The Three at Sketchbook Reincarnate - A Ridiculously Late Posting

www.collaboraction.org

Sean Kelly invited me to see the show he so deftly directed, Psychonaut Librarians and as a bonus, I got to see, Dani Bryant's Last Meal Man and the intriguing, How We Do devised by Beatrice Bosco and Lloyd Brodnax King. 

 

Kelly's lively Pyschonaut Librarians kept the action moving - quite literally and even had a monster floating around the stage!  Broadway would have been proud of his artful and clever staging.   thenewcolony.org

 

Dani Bryant's brilliant Last Meal Man played like quixotic soliloquies about North America's favorite pastime, food.  Hellah fresh.  Strong performances by her fine cast made every ludicrous, funny, poignant and odd moment truly believable. I liked the shot of whiskey that was butlered by the actor who played the actual Last Meal Man.  I wish that Bryant would cook up Foodical the Musical, telling her stories through food and music.  But in lieu of that, check out her upcoming cycle of foodie plays: www.pantriesinabind.com   www.walkabouttheater.org





 

How We Do was highly experimental.  It shape-shifted a number of times.  My favorite part was when Joel Kim Booster thenewcolony.org/people/joel_kim_booster  interviewed a random audience member and then another actor (gosh - I am so sorry, but I don't know who you were! All I could identify was that you were a caucasian female who did an excellent job!) summarized the interaction in an hilarious recap.  I won't be able to do it justice - but it went something like this:  audience member dude talked about a failed relationship.  Apparently, his girl didn't accept him as he was.  The translation that the actor came up with after Booster asked him various questions was great - the guy didn't have much to say about it all - which she explained was him exercising his right to his perspective - that he was always the same person and in his lack of recalling the ex-girlfriend, he did not have any use for her rejection of what she had signed up for in the first place. Touche.  It was an amazing story within the story - along with other stories and song and dance going on.  It all worked and it was very entertaining.  Chicago theater keeps impressing me more and more...





Lunch with Newt List Publisher, Randall Friesen!

I was very lucky and I got to have a meal with the most excellent, Randall Friesen at Cozy Noodles and Rice in Chicago.  www.cozychicago.com  The food was delicious and as always, it was an extra special treat to get to hang out with the brilliant Mr. Friesen!  Please check out his many wonderful ebooks!  newtlist.com 

Long Live Los Reyes Del Teatro, Luis Alfaro y Chay Yew!

                                                         Before the show.

                           I kept wishing that Luis and this girl with the
                           mop would start doing a number from Stomp.

After the show.

Oedipus El Rey at The Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago was one of the best plays I have EVER seen.  Victory Gardens Theater  Chay Yew's elegant/perfect direction of Luis Alfaro's beautiful script was performed superbly by the talented young cast.  Yew/Alfaro could be an entertainment dynamic duo that just might change/save this absurd world of ours... 

You say, "Sweet Tomatoes." I say, "Souplantation."

                                                      Sweet Souplantation Tomatoes

North Coast Music Festival in Chicago

North Coast Music Festival

Juliette Urganus tries on a beautiful dress.

                                                          Baraka Ethnic Fashion

Pequod Vs. Piece

Pequod's Pizza

I had the mushroom deep dish personal pan pizza and a soda.  I overheard someone say that the larger sizes were somehow better, so next time, I will try ordering a regular sized pizza instead. At $5, one of the best deals for lunch in the Chicago area.

My mom and her salad.  No wonder she's so skinny.

Alas, I had delicious PIECE pizza in the Bucktown area of Chicago with my old pals who were visiting; but it was too late and I was too hungry to think of taking pictures.  Piece Brewery and Pizzeria  Things are a bit more complicated whenever a baby is involved...  We ordered thin crust pizzas.  (The mediums were larger than most larges!) I never would have thought that mashed potatoes and bacon were options for pizza toppings but YUM!  The more traditional spinach and mushroom slices we had were also fabulous.