Pioneer Theatre Guild: you did it again. You took an insanely ambitious musical — West Side Story — and surpassed everyone’s already high expectations. I photographed the last dress rehearsal, and I am in awe of the range of powerful emotions that explodes from every scene. Congratulations to the cast, crew, musicians, and the full creative and production team — and every other person who contributed talent and resources (to turn a phrase, it takes a city). The performances, the music, the stage-craft — all of it works in tandem to bring the story to life. We can practically taste each character’s desperate struggle to find and keep what they most desire — power, love, acceptance, equality, a better life.

Pioneer Theatre Guild is always upping the ante, and this show is no exception. You’ll notice the orchestra isn’t in a pit below the stage; it’s featured on stage throughout the entire performance, a vital part of the cityscape. To make room, the stage was pushed out into the “house” (i.e., where the audience sits). Sidewalk grates were built into the extension and are used to dramatic effect. For the first time, PTG has included adults among the cast (Pioneer staff members Charles White and David Leach both play policemen), and — another first — five high schools in the district are represented (Pioneer, Community, Skyline, Huron, and Roberto Clemente).

The production team includes: Susan Hurwitz (producer), Ashley Park (director + ptg alumna), Joel Sparks (music director), Tyler Driskill (orchestra director), Carlye Tamaren (choreographer), Ariel Hurwitz-Greene (choreographic consultant + ptg alumna), Katarzyna Mrozewska-Fenz (set and costume design), Mysti Plummer (technical director), Ciara Stella (scene shop supervisor), Laura Munson (lighting designer), Nora Curtis (scenic artist + ptg alumna), Kris Park (props designer), Patrick Shrock (sound designer), and Danny Hochster (stage manager).

Tickets

• Adults: $15
• Students/Seniors/PHS Staff: $10
• Purchase tickets online.

Performance Schedule

• Saturday, April 28 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, April 29 @ 2pm matinee
• Friday, May 4 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, May 5 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, May 6 @ 2pm matinee

Prologue: the Sharks (l-r: Isaiah Davis, Nick Washington, Mitch Fehrle, and Kyp Papageorgiou).

“Jet Song”

Maria (Clare Higgins) is impatient to start her life as a young woman in America.

“Dance at the Gym”: I love the Shark girls’ skirts.

Maria and Tony meet at the dance. (Clare Higgins and Ari Axelrod)

Tony (Ari Axelrod) will never stop saying “Maria.”

The Shark girls in “America”

“America” (l-r: Carly Paull-Baird, Karina Stribley, Destiny Hughbanks, and Adina Nadler)

Jet girls (Molly Cocco and Claire Crause, center) in “Cool.”

The end of “Cool” — pow!

Lt. Schrank (Charles White) tries to get Riff (Sena Adjei) and the other Jets to reveal where the rumble with the Sharks is going to be.

Maria and Tony stage their wedding in “One Hand, One Heart.” (Clare Higgins and Ari Axelrod)

The Sharks in “Tonight.” (l-r Isaiah Davis, Nick Washington, Jack Pilutti, Levi Brown, Kyp Papageorgiou, and Jonathan Jue-Wong)

The Jets and Sharks (and their girls) in “Tonight.”

The fist fight quickly escalates into a knife fight between Riff and Bernardo. (Sena Adjei and Levi Brown)

Tony reflexively kills Bernardo just moments after Bernardo kills Riff. (Ari Axelrod and Levi Brown)

Riff and Bernardo’s bodies are awash in red light from below. Brilliant.

Tony and Maria plan to run away together. (Ari Axelrod and Clare Higgins)

“Somewhere” soloist Adrianna Ellis.

Maria’s nightmare

Action (far right, Hank Miller) leads the Jets in “Gee, Officer Krupke.”

Anita in “A Boy Like That.” (Carly Paull-Baird)

Anita tries to get a message to Tony, but instead is taunted and physically brutalized by the Jets. (Duane Redmond and Carly Paull-Baird)

Tony (Ari Axelrod) hears that Chino has killed Maria. He wants Chino to kill him, too.

After Tony is shot, Maria pulls the gun on the gang members. (Clare Higgins)

The final moment before curtain.

The 1961 motion picture inspired the press photos. (Clare Higgins and Ari Axelrod)

Kyp Papageorgiou, Sena Adjei, and Nick Washington.

Destiny Hughbanks, Kyp Papageorgiuo, Sena Adjei, Molly Cocco, Nick Washington, and Natalie White.

The weather wasn’t nearly as warm as last year’s inaugural FoolMoon, but we were all thanking our lucky stars that it was at least dry. Precipitation, of any variety, may not have dampened the spirits of the most FoolHardy, but I fear it would have kept a lot of the young families away. At the Farmers’ Market constellation station in Kerrytown, we witnessed clusters of families and groups of friends gathering and gathering and gathering — until, at some point, the assembled Fools formed a bonafide crowd!

Once the procession to downtown got started, we promptly lost Max to the front of the line. This happened last year, too, and we knew not to worry about it. Like last year, we had instructed friends not to buy Max any food whatsoever. If Max wanted something to eat, he would have to return to us. This strategy worked faster than expected, thanks to Bryant Stuckey’s irresistible candy-man-like get-up — Max met us right at the corner of Main and Washington, to hard-sell us one of Bryant’s Fool Moon Pies.

The procession wends its way around Kerrytown before finally descending upon downtown.

FoolMoon luminary spokesmodel Meryl Waldo and FestiFools founder Mark Tucker greet all the revelers as they arrive to Washington Street. Dig that Victrola (conventional, late–twentieth century turntables may suffice for your typical hipster, but Meryl parties like it’s 1903).

Sue, Kyle, and Don Watts took to heart this year’s LS&A theme semester, “Language: the Human Quintessence.” (Thanks to Thing for providing LED light at camera-right.)

It warmed my heart to see so many brave the cold temperatures. Everyone at FoolMoon 2012: you’re the best!

Who doesn’t love the Cheshire Cat?

Luminary as mask — or is it mask as luminary? Either way, it’s very good.

This young man is beautifully lit by his own luminary (which happened to be a giant light bulb).

One of artist Gretchen Adracie's gorgeous luminaries.

Some of the best seats for watching the event were in Frita Batidos’ fishbowl.

Fernando Yarza’s homage to the Coneheads? | FestiFools steering committee member Gretchen Adracie was the brains (and brawn) behind the gigantic, full-moon luminary sculpture. | FoolMoon über-fan Rick Cronn is a man of many heads. | My boys flashing big grins and headlamps. | FestiFools steering committee member Jeri Rosenberg looking absolutely resplendent in the latest illuminated fashions. | Confectionery genius Bryant Stuckey (of Decadent Delight) really embraced the spirit of the event, donating 300 of his specially created “Fool Moon Pies” to the cause. And let me tell you, not only did he raise a bunch of cash to support all this Foolishness, but those pies were to die for.

The Orbit crew played the Fools even though their luminous hairdo-ings were postponed till Sunday’s street party.

There’s something quite surreal about this image. Joel Swanson is plugged in (“into,” actually) and turned on. Max is all aglow, apparently experiencing some sort of religious ecstasy. And there are, like, so many moons! Bonus: Can you spot the Hitchcock cameo (the great director strolling through the frame with his umbrella tucked under his arm)?

Irony: After a Foolish weekend steeped in “Language: The Human Quintessence,” I find myself utterly lacking … whaddaya call them things? … oh yeah, words. So we’ll let the photos do most of the talking. Honestly, I normally like to say more but I’m still catching my breath from the newly expanded Foolish Weekend — now featuring three days of Foolishness! (Sometime within the next decade, I’ll post images from FoolMoon and the Foolish Acts benefit concert at the Blind Pig. Stay tuned.)

FestiFools targeted by robot army! Once again, 826michigan and the Ann Arbor District Library teamed up to help scores of children get robotized.

I wanted to take all the robots home with me! (In just one year, this little girl went from a spectator to a full-on participant.)

Wranglers do their best to tame the red, two-headed dragon, who seemed to have two minds of its own. (Hi Jeri!)

The crowd of assembled earthlings was quite captivated by this amiable, bug-like, apparently extraterrestrial yet earth-loving, tie-dye sporting, hippie-creature dude. (“We come in peace, man.”)

Thanks to a little help from his friends, Barrie, the 50′ bookworm, set a new land-speed record — for a bookworm. (Read a brief biography of Barrie.)

FestiFools steering committee member Dave Waterhouse “steers” Barrie the Bookworm. Dave didn’t miss any of the multidimensional richness of FestiFools, thanks to his trusty 3-D glasses!

I love how this shot suggests, rather than shows, the puppet. Rico insists that FestiFools isn’t really supposed to be about the puppets as objects, anyway. No, it’s supposed to be all about animation, interaction, connection — you know, life.

Shooting you, shooting me. If you like taking pictures of photographers, FestiFools is the place to be. (On the right, another old friend of mine.)

This monkey was so totally iconic and, according to Rico, one seriously adept “tongue kisser” (really wish I’d captured that; then again, maybe it’s best that I didn’t).

U-M School of Art & Design professor Nick Tobier, striking a Patton-esque pose, surveys his elite plastic bucket brigade.

Thanks once again to U-M student group GROOVE for the groov-a-licious beats.

Curious to see just what’s going to strut by next.

Keep your claws away from my bubbles!

I heard President Obama talking about “green” jobs. But now I’m beginning to wonder if, perhaps, I misunderstood him.

Violet, rainbow-y, and hot pink are always in style at FestiFools. (Thanks for striking a pose for me, Miss Pink!)

Here we are at 5pm. The puppets have begun their migration out of downtown. But wait, is that a puppet biting another puppet’s head? I wouldn’t worry about it ’cause, you know, puppets will be puppets.

Travelin’ in style.

Foolish People: FestiFools steering committee member Jeri Rosenberg and Artistic Director Mark Tucker are a bit slap-happy after months of soul-crushing toil in the dank recesses of the FestiFools studio. | Rico is a “Very Serious Person.”

Orbit Hair Design was out on the street doing Foolish do’s. (They had originally planned to coif FoolMoon revelers, but decided to reschedule due to Friday night’s dicey weather conditions.)

A video game come to life on Liberty St. This is the brainchild of Spontaneous Art (see also: their facebook page).

The Violin Monster returned to Ann Arbor just in time!

Max moves rapidly through the “Three Stages of FestiFools”: ecstasy (in the thick of it), agony (that it’s over so quickly), and bargaining (already marketing FestiFools 2013 — “Your Logo Here”).

What I’ve posted above is just a tiny sliver of the beautiful chaos happening on Main St. If you’re jonesin’ for more images of FestiFools 2012, check out Ryan Stanton’s photoblog post. I’m tickled to see that he caught my boys once again this year — and he even caught me. Thanks so much, Ryan!]]>

Without a moment to spare, here’s my annual, behind-the-scenes sneak-peek at the making of Ann Arbor’s Weekend of Foolishness. The weekend kicks off with tomorrow evening’s FoolMoon, which debuted last year (FoolMoon 2011) and instantly took its rightful place in the pantheon of not-to-be-missed happenings in Ann Arbor. FestiFools “occupies” Main St. on Sunday (4–5pm). This year, the Fools have added a third event: Foolish Acts, a benefit concert at the Blind Pig on Saturday night — I heard something about a “zombie invasion.”

We plan on hitting all the events. And after FestiFools we will make our way over to FestiFeast, the traditional after-party dinner at the Aut Bar (315 Braun Ct., right across 4th Ave. from the Farmers’ Market).

What happens if it rains Friday night? The good word is that FoolMoon will embrace the weather conditions. The event will go on rain or (moon)shine, and I find this “can do” attitude very refreshing, even Foolhardy (with emphasis on hardy). Some of the features may have to be tweaked and brought under shelter — I’m excited to see how it all plays out. Got any fish lanterns from last year? I hear those would love to come out and play in the rain. Clear plastic bags will be available to protect the lanterns from the elements.

Stay in the Foolish loop!

• FestiFools website: festifools.org
• FestiFools (the ORGANIZATION) page on Facebook (this is the best way to stay up to date)
• FoolMoon March 30th EVENT page on Facebook
• Foolish Acts Benefit Concert (March 31st EVENT page on Facebook)
• FestiFools April 1st EVENT page on Facebook

Barrie the Bookworm awaits final assembly. U-M student, and future elementary school teacher, Jordan Wylie worked with kids to create this 50′ bookworm to be unleashed at FestiFools on Sunday.

Jordan chose the name “Barrie” after J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, which was her favorite story growing up. During two events (one at the Hands-On Museum; the other at the AADL), over 200 kids — yes, that said TWO HUNDRED KIDS! — helped paint Barrie’s body segments and legs.

The families that helped make Barrie will get to “wrangle” him up and down Main St. during FestiFools.

A rather photogenic array of tools lying about at the FestiFools studio. | The inner structure of many of the puppets is simply stapled, reused corrugated cardboard.

Sophia Michahelles and Alex Kahn of Superior Concept Monsters use a map of downtown Ann Arbor to demonstrate how the two groups of puppets will enter Main Street.

A quick jaunt out to Ypsi to meet up with Claire Broderick and other stylists from Orbit Hair Design. They are busy assembling fluorescent, outré hairpieces, which they will happily affix — gratis! — to the heads of those Fools who are game (just visit the Orbit tent at FoolMoon). Here, Claire poses in her craft room with a wig of her own design.

New this year for FoolMoon: MoonPies! Bryant Stuckey of Decadent Delight has whipped up just 300 of these Foolish delectables — with proceeds to benefit FestiFools! Run, do not walk, to get yours.

While I was in Ypsilanti, I paid a quick visit to Patrick Elkins, who was in the middle of cutting a new stencil. Be on the lookout for his shadow-puppetry antics on the street during FoolMoon.

A group of Greenhills students volunteered at the FestiFools studio last week to build “MeterMoons,” which will cover 20-some-odd DDA parking meters and delineate the FoolMoon space.

Luminary building at the free workshop held at the UMMA. All of the LED lights for this year’s FoolMoon luminaries were generously donated by Ace Barnes Hardware.

(I'm so captivated by this little girl gluing paper onto her lantern, I can't even compose a caption.)

A young artist at one of the four luminary building workshops in March at Workantile.

Once again the puppet-building season was initiated with a favorite, fun(d)raising event in February for donors and volunteers — only this year with a new twist: Puppets + Cupcakes! Fools of all sizes built shadow puppets, sculpted clay, and decorated their own cupcakes. Decadent Delight donated the criminally scrumptious cupcake fixin’s.

Many of the same families return to this event year after year, and it’s so nice to see them again.

It’s like an indoor, mini-FestiFools event — a great opportunity to express your inner and outer Fool. Max (bottom right corner) loved playing the fortune teller. Hanging behind him are photos I took at the very first FestiFools event, back in 2007.

Artist David Zinn (of sidewalk-chalk-art fame) visited Puppets + Cupcakes. | David’s friends Sluggo and (unnamed) flying pig also came by.

Thanks to Puppets + Cupcakes sponsors Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea and Decadent Delight.

I hope to see you at one or more of the events this weekend. Don’t forget to bring your camera — any camera!

FutureStars 2012 celebrated its Tenth Anniversary in a big way. There was just an incredible level of energy — the kids performed their hearts out! I mean, it was a take-no-prisoners kinda deal. You dig?

And on top of all the enormous talent (which inexplicably seems to multiply exponentially from one year to the next), Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson was on the judges’ panel! Joining him was teammate Kelvin Grady. I was delighted that the über-enthusiastic Lucy Ann Lance was returning for her 3rd tour of jury duty (if jury duty were anything like FutureStars, no one would try to get out of it). UM Musical Theater professor Cynthia Kortman Westphal — what a get! — and Steve DeBruyne lent a measure of theater gravitas to the event. Well, the judges couldn’t contain their enthusiasm — check out Denard’s tweet and Lucy Ann’s blog post!

The kick-ass panel of guest judges included Steve DeBruyne (Encore Theatre), Cynthia Kortman Westphal (UM School of Music, Theatre & Dance), Lucy Ann Lance (Lance & Erskine Communications), Denard Robinson (Michigan Wolverines quarterback), and Kelvin Grady (Michigan Wolverines wide receiver).

Hannah Hesseltine, Carly Paull-Baird, and Adriana Ellis got the event off to a rousing start with a harmoniously tight Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. | Hank Miller (vocals) and Morgan Barroso (dance) sauntered into the top-6 with Feeling Good.

Maddie Polovick performs Tears Dry on Their Own (with Aiden Geronimus). | Clare Lauer hit every silky note in A Case of You, accompanied by Gabe Novak.

Quinton Howard gets a unique view of the FutureStars crowd in Universal Mind Control. | Andrew Nazarro surprised several of his classmates (who had no idea he could even sing) with his soulful performance of Ain’t No Sunshine.

Rising Stars in Here I Go Again. I look forward to seeing much more of these young faces.

Top-6 finishers Jassadi Moore and Eliza Stein were sassy and pink in Fly.

Sena Adjei and Claire Crause gave us all goosebumps with I Had the Time of My Life. They nailed the lift, and so many other beautiful moves.

Adriana Ellis with Natalie White and Tionna Griffin in the Dixie Chicks’ heartbreaking ballad Travelin’ Soldier.

Joey Hathaway performed the first non-vocal, non-dance number in the 10-year history of FutureStars. His unbelievable, bang-up performance of Stomp propelled him to a Top-6 finish.

Julia Franceschi in a beautiful, acoustic version of What’s Love Got to Do With It (accompanied by Gabe Novak on guitar). | Karina Stribley (with Rising Stars Alona Henig and Ivy Gleason) having too much fun in What the Hell.

Top-6 finishers Jonathan Jue-Wong and Madi Chadwick in a stirring rendition of Need You Now. Jonathan sang and played violin (I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time).

Miriam Alexander belts out Come on Over Baby with Emma Whitaker and Tasha Major.

Ari Axelrod and Hank Miller on the catwalk: What You Own.

It didn’t take an applause meter to tell us that Tionna Griffin was going to win FutureStars. Her performance of California King Bed was that good.

Molly Cocco, Nick Washington, Darius Sanderford, Sena Adjei, and Duane Redmond defy gravity in their dance to Take Care.

Carly Paull-Baird’s soulful rendition of One and Only “proves that she is the one who can” be a Top-6 finisher.

What’s FutureStars without a boy band? Jonathan Jue-Wong, Jack Pilutti, Gabe Novak, Levi Brown, and Andrew Siddall delivered with I Want it That Way.

While the judges deliberated, we got to see past FutureStars in action. 2009 winner Amelia Franceschi performed Heart of Gold, and 2007 winner Rohan Kymal performed Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.

Rohan was accompanied by FutureStars directors Sadie Yarrington, Ashley Park, Mary Little, and Dorothy Yarrington. Dorothy won FutureStars in 2008.

The Pioneer Theatre Guild family comes together to celebrate the successful culmination of this 10th Annual FutureStars extravaganza with the closing medley (We Are Family, Celebration, and We Are A Family).

Left:

• The Amazing Mustache Man
• Foolin’ at FestiFools
• Harpo makes Whoopee
• Strange Fruit understudy

Middle:

• Alliums at Columbus Circle, NYC
• Totally Succeeding in Biz
• Undercover in NYC
• FauxHawk

Right:

• Root beer at Top of the Park
• Future Ultimate player
• Loving da funk at FoolMoon
• Badass Rocker

Some of my favorite “Relish” events during the first half of 2012:

Pioneer Theatre Guild’s FutureStars

Preliminaries: January 13 + 14 | Finals: January 21

Burns Park Players’ Once Upon a Mattress

February 3, 4, 9, 10, 11

FoolMoon + FestiFools

March 30 | April 1

Pioneer Theatre Guild’s production of West Side Story

April 28 + 29 | May 4, 5, 7

Ann Arbor Summer Festival

June 15–July 8

There’s no nice way to say it, but the last dress rehearsal for Phantom of the Opera was, from a technical perspective, a total train wreck. The second chandelier (the first one broke) was misbehaving, and the lighting board (the computer that’s programmed to switch on and off the correct lights at the correct times) was malfunctioning for most of the run-through. There was talk of there being a Pioneer Theatre Guild Phantom messing with the production. Everyone knew this was a VERY ambitious show, so who needed a glitchy lighting board at the last minute? Would the chandelier fall safely? There was plenty of anxiety about whether opening night, less than 24 hours away, would go off smoothly.

I came back to do more photography during the matinee after opening night, since I’d heard that the lighting issues had been resolved. (Production photos without good lighting are lifeless, and that is something I cannot abide.) Indeed, the train wreck was now a well-oiled machine. Where once there had been anxiety and breakdown, now there was calm and resolution. Everyone involved with the show expressed not just relief, but an absolute giddiness about how swimmingly things were going. Someone must have remembered to pay the PTG Phantom his salary or leave his box unoccupied or meet whatever other outrageous demands he’d made. The curse was replaced with a blessing.

Okay, so this is the part where I gush about the show. I always say I can’t possibly do it justice — especially the non-visual aspects of the show, which can’t be appreciated in a photo. I wish I could have captured the aural richness of this production: each of the soloists performed brilliantly, and the orchestra was top-shelf. Hopefully, the photos below convey a sense of the splendid and lavish costumes, the dramatic lighting and special effects, and the complex prop and set pieces, not to mention the actors and dancers, who have mastered their parts. I find myself continually inspired by the talent and commitment of everyone involved in Pioneer Theatre Guild’s productions. They take big risks and somehow manage to pull it off — over and over and over again. I savor my role in documenting and celebrating this process.

Big kudos to the production staff: Susan Hurwitz (producer), Alexandra Finke (director), Joel Sparks (music director), Tim Van Riper (co-music director + ptg alumnus), Tyler Driskill (orchestra director), Sadie Yarrington (assistant director + ptg alumna), Mysti Plummer (technical director), Ciara Stella (scene shop supervisor), Kathy Lloyd (costume designer), Laura Munson (lighting designer), Nora Curtis (scenic artist + ptg alumna), Kris Park (props designer), Patrick Shrock (sound designer), Ariel Hurwitz-Greene (choreographic consultant + ptg alumna), and Kate Summers (stage manager).

Tickets

• Adults: $15
• Students/Seniors/PHS Staff: $10
• Purchase tickets online.

Performance Schedule

• Saturday, November 5 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, November 6 @ 2pm matinee
• Friday, November 11 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, November 12 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, November 13 @ 2pm matinee

All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.

More info on the Pioneer Theatre Guild and the current season.

Prologue: Relics up for auction in 1911 at the (by then decrepit) Paris Opera House foreshadow key events in the plot, the entire action of which occurs within a single flashback to the 1880s. (Jackson Tucker-Meyer, Isaiah Davis, and Conor Howe)

Ensemble in “The Dress Rehearsal of Hannibal.”

An “accident” scares the prima donna soprano, Carlotta, who refuses to perform on opening night. (Jordan McKay and Clare Lauer)

“Think of Me”: Christine (Karina Stribley), a chorus girl who’s been trained by a mysterious “angel of music,” takes over Carlotta’s role.

“Angel of Music/The Mirror”: In Christine’s dressing room after the show, the Phantom makes his entrance — as an apparition in her dressing mirror. Mitchell Fehrle designed the Phantom’s distinctive mask. (Hank Miller and Karina Stribley)

The Phantom transports Christine (and the audience) to his lair beneath the Opera in one of the most breathtaking scenes of the production. (Hank Miller and Karina Stribley)

“Music of the Night”: We see a confident, poised Phantom. Christine is overwhelmed by his generosity and faints. (Karina Stribley and Hank Miller) | Close-up of one of the Phantom’s extraordinary lamps (props to the props crew).

When Christine removes the Phantom’s mask, romance turns to rage. We may not get to see the ugly side of the Phantom’s face, but we experience a frightful side of his temperament.

The Phantom’s “Notes” are read aloud, with palpable disdain for their content. (l-r: Jassadi Moore, Lauren Victor, Jonathan Jue-Wong, Michael Shapiro, Jordan McKay, Clare Lauer, and Ari Axelrod)

“Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh.” (Conor Howe)

Another “accident” strikes the opera. (Clare Lauer)

The ballet is hurried onto the stage in an attempt to salvage the evening’s performance.

Christine on the Opera roof. | On stage as the chandelier comes crashing down. (Karina Stribley)

“Masquerade”: Swirl of gown.

“Masquerade”: Let the spectacle astound you!

Raoul and The Phantom duel at the graveyard. (Ari Axelrod and Hank Miller)

During “The Point of No Return,” Christine discovers the man under the hood is the Phantom.

The Phantom sets Christine and Raoul free. | The Phantom alone, despairing, regards the ring Christine had returned to him. Eternity winds up being rather shorter than he’d hoped. (Ari Axelrod, Karina Stribley, and Hank Miller)

Hank Miller in partial Phantom make-up (designed by make-up artist and PTG parent, Linda Long). | Cast members just before the show: Lauren Victor, Michael Shapiro, and Jassadi Moore.

The chandelier, which falls at the end of Act II, presented several logistical challenges. (l-r: crew members Joe Weindorf, Rianna Johnson-Levy, and Dylan Summers; PTG alumna Amira Belwafa; and shop supervisor, Ciara Stella)

Members of the costume crew looking like they belong on stage. (L-r: Chelsea Stauffer, Collin Augustine, Kelly Arnold, Alicia Aldridge, Libby Hollmann, Paloma Paez-Coombe, Aina Kelsaw-Fletcher. Kneeling: Lashell McCalaster, Mitch Fehrle.)

Yo, crew! Get into the set shop for a quick group photo before the matinee!

Emma Hamstra and I first met during her senior portrait session in October 2010. On the questionnaire I give all my seniors, one of the things she told me about herself was, “I am the goalie on the varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams, and enjoy the thrill of being shot at.” Apparently she’s very successful at preventing goals, too (in Emma’s senior year with Pioneer’s field hockey team, she stopped 88% of the shots she faced).

She may enjoy being shot at on the playing field, but I wasn’t too sure how much she enjoyed being shot at — with a camera. Emma blinked. A lot. So much so, it became comical, and thankfully Emma was quick to laugh at herself. Even with all the blinks (she holds the dubious honor of most blinks recorded in a single session — by far!), I enjoyed photographing Emma and getting to know her and her mom, Ruth.

Towards the end of our session, Emma told me about her audition for the popular MTV reality show, MADE, and how surprised and excited she was to have successfully survived several rounds of auditions. Each MADE episode follows a different teen in their attempt to achieve a goal far outside their comfort zone. MTV provides an expert coach and documents the entire process on video.

Several months later, I was thrilled to learn that, out of the huge number of kids who auditioned, Emma was among that tiny sliver who are actually chosen to be MADE. But I was also worried about the potential pitfalls. Reality TV shows are notorious for being, um … notorious. And putting a teenager through a crash-course transformation sets up the perfect storm for drama. I was nervous about Emma’s story being twisted and sensationalized for the sake of entertainment.

Emma chose to be MADE into a rapper. Specifically, she wanted to write and perform a rap about her recent past problems with bullies. The episode lets us peer into her progress with her excellent and empathic coach, P.L. (as of this writing at least, there’s way more info/songs/etc. at P.L.’s MySpace page). She faces some of the challenges that many of the kids on MADE face, such as a reluctance to be vulnerable in public. But Emma is also confronted in a classroom scene about her choice to rap, and the scene spirals downward. To her credit, Emma responds to this intimidation in her fierce and heartfelt rap, Bounce Back! (Here’s a link to the song.)

After Emma’s big rap performance in front of the entire school, we met for a quick photo session downtown to capture her rapper persona, Feminemma. She was still in wardrobe, hair, and make-up. You can see a completely different young woman on the surface. But there’s something else that the photos don’t show: Emma rarely blinked.

Emma, who is now a freshman and field-hockey goalie at UMass Amherst, answered some questions about being MADE. Thanks Emma! You’re my hero! (Here are links to Emma’s MADE episode and the Feminemma Facebook page.)

A favorite from her senior portraits. | Six months later and a few hours after she performed her rap, Bounce Back!

How would you describe yourself before you got involved with the MTV MADE show?

I’d say that before I was MADE, I was willing to stand up for other people who had been bullied, but I never actually stood up for myself. I think I was also a bit insecure and wasn’t comfortable or willing to dress all that sexy. I was a field hockey player who was just dipping her toes into the poetry slam scene.

What inspired you to try out?

I auditioned on a whim. A lot of my friends thought it would be really funny if I auditioned. So I just went for it.

Describe the audition process:

The audition process is long and rigorous. First, an MTV talent scout interviews you on camera for about 15 minutes. You state your name and age all of that basic information and what your goal is. Then they ask you to display your talent. So I rapped for the guy. He just laughed at me. They also ask you why you can’t reach this goal on your own. I didn’t hear anything from MTV for about a month so I just figured that I hadn’t been chosen.

Three weeks later, I finally got a phone call from the head of the casting department. I had about three one-hour phone interviews with her. Then, over Thanksgiving, MTV decided that it was worth filming a “green light” (two days of being followed around by a camera, just to see who the kid is and if they’re interesting enough). During my green light they interviewed kids at school about me and had me rap. Needless to say, I was a terrible rapper. Again MTV didn’t call or email me for about a month and a half. But at the end of January, I got another phone call. This time from MTV’s legal department. I needed to get a permission slip signed authorizing me to work on camera. I also needed to get written permission from my siblings’ pediatrician to allow them to be on camera because they were under the age of 5. At this point I pretty much figured that I was going to be picked for the show. In February I got another phone call. This time MTV wanted me to take a full psychiatric test (I passed). This was a huge shock to my whole family! Just kidding.

In the first week of March, I got a phone call from my episode’s producer, Craig Johnson. It was official — I had been chosen to be MADE. Filming would start the week of Saint Patrick’s Day. The process to get picked to be MADE is long. I started my quest to be chosen on November 5, 2010 and didn’t begin filming until March 17, 2011.

What are the odds of getting chosen?

I think the odds of getting chosen are something like this. For ever 20,000 kids that MTV interviews only 20 are chosen. So I wasn’t expecting to even make it out of the first round.

What advice or tips would you give to kids thinking about auditioning for MADE?

The best advice I can give to kids auditioning for the show is to be yourself. You don’t want to be portrayed as a ninny to all of MTV’s viewers. The producers are also looking for kids who are genuine. So I didn’t stray away from my love of pearls and JCrew. I think those oddities actually helped differentiate me from all of the other aspiring white rappers.

I understand you enjoy writing poetry…

I love writing and performing my poetry. Jeff Kass was extremely influential in my development over the past 3 years. I think I took his Creative Writing class 5 times! I competed in the 2010 Skyline youth poetry slam but didn’t qualify for the city finals. In 2011, I competed in the Huron youth poetry slam and placed third. So I qualified for the city finals! That was a big moment for me. MTV even got to film the city finals — unfortunately there wasn’t time in the episode to show any of that footage.

Tell us about your motivation to learn to rap:

My biggest motivation in learning to rap was this emcee named Invincible from Detroit. Invincible is a white female rapper who raps about such pressing issues as teenage suicide. Jeff Kass introduced me to her music sometime during my junior year. At that time, I was bullied pretty badly. I would always stand up for the other girls getting picked on, but I never stood up for myself. I saw rap as a way to express all of my pent up frustration with bullying.

What were your biggest challenges during the actual making of MADE?

The biggest challenge in making the show was my grandpa’s illness. Throughout the audition process my grandpa was dying from renal cell cancer that had spread throughout his body. I was terrified that somehow this very personal family tragedy would be included in the episode. MTV was actually very good about this issue and never even asked me about him on camera. The hardest part of the whole process was the first day of filming. I woke up and learned that my grandpa had died in his sleep the previous night. I had to go to school (because I’d missed two whole weeks of school for field hockey tournaments and college visits). MTV was really empathetic and even sent me a card and flowers.

We learn in the episode that not everyone supports your project.

There was definitely blowback from some of the kids at school and a very controversial scene with a teacher. Being questioned by a class about my reasons for rapping was extremely uncomfortable. I don’t think anyone in the room was receptive to what I had to say. I think my anti-bullying message got lost in the racial issues. I think what happened was unfortunate and wish everyone the best. Since I chose to not go back into the class, I needed to have my final rap speak for itself. I like to think my rap encompassed all of the road blocks I had hit in the previous year: bullying, the loss of my grandfather, the uncomfortable situation in the classroom, and my journey in getting to know myself better.

Several local businesses helped Emma physically transform into Feminemma: Puffer Reds and Motivation Boutique provided the fly threads; Salon XL Color & Design Group did the hair and make-up.

I really liked your coach. What was it like working with P.L.?

Working with P.L. was really fun. P.L. was a kind, caring, earnest man. He wouldn’t let me to sell myself short. He was also very patient. It took us forever to write my rap — I remember one day he came over and sat with me for 8 hours! I can’t think of many teachers who would spend that much time on a single assignment. I also liked that he didn’t push me to change my image completely. On other episodes, the coaches sometimes make the kids wear huge chains and clothing that the kid wouldn’t have chosen. P.L. helped me cultivate my own unique style.

How did your family — especially your mom, whom we see a lot in the episode — like the experience of making the show?

My mom thought the process was interesting. It’s her take that if you open yourself up during a reality show, you can learn things about yourself. A lot of people get caught up in the process and don’t really enjoy the journey. I had a ton of fun during filming. I really loved my camerawoman, Anne Paas. It would have been a horrible six weeks of filming if we hated each other, as the two of us spent about eight hours a day together for six weeks. In fact, we got to be pretty close — we still text, and I love making fun of her because she’s a Yankees fan and I love the Red Sox.

What has the response to the show been like?

The response to the show has been mainly positive. I get emails from people telling me how they were bullied and that it was so inspiring to see me speak out about my experiences. I also get some very strange emails from guys telling me how sexy I am and could I please Skype with them (umm, not bloody likely). I think the most meaningful responses for me are the ones that manage to look past the racial issues and see that I had a lot of fun being MADE into a rapper and that I was actually able to reach my goal.

How has this whole experience changed you?

I think the show changed my uptightness. I think I am more vulnerable, more willing to take chances. I asked a boy to prom (thank God, he said yes). I’m also more willing to just get up and perform now. I even participated in a rap battle at my college orientation’s open mic night. My style of dress is also less conservative. People can even see me wearing Nike shoes now. And let’s not forget that I performed my rap in front of almost my entire school in a skin-tight, midriff-baring white get-up — that is definitely not something I would have been comfortable doing before being MADE!

What’s on the horizon for Emma?

Right now I just finished my first pre-season with the UMass field hockey team. I’m working on a few songs, but my recording situation isn’t ideal. I had to record a song in my closet using just a MacBook Pro and GarageBand. I’m hoping to perform some music at open mic nights in Amherst, MA. Maybe I’ll even stumble upon a cheap recording studio here. Keep your fingers crossed.

Since I’m part of the Emma entourage now, do I qualify for deep discount pricing at Puffer Reds? (Just sayin’.)

I think you will just have to go to Puffer Reds and ask.

Emma’s mother Ruth plays large role in the MADE episode. | Comfortable in her own skin.

I was invited by the Ann Arbor Summer Festival to attend a media preview of the Amococo installation, which is being featured as part of this year’s Top of the Park. I was going to put these sneak-peek photos on my Facebook page, but unfortunately Facebook’s image compression made these clear and colorful shots look splotchy and blurry. So here we are with a super-quick blog post.

From the Ann Arbor Summer Festival website: “Making its Ann Arbor debut for four days on Palmer Field near Top of the Park, the festival presents the [Architects of Air]’s biggest luminarium, Amococo, a walk-through inflatable sculpture featuring a dazzling maze of winding paths filled with radiant light and color.” Amococo is open to the public starting at 4pm tomorrow (Thursday, June 23); it will be in town until this Sunday at 9pm. Get complete information.

Bring your camera of course! (I set my white balance to daylight — i.e., the sun icon.)

This family learned that Amococo is best enjoyed horizontally.

Max and Rico explore.

Wander, relax, meditate, and enjoy.

I have barely caught my breath from last year’s Summer Festival and here it comes again! But truly, not a moment too soon — we’re ready for warm summer breezes, and more than ready for hangin’ out with fellow Townies at Ingalls Mall. And this year’s Festival line-up has us chomping at the bit for the over-the-top fun that the Festival consistently delivers.

I’m proud to be part of the Festival once again with my fourth photography exhibit at the Power Center. The mission of this year’s show, titled PLAY.SPACE, is to highlight and pay tribute to the sheer joy and excitement readily seen at the Festival. PLAY.SPACE runs from June 18 to July 8, 2011, and is viewable whenever the Power Center lobby is open for Mainstage performances, including:

• Saturday, June 18 (7-10pm)
• Tuesday, June 21 (7-10pm)
• Thursday, June 23 (7-10pm)
• Saturday, June 25 (7-10pm)
• Wednesday, June 29 (7-10pm)
• Monday, July 4 (4-10pm)
• Thursday, July 7 (7-10pm)
• Friday, July 8 (7-10pm)

Many thanks to… Robb Woulfe (Festival executive director) for his continued support and enthusiasm for my photography and for hosting PLAY.SPACE. Amy Nesbitt (and the rest of the Festival staff) for making all the stars align — not just with the exhibit, but with the entire Festival. Paragon Display Group, who are masterfully printing and mounting the exhibit pieces as I write this blog entry. Dianne Widzinski for her support and assistance at the Power Center.

Max’s Festival line-up includes: Planet Rock, Detroit Fire Guild, Amococo, Strange Fruit, and the Tom Tom Crew (demo and show).

Max (my 8.5-year-old son) is looking forward to several Festival offerings this year. As of now, his “dance card” includes:

Planet Rock: Climbing Wall @ Top of the Park

Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19 (5-9pm)
It was so popular last year that I knew they’d be back. Planet Rock will be bringing its portable climbing wall to Top of the Park again this year!

Detroit Fire Guild

Every Sunday during the Festival (6pm)
Ingalls Mall will be set ablaze by the Detroit Fire Guild’s eclectic brand of non-fire circus arts performances, including hoop dancing, juggling, stilt walking, and more.

Amococo

Thursday, June 23 through Sunday, June 26
Amococo is neither a gas station, nor a chocolate liqueur. Rather, it’s “a walk-through inflatable sculpture featuring a dazzling maze of winding paths filled with radiant light and color.” It’ll perhaps be not altogether unlike FoolMoon — except, of course, we’ll be on the inside of the luminary!

Strange Fruit

Thursday, June 30 through Saturday, July 2
They’re back! They made such a powerful impression on 4-year-old Max when they were last in town that he’s been singing Dean Martin’s Kick in the Head ever since.

Tom Tom Crew: Lawn Teaser

Wednesday, July 6 (7:30pm)
“Tom Tom Crew combines stunning aerial acrobatics, beat-boxing and dynamic drumming to create a high-energy show.” Max’s response to the video snippet of this group on the Summer Festival website: “Totally!”

Tom Tom Crew

Thursday, July 7 (8pm) + Friday, July 8 (8pm)
The “teaser” will just whet Max’s appetite for the Mainstage performance. (We’ll be attending the Friday night show.)

Rico and I plan to attend several Mainstage performances as special date nights for just the two of us:

Andrew Bird

Saturday, June 18 (8pm)
The Boston Globe’s comments made us need to check this guy out: “Bird is the total package: a conservatory-trained musician with a slurry croon, a gentle soul, skewed, literate wit, and Beatlesesque mastery of melody. He’s become so deft with his looping machines he might have performed the entire two-hour set on his own.”

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Tuesday, June 21 (8pm)
Four out of five dentists recommend SupaFunkRock for their patients who chew gum.

K.D. Lang

Friday, July 1 (8pm)
It’s obvious — duh!

Taylor Mac

Saturday, July 2 (8pm)
The title of the performance is “Comparison Is Violence or The Ziggy Stardust Meets Tiny Tim Songbook.”

Forgive the non-timeliness of this blog entry. Hopefully, if you were chomping at the bit to see my Seussical photos, you found them on my facebook page (tip: I post more frequent updates there — please consider adding your “like”). Let's just say that this post isn't meant for reporting so much as for reminiscing — now and later.

I don’t have the words to describe how absolutely fantastic the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s Seussical was. Production photos can only convey so much, and even video falls woefully short of experiencing the show personally. I hope you were fortunate enough to attend at least one performance (lucky me, I saw it three times!).

Seussical is an extremely ambitious show to pull off — it's almost completely sung-through. I want to express my whole-hearted gratitude to the entire production staff, cast, crews, orchestra and everyone else involved for contributing their talent, ingenuity, and sheer stamina to this production. And they managed to make it look completely effortless — even during a potentially grueling weekend of four performances.

Thank you for your vision and leadership: Susan Hurwitz (producer), Joel Sparks (director and musical director), Will Burton (choreographer), Alexandra Finke (assistant director), Mysti Plummer (technical director), Kasia Mrozewska (production designer), Ciara Stella (scene shop supervisor), Laura Munson (lighting designer), Patrick Shrock (sound designer), Kate VanHorn (props and paint), Nora Curtis (paint), Kathy Lloyd (costumes), Tyler Driskill (orchestra director), and Kate Summers (stage manager).

And I wonder, what could possibly top Seussical? The Pioneer Theatre Guild isn’t an organization that rests on its laurels. They are always looking for challenges. But what could be more stunning and ambitious? Well, according to its website, the Theatre Guild is planning to produce Phantom of the Opera and Westside Story next year! Incredible. (Stay cool, Jets!)

The elegant Bird Girls, of the Jungle of Nool, help tell the story in beautiful harmony.

Sour Kangaroo (Lauren Victor) belts out “R-e-s-p-e-c-k! Oh, please! Take that speck away!” in “Biggest Blame Fool.”

The menacing Wickersham Brothers harass Horton the Elephant (Hank Miller).

In “Here on Who,” the Mayor of Whoville and Mrs. Mayor (Ari Axelrod and Grace Gilmore) introduce the Whos, including the marching band — led by the gung-ho General Genghis Khan Schmitz (Robby Eisentrout).

The Who’s Who of Whos. (Who could resist? Not me.)

The thinkful Jojo (Hannah Hesseltine) and the mischievous Cat in the Hat (Russell Norris) imagine that Jojo’s bathtub is McElligot’s pool in “It’s Possible.”

Ostracized by all the other animals for his devotion to a speck, Horton (Hank Miller) feels “Alone in the Universe.” The lighting effectively isolates Horton within a vast darkness.

The poised and proud Mayzie La Bird (Victoria Reackhof) revels in her wondrous colors in “Amazing Mayzie.”

In “Amazing Gertrude,” Gertrude McFuzz (Mara Abramson), who felt completely inadequate with her small, one-feather tail, now hopes to impress Horton with her new, super-sized tail.

The Wickersham Brothers “Monkey Around.”

The staging of “How Lucky You Are” somehow convinced me that those tiny Whos are on the clover!

Let’s get a closer look at the terrified Whos on the brink of peril.

In “Notice Me, Horton,” Gertrude (Mara Abramson) is hopelessly in love with Horton (Hank Miller), who hopelessly searches the clover field for the Whos’ clover.

Horton, who at this point in the show has not only lost the Whos but is also stuck sitting atop Mayzie’s egg, meets more bad news: hunters!

In the overture before Act 2, the Cat in the Hat (Russell Norris) mocks the orchestra director (Tyler Driskill).

A closer look at the lovely Bird Girls.

Props to the props and costumes (“The Circus McGurkus”).

It amazes me how much the color of the light, costumes, and hanging lanterns can convincingly distinguish this scene from the others.

Horton (Hank Miller) and Jojo (Hannah Hesseltine), in their darkest hour, find solace wishing for “Solla Sollew,” a trouble-free paradise.

“Green Eggs and Ham II”: As Christmas and the threat of war near, Jojo gathers his nerve to go AWOL. (Some of the littlest cadets, no doubt, found it hard not to giggle. I would have, too.)

The general and his officer (Robby Eisentrout and Jacob Jedele). | The Grinch and his dog Max (Ray Hong and Eric Dutton).

“The Whos’ Christmas Pageant.”

Mayor of Whoville and Mrs. Mayor (Ari Axelrod and Grace Gilmore) represent the Whos with colorful aplomb. | The Cat in the Hat (Russell Norris). Kudos to Russell for nailing dozens of impersonations in this role.

“Jojo Alone in the Universe.” The disembodied hands were both haunting and dazzling.

Gertrude (Mara Abramson) is delighted to have her old tail back and enumerates everything she’s done for Horton, “All For You.”

Mayhem ensues as Horton pleads with the Whos to make themselves heard before the Jungle Animals boil Whoville in a hot steaming kettle of beezlenut oil.

Oh no! Could this be the end of the smallest planet?

I’m not going to give away how it happens, but, suffice it to say, everyone rejoices as the Whos are saved!

Pioneer Theatre Guild’s Seussical had a wildly successful opening last Saturday night. And after an ambitious run of four more fantastical performances this weekend, it will be over. Just like that. No more cat. No more hat.

Do not blink, nor even wink. And don’t even think of going “kerplink” (unless, of course, you’re in a pink roller rink)! I do not mean to make a big stink. But you ought to buy tickets by clicking this link!

I took production photos on not just one occasion, but two — this show is that captivating! And this handy-dandy, decoy blog-entry (featuring thematically-related pictures of my oh-so-adorable son, Max, dredged up from the archives) will buy me more time to pick and choose from my massive haul of Seussical images. Now, don’t even dream of telling me that you hoped to see my pix before you bought your tix. Don’t you dare! Because, as good as my pix may be, they cannot compare to being there. (I swear.)

Tickets

• Adults: $12
• Students/Seniors/PHS Staff: $9

Assigned seating now on sale at showtix4u.com. General admission seating on sale at the door.
All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.

Performance Schedule

• Saturday, April 23 @ 7:30pm
• Friday, April 29 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, April 30 @ 2pm matinee
• Saturday, April 30 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, May 1 @ 2pm matinee

More info here.

Taken in 2007: On a trip to visit family in Georgia, we had Max wear the Cat-in-the-Hat hat so we could spot him quickly when he’d dart off in the crowded terminals, as he was wont to do. But the ever chameleon-like Max still managed to give us the slip at the Atlanta airport. (“Journeys” by Carl Joe Williams.)

Taken in 2008: Max is his own make-up artist. | A new day with new face paint (albeit same shirt). The hat continues to give us hours of entertainment. “Oh, the things you can do when your hat is your shoe!”

I’ve got another show at Sweetwaters (on W. Washington). Hooray! It includes portraits I’ve taken of children and high-school seniors living in the Ann Arbor area. Perhaps you’ll recognize one of your friends or neighbors, or even yourself. I even brought back a few pieces from my first Sweetwaters show in 2007 — for old time’s sake, and because, frankly, I still really love them. And I’ve added some of the community photography I’ve provided pro bono to local arts and human services organizations. These include images for FestiFools, Pioneer Theatre Guild, the Burns Park Players, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, and Ozone House.

I’ve been working on getting this show up at Sweetwaters nearly every day since March 31. Normally, it shouldn’t take 11 days to install a show that will only be up for a month! But, in my defense, there have been unexpected benefits to dragging out the process. Each time I came to Sweetwaters to add, fix, or tweak something, I got to visit with several people whom I was delighted to see (or in several cases, meet for the very first time). I’d say that, on average, for every 5 minutes of actual adding/fixing/tweaking, there would be at least 15 minutes of wonderful conversation to follow.

Another advantage of working on the display so much is that my presence seems to have invited questions about the community organizations I’ve worked with. Just yesterday, two separate Sweetwaters patrons asked me about the exhibited Ozone House posters. The more they learned about Ozone House’s inspiring mission, the more they wanted to learn. People at another table were curious about Make-A-Wish, so I got to tell them about the amazing work that goes on there. (Meta-factoid: it was actually because of my 2007 show at Sweetwaters that Make-A-Wish Michigan’s graphic designer Robin Cook first saw my photography and invited me to work with that organization.) And I noticed several children excited about the “Cat in the Hat” publicity photo I did for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s upcoming production of Seussical — well, you can imagine how much I loved telling them that that musical opens in less than two weeks!

Part of a series of Ozone House posters designed by Pryor Design. | A Make-A-Wish advertisement featuring Wish-Kid Izzy by Whitfield Design.

My show is now fully up — placards, artist statement, and all. But I still come in every day (ostensibly) to straighten any pieces that may have even the slightest, barely detectable tilt. Of course, my real reason for regularly visiting Sweetwaters is so I can have more of these serendipitous meetings and gratifying conversations. And, now that the weather is finally warming up, I don’t mind if I enjoy an iced ginger lemon tea, too!

I hope you’ll have the chance to see the exhibit at Sweetwaters before I take it down on the evening of May 1. We may even run into each other there.

Major thanks to the following folks, who generously either lent physical pieces for this exhibit or provided me with digital artwork featuring my photography: Scott Pryor (Pryor Design Company), Robin Cook (Whitfield Design), Mark Tucker (FestiFools), Katie Doyle (Ozone House), Mysti Plummer (Pioneer Theatre Guild), and Liam White (designer, Oliver! poster).

Upcoming exhibits…

• April 18–June 13: Several of my large-scale images taken at the 2009 Ann Arbor Summer Festival will be on display in the University of Michigan Hospital main lobby.
• June 18–July 8: An exhibit of ALL NEW Summer Festival images (taken during the 2010 season) will be on display at the Power Center.

If you’ll endulge me, I’d like to open my remarks today by quoting the ever-eloquent FestiFools Q. Public (on Twitter):

A2 Fools are BEST! Mother Nature threw us a curve ball today, but we (to mix a metaphor) made lemonade out of it. Bravo!

Yes, the weather was a major factor in FestiFools this year: 37°F temperatures coupled with rain is never pleasant (it was actively raining during the hour leading up to FestFools and during the first 20-or-so minutes into the event itself). Fortunately, Main St. was fairly well sheltered against the 20+ mph winds whipping across town (when I first read the weather forecasts, I had imagined papier-mâché puppets getting lifted into low-earth orbit). Not to sound overly superstitious, but the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts may be partly to blame — it selected water for its theme semester for Winter 2011 (you can file that under “tempting fate”). As a public service, I am hereby recommending that LS&A avoid the following themes in the future: space debris, killer bees, flesh-eating bacteria, etc.

But the inclement weather didn’t keep Ann Arbor’s hardcore Fools from observing this sacred annual rite! True, attendance was off compared to last year’s (sunny, blue skies) record turnout. But, given how really nasty and unpleasant it was out there, the fact that so many folks came out was extremely heartening. Go Fools!

I dedicate this blog entry to photographer Jeff Lamb, who was totally in love with FestiFools and who passed away on March 22, 2011. I first met Jeff on Main St. photographing the 2nd FestiFools street party, back in 2008. And I got to know him a bit better during the 3rd and 4th FestiFools events. I was really looking forward to seeing him out there with his camera and huge grin again this year. His FestiFools photos can be found on Flickr: 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010. Thanks Ed, for aggregating Jeff’s obituary and related links.

Now for a deluge of photos…

Puppets, their wranglers, and performers begin to line up in the alleys behind Main Street. Professor Nick Tobier (shown here modeling a très-sophisticated, bright-red suit, tastefully accessorized with an understated, 5-gallon plastic bucket) serves on the FestiFools steering committee; for the past several years, he’s had his U-M School of Art & Design students create puppets and bring them to FestiFools as part of their coursework. | Plastic bags and cardboard boxes afford some protection from the driving rain.

Miss Metamorphosis and her entourage pose “backstage.”

I’m guessing he’s wishing he were a bit warmer and drier. | Plastic-bag couture comes to FestiFools. “Nobody puts Baby in the corner!”

I couldn’t quite tell if this HazMat team was trying to protect themselves, their puppet, or the crowd, but I enjoyed their theatrics all the same.

A large collections of drums, pots, and pans were made available to anyone who wanted to bang out some grooves with Groove. Thanks to Lori Fithian of Drummunity for facilitating this!

Groove leads the puppets onto a rainy Main St.

FestiFools makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. | Speaking of which, Max found temporary refuge under the awning at Kilwin’s.

Elementary school children from several area schools participated. Hey, I know you! And I know you, too!

826michigan and the Ann Arbor District Library once again teamed up to help scores of children get robotized. Apparently, quite a few of these robots are audiophile hipsters — note the prevalence of vinyl LPs!

J’aime bien mes Fous!

Rain and cold temps didn’t deter these hardy Fools.

Their spirits were not dampened, but it’s very possible their socks were. I [heart] those red skis!

These two fully embraced the water theme: while snorkling on Main St., Eric Cooper hooks a lovely mermade (Trudi Cooper). | I loved the jumping octopus wranglers.

A mad scientist-artist perhaps? Its lightbulb-ous head sprung up and down as though it were on a pogo stick! | This puppet is holding a “compact mirror” showing a much more flattering “reflection.”

Here we have “Butt” — I honestly don’t know the significance of that — making friends with Fredda Clisham (of Burns Park Players fame) and her granddaughter.

This particularly vociferous section of the crowd had matching headgear.

Hey KoolAid! Given the weather, I would have loved to see my old alpine friend Swiss Miss. | Max and Rico pose with FestiFools creative director Mark Tucker and steering committee member Jeri Rosenberg.

Wow! The very first FoolMoon event was a crazy success — what a massive outpouring of creativity (HUNDREDS of people made their own luminary sculptures and brought them out to the street), soul-thumpin’ beats (big ups to Vulf Duo, JUICE, and the Third Coast Kings), and communal good cheer (everybody got on, you should forgive the expression, “swimmingly”)! I’m still recovering, even as I’m gearing up for today’s FestiFools event — see you on Main St. today at 4pm (sleet or shine).

Roll film!

Various shadowy characters were seen at the Constellation Station at the UMMA.

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts theme semester for Winter 2011 is water. Hence, the abundance of sea creatures. I especially love the lights (bubbles?) and fluorescent poster kiosk in the background of these images.

Sponsors were acknowledged in the most extraordinary way: buckets were outfitted with flashlights and covered with gobos (or stencils) allowing the sponsors’ names to be projected onto nearby surfaces, persons, buildings, etc. I love that FestiFools came up with such an imaginative, appropriately Foolish, and frankly beautiful way to thank its sponsors (talk about glowing praise).

Pulled out my fish-eye lens just in time to capture the procession walking by the Fishbowl.

Entering the Nickels Arcade. I feel as though I’m standing on the bottom of a huge aquarium and looking up at the fish swimming in the water above me.

So much of the event was beautifully surreal.

Luminaries enjoy a refreshing swim in the clear night sky on W. Washington Street.

These luminaries were created by (l-r): Jimmie Thompson, who facilitated the luminary-building workshops at Workantile; Rick Cronn; and FestiFools steering committee member Gretchen Adracie.

This giant orange and yellow fish nibbled on everything it could get its animated lips on. | I coulda sworn this guy told me that he wasn’t wearing a transformed juice container, but rather “drier lint.” The best response I could muster was: “And I’m talking to my water heater.” | The hair designers from Orbit were busy creating luminous coifs.

The full Orbit crew.

Because FoolMoon was a nighttime event, all kinds of cool things with light and shadow were possible: Films projected onto buildings. | The sponsor gobos in action. | A multi-tiered, hat with backlit transparent images. | Patrick Elkins’s shadow puppets. | Colorful figures projected onto white umbrellas. | Before mysteriously disappearing down the alley.

Local puppeteer Patrick Elkins in action.

Taking in the wondrous view as I attempt the trek to the other end of W. Washington.

Another breathtaking view of Washington Street. I can hear music, but I can’t quite see it yet.

Here’s the stage! And just in time to catch the end of JUICE’s set.

The Third Coast Kings are one tight outfit! If you dig James Brown, then this is an act you’ll appreciate. And if you don’t dig James Brown — well, I can’t even fathom such a contingency.

So, so lovin’ the Third Coast Kings.

U-M students Meryl Waldo and Aislinn Frantz. | FestiFools’ creative director Mark Tucker has forsaken traditional bling, opting instead to simply wear a canister of money around his neck. | Max (looking extra tall and slim thanks to lens distortion) enjoys the Third Coast Kings minutes before we whisk him away to bed!

Without a moment to spare — I mean, a weekend of Foolishness kicks off TOMORROW NIGHT! — I am finally ready to unveil my annual, behind-the-scenes sneak-peek at the making of FestiFools. Given that FestiFools is now celebrating its fifth anniversary, our Foolish friends have seen fit keep the Foolish franchise fresh by adding a brand new event: FoolMoon, which will happen this Friday (April 1), from dusk to midnight!

FoolMoon is exactly like FestiFools, except for a few minor — negligible, really — differences:

• • FoolMoon is at night; whereas FestiFools is during the day.
• • FoolMoon is a 4-hour event (4 times as long as FestiFools).
• • At FoolMoon, individual frolickers will carry smallish sculptures, which they themselves likely built (see below). In contrast, at FestiFools, each puppet requires a team of 3–4 “wranglers.”
• • FoolMoon aspires to shimmery, shadowy, mysteriousness (I’m totally curious to experience the vibe of this new event); whereas FestiFools is more bold, blatant, in-broad-daylight.
• • FoolMoon starts with luminary processionals originating from three separate “Constellation Stations” (Kerrytown Market & Shops, the UMMA, and Slauson Middle School) and threading their way through Ann Arbor, ultimately converging on W. Washington St., between Main and Ashley. In contrast, FestiFools starts from Williams and Washington, stays between Williams and Washington, and ends when the puppets exit at Williams and Washington.
• • And if you ignore the live music from Vulf Duo, Juice, and Third Coast Kings, and also the barber chairs in the middle of Washington St. (Orbit will be providing FREE, Fool-luminous hair designs to all who dare), it will be rather like FestiFools. Indeed, I venture that many will not be able to differentiate the one event from the other.

Stay in the Foolish loop!

• FestiFools website: festifools.org
• FestiFools (the ORGANIZATION) page on Facebook (this is the best way to stay up to date)
• FoolMoon April 1st EVENT page on Facebook
• FestiFools April 3rd EVENT page on Facebook
• A Photo-Essay in the Ann Arbor Chronicle (by yours truly) on the Luminary Workshops at Workantile

Rick Cronn’s luminary gets its wiry start.

Hundreds of people dropped in to build luminaries at Workantile during the four Sundays in March. Others built luminaries at the UMMA, the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, at the FestiFools studio, and at home with special FoolMoon-branded kits purchased from area retailers.

Once the wireframe is built, it’s covered with clear packing tape, a layer of glue, and finally a layer of tissue paper. (Yeah, it’s pretty hi-tech, cutting edge stuff. But don’t be afraid, ’cause these guys know what they’re doing.)

Making light-blue bubbles for a fish. | Workantile’s very own luminary. | Sculptor Jimmie Thompson facilitated the luminary-building workshops held at Workantile.

A busy March Sunday making luminaries at Workantile!

The FestiFools steering committee and friends braved early March’s frigid weather to stage a press release photo for FoolMoon. The actual event, this Friday, will be much bigger — and much, much warmer! (There’s my Punk Goose in the lower, left-hand corner.)

For the past few years, the start of puppet-building season has been celebrated with a favorite, friend-raising event in February for donors and volunteers: Puppets + Pancakes! Kids, big and small, created shadow puppets at the FestiFools studio. (Not pictured: Flapjacks were consumed, as were waffles and fresh fruit.)

This is what I live for. This. This right here. Just look at it.

Mark Tucker announces FoolMoon, a brand new event for 2011. (Mark’s suit courtesy of Vincent Van Roadkill.) | A good friend with his shadow puppet. | Max helps hawk FestiFools t-shirts.

Shary Brown and Rico man the coatrack at Puppets + Pancakes. In a perfect world, FestiFools wouldn’t steal its studio visitors’ coats and then fence them at pennies on the dollar, but a cash-strapped arts organization has gotta do what it’s gotta do. I wonder if there might not be a better way for FestiFools to raise funds…

Every year I rack my brains trying to come up with fresh ways of extolling the virtues of the latest Burns Park Players Production. So forgive me for reposting here my comment on Roger LeLievre’s glowing review in AnnArbor.com: “Congrats to the cast and crew for such a gorgeous show filled with powerful numbers and great physical comedy. And you make it all look so easy (yet I know all the months, weeks, days, and hours you spent in rehearsals and meticulous preparation)!”

Truly, so much time goes into this. You don’t get a show this good without lots of work and rework. But I think what makes the Burns Park Players successful (and sustainable) is that while cast and crew members are skilled and talented, they are also very hilarious (and perhaps more than a little crazy, too). And somehow most Players manage to find rewards and joyful refuge in this winter-long, often arduous, creative project. Max, Rico, and I continue to be absolutely giddy that we are a part of this rare and extraordinary family.

Before we roll film, I wanted to mention I am holding back several choice shots that contain spoilers (I will post those after the show’s run is over they’re now posted below). If you can make it to this show — even if doing so would necessitate bribes and/or threats — I highly recommend getting your tush to Tappan!

Only Three More Performances!

• Thursday, Feb. 10 @ 7:30pm
• Friday, Feb. 11 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, Feb. 12 @ 4pm matinee

Tickets

• Reserved Seats: $15
  Available NOW at Morgan & York (1928 Packard, Ann Arbor), or at the door one hour before showtime.
• Patron Seats: $30
  You’ll enjoy the best seats in the house and reserved parking. To purchase, please contact Ken Kollman at 734-478-0449.

The show is just filled with hilarious sight gags and physical comedy. These shots only give a tiny taste (I don’t want to ruin the show for anyone coming this weekend). Left: In the circus-clowns-crammed-into-a-VW-Bug tradition, a shockingly vast horde of office workers pours out of the elevator. | Right: “If you want to be in musical comedy, you should learn to take a pratfall” (Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions). Fred Hall (as J.B. Biggley) has got that covered!

Rosemary Pilkington (Caroline Huntoon) would be Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm. This scrub woman (played by 91-year-old Fredda Clisham) finds it very disconcerting that someone would just break into song in the middle of the office lobby, with the janitorial broom no less — as if such things never happen in musicals! It’s become a running tradition in Burns Park Players shows for Fredda’s character to break the “fourth wall.” | Pierpont Finch (Jeffrey Post), moments before he infiltrates “the right company.”


Top row: Six-show Burns Park Players director Mike Mosallam. | “Queen” Jane Ferris helps keeps the nearly 100 kids in line. | Sets Crewhead Jim Wallace is the mastermind behind the elevator door (literally and figuratively). | One of the three brave producers, Kathy Koehler.

Bottom row: Shirley Burgoyne plays trumpet in the orchestra; her fourth-grade grandson is in the cast. | It took years of dedicated practice for Music Director Eric Lofstrom to master the kazoo. | Costumes await their cue. | This prop was made using ox hair. No joke! Kudos to new Player Jennifer Monk-Rising and her crew for pulling together all the amazing props.


Watch out! Twimble (Joel Swanson) threatens to steal the show. | Desperate office workers are frantic during the coffee-less Coffee Break!

Bud Frump (Ben Cohen) won’t let the negligent coffee attendant (Howard Weinblatt) escape unscathed in Coffee Break. | The mailroom fellas are hilarious in The Company Way.

StenoPooler (Sally Pinnell) schools Twimble (Joel Swanson) that A Secretary is Not a Toy. | This executive (Vic Strecher) apparently didn’t get that memo.

Love is finally requited for Rosemary (Caroline Huntoon and Jeffrey Post). | A despondent Bud Frump (Ben Cohen) pledges revenge.

I promise that the sets crew is a very friendly bunch once you get to know them!

The fifth-grade girls are lovely in Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm (reprise).

The fifth grade boys are mighty fierce in I Believe in You. And the harmonies get me every time.

The executives make a convincing case for keeping their jobs in the show-stopping number, Brotherhood of Man.

Check back for a few more pix after the final curtain goes down on Saturday’s matinee. Now that the show is over, here are those other pix:


For some cast members, preparing for their parts required both extra stuffing and extra puffing (on prop cigarettes and cigars filled with talcum powder).

The Paris Original number never stopped surprising — even as the 20th character appeared on stage donning this “one-of-a-kind” dress.

The men’s washroom scene during a dress rehearsal. For part of this number, the orchestra carries the melody line on kazoos, evoking, we presume, the buzz of the executives’ electric razors. (And I dare not mention the unmentionables!)

An earlier men’s washroom rehearsal photographed from backstage. I spy a re-purposed chunk-o’-scenery from Guys and Dolls.

Brotherhood of Man with Wally Womper (Joel Swanson sporting a swingin’-60s, moptop coiffe).
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Based on my extensive reconnoitering activities over the past several weeks, I can confidently declare that the Burns Park Players are gonna hit yet another home run with their production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! It’s an amazing show — great musical numbers, dead-on period costumes and sets, an abundance of energy… You know, the usual Burns Park Players stuff. You’ll want to be there! (Having said all that, break a leg.)

This article in Current does a great job of articulating the unique combination of qualities that makes the Burns Park Players so valuable to its members and to the Ann Arbor community more generally — many thanks to Sandor Slomovits. Gosh, we’re so fortunate to have moved into this neighborhood!

Once again, I’ll be posting a selection of my behind-the-scenes photographs in the hallways outside the Tappan auditorium. For now, here’s a sneak peek at some of the kids getting ready for opening night.

Dress Rehearsal Special

Thursday, Feb. 3 @ 7:30pm
Tickets are $5 and will be available only at the door, starting at 7pm.

Performance Schedule

• Friday, Feb. 4 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, Feb. 5 @ 7:30pm
• Thursday, Feb. 10 @ 7:30pm
• Friday, Feb. 11 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, Feb. 12 @ 4pm matinee

Tickets

• Reserved Seats: $15
  Available NOW at Morgan & York (1928 Packard, Ann Arbor), or at the door one hour before showtime.
• Patron Seats: $30
  You’ll enjoy the best seats in the house and reserved parking. To purchase, please contact Ken Kollman at 734-478-0449.

The first graders convincingly transport us back to Finch’s childhood, to where it all begins.

In the weeks leading up to opening night, the kids spend their lunchtime rehearsing in the Burns Park Elementary School Auditorium. Here, the second graders are put through their paces.

The third graders exhibit nasty withdrawal symptoms from a vital — and, on any other day, company provided — chemical substance. (Stage crew member Bruce Elliot, sitting in for one of the actors, suffers their wrath.)

Max, now a second grader, is mesmerized by all the action. | The fourth grade boys, who play 1920s-era college football players, wait for stage directions.

The fourth grade girls cheer for the Old Ivy Groundhogs from the sidelines. The aerodynamic properties of their 1920s flapper hats really help them fly!

The way the fifth grade boys are incorporated into their number is absolute genius. But don’t take my word for it!
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Once again, color me blown away. Not just by the performances and the production values (lots of great effects!), but also by how much the community supports this event. Tickets, which were available online, sold out quickly. The house crew worked feverishly to locate seats to accommodate everyone.

FutureStars 2011 was masterfully directed by U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance students Joel Sparks, Sadie Yarrington (Pioneer ’07), Desi Oakley, and Ashley Park (Pioneer ’09), and by U-M student Tim VanRiper (Pioneer ’10). Cornell student Scott Mooney (Pioneer ’07) was a new addition as host director/mentor. Special guest judges included Roger LeLievre (music writer for annarbor.com), Matthew Altruda (FM 107.1 DJ & Macpodz manager), and Nora Menken (U-M Musical Theatre senior).

Before I cut to the film, I want to thank several members of the production staff and crews for their efforts to make it easier for me to capture this amazing show, including technical director Ciara Stella, sound designer/supervisor Patrick Schrock, and the house crewhead Anna Stirling.

Molly Cocco gets dramatic air in the Company Medley.

FutureStars hosts Julia Rampton, Claire Schorin, and Corry Garff open the evening with a nonsensically captivating beat poem (is there any other kind of beat poem?). | Eliza Stein is on a rampage with Cee Lo Green’s Forget You.

Emily Lim brings buttery vocals to Breathe. | Isabel McKay accompanies vocalist Victoria Reakhof in a slow and melodic rendition of The Beatles’ I Want to Hold Your Hand.

Claire Crause and Michelle Garcia dance to Like a G6. | Hank Miller sings Just Haven’t Met You Yet, accompanied by dancer Molly Cocco.

Rising Star dancers Nick Washington (blue shirt) and Sena Adjei (red shirt) in the number Dynamite.

Sena Adjei does not one, but two back flips — and in quick succession! (Yeah, I’m a sucker for big air.)

Hank Miller, Ray Hong, Russell Norris, Gabe Novak, and Schuyler Robinson wooed the entire audience and broke into the Top 5 with Misery.

Mani Herring, Anthony Porter, and Cameron Inniss (a.k.a. Dark Street Boys, a.k.a. DSB) perform Gold Digger.

Schuyler Robinson brings head-banging ferocity to Kiss’s Rock and Roll All Nite. Wonwoo Lee (Pioneer ’07) shreds the guitar solo. The house band also featured Tim VanRiper (Pioneer ’10) on piano and senior Steve Merritt on bass.

Carly Paull-Baird was dazzling in Empire State of Mind: Part 2 (accompanied by Gabe Novak on guitar). | Mara Abramson and Robby Eisentrout once again portray love on stage in Sweet Thing.

Lissa Kryska dances en pointe, prancing to Dog Days Are Over.

Top-5 finisher Ari Axelrod had the audience waving their cell phones in unison to This Is the Night. | German exchange student and Top-5 finisher Mai Jammeh convinced everyone with her soulful performance of I’ve Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).

FutureStars co-winners Mystical Methods (Peter Bae, Sander Bregman, Andrew Choe and Yusef Houamed) at the end of their gravity-defying dance performance to Kid Cudi’s Day ’n’ Night.

FutureStars co-winner Lauren Victor just nails I Will Survive.

While the judges deliberated, the show’s directors (all U-M students) kept the audience rapt. Sadie Yarrington was a FutureStars favorite back in the day, when she herself had been a member of the Pioneer Theatre Guild. Since graduating from Pioneer in 2007, she’s been studying dance at U-M and regularly choreographs and directs Theatre Guild musical productions.

U-M musical theatre students and FutureStars directors Joel Sparks and Desi Oakley prove to be masterful role models in their duet: We’ll Be a Dream.

It was wonderful to see Dorothy Yarrington (Pioneer ’08), the FutureStars winner in 2008, return to the Schreiber Auditorium stage accompanied by Ashley Park (Pioneer ’09, U-M Musical Theater ’13) and her sister Sadie Yarrington (Pioneer ’07, U-M Dance ’11). Her performance of Firework was truly breathtaking.

The Rising Stars closed the show with Billionaire. They made it very easy for me to get my “money shot.”