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Performing Arts

[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Elephant Revival's Dango, Bonnie and Bridget]

 

 

Elephantrevival_annestavely_2-199x300 The now legendary Leftover Salmon is the main event at Friday's fundraiser for Telluride's KOTO Community Radio. However, Elephant Revival, the opening act, is described by Suzanne Cheavens, KOTO musical director, as very "buzzy."

It is the elephant in the room.

Elephant Revival is a Nederland, Colorado-based neo-acoustic quintet. The band plays a unique blend of an emerging new musical genre which marries –  somewhat improbably –  the core ideas of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman about spiritual transcendence through intuition to original folk tunes, Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, reggae, 40s/50s jazz standards, even hip hop. Friends and fans around Boulder/Ned describe Elephant Revival's sound "Transcendental Folk," shorthand for a rainbow of sonic colors. Peers and critics drop that idea and simply call it good:

22 February, 2011 /

Kinsey Sicks Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 p.m., telluride.arts (Telluride Councils for the Arts & Humanities) presents "The Kinsey Sicks: Americas Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet". The event, in collaboration with Gay Ski Week, takes place at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House.

The Kinsey Sicks began in 1993 as a group of friends who attended a Bette Midler concert in San Francisco dressed as the Andrews Sisters. Assuming they'd be among many drag queens, they found themselves to be the only ones – other than Bette, of course. The group were approached that very night to perform at an upcoming event. Their reply, "We don't sing," was quickly debunked when everyone realized they all had musical backgrounds. The group began singing and harmonizing that night, and the seed for the Kinsey Sicks was planted.

21 February, 2011 /

Poster Fired. Dumped. Homeless. And – worse – without ski passes. Things don't look good for two longtime Telluride ski bums when they first meet a mysterious figure from the future who sends them on an epic adventure.

"Dude & Bro's Epic Adventure," a bromantic comedy, is the latest production  from Telluride's SquidShow Theatre. Performances are at the Sheridan Opera House, February 24 - 26. Doors open at 8 p.m.

The Squids' founder, Sasha Cucciniello conceived of "Dude & Bro's Epic Adventure" after scouring theatrical archives for a fast-paced winter adventure. The eureka moment came when Sasha realized "Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure" was as much about ski bums as surfer dudes.

20 February, 2011 /

Prince-beta-062-300x233 Esperanza Spalding's first Telluride appearance was 2007 for Winter Jazz. Those of us who know Telluride Jazz Celebration's impresario Paul Machado know the man has an eye for the ladies. His special gift is to catch rising stars before they have reached their zenith: violinist Regina Carter, guitarist Badi Assad, chanteuses Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, and Lizz Wright to name a few of Machado’s picks early in their careers.

The story of Esperanza Spalding is a rags-to-riches-tale, an American dream come true, because a smart single mom recognized she had  a gifted daughter who thought – and played – out of the box. Years later, the jazz bassist/singer has clearly earned the respect of her peers. And one of her major fans happens to be President Obama. Last night, Sunday, February 13, Esperanza took the Grammys by storm, winning Best Artist, trumping popsters Justin Bieber and Drake, plus bands Mumford & Sons (Telluride Bluegrass Festival, 2010) and Florence & The Machine.

14 February, 2011 /

by Tracy Shaffer

Medium worm It was a brainstorm marketing session seven years ago that launched Curious Theatre Company’s  Girls Night Out, as a way to reach out to a broader audience and a niche market. Both have grown a lot since then. Seems a gal can find some thing to do any night of the week with her BFFs, as the girl’s night out concept has spread faster than a hot rumor. Most of these evenings involve a bar, a mani/pedi or a gabfest, and if there’s a bit of theatre involved it’s a fem-centric musical, an inside joke. The wave of “Chick-Plays” has crashed, save for Eve Ensler’s “The Good Body," leaving us to find our commonality solely within our humanity, thank god. This year’s Curious offering breaks from their usual provocative premiere productions and promises a “transformational” evening as Denver femmes cultivées gather to mix, mingle, and enjoy a performance of the hit show Circle Mirror Transformation.

14 February, 2011 /

by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

(Ed. note: Rosemerry often sends along her poetry for special events to Telluride Inside... and Out. Enjoy her Valentine's Day offering)

Yes I Will


Heart After all this time, we are still
just beginning to fly. Though our hair

is more white, our wings
are still unfolding, still a little wet.

And there is so much sky
we haven’t seen. If I close

my eyes I can feel it, the wind,
how it gathers beneath us

and lifts. How terrifying, love,
to not know what comes next.

And how wondrous to know
we are not bound together

and choose anyway to leap
in unison so we might see, after all these

paths we’ve walked, what
wings and a new song can do.



**

13 February, 2011 /
[click "Play", Susan talks with Jeb Berrier about Comedy Fest]

 

Jeb, LipSync Love is no laughing matter, except in Telluride, where comedy follows the BIg Day for the kid in diapers with the quiver of arrows.

The 12th annual Telluride Comedy Fest begins at the Sheridan Opera House with a Locals' Night on Thursday, February 17 and continues through the weekend, closing Sunday, February 20. Shows, 8 p.m. nightly, are all hosted by Telluride actor/director/producer Jeb Berrier.

13 February, 2011 /