Wednesday, December 31, 2008

This week's movie times at Terrace

Posted by John Stoehr on Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 9:59 AM

There is no City Paper today, because of our Year-End Double Issue (Dec. 24-Jan 6). But the Terrace Theatre continues to show films. Here are this week's movie times, starting Friday:

Slumdog Millionaire

FRI-THURS: 2, 4:30, 7:10, 9:30

Milk

FRI-THURS: 1:40, 4:15, 6:50, 9:25

Doubt

FRI-SUN: 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:20, 9:20; MON-THURS: 2:45, 5, 7:20, 9:20

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

FRIDAY ONLY: 11:59 PM

Topics: Film

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Moscow Ballet: Charleston "the worst experience"

Posted by John Stoehr on Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 4:12 PM

A senior crew member of the Moscow Ballet tells City Paper in an e-mail that professional interactions in Charleston were the worst he’s ever experienced, characterizing the people involved as rude, condescending, and arrogant.

The problem? Not the audience. Nor the venue operators.

The culprits were the “adult chaperones” of the children’s ballet troupe, a corps of dozens of dancers that performed in the ballet company’s Great Russian Nutcracker at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center on Dec. 26.

“The adults were very rude, condescending, and mocking when asked not to take photographs, which are in violation of copyright law,” says Paul Magro, stage manager of the Moscow Ballet. “They sprawled all over the floor in very busy working areas, creating a hazard and impeding crew and dancers.”

More infuriating than that, Magro adds, was an attitude of entitlement among the adults — “the general air of arrogance and ‘we own this joint’ attitude was very unacceptable as they were guests to our performance!” He added: “I have toured all of Canada and the east coast with the Moscow Ballet, and Charleston will be remembered as the worst experience.”

Magro did not identify the “adult chaperones” by name, but Doug Smoak, director of the Charleston Dancer Center, was in charge of organizing the local auditions for the children’s troupe. Lori Hull-Smoak and Kim Roberts were also involved. The Moscow Ballet tours for two months during the holiday season. During that time, some 6,000 children in local communities across North America participate in the program.

Smoak has not returned phone calls left for him last week. But Tim Kushi, Moscow Ballet’s community organizer, says that relations with Smoak and the Charleston Dance Center are excellent. He says Magro is contracted for the duration of the tour. The tour ended last week. So did Magro’s contract.

“He’s a lighting designer,” Kushi says. “He does not speak for the ballet.”

Two follow-up phone calls to Magro were not returned. —John Stoehr

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What bad economy? Wood is good

Posted by John Stoehr on Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 2:51 PM

Word on the street is that come January, we're going to see a few retailers on Upper King Street call it quits. The economy has been too much for them, one source involved in real estate says, and many of them were just hoping to soften the blow with high sales before the end of 2008 and before closing up shop in 2009.

It's a local issue reflected nationally. Everywhere, retailers are slashing prices to boost otherwise terrible sales. Scott Krugman of the National Retail Federation told NPR over the weekend that retailers know there's going to be damage. They're just trying to minimized it.

"Retailers basically have a week to help make their sales projections for 2008," Krugman said. "And I think they're going to pull every stop. They're not going to pull any punches in order to try to make this happen."

Even so, some are opening shops on King Street, a move that would make many slammed by slumping sales nostalgic for the business-as-usual cycles of just three years ago. For Michael James Moran, a Charleston wood craftsman, things are looking up. He struck a deal with Johnny Tucker Architects to share a showroom for his hand-made furniture.

Moran has been working on a per-commission basis since establishing his shop in 2004. He maintains the integrity of the wood to make beautiful pieces. But not until now has he been able to put his work on display for buyers uninterested in the commission process.

"Some people don't know what they want before they buy something," Moran says. "This gives them an opportunity to see finished work."

As for being hit by the crappy economy, Moran seems immune: "Business is good," he says.

The showroom is 534 King St. It's by appointment. For more, call (843) 793-9765. —John Stoehr

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Film and theater auditions all in one place

Posted by John Stoehr on Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 12:59 PM

Some are saying this is the first time this has happened in Charleston. We don't know if that's true. Even so, it promises to be eventful. The producers of three independent movies and a full-length play are hosting a casting call at the South of Broadway Theatre on Jan. 17 and 18 from 1-5 p.m. The casting call will also stock a company of eight actors for the return of Theatre /verv/, which recently announced that it was taking up residence, under the new name RE/verv/, at the North Chuck venue.

Holy City is one of the films. It's full-length, a horror-noir set in a Charleston inhabited by vampires, werewolves and such. You know, just like real life. J.C. Conway wrote the screenplay. Nick Smith (a senior contributor to City Paper) is the director. Auditions will be cold readings from the script.

Small Altars is the other full-length indie. It's a dark comic fantasy about a 30-something artist with Peter Pan syndrome pursued by demons and zombie. Again — just like real life, especially the Peter Pan part. These may as well be documentaries. Eric Vincent and Nick Smith wrote the screenplay. Vincent is directing. The casting is for principals and bit parts, with readings cold from the script.

A third movie is a short thus far unnamed. It's being directed by Mark Gorman with assistance by students at Trident Technical College. Gorman is also producing a full-length play called Season 2 Season, about the lives of Jackson Pollack, the abstract expressionist, and his poor, brutalized wife. The casting is for two men (in their 30s and 40s) and three women (30s through 60s).

RE/verv/ is looking for eight people to act in its 2009-2010. Starting in the fall, they will stage four shows, probably three light comedies and a darker one. To audition, prepare two contrasting contemporary one-minute monologues.

"To my knowledge, this joint effort between film and theater is a Charleston first, and our hope is to create a precedent that will benefit not only the directors and producers, but also the local actors," Conway said in a press release. "By holding large open auditions, it not only gives the filmmakers and theater producers an opportunity to meet and interact, but also a way for Charleston’s acting population an opportunity to get to know one another. In these difficult economic times it is important to be able to work together and share resources and the South of Broadway Theatre has given us a wonderful opportunity to do this."

For more, call (843) 343-6560, or go to www.southofbroadway.com. —John Stoehr

Topics: Theater, Film

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Monday, December 29, 2008

Marcus Still With Us

Posted by John Stoehr on Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 3:35 PM

Marcus Amaker may be the new editor of the Post and Courier’s Preview section, but that hasn’t slowed him down. The spoken word artist and graphic designer took the job four months ago and last week sent an e-mail that should put to rest any concern that he’s too busy to create.

On deck are four projects, all of which can be experienced on www.marcusamaker.com. One is a rehashing and remixing of songs he wrote and recorded as a kid (“No Mo Chicken,” for example). Another is tentatively called “Lady Phoenix,” in which Amaker plans to reconfigure poems, images, and animation in order to create a digital presentation for the “one perfect person I’ve been searching for.”

There are other projects, too, but what’s important is the human exchange of ideas: “I really like the idea of giving art away,” Amaker says. “Sharing has become so easy with the internet.” —John Stoehr

Topics: Visual Arts
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