If you are in the mood to trade Ann Arbor dreary days for an escape.. then maybe Nebraska is the movie for you. Well, sort of. It is in black and white, and it is about a family who isn’t picture perfect. So kinda dreary. Especially when the father drinks, doesn’t like to admit it and is maybe making a futile attempt to get his million dollar winnings. But Nebraska, reminds you that so much of life’s gloom and not so great moments, can have humor in between them. So, even though Nebraska might not offer the most pretty scenes, it will make you fall out of your seat with laughter! So please rush to the movie theater for this one:)
Month: February 2014
New Blogger-Who is musickim?
I am here to explain to you the depths of what exactly musickim has come to represent. Believe it or not, this title encompasses much more than just a blogger’s screen name. Rather, it is a title I have carried with me since middle school, a time when no 10 year old in their right mind knows where they will end up in their life. And yet, by some mysterious force, I managed to create my first ever email account with a username that excellently pinpointed my true passion for the last 10 years of my life: music.
Now, you should also know that I have much more in my life than just music (difficult to believe, I know, considering I came to Michigan to be a clarinet performance major in the School of Music). In all seriousness though, there are many topics and interests that hold me captivated that are completely outside of the music world. For as long as I can remember, I have thoroughly enjoyed all forms of the arts, attending every museum my parents could find throughout my childhood, soaking up the new architecture wherever I traveled, reading random books on art history where I’d find them in obscure book stores, getting an education on photography from my father who has a natural gift for composition, watching many an ‘oldie’ film thanks to my parents’ appreciation of the classics, and most importantly appreciating the nature that I was privileged to experience growing up in California and spending many summers hiking, camping, and going on road trips throughout the US.
I also like to think of myself as having a unique perspective in the art world, considering I am a scientist at heart. I have always been fascinated by physics, and hope to someday be a scientific researcher in the field of astrophysics.
So all in all, musickim is a musician at heart who loves the clean straightforwardness of science and can’t wait to cover as many big, obscure, hipster, and mainstream arts on campus as she can physically fit into her college career. Here’s to an optimistic start of my blogging career!! Stay tuned….
PREVIEW: Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord: The Suit
What: The Suit, directed by Peter Brook
When: February 19th and 20th at 7:30, 21st and 22nd at 8:00
Where: Power Center for the Performing Arts
Who: Paris’s Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord
How Much: $10 with student ID, $18 and up without student ID, or free for Friday the 21st with a Passport to the Arts
This intensely alluring play, set in apartheid South Africa, tells the story of adultery and the pain that accompanies forgiveness, or the lack thereof. When a woman is caught cheating, her husband tells her to carry around her lover’s suit as punishment. With the performance’s unique integration of African music and Schubert lieder, the audience is easily pulled into this emotional tale.
Additionally, if you are a student, you can buy an Arts and Eats ticket and discuss the play at Espresso Royale on State St after the performance!
PREVIEW: Inside Llewyn Davis
The Coen brothers have a new movie out, and it’s supposed to be good. I’ve been a fan of the Coens since Burn After Reading was the only good thing playing in the Hong Kong cinema and we watched it every weekend for a month and a half. Their stuff has shifted in style and theme from… actually, a selection of movies wouldn’t do them justice. Their filmography reads like a best-of list. Yet, throughout, the movies all seem to retain a sort of essential Coen-ness.
What: Inside Llewyn Davis
Who: Joel and Ethan Coen
Where: The State Theater
When: 4:00, 9:30 Saturday, 5:45 Sunday
How much: $8 for students
I’m looking forward to it.
PREVIEW: Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical
If you’re looking for a refreshing new musical created by some of our very own University of Michigan students, Sea Legs: A New Nautical Musical may be just what you need. Prepare to follow four orphaned friends as they meet travelers from an underwater utopia determined to avenge their destroyed home. What will happen when our four friends who long for a journey on the sea find an adventure in their own backyard? You’ll have to go on the voyage with them to find out!
WHO: Basement Arts
WHAT: Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical
WHEN: Friday, February 21st at 7pm
Saturday, February 22nd at 3pm and 7pm
WHERE: Studio 1, Walgreens Drama Center
COST: Free!
Still not convinced? Writers Tyler Dean and Michael Tooman are also the creators of Zombie Farm: A Musical, which you can find on YouTube here.
REVIEW: Hay Fever
In their delightfully funny and entertaining production, The School of Music, Theatre & Dance brings Noël Coward’s comedy Hay Fever, full of eccentric characters, witty dialogue, and intriguing plot, to life. Set in the English countryside during the 1920s, Hay Fever is centered around the Bliss family, Judith, David, Sorel, and Simon, a somewhat bizarre cast of characters who have a very theatrical lifestyle. The play takes place over the course of a weekend, when each member of the Bliss family has invited a romantic interest to stay at the house without telling any of the other family members. Unsurprisingly, numerous misunderstandings and hilariously awkward situations ensue.
One of the best features of the performance was the strength of the cast. Although the portrayals of the Bliss family were all wonderful, Liz Raynes’ portrayal of mother Judith, a retired actress longing for drama and a return to the stage was particularly great. The cohesiveness of the group and the ease with which they interacted with each other created a great family dynamic which let all of the members shine. Not be overlooked though, were the strong portrayals of the four houseguests, Richard, Sandy, Myra, and Jackie. Arguably just as eccentric as the Bliss family, the houseguests’ distinct characters highlighted the outrageousness of the Bliss family and added humor to all aspects of the play.
Although great separately, when the Bliss family and the houseguests came together, the result was spectacular. One such moment was during the second act when after a series of misunderstandings and accidental run-ins by Judith, half of the houseguests find themselves engaged to members of the family, while the other half are being held responsible for breaking up a marriage. As the houseguests look on in horror, Judith alternates from dramatically accusing everyone of hurting her to accepting the turn of events. Matching her theatricality, the rest of the family gets in on the fun and plays along. The highlight of the scene, however, is when, to the confusion of the guests, Judith and the children seamlessly break into a scene from one of Judith’s plays. As the audience roared with laughter and the houseguests cowered in the corner, the Bliss family took center stage and showed just how hilariously outrageous they could be.
Overall, Hay Fever, was a wonderfully entertaining production filled with great acting and lots of laughs. I highly recommend seeing it. Hay Fever runs through Sunday 2/23. Tickets can be purchased at the Michigan League Box Office.
