By ERIC SCHELKOPF One would be hard pressed to find a band of any genre playing with as much passion as modern folk duo Neulore.
The Nashville group, www.neulore.com, comprised of Adam Agin and William T. Cook, later this year will release its full-length debut album, "Animal Evolve," the follow-up to its 2010 EP, "Apples & Eve." Neulore will bring that passion and energy to Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, on June 6. Chicago band Tall Walker also is on the bill. The show starts at 10 p.m. and tickets are $10, available at www.schubas.com. I had the chance to talk to Agin about the new album.
Q - Great talking to you. How was the Communion tour? Do you think you complemented the other bands on the tour? The
tour was great. Our favorite shows were the last week of the run. Iowa
was a wild one!
Yeah, each night had some variety which I think the
crowd enjoyed. Between us, Bootstraps, and Busy Living, we all have our
different strengths. And I think people really enjoyed the differences.
Q - Your
full length debut, "Animal Evolve," will be released later this year.
The first single, "Shadow of a Man," has already been featured on the
show "Grey's Anatomy." Has that helped to give the band a buzz even
before the album is released?
Yeah, it's been a slow build. Which is a good pace for us, and now
there's always a few people singing along at shows, which is a good time
for us.
Q - It seems like there should be a story behind the song "Shadow of a Man." Is there?
We all have had that close friend or loved one that has taken a wrong
path in their life. It's about celebrating the good in them even with
their new wounds.
Q - For people who enjoyed your "Apples & Eve" EP, what should they
expect from the new album? How do you think your sound has evolved since
you recorded "Apples & Eve?" It's aggressive, cinematic, reverent, and heartfelt. We pushed ourselves
to get uncomfortable, so we used some new textures for this album that
we've never used.
Q - It took the group 2 1/2 years to make "Animal Evolve." In sitting down
to make the album, what were your goals and do you think you achieved
them?
We wanted to make something bigger than us. We didn't want it to be the
same as the last project cause we've grown as men since then, and one
can hope that the music would be an example of that.
It's everything
that was inside of us when we made it.
Q - I understand that the band's name means "new folklore." How do you think the band's name describes your music?
It actually is defined as "The beginning of a Tradition" or "A new story." We wanted it to show that we value growth and something that lasts. Q - Folk music has been enjoying a resurgence of popularity for the past few years. Why do you think that is?
Folk music is rooted in a good story. And that's still what people want.
No matter the medium, a captivating story is what we all want to
experience. Q - After
"Animal Evolve" comes out, what are the band's plans for the rest of
the year? Does the band have any short-term and long-term goals?
I'm sure there will be plenty of miles ahead of us. Other than that, we
are just gonna ride the wave of where this project wants to go.
There's
plenty of goals. We are big dreamers. We work hard and shoot for the
stars, so we'll have to see where the record wants to take us.
By ERIC SCHELKOPF Chicago blues musician Dave Specter will likely garner even more fans with his latest album, "Message In Blue," released on May 20 on Chicago-based Delmark Records. The album shows off his versatility, featuring everything from growling Chicago blues to Latin rhythms. Soul legend Otis Clay and other guest stars only add to the album's electricity. Specter, www.davespecter.com, will perform June 11 at an album release party at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Clay, as well as Brother John Kattke and Bob Corritore, who also appear on the album, are a few of the special guest stars set to appear in the show. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are available by going to www.ticketweb.com. I had the chance to talk to Specter about the new album.
Q - "Message In Blue" was just released. In sitting down to make the
album, what were your goals and do you think you achieved them?
It's
my first studio recording in four years and I wanted to make an album that
featured all the styles of music and blues that I love to play. I've
been writing quite a bit of new music over the past few years and was
glad to record eight original tunes on the album.
I'd like to think this is
very much a Chicago music album - from soul to R&B, a touch of jazz and different shades of blues. That's the "message," I guess you could say.
Having
Otis Clay as a featured guest on three tunes is a real thrill and I'm
really proud of the tracks we cut with him. He was truly inspiring to
work with in the studio - so much blues and deep soul power!
I think
that Brother John Kattke is also one of the MVP's on the album. Check
out his vocals on "Chicago Style" (co written w/ Bill Brichta) and Same
Old Blues - not to mention his stellar keyboard work throughout the
album.
Q - How did you hook up
with Otis? Did you have him in mind for those three songs from the
beginning?
I
probably first met Otis around 25-30 years ago back when he was playing
clubs around Chicago. I'll never forget seeing him with the legendary
Hi Rhythm Section at B.L.U.E.S on Halsted.
Tad
Robinson and I cut one of his tunes, "I Die A Little Each Day" back in
the mid-90s on my "Live in Europe" album and I've sat in with Otis a
number of times over the years.
I
chose two of the songs on the album, "Got to Find a Way," which Otis
first cut back in the 60s, and "I Found a Love," which has always been
one of my favorite deep soul cuts. I thought Otis would be
perfect covering it.
Otis
chose "This Time I'm Gone For Good" and I'm so glad he did as
his vocals really capture the soulful intensity of the tune. I've
recorded with some great singers, but working with Otis is about as good
as it gets.
Q - "This Time I'm Gone For Good" was recorded
as a tribute to the late Bobby Blue Bland. What do you think was his
greatest contribution to the music world?
Bobby
Bland was simply one of the greatest blues and R&B singers of all
time. He produced an amazing body of work with a long list of classic songs and
albums.
His early Duke sides are my favorites along with "His California Album" and "Dreamer" albums from the '70s.
Q - You
are just coming off an extensive European trip. How did that go? I've
heard that European audiences are more receptive to the blues than
American audiences. How do you find European audiences compared to
American
audiences?
Well, we just played 14 shows in eight countries in 17 days - so I think I've finally recovered...
Very
cool tour with great audience response. The European fans don't take us
for granted. They respect the music and show it. They also buy our
albums and often show up to gigs with entire collections of your work
wanting autographs. European audiences are generally more reserved and
polite than here in America, which can be a bit of an adjustment.
Q - I
understand you were first introduced to the blues listening to "The
Midnight Special" show on WFMT. Was there any artist in particular that
got you interested in the blues?
I
grew up in a very musical home here in Chicago where my parents loved
listening to WFMT's "Midnight Special" as well as Studs Terkel's radio
show - where I first heard Big Bill Broonzy, Leadbelly, Josh White and
Mahalia Jackson, who my dad really loved.
My older brother (who plays
harp) also turned me onto the blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and
Junior Wells - as he'd tell me about seeing them perform live when I was
just a kid.
Q - You
toured with the likes of Son Seals, Hubert Sumlin and Sam Lay before
forming your own band in 1989. What did they teach you? How do you think
your playing has evolved over the years? Hubert
taught me that developing an original style of playing is what it's all
about. Don't copy other players. Be yourself.
Hubert was also so
encouraging as I first toured with him and Sam Lay when I was only in my
early 20s. It took me awhile to learn Hubert's lesson and I wish so
many of the blues guitarists on today's scene - that seem to make a
living copying what other guitarists recorded on Chess Records 50 or 60
years ago - would listen to his advice as well.
The blues world would be
a lot more vital, contemporary and interesting if they did.
I
learned a great deal from playing and touring with Son Seals for two
years - I admired his commanding stage presence, interplay with horn
sections and his all for business "no shtick" interaction with his
audience. I
spent more of 80 percent of those gigs with Son just playing rhythm guitar -
which every guitarist should be required to do to become a complete
player.
Sam
Lay was also very encouraging back when I was in my early 20s - and
taught me that the color of one's skin has nothing to do with whether or
not you can play the blues.
One of the
things that keeps me going in this crazy business is that I feel I'm
improving and growing as a guitarist and a musician with age. I'm
writing more and more and hopefully developing more of my own sound and
style over time.
Q - What
do you think of the Chicago blues scene compared to other blues scenes
around the country? What can be done to boost the interest in blues
music in general?
Well,
Chicago still probably has more places to play and hear blues than
anywhere in the world. The tourist element has watered down the scene,
but there are still some excellent players here.
Having
come up on the scene in the '80s when you could hear blues like Otis
Rush, Buddy and Junior, Lonnie Brooks, Magic Slim, Hubert Sumlin,
Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Rogers and Pinetop Perkins on a weeknight or every
weekend, I'd have to say that today's scene doesn't quite measure up.
I
think the overall interest in blues music is fairly strong - although
it's still, and probably always will be - an alternative musical form.
Another
crossover artist like Stevie Ray Vaughan is probably what's needed to
garner more attention for the blues today...let the purists cringe - but
that's what it will take for the blues to reach a wider audience.
Q - You've played and recorded with so many musicians over the years, including
Pinetop Perkins, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Do you have any dream projects
or collaborations?
Thanks.
I feel lucky to have gown up here in Chicago. Other than wishing I
could enter a time machine and play behind Muddy - or play a few tunes
with B.B. King while he's still with us, I'd love to collaborate on a
project bringing musicians from Chicago and New Orleans together.
Two of
my favorite musical places on earth, with very different - yet similar
and soulful - musical sounds and styles.
By ERIC SCHELKOPF The name of The Safes' new album, "Record Heat," only hints at the energy displayed on the album. To celebrate the release of the new album, Chicago band The Safes - comprised of brothers Frankie, Patrick and Michael O'Malley, www.thesafes.com - will perform May 31 at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Penthouse Sweets, The Phenoms and The Red Plastic Buddha also are on the bill. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $8, available at www.martyrslive.com. "Record Heat," which was released April 29 through Wee Rock Records, www.weerockrecords.com, was recorded by Jim Diamond, known for his work with The White Stripes and The Sonics along with Jason Ward, known for his work with Arcade Fire, as well as Patrick O'Malley. I had the chance to talk to Frankie O'Malley about the new album.
Q - Great talking to you again. "Record Heat" is even more energetic than your last EP, "Thanks To You." In sitting down to make the album, what were your goals and do you think you accomplished them?
Thank you! Our goal was what is always is, make the best music we can! We are very happy with "Record Heat!"
Q - How did you hook up with Jim Diamond and Jason Ward and what do you think they brought to the table?
http://thesafes.bandcamp.com Jim Diamond came out to see us at SXSW a few years back and asked us to come back to his studio to record and we were happy that he went out of his way to approach us about working together again.
And Jason saw us play a show he was doing sound for and we talked about recording that night and he was into working with us which was awesome!
Q - The album's first video, "Hopes Up, Guard Down," was directed by Mike Hindert of The Bravery. What was your vision for the video and how did you hook up with Hindert?
Yes, Mike made that video by myself, he's very talented with video and film in addition to music! Great video!
We became friends with Mike on The Bravery's last tour when we played the after party for their concert at The Vic Theatre. That was a fun night!
Mike has released some of our music on his label Merrifield Records and made a video for our single, "She's So Sad."
Q - The band has been touring extensively since the release of the album. Are you looking to widen your fan base with the release of "Record Heat?"
Oh yeah!! Touring is going great and people are loving "Record Heat," really widening the fan base!!! More touring to come!!!
Q - Do you have a favorite track on the album? Is there a meaning behind the album's name?
My favorite track is "Hope Up Guard Down." Such an amazing song, I don't know how Patrick writes his songs, I'm just lucky I get to be in a band with the best songwriter on Earth!
"Record Heat," I think the title says it all.
Q - You've said that the song "Ace For a Face" embodies the entire vibe of "Record Heat." Is the song also a reference to Ace the Face in "Quadrophenia?"
Yes, "Ace For A Face" embodies the entire vibe of the album in my opinion. No reference to "Quadrophenia" as far as I know, Patrick wrote "Ace For A Face," I don't really know what it's even about
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene these days and where do you see the band fitting into it?
I think the Chicago Music Scene is smashing, and that The Safes are a welcome fixture.
Chiara Mangiameli, founder of Chicago-based Studio Mangiameli,www.studiomangiameli.com, and female lead in Rick Bayless's acclaimed "Cascabel," will present her annual show at the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., Chicago, from May 30 to June 1.
"Tides" will feature more than 40 dancers, of all ages and from
various backgrounds, addressing the events that changed their lives
through flamenco dance and song forms with live accompaniment by
musicians. More information is available at http://www.studiomangiameli.com/#!shows/c5k2.
I had the chance to talk to Mangiameli about the upcoming production.
Q - "Tides" will open later this month. What was your idea for the show and how have your students taken to it?
The idea for this show (as well as most of the theatrical student
showcase productions I've directed so far), was to weave some of the
dancers' personal experiences into the various choreographies, in order
for them to have an investment in the dances that goes beyond simply
memorizing steps. http://vimeo.com/87824537 "Tides" is ultimately about moments in our lives,
experiences, that have left us reeling in some way, altering the
landscape of who we are. It's about transformation, resilience, the
ability to surprise oneself by surviving, thriving, adapting and
growing.
Q - What are some of the fundamental things that you try to convey to your students?
As far as the actual dance form, I try to convey the idea that flamenco
dancers are also musicians. They are a reflection of the dynamics,
rhythm and mood of the music at any given time.
Not just through
constant movement, but also through stillness, because that too, is part
of the musical landscape. Ultimately to reflect the music you must
listen, be receptive and make yourself tender and emotionally available
to it.
Quite possible a life long struggle for any dancer.
I try to convey that personal expression is crucial, not just because it
reaches and impacts the audience, but because it's transformational for
the performer. It teaches us to invest ourselves fully in what we're
doing. Not be a bystander to our own experiences.
Q - "Tides" will also feature original live music from several flamenco and
world music players, including Carlo Basile of Las Guitarras De España,
guitarist Diego Alonso and percussionist Bob Garrett, who will soon to
appear in Sting’s new musical, "The Last Ship." Why did you want to work
with them and what do you think they bring to the show?
I've worked with the same musicians for years now and I find that with
each project, we come closer to understanding, anticipating and finding
ways to emphasize our individual aesthetics and strengths. Carlo brings a
beautiful classical guitar sensibility and approach to composing music and Diego brings the more syncopated, percussive elements of the flamenco
guitar as well as a keen understanding of all flamenco song forms and
variations.
Together, these two guitarists bring a wealth of ideas and
emotional depth and maturity to the work. Bob is the glue that holds it
together with his tremendous knowledge of world percussion.
Q - World-renowned flamenco singer Vicente “El Cartucho” Griego will be the
show's special guest. What do you think he brings to the production?
Vicente is a friend and tremendous singer. His voice, much like his
personality, is larger than life, warm and soulful. He's also extremely
well versed in all flamenco "palos" or songs and brings great
authenticity and energy to the stage.
Q - You will again be part of "Cascabel" this summer. What made you want to
do the show again? Why do you think it has been such a hit with
audiences?
How can I possibly turn down the opportunity to dance with Rick Bayless six days a week, taste his food every day and collaborate once again with
the incredible talent that Lookingglass manages to recruit? It also
gives me a needed hiatus from my studio to gather inspiration and ideas.
It's a way for me to go back to my acting roots while incorporating
flamenco into the mix.... it's coming full circle with my career in some
way and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of Chicago's
thriving theater community. I think it was successful because it
combined an extremely high end dinner experience with phenomenal and
very unique talent and acts, and a very romantic tale of lost love.
The
word "magical" was one I heard a lot from audience members...
Q - What do you think of the flamenco music and dance scene in Chicago these days and where do you see it headed in the future?
There is no doubt that the community is growing and that flamenco is
getting more recognition in Chicago. As with most art forms I think the
dancers, singers and musicians that are most invested in it will
struggle, study and create until they've found their own voice beyond
the strict tradition of flamenco and the burden we all sometimes feel in
trying to internalize and personalize an art form that is not a part of
our culture.
By ERIC SCHELKOPF Cassie Moran knows how important it is to give students the resources they need so they can achieve their dreams.
Moran, founder of the Chicago-based music management company Moxie Rock, www.moxierockmanagement.com, is teaming up with the nonprofit organization Supplies for Dreams to present the Dream Loud benefit show on May 24 at The Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison St., Chicago. Supplies for Dreams, www.suppliesfordreams.org, provides Chicago Public Schools students with resources and extra-curricular activities, including basic school supplies and one-on-one mentoring. Dream Loud will feature bands Jose and Me, Common Shiner, Cellrs, The Dead Hands and The Holy Motors. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, available at www.ticketweb.com.
I had the chance to talk to Moran about the upcoming show. Q - Great talking to you. How did the show come together and what are your goals for the show?
I became involved with Supplies for Dreams in 2013 when I chaperoned a
field trip and was able to interact with the CPS students (Supplies'
Award-a-field-trip program). After this, I immediately wanted to become
more involved and eventually joined the Associates Board for the
organization.
The board is comprised of young professionals from a
variety of backgrounds. Aside from Award-a-field trip, we also provide
all of our partner schools with school supplies and provide one-on-one
mentoring for the students.
After speaking with several musicians about the organization, it became
clear to me that there was an opportunity to put together something that
encompassed both my passion for the organization and the local music
scene here in Chicago. One of the main goals of the show is to spread
the word about this organization to the 20 and 30-somethings in the city
and provide information on ways to get involved.
The second goal of the
show is to provide these local bands with an opportunity to support an
organization that directly influences the youth in this city.
Q - I know that you manage the band Common Shiner. How did the lineup for
the show come together? Do you think the bands complement one other?
One thing that was really important to me in putting together this
lineup was that these bands were all local and that they were excited
about supporting the organization. All of the bands on this lineup have
been very enthusiastic about Supplies for Dreams and our goals to expand
both awareness and our programs in the next year - when I initially
pitched the idea, they immediately wanted to be a part of it and help.
As with any bill I put together, I spend a lot of time focusing on how
the bill builds throughout the night and how the sound transitions
between the bands. I think the lineup has depth and accomplishes the
build I was looking for.
Q - This is a busy month for you. You are also the exclusive talent buyer
for The Throne Room in Chicago, which opens this month. How are you able
to juggle everything?
With a lot of organization and support! I am lucky and grateful that I
have a team in both Supplies For Dreams and The Throne Room that is
ready to pitch in and help when needed.
Photo by Kelly Burke
Both of the owners of The Throne
Room have been very supportive of Supplies for Dreams and our mission,
and likewise, my fellow Supplies for Dreams board members are very
supportive of my position at The Throne Room!
I won't say I'm not very
busy this month! But it's a very good kind of busy! Not everyone gets to
spend so much of their time focusing on the things that they love to
do.
Q - Can we expect you to organize more benefit shows like this in the
future? Are there any particular charities that you would like to work
with?
Absolutely. I plan to make Dream Loud an annual staple in Chicago for
Supplies for Dreams.
And I would absolutely like to support some other
organizations I feel passionate about as well. Another organization in
particular would be Trio Animal Foundation.
I've had the opportunity to
participate in a few of their volunteer days at the shelter they work
with. Trio helps rescues and individuals by paying the medical bills of
homeless pets in the city.
The other organization I would like to work
with at some point is Rock for Kids, which focuses on providing music
education to children in need.
Q - What do you think of the current music scene in Chicago and how do you
think it compares with other music scenes around the country?
I think we have a lot of potential to be a really solid and connected
scene. Right now, I think we're a bit fragmented in comparison with some
other major cities.
You tend to see a lot of bands get to the next
level and then leave Chicago, instead of staying and really solidifying
what Chicago music is. In the past year, however, I've really seen a
major effort to bring the local scene together (e.g., The Music Summit
in 2013).
We have such a wealth of talent here, so the more we can come
together, work with the city and each other, I think the more successful
we'll be at defining Chicago music as a whole.
By ERIC SCHELKOPF Cold Basement Dramatics in Chicago continues to present thought-provoking productions.
Its latest production, "The Half-Life of Memory," tells the story of a deteriorating former Manhattan Project physicist who has discovered that radioactive material can be extruded from his memory.
Written by local playwright and actor Jason Lindner, "The Half-Life of Memory," will run from June 6 to June 29 at the DCASE Storefront Theatre, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago. More information is at www.coldbasement.org.
I had the chance to talk to Lindner about "The Half-Life of Memory."
Q - I understand that the character of Salek is loosely based on one of
your relatives, Professor Severin Raynor, who worked on the Manhattan
Project. Did his stories inspire you to write "The Half-Life of
Memory?"
Many
years ago I was introduced to the Radium Girls… in the early days
of misunderstood radioactivity they were employed painting radium on
the dials of watches – so those dials would glow in the dark…
they used very fine brushes to do their work and that meant licking
the brushes to make sure they kept their point.
You can only imagine
what happened to the poor radium girls with the glow-in-the-dark
tonsils. But no one knew what would happen– they didn’t
understand the consequences.
That was the dawn of the atomic age and
from there knowledge was something that was always the second step.
Even as the most brilliant scientists in the world began to build the
atomic bomb, the drive was about how to finish and not what would
happen when it was done. But then it was done.
Starting
from a point of this kind of darkness, mystery, and confusion behind
atomic power, I was inspired by the work and tales of my relative to
write "The
Half-Life of Memory."
He was a seriously tough guy – one of those tough guy Jews - more
Mickey Cohen and less Woody Allen.
He helped build the casing for the
bomb, he was a renowned professor and in his declining years, fell
into dementia. What might that be like, I considered, to be faced
with the fact of the bomb, of your integral work, on something that
had caused such horror, especially if you had spent your life
suppressing it, not thinking about it?
What might an addled mind
exhale into a warped reality to force you to remember? That was where
"The
Half-Life of Memory"
germinated – and, of course, the story is quite a bit different
than the real life of Severin Raynor, but it was certainly the
impetus, and I looked to his spirit for inspiration and for
recrimination if something seemed not quite right.
He
was a fascinating guy and a sarcastic son of a bitch. He told me that
he moved to the suburbs so as to be out of the blast radius if an
atomic bomb landed on Chicago.
He told me (winking) that paganism was
where it’s at – because of the proliferation of nymphs. He told
me that if you fight with brass knuckles to try to punch up under the
ribs and maybe pop a lung. I was eleven at the time.
He
and his wife traveled the world, she was a famous photographer. They
together had a power and grace that I still remember and when she was
gone, after her own bout with Alzheimer’s, I remember him as a
wrecked shell – jagged and hard, but still with a biting wit and
lung-popping hilarious dark humor.
Did
I mention "Half-Life
of Memory"
is a comedy? Well, there’s a lot of comedy in it, anyhow.
Q - How
long had you been working on the play and is it being staged as you
envisioned?
I
originally wrote "The
Half-Life of Memory"
as my thesis for graduation from the MFA playwriting program at the
Yale School of Drama (‘02). It hasn’t exactly sat in a drawer
since that time, but I have been careful with it, considering how I
would like to revise it for subsequent production.
The
amazing folks at Cold Basement were excited enough to give me the
space, time, and process I needed to really make the show hum as it
does in its present form. It wasn’t exactly as labor intensive as
gleaning radioactive material but it does have a certain glow now.
As
for staging – though I have a kind of vision, I don’t feel that’s
really the realm of the playwright alone. I leave it up to our
capable director, Sophie Blumberg, and the actors, and amazing
technical folks. It’s a collaborative process that has a beauty to
it in all of its composite parts.
I
guess all that is to say – "The
Half-Life of Memory"
is most certainly not
being staged as I envisioned it, and that is the most wonderful thing
about it – because my vision is limited to just me… and in
collaboration, a theatre piece becomes alive as the power of all
these wonderful minds are unleashed on it.
It would be terrible if
a play was staged as I envisioned it… how boring is that?
Q - What
would you like audiences to take away from "The
Half-Life of Memory"
when it opens next month? Is the play as timely now as when the
Manhattan Project was going on in World War II?
Growing
up, I thought that when any family got together for a meal, or for
Thanksgiving, or whatever, the topic of conversation would always be
WWII. My family was made up of survivors of the holocaust and they
left Europe in the 1950s.
For me, WWII then will always be present
and as part of a meal or a conversation as a piece of chocolate cake
and a cup of coffee. That being said, the fact of the war and the
Manhattan project are secondary in the play.
Of course the play
didn’t exist during World War II (it would have been pretty
prescient if it did).
However,
the backdrop of the building of the atomic bomb is used in "The
Half-Life of Memory" as
metaphor to tie more specifically to the theme of trying to
understand the past and living with guilt or regret. This is a memory
play within the context of the Manhattan project, but the war is only
one war and the bomb is just another bomb, wars rage and bombs hit
their targets in ourselves all the time.
What
do we do with the explosions? Where do they go? If the universe is
conserved (a preoccupation of mine these days) then memories and
present events “happen” simultaneously. What are the implications
of that on a scientist who is slowly losing his marbles?
Of
course, every audience member will take what they will from this
story, but I hope they are affected and have a chance to consider
legacy, memory, and have a bit of a laugh through the dark cynicism
of it all. Severin would have appreciated the laugh.
Q - You've
written and performed for Second City. Why do you think Second City
is such a launching pad, especially for budding comics?
Second
City maintains a kind of raw energy that makes it spectacular – the
ions of charged atmosphere bleed from the walls. The fact that as a
neophyte I could stand on the same stage and breathe the same
particulates that a Belushi or an Ackroyd or Colbert once breathed
made for a real charge and as a young comic that makes all
possibilities seem vibrant and accessible.
In
my first class, the first exercise we ever did involved marching up
on stage and announcing “I am an Improv God, so Fuck it!”
Everything from there was an attempt to keep up that kind of free
expression. It’s a beautiful place.
Q - What
are your favorite topics to write about and why? How has it been
seeing your work showcased by the likes of Disney and Fox TV?
I’m
a dark humor and satire guy – all of my plays live in a kind of
morass of comedy, dark and thick as nutella, on pumpernickel. My
plays tend to be story based with characters inhabiting a story,
rather than the other way round – though I am envious of writers
whose characters seem to talk to them in the corners of their living
rooms, that’s not really my speed – I like a plot and a story and
then the characters live inside there.
There
are so many talented people out there it is truly depressing… I
mean.. uh inspiring (but also depressing). You consider that you have
these gifts to bear and then you go somewhere like Disney and see a
bevy of Kings from the Orient with myrrh to spare all piled into a
corrugated metal warehouse.
It’s a tricky thing because out there
in the large entertainment conglomerates they are beholden to many
masters. There’s perfection that can be achieved in that system,
but there’s great restriction too.
Q - Do
you have any dream projects?
I
am fascinated by the possibilities of technology in theater – I
wonder what can be done when the proscenium is atomized and an
audience is online as well as in person. What possibilities does that
open up?
I
recently wrote a play that was performed by an actor in Singapore
(the director was in Argentina) for an audience at the Edinburgh
Fringe festival. It was rehearsed and performed entirely via Skype.
That was exciting to me – how can we open up the world like that?
Three dimensional projection technology and artificial intelligence
are aspects I’d like to weave into future projects too.
Also,
interactivity is not a fad, people desire their theatre to give them
the option of investing in it as more than an observer. What is the
extreme there, how can we move people with what they are able to
contribute while still giving them a story and allowing them the
chance to be captivated.
How does the theatrical medium stay vital
in that context? I’m not sure – but I am excited to find out.
On
the other hand.. just give a solid director three blocks and a few
top-notch actors and it’s possible to magically perform any play in
the world.
