Art: Handmade quilts have been a cultural part of America’s history for practical reasons (warm bed covers), community building (quilting bees), storytelling and personal artistic expression. But in the African-American community, quilting took on an expanded role. During slavery, quilts with secret symbols were hung on fences to help guide fugitives to freedom. In … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2009
Weekend arts picks: Oct. 30-Nov. 2
His Eye Is on the Sparrow, a quilt by Wendell George Brown.Art: Handmade quilts have been a cultural part of America’s history for practical reasons (warm bed covers), community building (quilting bees), storytelling and personal artistic expression.But in the African-American community, quilting took on an expanded role. During slavery, quilts with secret symbols were hung on … [Read more...]
Playwright Seth Rozin explores faith, humor
Playwright Seth Rozin is the founder and producing artistic director of Philadelphia’s InterAct Theatre Company. But when it came to premiering his latest script, Two Jews Walk Into a War . . ., he thought that Florida Stage was a better fit. So continuing in Manalapan through Nov. 29 is the seriocomic tale of a Middle Eastern Odd Couple, the last two Jews left alive in … [Read more...]
ArtsPaper Interview: Playwright Seth Rozin explores faith, humor
Seth Rozin. (Illustration by Pat Crowley)By Hap ErsteinPlaywright Seth Rozin is the founder and producing artistic director of Philadelphia’s InterAct Theatre Company. But when it came to premiering his latest script, Two Jews Walk Into a War . . ., he thought that Florida Stage was a better fit.So continuing in Manalapan through Nov. 29 is the seriocomic tale of a Middle … [Read more...]
‘Hell’ a darkly comic riff on the real land down under
The temptation to construct a review of Robert Olen Butler’s novel Hell entirely from quotations and excerpts is almost more than I can resist. And really, why should I resist? In Butler’s propulsively clever yet unsettling vision of the afterlife, I would be unable to avoid eternal damnation no matter what I chose: virtue or vice, piety or sacrilege, ethical rectitude or … [Read more...]
Book review: ‘Hell’ a darkly comic riff on the afterlife
By Chauncey Mabe The temptation to construct a review of Robert Olen Butler’s novel Hell entirely from quotations and excerpts is almost more than I can resist. And really, why should I resist? In Butler’s propulsively clever yet unsettling vision of the afterlife, I would be unable to avoid eternal damnation no matter what I chose: virtue or vice, piety or sacrilege, ethical … [Read more...]
‘Two Jews’ a deep, comic standout at Florida Stage
Wait, stop me if you’ve heard this one: There are these two old Jewish guys in Kabul, Afghanistan, see, and not only are they the last two surviving members of their much-persecuted religion, but they hate each other’s guts almost as much as they despise the Taliban. Their days are surely numbered, so they have to figure out a way to perpetuate Judaism in their land before … [Read more...]
Theater review: ‘Two Jews’ a standout at Florida Stage
Gordon McConnell and Avi Hoffman in Two Jews Walk Into a War...By Hap ErsteinWait, stop me if you’ve heard this one: There are these two old Jewish guys in Kabul, Afghanistan, see, and not only are they the last two surviving members of their much-persecuted religion, but they hate each other’s guts almost as much as they despise the Taliban.Their days are surely numbered, so … [Read more...]
Lynn Phil opens season with strong Prokofiev
You can't get a majority of people to like Schoenberg, it seems, even 100 years later, but that should not obscure the main impression left Saturday night by the Lynn Philharmonia -- that this is an orchestra that keeps going from strength to strength. The Lynn orchestra, like all such student groups, has a continually changing roster, but the ensemble's quality has grown … [Read more...]
Music review: Lynn Phil opens season with strong Prokofiev
Albert-George Schram and the Lynn Philharmonia.By Greg StepanichYou can't get a majority of people to like Schoenberg, it seems, even 100 years later, but that should not obscure the main impression left Saturday night by the Lynn Philharmonia -- that this is an orchestra that keeps going from strength to strength.The Lynn orchestra, like all such student groups, has a … [Read more...]