Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

June - Thanks to Downtown Partnership

Print out the calendar and let's party. By the way, take special note of the Happy Hour with food from Midtown BBQ and Brew.

The Baltimore Sun likes Midtown BBQ as much as I do. The Sun's reviewer, Eric Maza, wrote:

…Midtown might just be poised to become Mount Vernon’s happy hour nerve center again, thanks to a successful face-lift and a farm-to-table menu that is unapologetically traditional, rich and charmingly displayed on the plate…

Photo courtesy Baltimore Sun, Algerina Perna

…I’ll be coming back, not for the beer, not for the TV, but for an enormous rack of ribs that’ll last me for a couple of days…

…beef is organic, free-range, bought from a Pennsylvania farm and butchered and smoked in-house. This farm-to-table approach, rare among casual restaurants, is one of the restaurant’s assets…

June looks like it will rate high on the BrockelMeter.

Enjoy!

Casting Notice: Baltimore Area Swimmers

Here's the scoop from Taylor - Royall Casting:

We're seeking real swimmers (men, 20s, any ethnicity) for a union MD Lottery commercial. Must be actual athletes w/ competitive swimming experience, as you will need to race the length of the pool many times while filming. Bodies should be muscular, long, lean, and tall - should be able to pass for actual Olympic swimmers.

The NCAA says that competitive swimmers cannot be paid to participate in commercials, and would be disqualified from any future competitive swimming events if they do so. Therefore, we are looking for swimmers who are no longer competing on a team but still in good shape.

If you feel you qualify for this role, please email agents@taylorroyall.com with the subject "Lottery Swimmer", and include in the body of the email your name, phone #, union status, age range, height, swimming experience, and a current photo (preferably a body shot).

Preference will be given to union members but non-union talent are welcome to submit if they fit the role.

Good luck all. And, please pass this along to your union friends first. SAG-AFTRA One Union.

Very Special Video: "You Can't Take it With You" - from Baltimore's Everyman Theatre

Fireworks, police raids, and a xylophone are just the tip of the iceberg in this zany Kaufman and Hart comedy classic. It's a comedy that's often listed in the madcap category because it is, it really is. If there was a magnificent category it would be listed there, also.

Meet the Sycamore family, politically independent with healthy distrust of government. They open their New York City home to all sorts of free spirits. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend’s family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However…!

 

This extraordinary production stars an all-star Everyman cast. This production ends June 17th and it you only see one show at Everyman this season, please make it this one. I've posted a few highlights from some of the reviews of this production below. I'll add mine here.

"BRANDHAGEN PLAYS XYLOPHONE!
SMOKE, SETS, LOVE, AND LAUGHTER!
The best ticket in town; the finest set you've ever seen."
-Stephen Brockelman, Baltimore 21201

The Cast:         

Megan Anderson* — Essie
Clinton Brandhagen* — Ed
Chinai Hardy — Rheba
Deborah Hazlett* — Mrs. Kirby
Brianna Letourneau —  Alice Sycamore
Wil Love* — Mr. De Pinna
Bruce Randolph Nelson* — Kohlenkov
Caitlin O'Connell — Penny Sycamore
Jon Odom — Donald
Barbara Pinolini — Gay Wellington
Steve Sawicki —  Henderson
Kimberly Schraf — Olga
Matthew Schleigh — Tony Kirby
Carl Schurr* — Mr. Kirby
Stan Weiman* — Martin Vanderhof
Tom Weyburn — Paul Sycamore
and
Michael Leicht
Evan Moritz
Kyle Jackson  — Three Men
*Everyman company member

“COMIC DYNAMITE!
DELICIOUSLY RADICAL!”
-Tim Smith, The Baltimore Sun

“FIVE STARS!
NOT TO BE MISSSED!”
-DC Metro Theater Arts

“TERRIFIC!
HILARIOUS!
I definitely recommend. You’ll laugh throughout.”
-Eddie Applefeld, WCBM 680 AM

“UPLIFTING! DELIGHTFUL! LIVELY!
‘You Can’t Take it With You’ has Everyman favorites in roles that they seem born to play!”
-Mike Giuliano, Patuxent Papers

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!”
-DC Theatre Scene

“Leaves you hankering for a place at the family's dining room table!"
-Judy Rousuck, WYPR Maryland Morning

“Thoroughly enjoyable...a really fun evening at the theater. Buy tickets now because it's likely to sell out very quickly!"
-MD Theatre Guide

Tickets. Get your tickets here.

Weekend: We're Thinking We Need to Have a Jessica Tandy Movie Marathon

And, what does a Jessica Tandy movie fest require? That's right, these little puppies to elevate the fest to a feast.

Soon-to-be-fried green tomatoes from Charles Street's Fresh and Green

To get our effort started Jacob headed down to Fresh and Green Market and to our favorite produce lady, Heather Hudgins, for plump green tomatoes—to be fried. Heather is a grocery store gem. She can find the freshest watercress on a moments notice and if the mint (at Mint Julep time) looks a little tired and worn, Heather will go backstage and return with a bundle that looks dewy and smells freshly picked.

Miss Tandy finally wins an Oscar

With green tomatoes in hand, it's time to cut down our film list. Where to start? Think:

• The Story Lady (1994)
• Nobody s Fool (1994)
• Camilla (1994)
• To Dance With the White Dog (1993)
• Used People (1992)
• Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
• Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
• Cocoon: the Return (1988)
• The House on Carroll Street (1988)
• Batteries Not Included (1987)
• The Thrill of Genius (1985)
• Cocoon (1985)
• The Gin Game (1984)
• The Bostonians (1984)
• The World According to Garp (1982)
• Best Friends (1982)
• Still of the Night (1982)
• Honky Tonk Freeway (1981)
• Butley (1974)
• The Birds (1963)
• Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
• The Light in the Forest (1958)
• The Desert Fox (1951)
• September Affair (1950)
• Forever Amber (1947)

   

The Birds, Fried Green Tomatoes, Driving Miss Daisy, and Batteries Not Included are on our list. While Jacob and I debate the fifth film or television episode to add to the list, I'll take a moment to share this:

Fried Green Tomatoes, the way we make them:

Ingredients
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and Old Bay to taste

Preparation
Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.
Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°.
Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
Drain on paper towels or a rack.
Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt and additional Old Bay.

Optional
Top with Crab Imperial or a simple poached egg.

Not optional
Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Remember those who fight for our freedom and remember those brave men and women that we have lost.

See It in Baltimore - Beautiful Women Dancing with Giant Bananas, and More

You see a lot of wonderful things on Charles Street. But, this is going to be really special. (Read on, you'll thank me, later.)

The Gang's All Here, 1943

This 20th Century-Fox, Technicolor extravaganza features Carmen Miranda, Alice Faye, and James Ellison in a story about a singer and a soldier. The Gang's All Here is a film that one reviewer noted was, "like a male hairdresser's acid trip."

I've seen this Busby Berkeley choreographed movie twice and it's actually a fun, tuneful, and totally garish trip. You'll enjoy it—if not love it—and, you'll never forget it. Did I mention that Benny Goodman and his Orchestra are on stage to provide some extraordinary big band scenes and serious music? 

The Gang's All Here, 1943

Details? I know you want details. Here you go:

BUSBY BERKELEY’S

THE GANG’S ALL HERE

FEATURING CARMEN MIRANDA in a RESTORED 35MM PRINT

Berkeley’s own special brand of kaleidoscopic fantasy, turned into psychedelic surrealism by the electric red and greens of 20th Century-Fox’s color processing. Those who consider Berkeley a master consider this his masterpiece. It is his maddest film: chorus girls dissolve into artichokes; there’s a banana xylophone; and Carmen Miranda appears in platform wedgies on an avenue of giant strawberries.
    -Pauline Kael

SHOW TIMES
SATURDAY, MAY 26 11:30 AM
MONDAY, MAY 28 7 PM
THURSDAY, MAY 31 9 PM.

1943 Dir. Busby Berkeley. Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, Edward Everett Horton, Phil Baker, Benny Goodman. Technicolor. Newly restored print! 103 min.

INFINITELY DELIGHTFUL, EFFORTLESSLY INVENTIVE! IT IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD!
    – Dave Kehr, The New York Times

UTTERLY DERANGED!
A kaleidoscope of garish costumes, eye-popping color, psychedelic musical numbers, and some I-can't-believe-the-censors-let-them-get-away-with-that choreography.
    – New York magazine

Time and again, you can’t believe what you’re witnessing: Berkeley’s camera swoops and soars at seemingly impossible trajectories through crowds of extras; Miranda models an expansive fruit headdress... But nothing can prepare you for the literally kaleidoscopic finale, which includes a gaggle of synchronized showgirls and contains eye-searing imagery that anticipates everything from The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T to Tron.
    – Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York

TICKETS
MATINEES $7.50
EVENINGS $9.50
SR. CIT. $8.50

The Gang's All Here, 1943

Here's my personal suggestion: Before you see this brilliant piece of joyous cinematography, have a cocktail or two. Leave all of your preconceived notions of major studio motion pictures at home and have a great time. Revel in the color, the movement, the music, the rhythm, and a little love story. Enjoy.

[A final piece of film trivia. This movie could not be shown in Carmen Miranda's home country of Portugal because of the suggestive nature of the banana dance, Alice Faye was pregnant during much of the filming and the U.S. censors mandated that the dancers must hold the end of the bananas at waist-level, not hip level.]

Check The Charles Theatre's venue for tickets.

Revisit 'M Butterfly' — at the Paley Center

[Note: There's a must-read article at the end of this post. I'd title it, 'When TV Networks Actually Served the Greater Good']

Soprano, Elane Melbin

Madame Butterfly:
Screening and Conversation
Saturday, May 19, 2012
2:00 pm ET
New York

IN PERSON
Elaine Malbin, Soprano (“Cio-Cio-San”)
Moderator: Eric Myers

Join the folks at the Paley Center for a screening of NBC Opera Theatre: Madame Butterfly—not seen since its original telecast more than half a century ago—followed by a conversation with soprano Elaine Malbin, who played the title role, and opera critic Eric Myers.

The superb cast also includes Davis Cunningham as Pinkerton, Warren Galjour as Sharpless, and Conchita Gaston as Suzuki. This live telecast (performed in an English translation by Ruth and Thomas Martin) aired on December 4, 1955, and was directed by Kirk Browning and conducted by Herbert Grossman.

130 minutes - Copresented with Opera Index.

FREE for Paley Center Members.
Included with general admission.

Some background on 1950's NBC Opera Theatre, courtesy of The New York Times:

Baltimore's Charles Street - Always a Party

Let's Eat Charles Street 2012

From my good friend, Laura Rodini, at the Historic Charles Street Association —

Where will you be on Saturday afternoon?
That's the day of our Let's Eat Charles Street Festival, and everyone in Baltimore will be there!" Let's Eat Charles Street is the best thing to happen to Charles Street since Starbucks," says Haluk Kantar, owner of Cazbar Restaurant.

With restaurants like The Beef Brothers, Mick O'Sheas, Sascha's, Caribou Coffee, Midtown BBQ & Brew, Lumbini, Mina's Delights, Ban Thai, Cazbar and HomeSlyce Pizza Bar on hand, you can be sure you won't leave feeling hungry.

And I'm proud to say that our Let's Eat Charles Street festival will be the launching pad for Baltimore's first sushi truck, called Noodlerolla. Owner James Sin is the former Executive Chef at Sticky Rice, and his first food truck venture has been highly anticipated. "We will be serving sushi, bento boxes and even Korean fusion," James says.

Music To Your Ears: An Interview with The Carousel Rogues
Great food and shopping make up only part of what we have in store for you on May 12th. Six great musical acts will be taking the stage. Here's the lineup:

12-12:30pm - Jenee & Cornell
12:30-1pm - Charles Towers' apartments favorite R&B artist, Kevin Phillips
1-2pm: Andrew Grimm & June Star
2-3pm: Karter Jaymes, a 2-Time Grammy nominee
3-4pm: The McTell Brothers
4-5pm: Our headliners, The Carousel Rogues, sponsored by WTMD

I recently had the pleasure to sit down with The Carousel Rogues' lead singer, Caitlin Nethery Anselmo.  
"My husband, Zach Anselmo, and I were friends in high school. We started dating a year after we formed a band," Caitlin says. "We fell in love over music."Zach plays guitar and vocals and their friend, Daniel Wiley, rounds things out on keyboard. Their Indie-pop sound was quickly noticed by Baltimore area alternative radio."We played on WTMD's 'Baltimore Unsigned' a few years ago. After we put out our self-titled album, program director Scott Mullins liked one of our songs, 'Clementine,' and added it to their rotation."

"It became the number one song on their station for several weeks." Caitlin says their music is influenced by bands like Weezer, Phantom Planet and The Cardigans. "We definitely have late-90's sensibilities," she laughs, as well as other, indie sounds such as Teenage Fan Club.

"We also like a lot of music from the 1960s. I mean," she adds, "Who's not influenced by The Beatles"?

"Another source Caitlin credits for inspiration may seem unlikely: children's fantasy novels. 
"I wrote a song about this Andrew Peterson book for laughs. Dan (the keyboardist) encouraged me to send it to the author - we found his email address on his website. Andrew liked it so much he actually passed it on to his producer, Ben Shive. He reached out to me a couple months later about meeting up in Nashville to discuss working on some kind of project together. That's how our first record got started.

"The Carousel Rogues will begin recording their second album in Nashville this July. They'll be playing Clementine at our festival. So all you WTMD lovers, be sure to check them out! See you all on Saturday!

A Few Festival Nuts and Bolts
Of course, putting on a street festival requires lots of help from different sources, and I would like to thank Carrollton Bank for their generous sponsorship, and the City of Baltimore for all of their assistance in securing our permits. The entire 300 block of N. Charles Street between Saratoga and Mulberry Streets will be closed to traffic as of 4:30 am on Saturday. So if you normally park there on the weekends, make sure you have another spot by then. Here are two alternatives: Our friends at PMS Parking offer weekend specials at their St. Paul Garage (behind the Tremont, at the corner of Charles & Saratoga) and their Franklin Street Garage (next to the Pope Garden at the intersection of Charles & Franklin). You can park all day at either garage for just $5.

The following bus schedule is in effect on Saturday, May 12 between Saratoga and Mulberry Streets: The No.3, 11 and 64 Lines will operate their regular route on northbound Charles Street. They will be diverted left on Fayette Street, right on Park Avenue, right on Mulberry Street, then back to their regular route on Charles Street. Bus stops at Fayette, Lexington, and Saratoga Streets, will be inoperative on Saturday, May 12th until 6pm.Southbound routes are all on streets other than Charles Street and will not be affected.

How You Can Help Out! 
I've also been getting a lot of questions from folks who want to know what they can do to help out on May 12. This is what I'm telling them:If you like us: Come on out and support our 40 local businesses and great live music that afternoon. And while you're here, make sure you fill out one of our surveys provided by our friends at The Downtown Partnership. We'll have raffle tickets for $75 worth of Zipcar driving credit to give away for filling it out! And if you like us, you like us, you really, really like us: You will consider volunteering a few hours of your time on Saturday. Our beer & wine tent and donation tables are already well staffed, but I'd love to have a few more folks help us with our setup between 9am and noon on Saturday, or manning our 2 awesome bounce houses in our children's play area. Please email me if you're interested, and my sincerest thanks for your support!  — Laura Rodini

Have an Irish Setter? Taylor - Royall Casting is Looking for Your Furry Actor.

You know your doggie should be in films. Hey, he does all those cute things that everyone adores. Your Setter is so amazing that he should pave the way to your retirement by just being his own sweet, amazing, talented self.

This gig won't make you or your Setter rich in actual dollars, but think of the on-screen face-time and the bragging rights.

Details from Taylor - Royall:

We're in need of a trained Irish Setter who is able to perk his ears/be expressive, and cover his face with his paw as if dismayed on command for a commercial shoot.

Auditions are being held on Tuesday 5/15 in Baltimore and the shoot is scheduled for Tuesday 5/22 in the DC area. This job pays $675.

To be considered, please email agents@taylorroyall.com. Include your name, phone number, a photo of your dog, and details about what your dog is trained to do.

A New Baltimore Casting Notice. It's Union, SAG-AFTRA. (I won't use visuals.)

Calling men for a TV commercial. Men with hairy backs. Also, men with chiseled chests. Men willing to show off the goods.

Here are the details from my friends at Taylor-Royall Casting in Baltimore:

We're submitting talent to audition for a SAG-AFTRA commercial requiring some specific body types. Please see the descriptions below and follow the submission instructions if you qualify for either role. 

- Caucasian men, age 20s to 40s, must have hairy backs & be willing to be shirtless for a beach/pool scene.

- Caucasian men, age 20s/30s, good looking, sculpted chest, must be willing to be shirtless for a bedroom scene. Should be able to have a vain "I'm the man" look and also act sheepish/embarrassed.

To be considered, please email agents@taylorroyall.com. Include your name, phone number, headshot/photo, resume, union or non-union, and please note which role you are submitting for.  

That's it, guys, go forth with gusto! If you've got it, give it up for the glory. (And a nice pay-day, also.)

[To my fellow SAG-AFTRA members, remember Rule One.]

Intensity, Sexuality, and Suicide - Returning to Baltimore's Theatre Project

A Fierce Longing will return to Theatre Project, Baltimore, for a limited run June 1 - 9. The play, written by John Schneider, was developed in workshop by the company members of Milwaukee's Theatre X and first performed in April, 1978. Later that year it came to Theatre Project and Performance Garage in NYC.

Directed by John C. Wilson, this is a highly visual, multi-media production that borrows stylistically from Japanese theater traditions. The play is drawn from the life and work of the Nobel-nominated Japanese novelist and playwright Yukio Mishima. A Fierce Longing chronicles his life, his work, and his turmoil. A complex man, Mishima struggled with family issues, wrestled with a St. Sebastian fetish and homosexual desires, sought fame and celebrity for his Nobel-nominated writing, and desired to honor the Emperor and the Samurai tradition through his ultra-conservative political views and formation of a militia. Ultimately, he committed seppuku, ritual suicide, in 1970.

"A Fierce Longing rocked my world when I first saw it for a variety of reasons," said director John C. Wilson. "A strong ensemble cast, mind-boggling visuals, a fascinating central character from an unfamiliar culture, and an exploration of themes of beauty, sexuality, and death all contributed to an unforgettable piece of theater. I'm reviving this play to pay tribute to one of the peak theatrical experiences of my life, and to honor the exceptionally rich history of work presented at Theatre Project over its 40-year history."

The cast includes Skyler Brungardt, Rich Buchanan, Melainie Eifert, Sam Haidar, Naoko Maeshiba, Brian Naughton, Lucie Poirier, Chad Short, and Lorrie Smith.

The opening of A Fierce Longing coincides with Theatre Project's 40th Anniversary "Homecoming Weekend."

 Events will include:

Opening Night, June 1—This will be a "Pass the Hat" performance in honor of Theatre Project's beginnings as a free theatre. Suggested donation $10.

Opening Weekend Gala, Saturday, June 2—Pre-show reception and silent auction, followed by the performance of A Fierce Longing and after-show gathering. Tickets are $40 in celebration of Theatre Project's 40th Anniversary. 

Theatre Project Open House, Sunday, June 3—This is a family friendly event that will be free and open to the public, featuring a potluck picnic and performances throughout the afternoon.

Showtimes:
June 1 @ 8pm "Pass the Hat" Opening
June 2 @ 8pm Gala Performance
June 7 @ 8pm
June 8 @ 8pm
June 9 @ 8pm

Tickets:
Gala Performance ~ $40
General Admission ~ $20
Seniors/Artists/Military ~ $15
Students ~ $10

Click for TCKTS - available at Tixato.

This Week from the Peabody: Strings, Percussion, Brass, and More! Much More.

On Wednesday, May 2, at 1:00 pm, C Street Brass, a quintet founded by Conservatory students, will perform baroque, tango, and jazz crossover works at a free concert presented by WBJC in the Fine Arts Theater at Baltimore City Community College, 2901 Liberty Heights Avenue.

Faculty artist Joe Burgstaller, trumpet, will present Change Your Mind, Change Your Playing, a performance master class for all instruments, on Thursday, May 3, at 7:00 pm in Room LH414 (Leakin Hall). The class will include mock juries and other jury prep.

Courtney Orlando, violin and voice, who teaches ear training at the Conservatory, will give benefit performances for Mount Vernon Music Space, 1015 North Charles Street, on Friday, May 4, at 7:30 pm and Sunday, May 6, at 3:30 pm. On the program are works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Astor Piazzolla, Caleb Burhans, and Michael Rickelton (MM ’10, Composition). Percussionist Terry Sweeny, a junior, will also perform. For more information, visit mountvernonmusicspace.com.

Soprano Jennifer Holbrook (MM ’09, Voice; GPD ’11, Opera), tenor and countertenor Peter Lee (BM ’06, MM ’08, Voice), and baritone Kevin Wetzel (MM ’06, GPD ’08, Voice) will perform with the Peabody Concert Orchestra, Concert Artists of Baltimore Orchestra and Symphonic Chorale, Peabody-Hopkins Chorus, Peabody Singers, and Peabody Children's Chorus at the Patricia and Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, 140 West Mount Royal Avenue, on Saturday, May 5, at 8:00 pm. Edward Polochick, artistic director of Concert Artists of Baltimore and a Peabody faculty member, will conduct the collaborative performances of Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. Tickets are $28 and $38 and may be purchased by visiting lyricoperahouse.com or calling 410-900-1150. Student rush tickets may be purchased for $10 each at the Lyric Box Office starting one hour prior to the performance.

                         Brian Ganz, Peabody Faculty Artist

Faculty artist Brian Ganz, piano, will perform Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra with the National Philharmonic Orchestra as part of an all-Debussy program on Saturday, May 5, at 8:00 pm. The concert will take place at The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. For tickets, visit nationalphilharmonic.org.

The Peabody Children's Chorus, directed by Doreen Falby, will present The Poet Sings, a program of music set to the words of Shakespeare, Blake, Dickens, Dickinson, and other great poets, on Sunday, May 6, at 3:00 pm in Peabody's Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall. Tickets are $5. To purchase tickets, call the Peabody Box Office at 410-234-4800. Also that day at 3:00 pm, an ensemble from the Peabody Children's Chorus will appear in a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society in the Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson. For tickets, visit baltimorechoralarts.org.

Free noon recitals
At this week's free Thursday Noon recital in Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, Brassivity—trumpeters Yanbin Chen and Tristan Clarke, hornist Joel Watts, trombonist Emily Joseph, and tubist Scott Miller—will perform Bach's Fugue in G minor, Michael Kamen's Quintet, and the Allegro Vivo movement from Eugene Bozza's Sonatine for Brass; violinist Szu-Yun Chiu, cellist Young Eun Lee, and pianist Sejoon Park will perform Schubert's Trio No. 1 in B-flat major; and violinist Erica Richardson, cellist Antoinette Gan, and pianist Choo Choo Hu will perform Dvorák's Trio No. 1 in B-flat major.

On Friday, May 4, at noon, there will be a free performance by Conservatory harp students in the Peabody on the Court series at the Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street.

Enjoy!

When TV Listings Go Wrong. Way Wrong.

I was looking around at the Comcast cable line-up this afternoon — I'm in a moody kind of mood and looking for something film noir-ish to watch — and I found the most perfectly mismatched graphic and description I've ever seen.

You will have to click the image below to see it and read it, but you should check it out!

                       Comcast Cable Line-up, April 29th 2012

The Night of the Hunter is, as Comcast says, "A terrifying tale of a psychotic preacher (Robert Mitchum) plotting to kill a widow and her children (Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce) for money. Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Peter Graves. Davis Grubb's novel, superbly adapted by James Agee. Charles Laughton directed."

                          Billy Chapin in Night of the Hunter

Oddly the graphic, the avatar, for the movie is from the Food Network. And, it works — in a strange, cannibalistic sort of way.

How to Boil Water is the avatar title. The subtitle is Life Beyond Takeout.

I'm watching the movie right now and if see Billy Chapin in a really, really hot bathtub I'll let you know.

Baltimore SAG-AFTRA Members: Must Read

Remember, fellow members, we now have the power to speak with a unified voice.

On May 19-20, the SAG-AFTRA National Board will consider a unanimous recommendation by the Executive Committee to implement a Do Not Work notice against music video productions.

Once implemented, SAG-AFTRA members may not accept employment as performers in any music video not produced under a SAG-AFTRA contract. A Do Not Work order for music videos is a result of the major record labels refusing to agree to a contract that meets the critical needs of music video performers.

This action will affect any SAG-AFTRA member hired to sing, dance, act or otherwise perform as talent on any music video that is not covered by the appropriate SAG-AFTRA contract, except for a royalty artist who is already contractually obligated to deliver certain services under an existing royalty agreement with a record label.  Specifically included are SAG-AFTRA members working as dancers, singers, choreographers, cameo performers, models, actors, and most other talent. SAG-AFTRA members who violate a Do Not Work order can be subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion from membership.

This action follows performers’ efforts to secure an industry-wide contract for music video work, which most recently involved several rounds of contract discussions with the major record labels throughout 2011. SAG-AFTRA is continuing its efforts to reach agreement with the labels however this action is necessary because the labels have failed to agree to some of the most basic contract terms. Some of the outstanding issues involve guaranteed access to water and toilet facilities, proper safety protections for hard surface dancing, overtime provisions, health and retirement contributions and standardized rates of pay.

Please stand together with your fellow SAG-AFTRA members and fellow performers for safety and dignity on the job.  Together we can ensure a safe and fair future for all of us.

If you have questions or wish to volunteer to support your fellow SAG-AFTRA members who are working to ensure basic union standards on music videos, you can help by contacting:

Randall Himes
Assistant National Executive Director, Sound Recordings at randall.himes@sagaftra.org

Stefanie Taub
National Manager of Sound Recordings, West Coast at stefanie.taub@sagaftra.org

Steve Sidawi
National Organizer/Representative at steve.sidawi@sagaftra.org

Meet Betty White in NYC? Yes, You Can!

The Friars Club is involved. That means it's going to be a bawdy, no-holds-barred evening. Stevedores will blush like girls at their first prom. It'll cost you a few bucks, but it's for a great cause. (And think about it, face time with Betty White is priceless.) 

                          Betty White via CharityBuzz.Com

Here's the scoop from Charity Buzz:

Bid now on 2 tickets to the Friars Club Roast of Betty White on May 16, 2012 plus meet the funny lady herself. The event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in NYC.

Terms: Valid for 2 people on May 16, 2012 only. Cannot be resold or re-auctioned. Travel and accommodations are not included.

Donated by: The Friars Club and the one-and-only Betty White

The proceeds for this item benefit The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.
Learn more about 2012 RFK Center Spring Auction.

All of the details are available on the Charity Buzz website. If you bid, let me know and I'll follow you and cover your antics all the way to you meeting the gal who's Hot in Cleveland.

Oh say! Look, it's a recital with the title, 'Ce Moys de May'

The Peabody Renaissance Ensemble will present two concerts on Thursday and Friday, Apr. 26 and 27, at 7:30 pm, in Leith Symington Griswold Hall.

Directed by Mark Cudek, the group will perform a recital titled Ce Moys de May: Music for Mary, Queen of Scots, which includes music that she would have listened and danced to, verse from her favorite poets, favorite tunes from her youth, French courtly dance to honor Mary, and much more.

Soprano Julie Bosworth and countertenor Daniel Moody are featured soloists and were coached by Adam Pearl. Tickets for the concert are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students with ID. To purchase tickets, call the Peabody Box Office at 410-234-4800.

Theatre — Alyson Mead's 'Punk Rock Mom' to Have World Premiere in Laurel, MD

The premiere is presented by Venus Theatre in Prince Georges County and the production is Adult Friendly. If you have little ones, you'll need a sitter.

Punk Rock Mom by Alyson Mead tells the story of Jamie Fontaine, a former punk rocker and single mother to Joan Olivette.

Though she's lost a little eyeliner and a whole lot of black leather along the way, Jamie still has the music. When Joan makes a startling announcement, Jamie has to find her daughter's birth father and comes to terms with the fact that she'll be a grandmother soon. What does it mean to age when you don't feel old? And how can you bridge the generation gap when you're the one who needs to grow up?

Venus Theater director Deb Randall said, “When I read Alyson’s script I was struck initially by the reverse role play between mother and daughter. The assumed conservative/liberal flip of the generations was delightful to read. As we work the play we are constantly challenged to explore what it means to truly be maternal, and whether it’s possible to actually walk away from our own personal history.

This is a play that insists on coloring outside of the lines. Staging it is akin to hanging out with the bad kids smoking under the bleachers in high school. It feels irreverent and, in that spirit, boldly flips the bird to what middle age means to women in this culture. I think I’m in love.”

Punk Rock Mom's domestic explosion of punk rock music and rebellious bliss reaches new levels when a conservative daughter decides to have a child on purpose. Playwright Alyson Mead said, "I was fascinated by the invisible battle lines that get drawn between generations, particularly between mothers and daughters. Combine a role model who's never had boundaries with a kid who wants nothing but, throw in a little sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, and fire up the blender. In my career, I've had the pleasure of working with actors from Susan Sarandon to this ensemble, and I'm thrilled that Deb and her talented cast at Venus are presenting my play's World Premiere."

A note from the folks at Venus Theatre: Punk Rock Mom by Alyson Mead is the second of four brand-new plays in the Venus Theatre 2012 Bold Hope Season. Each play offers a bit of hope or triumph. Venus tips her hat and continues to pay respect to those that were lost on C Street in the boating accident at Sandy Point in December. To the ones they left behind, we celebrate love and joyful life moments that are eternal and stronger than loss. Love wins. Always.

                        Author and Playright, Alyson Mead

About the playright: Alyson Mead attended Boston College, the Slade School of Art in London, and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She has worked in publishing as an editor and ghostwriter, and in film development at New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures, Village Roadshow, and the Buena Vista Motion Picture Group.  She has also produced a documentary on mandated medical care, featuring Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon. Her plays have been staged at Off-Off Broadway and regional theaters around the country.

Alyson's fiction, essays and articles have appeared in over thirty publications, including Salon, In These Times, Bitch, BUST, Whole Life Times, Punk Planet, MSN, The Sun, AOL's That's Fit, Tapestry, Stylus, Clackamas Literary Review, and the New York Daily News, among others. She has received the Columbine Award for Screenwriting, the Roy W. Dean Filmmaking Grant, and awards from Writer’s Digest and USA Book News.

Punk Rock Mom is suitable for adults only, and shows that the ferocity of parental love knows no bounds.

The production features: Deb Randall, Ann Fraistat, Alex Zavistovich, Chris Williams, and James Waters.

Box Office: 866.811.4111

Performances: May 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, and 26 at 8pm May 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 3pm The playwright will be in attendance Saturday, May 26th.

Bee Gees' Robin Gibb in a Coma; Prognosis for Recovery Grim - Update

 

Growing up, the Bee Gees touched me. They often had a plaintive, reflective sound that I'd never heard before.

Readers, if you are so inclined, say a little prayer for Robin or send good wishes. I am.

UPDATE: (CNN) -- Bee Gees star Robin Gibb is in a coma and has pneumonia, the latest turn in health issues that include a recent battle with colon and liver cancer, his representative confirmed Saturday.

Doctors believe that Gibb, 62, has a secondary tumor, representative Doug Wright said, confirming a news account in The Sun in the United Kingdom. Gibb had emergency surgery in 2010 for a blocked bowel and then had more surgery for a twisted bowel, Wright confirmed.

His brother Maurice died in 2003 of a twisted bowel.

Brother Andy died at age 30 from a heart infection.

The Brothers Gibb -- calling themselves the Bee Gees -- soared to renown as one of the most successful British groups after the 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta was built around the group's disco songs. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the Bee Gees have sold more than 200 million albums, and their soundtrack album to "Saturday Night Fever" was the top-selling album until Michael Jackson's "Thriller" claimed that distinction in the 1980s.

UPDATE - May 21, 2012—Robin Gibb dies at 62.

"The family of Robin Gibb ... announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," a statement posted on his official website said.

"The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time."

For Me, as a Little Kid, Gene Autry Was the Voice of Easter

 

Here Comes Peter Cottontail
by Gene Autry

Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way
Bringin' ev'ry girl and boy
A basketful of Easter joy
Things to make your Easter Bright and gay
He's got jelly beans for Tommy
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There's an orchid for your mommy
And an Easter bonnet too.

Oh! Here' comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day
Look at him hop and listen to him say,
"Try to do the things you should"
Maybe if you're extra good
He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way

You'll wake up on Easter morning
And you'll know that he was there
When you find those choc'late bunnies
That he's hiding ev´rywhere,
Oh! Here' comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day.

And, lest we forget, there's this wonderful little song from the Gene Autry archives: Bunny Round-up Time.

 

Jacob and I hope you enjoy your 2012 Easter with family and friends.

Casting Notice for Baltimore City Residents - Speaking Parts, Pays AFTRA Scale

Just received an email from my friends at Taylor-Royall casting. I have a feeling this casting notice for speaking parts will interest many of you. Details:

We are in need of actual Baltimore City residents to participate in an AFTRA demo video speaking against a proposed tax on sugary soft drinks in Baltimore.

The demo will record in Baltimore on Tuesday April 3rd and pays AFTRA on-camera demo scale rate. If the client uses any footage or audio of you from the demo for radio, web, or broadcast use, you would be paid for any additional usage.

If you are a Baltimore City resident and would like to be considered for this project, please email julie@taylorroyall.com with the following:

Name
Phone #
Address
SSN or Union #
Are you available Tuesday 4/3?
Are you AFTRA, SAG, or non-union?
Are you AGAINST a new tax on sugary soft drinks in Baltimore?
Please attach a current headshot/photo & resume.

Please note that if you do not submit all of the required information, your submission may be disregarded.

Good luck to my fellow union members. Remember Rule One.
Notice posted at request of Taylor Royall Casting. 

9 Jobs and Opportunities in Baltimore's Arts Community — Much is Happening

Just in from Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. Jobs, internships, and more.

                   Jamie L Howe, Executive Director, GBCA

For the week beginning March 26th 2012:

Creative Alliance seeks Part Time Box Office Assistant
Previous Box Office experience preferred but not required

Maryland Art Place (MAP) announces Call for Submissions – Exhibit on Relationship Between People and Their Bicycles
Submit by May 1

Maryland Art place (MAP) announces Call for Curators to Participate in Curators’ Incubator Exhibition Competition
Proposals due May 12

Wide Angle Youth Media announces Call for Submissions: 7th Annual Youth Media Festival
Submissions due April 15

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts announces Free “Money Matters” Morning Symposium
Friday, April 20, 9am - noon

CENTERSTAGE seeking Interns in Areas of Audience Relations, Digital Media, Graphics and Audio

CENTERSTAGE offering Executive Fellowship
Exposed to all aspects of the administrative side of the theater as well as the administrative interface with artistic and production

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra seeks Group Sales Assistant
Successful candidate will have previous phone sales, theater venue or other hospitality related experience

Soledad Salamé announces Solar Etching and Monoprint Workshops
For artists who have prior print knowledge

Good luck with your submissions and check back here often. It's looking like a very busy season is just beginning for folks looking to work in the arts in Baltimore.

About GBCA:
GBCA was born out of a series of conversations between 1998 and 2001, when the cultural community identified a need for a more unified and connected arts and cultural sector. In December 2001, founder Nancy Haragan incorporated Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. Nancy Haragan stepped down as director in December 2009. J. Buck Jabaily served as executive director from January 2010 to January 2012, when he was succeeded by Jeannie L. Howe.

Since its launch, GBCA has served as both a catalyst and an incubator for various programs and initiatives in the region. GBCA promotes within and for the cultural community with BatlimoreFunGuide.com, Weekly FunSaver Emails, JobsPlus, and our weekly community newsletter. GBCA has sponsored and co-sponsored bothy symposia and the annual Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting, and offered a number of community convenings. GBCA has helped coordinate sector-wide participation in ambitious citywide festivals, such as VIVAT! (2003), Tour de Clay (2005), Free Fall Baltimore (2006, 2007, 2008), and The Maps Festival (2008), and completed several important sector-wide studies, including a Collaborative Arts Marketing Study. Other significant initiatives were GBCA serving as licensee for the Maryland Cultural Data Project (2007-2011), hosting RadarRedux.com (2008-2011), the Wealth Analysis (2007), and since 2008,  our ongoing administration of the Baker Artists Awards on behalf of the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund. For more on current GBCA programs, click here.