Conversations About Theatre And Dance

Those engaged with the arts are more likely to be socially connected

By Steven Brodsky

This press release was issued moments ago by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA):

Washington, DC—A new research brief released today by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) examines recent patterns of arts engagement among U.S. adults, and the relationship between arts engagement and social connectedness. The findings come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey from April to July 2024.
NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, said: “Timely data on arts engagement in our country is key as researchers seek to measure the health of the arts sector following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to improve our understanding of how the arts can impact many aspects of our lives, including issues of loneliness and social isolation. The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to add this report to our expanding body of research on the arts’ benefits for our lives and communities.”
Highlights from “Arts Attendance, Art-Making, and Social Connectedness: Spring/Summer 2024” are below. The findings about the arts’ positive links to social connectedness are especially promising in light of a 2023 Surgeon General’s advisory about the adverse health effects of loneliness and social isolation. See the full NEA research brief for additional statistics, including differences in arts participation rates by age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and annual income. Future research will examine subgroup differences in the outcomes associated with arts participation.
Arts Attendance and Arts Creation:
  • Between April and July 2024, a quarter (25.0 percent) of U.S. adults attended at least one live, in-person performance and/or art exhibit in the previous month.
  • 17.0 percent of adults went to the movies in the previous month.
  • 16.3 percent of adults created, practiced, or performed artworks in the previous month.
Access to Arts and Cultural Amenities:
  • A total of 62.2 percent either agreed (45.8 percent of all adults) or strongly agreed (16.4 percent) with the statement: “There are plenty of opportunities for me to take part in arts and cultural activities in my neighborhood or community.”
  • Among those least likely to agree with this statement were younger adults (54.4 percent versus 70.4 percent of those 65 or order); Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks (53.4 and 53.2 percent, respectively); and those who did not go to high school.
The Arts and Social Connection:
Attending meetings or clubs:
  • Adults who attended arts events and/or created art within the previous month were more likely than those who did not to participate in social groups—such as church groups, unions, fraternal or athletic groups, or school groups—and to do so at higher frequency levels.
    • 42.0 percent of arts attendees reported not belonging to such a group, compared with 52.1 percent of non-arts attendees.
    • 46.4 percent of arts creators—and 57.7 percent of non-creators—reported not belonging to a social group.
  • Arts attendees and arts creators are also more likely to attend organization or club/group meetings.
    • 29.2 percent of arts attendees went to organization or group/club meetings 12 or more times. For non-arts attendees, that rate was 15.0 percent.
    • Among arts creators, the rate of participating in such meetings 12 or more times a year was 28.2 percent, versus 19.3 percent of non-creators.
Perceptions of loneliness
  • Adults who attended live arts events were less likely than non-arts attendees to report feeling more acute levels of loneliness.
    • 2.7 percent of adults who attended live arts events in person reported “always” feeling lonely, compared with 5.1 percent of non-arts attendees.
    • 38.7 percent of arts attendees reported feeling only “rarely” lonely, compared with 25.4 percent of non-arts attendees.
  • However, adults who created or performed art were generally more acquainted with at least some level of loneliness than were non-creators.
    • Only 18.4 percent of arts creators reported “never” experiencing loneliness, versus 27.3 percent of adults who did not create or perform art.
Social and emotional support
  • Adults who attended live arts events in the previous month were more likely than non-arts attendees to report receiving the social and emotional support they needed.
    • 29.8 percent of arts attendees reported “always” receiving such support, compared with 23.4 percent of non-arts attendees.
  • Arts creators were more likely to receive social and emotional support than were non-creators.
    • 38.8 percent of arts creators, versus 30.3 percent of non-creators, “usually” received the support they needed.
Phone conversations with friends, family, neighbors
  • Adults who had attended arts events in the past month were more likely than non-attendees to talk with friends and family on the phone—and to do so more often.
  • Arts creators were more likely than non-creators to talk with friends and family on the phone once or twice a week, but less likely to talk five or more times a week.
Time spent with friends and family
  • Adults who attended arts events and/or created art were more likely than those who did not to get together with friends or family.
    • 45.1 percent of arts attendees met with friends and family once or twice a week, compared with 30.3 percent of non-arts attendees.
    • 35.6 percent of arts creators got together with family or friends less than once a week, compared with 42.1 percent of non-creators.
About the NEA’s Office of Research & Analysis
Research into the value and impact of the arts is a core function of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Through accurate, relevant, and timely analyses and reports, the NEA elucidates the factors, conditions, and characteristics of the U.S. arts ecosystem and the impact of the arts on other domains of American life. Visit the Research impact page on the NEA’s website for more information, including:
  • In-depth reports and analyses of research topics in the arts, including surveys of arts participation and reports on the economic impact of arts and culture.
  • The National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC)—an online hub for monitoring the U.S. arts ecosystem through a series of national indicators, and for accessing data-driven guides and reports aimed at arts practitioners.
  • National Archive of Data on Arts Culture (NADAC)—an online repository of arts and cultural datasets, for analysis by scholars, arts managers, and policy leaders.
  • Information on the NEA’s Research Awards: Research Grants in the Arts (RGA) and Research Labs, transdisciplinary research teams investigating the value and impact of the arts.
  • Monthly podcast and blog post on arts research topics.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit arts.gov to learn more.
Related Content

Posted 10-31-24

Brandon Cameron will perform in Servant Stage Company’s Sunday Night Cabaret Series on November 17, 2024

By Steven Brodsky

… at the Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Tickets are pay-what-you-will, consistent with Servant Stage Company’s mission to make exceptional theatre experiences accessible to everyone.

Visit https://servantstage.org/show-calendar/2024/11/17 for additional information and a link to reserve your tickets.

Posted 10-20-24

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces 112 organizations that will receive grants under the ArtsHERE program

By Steven Brodsky

The following press release was issued yesterday, September 24, 2024, by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA):

Washington, DC — The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce 112 organizations recommended for awards under ArtsHERE—a new pilot program in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations—designed to expand access to arts participation across the nation. These nonprofit organizations, each with demonstrated commitment to equity within their practices and programming, are recommended for non-matching grants of $65,000 to $130,000, totaling $12.356 million, to fund specific projects that will strengthen the organizations’ capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and communities. Grant recipients will also take part in peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities, and the NEA will report on lessons learned from this initiative.
Read more about the grant recipients and their projects.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is thrilled to provide resources to a group of exceptional organizations through ArtsHERE, a program to help deepen meaningful and lasting arts engagement in underserved communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Everyone should be able to live an artful life, and ArtsHERE is an important step in ensuring we are strengthening our nation’s arts ecosystem to make this a reality.”
Historically underserved groups and communities—those whose opportunities to experience the arts have been limited by factors such as geography, race or ethnicity, economics, or disability—frequently report lower rates of participation in various arts activities than other groups do. Managed by South Arts, the NEA announced the ArtsHERE pilot grant program in 2023 in recognition that engaging in the arts is essential to individual, social, civic, and economic well-being and in response to President Biden’s Executive Order that put forward a government-wide effort to advance equity for all Americans.
Recommended grant recipients are from all 50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ArtsHERE aims to address disparities in arts participation through grants that help organizations better serve and reach their communities. For instance:
  • In Juneau, AlaskaJAMM (Juneau Alaska Music Matters) is a tuition-free music program, which uses the power of music and the social experience of ensemble to help youth reach their fullest potential. JAMM is dedicated to preserving the Lingít language, the main Indigenous language in Southeast Alaska, and integrating its cultural wisdom into education. An ArtsHERE grant of $105,610 will support professional development by bringing together Lingít speakers, culture bearers, string teaching artists, and certified music teachers to develop music-based Lingít language instruction and culturally responsive training for educators. Activities will include a summer teacher training and music lab, field research in Sitka, Alaska, and the creation of culturally responsive teaching practice video tutorials.
  • In Racine, Wisconsin, the Mahogany Black Arts & Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, research, and exhibition of Racine County Black Cultural History. They run programs including an oral histories project; the Wisconsin Black Art & Culture Expo; and a multidisciplinary, emerging artist fellowship. An ArtsHERE grant of $130,000 will help them strengthen their organization through the development of a five-year strategic plan that will include community outreach, board development, and technological investments to grow and manage a member database.
  • In Nashville, Tennessee, the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee, Inc., preserves and promotes the cultural heritage of Native Americans in Tennessee. They aim to foster understanding and appreciation of Native American traditions through educational programs and cultural events. An ArtsHERE grant of $130,000 will support enhancement and expansion of their Arts & Culture Education program that focuses on increasing participation in Native American arts, improving cultural representation, and promoting Native heritage through various educational and community engagement activities. Activities will include an organizational needs assessment, strategic planning, community engagement, and field research to improve cultural representation.
  • In White River Junction, Vermont, the Special Needs Support Center of the Upper Valley (SNSC) is a group of individuals, families, and professionals throughout the Upper Valley and beyond who proudly work together to create a community where people with disabilities can live their best lives. An ArtsHERE grant of $95,300 will enable SNSC to build capacity in all the arts-focused organizations within the Upper Valley (NH and VT) to create places where people with disabilities have access to the arts. SNSC will work to provide staff training, recommendations on disability-friendly practices, and consulting.
  • In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Taller Comunidad la Goyco, Inc. is an organization born from community organizing dedicated to the creation of programs, initiatives, and opportunities that highlight the historical, social, and cultural wealth of the Machuchal community and the Loíza Street sector in Santurce, Puerto Rico. An ArtsHERE grant of $70,000 will support curated programming, promotion and marketing, and training for the volunteers who are ambassadors for their monthly community fairs, where they provide free and accessible arts experiences. They aim to increase audiences for the fairs by 10 percent and effectively communicate the results of cultural programming tied to health and well-being, as well as the environment, in their urban coastal community.
  • In Fort Worth, Texas, The Welman Project connects teachers and schools with surplus materials from businesses, promoting creative reuse and sustainability in education. It aims to enrich arts learning experiences while reducing waste and fostering environmental stewardship. To increase their ability to serve their community, The Welman Project will be opening a new, larger makerspace as part of the future Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing, which was formerly used as a KKK auditorium. An ArtsHERE grant of $74,900 will support strategic planning and cultural competency training to prepare for the opening of its tool library and makerspace and to ensure it operates effectively and sustainably as it expands into a majority Hispanic community.
“We are very excited to work with these organizations on their projects,” said Susie Surkamer, president and CEO of South Arts. “The arts are essential to the fabric of our nation, and at the heart of this necessity are the organizations and individuals who champion them. Through ArtsHERE, we are excited to continue expanding and enriching the arts landscape both nationally and within these unique local communities.”
In addition to grant awards, ArtsHERE grant recipients will also participate in quarterly peer learning workshops, monthly cohort sessions, and one-on-one meetings with technical assistance coaches and field experts. These meetings are designed for knowledge sharing, learning, and capacity-building, to help reinforce the initiative’s opportunities for cross-sector engagement.
As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the NEA to better understand the project activities supported by this program and how grantees approached the work. These insights may inform the future of ArtsHERE and similar funding programs in the future.
More than 4,000 organizations applied for ArtsHERE funding in late 2023 and early 2024. Applications were reviewed by multiple review panels based on published review criteria, including the applicant’s organizational capacity and their capacity-building project, alignment with ArtsHERE’s commitment to equity, and engagement with historically underserved communities. The selected organizations will receive funding to support their projects, which will take place between October 2024 through June 2026.
ArtsHERE is also supported by The Wallace Foundation through matching funds to the Regional Arts Organizations in support of this program.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on TwitterFacebookInstagram, and YouTube.
About South Arts
South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.
About the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations
The United States Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs)—Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and Western States Arts Federation—are a collective of six nonprofit arts service organizations committed to strengthening America’s infrastructure by increasing access to creativity for all Americans. They serve the nation’s artists, arts and culture organizations, and creative communities with programs that reflect and celebrate the diversity of the field in which they work. They partner with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, individuals, and other public and private funders to develop and deliver programs, services, and products that advance arts and creativity. Together, the USRAOs work to activate and operate national arts initiatives, encourage and support collaboration across regions, states, and communities, and maximize the coordination of public and private resources invested in arts programs. In Fiscal Year 2023, they invested over $18.4 million across the United States and Jurisdictions, through nearly 2,400 grants that reached more than 1,000 communities. For more information, visit usregionalarts.org.

Posted 9-25-24

The responsibilities of managing a theater took a toll on William Butler Yeats

By Steven Brodsky

… and inspired Yeats to pen the poem “The Fascination of What’s Difficult” in 1912.

“The Fascination of What’s Difficult”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43286/the-fascination-of-whats-difficult.

W.B. Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.”

Posted 4-23-22

A Conversation With Staś Kmieć

By Steven Brodsky

It’s a challenge to be restrained in praise of the Yiddish-language, Joel Grey-directed, NYTF production of Fiddler on the Roof—the show is that good. Fiddler, about as perfectly constructed a musical as there ever was, is here masterfully presented—reflecting the care and talent of the creative team, cast, and musicians. Dance in Fiddler is an important element—it entertains, reflects cultures and a time in history, and like everything else in this musical carries forth the story.

Staś Kmieć created the musical staging and choreography for this production. Staś is a world-class dancer and choreographer and an expert in Polish folk dance and culture. He was the perfect choice. Staś has performed and toured in many countries with dance icons such as Nureyev. He’s danced with the Boston Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, has been on the stages of Broadway, and appeared on film and television. He has choreographed musicals, plays, ballet, and opera in the U.S. and abroad. His background with Fiddler includes being on 2 two-year national tours of the musical with Theodore Bikel and 6 subsequent productions for 1,682 performances. Oh, and he’s also directed Fiddler a number of times.

Staś, this Fiddler is most special, in its creation and performance. How did you feel to be chosen as choreographer?

It is indeed a blessing. I have a long relationship with this show, but this was going to be different. With the recommendation of the Jerome Robbins Foundation and the “keeper of the Fiddler flame,” Sammy Dallas Bayes, I had been in the mix for this production since January. When Joel was officially announced as the Director in March, things took flight. The next day I was asked to meet with him and NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek, and in the time it took me to ride the subway back to my apartment, I received notification that I was to be engaged for Fidler Afn Dakh [Fiddler’s title in Yiddish].

My title would be “Musical Staging and Choreography” —basically responsible for the stage picture whenever you hear music in a song, dance, scene or scene-to-scene transition. This would include the body language of the actors and how to incorporate the set pieces to effectively evoke a new location or scene. I also contributed and collaborated regarding blocking, group scenes, props, lighting, and costumes.

Due to my knowledge of the work, the culture and the time period being portrayed, I would provide an anchor to the work, but with one foot in tradition, and the other in concept.

As Fiddler should not be considered as a museum piece, I enjoyed the challenge of breathing new life and a fresh perspective into the work. Joel’s concept allowed me to explore, and I relished this opportunity to create.

The story is familiar. What happens within the story is grounded in the word “tradition.” The staging and choreography reflect realism—inspired by and always with a deep respect to the Jerome Robbins original. Some areas are completely new, while others build upon the original. I added layers of traditional dance, custom, shtetl culture, real actions and interactions, as only someone who knows and admires the work can do.

What were the challenges of choreographing this production?

There were many variables to consider. The size of the cast and the stage were the biggest considerations. Although a cast of 26 is considered large, I am accustomed to working with 40, and a minimum of 35. In so many ways I had to be creative with my use of the actors and the approach to the material.

Because Safra Hall is an auditorium and not a traditional theater space, a unit set was designed that was minimalist and representational. The costume design was also representative of a band of actors of today’s Jewish community who are telling the story of the 1905 Anatevka shtetl-village.

Then there was the glorious, beautiful Yiddish language. While this added a new dimension and colored the work in an exciting way, consideration needed to be made that the majority of the audience would not fully understand it. Combined with the set and costume challenges, the story needed to be conveyed visually. Audience members have remarked at how they became so attuned to the gestures, facial expressions and detail of the staging and choreography, that they experienced the musical from a totally different perspective.

Please describe the interaction that you had with Joel Grey. Collaboration and interaction—Joel and I have become the “perfect match!”

The genius of the original production of Fiddler on the Roof came from the collaboration of its creative personnel headed by director-choreographer Jerome Robbins.

Working with Joel since March during pre-production, auditions and rehearsals have been a treat. Through his eyes, I envisioned new ways of illustrating this classic work and was challenged by the prospect of this unique Fiddler.

Our approach to staging a musical is different, but the “yin and yang” of our relationship has proved to be most beneficial. It was a melding of ideas—we were on the “same page” with our thoughts, and, most importantly, trusted each other.

We have tabled discussion of future joint ventures but have hinted about several ideas we would like to pursue.

The tavern scene is spectacular and conveys by dance and other interaction the dynamic of the Jews and their non-Jewish neighbors. There’s presence of threat, some willingness to narrow a gap, and a semblance of communion brought about through dance. The dancing is wonderful, the acting superb. Speak to us about this scene.

“To Life – L’Chaim” (celebrating the marriage arrangement of Tzeitel to Lazar Wolf) matches the boisterous bravado of the Russians with the inner reserve and pride of the Jewish villagers. Two uniquely different styles of dance.

Robbins’ use of show-specific dance was clear and no better illustrated than in the integrated ethnic dance in Fiddler.

Due to my immense background in folk dance and its authentic elements, I was able to infuse and travel beyond the realm of what was previously done. This amounted to more levels (literally and figuratively) of Russian dance and an even stronger dynamic.

What was it like to choreograph the wedding scene?

The wedding of Tzeitel and Motel is a play in itself and I’ve incorporated many traditional Jewish elements. Beginning with the tying on stage of the customary “gartel” and continuing to the ceremony under the chuppah canopy—the bride is circled around the groom three times (traditionally it is seven) and there is breaking of the wine glass. Stanchions separate the genders, there’s a mothers-in-law koylitsh dance with the bride; and seated in chairs, the couple is hoisted into the air before settling down to more separate dances. I’ve included a “Patsch Tants” and “Freylekh Hora,” so there is even a greater element of traditional dance.

The iconic Bottle Dance is included with embellishments, but remains true to its source. Joel’s first question to me was, “How do you balance the bottles?” I told him, “a bottle, a hat and lots of practice!”

One section that has now been authentically clarified is the role of the “badkhen”—the wedding master of ceremonies, deliciously played by Michael Yashinsky. Serving as a wedding jester of sorts, he is supposed to move the wedding company to laughter (at the expense of others, i.e. Lazar Wolf) and to tears. He commands rapid transitions between extremes with concentrated bursts of melancholy or of joy.

I included a “Mitzvah Tants,” and restored the “kale baveynen,” where the “badkhn” attempts to get the bride and others to cry over serious matters before then making them laugh and rejoice. The text was omitted from the Yiddish translation, as it had evolved as an ad-lib and was never documented in the script.

The wedding scene ends Act 1 with a depiction of the disturbing reality of conflict.

Please speak about your experience of working on other scenes in the play.

I enjoy working with actors, who are in movement as their characters, not as dancers.

“The Fiddler” is a symbol of the traditions Tevye is trying to hold onto as his world changes around him. Played by Lauren Jeanne Thomas, the Fiddler is seen only by Tevye and remains within his struggle of conscience. With a proud, playful, mischievous, defiant, mournful and hopeful disposition, I wanted to bring this relationship via staging to the forefront.

Marrying outside of the Jewish faith is a violation of religious beliefs and grounds for disownment. With the “Chavaleh Ballet,” I strived to simply and effectively evoke happier times in Tevye’s dream-like recollection, and then bring the harsh reality into focus, as he is compelled to reject his beloved daughter. The juxtaposition of these two scenes creates a heart-wrenching poignancy.

Which non-dance moments in Fiddler are most poignant to you?

The opening “Tradition” (“Traditsye”) and the Exodus closing (though there is an element of movement involved in both). They are about identity and community—and are based on the communal circle.

Tevye explains that it is the longstanding traditions of their village, culture, and religion that steady and guide the people of Anatevka. Then the inhabitants of the small-town Jewish village community—the Shtetl emerge. They are close-knit townspeople. Theirs is a culture “lost in time,” which only exists in the memories and in the partial and altered behavior of its members now scattered around the world.

A small moment at the end where the Rabbi bows to his son Mendel and they separate—leaving in two separate directions, gets me every time.

Due to the representational nature of our set, the closing moments had to be considered carefully. I decided to end on a final image that represents the legacy and culture that was left behind and the imprint and memory that lingers on.

Sheldon Harnick, the show’s lyricist, remarked that “the ending is perfect, don’t change a thing.”

What did you find to be most unusual about the staging of this play, other than the language?

I would have to say the sparse production elements. Joel brought me into a design meeting before the rest of the production team. I said, “It’s different, and will challenge my views, and I’m ready to meet that challenge.”

Even though we didn’t have an actual house or tailor shop, and not even a doorway, I insisted that the kissing of the entryway mezuzah (containing a miniature parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah) remain. I taped a line as to where the entrances would be, and the actors identify the space as they mime the action.

How did working with the Yiddish-language script affect you?

It was mostly seamless. I know the text so intimately that I understood it, without exactly understanding it.

In preparation for each section to be staged, I would review the script, which appeared in 3 lines—Yiddish, transliterated English, and the show’s original libretto.

There were occasional areas of departure and lines that fell on different beats. The heart and soul of the work remained, and achieved grater relevance in the language of author Sholem Aleichlem’s 1894 classic Tevye the Milkman and other Tales, on which the musical is based.

Which acting moments are among your favorites?

Several come to mind: Steven Skybell in “If I Were a Rich Man” (“Ven Ikh Bin a Rotshild”), Skybell and Mary Illes in “Do You Love Me?” (“Libst Mikh, Sertse?”), the Chava rejection scene, Hodel’s “Far From The Home I Love” (“Vayt Fun Mayn Liber Heym”), and the kitchen scene with Jackie Hoffman as Yente.

When working on “Rich Man,” I told Skybell that we would discover his personal signature movement. It would not be Mostel or Topol, but him. Steven offers an authentic, honest and intrinsically Jewish portrayal and I see much of my grandfather’s persona in his performance.

Topol, who attended a performance early in the run, remarked about “Do You Love Me?”: “That’s how it should be done! So moving, so intimate, so real, so warm.” My sentiments exactly. Joel and I spent a long journey with this song and we are both moved each performance.

What do you think will be your fondest memories connected to this this production years from now?

The experience of working alongside and exchanging ideas with an icon who I grew up with, have admired for years, and who is now my friend. The cast—a special bend of talent, hard work and raw energy. The dedication of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, and the unique, creative process of rediscovering a work that I deeply love. There’s always something new to learn.

Originally Posted 7-23-18, Reposted 4-1-20

A Conversation With Steven Skybell

By Steven Brodsky

To be cast in a major role in a watershed theatrical staging of one of the world’s most popular musicals is about as rare an occurrence as hens’ teeth. It’s happened for Steven Skybell. He’s Tevye in the soon to open National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s Fiddler on the Roof.

This production is an American premiere of a Yiddish translation by Shraga Friedman that’s reported to have not been staged in over half a century. This Fiddler will very likely bring audiences somewhat closer to the heart of Sholem Aleichem and the shtetl life he wrote about. Fiddler, of course, is an adaptation of a number of Aleichem’s stories; Yiddish was his mother tongue.

Joel Grey is directing the show. He’s working with an esteemed cast and creative team. From Fiddlers original production, the Folksbiene has engaged Sheldon Harnick (Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning lyricist) and the legendary producer/director Hal Prince as consultants. That production was unforgettable. (I was at one of the performances.) So will NYTF’s Fiddler. It’s a shame that it is scheduled for a run of only 8 weeks.

Steven Skybell has performed on Broadway, Shakespeare’s Globe in London, and elsewhere. He’s an OBIE Award recipient. Steven has taught acting at Yale, Harvard, and Fordham. He is on the acting faculty of NYU.

What went through your mind and what emotions did you experience when you first learned that you were cast as Tevye?

There have been times in my life when things seemed destined to happen. When I heard they were doing a Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof, I felt that it was something that I wanted to be a part of, and everything seemed to move into place accordingly. So when I found out that I was going to be playing Tevye in this Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof, I was happy beyond belief! I have wanted to be an actor since childhood; there is something about Fiddler on the Roof that holds a special place in a Jewish boy’s dreams. I’ve had the opportunity to be in Fiddler four previous times, beginning as early as age 11, when I held the chuppah in the wedding scene in an amateur production in my hometown of Lubbock, Texas.

The opportunity to be a part of this watershed production with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, is nothing less than a dream come true. It’s an honor and a delight. I am so looking forward to being able to share this amazing story with these memorable characters and melodies, merged with the authentic sound of the language of Sholem Aleichem. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

What aspects of Tevye’s experience and character resonates most strongly to you?

The role of Tevye is an amazing challenge in the world of musical theater. He gets to go through every emotion imaginable in the course of this play. And because he is so fully realized, I think he becomes an everyman for the audience. There are so many aspects of Tevye that I recognize in my own character. Obviously, the chance to play a Jewish person in conversation with his God, struggling to make right decisions concerning his family and his future, resonates very strongly with me. Tevye is a survivor. And while the circumstances of the play seem to overwhelm him, they don’t. I like to think, in my own life, I too am able to withstand and stay positive even in the face of life’s most difficult challenges. It’s that spirit, that life force, that is embodied in Tevye which inspires me and which I’d like to think lives within me as well.

An aspect of Tevye that has become clearer to me in this rehearsal process, is that even though we see him in the midst of what he describes as “a big poverty” and even though he dreams of being “as rich as a Rothschild,” in the course of the evening we see that he is far from being poor and destitute, and that he has been blessed with great richness and riches.

There is obviously a strong tragic vein in this musical, and that’s a challenge and a pleasure to play as an actor, but there’s also great humor and great joy. It’s this merging of “carrying a tear with joy” that makes this role and this musical so special.

What exposure to the Yiddish language did you have prior to accepting this role?

Like many Jewish children of the ’60s and ’70s, I grew up hearing my grandparents speak Yiddish. But sadly, it was only used when they wished to keep their meaning hidden. Later in my life, my brother and I began studying Yiddish together over the phone. We got some grammar books and would go through exercises and drills together over the phone. And then in the summer of 2005 (I believe), I was performing in Chicago, and I contacted the woman who teaches Yiddish at Northwestern University, Khane-Faygl Turtletaub. I went to her home once a week and had private Yiddish lessons. I just loved the language. And I did think that perhaps one day I might be able to find an opportunity to use Yiddish on the stage. When I met with the creative team for this production of Fiddler on the Roof, Zalmen Mlotek asked me why it was that I had learned Yiddish, and I could tell him that I did dream of one day performing with the Folksbiene. Needless to say, it has been an amazing challenge to rehearse in Yiddish, sing in Yiddish, and act in Yiddish. This theater does a great job in helping all the actors feel comfortable in this language.

Describe the challenges that Yiddish is presenting to you as you rehearse and otherwise get ready for the opening of this play.

Some specific challenges about performing in Yiddish include simply trying to memorize a language that is not completely your own. There’s also a difference between which word in English might be stressed and which word in the Yiddish version wants to be stressed, so that is something that has taken some painstaking practice.

Please give us an insider’s vista into Joel Grey’s direction of this play.

This is actually my second time to be directed by Joel Grey. He is, needless to say, an amazing performer. And he has the ability to empathize with the challenges of the actor and he also knows how to best help us, since he’s been on our side of the footlights too. He has such a deep and clear perspective on this play. And it is very refreshing to see that he is urging us all to go deeper than simply trying to recreate the Broadway version. This Yiddish version has its own soul, and Joel Grey is challenging us to dig deep for truth, for humor, and for Jewish soul. He is witty and funny and moving every day in rehearsal. It’s an honor for me to get to work with him, and his boundless energy is an inspiration. I definitely want to be like him when I grow up!

Jerome Robbins helped acquaint the original cast of Fiddler with Orthodox Jewish wedding dancing and other practices by clandestinely taking (with the assistance of a wedding caterer) cast members to Orthodox Jewish weddings. Have you and other cast members found it helpful to do any research to ensure accuracy on stage?

Although I was raised in the Reform movement of Judaism, my siblings and I have all found our way back to a more traditional Judaism over the years. All my siblings are now Orthodox. And over the years I have had the opportunity to observe the more traditional practices in their homes; and I even took part in a Shabbos exchange program through their shul which included spending the Sabbath in an ultra-Orthodox home in Boro Park, Brooklyn.

We also have in our cast, some Orthodox people. And they have been very helpful in filling out moments for us all and answering questions about certain details.

What scenes are you finding to be most enjoyable to rehearse?

The interesting thing about Fiddler on the Roof, is that it is an amazingly constructed piece of theater. It works so well. So truly every scene is a joy to rehearse. There’s nothing that is flawed in this piece. I will say that in rehearsal it has been so amazing to watch the dancers do their stuff. There is some incredible choreography in this musical and already the dancers are performing at such a high level of virtuosity and prowess. It’s a joy to watch.

How old were you when you first got involved in theatre? What stimulated your interest?

There was a children’s theater and a community theater in my hometown of Lubbock, Texas. I began performing there when I was 10 years old and very quickly felt like I had found something that I really wanted to do and loved to do. Since that time performing at the age of 10, I basically have pursued the dream my entire life.

As a high schooler, I spent my summers performing at the Interlochen Arts Academy summer camp in Interlochen, Michigan. That is where I became even more determined to pursue this as a career. I performed in musicals, operettas, and Shakespeare. And it was there that I first played Tevye at the age of 17! From there went on to pursue theater at Yale College and then received my Masters at the Yale School of Drama. I’ve been fortunate to build a career and stay busy on stage, television and film. And while it is not always an easy career, it has remained for me completely fulfilling and rewarding.

Originally posted 6-18-18, Reposted 4-1-20

A Conversation With Jennie Eisenhower

By Steven Brodsky

Performances September 18–October 7, 2018

Erma Bombeck was a national presence despite being a self-proclaimed “ordinary housewife”—in the years when that domestic role was accorded greater value and came with much constraint. As a writer and television personality her reach was enormous. Erma Bombeck’s column, it has been reported, at the apex of its popularity appeared in 900 newspapers. She wrote 15 books; many were bestsellers. She contributed to some of the most widely circulated magazines of her time and was a part of the Good Morning America television program for many years. Humor was a hallmark of Erma Bombeck, and her relatability a bridge to fans who identified with her as she addressed circumstances and travails similar to their own. Bombeck wrote from home—the location where many housewife-readers spent much of their own time. Erma Bombeck (as a character in the play that Jennie Eisenhower is directing at the Bristol Riverside Theatre) says, “The key to my writing is that I’m ordinary.” Her ordinariness, candor, humor, insights, terrific writing, personal initiative, and more, made her extraordinary. The one-woman play Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End, Jennie’s Bristol Riverside Theatre directorial debut, will allow audiences to “meet” Erma Bombeck—the woman much of America knew and adored.

About Jennie: she is a renowned screen and stage actress, has won acclaim for her directorial work, and is a two-time Barrymore Award recipient.

Jennie, how familiar were you with Erma Bombeck prior to being asked to direct this one-woman play at Bristol Riverside Theatre? (Erma Bombeck passed away in 1996.)

I knew the name Erma Bombeck and knew that she was a columnist who wrote about motherhood and family. I had no idea until I began to research Bombeck in preparation for At Wit’s End that many of her one-liners were banging around in my subconscious for years without me knowing they were hers!

What do you most appreciate about the script?

I love that it infuses the biographical elements of Bombeck’s life with her humor and that the majority of the script quotes her directly. With 20 years of columns and 15 books there is so much to draw from and I am glad the authors took advantage of that. I laughed out loud several times during my first pass at the script, which is rare for me. Additionally, though Erma was in the height of her fame in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, I feel that the material is still incredibly relevant and compelling today.

How is directing a one-person play different than directing a play with numerous actors?

At Wit’s End is a solo piece that directly addresses the audience. Therefore the audience is a very active second character in the play and a lot of the work that Licia and I are doing won’t come alive until we have people watching. Most of the plays I’ve directed with large casts employ fourth wall realism and don’t actively engage with the audience and as a result feel very different to rehearse.

Licia Watson is portraying Erma Bombeck. What does she bring to the role?

Casting Erma was difficult. I wasn’t looking for an impersonator but I was looking for someone who could capture Bombeck’s unique mixture of earnestness and mischievousness. When Licia walked into the room to audition for us (we did two days of casting in NYC), she was instantly likable. That quality is, I believe, essential to making the show work and something that can’t be forced. Licia is the sort of person who, like Bombeck, I feel I could spend hours chatting with. Hopefully our audiences feel the same way!

What can you tell us about directing Licia in this production?

Licia is a director’s dream. First of all, she arrived on the first day of rehearsal with our 40-page, single-spaced script committed to memory. Because of her diligent preparation we were able to dive right into staging and begin to bring the play to life. Licia is flexible, brings great ideas to the table, and is a great collaborator. She is a wonderful comic technician and lovely person to spend time with. I am so grateful to have her on this project.

What are your favorite theatrical moments in Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End?

I have two favorites: the first is when Bombeck attempts to impersonate the quintessential ’60s housewife only to nearly vacuum up her child’s hamster. The second is when Bombeck gives really confident and sassy responses to questions during an on-the-road press interview. These are two places where I find the script illustrates Bombeck’s unique personality so well. The juxtaposition of a flustered, can’t-quite-keep-it-all-together housewife and a strong, assertive public speaker—she really was both!—is delightful.

When and why did you decide that you wanted to make acting and directing a career path?

I was very theatrical as a child and loved to sing, act and put on shows for my family, forcing my brother and sister to work as co-stars, lighting technicians—whatever the production demanded! Next, I auditioned for middle and high school musicals and plays. I loved all of that so much I decided to major in theatre at Northwestern University and then pursue theatre for a living. I didn’t pursue work as a director until I had been in the business for about five years. Though as a child I was starring in and directing all of the family shows I created, for some reason it didn’t occur to me that I could be a director professionally. Perhaps it was because I subconsciously internalized the fact that most famous directors (with notable exceptions, of course) were male while I was growing up? Or because none of the shows I was in on campus at Northwestern were directed by women? For whatever reason, directing didn’t seem to be a possibility for me until I had been at it awhile and I became more confident as an artist.

What supported you in that decision and what obstacles were in your way?

I had an incredible opportunity to run a magnet arts high school music theatre program in Florida when I was 27. I needed a change and wanted to get away from my work as a musical theatre performer and get out of New York City. That year in Florida I directed two giant musicals and realized I was not only capable of directing but also passionate about it. When I moved from Philadelphia to Florida about 10 years ago I did so with the intention to direct professionally and have had the opportunity to do so at some wonderful theatres in this region. The Philadelphia theatre scene seems to understand that artists have many facets and isn’t as apt to pigeonhole people into one aspect of the industry like some of the larger markets are. Because of that, I have been able to wear many hats, so I am very grateful to the Philadelphia community and specifically Bristol, the Walnut, The Media Theatre and The Arden (so far!).

What aspects of Erma Bombeck’s celebrated “ordinariness” resonate with your own experience?

Motherhood is the great equalizer. I don’t care if you’re the queen of England, a movie star or a pro tennis player—if you’ve had a baby (and I have!), you’ve been thrown up on, kept up all night, and felt both love and frustration beyond what you ever imagined is possible. We are all ordinary when it comes down to the deep love we feel for our kids and how little control we have over their actions or how the world will mold them. That’s why Bombeck’s humor is so enduring.

What do you most admire about Erma Bombeck’s life work in and outside of her role and responsibilities as a housewife?

It’s ironic that when people bring up Erma, the first thing that comes up is “housewife.” Her brand and the humorous writing that made her famous is all about her role as a housewife, but she was a full-time working mother! I admire so much about her and am awed by her ability to raise three children and accomplish so much while doing so. I am grateful to Bombeck for her tireless work campaigning for the ERA. Her political activism not only made an important contribution to woman’s rights but also allowed her fanbase to witness a feminist who was still comfortable embracing the traditional role of homemaker and mother. I think she sent an important message about feminism to American women: that being a feminist didn’t necessarily mean one should divorce their husband, leave their kids, burn their bra or join a commune. A woman could be a stay-at-home mom and still demand the same respect and the same rights awarded to men.

If you would have had the opportunity to meet Erma Bombeck when you were a teenager, what questions might you have asked her?

I actually really wish I could meet Erma now, being a mother. I am endlessly fascinated by women who are able to manage having children and busy careers and what their secrets are. Also, I only have one child—women that have multiple children and are able to do more than get laundry put away blow my mind. So I would have had a lot of questions to ask Erma about how she did it all. It’s a shame she wasn’t with us longer as I would have loved to have met her.

What experiences in your life shape you the most as a performing artist and director?

I believe all artists are shaped by their life experiences and we inevitably bring parts of ourselves to every project we undertake. Every show I direct or perform in requires me to draw from different experiences I have had. On this particular show I am definitely drawing from my own experiences as a mother and as a feminist—and also as the daughter of an incredible mom (Julie Nixon Eisenhower) who raised three kids, was an impeccable homemaker and was STILL able to write a non-fiction book and become a New York Times bestselling author while we were all under the age of 10! This show is definitely for her.

 

Ticket information about the Bristol Riverside Theatre’s production of Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End is available at: www.brtstage.org.

 Posted Sept. 5, 2018

A Conversation with Playwright Lauren Gunderson

By Steven Brodsky

Lauren Gunderson’s plays are enormously in demand.  American Theatre said that she is “the most-produced living playwright in America, who reaches that spot on the strength of six separate titles.”  One of those is I and You, scheduled for production at People’s Light from March 29 – April 23, 2017.  The script won the 2014 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award.  The questions and responses will endeavor to avoid spoiler territory; the play is best enjoyed in the absence of foreknowledge of its denouement.

 

What stimulated your interest in theatre? 

The words came first. I loved crafting ideas through language even from an early age. I remember being so proud of a fifth-grade creative writing assignment where I wrote about a baseball being pitched in a World Series game (I was a big tomboy and loved Braves baseball). It was from the baseball’s perspective. The ball flew through the night air, cutting through the bright sports lights, spinning dizzily and arrested in the leather glove with a splash of wind and a smack on it’s cheek. I thought I was the first person in history to play with perspective like that.

I also loved acting and my mom will still tell the story of me playing Baby Bear in my kindergarten’s production of “The Three Little Bears” in Spanish. So playwriting was a combination of two things I loved and it’s what has kept me writing to this day.

At age 16, you wrote a letter to the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Margaret Edson.  Tell us about the letter and the friendship that ensued.

Maggie is an Atlanta writer and teacher. I was overwhelmed with admiration for her play “Wit” when it came out and wrote her a note out of the blue expressing that. Amazingly she wrote me back and invited me over for tea to talk about writing. I couldn’t believe it. I will never forget the power of that gesture to a young writer. The respect and friendship she offered me set me going with confidence and inspiration. We connect every time I get back to Atlanta and I am deeply honored to call her a friend.

Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is a vehicle of connection for the two characters in the play.  Tell us about your first exposure to that poetry collection and how it affected you. 

I remember reading Whitman in high school on a misty fall night in Atlanta sitting on the roof outside my bedroom window. His poetry was so invigorating to me, so rebellious and bold. It was one of the first American literature assignments that felt so charged and scandalous and rule-breaking. But it was also hopeful – even defiantly so. I think his work really affected my sense of what art can do for us. It can surprise, challenge, inspire and energize us to keep being better people and living louder and seeing the goodness  and connectedness in all of us. Yawp!

How much fun was it to write about teenagers?

The language is fun, swift, rhythmic. It flows really easily and there is a lot of humor – self-deprecating or sassy. They can withstand emotion better than many adults because they can pivot from one feeling to another. The best part about writing teenagers is that they are at a time in their life where their future adulthood is imminent but inaccessible. They are all hope, idealism, and potential. They can be anything they dream… just not yet. That encourages a kind of grand thinking that is fun to write and also meaningful and nostalgic.

What did you experience in your teenage years in common with either or both of the characters? 

I was much more of a nerd like Anthony but way less athletic. I can admit to some of Caroline’s angsty tendencies but I was too much of an optimist to align with her personality.

What are some of the most gratifying comments you’ve received from people who’ve attended “I and You”?

One teenager saw it at a high school matinee and brought her parents and grandparents back with her to see it again! I also love seeing so many young black men on stages across the country in this play. Diversity onstage is deeply important to me and I am proud that this play is a part of that trend towards representation equity in American theatre. 

Was the writing process for this script much different than it was for your other plays? 

Yes! This play works like a music box – the mechanics must be tight yet fluid to earn the pop at the end. I had to really be conscious of creating honest characters with depth of heart so it’s not just about the surprise. But I definitely knew where it was going before I started writing it. I had to know the ending to craft the story just right.

What locations and conditions do you find conducive to writing plays?

Morning + coffee + quiet.

Tell us about your writing routine.

See above

You were the first playwright to present a Perspectives in Criticism Talk at ATCA’s annual conference.  How daunting was carrying out that honor? 

It was riveting actually. I was honored to speak to a room full of theatre nerds and everyone was excited to talk about real issues. The first line of my speech was, “Hello my name is Lauren, I am a playwright and you are a room full of critics and this won’t be awkward at all.”

Have reviews of your plays affected your creativity?

No. I have a policy of enjoying the good reviews and ignoring the bad one. Life is too short to feel bad if someone didn’t understand or appreciate your work. So I just think, “onwards!”

Who do you rely upon for constructive criticism of your scripts?

I have some brilliant friends who are writers and I often ask them to read early drafts. But I learn the most from hearing the work in the mouths and bodies of excellent actors. Their ideas and experiences within my work are always the best lessons on its efficacy and authenticity.

Does rewriting tend to be less joyful than composing first drafts? 

I love rewriting! It’s like solving a puzzle.

Were there many rewrites of  I and You?

There always are. We learned a lot from the first production and continued honing the script after that. A lot of the rewrites were about heightening the tension between the two so it can burst and soften as they really start to connect on a deep, emotional level.  

Information about the People’s Light production of I and You is at: www.peopleslight.org.

Posted 3/21/17

 

Consecration of the Election to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Composed by Fr. Chad Ripperger

Mary Immaculate, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the eternal Wisdom lies hidden to be adored and served by angels and men; Queen of heaven and of earth, beneath whose sway are subject all things that are lower than God; Patroness of the United States of America, sorrowful and mindful of our own sinfulness and the sins of our nation, we come to thee, our refuge and hope.

Knowing that our country cannot be saved by our own works, and mindful of how much our nation has departed from the ways of thy Son, we humbly ask that thou wouldst turn thine eyes upon our country to bring about its conversion.

We consecrate to thee the integrity of the upcoming election and its outcome, so that what is spiritually and morally best for the citizens of our country may be accomplished, and that all of those who are elected would govern according to the spiritual and moral principles which will bring our nation into conformity with the teachings of thy Son.

Give grace to the citizens of this land so that they will choose leaders according to the Sacred Heart of thy Son, that His glory may be made manifest, lest we be given the leaders we deserve.

Trusting in the providential care of God the Father and thy maternal care, we have perfect confidence that thou wilt take care of us and will not leave us forsaken. O Mary Immaculate, pray for us. Amen.

Conversations with Songwriters and Musicians

Vince Gill appears in this week’s episode of ‘This Old House’ 

By Steven Brodsky

From a press advisory that was issued today, October 30, 2024:

On this week’s episode of This Old House, host Tom Silva hits the town with Vince Gill, visiting all of Vince’s favorite spots in Nashville, including stops at Brown’s Diner, The Ryman Auditorium and Gruhn’s Guitars.
Tune in starting tomorrow (10/31) on PBS and stream for free on Monday on The Roku Channel.

Posted 10-30-24

Vibrant seasonal foliage change

By Steven Brodsky

… taking place now may be bringing about a feeling that your “life’s a circle.”

Enjoy autumn.

It won’t be here long.

If you’re experiencing a circle of love, may the circle of love be unbroken.

Posted 10-4-24

Mea culpas

By Steven Brodsky

… are present in this exceedingly relatable John Denver song:

John Denver’s recording of “I’m Sorry” was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart 49 years ago, on September 27, 1975.

Many people have been in the same sort of sorry state that the speaker in the song is in (the song’s success is proof of that).

Most of them have gotten better.

And others will; no mea culpa will be needed when that happens!

Posted 9-27-24

With another heating season near

By Steven Brodsky

Fireplace
Photo by Steven Brodsky

… for most of this column’s readers, let’s revisit the characters in Bill Morrissey’s “Birches”:

Warren’s wife (in the song) chooses to burn “birches” on a cold night for emotional and physical warmth.

Let’s hope that she will have warmth of both kinds during the upcoming heating season.

And let’s hope that we’ll have that too.

Posted 9-25-24

When the fall geese migration period coincides with a seasonal urge that some people have to go away

By Steven Brodsky

…you might find that it’s opportune to listen to Joni Mitchell’s “Urge for Going” and Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese” poem.

Take notice when you next “see the geese in chevron flight” during the migration period.

Those geese may be “heading home again.”

Some of this column’s readers will be acting upon a seasonal urge to go.

Best wishes, of course, to those who will stay and to those who will go.

Posted 9-6-24

Kevin Gordon releases ‘You Can’t Hurt Me No More,’ a single from Gordon’s upcoming album ‘The In Between’ (the album will be released on September 13, 2024)

By Steven Brodsky

… Readers of this column will be among the first people to hear “You Can’t Hurt Me No More.”

Join me in wishing Kevin Gordon much success with the single and his soon-to-be-released album.

From a press release that was issued this morning:

August 20, 2024: Today, Nashville singer-songwriter and poet Kevin Gordon shared his new single “You Can’t Hurt Me No More” from his upcoming album The In Between, out on September 13, his first full-length since 2018’s acclaimed Tilt & Shine, and first since his throat cancer diagnosis.
The slow-burning, country-tinged rocker, written with Kim Richey, comes on like a fever trance. It’s a title the song’s narrator of the song hopes is true. “It’s about vulnerability,” Gordon says of the song. “You’re heartbroken, but you put on your game face out in the world, and keep preaching to yourself that you ‘are more than enough’ — then you see your ex and all that façade crumbles.”
Produced by Joe V. McMahan (Justin Townes Earle), The In Between follows Gordon’s 2018 album Tilt & Shine, which was acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone, NPR’s World Cafe, Paste Magazine, and Wide Open Country, and was called one of the best of its year by Nashville Scene and Premier Guitar. The New York Times, in a full profile under the headline “A Musician Or a Poet? Yes to Both,” once characterized his music as “an often harrowing tour of the back-roads South,” a theme that continues on The In Between.
Along with the album’s announcement, Gordon shared the lead single and album opener “Simple Things,” which was mixed by five-time GRAMMY Award winner Tchad Blake (Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello, Los Lobos, Al Green, The Pretenders, Tom Waits), as well as previous single “Keeping My Brother Down.” Written during the pandemic about, as he puts it, “contact, that exchange of energy between me and an audience,” “Simple Things” took on new meaning when in the middle of recording the album, Gordon was diagnosed with throat cancer.
The call came between the first two recording sessions. “I knew something was up when the first scan results came back; I drove straight to New Orleans and stayed pretty much out of my mind for three days. I was terrified, and thought I would lose it completely if I sat in my house staring at the wall any longer,” recalls Gordon. “They were using words like malignant, which scared the hell out of me. Those second tracking sessions were more emotional for me, personally,” he continues. With guitars, drums, and bass completed for most tracks but vocals for only one or two, the sessions had to go on indefinite pause while Gordon underwent radiation and chemotherapy.
It took the better part of a year for doctors to certify Kevin as cancer-free. When his singing voice started to return to him, making music felt urgent and vital in a new way. “Unfortunately, nothing changed with my voice!,” he jokes. “But it was all that much sweeter on the other end. The first gig back, a short solo set broadcast live on radio, it was pretty scary, the starkness of it. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go,” he says. His singing on The In Between crackles and sparks with life.
Gordon received a lot of support from the East Nashville musical community in which he is held in high regard. Aaron Lee Tasjan wrote on Instagram, “All I know is KG writes the songs that inspire a lot of us. One of our finest, no doubt.” Jim Lauderdale said simply, “He’s amazing.”
Of the themes on The In Between, Kevin says, “The older I get, the more I’m thinking about what my friend Kenny Stinson called ‘all that old southern shit.’” There are songs about his early punk rock days, his family trauma, heartbreak, raising his kids in Nashville, TN, his cancer, doing the best he could and observing how others try for the same, and yes, “all that old Southern shit” is captured in The In Between, recalling Faulkner’s aphorism, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Over a half dozen albums, Gordon has been hailed by Rolling Stone who called him a “juke joint professor,” Associated Press who called his music “brilliance… mesmerizing,” and Oxford American. He’s dueted with Lucinda Williams on his recording of “Down To the Well, and his songs have been covered by Keith Richards, Irma Thomas, Levon Helm, and Todd Snider (in Hard Working Americans).

Posted 8-20-24

An autobiographical father-themed song

By Steven Brodsky

… that will highly resonate with many readers of this column, especially in the days leading up to Father’s Day 2024 (Sunday, June 16th), Steve Goodman’s “My Old Man”:

Clay Eals is the author of Steve Goodman: Facing the Music.

A 2017 interview that I did with Clay for this column includes discussion about “My Old Man.”

From that interview:

Many people got to know of Steve’s father, Bud, as a result of hearing the moving and biographically accurate portrayal of the father-son relationship in the song “My Old Man.” Bruce Springsteen, your book reveals, met Steve in the lobby of a West Hollywood hotel. Springsteen, in response to Steve introducing himself said, “That song about your old man – great song!” Springsteen’s relationship with his own father enters into some songs and has been an issue that he’s addressed with audiences, interviewers, and written about in his memoir, Born to Run. “My Old Man” is powerful. It’s understandable why Springsteen took notice of it and acknowledged it as he had. Please tell us about this song and why an “imperfect” first take in the recording studio resulted in the decision that no more takes were necessary.
“My Old Man” is a perfect example of the core characteristic of Steve’s songwriting – specificity that becomes universal. In painting this detailed picture of the relationship he had with his father, Steve allowed anyone listening to the song to identify with it.
Ray Frank, a singer/guitarist who connected with Steve in his early performing years, put it well: “It’s a perfectly done story song, a portrait that with such concision points to so much about a person’s life and what that life meant to somebody else. The genius is that you feel that way about your old man, I feel that way about my old man, and everybody does. He was able to talk about the conflicts between them as well as appreciate him. What genius!”
Obviously, the song was intensely personal for Steve, and he recorded it so soon after he wrote it that in the studio, in the middle of the final verse, at the point where he was about to describe the first time he cried over his father’s death, he broke down and couldn’t continue singing. But he kept strumming softly, and six measures later he finished the song.
“That’s take one and take last,” he said later. “I just went in there and sang it, and somethin’ aired out there. … We’re human, that’s how it goes. That’s the way the eggs look sometimes. Sometimes they have little spots on them. I can’t help it. I can’t help thinkin’ that Venus had a couple of pimples, y’know. I’m not making any comparisons. I’m just sayin’ that anything that’s really good to me has something about it that’s just a little askance so that you can see the rest of it.”

The entire interview with Clay Eals is posted at: A Conversation With Clay Eals, Author of ‘Steve Goodman: Facing the Music’ – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 6-7-24

He ran scared

By Steven Brodsky

… but the final line of the song that arrived on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart 63 years ago on June 5, 1961 reveals that his (the protagonist’s) fears were seemingly ungrounded: “You turned around and walked away with me.”

That song, written and recorded by Roy Orbison:

Scary, indeed, is that 63 years have gone by!

Posted 6-5-24

The video for K.T. Oslin’s ‘Hold Me’

By Steven Brodsky

… is embedded here today in commemoration of the birthday of three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter K.T. Oslin.

K.T. Oslin was born on May 15, 1942.

‘Hold Me” was released on a single in 1988.

K.T. Oslin passed away on December 21, 2020 age 78.

Posted 5-15-24

Bob Dylan’s ‘Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One’

By Steven Brodsky

…was recorded on May 3, 1979, 45 years ago.

Bob Dylan wrote the biblically congruent “Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One” (read Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, and the entire Bible).

Recorded at a November 16, 1979 Bob Dylan concert:

You’ll find the song’s lyrics at: Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One | The Official Bob Dylan Site.

Posted 5-3-24

‘Magnolia Mother’s Love’

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

Many of this column’s readers who were fortunate to have been graced by “mother’s tender love” will recall that special kind of love when listening to Billy Joe Shaver’s “Magnolia Mother’s Love” (the lyrics are autobiographical).

Billy Joe Shaver Magnolia Mother’s Love (youtube.com)

Mother’s Day arrives on Sunday, May 12, 2024.

Posted 4-26-24

‘Tennessee Whiskey’ (with no ensuing hangover)

By Steven Brodsky

… for us to enjoy on the 46th birthday of Chris Stapleton:

Chris Stapleton was born in Kentucky on April 15, 1978.

Happy birthday wishes go out to Chris Stapleton!

Posted 4-15-24

Jelly Roll’s (Jason DeFord’s) opening statement at a Senate committee hearing

By Steven Brodsky

Thank you, Jelly Roll!

Posted 1-12-24

In tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett

By Steven Brodsky

… I’m pleased to share links to a nearly one-hour phone interview that Clay Eals did with Jimmy Buffett on October 26, 2000 for Clay’s book Steve Goodman: Facing the Music.

From The Paul Leslie Hour:

A Never-Before-Heard Interview with Jimmy Buffett – Part 1 of 3 – YouTube

A Never-Before-Heard Interview with Jimmy Buffett – Part 2 of 3 – YouTube

A Never-Before-Heard Interview with Jimmy Buffett – Part 3 of 3 – YouTube

ABOUT – THE PAUL LESLIE HOUR

A 2017 Entertainment, Culture and More interview with Clay Eals is posted at: A Conversation With Clay Eals, Author of ‘Steve Goodman: Facing the Music’ – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 9-13-23

Blues running the game

By Steven Brodsky

… many people have experienced that at some point(s) in their lives.

Jackson C. Frank experienced the blues and other painful challenges in extremis.

He was last referenced here in August 2019; too long ago.

Prompted by an admirable cover of the Jackson C. Frank-penned song “Blues Run the Game” that aired yesterday on a public radio station, I’m sharing this link: Blues Run the Game (2001 – Remaster) – YouTube.

Only one official album by Jackson C. Frank was released during Frank’s lifetime. It came out in 1965. That eponymous album was produced by Paul Simon. 

Posted 1-23-23

‘And he did not know how well he sang; it just made him whole.’

By Steven Brodsky

… That man made whole was Mr. Tanner, the fictional character of this Harry Chapin song: Harry Chapin – Mr. Tanner – YouTube.

Harry Chapin was inspired to write the song after he read this New York Times review that was published on February 17, 1972: Tubridy, a Bass‐Baritone, Performs in ai Recital Here – The New York Times (nytimes.com).

Familiarity with the song ought to be a prerequisite for reviewing the arts.

This is being posted on Harry Chapin’s birthday.

Harry Chapin was born on December 7, 1942. (He passed away on July 16, 1981 at age 38 as the result of a car accident, while en route to perform a benefit concert.)

If Harry Chapin were alive today, he’d be 80 years old.

I never interviewed Harry Chapin, though I did long-form radio interviews that aired live with two immediate family members of his and with the person who had been Harry Chapin’s best friend.

Had I interviewed Harry Chapin, would certainly have asked him about “Mr. Tanner” and would have thanked him for his humanitarian efforts.

Harry Chapin accomplished much in the short life he had; he made the world “a better place to be” for many people.

Posted 12-7-22

Let’s go to a parking lot

By Steven Brodsky

… To take us there, “Out In The Parking Lot,” written by Guy Clark and Darrell Scott: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58rrs7Wvdjo&ab_channel=GuyClark-Topic.

This post is dedicated to those who will be in similar parking lots in the coming months, including songwriters and other artists who will be among them.

Visit https://delcoculturevultures.com/2022/02/23/attention-fans-of-the-music-of-guy-clark-townes-van-zandt-and-susanna-clark/ for more about Guy Clark.

Posted 7-15-22

A Conversation With April Verch 

By Steven Brodsky 

April Verch is one of the most admired fiddlers worldwide. It’s not only extraordinary fiddle playing that endears her to fans, however. It’s also her stepdancing, singing, music composition and lyric writing, and a unique and wonderful artistic expression that flavors the various traditional fiddle music styles that she performs and records. 

April had prodigious talent with the fiddle at an early age. At an even younger age, she demonstrated remarkable ability in stepdancing. Her talent continued to grow and brought her recognition in her native Ottawa Valley, Canada and later on far beyond. In 1997 she won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship. At the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, her performance with five other fiddlers in a segment that presented Canadian fiddle music was broadcast to millions of viewers. She has performed in many countries, and is a concert and festival favorite. In the greater Philadelphia region, April performed last year at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. She received a rousing reception. Last month, April performed at the Lansdowne Folk Club. Some of our readers were in attendance; they thoroughly enjoyed the concert.  

 

April, you were 3 years old when you began stepdancing. At age 6 you started learning to play the fiddle. What was going on in your life and surroundings that contributed to those learning choices?  

My parents are both fans of our local (Ottawa Valley) music and dance traditions. I grew up attending square dances, festivals and jamborees with them and listening to my dad’s country band practice. My older sister, Tawnya, was taking stepdancing lessons and I wanted to do everything she did, so I started taking stepdancing lessons at the age of 3. We took lessons from a local teacher, Buster Brown, who taught the style with his wife Pauline 5 days a week in different communities around the Ottawa Valley.  

 

I’ve heard that you wanted to take up the fiddle earlier. Why didn’t you do so?  

We were dancing to fiddle music and I was drawn to it, so I decided I wanted to play fiddle, too. I think I also liked the fact that every time there was fiddle music people were happy and having a good time. I believe I decided when I was 3 that I wanted a fiddle, but my parents didn’t really think I knew what I wanted for sure, and they were also worried that I wouldn’t have time and attention to practice both fiddle and dance, so I had to wait until I was 6 for my first fiddle. It was my birthday present. I think I had finally bugged them long enough at that point that they figured it wasn’t something that was going to pass!   

 

You sometimes stepdance and play fiddle concurrently. When did you first start doing this? 

When I was competing in Ontario fiddle and stepdancing competitions as a young girl, which we often did, though it was more about the social gathering than the actual “contest,” I saw a woman by the name of Cindy Thompson fiddle and stepdance at the same time. I don’t know exactly how old I was, maybe 9 or 10, and I was blown away. I figured “if she can do it, I can do it!” So I started working on it on my own and gradually taught myself to combine the two. 

 

The opening track on The April Verch Anthology CD is “Canadian Reel Medley: Trip to Windsor, Back Up and Push, Dusty Miller, Woodchoppers Breakdown.” How old were you when this was recorded? 

This track starts with an old recording from the late 1980s (I was around 10 years old at the time) and then it melds into a recording of me playing the same tune from a CD entitled Verchuosity which was released on Rounder Records in 2001.   

 

What were the circumstances? 

My dad and my sister and I had gone to play on CHIP radio in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec. It was a station we listened to a lot.—They played a lot of old country music and a lot of local artists. One of the hosts at the time was Red Bennett, and we had met him at a few events and he had invited us to come and play live on his show. 

 

What do you recall about the experience?  

It was my first live radio experience and I was pretty excited! We played a few tunes and he interviewed us in between.  

 

Please talk about what is to be heard on the track. 

The track starts with Red asking me about what we were going to play next and I say something like “some of my favorites, maybe yours too, eh?” I sound like I’m trying to be very grown up but really I just sound like a kid who’s thrilled to be playing on live radio. And then I tear into a tune much too fast, which I think a lot of kids do—tend to play too quickly.… So when it melds into the “current day” version of the same tune, the pace slows considerably to where the tune can groove a bit more! 

 

The anthology CD allowed you to choose from tracks that were on 10 of your previously released recordings. What specific memories arose when you revisited some of the songs selected for inclusion on the CD? 

It was amazing to listen back to each recording, because each one reminded me of a different phase of my life and my career. Remembering not just who was in the band or the studio at that time, but what was happening in my life, what my hopes and dreams were for that recording… For me personally, listening back was like seeing snapshots in a photo album.  

 

Please tell us about the current members of your band. 

Not a day goes by that I do not feel extremely grateful to have such amazing bandmates. Cody Walters plays bass and clawhammer banjo. He resides in Asheville, NC. And from Boston, MA, Alex Rubin joins us on guitar. Both Cody and Alex also contribute vocals. They are fantastic musicians and really wonderful human beings to hang out with offstage as well. I have tremendous respect for them. 

 

You started full-time touring in 2000. Please tell us about several of your most memorable performance-related experiences.   

Performing in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver was definitely a highlight and a huge production. I feel so fortunate to be able to play in so many different parts of the world and also so many different types of venues and events. Each one is different and special in its own way, and the the most memorable experiences for me as a performer come from the connections that we make in sharing our music with an audience. Hearing their stories after the show, seeing their faces and reactions. That’s what means the most. That can happen in a tiny space of a big hall, but it’s what sticks with me always. 

 

How do you occupy your time while traveling to performance venues? 

In all honesty, I spend almost all of my time working on the “business” aspect of my career when we are in the van, at the hotel, or between tours. I do have hobbies too, but right now my focus is mostly on doing what I can to keep us touring and doing what we love, and I’m okay with that, even if it’s sometimes a heavy load to keep up with. I feel fortunate to be able to do it.  

 

You perform a variety of traditional fiddle styles. How are some of them similar to one another and how are they different? 

A lot of the differences lie in the bowing patterns and ornamentation. Some styles are more articulate while others use longer bows and more notes slurred together. The ornamentation in the left hand also differs from style to style. In the fiddle styles that I play, the thing that ties them all together in my mind is that they are intended for dancing. They have a driving rhythm and how you achieve the dance groove might be different, but that is the ultimate goal for the music. 

 

What formal and informal training and music exposure has been most helpful to you?   

I first learned from local fiddlers that taught me “by ear.” Later I studied classical violin as well and learned to read music. Both methods and experiences were invaluable and I am glad to have both. More than anything have passionate, patient and dedicated teachers been my greatest asset. 

 

You attended Berklee College of Music. How did that experience benefit you as a musician? 

Attending Berklee really opened up my ears to styles of music I had never been exposed to before and made me realize how vast the possibilities are for my instrument, or any instrument for that matter. It was also great to be surrounded by so many musicians that were passionate about their craft and to learn about the business aspect of the industry. I still refer to some of my music business course books to this day. 

 

Other than the styles of music that you perform and record, which do you most enjoy? 

That’s a difficult question for me—I seem to go through phases and love a lot of genres. I don’t know that I would say that there are any that I love that I haven’t tried, because I tend to try most of them when I get really passionate about them. Right now I can’t seem to get enough of old classic country music. 

 

When not on the road on in the studio, what are some of the activities that you most like doing?   

I enjoy reading, walking, gardening and crafts. And hanging out with my family and neighbors. I’ve so much to learn from them.  

 

Are you giving thought to your next CD? 

I am! We will be recording this fall for a new CD to be released in 2019. 

 

What do you expect might be on it? 

I’m leaning towards that old classic country sound and thinking of going more in that direction. You heard it here first! 

April Verch’s website address is: www.aprilverch.com

Posted 2-14-18

April Verch’s New Album ‘Once A Day’ Released Today

By Steven Brodsky

Once A Day is retro-wonderful, a masterful romp into the classic country music sound and heart that has largely vanished from today’s mainstream “country” genre. Fans of classic country music of the ’50s and ’60s will love this album. (I am one and I do.)

April Verch had this to say about Once A Day: “In many ways, making this album was not a choice. It was something I felt I had to do. It has been more daunting than any other project I’ve embarked on, because these songs, these artists, the history of this music matters to me on the deepest level. It is a love letter and a thank you letter in one, to the artists, songwriters, musicians, and industry professionals who created, perhaps in some cases without even realizing it, an era of music that speaks to me in a way that no other music does. If someone hears a song on this album and that prompts them to look up and love the original that will be the highest compliment I could receive.”

Information about April Verch’s overseas and U.S. concert tour is available at: www.AprilVerch.com.

Posted 4-12-19

 

Conversations About Art

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink skating season will run from Saturday, November 23, 2024 – Sunday, March 2, 2025 (weather permitting)

By Steven Brodsky

… A number of Entertainment, Culture and More readers are looking forward to skating at this iconic rink during the rink’s soon-to-arrive skating season!

Visitor information is accessible at: Ice Rink at the Sculpture Garden.

This video for Joni Mitchell’s “River” was embedded here last year to accompany an announcement about the prior skating season at the rink:

If you’ll once again be satisfying the wish to enjoyably “skate away” at this rink or if you’ll be visiting the rink for the very first time, happy skating!

Posted 10-30-24

‘The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick’ exhibition to be presented by the Brandywine Museum of Art, October 13, 2024 – January 19, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

Wharton Esherick, Flat Top Desk, 1929 and 1962. Walnut and padouk, 28 x 82 x 36 in. Desk Chair, 1929. Walnut, padouk, laced leather seat, 28 x 18 x 18 in. Desk Figure, Bronze casting of 1929 Cocobolo original, 10 x 5 x 4 in. Wharton Esherick Museum Collection. Photo by Eoin O’Neill, courtesy of the Wharton Esherick Museum.

From a Brandywine Museum of Art press release:

Chadds Ford, PA, September 12, 2024 — Opening at the Brandywine Museum of Art this fall, The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick will explore the artistic legacy of Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), one of the most creative and interdisciplinary figures of twentieth-century American art, craft and design. Co-organized by the Brandywine and the Wharton Esherick Museum (WEM), this major exhibition will detail the artist’s career from his early woodcut illustrations for books by the avant-garde literati to his revolutionary reimagining of furniture forms as organic sculpture. The Crafted World features more than 70 works by the artist and will be the first exhibition to draw exclusively from WEM’s collection of over 3,000 objects. The exhibition will bring together works from across different media mastered by the artist—from painting, sculpture and printmaking to woodworking, furniture making and illustration—including many objects never before seen outside of Esherick’s home and studio. The Crafted World will debut at the Brandywine and will be on view from October 13, 2024 through January 19, 2025. The Museum has also organized a two-venue travel tour for the exhibition that will raise the profile of this remarkable artist.
Esherick is best known as the father of the Studio Furniture Movement, which saw artists bringing their unique voices to handmade, functional objects and craft traditions, often reinventing them with bold, experimental techniques and forms. He grew up in West Philadelphia and later moved to Malvern, PA, where he built his own home and studio on the slope of Valley Forge Mountain. Now operated as WEM, this National Historic Landmark for Architecture houses the world’s largest collection of Esherick’s artworks, spanning seven decades of artistic practice. “Esherick’s creative work was inseparable from his personal identity,” said Emily Zilber, WEM’s Director of Curatorial Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, and curator of the exhibition. “He considered his hand-crafted hillside home and studio, which he designed and built between 1926 and 1966, the best representation of his iconoclastic vision, calling it ‘an autobiography in three dimensions.’ It is significant, then, that The Crafted World is the largest exhibition ever organized from the remarkable collection housed in the artist’s home and studio.”
The Crafted World will be presented in thematic vignettes that focus attention on recurring design explorations across Esherick’s body of creative work. Through a variety of forms, formats and media, these vignettes will invite visitors to examine the artist’s unconventional way of life and some of his key artistic interests—urban versus rural life, the movement of the body in space, the power of patterns, and the organic growth of the natural world. Organized thematically, rather than by chronology or media, the exhibition will allow visitors to witness the evolution of Esherick’s thinking around these primary design concepts.
“This exhibition was originally conceived years ago as a small display of Esherick’s woodblock prints from WEM’s collection at the Brandywine Museum of Art, but the remarkable sweep of the artist’s cross-disciplinary creative brilliance quickly led to this more expansive examination,” said Thomas Padon, the James H. Duff Director of the Brandywine Museum of Art. “In a partnership forged over years of visits to the Wharton Esherick home and studio, conversations and deliberations, and marveling together over the artist’s work, Brandywine and our superb colleagues at WEM developed plans for this long overdue reassessment of Esherick’s contributions to American art.” WEM’s Executive Director, Julie Siglin, added, “Esherick engaged with the world in a collaborative way; likewise, this exhibition has been a fundamentally collaborative effort from the start. WEM is thrilled to share Esherick’s legacy more broadly with the world through this exciting partnership with the Brandywine.”
Although The Crafted World is not a comprehensive retrospective of the artist’s career, the exhibition uses WEM’s significant collection, made up largely of the works Esherick surrounded himself with, to highlight his integrated approach to living and artmaking. “Visitors to The Crafted World will be introduced to the artist’s singular voice, creativity and skill in a way that recontextualizes the objects with innovative thematic approaches to his work,” said Amanda Burdan, Senior Curator at the Brandywine, who provided organizational and curatorial guidance and coordination for the exhibition. “Works on view will explore Esherick’s intimate connection to the natural world and its materials, his skillful design approach and problem solving, interest in performance and the body, fascination with the natural world, enduring imaginative spirit, and even his wry sense of humor.”
The Crafted World will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue published by Rizzoli Electa. In addition to an essay by Zilber, this major publication includes contributions by Sarah Archer, a design and culture writer based in Philadelphia; Colin Fanning, Assistant Curator of European Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Ann Glasscock, Associate Curator and Decorative Arts Specialist at the Taft Museum of Art; Holly Gore, WEM’s Director of Interpretation and Associate Curator of Special Collections; and photography by Joshua McHugh, a renowned New York–based photographer who specializes in interior, architecture and design. Support for the exhibition catalogue is provided by the Decorative Arts Trust and the Furthermore Foundation.
Following its presentation in Chadds Ford at the Brandywine, The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick will travel to the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Posted 9-18-24

The school year is underway

By Steven Brodsky

… and great arts education programs are furthering the ability of students to see and portray the “many colors in a flower.”

Such a program might enable the little boy we met in “Flowers Are Red” to negate the negative impact of his first-day-at-school learning experience.

This would be possible, thanks to the transformative power of arts education and the presence of talented and caring teachers!

Posted 9-13-24

A Conversation With Victoria Browning Wyeth

By Steven Brodsky

Victoria  Browning Wyeth is the granddaughter of Andrew Wyeth and the niece of Jamie Wyeth. She is the great-granddaughter of N.C. Wyeth. Victoria is widely known for her dynamic gallery talks and lectures on the life and art of Andrew Wyeth. Victoria is a gifted photographer; her photos have been exhibited at a number of museums.

What are some of your fondest memories of your grandmother?

One of my fondest memories of my grandmother were our nicknames for each other. I always called my grandmother by two names: “Betsy” or “Mamma Sheep Turd.” I realize the second name might raise a few eyebrows so let me explain. I grew up in New York City, but would spend every summer in Cushing Maine with my grandparents. As a young girl, and as a grown woman, I have always detested sand, dirt and bugs. When I was about nine or so, my grandparents purchased Allen Island (near Port Clyde, Maine), and, in addition, a very large flock of sheep to help with the lawn “maintenance.  Along with the sheep came sheep turds…. EVERYWHERE. So, she called me “City Slicker” and I called her “Mamma Sheep Turd.” When I was in college and we wrote each other letters, the post office at my college would giggle when they handed me a letter because of the return address. I always smile when I think of the looks people gave us when we used these names for each other.

My second fondest memory was when she taught me to put on makeup and put my hair in a French twist. I can still feel her hands in my hair helping me pin it up. When it came to applying makeup she would always say, “Vic… less is more.” To this day I am not much of a makeup person.

Finally, my most recent favorite memory involved cooking for my grandmother (and my uncle Jamie) on Sunday nights. Betsy was the chef in the family – her meals were simply out of this world yummy. Mashed potatoes, cookies, creamed eggs, popovers, etc. You name it and she could make it. After my grandfather died she scaled back her cooking quite a bit. Around six or seven years ago I started cooking Sunday dinners for my family. I wasn’t the best chef at first; I burned fish more than I would like to admit. One of the things that still brings a smile to my face was watching her gobble up every last morsel. She would look at Jamie and me and say, “mmmmm this is good.”

Betsy handled much of the business affairs of her husband Andrew. What prepared her for this?

She always had such a powerful business sense. I’m not quite sure where this came from, but she handled Andy’s business affairs with such grace and intelligence. She was quite the inspiration.

Please describe how Betsy furthered the career of Andrew?

My grandmother helped further his career by supporting him in numerous ways. The most important was through her love: she loved him with all of her heart. She would always tell him what she thought of his newest painting – if he needed to simplify something, if the color was too intense, etc. She was also very instrumental in titling many of his paintings.

What was the extent of Betsy’s involvement in titling the paintings of her husband?

She had a huge role in the titles. Take the painting Wind from the Sea. When my grandparents were discussing the piece Betsy said, “It looks like a wind is coming in from the sea.” Andy replied, “That’s it!! Wind from the Sea.” Her vocabulary was most impressive. For example, she would do the New York Times crossword puzzles in ink. This gave her an incredible bank of words to choose from when she helped to title the work.

Her ability to title wasn’t limited to paintings: when I was in graduate school and writing long research papers, I would call her and tell her my paper topic. She would then call me back with a title. For example, I wrote a paper on shell shock in British troops during World War I. She came up with the title “Over the Top.”

Were you able to observe Andrew while he was painting? If you were, did he discuss what he was working on?

Andy HATED having people watch him paint. He felt that having you watch him paint was an invasion. The only times I watched him paint were: (1) outside my window in the summer. He would work on watercolors or drawings outside my parent’s house in Cushing, Maine. He didn’t know I was looking, but I was. I couldn’t help myself. This is when I was a young girl (under 13). (2) When I would accidentally walk into the house when he was working on something. I would apologize and he would smile and say, “Hi darlin’. I’m just finishing up.” (3) When I posed. This was my favorite because we got to discuss everything. I would barrage him with all sorts of questions about his work, his life, his friends, etc. The last time I posed (back in 2005) I was giving lectures at the Brandywine River Museum. It was so cool because I would incorporate what we talked about into my gallery talk that day. 

How sensitive was Andrew to what critics wrote about him?

He couldn’t have cared less what the critics thought.

Which paintings of his do you believe he remained most attached to? 

He was almost always most attached to the painting that he was working on.

To your knowledge, were there times in Andrew’s life when he was without artistic inspiration? If there were, how did he reacquire inspiration?

To the best of my knowledge this never happened. Even when he was in the hospital (for a hip replacement) he drew his hospital room and the view out the window. He was inspired by everything and everyone.

 Of the photos that you took of Andrew Wyeth, is there one that especially evokes cherished memories? Can you share those memories with us?

The one I took of him painting outside my window in Cushing, Maine. He was painting me and we would start working very early in the morning – 6:45 a.m. I overslept one morning and rushed downstairs. As I looked out of the living room window, I found him sitting out there with his watercolor pad on his lap, tissues everywhere (to blot the paper) and his watercolor box by his side. Whenever I get sad and miss him, this is what I think of and it always makes me smile. 

You’ve given many pro bono talks. Which of those talks have been most gratifying to you? Please tell us why.

My favorite talks, pro bono and paid, have been the ones I have done at the state and local prisons. I feel that those who are incarcerated should be exposed to art as much as possible. Since they can’t go to a museum, I bring a museum to them. For example, this past January I lectured on the work of my grandfather to the gentlemen at the Maine State Prison in Maine. I went on January 16th – which is a very special day for me – the anniversary of my grandfather’s death. It was a beautiful snowy day and I packed my car up with a bunch of my uncle’s and grandfather’s watercolors and drawings and headed to the prison. I thought it would be fun to create a pop-up gallery in the prison and even more interesting to bring one of my grandfather’s models with me. It was a very special day for all of us. I will never forget looking at the reactions on the guys faces as they looked at the art.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art is currently closed to the public (as are other museums) because of the COVID-19 crisis. Is there a painting in the Museum’s collection by Andrew Wyeth that, at this moment, you are especially looking forward to seeing when the doors reopen?

I love seeing my grandmother’s portrait – Maga’s Daughter. I’m very excited to go visit her and say hi.

Posted 6-8-20

‘God of Carnage’ Comes To South Camden Theatre

South Camden Theatre Company presents God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza for three weekends, nine performances opening November 8, 2024. Using a translation by Christopher Hampton, the production of the 2009 Tony Award winning play is directed by Connie Norwood.

A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge, and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.

The cast includes Eric Crist (Michael), Claire Golden Drake (Veronica),
Caity Brown (Annette) and Marc D. Donovan (Alan).

  • Performances take place Friday, November 8 at 8:00pm; Saturday,
  • November 9 at 8:00pm; Sunday, November 10 at 2:00pm; Friday,
  • November 15 at 8:00pm; Saturday, November 16 at 8:00pm; Sunday,
  • November 17 at 2:00pm; Friday, November 22 at 8:00pm; Saturday,
  • November 23 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, November 24 at 2:00pm.

Tickets are available for purchase online and at the door. South Camden Theatre Company performs at their home, The Waterfront South Theatre, which is located at 400 Jasper Street in Camden, New Jersey.

If You Go:

The Waterfront South Camden Theatre is at 400 Jasper Street, Michael Doyle Lane, Camden, NJ.

Learn more at South Camden Theatre Company – Camden’s Professional Theatre Company

Spotlight Theatre presents ‘Misery’ in New Location

Spotlight Theatre presents “Misery” by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King, directed by Jess Stinson.

“Misery” follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes. Ken Opdenaker of Glen Mills plays the role of Paul. Susan Bolt of Lansdowne plays the role of Annie and the Sheriff will be played by Chas Thomas of Broomall.

Note the new performance location: Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050

Show Dates: Nov 8, 9, 10*, 15, 16, 17*, 2024

Evenings at 8 PM – *Matinee at 3 PM

Tickets $20; Seniors (65+) and Students (High School & College w/student id) $17

Ticket link: Spotlight Theatre (spotlighttheatrepa.org)

Special Fall Events at Grace Winery

The Inn at Grace Winery (formerly Sweetwater Farm Bed and Breakfast) is a tranquil haven situated on fifty acres in the historic Brandywine Valley located at 50 Sweetwater Rd, Glen Mills, Pa.

Fluffy Yarn Workshop: Sunday, November 3rd 1 pm

In the Fluffy Yarn Pumpkin Workshop hosted by Vanessa, you’ll learn to craft adorable, soft pumpkins using fluffy yarn. Perfect for all skill levels, this workshop will guide you step-by-step to create unique fall decor. 2 pumpkins per person, all supplies included!

Christmas Wreath Decorating Workshop, Black Friday, November 29th 11:30am & 4:30pm 

Get into the holiday spirit with a creative afternoon at the wreath decorating workshop! Enjoy the charm of Grace Winery while crafting your own customized, fresh evergreen wreath! Must be 21+ plus to attend, tickets are required. 

Annual Thorton Holiday Farmers Market Friday, December 6th, 4-9 pm

Over 30 local artisans gather in the Grace Winery barn on 2 levels for the area’s premiere holiday shopping event. Wine, beer, and light fare are available. Carolers and strolling minstrel. Free parking with attendants. Free admission. Items for gifting, decorating, and your holiday table. One day only! Bring your friends!

Christmas Centerpiece Workshop: Friday, December 20th, 2:30 pm or 6 pm 

Get into the holiday spirit at the Christmas Centerpiece Making Workshop for a festive evening of creativity!

This beginner-friendly class is perfect for anyone looking to add a personal touch to their holiday decor. Enjoy crafting your centerpiece while sipping on a beverage and mingling with friends & family!  Must be 21+.

For tickets and other info, check the calendar at

MAC’s Playreading Series Continues With ‘Everybody’s Hometown”

Media Arts Council (MAC) continues its new playreading series with “Everybody’s Hometown” by Noah Mannix Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

On Easter weekend of 1964, civil rights demonstrations in Chester led to the imprisonment of many in the Media courthouse parking lot, exposed to the elements and without proper accommodations, behind a large iron gate. As Brother, Sister, Mother, and Broomall’s Lake decide what to do and what is right, members of North Media’s Black community past and present tell their stories of growing up in a place whose slogan is “Everybody’s Hometown.” A poetic ethnography, this play was built on recorded interviews with North Media community members at The Media Theatre in 2022 and community engagement with the congregation of Second Baptist Church of Media.

Wednesday, November 13
Reading begins 7:30 PM
Tickets Pay what you wish – suggested $10

Ticket link Original Playreading Series: Everybody’s Hometown by Noah Mannix — Media Arts Council

  • Note the new location: The Media Theatre, 104 East State Street, Media, PA

 

Dark Comedy ‘The Comeuppance’ Opens at Wilma

Beginning Nov. 19, the Philadelphia-based theater company The Wilma Theater (265 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107), recipient of the 2024 Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre, begins its 2024-25 season with the regional premiere presentation of the critically acclaimed play The Comeuppance by Obie Award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Presented as a co-production between the Wilma and Washington, DC-based Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, the electrifying comedy is a meditation on impermanence, nostalgia, and isolation.

Photo courtesy of Cameron Whitman

The Comeuppance is directed by Wilma Co-Artistic Director Morgan Green and features a cast of local and regional actors Jordan Bellow, Alana Raquel Bowers, and Wilma HotHouse Company Members Taysha Canales, Sarah Gliko, and Jaime Maseda. The play runs from Nov. 19 to Dec. 8, with 20 performances presented in the Wilma’s 300-seat theater. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a Brooklyn-based playwright and producer whose acclaimed work has earned him two Obie Awards, a MacArthur Genius Award, the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama, and the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award. The two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist premiered The Comeuppance at New York City’s Signature Theatre in May 2023, which garnered a New York Times Critic’s Pick and Lortel Award for Outstanding Play. The Wilma and Woolly Mammoth’s new co-production began its run in Washington, DC, on Sept. 8, receiving critical acclaim as a “superb new staging” (Washington Post) and “illuminating” (Broadway World). This marks the second time the play has been produced with a new director and cast since its premiere.

Set in 2023, Jacobs-Jenkins’ witty and moving dark comedy focuses on five friends who reunite 20 years after graduating from a high school in Prince George’s County, outside of Washington, D.C. Known as the “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group,” the group was once bonded by their outsider status and the traumas of their teenage years. Gathered on a porch ahead of their high school reunion, they reminisce about their younger selves over adult jungle juice and pot as they each reveal how their lives have unfolded since graduation. As the evening continues, they drink, fight, play a truth game, and lament the disappointments of their adult lives. Throughout the evening, they are haunted by a mysterious otherworldly figure that inhabits each character, forcing them to confront the possibility that their past actions may have sealed their present fates irrevocably.

Preview performances for The Comeuppance are from Tuesday, Nov. 19, to Thursday, Nov. 21. The production opens with an invite-only performance on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8. Single Digital Tickets will be available for sale toward the end of the show’s in-person run. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at www.wilmatheater.org or by calling the Wilma’s box office at 215-546-7824.

Allens Lane’s Offers Candlelight Concert

Candlelight Concert, Live at the Lane

Nov. 9, 2024

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

For a full year Allens Lane Art Center has activated the performing arts community by providing a glowing variety of shows in our “Live! @ The Lane” performance series. In this overwhelming and tense time in the country, take a breath and experience joyful connection by joining us as we celebrate a full year of this new series! Local musical sensation and saxophonist Robert Boyd Jr. (of the Robert Boyd Jr. Quintet) and folk guitarist Raji Malik will serenade you as you find serene community at the Lane. Tickets are $20.

 

About Allens Lane Art Center: Since its founding in 1953, Allens Lane Art Center has been a cornerstone of the Mt. Airy community by bringing residents together to participate in and experience the arts. Whether it’s art classes for children or adults, art exhibitions, or cutting-edge plays on the main stage, there is something for everyone at Allens Lane. Allens Lane Art Center offers opportunities for people to explore their creative potential.