Author: Danny Fob

I'm a Junior in LSA majoring in Italian and minoring in Art History. I love writing for art[seen] because it gives me the opportunity to show all of these amazing shows that the University brings to Ann Arbor. We get some world class performers and I would be really bummed if I missed out on anything that I'll never have to opportunity to see again. What you need to know about me? I'm not a writer, an art expert, and I didn't grow up around this much culture. I am a busy student at UofM, so if you are judging me for something, it's okay because I won't have time to respond. I'll just keep seeing shows and you can be jealous!

Preview: Man of La Mancha? Don Right!

Danny Fob

That’s right, the epic (and musical) tale of Don Quixote is coming to the University of Michigan thanks to the student run musical theatre company, MUSKET. “Man of La Mancha,” the musical reproduction of Cervantes’ famous novel “Don Quixote,” is a classic and has won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Together with the cast of MUSKET we’ll journey through the strange adventures of the eccentric “knight” as he battles windmill giants and travels the countryside in search of adventure.

I am personally very excited for this event and I have been hoping to attend ever since I heard about it at Gayz Craze during welcoming week (that is a really long wait), so I’m sure that it will be a brilliant show. I’m actually surprised that I managed to snatch this event with all of the other [seen]sters picking fantastic events too. I guess I just got lucky.

I’m going to the last performance, tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, March 21st at 2:00pm. A matinee to help me relax after a long weekend of work and studying (or whatever) sounds perfect. The ticket was only $7 for students ($13 for adults) and I get to go to the Power Center again, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places on campus.

It may be too late to buy your own tickets to this show, I feel for you, I really do, but this is just a reminder to seek out great events like this and experience college to its full extent. Partying can be fun, but try other things too. You never know how much fun you’ll have if you try new things, one of the reasons I have this amazing job as a [seen]ster which provides the resources that make it possible to me to experience this spectrum of art I’ve been writing about all year. Speaking of [art]seen, let me just add a small tip and inform you we’re accepting applications for next year’s [seen]sters. Apply for this amazing opportunity today and you’ll will have an amazing year next year!

Just to remind you what I will be writing about tomorrow:

What: MUSKET’s Man of La Mancha
When: Sunday, March 21st, 2:00pm
Where: Power Center for the Performing Arts
How much: $7

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Preview: Lips Unsealed: I Just Love a Good Play on Words.

Danny Fob

Yoni Ki Baat is hosting their 5th annual multicultural monologue show. As in the Vagina Monologues, “Lips Unsealed” features pieces written about the female form and the empowerment of woman identified individuals. U of M students will be performing pieces addressing domestic violence, sexuality, culture, and relationships. The proceeds to this event will go to a domestic violence charity. I am going with a few friends from the U-Club Poetry Slam team (who are going to nationals in Boston btw) this Saturday night at 7:00 pm. It’s in East Quad’s newly renovated Keene Theater, which I have never been to (I’ll describe it in my review because I’m excited about new theaters). There are two shows previous to this one, Friday March 19th at 7:00pm and Saturday March 20th at 3:00pm. Tickets are $5 at MUTO/ticketmaster.com/from a YKB member or $8 at the door. RSVP to the event on Facebook at here. This event is multicultural and a poetic adventure, so anyone with the slightlest interest in spoken word art or woman empowerment should buy tickets and show up for one of the biggest events on campus!

What: Yoni Ki Baat “Lips Unsealed”
When: -Friday, March 19th, at 7:00pm
-Saturday, March 20th at 3:00pm and 7:00pm
Where: East Quad’s Keene Theater
How Much: Tickets are $5 at MUTO/Ticketmaster.com/from a YKB member or $8 at the door. 100% of proceeds will be donated to a domestic violence charity.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Review: Chicago…And All That Jazz!

Danny Fob

Tonight was really my night; simply inexplicable! Just had to get that out of my system. Vaudeville really set in after such a fantastic movie. Like I said, I had never seen the Oscar award winning film Chicago, but I am so glad that I put off a paper to attend the screening. The Jazz age is so beautiful when seen through the eyes of Roxie Hart, a “poor, misunderstood girl with a sinner’s past and a saint’s heart.” Oh the tears in my eyes.

The music and character of this show are legendary and need little introduction. Anyone that has even the slightest knowledge of musicals or theater has heard some lines of All That Jazz or Mr. Cellophane. The show embraces and produces the spirit of classic Vaudeville productions with its talented chorus lines, revolutionary choreography, and jazzy show tunes. The singers give spirit to their work with voices made strong by years of struggling for their five minutes of fame and a spotlight in the public eye.

Rob Marshall and Bill Condon come together to deliver a modern swing on this jazz age extravaganza by fusing the power of today’s stage effects, the talent of popular artists, and one of the most celebrated Broadway shows in history. Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, and Christine Baranski show us a performance to remember as they are transformed into vaudevillians from another age. Absolutely fantastic voice performances and dance numbers give today’s actors a long forgotten skill and show us another side of what it means to be a performer. I loved the juggling, the bum clown act, and the Chicago lights circus shows that took place throughout the movie.

I figured before going that I would enjoy myself, but I had no idea that the musical would be as great as it was. It will most definitely be on my Christmas list next year! The reason the title of this review mentions All That Jazz is because this screening, provided by the University Unions Arts and Programs (AAPA) as part of their Oscar Winning Film Festival, also shows films created by students here at the University of Michigan. We watched three films; Prelude in C Major by Shannon Kohlitz, Epic Reiteration of Hey Diddle Diddle also by Shannon Kohlitz, and Free Trade by Josh Behr. These independent films are to be shown and voted on at all of the screenings this week and the winning film will be announced on Thursday. They were all well produced films that deserve the attention of Michigan’s diverse student body. This week’s program is designed to get these films some viewing and I hope everyone can take it upon themselves to attend one film this week and vote for favorite.

The other films are:

“Crash” February 24, 2010, 7 p.m. at the Michigan Union, Pendleton Room
“Casablanca” February 25, 2010, 7 p.m. in Palmer Commons, Forum Hall


Take a break from studying, or celebrate a finished exam, by attending one of these fantastic movies and participating in this campus program to support fellow students. I know for a fact that Casablanca is an amazing movie, and I’m sure that Crash is also, I mean it did win some Oscars. It will be worth it, I promise.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer.

Preview: Study or Chicago? Study or Chicago?

Danny Fob 8 Comments

Definitely Chicago. Take the night off from midterm studying and come and enjoy an Oscar winning film. You know you’re just going to cram and wing that test anyway. I’ve never actually seen Chicago, I know, that is really sad, but the University is holding their Oscar Winning Film Festival and they are playing Chicago. I’m really excited! I have heard some of the music, but don’t know any of the storyline.

Okay, okay, school does come first, but everyone needs a brake. Come on, you know you want to slack just a little bit (I know I do). Well if you decide to come out, Chicago is being played at the Michigan League in the Vandenberg Room at 7:00pm. Don’t be late!

P.S. FREEpopcorn and soda!

Where: Michigan League, Vandenberg Room
When: 7:00pm
What: Viewing of Chicago
How Much: FREE

I hope to see you there!

And as always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Review: An Evening to Remember with Abigail Stauffer

Danny Fob 2 Comments

Saturday night was the coffee shop performance of my friend Abigail Stauffer. I can’t stop listening when she starts singing and plucking the divine strings on her guitar. Her voice is pure like an angel but cultured with the depth of folk singing.

Abbie sings both covers for today’s music and her own original songs. She makes songs like Jay Sean’s Down sound romantic and poetic. It is truly beautiful. Her best songs, however, are the ones she writes herself. She is the most talented songwriter I know. She is a poet with music, a painter with a guitar. My favorite song, College, Love, and Cheesecake, is one about love and simile. I constantly listen to another one of her songs Beloved. I bought her CD because of these two songs, but there are so many other great pieces on it and it was totally worth the $8.

Abigail’s friend Rebecca sang with her on many of her songs and was really great, but this was Abbie’s show and I want to write about how amazing she really is. To listen to some of her music, search for Abigail Stauffer on www.youtube.com or become a fan of her on www.facebook.com.

Abigail’s voice is what is so amazing about her performances. It is clear and strong, yet she makes it sound so easy to put all of that emotion into it. She has complete control of her voice and can jump octaves in an instant only to come right back to the same note. The note strings that she puts together are original and flawless, sometime surprising and unexpected. Her style itself screams unique.

I would love to go to another concert or buy another CD, so you can be sure that I will be there next time too. Café Ambrosia was a great venue for the occasion, this being their first concert, and it was comfortably packed. I know that Abbie enjoyed herself and that the crowd loved her, so it was a great night and I’m sorry if you missed it.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Preview: A Night of Magic, Music, and Milk Based Espresso Drinks

Danny Fob

I’ve been waiting for this weekend for almost a month now. It’s Valentine’s Day, love is in the air, and a good friend of mine is singing at Café Ambrosia. Abigail Stauffer is performing in the basement seating section of this fantastic café, a place where members of the LGBT Commission has spent many hours studying and building friendships and that serves exceptional coffee.

Abbie is a campus artist that plays at many different venues, one of the most notable being the Ark in downtown Ann Arbor! She is absolutely amazing and I love to hear her sing. Last I knew there were still some tickets available at Café Ambrosia for $5, but they’ve been going fast. I encourage you to visit the café to purchase tickets. If you don’t, you’re really missing out, and for that I am sorry.

It really will be a wonderful night, this Saturday night. I’m taking my date to the concert, and then we’re heading over to the U-Club in the Union to attend the Valentine’s Day dance hosted by the LGBT Commission “A Rainbow Tie Affair.” Quite a night and I’m so excited. Just to add a little more advertisement for the dance…I’m not really sure if I’m aloud to do this, but I’m going to do it anyway. Michigan is all about intergroup relations and collaboration. The Dance is Saturday from 9:00 pm to 12:00 am in the U-club. The dress is semi-formal, but no plain black and white. Many of us will be wearing rainbow ties or bright colors. Good music, friends, and possible new dates for Sunday. We ask that you bring some sort of donation for the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, such as toiletries, clothes, or non-perishable foods. We are also collecting money for a second charity, an MSM group in Kenya. Please be as generous as your college pockets will allow, but there is no mandatory cover charge for the dance.

Enough said about that, back to Abigail. Like I said; fantastic singer and guitar player!

What: An Evening with Abigail Stauffer- An Intimate Valentine’s Day Weekend Show
When: Saturday February 13, 2010, 8:00-9:00pm
Where: Ambrosia Café basement. Ambrosia is on Maynard, right after walking through Nickel’s Arcade
Cost: $5 tickets for sale now at the Café
Who: My friend Abigail Stauffer

I hope to see people there, or at the dance, or both. I’ll be the one in the Rainbow striped vest (hopefully).

As Always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer