PREVIEW: GUTS

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GUTS Senior IP Show

Every year, the senior cohort of the Penny Stamps School of Art & Design works on a year long project called “IP” (Integrative Project).  At the end of a 10 month journey, the students gather in clusters to present their work. Either in galleries on campus or off, groups of artists host an opening event followed by a two week period where the art is on display. This particular exhibit, GUTS, presents the independent work of Liz Luidens, Justin Hein, Taylor Bultema, Alex Kaufman, and Ronan Lyman.  Using the mediums of print, drawing, and illustration, the works are both varied and dynamic but also cohesive. About arriving at the title “Guts,” artist Alex Kaufman said:

“We all got together once we had our venue set so we could start brainstorming.  we each pinned up a couple pieces to get a feel for what all of our work looks like together, and started throwing out ideas. Our concepts are really self-reflective, and a lot about our internal thoughts, feelings and personal experience.  So, in a way our work is our guts on paper.  And its a vague reference to our aesthetic, which is fairly direct and in-your-face.  So yeah, once we put all that together it made perfect sense, and that is the story of how Guts happened.”

The opening reception will be held on Saturday April 20th from 7-10 pm with a closing reception on May 5 at 6 pm. The off-site exhibit is in The Yellow Barn on 416 W. Huron with regular hours Tuesday-Saturday 5-9 pm. For an inside look, check out Alex Kaufman’s blog. See you there!

REVIEW: UMGASS presents Pirates of Penzance or, The Slave of Duty

Kayla Silverstein

Friday night, I had the privilege of seeing UMGASS’s presentation of Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty. It was such a great show – whimsical, cheery, and largely optimistic, I am officially an avid fan of UMGASS and the work that they do.

The play itself was actually pretty similar to what I was expecting for my first Gilbert and Sullivan show. The humor worked on so many levels. There was, of course, the absurdity of pirates in this bizarre setting in Cornwall, the main character Frederic having an identity crisis and wondering what a “true beautiful woman is” when all he has known is his charming yet elderly guardian Ruth, and of course who could forget the Major-General, an attested genius who asserts the depth of his knowledge while insulting his own at the same time. The whole concept is absolutely crazy.

The other operating level of humor was of course that of intellectually-based, political satire. Beginning with a rendition of “God Save the Queen,” audience participation insisted, we are immediately placed in a time period where everyone respects, yet mocks the queen to which they serve. Not to mention the lyrics of the songs are all at once brilliant and thought-provoking. It is almost too much to see it once and understand all that is going on in the show.

Job well done to the fine folks at UMGASS – can’t wait for what’s next!

REVIEW: UM Men’s Glee Club Spring Concert

Kayla Silverstein

As always, UMMGC left it all on the stage last night at their Spring Concert in Hill Auditorium. The performance was spectacular and their director, Dr. Eugene Rogers, should be thoroughly congratulated for a job well done. The precision with which those men perform is absolutely admirable. While I was listening, I couldn’t help but remark how all of their faces expressed so much joy in being on stage and performing with their fellow clubbers. It was fantastic.

A distinct highlight of last night’s performance was the Friar’s performance just after intermission. The Friar’s is the Men’s Glee Club’s a cappella group, a small, auditioned subset of the larger group. They wowed us away with their utter hilarity and charm – I know I wasn’t the only girl swooning when they hit those high notes.

My favorite song of the night by far was the Harriet Tubman song in the second half. A spiritual crying, “Harriet Tubman didn’t take no stuff!” – it was uplifting, inspiring, and, in my opinion, an accurate portrayal of the amazingly courageous woman she was. They had Robert Hurst, renown bassist and professor at the UM School of Music, Theatre, & Dance, play on the bass alongside a fantastically rhythmic drummer. It was absolutely awesome.

Job well done to the Men last night of UMMGC and (shameless plug) if you liked what you saw last night, be sure to check out the UM Women’s Glee Club, Sunday April 21st at 4pm, Hill Aud as well as the upcoming Friar’s concert next Friday.

REVIEW: August: Osage County

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I was very interested to see the Michigan Theater Department put on this production. August: Osage County is an elaborate play about a family dealing with the disappearance of the patriarch, a matriarch with a drug problem, three sisters managing their respective marriages. It is a play in three parts, on one set piece, the interior of their childhood home. It is an emotionally challenging production for the actors and the audience.

I was very impressed by junior, Jacqueline Toboni’s performance. She played the eldest daughter, Barbara, who is struggling with the separation from her husband, raising a teenage daughter, a pill popping mother and holding the family together in the face of the loss of her father. Mrs. Toboni has a very commanding stage presence and a powerful voice. She was very comfortable in her skin and effortlessly brought the audience into the drama of this family.

Elly Jarvis, Violet the mother, had a very challenging role to portray. The longer the production went on the more haunting her performance became. A very difficult part to embody.

Over all I think this ensemble was very strong. There were some challenges with projection for some, making it seem as though they were shouting their lines. The audience reaction was very positive. There was a lot of enthusiasm for these actors and this production.

August: Osage County won a tony for best new play in 2008. Written by Tracy Letts. This piece of theater is one of the best contemporary pieces that has come out in the last ten years, in my opinion. Excellently represented by this theater department.

REVIEW: Ben Folds killed it

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Ben Folds may have the best stage presence of any musician I have ever experienced. His stage presence is demanding, fun, entertaining and enjoyable. He is funny as all get out and unashamed to make mistakes. He received some song requests before his performance of pieces he hadn’t performed in a number of years, which required him to print out lyrics from the internet! What other musician would admit to that? I have never experienced such humility in a performer.

Listening to recordings of Ben Folds doesn’t do this man justice. His songs are not only melodically and lyrically beautiful, but it’s the energy Mr. Folds puts into his performances that really makes him such an incredible artist.

I was somewhat familiar with Ben Folds’ music. But was in no way prepared for the energy or the piano skills he brought to this performance. Really if you ever have a chance to see this man perform, I highly suggest it!

http://www.benfolds.com/

Unfortunately the members of the innovative student group Music Matters: http://michiganmusicmatters.com/home/about.html, made a bit of a musical mistake with the band they chose to directly proceed Mr. Folds. “Radical Something” is a sad excuse for a hip hop group. I had to leave the concert hall, along with a number of audience members. https://soundcloud.com/weareradical

The first opening band however, was really enjoyable. Motel Model is a local Ann Arbor band, with a lovely sound and excellent look.  Definitely check them out: http://motelmodelmusic.com/listen

REVIEW: GROOVE

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GROOVE

On Friday night, the student group Groove put on an energetic, fast paced performance in the Michigan Theater. The bi-annual event has a different theme each year and this season the subtitle was “Innocent Until Groovin’ Guilty.” The evening opened with a spoof film of a criminal case in which Groove members were prosecuted for making too much noise. The convicts were detained in a cell and when they were finally freed, they sprang forth from the silver screen onto the stage and began drumming with spirit. Using non-traditional instruments, such as garbage cans, bicycles, ladders, umbrellas, newspaper, and more, the show turned regular objects on their heads and made them entertaining in a whole new way. The performers also demonstrated their talent with traditional instruments, like guitar, drum set, electric violin, and keyboard. Each scene told a story using a variety of wild costumes and lots of bold singing and acting. One of the funniest sketches was a rap battle between two sections of a middle school band in which the lyrics spoofed off of popular rap songs but using lyrics associated with pre-pubescence and the terrible awkwardness of middle school. Another memorable sketch was a play on the James Bond theme, where some Groove members were taken hostage while others came to the rescue, all the while hammering away a beat.

The audience was totally packed and seemed to love every second of the show. It takes a lot for a student group to pack a full house at the Michigan Theater!  Some fans were also there to support to opening acts, EnCore and Rhythm student dance groups, as well as interluding musicians James Cornelison and Julian Allen.  The exciting evening concluded with a sentimental- albeit comedic- farewell to the senior Groovers as well as an audience shout out from a large sum of Groove alumni who had returned to Ann Arbor for the special event. It was a totally energetic evening, full of comedy, musical talent, and pure entertainment.