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Performing Arts

[click "Play", Susan talks with Sasha and Sarah]

 

Poster for Is there any doubt Telluride local Sasha Cucciniello enjoys an occasional walk on on the wild side?

In December, the company she founded, SquidShow Theatre, produced a play that conjured Telluride's wild and wooly past, at the turn of the 20th century when men were miners and women were, well, let's just say they liked to flaunt it. Squid's "Burlesque" was a smash hit, playing to a sold out houses at the historic Sheridan Opera House in December. (Yes, Sasha plans an encore performance this year.)

With "CON," the Squid's upcoming production, Sasha gets naked again – but in a different way. In "CON," a play about liars, Sasha bares her soul: the play was inspired by her father, an infamous grifter. Performances begin Thursday, July 28, and run through Monday, August 1, 8:30 p.m. at The Nugget Theatre (once upon a time a vaudeville house).

27 July, 2011 /
[click "Play" to listen to Susan's interview with Peter McCarty]


Cov_bunny When Will Thompson's Telluride Gallery of Fine Art opens its blockbuster show, "From Beasts to Barbar," featuring the work of 10 of the top children's book illustrators in the world, the work of Peter McCarty is featured.

McCarty was originally to be in town for the opening July 28. As it turns, he plans an August trip to Telluride instead. However, had things worked out as scheduled, being spokesperson for the group would have forced McCarty out of his head, which is a good thing because McCarty has been living and working in his "attic" since the tender age of three. The place is now littered with ideas. The guy needs some fresh air. And maybe a cocktail.

27 July, 2011 /
[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Mia Borders]

 

SOS POSTER Local Teddy Errico's Telluride Cajun Festival is a little bit like the phoenix of mythology – or Harry Potter fame. Too much spice (music and food) burns it up, but the event inevitably returns better and stronger.

After a two-year break, The 2011 Telluride Cajun Festival and its partner, Oak, (the new Fat Alley), announce a South Oak Social with headliner Mia Borders performing on a program with the Great Funktier and Lily Von Shtupp. The main event takes place rain or shine Friday, July 29, at The Gondola Plaza at the base of Chair 8. Gates at 4 p.m. (Mia is scheduled to perform at 6 p.m.) Tickets are just $10 in advance and $15 day of show. Saturday, July 30, is a free night of music featuring Von Schtupp. Show time is 6 p.m.

26 July, 2011 /
[click "Play" to listen to Susan's interview with Etienne Delessert]

 

30 His all caps bona fides set the bar high for his peers: more than 80 books, translations in 14 languages and millions of copies sold worldwide. No wonder Etienne Delessert is considered a father of modern children's picture books. And Etienne Delessert is coming to Telluride. At least his work is: Etienne is featured in a show, "From Beasts to Barbar," of other bold-faced children's book illustrators opening at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art on July 28 and running through the Telluride Film Festival in early September.

(Also at the top of the list of illustrators in Will Thompson's groundbreaking show is the iconic Maurice Sendak, whom Etienne describes as a "friend and one of the reasons I came to New York in 1965." )

25 July, 2011 /
[click "Play", Eddie Roberts talks with Susan]

 

1107-walterdeitchroberts2 Funk grows horns when jam band sensation Walter, Roberts & Deitch takes to the Main Stage of the at the 35th annual Telluride Jazz Celebration, August 4 – August 7.

Soul jazz organist Robert Walter is one of America's heaviest jazz-funk crossover musicians. Walter earned international acclaim for his work with The Greyboy Allstars, a group credited with bringing 60s/70s soul jazz sounds to a modern jam band audience. For the past 15 years, Walter has toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe with the Allstars and his own ensembles: 20th Congress, Robert Walter Trio, Super Heavy Organ.

24 July, 2011 /

Sasha, Rob Story
1st 20xTelluride
Sasha Cuciniello, Rob Story

Here comes the judge.

We are talking about the top legal gun in San Miguel County and Telluride local Sharon Shuteran. Judge Sharon is joined by fellow vagabonds, activists David Byars and Jenny Jacobi, "professional hobo" Dan Hanley, photographer Gus Gusciora, artist John Fahnstock, landscape architect Angela Dye, artist/videographer Dean Rolley, fitness guru Nicole Lankes and travel writer Maribeth Clemente for the third in the series,Twenty(by)Telluride, presented by Telluride Arts, aka, Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities.

Twenty(by)Telluride takes place Monday, July 25, starting at 8 p.m. at The River Club, 550 West Depot Avenue. Come a half hour early, at 7:30 p.m., for drinks and little eats compliments of the River Club. The theme of the evening's talks is JOURNEYS.

23 July, 2011 /

Pat the Beastie "I like the idea that books have a life of their own after they're published, making their way into people's lives and weaving connections between myself and the readers."

Who imagines a world in which a pudge triumphs and keeping up with the Joneses proves to be a deadly game? Or drawings in an unfinished book come to life and attack their creator, a young boy? Which inventor fashioned a "perpetual emotion machine?" Welcome to the amusing and edgy world of Henrik Drescher.

21 July, 2011 /

SquidShow Poster You will find the best of the worst in SquidShow Theatre's latest greatest production, "Con," in which founder/director Sasha Cucciniello spills the beans about her grifter dad and his kind.

"Con," a play about liars, opens Thursday July 28 and runs through Monday, August 1, 8:30 p.m., at Telluride's Nugget Theatre.

"Con" was conceived by Sasha and her long time collaborator, New York City-based playwright, Sarah Gancher. Six years ago the two wrote the first draft of a play about Sasha’s infamous dad. After moving to Telluride, the work got left on the shelf. Fast forward to now: Sasha along with her Squid collaborators decided to take themes from that play to create a new production. She tapped Sarah once again, asking her to come to Telluride to write the new and improved version of "Con," created from scratch throughout the rehearsal process under the leadership of director Jen Wineman and designer Melissa Trn.

21 July, 2011 /
[click "Play", Susan speaks with Allen Toussaint]

 

Allen Toussaint
Photo credit: Michael Wilson

Treme, the neighborhood in New Orleans, and Telluride, a box canyon mountain town, do not, on the surface, have much in common, except "Treme," the latest knock-out series from HBO, keeps coming up in Telluride.

Steve Earle mentioned "Treme" during his performance at the 38th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June. He appears as himself in the series. And now Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Allen Toussaint, another series regular (as himself), is headed our way for a momentous event: Toussaint performs on the Town Park Main Stage for the first time ever with none other than Delta Lady, Rita Coolidge. The event takes place Sunday night, August 7, at the 35th annual Telluride Jazz Celebration.

(Follow this link for a related post on Coolidge.)

20 July, 2011 /