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Author: Susan Viebrock

[click "Play" to hear Susan's rap with Suzan Beraza and Dylan Brooks]

 

 

Rep Cast, The Telluride Repertory Theatre celebrates its 20+ anniversary in style. The non-profit is throwing with a gala dinner party on Saturday, March 12, 7 – 10 p.m., at the Ah Haa School for the Arts. The event includes a champagne reception, a four-course dinner prepared by Mountain Top Catering and a wine pairing featuring the Durango Wine Experience. The entertainment, "The Best of the REP Musical Revue," includes performances by former REP stars, among them, REP co-founders Suzan Beraza and Angela Watkins.

The history of the Telluride Repertory Theatre Company dates back to when co-founder Suzan Beraza,  now of "Bag It" fame, found a brochure about a ski resort in a box canyon with a little theater. The ambitious young actress with a yen to ski sent a resume and an 8 X 10 glossy, waited and heard nothing. Suzan was none too concerned about the dead silence: life is oh so hectic on the boards. It was not until she arrived in town that Suzan discovered the dirty little secret behind Telluride's "theatre": The Nugget was a film house. Bummer. Acting was all Suzan knew how to do.

08 March, 2011 /
[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Stu Sundell-Norman of "Joint Point"]

 

 

Joint Point, Mardi Gras In Telluride, we save the parades and picnics for the Fourth of July. Locally Mardi Gras, March 8, is all about the music. Music and the traditional baubles and beads. (We love bling.) 

The music is thanks to the historic Sheridan Opera House, where local jam band, Joint Point, performs at a special Mardi Gras concert starting at 9 p.m.

06 March, 2011 /
[click "Play" to listen to David Oyster's discussion of Depression films]

 

 

Telluride Film poster,3:7 Monday, March 7, the Telluride Film Festival's Cinematheque, a club for cinephiles showing FREE films the first Monday of the month, continues its winter series with two more "Films of the Great Depression": "Of Mice and Men" (1939, 106 min.) and "Grapes of Wrath," both based on novels by John Steinbeck. The evening is hosted by Telluride's five-star Wilkinson Public Library and includes food and a lively discussion hosted by Ringmaster David Oyster. The programming is thanks to Telluride Film Fest co-director Gary Meyer, who knows how to pick them. (See the Oscars 2011.)

Published in 1937,  "Of Mice and Men" is the touching, tragic story of a friendship set against the backdrop of America during the Great Depression. The story is based on Steinbeck's experiences as a hobo in the 1920s.

06 March, 2011 /
[click "Play", Amanda and Katy talk to Susan about the Fashion Show]

 

 

Runway, 2010 TAB The Telluride Student Fashion Show, co-directed by Charlotte Delpit and Devin McCarthy, was a tour de force of directing and choreography, setting the bar pretty darn high for TAB's sold-out gala fashion show on Saturday, March 5. (Get on the waiting list and live in hope.)

Just how high? According to Telluride AIDS Benefit board member Sandy McLaughlin: "We just got our latest totals: we raised $8020 so far from show last night! Highest amount ever!"

Bravo ladies.

Now on to the Main Event.

04 March, 2011 /

[click "Play" for Susan's interview with Amy Goodman]

 

 

 

(ed. note: In the podcast Susan closes with "See you on Saturday." The event is Sunday morning)

kicker: Special "Breakfast with Amy" at the Sheridan Chop House before talk

Amy Goodman The idea behind Amy Goodman's whirlwind tour of Colorado is to help community radio stations such as Telluride's KOTOfm raise critical funds and public awareness as Congress flaps its jaw about whether to completely to pull the rug out from under public media and defund NPR, PBS – and by extension, KOTO.

Sunday, March 6, 10 a.m., KOTO community radio hosts Amy, the award-winning host of the daily internationally broadcast radio and TV program, "Democracy Now!", syndicated columnist and author. She is here to talk about threats to public media. Join her to stand up to the madness.

Prior to her talk at The Palm, the historic Sheridan Opera House, in conjunction with KOTO, offers a special "Breakfast with Amy," 8:30 – 10 a.m. That opportunity includes a meet and greet, breakfast buffet, copy of Amy's latest book, Breaking the Sound Barrier, and reserved seating at The Palm.

03 March, 2011 /
[click "Play" to hear Judy Kohin talk about trash to fashion]

 

 

Foam paper dress Note: Fashion Friday is Two Skirts' regular column about fashion trends and hot designers. But this week Kristin Holbrook generously turned over her real estate to the Telluride AIDS Benefit. Next week, look for our tribute to Two Skirts, celebrating its 10th anniversary.

For six year running, Beau Staley of Telluride's Dolce Jewels and Katey Brunini, a world-famous designer in his stable, have donated a line of Katey's bling to accessorize the clothes worn by the models on the catwalk of the Telluride AIDS Benefit Fashion Show. Not for nothing: the bold, beautiful line of silver warrior cuffs, shin guards, gold compass pendant, and Italian Renaissance sundial rings is all about  aggression and strength, attributes that underly TAB: The Telluride AIDS Benefit takes an aggressive stance towards the virus through prevention education, aided and abetted by its five beneficiaries, which also offer strong shoulders to people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Telluride AIDS Benefit in general and the fashion show in particular came into being as a tribute to the life of one man, Robert Presley, an outrageous, in-your-face, fearless, funny, fabulous fabric artist, who died in 1997 of AIDS. The man lacked the gene for moderation.

03 March, 2011 /

MD painting with signatures Telluride local Baerbel Hacke knows only one way to go and that's BIG.

It is Baerbel's big personality that brings second homeowners to the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, where she is director, to find out what's happening in town. Baerbel sings big with her all-woman rock group, The 525s. When she turned 60 last month, she threw herself one big party, packing the historic Sheridan Opera House with family and friends, some of whom came all the way from Baerbel's native Germany to celebrate.

On Friday, March 4, Baerbel returns to the Opera House to host the silent art auction she puts together annually for the Telluride AIDS Benefit. The idea is to raise lots of money so that TAB can continue to support five other non-profits from Colorado to Africa, all of whom work on prevention educations and helping individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The event starts at noon. The bidding ends at 9 p.m. (And while you are at the Opera House, don't miss the work in the downstairs gallery. It is produced by families and kids affiliated with the Children's Immunodeficiency Program or CHIP, based at the Denver Children's Hospital. CHIP is one of TAB's beneficiaries.)

03 March, 2011 /

Hockney art prints 1
Hockney prints at TGFA

Telluride's First Thursday Art Walk is a monthly meet-and-greet, an invitation to locals and guests to find out more about Telluride's vibrant cultural scene. Art venues on or near Main Street (Colorado Avenue), as well as retail outlets stay open on that special night late until 8 p.m. Participating restaurants, including The Cosmopolitan, La Cocina de Luz, La Marmotte, The Llama, The New Sheridan Chop House and Pescado, offer Art Walk specials.

Thursday, March 3, is the last Art Walk of the winter season. We suggest the following line of march:

 

02 March, 2011 /
[click "Play" to hear Charlie Hunter talk about his music with Susan]

 

 

CharlieHunterPressPhoto2010 Any time guitar phenom Charlie Hunter shows up in Telluride, the producers have to shoehorn his fans into the room.

The Telluride Jazz Celebration welcomes Charlie Hunter back to town for two encore concerts, Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5, at The Llama, where he performs with his trio: Eric Kalb (Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and John Scofield) on drums and John Ellis on sax, bass clarinet, and Wurlitzer. The concert will be streamed live, part of the Telluride Jazz Celebration's Live from the Llama webcasts to give music lovers from around the world a chance to enjoy concerts emanating from one of Telluride’s premier live music venues.

01 March, 2011 /