And, as promised, more Noche Hispana info

Paulino  Brener, a teacher at the City of Lakes Waldorf School, a passionate artist, and frequent Patrick’s Cabaret guest-curator, has been doing theater and dance in the Twin Cities since 2001. This May 16 and 17 at 8 p.m., and May 17th at 2 p.m, he brings together talented local musicians, dancers, and poets to celebrate la cultura hispana. Nicolas Carter and his daughter Maliya Gorman-Carter  share folk music of Paraguay and Argentina, playing the harp, violin, and guitar. Dario Tangelson, an actor, director and teacher from Argentina, presents the mesmerizing “Dale que va,” in which a ghostly waiter character from a persistent past, stuck in time in a rundown bar from Buenos Aires, comments on life in general from the extreme gloomy logic of the tango spirit. Rebecca Mcdonals will present an original video based on a poem by local poet Teresa Ortiz. Jorge Gonzalez and Rachel Rogness, will perform guitar and violin pieces from Colombia, Argentina, Cuba and Spain. Corazón Latino will present traditional dances from the Northwest region of Argentina, as well as a modern dance which they have choreographed themselves. The trio “Raices” will demonstrate their dedication to the music of Latin America. And last but not least, Wendy Everett and her dance partner will present some traditional Mexican dances.
For more information, or to be put on Paulino’s mailing list, contact him at mail@paulino.info. Tickets will be available at the door, but can also be purchased online at paulino.info. See you there!

 

Do you have a short film?

“I am not dead yet/I can dance and I can sing/I am not dead yet/I can do the highland fling–”
Also, I can totally post info about upcoming chances for you to display your artistic prowess. I have mad updating skills like that.
Patrick’s Cabaret is looking for MN SHORT FILMS for it’s summer film series, “Movies in the Park (ing Lot)”. We need film/videos on the subject of Food/Health, Festivals, GLBT/Politics and Music Videos. Accepted shorts
films will be played before our the feature presentation, directors will be introduced and comp tickets to Patrick Cabaret will be given to the winning films as prizes. Please send dvds or web links to Mark Wojahn at xlart@comcast.net or 681 17th Ave NE #145 Mpls, MN 55413. DVD submissions will not be returned, there is no submission fee. DEADLINE MAY 14th, 2009.

February, Continued

Oh, yeah, this is Minnesota. *shivers* I have a friend who, whenever she’s cold, sings this little rhyme: “I’m a bald bunny and I got no fur, I’m a bald bunny, brr brr brr!”

…what? You expected me to have mentally stable friends?

In any case, to avoid the pitiable plight of the wretched bald bunny this weekend, you should hop on over to the Cabaret, which really warms up quick with the addition of a few dozen people’s body heat. You’ll forget it’s winter! Unless you, you know, look outside. Plus we’ll be serving hot coffee, and possibly hot cider. It’s really past hot cider season, but we had some last time, so we served it in proud defiance of the secret agents of the Cider Police. We’re edgy like that.

And in case the promise of heat is not enough to lure you into our grasp–though if it isn’t, really, I have to ask, did you have all of your sensory apparatus removed?–allow me to hand you our website’s outline for this weekend:

Anne and Kate Johnson                                                                                                                                                                                  Anne and Kate Johnson, The Mountain Mammas, will share the old-time music they have grown to love. While Anne and Kate have settled far from Appalachia physically, their hearts and voices will always be West Virginian. Brought up by the rivers and mountains they love to sing about, the sisters began singing in church and evolved into a harmonizing duo, playing original and traditional music anywhere from coffee shops to campfires. Although Anne and Kate are both songwriters, they enjoy singing old-time mountain music the most, and consider their Mountain Mamma act a tribute to their family and friends back home in the hills.

Mahmoud Hakima presenting “Uncivilized Stories in a Civilized World”

Confession: I don’t have a lot of detail available, so I don’t know what to expect from this show. Other than that it will rock, becasue Mahmoud Hakima is as talented an actor as you could hope to find. Brace yourselves for the awesome.

The Vibrant Ideal

The Vibrant Ideal is a group of energetic young adults who have formed together under the direction of Fringe-Encore Winner, John-Mark Hostetler, to perform cabaret style dance and vocal numbers. Between the ages of 18 and 21, The Vibrant Ideal are bringing the Minneapolis community a fresh new way to look at musical performance. The choreography is hip-hop uniquely infused with modern and enough energy to bring down the house. All performers are pursuing a dance or vocal performance major at the University of Minnesota.

“Sorry, I forgot”
Choreographed and Directed by Molly Stoltz with dancers:
Galen Higgins, Caleb Housely, Mackenzie Beck-Esmay,Lauren Baker,Yui Kanzawa
This original dance/dance theater work was created in collaboration with the cast of five dancers and the choreographer, based on their own experiences and how they interact as humans, and not necessarily artists, during rehearsals. All involved are current dance majors at the University of Minnesota.

The piece is inspired by the human quality of forgetfulness. Every day, it is inevitable that someone will forget something- whether it is their paper for a class, an anniversary, to pick up the kids from school, to turn off the burner, to lock the front door, or to put on their pants in the morning. Sometimes those moments are easily fixed, and at other times they are not easy to ignore. How do the dancers deal with the many faces of forgetfulness, and more importantly, how do they deal with each other’s mistakes? Sometimes, the best that anyone can do is laugh it off and move on.

IT’S MYRTLE TIME!
Uh-Oh, Myrtle has gotten lost again. Everybody’s favorite 85 year old gal has lost her way in the big wide world. While out on her way to meet her heavy set friend Mavis for coffee Myrtle Hansen’s Chevy takes a wrong turn and winds up at Patrick’s Cabaret, in the wrong side of town While wandering through the joint Myrtle shares tales of why she NEVER trusts doctors, why the bread at communion should be changed to Wonder Bread, why Mavis has been under observation for her corns and how her lawn got on fire. WHEW. Bless her heart this woman needs someone to get up and let her sit down and rest a spell.
Todd Jay created the character of Myrtle after years of stifling repressed laughter listening to his grandmother talk as well as countless other weird funny old women that have crossed his path. Let’s face it……..old women are funny and in their own way, charming.

Mattson-Kjell Zust
singer/songwriter/recluse/patron saint of jilted trophy wives, has been called the “Tammy Wynette of emo” for lack of a decent genre/category. clever wit over rustic guitar and an accent that no one can quite place run rampant throughout each hymn for broken things. Mattson-Kjell is currently finishing over 12 dozen new songs in hopes to release 3-4 new albums within in the next two years. He’s also really bad at writing about himself due to his crazy-swedish humility.

 

Also, in case you were wondering, the latest Fresh Fruit appearance went off great. I’m really enjoying this opportunity to bring more people news of the happenings here at the Cabaret. If you didn’t catch it, you can listen online at http://www.kfai.org/node/89.

February

Holy Mother of Roddenberry, I can go outside today without my fingers instantly freezing into blocks of ice! Am I still in Minnesota? Or has the cold finally just deadened my nerves to the point where I can feel no pain?

In addition to this crazy tropical heat wave of 33 degrees Fahrenheit, the month of February is bringing in two open-call cabarets. Call me cheesy (remembering, of course, that you do so at your own peril), but I really think the open-calls exemplify theater at its very best, the adventure and the unpredictability and the thrill of the unknown all compressed down into two hours of sheer awesomosity.

Whoa. I could take that previous paragraph, put in between two slices of bread, and call it a ham and cheese sandwich.

It’s still true.

Anway, the first open-call cabaret of the month will be on the 7th and 8th from 8 to 10 PM. If you are within hearing range of me at this point, you should probably cover your ears to shield the tympanic membrane from a volume of squee I normally reserve for a particularly fluffy Bobby/Alex Criminal Intent fanfic, because the line-up sounds amazing. Kats D. Fukasawa will be presenting “Secret Affair of a Cherry Tree,” Joan Calof will honor immigrants and the impact they have had on our country in “Roots,” Irita Foucault will perform a song and dance extravaganza, there’ll be a dance choreographed by Denise Armstead, and the Halau Hula O Ka Hoku Akua hula school will present “Ke Alaula,” or “The Awakening.” 

Also, don’t forget that Patrick’s has a short guest-spot on KFAI Fresh Fruit (90.3 Minneapolis, 106.7 St. Paul) the second Thursday of every month now. I may not be able to make it this time (do try to stifle your sobs at the thought of being without my nervous stammerings) but I’ll do my best to make sure we get a guest or two to bring you exciting new info.

For more information on the artists and their acts, visit www.patrickscabaret.org and take a look at the calendar.

Elements in Translation

Hey, y’all, Arturo Miles has a new show this Friday and Saturday, Elements in Translation. Seeing as the last show he guest-curated filled up every available seat, necessitated a row of people sitting on the floor, and packed the lobby to the extent that I had to stand on the counter to see the show–I would definitely urge you to be there before 7:30.

The ’Elements in Translation’ series continues at Patrick’s Cabaret.

aneka mcmullen
debra mcgee
epitome no question
arturo miles
amy sackett
b-boy j-sun
kenna sarge
vocalist ashley gold

This time featuring choreographers-

an evening of hip-hop dance,modern, jazz, breakin,spoken word,and singing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and by the way, last week’s Spirit in the House=FANTABULOUS. Have I mentioned how much I want to kill people astronomically more musically or physically talented than me? (So, so much.) But then I wouldn’t get to listen to them sing and play musical instruments and dance, so I guess they’re safe. For now. *cue spooky music* Oh, and attending an Amy Salloway performance is now an official item on my Things to Do Again Before I Die list. The evening ended with a short preview film about the role of the queer tribal elder; if the eventual full-length movie is half as good it will still kick ass. Please visit www.gaywisdom.org to see how your contributions can help finish this important film.

Fresh Fruit and Spirit in the House (Spirit in the House!)

So if any of you listened to Fresh Fruit last Thursday you’ll get my “Spirit in the House!’ reference. And if not, well, why didn’t you? Still, all is not lost. You can listen at http://www.kfai.org/node/89. Dean Seal gives detailed and eloquent background on Spirit in House (both the annual tradition and the show going on tomorrow and Saturday) and whoever invented the word “um” sues me for trademark infringement. I did have fun, though, and you should go check it out.

Also, on a completely random side note, my voice sounds more like that of my older sister’s than I ever realized.

But! Time for ‘Spirit in the House’ info. Ta da!

January 16th and 17th at 8 PM

3010 Minnehaha Ave Minneapolis

Dean J. Seal presents Spirit in the House This time featuring: Leslie Ball with Music of the Spheres. Dean J. Seal with Backward Ecclesiastes. Theater for the Thirsty presents ’Something Priceless for Cheap’ Steven Solberg with the film “Standing On The Bones of Our Ancestors” with Dance by Ransomed Messengers and an Original Monologue by Amy Salloway Theater for the Thirsty presents Something Priceless for Cheap Songs and spoken word exposing broken hearts and bankrupt souls in the shadowed world of pornography. With Vanessa Gamble and Kelley Larson Ransomed Messengers is a inter-denominational Christian dance troupe seeking to share life journeys of struggle and hope through dance. We dance in a variety of styles but mostly a mix of modern, jazz and interpretive dance. Our dances celebrate God’s glory and reflect the stuff of life – stories from the heart that can’t always be expressed just in words. Amy Salloway is the creator and performer of three original solo comedies — “Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?”, “So Kiss Me Already, Herschel Gertz!”, and “Circumference” — all of which began their lives at the Minnesota Fringe Festival and have gone on to tour to Fringes, theatres, colleges, festivals, conferences and events all over the US and Canada (and beyond!). She can often be seen in cabarets and group shows around the Twin Cities like Rockstar Storytellers, Cheap Theater, Balls, and Women Stand Up! For more info, check out www.amysalloway.com. Steven Solberg presents “Standing On The Bones of Our Ancestors: Exploring The Role of The Queer Tribal Elder” a 21-Minute Preview of a feature length documentary in progress that illuminates the altruistic and spiritual dimensions of what it means to be GLBTQ and the vital need for elders to emerge in our communities.

Fresh Fruit

No, I did not fall down a well without Lassie or a similar canine counterpart to rescue me. I had finals. Kind of like falling down a well, but more painful. And then I wasn’t in the Twin Cities for awhile, because I went home for winter break. But I’m back now! And exciting things are happening! Including that new sign in the little Patrick’s Cabaret garden! (If it turns out that said sign has actually been there for months, please don’t tell me. I tend to possess the observational capabilities of a concussed sea cucumber, and am therefore inordinately proud when I do manage to notice anything in a relatively quick fashion.)

But the most exciting new thing happening is that Leigh Combs has invited me to be on Fresh Fruit tomorrow to talk about the Cabaret! Fresh Fruit is a program aired on KFAI (90.3 Minneapolis, 106.7 Saint Paul) since 1978, making it the longest running Queer radio show in the country. It goes from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM every Thursday. So tomorrow I make my premiere. *gulp* All my previous radio experience consists of watching my friend Colleen win a bajillion radio medals on the Eureka High School Speech Team. But I’m still totally psyched. (Am I allowed to say ‘psyched’ anymore? Or did I just time-warp deep into the past?) I’ll be talking about our new online gift store (blog post to come, in case you don’t catch the show) and interviewing Dean Seal about the newest Spirit in the House Cabaret (again, blog post to come, in case you don’t catch the show).

I Cannot Believe I Forgot to Wear My ‘I Heart Trekkies’ T-shirt to This

Arturo Miles, the guest-curator of the Somewhat Sci-fi Variety Show, is a frood who knows where his towel is.

Totes foshola.

I mean, wow. Just…wow. The energy, and the inventiveness, and the technique, the infinite diversity in infinite combinations, and just how damn fun it all was–wow. If there is ever a superlatives shortage, it will probably be from people carelessly using them all up to describe this show. The room was packed both nights, with Saturday becoming standing room only very quickly. (I’m short enough that Ferengi would tower over me, so I had to stand on the counter to see.) Normally my modus operandi now would be to deride and scorn those of you who could not make it, mocking the empty voids your lives must be, but honestly? I actually feel too bad for you to rub salt in the wound this time. This show kicked ass, took names, translated those names into Klingon, and pushed them through a stargate.

In a related story, I’ve decided that all of the dancers were secretly Replicators. Only entities made up of millions of individual units synchronized together perfectly could possibly move in the freakishly amazing ways they did. This fits in well with my theory that Tyler Jensen of last week’s Flaming Cabaret–he made the amazing film Garage Sale–is secretly Dr. Carson Beckett.

Recap:

Laura Rad: Amazing, laugh-out-out funny, true hilariousness with perfect comic timing. Because even in the future, 13-year-olds and Justin Timberlake will not be any more mature.

Anne Johnson/Nora Figl: Beautiful voices, great sense of fun, great nostalgic theme songs that really brought back the memories. And thank you for not doing the Enterprise theme–Star Trek themes are not meant to have lyrics. They’re just not.

Erin Shepard: Crap, I think the superlative shortage has just hit! Nooo! And just when I was going to go on about how her alien dance was so utterly kickass and mindblowing and sweet and fan-freaking-tastic!

Dancin’ Dave: Nice pants, man. Seriously, though, I wish my Disney-obsessed friends had been there to see hsi robotic take on Aladdin. Especially the angry kitten part. Wow. And how does he even get his legs to go that high? (Oh, right, Replicators. I forgot.)

Arturo Miles/J-sun/Daylight/Sequel: I haven’t read Dune in several years, but this dance brought all its sheer awesomeness and glory just rushing back. The dancing, the lights, the dancing, the mix, the dancing–these people officially now own my soul.

Madeline Howie: No, it’s the superlative shortage again! Just like in Spaceballs, except with superlatives and not air! Noooo! Okay, new superlatives, I’ve got to think: Fantabulous. Tremendous. Unbelievable. Whew, that was close.

Powder Puff Boys: Because I have run out of superlatives, I’m doing the most stereotypical Trekkie thing ever and translating ‘good’ into Klingon. Look, if I could find a website that did Bajoran I would do that, okay? Here goes: QaQ. Very QaQ.

Arturo Miles and Co: Look, y’all just kicked ass, okay? Repeatedly. Don’t make me go look up a Romulan translator.

And now for some background info on Arturo Miles himself:

He has always studied dance and visual art ever since he was a child. After studying dance in the metro area and becoming involved with the hip-hop company and producing shows, he’s entered a phase that incorporates all that he’s done in the past. Dance and art, he says, are a direct connection to the deeper sides of your self; through them we tell our stories and remind people of their emotional side. “When dancing, at that moment in time-nothing else matters.”

He’s guest currated at Patrick’s for almost two years now. He produced The Somewhat 80s Variety Show, a mix of comedy improv, singin, breakin, comedy modern, and lip sync, all with a unique interpretation of the 80’s. He also curated Elements in Translation, a mix of hip-hop dance form, breakin, modern dance, spoken word, and singing, which is about to hit its fourth run featuring local choreographers, musicians, and artists. And he’s also performed with the Three Dances Company during their fundraising events.

A big sci-fi fan, particularly of the Dune series, Miles discovered that many of the artists he had been working with were as well, as thus the idea of the Somewhat Sci-fi Variety show was born. Following the same set-up as his Somewhat 80s Variety Show, it interpretated sci-fi through a variety of mediums, including hip-hop, which Miles says has become “a global movement, and the newest style of dance/art. I love the dance music and scene. It’s a huge part of who I am as an artist.”

In conclusion, Arturo Miles says, “I’m all about variety, and the power of numbers. I’ve been fortunate enough to have an amazing community of artists to work with in the Twin Cities area. We are just getting started. I hope to bring a new level of entertainment to our already amazing art scene.”

To which I can only add:

Live long and prosper!

Sarah LaRose Holland

O Noble Readers of This Blog, I beseech thee, please extend your forgiveness to your most humble servant for my exgregious overuse of my laptop’s Copy-Paste function. Truly, I give far too easily into temptation, especially with a final performance due in Acting tomorrow and with Sarah LaRose Holland’s eloquent, editing-unnecessary responses to my e-mail interview sitting right within reach. Lo! I am weak, and offer less resistance than a fat kid doth to cake, or so 50 Cent would have us believe.

Anyhow, there shall be in the future another Kinetic Kitchen, and I swear on the soul of Gene Roddenberry, I will endeavor to actually write an article that time.

Behold, the fruits of my sin, the unedited e-mail interview:

1. What is it that you love most about the artistic work you do, and why?

 

As the presenter of the Kinetic Kitchen, I enjoy providing opportunity for choreographers to showcase their work. The series brings together artists that may or may not know each other and provides a vehicle for performing their work. It’s a great way for an artist to focus on the creation of their dances, and I take care of the nuts and bolts of helping them get their art onto the stage. This is very satisfying, helping choreographers get their work out in front of audiences.

2. How is performing at Patrick’s Cabaret different from doing so at other venues?

 

The Cabaret has a unique ambience and performance space. It’s very cozy and intimate. It’s not your typical black box performance space. The Cabaret has been a very good fit for the dance series. Interest in and support for the Kinetic Kitchen dance series has grown tremendously since relocating the dance series to Patrick’s Cabaret. The Cabaret also does a lot to help make presenting dance easier for me by allowing me to showcase the Kinetic Kitchen as a Guest Curator. The Cabaret allows me as a presenter to focus on presenting, similar to how the Kinetic Kitchen allows choreographers to focus on being choreographers. It’s a very good fit all around. Patrick Scully has also helped on a personal level to advise me as a presenter and has supported my dance series both personally and professionally. That personal connection with Patrick is also a very big reason why I so enjoy having the Kinetic Kitchen at Patrick’s Cabaret.

3. What would you say are the major influences on your work?

 

As a dance presenter, I’d say the big influences have been other venues that have allowed me opportunity to discover that I could start to showcase other people’s work. Christopher Watson has given me many opportunities over the years to help facilitate dance performances with multiple choreographers on the bill. He gave me the chance to organize some “2 Flights Up!” performances at his old dance school in the Calhoun Building in Uptown Minneapolis. Christopher also allowed me the chance to organize some of the outdoor “Dances at the Lakes Festival” held each summer in the Lake Harriet Rose Garden in Minneapolis. During my 7 year position as Artistic Director of Riverbend Dance Arts in Hastings, I also learned a lot about obtaining funding for performances and facilitating those events with the dance school and guest artists. Then I’ve also had the opportunity to realize the benefits of performing in shared performances through my professional career as a dancer and choreographer. When I first came up with the idea to start the Kinetic Kitchen, I contacted Laurie Van Wieren to find out if we could talk about her experiences as a Dance Presenter. She was very generous with sharing her ideas and experiences as Curator of “9 x 22: A Dance Lab”. Over the past few years, I’ve gotten the chance to collaborate and grow with the Dancers-Presenters Circle (DPC). Our most visible collaborations have been working together to compile a week of dance each year in celebration of National Dance Week in the twin cities.

4.What is one thing about yourself, your work, your philosophy, whatever, that you think should definitely make it into the blog post?

The Kinetic Kitchen is a dance series based in Minneapolis that showcases many styles of dance and movement. The series is based at Patrick’s Cabaret and performances are held about 3 times per year. There are usually 4 choreographers showcased in each Kinetic Kitchen. I also present a dance series for youth called the Kinetic Playground. This series takes place annually at the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley. Annual Playgrounds are held in January. For more information about either of these series, please visit http://www.mnartists.org/sarah_larose or contact Sarah LaRose-Holland at sarahlarose@hotmail.com Both the Kinetic Kitchen and Kinetic Playground were founded by Sarah in 2004. Kinetic Kitchen and Kinetic Playground events have been hosted at Patrick’s Cabaret, the Mounds Theatre, Varsity Theater, Old Arizona and the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

 

Kohl Miner

Okay, this is going to be a short post for two reasons:

1. It was a short e-mail interview. I was trying to catch up on the blog, and so I limited myself to the most basic of questions.

2. There is no way I can concentrate with the enthusiastically cheering Obama people outside my window, intriguing me more with every passing second as to what I’m missing.

Therefore, other than a passing observation that the incomparable Kohl Miner bears a striking resemblance to Q (the dazzling, puckish omnipotent thorn-in-the-side to Captain Picard) I shall do no original work here at all, and instead give you a slap-dash Copy-Paste of the interview. Please forgive me. It’s the first election I’ve gotten to vote in, and so much is riding on it, and I feel like I’m going to burst.

1. What is it that you love most about the artistic work you do, and why?

I love the story telling aspect of my work. I dig hearing laughter. I love the rehearsal process. I like the juxtaposition thing that happens in my story telling. Comedy is such an incredible teaching tool and it’s so incredibly healing. I am totally into being an entertainer. Though most of my writing is semi-autobiographical, there are pieces that have no basis in my reality. “Dreams of Cheerleading” [from the last Out Rage Us] is one of those pieces.

2. How is performing at Patrick’s Cabaret and/or Out Rage Us different from doing so at other venues?

The audiences at Patrick’s have always been incredibly supportive. It has always been one of my favorite places to perform.

3. What would you say are the major influences on your work?

Cheech and Chong, AIM, marijuana, early David Bowie, Monty Python, early Saturday Night Live and my grandmother