Inspire. Educate. Entertain.
2902 Villa Lane Benton Harbor, MI, 49022 United States
(312) 880-9691
Conversations featuring authors and influential leaders in the arts, media and business.
Our Conversation this week comes in the form of a letter from Ron Keaton. Ron agreed to step in when business called me out of town. It was a chance for Ron to give his unique point of view on a big night of recognition for Chicago's professional theatre community and share comments from award recipients in many of the categories.
Read MoreFor Brenda Didier, directing Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Billy Elliot The Musical is like coming home again. The show opens the company's 23rd season in their new digs at the Ruth Page Center in Chicago a place that is very familiar to Didier. She has vivid memories as a young dance student. And perhaps most helpful, particularly to the story of Billy Elliot, is rekindling the excitement she experienced realizing her own dream that began when she was eight years old.
Read More
There's a little motto that the amazing E. Faye Butler saved until the end of our delightful conversation between rehearsals on September 8th at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Read More
This week, more conversations with artist's whose work this year has been recognized with a 2016-2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award nomination.
Read More
The 2016-2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award nominations were announced this week. There were 158 nominations in 33 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions during the period August 1, 2016 through July 31, 2017.
Read MoreAccording to Tom Dreesen, there's one essential rule for stand-up comedy: be funny. He's quick to add something he learned from Sammy Davis Jr. -- you can't make everyone love you -- which he says, particularly applies to comedians. And, if you are thinking about writing jokes, it helps to know that the setup line has to hide the punchline, that there are no "victimless" jokes, and, according to Mort Sahl, someone is always wrong.
Read More
If you are looking for a short, professional cultural diversion on Tuesday nights this summer in Chicago, plan to attend the International Music Foundation's Rush Hour Concerts Series. Now in its 18th season at St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron Street, the series runs through August 29, 2017 offering a full range of free, concert programming.
Read MoreEver feel like you want to throw your cell phone away, but then realize you need to call someone to tell them where you are? Was the last time you ended an argument with a Google search around lunchtime today? How many pairs of shoes did Amazon send to you before you actually wore them?
If you are a keen social observer like Bill Dyszel, there is a good chance that you already know how amazingly dependent we are on the internet, that highway of information and practical applications that make life so easy we often forget to actually live it in real time. Dyszel, an accomplished opera singer who has written and is performing The Internet Ate My Brain at Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret on May 14th, is an expert on the topic. He is the author of a growing list of 20 books that includes Microsoft Outlook for Dummies, the popular series of self-help manuals that age like a fine wine with every new version. As we found out in our Q & A this week, in between the finer points of making our lives more efficient in his real job, Dyszel has developed his own special brand of musical commentary about the way we live our lives in the social media age.
We also found out that Bill Dyszel's manic, fresh and inventive style is perfectly suited for the intimate stage at Davenport's. The multimedia show, with musical director Beckie Menzie, is loaded with masterful parodies on a range of comic viewpoints about Amazon, Google, WebMD and a particularly hilarious take on selfies. Dyszel's New York performance was named a Top Ten show by Theater Pizzazz and won a coveted nomination for the Broadway World NY Cabaret Award for Best Musical Comedy.
We caught up with Bill Dyszel to pose a few questions in advance of the Davenport's appearance.
Q & A with Bill Dyszel
ET: Is it safe to say that you straddle two very different worlds: by day, the mild-mannered reporter who dissects complex software upgrades so the rest of us don’t have to, and, by night, a kinetic, hilarious, dialed-up and tuned-in cabaret performer whose laser-sharp musical parodies and original material hit at the heart of our Internet-based world? Or, is there another Bill Dyszel that we do not see as often?
BD: There’s also the content marketing guy who creates lots of business communications material that sells stuff to big companies. It’s not as funny, but it pays better. Now and again there’s also an opera singer, a task that is much less serious than it often looks.
ET: How did the book writing project begin?
BD: I wrote for lots of computer magazines in the heyday of titles like PC Magazine and Computer Shopper, mostly doing product reviews, etc. I reviewed Microsoft Outlook in its first release, and kept covering it ever since.
ET: How much of a program like Outlook does an average person use? There are some obvious priorities, but talk about a couple of features that you were surprised more people don’t use.
BD: I doubt that most people use more than 10 percent of what’s in there. Part of that is because Microsoft used to add flashy new features every 2 to 3 years as a competitive practice. Some of those features stayed in the product, no matter whether they were widely adopted. Most people don’t use the task list much, but it’s a great way to stay on top of all the little chores we all need to do every day. I like the Notes feature, which is where you can keep random scribblings of things you’d like to remember. Microsoft wants people to use One Note for that, but I think the Outlook version is more helpful because it’s right there with your email.
ET: There does not appear to be a lot of IT in the opera world. How has your opera career influenced your musical interests now and what prompted the transition to the very unique and original style you have developed?
BD: It’s hard to say what influences what—do I prefer “legit” sounding music because I did opera, or the other way around? Hard to say. I do prefer performing music that incorporates good vocalism. I’ve also always enjoyed classical music comedians like Victor Borge and PDQ Bach, but I like extending that kind of humor to non-musical topics.
ET: You have performed TIAMB multiple times in New York and Skokie. How has the show been adapted to fit in the smaller and more intimate backroom at Davenport’s on May 14th?
BD: The approach is substantially similar, except that in smaller rooms like Davenport’s in Chicago or Don’t Tell Mama in New York, I have to rig my own tech and run my own cues. The show has some lecture/demo qualities, anyway, so it isn’t a problem. The smaller room also makes audience interaction easier, because audience members aren’t so far from the stage.
ET: Do you consider TIAMB a comedy show with music or a cabaret show with comedy?
BD: It’s comedy with music, the comedy comes first.
ET: Why?
BD: The show only achieves its goals if the comedic parts land right. The comedic material conveys the meaning of the show.
Bill Dyszel THE INTERNET ATE MY BRAIN
ET: There is an interactive element to the show. Can you give us an idea about what is in store?
BD: One goal of the show is to provide an experience that couldn’t be duplicated online. Much of that revolves around allowing audience members to interact with each other, face-to-face, in a way that they can’t online. I don’t want a performance that could be replaced by an online video. There are billions of those. This is about the unique value of live performance and live events involving live, in-person interaction.
ET: Conservatively, you have written over 100 songs and song parodies. What are two or three elements of a good parody?
BD: In my view, a good parody adds a new layer of meaning of the original material while also exposing an unexpected resemblance with the topic of the parody. I like to retain as much of the language and structure of the original material as I can, while creating a new meaning with the result. There is a tendency for people to write parodies so that they don’t have to write music. Sometimes that works, but I prefer parodies that honor the original material in some way. Those yield a much richer and compelling result.
ET: When you are doing your show, what are the three most important rules to follow?
BD:
1. Relax—if the performer is having fun, the audience will, too.
2. Respect the audience—The interactive segments allow audience members to express their opinions, and they should feel safe and respected in doing so.
3. Check your fly.
ET: Any other careers we have failed to mention?
BD: I’ve done enough odd little things than I can’t remember them all—radio announcer, improv actor, Navy officer, filmmaker…That should probably be another show sometime.
ET: Thank you for your service. What’s up next?
BD: I don’t think this piece is completely mature yet, it’s always growing. I may push more on developing the blog at TheIntenetAteMyBrain.com and expand that to see where it goes. With any luck, the blog and the show could feed into each other.
Becker violins and cellos -- and the family that makes them -- have a long and storied history. The craftsmanship involved in a "Becker" is an art form all to itself, developed and handcrafted with techniques passed down from generation to generation. Four generations, to be exact. When you ask PAUL BECKER about the extraordinary value and longevity of these instruments, he says, in the proper hands, they only improve with age … and can be immortal.
A visit to the new West Hubbard Street location of the Becker shop in Chicago will give anyone a greater appreciation for the artistry involved in creating these fine instruments. Handcrafted to exacting measurements, each has its own tonal identity, sized to fit the artist and adjusted to their own particular requirements. It is hard to imagine the patience and precision necessary for this highly-detailed work that has kept Paul Becker busy since he got his first bench in the family shop at 13 years old.
What has happened in the decades since was the topic of our conversation when we took a tour of his shop. We brought a 100 year old violin -- a Tracy family heirloom -- for show and tell to see whether or not there may still be some music in it and we discovered more about the Becker family’s extraordinary contribution to creating and preserving their craft.
Why instruments are invaluable …
“Well it is art … Art has a beauty. It produces a human voice. It recreates not just a beauty to look at but a beauty to listen to.”
On the intricate detailing and craftsmanship …
“Everything on a violin is important … ten hundredths of an inch, not one hundredth of an inch ... The measurements are incredibly important. This is much finer than a human hair. You cannot see these moves, yet, you will know those moves … anyone will hear those moves … any musician will feel those moves.”
How to create that special sound …
“I am dealing with engineering, chemistry, psychology, hearing … I mean the hearing part is an amazing thing … being in touch with how what I hear makes me feel is what creates that special sound.”
The inspiration behind a musical masterpiece …
“What I am looking for is an instrument that inspires the musician so they want to practice and find that violin … another corner that is in it … a sound or feel they did not have prior. I am looking for that in my work and if I can inspire a musician, then I am more likely to get that masterpiece of a performance from them.”
Loyola University Chicago
2015 Illinois Family Business of the Year
Small Family Business of the Year
Carl Becker & Son Ltd.
WEBSITE
Paul Becker of Carl Becker & Son talks about a 100 year old violin at his shop in Chicago. March 24, 2017
There is no one you could name who is anything like Elaine. Dame, that is.
After years of playing concert and club dates all over town and in New York, Elaine Dame is recognized as one of Chicago's most gifted jazz singers and vocal coaches. And she gives back, as we found out in our lively conversation at Winter’s Jazz Club on March 31st, where she’s helping owner Scott Stegman expand programming for the hot new venue in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
Raised in a family that appreciated music, art and culture, she recalls her parents urging her to sing and take piano lessons. Her grandmother, who passed away recently at 101 years young, was an extraordinary influence in her life, taking her to concerts, theatre and sharing a deep appreciation for art. There was also a long line of spiritual influence at play: her grandfather, a Protestant minister, followed several generations of ministers before him.
The intermingling of music, art, faith and all the encouragement paid off. A flute became the instrument of choice, with choral singing and theatre close behind. Professional aspirations, spurred on by band and choir directors who still proudly come to see her perform, pulled her far away from the small town of Stevensville, Michigan where she spent most of her formative years – first to Pepperdine, then classes at UCLA and then to the Theater Repertory Program at California State Northridge.
In the mid 90’s, after a four-year investment in Chicago’s busy theater scene, things seemed to be stalling a bit. That’s when she discovered Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, an insightful guide to understanding creative potential. The transformation that began all those years ago ultimately helped her to develop a much more centered life, and to recognize that jazz singing, and coaching vocal jazz technique, was her true calling.
Her spiritual compass took a meditative turn as well. Elaine Dame is now a practicing Buddhist. There’s much more to hear in our captivating and enlightening program recorded at Winter’s where she is preparing for her April 25th show – Elaine Dame Sings Ella with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra All Star Quartet.
The impact of The Artist’s Way … “It is an incredible book for anyone who wants to be more creative in their life … I always recommend it to my students … When I did this book not only was it an incredible experience creatively but spiritually it was intense. I had not before or since had that kind of spiritual experience. I felt like I was in this strange zone, in the flow … stuff just comes to you … serendipity … sounds so ‘woo woo’ and I am not a ‘woo woo’ kind of a person but it really did set me on this path. The book dispels the myths about what it means to be an artist … that artists are broke or crazy ... Most artists I know are very well-adjusted, lovely people with families and this is their job … We each have our own blocks … psychologically … when it comes to doing creative things and this book allows you to explore all the myths in your head.”
Music as therapy … “Thank God for music. It has always been a way for me to relax and meditate … for my brain to slow down and focus on one thing.”
Skat facts … “You have to study it. It is a language. It is an art form ... You cannot just pretend to be good at it … Initially you have to start just by experimenting … basically stream of consciousness kind of stuff … and imitation … When you first start you imitate the people you love … Once you get passed that and figure out if you have an ear for it … playing around can only get you so far so you have to start studying harmony. It is an ongoing, challenging thing … to break down the way the harmony is moving … what the scale means to that c7 chord and be able to sing that scale … and have a way to get to that next scale … teach them how to do that ... guide tones and all that … You have a map that you can use but you obviously have to be a great listener and move with what is happening. It is a beautiful thing when it works out.”
On practicing Buddhism …“I chant every day and it helps me stay positive. It helps me have what the Buddhists call a high life condition which means one filled with passion, compassion, wisdom, joy and all that good stuff. We all have challenges and should look at them as opportunities … It helps a lot in the music business.”
Coming up at Winter’s Jazz Club … “I am doing an Ella Fitzgerald tribute at Winter’s. It will be her 100th birthday on April 25th... She, more than any other artist, is someone I am obsessed with. It is going to be with Chicago Jazz Orchestra. It is an incredible group and we will have a lot of fun. Hopefully the audience will too.” PODCAST
Making its 2017 Midwest debut on April 1st, ODYSSEO brings 65 majestic horses and a football field sized village to Chicago in what has been billed as the largest touring show on earth. As you enter the enormous production complex, you realize that at its heart, ODYSSEO is a unique experience between horse and handler and all of the mechanics that surround this production serve only to enhance the intimate relationship.
On March 27th, we had the pleasure of visiting Cavalia village to speak with the production team, artists and trainers involved in mounting the 2017 version of the show founded in 2003 by Normand Latourelle. An earlier version played here in 2009, but it has grown many times in size, scope and complexity since then.
For starters, there are nine different breeds of horses from seven countries that perform in free riding displays throughout. The four-legged stars of ODYSSEO were flown in on a 747 and then spent a leisurely two-week break at a local farm in Bristol, Wisconsin to recharge and relax before the run with matinee and evening performances through April 23rd under the white big top. Back at Soldier Field, the crew has worked for 17 days to mount the dazzling series of tents and staging that is transported in 110 semi trucks.
In this week's CONVERSATION, we spoke with Resident Artistic Director Darren Charles about the overall vision of ODYSSEO. It was a bit of a surprise to learn that Sam Alvarez, an electrical engineer, and Elise Verdoncq, an aspiring attorney, had both changed course in their careers and have been with the the show since its inception. Alvarez, an aerialist, performer and coach for the high-flying routines, took us through a few of the show's highlights. Verdoncq told us that after busy days in training, it all comes together for her as a featured performer in Liberty, a unique program element where horses respond only to her voice, body and hand movements.
With over 150 crew members, 50 performing artists, riders, aerialists, acrobats, stilt walkers, dancers and musicians, an enormous hydraulic carousel, 10,000 tons of stone, earth and sand … and horses, everywhere, Cavalia Odysseo is sure to please and not to be missed.
Rider Steven Paulson on the premise of the show …
“Liberty meaning freedom in French is the premise of our show … Horses at freedom … no bridle, no saddle … Following us based on cues of body language ... It is all about the bond between horse and rider.”
Darren Charles, Resident Artistic Director and Choreographer, on the epic scale of this production …
“We are back with the largest touring show in the world. We have 150 resident employees, 65 horses and 50 artists … aerialists, ground based acrobats, video, equestrians … amazing lighting … It is almost like you are watching a movie rather than watching a show … Something no one has ever seen before.”
Sam Alvarez, Aerialist and Coach, on his change in careers …
“I have been with the show since its beginning … I started as a gymnast, diver, dancer as a kid but I was not looking to be in any circus. I was studying to be a computer electrical engineer … and there was a chance occurrence … I happened to audition for circus … I decided my body is only going to be good at this for so long so why not. I have been in it for over 20 years now I would say.”
Featured artist, rider and trainer Elise Verdoncq on her relationship with the horses …
“There are horses that will be more sensitive about the way I move and talk. I would say to have a horse completely ready [for the show ] would take a year. If you just train one horse it will take less time but in this number all the horses need to learn their place and that is the longest process … I really enjoy spending my day with my horses. You learn every day with them.”
PODCAST
ODYSSEO by CAVALIA
Soldier Field South Lot
1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago
(Entrance at parking gates on East 18th Drive)
TICKETS|WEBSITE
CALL: 866.999.8111
NOW EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 3, 2017
JOAN CURTO
HAPPY TALK
DAVENPORT'S
1383 N. Milwaukee
JUNE 9 -11, 2017
773.278.1830
RESERVE
After speaking with the alluring Joan Curto about her passion for the Cole Porter songbook, collaborating with top musicians and artists, and performing in Chicago's premier musical venues, you know that she has found a sweet spot for music in her busy life. The mother of three sons, whose accomplished professional career has allowed her the freedom to develop a musical style all her own, credits the flexibility, patience and love of her family as the key ingredient.
Joan Curto's musical journey started after a move west in 1989. Almost a decade of musical theater passed before she read about a new club opening in town, Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret. The venue immediately provided a fresh, welcoming atmosphere and an intimate showroom for singers. After two sold-out shows of her own, Curto had more opportunities large and small, in and around Chicago and ultimately, New York. In 2003, she received the Chicago After Dark Outstanding Cabaret Artist Award. The busy musical career in the years that followed was recognized by her peers who honored her at the 2016 Chicago Cabaret Professionals Gala at Park West.
Highly regarded today as one of Chicago's most gifted interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Curto produced and starred in the memorable COLE PORTER 125 - A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION at the Auditorium Theatre. The show last fall brought together superb vocalist's from Chicago's cabaret and jazz communities including Paul Marinaro, Tammy McCann, Beckie Menzie and Tom Michael all accompanied by Rich Daniels’ City Lights Orchestra.
We sat down on March 9th to talk about the special qualities needed to balance business, performance and family and plans for the next Auditorium Theatre concert honoring Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne entitled ELLA & LENA - THE LADIES AND THEIR MUSIC on November 17th.
Her day job …
“My day job feeds me ... and my night job feeds my soul. The music is a blessing to have but it is not easy to make a full-time living and I needed to make a full-time living ... I have been in pharmaceutical sales for 30 years … It is a great career. I have enjoyed it and it has allowed me to pursue the music without feeling the enormous pressure of having to make a living every day singing … It has allowed me to develop this career in a slow fashion and allowed me to take risks without worrying too much about it.”
Defining "Cabaret" ...
“There is an intimacy between the performer and the audience … You need to reach out to that audience, share with them and make it personal … It is really about the fourth wall. Cabaret is about not having the fourth wall. You are singing and telling stories directly to these people as yourself. You are not in character ... it is you, as you.”
Is there a secret …
“When you can bring a life experience to the song, the interpretation and the meaning of the lyrics become richer.
Trial and error …
“I learned a lot from Julie Wilson. Julie is a great friend of mine and was probably the best lyric interpreter I have ever met in my life or ever seen perform. She would tell me ‘sometimes you just have to try things in front of an audience and they will tell you if that is a good song for you.’ I have sung hundreds of songs. Definitely there are things I sung once and I have never picked up again because it was not the right song for me.”
Thanks to Karen Mason …
“I knew that the best way to make friends was to get into a show. So I auditioned for a show in Wheaton … and I was cast … and I made a lot of great friends … I did a lot of musicals there in the western suburbs ... Then, when Davenport’s opened … I think that Karen Mason opened that room … I saw an article in the paper and I said I want to go down and hear that … After I saw her show I said, ‘I want to do this.’ … I have never been in a musical since.”
FEATURED SELECTIONS
