned the songstress strong criticism for the video of her single “Hard Out Here;” I can see why. The video was slammed for its open approbation of the new Miley Cyrus culture that swears by twerking as the ultimate dance form. It was also condemned as racist for its portrayal of barely covered black dancers writhing about Allen.

Lily Allen has been touring all over the U.S. to promote her new album and was back in Philadelphia for the second time, having opened for Miley Cyrus earlier in August at the Wells Fargo Center.

She performed at the Electric Factory Sept. 19 to a crowd full of overly enthusiastic teenage girls and morose fathers who appeared rather mortified by her on-stage smoking gimmicks. Allen opened the show with “Sheezus” and had the crowd cheering to her music as she pranced about the stage, following the opener with tracks like “Not Fair,” “Our Time,” and “Everyone’s At It.” The set, which employed giant fluorescent baby bottles to match Allen’s bizarre personality, looked innovative to me until I discovered that she had the exact same set during her entire “Sheezus” tour.

While her new album wasn’t such a hit among the crowd, songs such as “Smile” from her debut album “Alright, Still” and “The Fear” from “It’s Not Me, It’s You” had the place raging with excitement. The show did rely on cheap thrills, though, and if it wasn’t for the scantily clad background dancers (racially diverse, I must add), Allen might not have been able to hold the crowd for long.

Surprisingly, everybody happened to blissfully forget the opening act — Samsaya — which was an energy-packed performance with frontwoman Sampda Sharma giving tough competition to Allen’s performance that was to follow. While Samsaya is yet to make a big name for herself, her music and vocals are rightfully deemed “very M.I.A. with a twist.” The Indian-born Norwegian singer had many peppy, pop-infused tracks with traditional Indian sounds that had the crowd singing along. Songs such as “Stereotype,” “Jaywalking” and “Bombay Calling” had sprinkles of autobiographical accounts hinting at Samsaya’s upbringing. But as soon as Allen hit the stage, Samsaya’s performance appeared pale as the entire place warmed up to the British pop star’s magnetic appearance. Throughout her 90-minute gig, Allen had the place thoroughly entertained by chatting freely with the crowd and by dropping multiple F-bombs. She smoked cigarettes on a whim, and after a while, it appeared more like a mechanical gimmick than a wistful desire.

As Allen started performing “Hard Out Here,” her dancers re-emerged wearing dog masks (portraying bitches) and twerked to reinforce their feminism-infused empowering messages. Allen closed her set with the “It’s Not Me, It’s You” song “F-ck You” and the crowd closely followed her antics — a hundred middle fingers waving in the fluorescent lights. How empowering, indeed.

There was a time when Allen’s music possessed a certain ingenuity that contemporary pop stars back then seemed to lack. Her sharp-tongued lyrics were her identity, her originality — her unique selling point. But suddenly, the British songstress appears to have been reduced to a fancy act to titillate a new generation of teenage girls with a misconstrued notion of feminism. I don’t judge her for smoking cigarettes on stage and I definitely don’t judge her for jiggling her butt at the crowd. But what I, like many others, do judge her for is reducing her fearlessness to a marketing act repeated to the point of inducing apathy among her fans. I think what her fans yearn to see again is the audacious star masked under the cheeky, doe-eyed girl who won our hearts with “Smile.” But what Allen’s five-year hiatus has instead given us is only mediocre music worthy of opening a Miley Cyrus show.

Photo Courtesy Thomas Nilsson
Luke Elliot (pictured) is a singer-songwriter whose music is comprised of an eclectic mix of genres and ideas. His debut EP, titled “Death of a Widow,” was released in 2010. Elliot’s recently released EP is titled “Provisions.”

Luke Elliot is to America what Soan is to France — timeless blues with speckles of rock ’n’ roll. However, Elliot does not completely agree with this constraining definition of his musical genre. “Sound is limitless” is a phrase that is often thrown around by Elliot, and he lives up to his fans’ expectations of breaking the boundaries of what a genre permits (or doesn’t).

On July 7, I had the opportunity to understand what the latest buzz surrounding Luke Elliot is all about. In an online interview with The Triangle, Elliot talked about fellow musicians, his latest album, “Provisions” and his prospective collaboration with the legendary producer John Agnello. Elliot played at the Milkboy, Philadelphia July 8.

Elliot’s music is influenced by a bunch of genres, but according to Elliot, “It is more rock ’n’ roll than anything. But people take away from it what they hear, and that’s totally fine.”

Elliot believes that his music is inspired by the likes of Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and Elvis Costello, among many others. But Elliot personalizes the genre with lyrics that possess philosophical undertones and subtle allusions to subjects like love and faith, loss, and hope. However, he assumes a jocular view of being described as philosophical.

According to himself, Elliot is a product of the things that he has learned. He does not write about things consciously. He writes about what interests him, and that process is almost subliminal. His subconscious musical process may also be a manifestation of being born to an artistically-inclined family, his mother and father both being piano players.

It is not surprising then that as a child, Elliot was forced to take piano lessons. But in his cool demeanor, Elliot laughs it off now, writing, “I was very young, and piano didn’t exactly seem like a cool thing to do.” He demurely added, “I realized that I wasn’t terrible [and] wanted to continue.” He attributes his musical success to his parents’ persistence and describes his career as life-changing.

It is seldom that a multitalented musical prodigy possesses humility, but Elliot does not conform to the flamboyant parade of arrogant musicians who auto-tune their way to the top. Elliot admits that musicians can be a difficult crowd.

According to him, “Some [musicians] you click with right away, and some just want to seem like they’re doing better than you are at the moment.” Elliot does not appreciate the ensuing game of comparisons and would “rather connect with people.”

Elliot has come a far way with two EPs released: his debut, titled “Death of a Widow,” and his recently released album, “Provisions.” He has been signed by Christa Shaub of Shaub Entertainment, who was instrumental in the careers of the then-emerging artists John Legend and Rihanna.

Elliot is also scheduled to collaborate with John Agnello, the renowned producer, mixer and recording artist. Agnello has previously worked with popular rock bands like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. Elliot wrote, “I’m excited about the recordings with John. We’ve already started to put down tracks, and he’s a wiz in the studio.” This marks his first collaboration with Agnello. Elliot has high hopes for his upcoming musical projects.

In his sophomore album, “Provisions,” Elliot explores many personal subjects written during a difficult period in his life. Songs like “Ballad of a Priest” and “To Feel Your Love” allude to personal reminiscences and references to his own life. Elliot claims that “Ballad of a Priest” is based on Graham Greene’s book, “The Power and The Glory.”

He further divulged that he feels like he can relate to the character of the “whisky priest” in the book. I am more certain than ever that his lyrics are layered with deep shades of philosophy that explain life metaphorically. Elliot believes that “Provisions” is different than his previous EP, “Death of a Widow,” chiefly because the latter was recorded in someone else’s house. While both the records are his productions, he feels like he had more time to craft songs in “Provisions.”

Luke Elliot is a man with interesting philosophies. Professionally, he swears by another one — he never wants to play a song the same way twice. He feels that recordings are just snapshots and he attempts to move forward as much as possible. A certain way of achieving that, according to him, is simply recreating what he has already composed.

Furthermore, Elliot quipped that he loves being on a stage. Recording, for him, takes too long, and one can often lose sense of what one is doing. Along with his bandmates, whom he endearingly calls his “musical family,” Elliot creates dark, folk-infused rock reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright, Elliott Smith and Bob Dylan. He discussed his band members, Jim McGee (electric guitar), Ed Barber (bass/backing vocals), and Dan Peck (drums), writing, “None of what I do would be possible without these guys. They bring about new ideas and new sounds. They are my heroes.”

After a seemingly endless chat with him, Luke Elliot is still an enigma. He is a multitalented musician, composer and to me, an emerging philosopher. Elliot wishes to continue touring, recording, creating and recreating music for a lifetime. While his fans and critics might not place Elliot in a single domain of musical genre, they would all agree on one thing — he creates intelligent music. Luke Elliot has created a new genre.

The post Luke Elliot ventures into new musical territories appeared first on The Triangle.

Bethany Mollenkoff MCT Campus
Mikaiah Lei (pictured) is the lead guitarist, vocalist and bassist of The Bots. The band is composed of Mikaiah and his brother Anaiah, who plays the drums.

There have been a number of young, aspiring musicians around the block that might pale in comparison to The Bots’ zealous garage punk music. With choppy guitars and raw lyrics, The Bots create a catchy concoction of punk rock with a tinge of the American blues. The two-man band is made up of the Lei brothers — Mikaiah and Anaiah — who exemplify the definition of musical prodigies.

The two brothers recorded their first album eponymously titled “The Bots” at the ages of just 15 and 12, respectively, and there was no looking back. The brothers have toured around the world and performed at the Vans Warped Tour, Afropunk Festival and Colors of Ostrava, one of the biggest music festivals in the Czech Republic. The Bots are coming to Philadelphia May 15 and will play the North Star Bar.

In an online interview with The Triangle, Mikaiah and Anaiah discussed their musical endeavors, their upcoming album and brotherly love. The brothers grew up listening to the American rock duo The White Stripes, which inspired them to form their own music duo.

“A lot of reggae growing up [must have] something to do with [our style],” the brothers added.

It is intriguing that a band run by then-teenagers would receive worldwide acclaim. However, Mikaiah and Anaiah knew their calling. According to the two, “ever since we started playing, that is all we really wanted to do.”

The band released one full-length eponymously titled album in 2009, followed by three EPs — “Black and White Lights” (2010), “Ladies & Gentlemen” (2011) and “Sincerely Sorry” (2013).

“Despite the often profound lyrics, the words are very much secondary to the emotions evoked by the music,” they wrote.

This is truly exhibited by songs like “No One Knows” and “5:17,” which both possess The Bots’ distinct (and quite undefinable) style. This might be because the band is influenced by a range of bands and musicians such as Arcade Fire, Micachu and the Shapes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Black Lips, Feist, Arctic Monkeys, and Mac DeMarco.

It came as no surprise when Damon Albarn, frontman of the bands Blur and Gorillaz, referred to The Bots as his current favorite band. Reacting to Albarn’s remarks, the brothers exclaimed that because of Albarn, they met Nick Zinner, the guitarist of the New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with whom they worked on their music. The brothers, with their modest demeanor, expressed how grateful they felt to have played with both Albarn’s and Zinner’s bands.

But The Bots’ fame is not limited to their audience and fellow musicians. They have been on the radar for a while and The New York Times Magazine has rightly described them as being at the “cusp of their stardom.” The Bots are working hard toward the goal of making their band successful without forgetting their roots.

The brothers never cease to express their gratitude for the support and the fandom that they have received. Most of all, the Lei brothers are extremely supportive of each other. While they hardly see each other outside of touring, they ensure the group dynamic works fine with their of “brotherly love.”

The Bots are planning on releasing an LP at the end of the summer. The band reportedly started recording the album five years ago. On being asked about the music and the album’s theme, the band responded, “No theme really. [The music] is just as diverse as always.”

The band’s charm lies in its diversity and unpredictability. There are a number of genres that have influenced and appear in the band’s music, and it is almost impossible to categorize The Bots into a limited, rigid genre. But the band appears to be quite unaffected by this, as the brothers wrote that they “really [are just] trying to achieve greatness.”

The two are pushing the band and writing more music that their fans can enjoy. According to the brothers, it all comes down to the audience. It becomes essential as musicians to be able to entertain and meet the expectations of the band’s fans. It would not sound far-fetched to say that The Bots have already achieved that.

With thousands of fans on their garage punk boat, the Lei brothers are not just meeting expectations, as they unassumingly put, but also leaving an indelible mark with their creative fusion. I believe there could have been no better band to play in the City of Brotherly Love other than the two brothers who epitomize it.

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