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October 2009

9big Intheloopbig The main movie at Telluride's Nugget Theatre for the week of October 16-22 is the animated "9" with one showing next Thursday of "In the Loop."

"9" (Rated PG 13 for animated violence and scary situations) paints a picture in somber tones of a post-apocalyptic world. The machines have won and it is up to nine handmade puppets to meld their strengths to prevent the total end of humanity. The effects are meant to be worth the price of admission. Showtimes are 7:00 pm nightly except for Thursday, October 22 at 6:30.

"In the Loop" (not rated) is a smart movie about how words matter, especially in the world of politics. In this case careless words push the US and Great Britain toward war with an unspecified Middle Eastern country. "In the Loop" shows at 8:30 on Thursday, October 22.

(editor's note: TIO apologizes for posting this article late. We are on the road and a few things slipped through the cracks. Mea culpa.)

See below for showtimes, and the Nugget website for more information, trailers and reviews.

17 October, 2009 /
[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Valerie Madonia]

IMG_6708 Valerie Madonia is a Telluride local who, for years, commanded the world stage as a prima ballerina with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Earlier, she was in the corps de ballet of the National Ballet of Canda and danced solo roles with American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Madonia still makes guest appearances at ballet galas and teaches around the globe. The pointe is the lady knows her stuff.

IMG_6952 Madonia founded, with Shirley Fortenberry, the nonprofit that eventually became the Telluride Dance Academy. For the past month, she has been rehearsing 30 young dancers from the Telluride region, including members of the Telluride Dance Academy, to perform in the cast of the State Street Ballet's production of Sergei Prokofiev's "Cinderella." The composer completed the popular ballet in 1944, first performed in 1945 at the Bolshoi in Moscow.
17 October, 2009 /

October 15 to 22, 2009

Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn   Evening: Jupiter

VenusMoonThis morning I awoke to a delicate crescent Moon paired with brilliant, beautiful Venus. Less bright Saturn was shining above the Moon and the faint light of Mercury shimmered below them all, not far above the impending light of dawn.

I’m lucky to live in a place where I can see the rising sun break day. Our view to the east is unimpeded. Wrights Mesa stretches to the rim of San Miguel Canyon, and beyond are the mountains of Telluride, Ophir, Dunton and Dolores. The Dallas Divide stretches to the north, above Ridgway, and then the horizon flattens out in the shape of the Uncompahgre Plateau. There is a wide expanse of sky between east and west. The sunsets are awesome.

16 October, 2009 /

On Sunday, October 18, 3 p.m., Telluride's Palm Theatre presents the State Street Ballet's production of "Cinderella." The production includes about 30 young dancers from the Telluride region. A little birdie told me one of them is Katy Bowlby – playing a little...

15 October, 2009 /
[click to hearSusan's interview with Doug Dawson]           

Dawson-nudestudyofpam_sm The Telluride Gallery of Fine Art has a stable that includes some of the best pastel artists in the world, among them Sally Strand, Carole Katchen, Bruce Gomez, and Doug Dawson.

Doug Dawson is also a Visiting Artist at Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts, where he is teaching an intensive weekend workshop, "Pastel Painting: Studio Landscapes," November 6 – 8.

14 October, 2009 /
IMG_6942 That SWOOSH you hear is the sound of some gnarly skier passing you, hair flying, on one of Telluride's double black diamond bump runs. The tap tap tapping of her keyboard is that same woman running a business. She is also somebody's Princess.

When you tuck in your daughter at night, do you – or did you – tell her fairy tales about handsome Prince Charming riding in on a big white horse to sweep her away to a distant castle, where he will wed her and worship her for all eternity? The "Cinderella Syndrome" occurs when well-meaning parents set up unrealistic expectations for their precious little girls, high hopes which became unrealistic in the post-"Mad Men" era of feminism. That's when glass ceilings replaced glass slippers – or at least cause them to be tossed into a box and stuck at the back of a closet. Gone but not forgotten.
13 October, 2009 /
Roz jpeg Let's play a game of subtraction. When the subject is Telluride, we are talking only two degrees of separation. Case in point: Clint and I were strolling up Broadway en route to our New York digs, when I decided we might want some books on tape for a drive to Pittsburgh. We have passed that Barnes & Noble many times, but never stopped in. Who wants to carry books onto an airplane when the Internet delivers? The sign at the entrance to the store announced a book signing: British ocean rower Roz Savage would be on hand to sign copies of her just released "Rowing the Atlantic: Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean" (Simon & Schuster).

The posted time for Roz Savage's appearance, 6:30 p.m., was in direct conflict with the Michael Palm Concert Series, a house concert in support of the non-profit Classical Actions, which taps into talent from the world of classical music, jazz and Broadway to raise funds for AIDS-related services. We were to be guests of part-time, longtime Telluride locals Steven and Judy Gluckstern. Arriving late was not an option.
11 October, 2009 /