Author: Phillip Wachowiak

I am a graduate student studying physiology. In addition to science, I love to do things with cameras

REVIEW: Sister Africa 2015

Phillip Wachowiak

This was the 17th annual Culture Show put on by the African Students Association, and after weeks of hype and social media frenzy, the Michigan Theater was filled to capacity.

Comedian standup comedian Foxy P took the stage and did not hesitate bringing up diversity. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him complementing the diversity in Ann Arbor, as he told us a story about walking into a barber shop downtown and having his hair cut by a white guy named Tim. This story and every other time he came on stage was filled with an energy that kept the audience filled with passion.

There were no bad performances. Whether it was the Amala dancers flowing across the stage, the Uprizin Steel Drum Band reminding us of warming weather, or a blisteringly frank spoken word poem by Adedolapo Adeniji, the audience was on the edge of its seat.

Two standout dance performances by the Michigan Center for Capoeira and the Zuzu Dancers book-ending the second half truly made the Africa Show a worthwhile experience. Not only were the dancers shaped like bodybuilders, but we watched them flip and spin and fly through the air as if they were superhuman. The Zuzu Dancers especially condensed several acts into a short performance that deserved a standing ovation at the end.

Spaced at different points through the show was a fashion show. This was a reminder of Africa’s wide range of cultures and dress, as well as a reminder of how beautiful its people and clothing are.

Like the Fusion Show put on by ASA months before, the Culture Show was something that can only truly be enjoyed in person. This time, at least, there will be a video available of show online at 1Africa. For future reference, this is not an event to pass up when it comes around again next year.

PREVIEW: TEDx 2015

Phillip Wachowiak

Surely you have heard of the name before. TEDx: an incredibly wide range of “ideas worth spreading” touching on the three themes of Technology, Entertainment, and Design [the “x” denotes an independently organized event].

If you haven’t already, spend twenty minutes (or hours) on their website and you will quickly feel inspired to do something.

Each year, the University of Michigan brings its own TEDx event to campus, and this upcoming conference will the the 6th iteration of the day-long experience.

Where: The Power Center

When: Friday, March 20 (all day)

Who: An incredibly wide range of artists, speakers, & people

Cost: $15 (Pay in Advance)

This year’s theme is “Constructive Interference,” and you can find more information on the website here. Even better, you can apply to be part of the even itself.

PREVIEW: ASA Culture Show – Sister Africa

Phillip Wachowiak

The African Students Association (ASA) is putting on its 17th Annual Culture Show and this year’s theme is “Sister Africa,” where they will be showcasing Africa across borders.

In the words of the group: ” We hope that people leave the show with a better understanding and appreciation for Africa and a renewed hope for unification of its descendants from around the world.”

What you can look forward to:

  • Foxy P from African Comedians will host the show.
  • Fashion Designers from all over the USA showcasing their work
  • Performers including: ASA’s Amala Dancers, Oga Boys, Brazilian Capoeira dancers, and Zuzu Acrobats
  • Poetry, singing and instrumental ensembles!

When: March 13th @ 7:30 PM

Where: Michigan Theater

Cost: $5 Students, $8 Non-students

If you have questions please e-mail asa-board@umich.edu

REVIEW: Captive Barbies

Phillip Wachowiak

I will be honest: the last Basement Arts performance on North Campus left me with a lukewarm feeling. When I sat down in the familiar theater seats in the Walgreen Drama Center, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Believe me when I tell you: GO SEE THIS PLAY.

captive barbiesThe advertisement is fairly representative of what you’re getting yourself into–it’s flamboyant, outrageous, and there is not hint of the opposite sex from start to finish. We begin with Lee, a gay prostitute who escapes from a cop (Larry) once he forces Larry to confront his closeted past and present. From there we watch a relationship between Mitchell and Darrell explode as a love triangle involving Larry is involved.

I won’t spoil anything, but the story gets juicy without being convoluted.

Captive Barbies is a black comedy. Make no mistake, this is indeed one of the darkest comedies you will encounter. The only similarity I can think of off the top of my head is Little Miss Sunshine, with the way it threatens death and suicide, juxtaposed with the pain of rejection.

Yet the play is simultaneously hilarious and genuine. I was pleasantly surprised–or shocked–to watch such well-developed characters. Although Mike (the Pimp) was the weakest portrayal, each of the men involved was relatable in some way.The play does a superb job of portraying each character to maximize the emotions the audience feels at the climax.

Even better, Captive Barbies is easily quotable. Whereas quoting 50 Shades of Grey is done as a joke, quotes from Captive Barbies feels more like a commentary on life. The phrase “Differing realities” becomes a synonym for “lies” and Lee’s delusional adoption of various degrees from distinguished universities is very Blue Jasmine-esque.

This is a fantastic play. Not only is the writing and directing on point, but the acting as well. If you get a chance to see this before spring break, I would highly recommend the trek up to North Campus.

 

 

PREVIEW: Basement Arts Presents Captive Babries

Phillip Wachowiak

If you aren’t familiar with Basement Arts, they are a series of FREE student-run plays and performances that typically run in the evenings at the Walgreen Drama Center.

This weekend you have a chance to see the production Captive Barbies, the Hopwood Award-winning play by Levi Stroud and directed by Leia Squillace.

The summary:

Captive Barbies is a fast-paced black comedy that explores the story of the anti-hero, Lee, a criminal that lives in deluded realities, as he attempts to escape the law after committing a serious crime. Along the way to freedom, however, his journey clashes with a love triangle between a (kind of) married couple on the brink of collapse and a closeted cop. His quest for escape becomes impossible as their stories become increasingly entangled and emotions and motives develop. The piece is a meditation on notions of maleness, masculinity, and the conflict that erupts between the true self and the performance of self while facing the restrictions of normativity.

PERFORMANCES
Runs February 26-28
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7pm
Thursday at 11pm

All performances take place in Studio One of the Walgreen Drama Center, North Campus.

Cost: PERFORMANCES ARE FREE!

www.basementarts.info

REVIEW: Jose Miguel Sokoloff (Penny Stamps Speaker)

Phillip Wachowiak

Jose Miguel Sokoloff is many things; first and foremost, however, he is an advertiser who loves his home country of Colombia.

For roughly an hour, we experienced a condensed version of Colombia’s history and its war with the guerrilla movement. Beginning with the Cold War, Sokoloff laid the groundwork of the guerrillas’ ideological foundation, followed by a gradual shift to an economical role after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The key to ending Colombia’s war with the guerrillas, he stressed, was realizing that the members were as much victims of the organization as the general populace.

We watched the growth of the advertising campaign against the guerrilla’s–from it’s missteps at the beginning to the enormous successes it has achieved in recent years. Always, the message remained the same: “Demobilization is the way out” / “desmovilización es la salida”

What struck me most was how successful Sokoloff and the nation of Colombia was with its advertising campaign, and its intersection of art and politics. Realizing that genuine testimonies were more important than professional actors, the campaign would always “speak to the human” in an effort to convey the message that the war would eventually end anyway.

The government concentrated on Christmas and family, because that was when the members were most vulnerable. Soldiers decorated trees in the jungle with Christmas lights. Glowing balls with heartfelt messages floated down the waterways that the guerrillas used for travel. The military sent soccer balls all over the country to remind the guerrillas what they were missing.

Most touching of all was a campaign involving mothers, in which they stated “Before being a guerrilla, you are my son” / “Antes de ser guerrillero, eres mi hijo”

Eres mi hijo

Overall I loved this talk. This was explicit proof that we don’t need extensive peace talks or military campaigns to dissolve the potency of a violent movement. Instead, this advertising campaign appealed to the hearts and humanity of the guerrillas in the jungle, and it worked.