I'm an OLLI @ ASU Member

One of the best perks of turning 50 is now I can enroll in the OLLI at ASU program.  I first heard about Osher Lifelong Learning Institute last year and immediately wanted to join and start taking classes, but I wasn't 50 years old yet.  But now I am. :-)

The other great perk is starting this Fall, ASU will be holding classes at the brand new Maravilla in Scottsdale.  They held an open house at Maravilla on Monday to talk about the program coming to Scottsdale.  Even Mayor Jim Lane was there speaking on how happy he is to have this type of program being offered in Scottsdale.  Besides having several speakers, they served  a nice lunch, had gift giveaways, and entertainment too.  Matthew Weiner, artistic director from Actors Theatre was on hand to talk about his company and brought along actor Ron May to perform a piece from his one man show, The Agony and Ecstacy of Steve Jobs. 

What I like about this program is the classes are geared towards cultural exploration, plus they usually are only 4-weeks long, and 90 minutes each.  Each semester the program will partner with a few cultural institutions to offer workshops and classes.  This Fall you can take different types of art classes at Phoenix Art Museum, music workshops at the Musical Instrument Museum, or the craft of storytelling with Childsplay Theatre.

The BEST part of the program is that there are no books to buy, homework assignments, or tests to take...only fun to be had while broadening your spectrum. 

A Streetcar Named Desire @ Desert Stages Theatre

Chad Krolczyk as Stanley
 



Marlon Brando as Stanley
 

 

Kellie Dunlap as Stella
 

I LOVE movies, but I will admit that I have never been a huge fan of old movies, and therefore never have seen too many of the oldies, even the classic ones.  I felt there was just too much over acting back then.  But now that I'm older, I have a greater appreciation for the older films, and enjoy watching them.  I still think they over act, but it does not bother me as much.  I guess I've mellowed as I've aged. lol

Last week we saw Sunset Boulevard at Fountain Hills Theater, so I got a copy of the movie which it's based on at the Phoenix library since I had never seen it before.  This week we saw A Streetcar Named Desire at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre which was turned into a movie based on the Tennessee Williams play.   Again, I never saw this old classic movie before this week nor the play.    The library had the two-disc special edition with the original director's version, plus a second bonus disc with 5 new documentaries about the Hollywood film, the play on Broadway, censorship, the music, and Marlon Brando.  I'm happy I watched the film and all the documentaries before seeing Streetcar this weekend...it enhanced my enjoyment and appreciation for this classic play.  I'll admit I'm more familiar with John Travolta's character Vinnie Barbarino from Welcome Back Kotter performing the famous STELLLAAA scene than with Marlon Brando.  Sad, but true.  lol

I really enjoyed the play, even more than the movie.  The cast was PERFECT, and perfectly cast.  Chad Krolczyk even had those Marlon Brando smoldering eyes. 

Ballet Under the Stars

Okay, I am already breaking my own rule for my third year of Artist's Dates...I am posting about something I do yearly, and is not new to me...but I don't care.  I will now post on an Artist's Date if I have a new thought or perspective on it...even if it's something I do on a fairly regular basis.

Okay, so we went to Ballet Under the Stars in Fountain Hills on Thursday night.  We picked up some Italian subs at Quiznos and brought a bottle of Chianti from home, got to Fountain Park early and had a nice dinner while watching the ballet dancers warm up.  It was a very inexpensive, relaxing evening, and we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of Fountain Hills along with a beautiful performance by Ballet Arizona.  Even if you are not a ballet fan, there is no way you could not of had a nice relaxing enjoyable evening. 

Okay, now for my new perspective on this Artist's Date.  I know of several people who were out of town this week...either out of the city, state, and even the country because they needed so desperately to go somewhere else to de-stress.  But these same people never, and I mean never do anything relaxing right in their own backyards...like going to Ballet Under the Stars.  I guess I don't understand why some people never take advantage of all the great things that are offered here in the Valley of the Sun, but feel the need to go somewhere else to do nice relaxing enjoyable things in order to de-stress.

Okay! Whatever!

Sunset Boulevard @ Fountain Hills Theater

Kyle Bennett plays out-of-work screenwriter Joe Gillis,
and Val Stasik is aging silent-film star Norma Desmond 

On Saturday night hubby and I went to see Sunset Boulevard at Fountain Hills Theater.   We have  never seen this musical before, but always wanted to. The traveling production came to the Civic Opera House in Chicago in the Spring of 1997, but at that time we were already too busy making plans to move here to Arizona, so we never did see it.   That's probably a good thing because then I was only 34 years old and would not have appreciated it as much as I did now that I am 50 years old.   I could relate more now to the Norma Desmond's character, plus and even more importantly what is going on today is much like what happened back then.  Times are a changing...and if you don't change with the times you are left out in the cold.  Just like in the Oscar winning film The Artist, Norma Desmond the silent film star does not make the transition into talking films.  Her industry changes, but she does not.  Today, every industry is changing in a BIG way and it will continue to keep changing at a rapid pace.  People who are stuck on the old ways of doing things will be the ones left in the cold just like Norma Desmond.  The Norma Desmond story is more relevant today than ever. 

I never even saw the 1950 movie the musical is based on until just this past week. I got the DVD from our library and watched it, plus all the extra bonus features. I'm really glad I saw the movie first, because with my very poor hearing I really struggle with trying to figure out what the words are, especially when being sung. I have hearing dyslexia and tinnitus.  So knowing what the story was about helped me follow the musical along much better.

I was telling my sister I got a copy of the movie so I could follow the story of this musical better. She reminded me of that funny episode on the TV show Wings where Antonio played by Tony Shalhoub is playing his guitar for Helen and sings the first American folks song he learned when he was a kid growing up in Italy.

He starts singing the following to the tune "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore."

My goat knows the bowling score.
Hal-le-lu-ia.

Helen then tells him the correct words to the classic song, and Antonio says, "Get Out!  The meaning changes."

I found a Youtube video of this classic scene.  I have to admit, I am very much like Antonio even though English is my first language.  lol  I just blame my bad hearing.

I LOVED this musical, and the always stellar Fountain Hills Theater and cast did a marvelous job.  BRAVO!

 

The Artist's Way - Year Three Begins

I started The Artist's Way 12-week course on September 11, 2010 and also wrote my first blog post.  After completing the The Artist's Way 12-week course, I moved onto Julia Cameron's other books...Walking in This World, and then Finding Water...all the while blogging on this site.  I took a few month break from blogging over the summer then started blogging again in September 2011 when I started her other book, The Vein of Gold. The first year I pretty muched blogged about every thing I did.  The second year I blogged about almost everything I did...not all.  Now I am about to start year three even though I am not participating in any of Julia's Cameron's courses.  I still do morning pages most mornings, which I love.  I still go on weekly Artist's Dates, not all by myself, but still many.

So for the third year I decided I am only going to blog about anything new I have seen or done.  I am no longer going to blog about the same things I see or do year after year.  I mean how many times can you blog about going up to the el Pedregal to hear a concert, or visit one of the many art festivals around the valley.  Year three is only about NEW.  If it is not new to me, then there will be no blog about it...period.  I will only blog about anything I have seen for the very first time, or have done for the very first time.   So I may have a lot of new posts on my blog, or only a few.  Only time will tell.

High School Musical @ Desert Stages

 

 

 

On Saturday afternoon I attended Scottsdale Desert Stages Children's Theatre production of Disney's High School Musical.  The children's productions are not only entertaining...they are just so much fun.  They could have called this one High School Musical Jr. lol   Out of the 44 or so performers, my guess is that more than half of them are not in High School yet.  The real little, little kids who played the jocks, cheerleaders and brainiacs were great at keeping up with the older ones, and they were the most fun to watch. Very, very CUTE!

 



The Secret Garden @ Hale Center Theatre

I went for the first time to the Hale Center Theatre in Gilbert and saw The Secret Garden.  I particularly wanted to see this musical because I wrote a 10-minute play awhile back and one of my characters favorite books as a child was The Secret Garden.   The funny thing is that I had never heard of this book before writing my play.  I just Googled cult classic books, and this one came up on the list. The theme of the book just fit my play best.  My play was about three woman who were all dealing with the loss of their mothers very differently.   The character who loved The Secret Garden as a child was the one who was receiving messages and signs from her departed mother.   So when I saw Hale Theatre was doing The Secret Garden, I knew I had to see it.

I got a DVD of the movie last week at the library and watched it before seeing this musical.  I actually liked the musical version much better.  The musical version was more woo-woo, which suits me better.  

The production at the Hale Theatre was outstanding.  The acting, singing, costumes...everything was top notch.   Another magical day seeing LIVE theater. And yes, I was crying at the end.

The Queen of Versailles

 

 

I looked at my upcoming schedule of events for September, October and November, and said I need to chill a bit and take a weekend off of doing stuff.  So I spent all of last weekend at home painting, and hanging out in my pool. 

 

I love movies and see a lot of them, but not too many at the theaters anymore.  I have a hearing problem where I can't hear high pitched tones.  So women and children are nightmares for me to hear.  I prefer now to watch most movies at home with my Sony headset on and with subtitles so I don't miss any of the dialogue.  But I couldn't resist going to see The Queen of Versailles at the movie theater last week.

 

I almost feel a little guilty saying how much I loved this film.  It's like saying you saw a huge train wreck and really enjoyed watching it.  :-)

 

 

The Soul of Broadway @ Fountain Hills Theater

I spent a soulful afternoon listening to seven wonderful and talented singers celebrating the songs from some of Broadway's best "Soul" musicals.  This musical revue at the Fountain Hills Theater included songs from Porgy & Bess, Big River, Dreamgirls, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Color Purple, Passing Strange, The Lion King, Once on this Island, Aida, Hairspray and The Wiz.

Going today was kind of a last minute decision, but I'm glad I eased on down the road (Shea Blvd.) to Fountain Hills Theater to hear some fabulous songs from The Great White Way.

Rent @ Desert Stages Theatre

I first saw Rent in Chicago shortly after it won the Tony Award, and so the buzz over this rock opera was extremely high.  Sometimes 'buzz' and too much hype are not a good thing.  I went in extremely excited to see this Tony Award winning musical, but came out after seeing it a little underwhelmed.   But that was not the case last Saturday night when hubby and I went to see the last performance of Rent at Desert Stages Theatre. We both came out totally overwhelmed,  and that is a testament to just how great the cast and the production was at Desert Stages.  They took my not so favorite musical and turned it into one the BEST musicals I have seen at Desert Stages Theatre.  The whole cast was outstanding, and the production phenomenal.

Oh and one more thing...they had a LIVE band playing all the music.  That was pretty cool.

Two Day Acrylic Painting Workshop

I spent last weekend in a two day, 12-hour acrylic painting workshop. I had a blast…a creative blast. I know without a doubt that if I didn’t discover The Artist's Way there would have been no way I would have done something like attending a two day painting workshop. The Artist's Way helps you get out of the box of limiting beliefs. One of my very limiting beliefs is that other people are artists…not me. My older sister was the artist of the family…she owns her own graphic design company. My best friend from grade school is an artist…she got a scholarship to the study at the Art Institute of Chicago, and Sax Fifth Avenue was buying her Raku pottery when she was only in her twenties. When I met my best friend from high school when we were just 14 years old, she and her entire family were already artists, and travelled the country from art show to art show. So I grew up with the limiting belief that I am not an artist. Well after discovering The Artist's Way course that limiting belief became pure BULLSHIT.

Last November I picked up a paint brush for the very first time in my entire life and have been painting ever since. After painting for just several months I decided that if I am going to continue taking lessons then I want to take lessons from an artist who I desire to paint like, or even more importantly, whose art I would buy for myself. My house has not one realistic painting; all the art in my home is either abstract or multi-media. So when I found an artist whose work I love, and who also teaches, I just had to enroll in his workshop.  Funny thing is that when I told him that I have The Artist's Way to thank for getting me here to attend his workshop, he said he did The Artist Way course many years ago, and the course got him to make a major career change.  He said what he is doing now is all due to The Artist's Way.  How perfect is that...two people meet in August 2012 doing what they love, all due to The Artist's Way.

Over the course of the weekend we painted five large paintings all using techniques that were new to me. Four of the five were abstract, which of course were my favorites. I still need to do some touch up work on them, but I was truly surprised at how much we did accomplish in just two days.

I have a new passion, and my old limiting beliefs are dead and gone…all thanks to The Artist' Way. :-)

The beginning of Abstract Circles

                                              The middle of Abstract Circles

                             The almost finished painting of Abstract Circles

My finished Abstract Circles.

The beginning of Running River

The middle of Running River

The not yet finished Running River

The beginning of Abstract Design

The middle of Abstract Design

The finished Abstract Design

The Odd Couple @ Desert Stages Theater

 

Jeff Carpenter and Wade Moran
 

Over the weekend I went to see Neil Simon's The Odd Couple at Desert Stages Theater.  I saw the movie which the play is based on many, many years ago which starred Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon.  I also  grew up watching the TV show with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, but I never saw the play.  Well now I have thanks to Desert Stages.  The play was funny, entertaining, and the whole cast was perfect, especially the actors playing Oscar and Felix.

Desert Stages also has the female version of The Odd Couple running on alternate weeks.  Now I actually saw the female version in 1984 at the Shubert Theater in Chicago starring Rita Moreno as Olivia, and Sally Struthers as Florence.  Okay, that was actually a very odd pairing, but I remember enjoying the female version of this classic play.

I have always saved my Stagebills and Playbills from every play or musical I have ever gone to see.  So I just pulled out my Stagebill from the Shubert Theater to see who else was in this play.  It's always fun to go back and see if you saw someone who eventually became famous.  Well I discovered that Tony Shalhoub played Jesus Costazeula in the female version I saw.  Interesting!  I am so happy that I have kept all my Stagebills.



Don Bluth's Front Row Theatre

My weekend continued with the upclose and personal theme by attending Don Bluth's Front Row Theatre on Saturday night.  I have been attending community theatre here in the valley for a long time, but I never heard of this theatre until I read about them in the May issue of Phoenix Magazine.  The cover story was called, Secrets of the City, and this gem is definitely one of the BEST kept secrets of them all.

Don Buth is one of Hollywood's most beloved animators, and he is a lover of the stage too.  His theatre company peforms three plays a week in his living room in his Scottsdale home.

There is seating for 45 audience members, and you just cannot get more of a community feel than going to someone's home to see a play performed in their living room.  When we drove up, a man with a baseball hat was standing on the opposite side of the street directing and helping us to park.  Then he preceeded to escort us to the home.  I did not realize it right off, but this man turned out to be Don Bluth himself.  I couldn't believe it...he does it all...even acts as a parking attendant.  lol

The play we saw was Blithe Spirit by noel Coward.   We sat in the front row, and we had to make sure we did not stick out our feet too far, because we would have definitely tripped the cast, since they were pretty much right in front of us most of the play.  The very intimate setting, the outrageously funny play, the stellar cast made for one of the most enjoyable evenings.

My only regret is that I never heard of this theatre sooner.  Don has been performing plays and musicals in his home for seven years, but is moving his theatre out of his home to a new location which I heard will be around Scottsdale Rd. and Shea Blvd.   His next production, Barefoot in the Park, will still be in his home, so I have yet another chance to see it there.  But I know I will go see his productions wherever they go...for when I find something special...I will follow you forever.

Scorpius Dance

On Friday, July 20th, my BIG 50th Birthday, hubby and I attended the Scorpius Dance Theatre Summer Showcase.  The theme of my birthday weekend was very upclose and personal.  This intimate showcase was presented in Scorpius' resident rehearsal space at Metro Arts Institute.  We sat front row and center for an amazing night of featured works by director, Lisa Starry, and the Scorpius dancers. 

I first became familar with this dance company when we attended The Herberger Festival of the Arts last October.  Hubby said he didn't quite remember them, but when they performed once again the dance called Girls Night Out...aka Butt Dance, he quickly said, "Oh yah, I remember this dance company now."  lol

Scorpius resident rehearsal space

When I first received the e-mail about their Summer Showcase I was definitely planning on going to one of the two nights they were performing...it just so happened it was my birthday.  So since I attended an amazing dance performance on July 20, 2012 I had a very special and entertaining day...and hubby had a good time too.

I'm 50...and HAPPY!

On Friday, July 20th I celebrated my 50th Birthday by being happy, and I mean completely HAPPY.  I was always happy to turn the BIG ones...30 and 40, but I have never been more excited or amped up to turn a certain age. When I told a friend of mine this who has studied numerology and astrology, she said it makes sense.  In numerology 2012 is a 5 year globally, I am in a 5 year personally, and I am turning the BIG 50.  This is all about change and transformation. And my astrology progress chart for the year is also about upcoming changes.  I am not one of those people who are scared of change.  I have never been afraid of change of any kind, good or bad.  Even what some people would consider bad, I wouldn't...to me it's always just the new normal.  So bring on the NEW NORMAL...I'm amped and excited.

I have been asked constantly what am I going to do special for my birthday.  People try to make you believe that if you don't make this one day extra special then the whole day will be ruined. Really????  I do feel way too many people put too much importance on just one day a year, be it a birthday, holiday, anniversary or Mother's Day. I know of three women who are still pissed off about this past Mother's Day.  Anyway, that is another topic.  I think instead of trying so hard to make just one day feel special, why not try to make your whole year feel special...with whatever that means to you.  My special will obviously be different than someone else's special.

Since I now blog, and I keep my yearly schedule on my computer, it was easy to go back and see what I did this past year that was special to me. So here is what made my year so special...

I saw 22 Plays, Musicals, or LIVE performances.
Hairspray,  And Then There Were None, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Death of a Salesman, The Drowsy Chaperone, Life X 3, Oliver, Sleuth, Mornings at Seven, White Christmas, Love, Loss and What I Wore, Annie Get Your Gun, Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Lend Me A Tenor, Altar Boyz, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Seven Fingers: PSY – Mind Blowing Circus, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Run For Your Wife, and Blithe Spirit.

I attended 22 Art Festivals or Art Exhibits.
David Rogers’ Big Bug Sculptures @ Desert Botanical Gardens, Monet’s Giverny Photographs by Richard Nilsen @ Desert Botanical Gardens, Randall Hedden’s Tribute Art Live Show…The Rat Pack @ Royal Palms Resort, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Old Town Scottsdale Western Artwalk, Artfest of 5th Ave., Cosanti to see their latest collection of wind bells, Cynthia Crawford ET Sculptor exhibit, Fountain Hills Art and Craft Fest, Artfest of Scottsdale, Hidden in the Hills Studio Art Tour, First Saturday Artwalk in Fountain Hills, Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival, Celebration of Fine Art, Arizona Fine Art Expo, Made in Arizona Artfest, Fountain Hills Great Fair, Scottsdale Art Festival, Mesa Contemporary Arts exhibition, Fine Art in the Garden @ Shermer Fine Art Center, Scottsdale’s 100+ Journal Project @ The Gallery @ The Library, Van Gogh Alive – The Experience @ AZ Science Center

I attended 62 LIVE Musical performances.
Trio con Brio - Fountain Hills Chamber Players, Jersey Rocks @ Talking Stick Resort , Scott Hall - guitar & vocals, Vicki McDermitt - jazz vocalist, Mother’s Favorite Child, Dennis Rowland, Doc Rolland Duo, Mariachi Pasion Oct. 2011, Jazz in the Hills with Armand Boatman and Fred Forney, Silhouette, Delphine Cortez - Jazz singer, Avira Flute Duo, Orquesta Filarmonica de Sonara Concert @ Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, Marmalade Skies, November 2011, Margo Reed - Jazz singer, Four Seasons String Quartet, Mel Bridges and his band, Ronald Jean, Mayo Clinic Choir, Sylvan Street Band @ Musical Instrument Museum, Pete Pancrazi, Phoenix Boys Choir “Spirit of the Holidays” Concert, Trio Three-Eighty Holiday concert, Dolce Vas, Deater O’Neil - Jazz vocalist, Tetra String Quartet, Hans Olson, Walt Richardson & Tim Sadow, Phoenix Opera @ Musical Instrument Museum, Parada del Sol Trails End Country Music Street Party, The Persuaders, Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns, Lyra – Southwest guitar and violin, Arizona Opera performs selections from Aida @ Kerr Cultural Center, Silhouette, Paula Provo - harpist, Trio Three Eighty, Bill & Kate Isles, Mother’s Favorite Child, Sonaran Jazz, Sugahbeat, ASU String Ensemble, Khani Cole, Affinity, Mariachi Pasion May 2012, Desert Fiesta and Freddie Duran for Cinco de Mayo fest, Scott Hallock, Shining Star, Delphine Cortez,  Urban Strings, Marmalade Skies, Rock Lobster, Apple - Beatle Tribute band, Chuck E. Baby, Paul Provo - harpist, Dwight Killian & Russell Schmidt -Instrumental Jazz, Paul McDermand - Steel Drums, Whistle Stop Bluegrass Band, Musica Dolce - Early Music Ensemble, Laurie Fagen - vocal Jazz, Otis & The Beat, Beth Lederman - Instrumental Jazz

I attended 5 Dance performances.
Ballet Under the Stars with Arizona Ballet Company, Native Trails @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, MOMIX Botanica @ Orpheum Theater, Marrugeku: Buru, dance group from Western Australia @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scorpius Dance Theatre Summer Spectacular Showcase @ Metro Arts Institute.

I participated in 28 Classes, Workshops, and Conferences
Intro to Wiring Wrapping class @ Bead World, Twelve acrylic painting sessions @ Me the Artist, Five acrylic painting sessions @ Brio Fine Art, One acrylic painting session @ Michael’s, One acrylic painting session @ Arizona Fine Art Expo, Fry’s Fresh Attractions Cooking Class, Phoenix Rising Conference, Five Meet-up Group Sessions, UFO Film Festival Meet-up session

I attended 7 other various Festivals
Fountain Hills Oktoberfest, Herberger Theatre Festival of the Arts – Dance, Theatre, Live Music, Greater Phoenix Greek Festival, Cupcake Love-In @ Hotel Valley Ho, Parade del Sol Parade in Old Town Scottsdale, Mesa Festival of Creativity, OrigiNation – a festival which celebrates cultures from Australia and New Zealand

I saw 7 other miscelleous places or events
Downtown Scottsdale Art & Culture Tour, Mariposa Butterfly Pavilion @ Desert Botanical Gardens, The Phoenix Lights 15th Anniversary Celebration, Phoenix Zoo -Giraffe Encounter - Stingray Bay, Desert Botanical Garden Spring Butterfly Exhibit, Deer Valley Rock Center – archaeological site w/largest concentration of Native American rock art, AZ Science Center

I saw 117 Feature Films and 24 Shorts (13 in a movie theatre, the rest at home)

Since I had a very special year that I truly enjoyed I did not feel any great need to make July 20th any more special than any other day.  Oh, I did do something on Friday and Saturday (blogs about that to come), but I would have done these things regardless of it being my 50th Birthday.