La Canada Flintridge 2011 Shakespeare Festival

In the spirit of helping folks find stuff to do for your third year of staycation I have a peace offering to the theater. If you are near the La Canada Flintridge boarder I ask that you give serious consideration to a live theater experience at the La Canada Flintridge Shakespeare Festival.I've got something for you.This ain't your pappy's set of dry ole performances. I got the straight skivvy from one of the performers that MacBeth has been reinterpreted:Inspired...

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The 21st Century Political Minstrel Video Show

Some of my questions have been answered and new ones take their place. This is hopefully my last post on the political media connections to the traditional form of minstrel theater.It is my exploration. If you don't know what minstrel theater is check out my prior posts on the subject:The Minstrel Show - Minstrel 101The Minstrel Show - History in a NutshellThe Minstrel Show - I've Seen This BeforeOnce again, this isn't about white people bashing. Minstrelsy is the mother of burlesque, vaudeville, stand-up comedy, slap stick, Bugs Bunny, Laugh-In...

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The Make Up Wonder Woman

Those of use who are nerd/geek girls who read the original comic book have seen Wonder Woman in skirts, shorts, panties and damn near thongs.Wonder Woman is the icon that made the other female comic super heroes possible. This is advertisement for MAC cosmetics. Diana, Princess of Paradise Island also known as Themyscira has fought many foe but I don't re-call that she used make-up to do it. The ad was a tie-in to the proposed television series. It appears that NBC has rejected the pilot so the new television show isn't gong to happen for 2011....

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The Minstrel Show - Minstrel 101

So, in my exploration of how this video, Give Us Your Cash, a racist, sexist low class statement about a politician qualifications came into being? It is too easy to go with the usual answers.You have to look at the American minstrel heritage to get a better understanding. This is a look at the structure of the performances.It was a free for all until a structured theatrical format was created. Many of the sources that I read cite E.P. Christy's...

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June Gloom 2011

It is the middle of June Gloom. It happens every year. It is depressing for those of us that need sunlight.People that revel in the overcast clouds and morning drizzle are happy. You can tell. They are the ones not complaining about the lack of sun.Me? I'm miserable. Ok, maybe sun deprived. Same thing. When I am walking around I try to look at the surroundings. What has changed? Is it their any more?The above photo is the Pasadena Museum of Art....

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The Minstrel Show - History In a Nutshell

This is by necessity a conflated history of the theatrical minstrel show. The short version is that since the meeting of Africans and Europeans on American soil there has been minstrel performances and shows.I'm starting in the 1900s but it goes back much further in time. This is where the tangles of history get complicated. In order for white folks to create theatrical minstrel shows you had to have black people, Christianity and spirituals.There...

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The Minstrel Show or I've Seen This Before?

I only have a surface understanding of the minstrel show. In the late 1960s and 1970s I was raised during a time of black power, affirmation and determination.I knew about vaudeville. I knew about white performers in black face. It was a history I could read then walk away. It was gone. There were other things to learn about.So I thought.Some of you have no idea of what I am talking about. This is a clip with Slim Williams, performing in black face make-up, his mayoral political stump speech:Have I Lost My Flipping Mind?No.I have been getting mighty...

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My Inner Child Required This Purchase

I was born with the frugal gene. I come from a long line of women who can indeed stretch a dollar or two. Yes, I have weaknesses but books are more a necessity than an expense.My point is that I don't spend willing on clothing. Cameras? Yes. Books? Of course. Clothing? Meh.I'm minding my own business as I am procrastinating up a storm when I see this photo of the t-shirt.You gotta understand. I had no choice. In the name of Doctors #4, #7, #8 and...

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Where The Heck Have I Been?

I've been down in the dumps. Not a fun place to visit and you don't want to live there. There are legions of people who will tell you that you should fight your way out, just do it. Move forward and seize the day. Kind of like pull yourself up from your bootstraps. My bootstraps are stressed. I need new boots. My feet ache. Metaphorically speaking.The phrase loving kindness. popped into my head. I need to apply it to myself. So I have.I need to have a time out except I can't take one. So I've pulled back a bit. I have given myself permission...

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I've Never Been to Me on the Finally Friday Freakout

I'm still searching for an adventure to juice my imagination. I've become a drone. I was gong to take a cooking class just to experience taking a day long cooking class. It was cancelled.I just missed out on a photographic workshop in New Mexico. It was happening this weekend. Couldn't do it on short notice. Ah me. Unlike the lyrics of this song, I need to find a bit of paradise so I can get my bearings.This is Charlene singing her hit, "I've Never Been to Me."I've made mistakes this week and survived them. Took naps when I needed. Finally faced...

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I Need A Road Trip or Something

I'm thinking that I need to go some place else. Do something different. I don't necessarily want to take a typical vacation.I don't want to jump bungee of a bridge either.I like the idea of a learning retreat. Then again I like the idea of going to a total new city and taking a photography or video workshop. Maybe to New Mexico or Washington State.I don't know.I do know that re-creation is important. I'm almost but not quite burned out.There are a lot of "I" in the above sentence. This is a good thing. I'm usually thinking of what others require...

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