tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50814063773689527242012-01-18T23:33:00.613-08:00Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.comBlogger1261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-87920170145721731192012-01-13T12:30:00.000-08:002012-01-13T12:30:01.322-08:00

I did a rough sketch of Mike Flinn's "Conversation with an Extrovert" at the Basement Gallery on First Thursday and colored it in later. Flinn had a lot of fun pieces like this, and it was entertaining listening in on some of the conversations of people looking at them. One guy who was standing next to me said either to me or to no one in particular, "I'm never having dinner with Mike Flinn

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-9398110332417520472012-01-11T20:38:00.001-08:002012-01-11T20:38:52.158-08:00

I drew this version of a painting by Noble Hardesty quite a while ago when I saw Head at the Visual Arts Collective and have just taken my sweet time coloring it. But I was at VAC for New Year's Eve and it was still up, so you may be able to catch it and Noble's other pictures. If I remember right, there were also some great ones with wolves, pigs, and some King Kong-inspired ones. Noble's

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-54961687004075114862011-12-13T21:38:00.000-08:002011-12-13T21:42:18.966-08:00

Hi, loyal readers. I have to tell you something -- I'm a little worried.I'm worried about the Internet.Yes, I'm worried about this marvelous kingdom, this world where lolcats and keyboard cats and nyan cats reign supreme. You see, there's this bill called SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act. It gives an enormous amount of control to major content providers, who would be able to have sites shut down

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-31478091566636810132011-11-06T10:26:00.000-08:002011-11-06T10:37:05.155-08:00

This statue, "Lighthearted" by Jacqueline Hurlbert, was a lot of fun to sketch, its limbs splayed out every which way and the great expression on its snout as it stares at its winged heart.I'm sure I've said many times on this blog how much I love Erin Ruiz's work. In this sketch of her picture "Wolves in the Bed," I tried to capture the way she used red for outlines and highlights (and for the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-75746878149757482312011-10-09T17:11:00.000-07:002011-10-09T17:19:48.681-07:00

Last weekend I went to see Red Light Variety Show at Visual Arts Collective. It was pretty cool -- think Cirque du Soleil with pasties. While I was there, I sketched this piece by Rick Walter. Didn't see a title for the piece, but I thought it was interesting. Aw, it looks so forlorn for a horrifying bat-winged disembodied head thing.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-61433417098700042782011-08-08T23:36:00.000-07:002011-08-08T23:48:15.416-07:00

Apparently, I was into aspens last First Thursday. This is Elk Meadow by Melissa Graves at the Basement Gallery. These trees were actually very yellow, but you know, blue background ... pastels ... yellow and blue make green ... and I have limited patience with trying to fix these sketches sometimes. This is Growth Chart by Jerri Lisk. I probably ought to have drawn one of hers for this blog

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-58892471960305580652011-06-12T20:18:00.000-07:002011-06-12T20:22:12.073-07:00

My apologies that this didn't reproduce very well on the scanner. I was really impressed by this untitled piece by Joseph Cowman I saw at the Basement Gallery on First Thursday, though. I really liked all the tension from all the wires and hooks pulling the figure every which way.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-46509610330811376682011-05-15T20:32:00.000-07:002011-08-08T22:31:30.473-07:00

This was one of a couple of silhouette-style pieces Isaac Grambo had at the Visual Arts Collective when I went there a week ago. Love the red tie.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-87117803059362655772011-03-30T18:53:00.000-07:002011-03-30T19:22:27.769-07:00

A couple new arts organizations have recently started up in Boise. One is Black Linen Productions, a theater company making its debut production, Closer (a Patrick Marburg black comedy about sexual politics and partner-swapping) in the Linen Building at 1402 Grove St. They're only staging it for three nights, and the last night is tomorrow at 7, so if you want to check it out, that's your

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-64094716292180316902010-11-19T13:18:00.000-08:002010-11-19T13:22:14.886-08:00

This is "Soaring" by Marianne Konvalinka. It's mixed-media, so that's an actual piece of sheet music and a real map in the original. It's currently in Art Source Gallery.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-88661094262879136632010-10-07T09:29:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:35:23.879-07:00

This is my rendering of Bill Carman's picture, "Oh crap, sorry," which was hanging at the Basement Gallery. He's been a longtime favorite at the Basement, so it's nice to see the new owners haven't changed that. I love this little narwhal-headed guy.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-50788209164136857152010-09-27T19:46:00.000-07:002010-09-27T20:07:57.853-07:00

I went to the Boise Art Museum last weekend and sketched a few pieces by Idaho artists for the 2010 Idaho Triennial. This is "Delusions" by Matt Bodett. I like the horrific, detailed mouth on the figure on the right compared to how rough everything else is.And this is a partial rendition of "Snorkels with Floating Prison" by Garth Claassen, one of my art professors at College of Idaho. I think

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-82186446398436110002010-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-06T09:00:01.014-07:00

This exhibit actually just closed at the Basement Gallery. I came in Friday afternoon, the second-to-last day of the exhibit. But I wanted to post these anyhow. Above is A Comparative Reading of the Past by Kelly Packer. I liked the blocky shapes in the background and especially along the spine.This is Forgotten Monarch by an artist called Ego. I like the kind of ancient, but not deadened look to

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-38133441251405097732010-09-05T17:50:00.000-07:002010-09-05T18:11:38.864-07:00

I saw Noises Off at Stage Coach Theatre opening night, and it's very funny. Great cast, great set, great comic timing. It continues Sept. 9-12 and 16-18.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-84626437687343395742010-09-05T16:55:00.000-07:002010-09-05T18:09:55.121-07:00

When I started this blog, I was unemployed. I had no prospects and a lot of free time. Today, I'm going to school full-time for a computer science degree and working part-time at a software company I really like. I'm taking 300- and 400-level classes, so my homework load is getting bigger and more challenging. This summer I had a full-time internship and a part-time job, and I never said word one

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-28867677532020589342010-05-11T21:17:00.000-07:002011-08-08T22:39:31.665-07:00

Oh boy oh boy oh boy robots and art! Two of my favorite things! I've been telling myself since I saw this exhibit was coming to BAM that I had to see it. I finally saw it a couple weeks ago, and it actually lived up to my grand expectations for it. Lots of cool fine art and multimedia stuff, plus some actual robots from local FIRST Robotics Competition teams. This is a sketch of part of Michael

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-35908370344305307342010-04-29T13:38:00.000-07:002010-04-29T14:03:46.942-07:00

Stage Coach Theatre's production of Panache is an inventive, heartwarming romantic comedy between two unlikely characters: socialite Kathleen Trafalgar and Brooklyn diner cook and artist Harry Baldwin.The show was filled with fantastic performances. Jodi Nelson Deerfield was delightful as the perfectly polished Kathleen and brought a lot of humor through her poor attempts to relate to the lower

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-31457010139168314362010-03-20T12:16:00.000-07:002010-03-20T12:38:25.777-07:00

Steven Dietz became one of my favorite playwrights after I read the script for his play Rocket Man and the script for Stage Coach Theatre's current production, Fiction. His plays have smart, witty dialogue, and Dietz has a way of telling a great story.The play is about a married couple, Michael and Linda Waterman (played by Andrew Ebert and Teresa Rodrick), who are both authors. Linda has been

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-2529439333079443362010-02-10T10:14:00.000-08:002011-08-08T22:46:13.523-07:00

I sketched this rendering of "Pink Lemonade" by Ben Wilson, which is currently hanging in the Basement Gallery, on the Friday before last. I got about a third of the way into it before I really thought about what I'd gotten myself into. Holy crap, hands are hard to draw. I think it came out okay, though. I like the spot color. This is "Floating" by Erin Ruiz. As usual, I started a little

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-64883437815746434102010-02-05T14:18:00.000-08:002010-02-12T15:36:17.227-08:00

FebruaryFeb. 6: Ballet Idaho presents Cinderella at 2 and 8 p.m. at the Morrison Center on University Drive in Boise.Now through Feb. 6: Encore Theatre Company presents Bridge to Terabithia, the story of a boy and girl who imagine a magical kingdom. The show runs Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 5-6 at 7:30 and Jan. 30 and Feb. 6 at 2:00 in the old Northwest Nazarene University science lecture hall on 550

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-86240005418270022982010-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:002010-01-29T16:45:36.676-08:00

If Fools is a dumb frat boy, Dilemmas with Dinner is someone who's smart enough that I could see possibly dating for a while. Which is not to say that it's overly intellectual or anything -- it actually contains a lot of slapstick, malapropisms, impressions and the like -- but some of the humor is a little more subtle and it's nice for audiences to be able to get it without being hit over the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-58309334604346633312010-01-29T15:10:00.000-08:002010-01-29T16:00:08.252-08:00

If Boise Little Theater's production of Fools was a person, he'd be a big grinning frat boy who's learned to balance a spoon on his nose while belching The Star-Spangled Banner and pouring you a boilermaker. Yeah, he's really dumb, but he throws a good party. And yes, the show may just be the dumbest thing Neil Simon ever wrote, but you'll have fun nonetheless.Jason Roper plays Leon, an

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-60998159432058215982010-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:002010-01-15T10:57:35.064-08:00

JanuaryJan. 8-30: Stage Coach Theatre presents Dilemmas with Dinner, a farce about a woman trying to win a major promotion by hosting an elaborate dinner for her boss. The show runs Jan. 8-9, 14-17, 21-24 and 28-30 at 7:30 Thursdays, 8:15 Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 Sundays at the theater in the Hillcrest Shopping Center at Orchard and Overland in Boise.Now through Jan. 9: Company of Fools

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-83357027532930272152009-12-22T13:05:00.000-08:002011-08-08T22:47:52.162-07:00

I sketched these a while back already, when I went to see Three Tall Women, but they might still be at the Visual Arts Collective. The first is by Erin Ruiz, from her series "Slings & Arrows (or goodbye enemy!)" Sorry about the ghosting from the picture behind it when I scanned this one. I have to think she and Ben Wilson collaborated a bit on the naming of their exhibits. The following is a

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-30313596182026485802009-12-18T13:39:00.000-08:002009-12-18T14:54:06.357-08:00

The day before I went to see A Christmas Story at Boise Little Theater, I mentioned my plans to a couple of my friends at our favorite pub. They told me they'd never seen the movie. Dumbfounded, I turned to the people on my left and said, "Would you believe these two have never seen A Christmas Story?" They replied that they hadn't, either. I was thunderstruck. After all, this is the movie that

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-38765547443214855922009-12-09T10:10:00.000-08:002009-12-09T15:38:21.071-08:00

You might expect that seeing "A Christmas Carol" told from the perspective of Ebenezer Scrooge's deceased partner Jacob Marley would be the most nontraditional aspect of this play.You'd be wrong.The show is strangely structured and strangely told. The actors break the fourth wall, looking at and talking to the audience. They wander around a mostly empty stage and describe the imagined scenery

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-25417624526646644502009-11-29T18:10:00.000-08:002009-12-04T15:14:10.692-08:00

DecemberDec. 3: Music Theatre of Idaho presents Annie, the musical about a Depression-era orphan who, with the help of the rich Oliver Warbucks and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, searches for her parents and foils a plot to claim her for reward money. The show runs at 7:30 Dec. 3-5 and 10-12 and 1:30 Dec. 5 and 12 at the Nampa Civic Center.Dec. 4: Knock 'Em Dead Dinner Theater presents A Season

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-87988382308408349242009-11-20T16:06:00.000-08:002009-11-20T16:32:38.690-08:00

Pulitzer Prize-winning script, excellent dramatic tension, fine performances, yadda yadda yadda ... What you need to know about this show is that, despite the fact that it's a drama, it's hilarious.In less skilled hands, with less polished timing and delivery, the play could have been a lot of rambling monologues about riding horses. But Mikenzie Ames, Patti O'Hara and especially Nancy Suiter

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-75265068144415089742009-11-02T09:36:00.000-08:002009-11-19T22:35:14.120-08:00

NovemberNow through Nov. 7: Boise Contemporary Theater presents The Pavilion, a show about a man and his high school sweetheart who split up years ago and are meeting again at their 20th reunion. The show runs Nov. 4-7 at 8:00 Wednesday through Saturday and 2:00 Saturdays at the theater on Fulton Street.Now through Nov. 8: Company of Fools presents The Syringa Tree, a one-woman show about the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-57847612963168053532009-10-23T15:58:00.000-07:002009-10-24T18:56:47.995-07:00

Stage Coach Theatre's Art of Murder is a tight, tense, intriguing little thriller.Because it's such a brisk-paced show, the actors presented a dramatic reading of Edgar Allen Poe's Tell-Tale Heart before the first act began. The actors did a really nice recitation, holding the audience's attention with what was essentially four long monologues.The show itself has a lot of twists and turns. I was

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-68358020592667387542009-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:002009-11-14T17:10:19.785-08:00

OctoberOct. 21: Company of Fools presents The Syringa Tree, a one-woman show about the love between two families, one black and one white, who share a house and whose children grow up together under apartheid in 1960s South Africa. The show runs Oct. 21-22, 28-29, and Nov. 4-5 at 7:00, Oct. 23-24, 30-31 and Nov. 6-7 at 8:00, and Oct. 25, and Nov. 1 and 8 at The Liberty Theatre on Main Street in

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-828627285635496862009-10-02T16:21:00.000-07:002011-08-08T22:51:34.062-07:00

Boise Open Studios weekend starts today! If you're unfamiliar with the event, that's when Boise-area artists open up their studios and homes to the public so you can see their art and their work spaces. The event runs from 6 to 9 tonight and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check Boise Open Studios Collective Organization's website for a link to a .pdf of maps and schedules. I had a lot of

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-14421708190470041002009-09-19T06:39:00.000-07:002009-09-19T06:50:42.253-07:00

Tonight is the last night to see You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Boise Little Theater. It's a really cute show and I'd recommend you see it.Among the principals, John Myers did a fantastic job capturing the sort of self-conscious, neurotic mannerisms that make Charlie Brown Charlie Brown. Autumn Kersey was excellent as the forceful Lucy Van Pelt. And James Ulmen knocked it out of the park

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-19973786128566402982009-09-11T10:25:00.000-07:002009-09-11T11:22:34.248-07:00

"Duck Hunter Shoots Angel." As a headline, it's kind of up there with "Bat Boy Sighted in NYC Subway" and "Air Traffic Controllers Guide UFOs."It's also a hilarious production at Stage Coach Theatre about Sandy, a jaded tabloid reporter for the Weekly World and Globe, which is best known for its stories about a half-man, half-alligator seeking revenge. The Weekly World and Globe sends him on

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-65665342659373009722009-09-03T08:00:00.001-07:002009-09-03T08:02:08.074-07:00

A quick reminder, since I'm thinking about it, that today is First Thursday. Pick up a copy of the Boise Weekly to see what's going on at all the local galleries.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-50894201509118390282009-09-03T07:44:00.000-07:002009-09-09T14:43:37.346-07:00

SeptemberSept. 11: Alley Repertory Theater presents Collective Soul, a launch party and preview night for their next season, at 8:00 at the Visual Arts Collective behind the Woman of Steel Gallery on Chinden. It includes excerpts from some of their upcoming productions, including Edward Albee's Three Tall Women, the musical Landlocked by local musicians Heather Bauer and Thomas Paul, and Skit/

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-31521551065104090312009-08-28T11:54:00.001-07:002009-08-28T12:03:13.894-07:00

I just wanted to highlight something that's going on this weekend, but didn't make it into the calendar. Curb Cup is an afternoon of performances by 130 groups from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 along 8th Street in downtown Boise. The performers will range from bands and dancers to improv comedians and magicians to hula hoopers and jump ropers to muralists and dramatic troupes.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-24649270143084786032009-08-28T11:09:00.000-07:002009-08-28T11:49:59.933-07:00

If you decide to go check out the Daisy's Madhouse production of Awesome '80s Prom, I recommend you dance.Don't go to Awesome '80s Prom for the script. Half the time, there isn't one -- it's got a very loose storyline and is mostly improvised.Don't go for the deep characterization. This is about high school in the '80s, and as groundbreaking as Breakfast Club was, most of the characters in

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-82922899659171655852009-08-06T19:46:00.000-07:002009-08-06T20:32:44.788-07:00

AugustNow through Aug. 14: Starlight Mountain Theatre presents The Boyfriend, a musical romantic comedy about an heiress who poses as a secretary and falls in love with a delivery boy who happens to be the missing son of the wealthy Lord Brockhurst. The show runs at 8:00 Aug. 8, 11 and 14 at Starlight Amphitheater in Garden Valley.Now through Aug. 15: Starlight Mountain Theatre presents Annie Get

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-35420605621788257512009-07-30T00:05:00.001-07:002009-07-30T00:54:48.064-07:00

I love Ben Wilson's art. His comic style is fantastic. His stuff appears on Boise Weekly covers a lot, and I've seen it a few times at the Basement Gallery, but this is the first time I've taken a stab at sketching one. This one was up at the Visual Arts Collective, and the boy in the costume reminded me vaguely of Max from Where the Wild Things Are. Granted, it's more of a pink fox costume, and

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-24706842155583479702009-07-17T14:00:00.000-07:002009-07-19T21:21:14.361-07:00

The description in the program notes that Absence of a Cello is a "refreshingly literate comedy" that starts out targeting "individuality versus conformity" but evolves into "an ingeniously conceived comical discussion of honesty and truth."Don't be scared.I know, it sounds highbrow. Intellectual. Maybe a little too smart for a fun night out (I sometimes think this is the same reason I don't get

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-52662830360284387522009-07-15T11:50:00.000-07:002009-07-15T12:02:38.105-07:00

I'm not sure landscapes are really my thing, so I'm not sure my sketch does this justice. But they are definitely John Killmaster's thing. He's got a great use of color and texture for fleshing out masses of rock, stubbly underbrush and soft pink clouds. This is Aspen Gulch -- City of Rocks. It's one of several of Killmaster's landscapes on display at the Basement Gallery right now.Also on

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-74281162297849171122009-07-05T19:46:00.000-07:002009-07-10T22:17:16.559-07:00

July July 6: Alley Repertory Theater presents Head by local playwright Oliver Russell Stoddard at 7:30 at the Visual Arts Collective behind the Woman of Steel Gallery on Chinden. The show is part of Alley Rep's Plays from the Alley series, in which local playwrights are offered the opportunity to produce their work and get feedback from the audience.July 10: Stage Coach Theatre opens Absence of a

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-32064848712046915412009-06-30T11:54:00.000-07:002009-06-30T12:17:03.556-07:00

I apologize for the sporadic posting of late. One reason for that is that I'm taking a five-week summer class at BSU. Another is that I'm broke (although that shouldn't stop me from going to a few free galleries, and I will try to get back to doing that).But the third reason is that I'm stage managing Annie, Jr., the annual Boise Parks and Rec/Boise Little Theater children's musical. We open July

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-63694762531817475442009-06-07T11:44:00.000-07:002009-06-07T11:51:58.690-07:00

I totally forgot about this until my mom mentioned she was going to it, but today is Art and Roses in Julia Davis Park in Boise. It goes from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 75 local artists will be there. I don't think I'll make it today, but thought I'd mention it in case you have the chance to go enjoy it.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-33426407226091720282009-05-31T11:35:00.000-07:002009-05-31T19:24:40.386-07:00

June June 4: Encore Theatre Co., Etc., opens Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. The show runs at 7:30 June 4-6 and 11-13 at the Nampa Civic Center and 6:30 June 20 at the Ashley Inn on Main Street in Cascade. June 5: The Idaho Shakespeare Festival presents The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare's tale of twin brothers who are reunited after 30 years, and the hijinks that ensue due to the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-73175181923573854042009-05-29T11:32:00.000-07:002009-05-29T12:53:47.931-07:00

Not one, but two guys in drag. Need I say more?Probably not, but I will anyway. Leading Ladies is a scream. I didn't take many notes because I was too busy laughing. But it's got everything a great farce should -- lots of slapstick, great one-liners, quick changes, mistaken intentions, perfect timing and a superb cast.The play revolves around two penniless Shakespearean actors, Leo Clark and Jack

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-31988876396875513542009-05-21T20:55:00.000-07:002009-05-21T23:08:42.413-07:00

I've been meaning to call attention to Luma Jasim, one of the bloggers for The Grip, Boise Weekly's new blog by and about refugees from around the world who have settled in Boise. Jasim is a graphic artist originally from Baghdad. She says she will be illustrating her blog posts. Her first post, The Mesopotamian Treasure Valley, includes a striking piece called Lonely Soul.I'm curious whether

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-83508192997887776602009-05-19T09:00:00.000-07:002011-08-08T22:55:58.717-07:00

This awesome monkey-brain-robot thing was created by Alex Vega, who calls it Zinj. I scanned it in in black and white before I remembered he'd painted it with a color gradient, so I think I'll post both versions: Alex was at the Modern Hotel for Modern Art at the Modern Hotel. When he saw me sketching, he said, "I take it as a great compliment that you're doing that."

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-45373016375977188832009-05-15T13:50:00.000-07:002009-05-15T16:37:57.372-07:00

Last week for First Thursday I took my sketchbook down to the Modern Hotel, which was hosting visual and performance artists in a number of its rooms and even having people paint murals on the exterior walls. Brian McGuffey had a room there with a number of pieces like this one (I think another was of a bighorn sheep wearing a dress and skipping rope) and also several very nice shadow box-type

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-50416464979381374432009-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:002009-05-09T13:33:14.380-07:00

May May 1-3: Ballet Idaho presents Spring Collage of Classics. The event includes three performances: Sweet Dreams, featuring the music of Patsy Cline and the guitar concertos of Antonio Vivaldi; the Rite of Spring, an original ballet by Ballet Idaho resident Alex Ossadnik; and a new ballet by Peter Anastos that accompanies Ravel's Piano Concert in G Major. Performances are 8:00 May 1 and 2 and 2

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-28279955363037618182009-04-27T14:38:00.000-07:002009-04-28T23:52:31.497-07:00

I honestly don't know if this is still in the Basement Gallery or not; I sketched it a couple of First Thursdays ago and I've just been slow about putting it up. But it's still a cool picture, so I wanted to get it up. It's called Dragging from a Cigarette, by David Colcord and Tomas Montano (together they go by rail v. y tomas). There's two things that you can't tell from my picture, though. One

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-82988941293736641892009-04-24T09:20:00.000-07:002009-04-24T10:28:17.675-07:00

I should probably start out this review by pointing out that I am no fan of the script for Our Town. I just had this conversation last night with a friend of mine who went to Our Town. Neither of us really understand how the play got its "classic" status. A couple of years ago, I reread the play -- which I think I'd picked up a free copy of when an English professor of mine was retiring and

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-47647680223712592462009-04-17T15:39:00.000-07:002009-04-22T01:02:17.004-07:00

I won't be doing a formal review of The Movie Game at Stage Coach Theatre, since I'm running sound and movie clips for it. But I want to encourage everyone to come see it -- it's very funny, very cute and the cast is doing an awesome job. It runs at 7:30 Thursday and 8:15 Friday and Saturday in Hillcrest Shopping Center.(Updated with times of final three shows.)

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-43181270224367670762009-04-14T22:00:00.000-07:002009-04-14T22:55:29.447-07:00

Once On This Island at Knock 'Em Dead Dinner Theater is a little bit of a mixed bag of a production, but it has some wonderful song and dance numbers and tells a beautiful story. The show enters its final weekend this week.The story is sort of like a fairy tale set on an island in the French Antilles, an island divided between the upper-class descendants of settlers on the one side and the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-43825697823697850762009-04-03T15:54:00.000-07:002009-04-04T16:39:34.785-07:00

AprilApril 5: Boise Master Chorale presents "And None Shall be Afraid": A Plea for Peace in Five Movements, and Mass of the Children at 2:00 at First United Methodist Church/Cathedral of the Rockies on 717 11th St. in Boise.April 9-12: Idaho Dance Theatre presents Full Throttle at 8:00 April 9-11 and 2:00 April 12 at the BSU Special Events Center in Boise.April 10: Stage Coach Theatre opens The

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-39864126506813209692009-03-13T16:14:00.000-07:002009-03-13T17:33:19.199-07:00

Foxfire, now in its final weekend at Boise Little Theater, is a stunningly beautiful show. From the moment the curtain opens, the audience is in for a visual treat. The opening moment of the show is as carefully and artistically put together as a movie with a top-notch cinematographer: John Myers stands silhouetted in center stage, lit from behind with a deep blue light, his head bent over a

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-86379806209694391432009-03-13T15:31:00.000-07:002009-03-13T15:40:52.385-07:00

MarchMarch 13-14: Stage Coach Theatre presents Brooklyn Boy, a witty drama about a writer whose novel has just hit the best-seller list while his wife is leaving and his father is in the hospital. The show runs at 8:15 at the theater in the Hillcrest Shopping Center at Orchard and Overland in Boise.March 13-14: Boise Little Theater presents Foxfire, a musical about an Appalachian widow deciding

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-9632325091528909862009-03-06T16:28:00.000-08:002009-03-06T17:39:48.105-08:00

Brooklyn Boy, now playing at Stage Coach Theater, is a wryly funny, though-provoking, well-acted play that's well worth seeing.Ian Taylor plays Eric Weiss, an author of a new bestseller whose life isn't going as well as his newfound fame and success would make you think. His father Manny (director Rick Hunt), whose distant relationship with Eric is the inspiration for Eric's book, is dying of

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-4203137699027625662009-02-20T16:18:00.000-08:002009-03-02T09:28:47.832-08:00

FebruaryFeb. 26-28: Music Theatre of Idaho presents Seussical, the Musical, which brings together such favorite Dr. Seuss characters as the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, the Grinch and Yertle the Turtle. The show runs Feb. 20-21 and 26-28 at 7:30 and Feb. 21 at 1:30. Feb. 27: Stage Coach Theatre presents Brooklyn Boy, a witty drama about a writer whose novel has just hit the best-seller

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-87695385060976765732009-02-19T14:48:00.000-08:002009-02-19T15:28:24.854-08:00

I enjoyed Knock 'Em Dead's production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. But I was a little bit disappointed by how much of it seemed to borrow from the Kenneth Branagh version. I recognized the music immediately, and after that, even though I haven't seen the movie in a while, I was sure I recognized some of the blocking, particularly in the scenes with the watchmen. I even recognized the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-65327037201126190132009-02-06T10:54:00.000-08:002009-02-06T11:14:39.640-08:00

I haven't had the chance to see a lot of productions lately because my show, Any Body Home?, ran until last weekend. (Thanks to everyone who came to see it!) But my mom did get tickets to see the Boise Philharmonic and Boise Master Chorale perform a fairly recently composed score for the old silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc, and I thought I'd pass on her thoughts.Mom was blown away by the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-72353374969851476132009-01-18T21:40:00.000-08:002011-08-08T23:03:53.547-07:00

People ask me a lot of questions about what it's like to play a dead body, which I'm currently doing in Any Body Home? at Stage Coach Theatre. I thought I'd post answers to some of the most frequent questions here: Q: How do you not move?A: I just practiced not moving until I got really good at it. Q: How do you not laugh?A: Actually, the rest of the cast doesn't laugh either. It helps that

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-78485936986059756642009-01-14T19:14:00.000-08:002009-01-17T08:40:31.695-08:00

JanuaryJan. 15-16: Chicago's Second City performs at 7:00 at the Liberty Theatre on Main Street in Hailey. Jan. 16: Boise Little Theater presents Open House, a comedy about two elderly women living together in the same home until one day when the son of one of the women concocts a scheme to sell the home and keep the money for himself. The show runs Jan. 16-17, 22-24 and 29-31 at 8:00, Jan. 25 at

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-51090419189167681242009-01-09T11:14:00.000-08:002009-01-09T11:35:07.962-08:00

I'll try to get to a few shows in January, but if I don't see too many, there are two reasons:1) I'm starting school again soon. For computer science! Which has nothing whatsoever to do with creative writing (my first bachelor's degree) or journalism (the last eight years of my life)! Why? Well, I was pretty good in math and science in high school (I aced calculus), and I've often wondered what

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-54813290746766002882008-12-22T16:17:00.000-08:002011-08-08T23:09:21.631-07:00

I liked these pictures by Jany-Rae Seda so much I sketched three of them. There's a preciseness to the lines because of how sharp the pencils are, but that's contrasted with how quick, gestural and imprecise the actual forms are, and how softly and subtly they're colored. Seda told me she draws them all in 15 minutes or less, then does a water wash over the pictures, then adds color the wash.

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-92039276684266563832008-12-13T15:33:00.000-08:002008-12-13T17:36:34.118-08:00

Idaho Arts Collective is one of several brand new theaters to start up in the last couple years, including Daisy's Madhouse, Climbing Tree Productions and Alley Repertory Theater. It'll be interesting to see which of these groups have staying power. Hopefully, with venues like the Visual Arts Collective and Neurolux, they can afford to produce plays without having to pay to maintain their own

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-35121165106330459692008-12-12T14:47:00.000-08:002008-12-12T15:14:51.590-08:00

I read the script for Moving when it was first being considered by Stage Coach Theatre's script committee, and I still think it's a wonderfully clever, poignant and heartwarming story.Sadly, the execution of the play is a little uneven. But props should be given to some fine performances. Ted Pendleton (I'm going to go with Pendleton -- the program has different last names for him on two

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-78155994681794761062008-12-12T10:36:00.000-08:002008-12-12T12:08:10.389-08:00

DecemberDec. 12: Encore Theatre Company presents A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas, a drama inspired by the Little House on the Prairie books at 7:00 at the Caldwell Center for the Arts at 603 Everett St., Caldwell. Dec. 12: Works by artists Anna Marie Boles, Jan Boles, Garth Claassen, Stephen Fisher, Steve Grant, Dori Johnson and Lynn Webster are on display for the final day at Rosenthal Gallery

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-18471267523792355552008-12-10T21:41:00.000-08:002008-12-10T22:21:30.726-08:00

I went to the Woman of Steel Gallery again last week for one of my freelance assignments. I recognized a lot of the sculptures there from previous visits, but there were a few ones that were new to me, like this tree sculpture by Irene Deely I sketched. All of the leaves were quadrangular and looked kind of like chain links. I think from now on I'll probably keep my comments on visual art fairly

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-25689362807220342272008-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:002008-12-04T08:00:01.230-08:00

DecemberDec. 4: Idaho Actors Collective opens The Last Supper, a play about a group of idealistic but frustrated liberals who decide to murder right-wing pundits. The show runs Dec. 4-6 and 11-13 at 8:00 at 2722 W. Sunset Ave., Boise. Dec. 5: Knock 'Em Dead Dinner Theatre presents An Old-Fashioned Christmas, a combination of skits, readings and holiday songs. Show dates are Dec. 5-6, 11-13 and 18

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-68653349041341187562008-12-03T15:04:00.000-08:002008-12-03T16:45:21.607-08:00

Lauren Weedman is very, very funny.Chances are, you may have known that already. She performed her show Bust in Boise last year (I didn't get to see it), and she was a correspondent on The Daily Show in 2001 (I didn't have cable). For me, she was wonderfully new and fresh.Her new show, No ... You Shutup, is incredibly funny. It starts off with extremely awkward banter as Lauren talks to a couple

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-79304189698920979052008-11-29T12:58:00.000-08:002008-11-29T15:46:37.434-08:00

Christmas isn't the happiest time of year in Reckless, a dark comedy produced by Alley Repertory Theater at the Visual Arts Center (the last performance is tonight). Well, it is for Rachel, who can barely contain her excitement over her favorite holiday. Buffie Main plays Rachel with bubbly verve as a woman who, despite everything that happens to her over the course of the play, never becomes

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-39794137235397236352008-11-20T23:00:00.000-08:002008-11-20T23:13:11.194-08:00

NovemberNov. 21-22: The Boise State Theatre Arts Department opens A Dream Play by August Stringberg, about the daughter of the god Indra who comes to Earth and experiences human suffering. The show runs at 7:30 at the Danny Peterson Theater in the Morrison Center. Nov. 21-22: CAN-ACT presents We Found Love and an Exquisite Set of Porcelain Figures Aboard the SS Farndale Avenue, a comedy about an

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-64126580023409753852008-11-20T21:04:00.000-08:002008-11-20T22:59:41.730-08:00

I'm about half a month late in posting anything on Opera Idaho's production of Lucia di Lammermoor -- I guess since it was a one-night performance and I knew no one would have the opportunity to read a review and then go see the show, I wasn't motivated to write a review right away. But I wanted to review Lucia so hopefully any of my readers who ordinarily might shy away from opera might actually

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-39986856387938552122008-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:002008-11-20T21:16:32.788-08:00

NovemberNovember: The Boise Art Museum opens a new exhibit, a site-specific architectural structure called After, by Lead Pencil Studio architects and artists Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo. Nov. 9: Final day of Boise Art Museum's exhibits by photographer and sculptor Catherine Chalmers, American Cockroach, and by photographer Charles Lindsay, Upstream Fly Fishing in the American West. Nov. 12:

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-35188469900089510312008-10-30T15:04:00.000-07:002008-10-30T16:52:22.848-07:00

One of the most well-known and intriguing factors of The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the fact that the audience gets to choose the identity of the killer. But it's not the only thing you should know if you're contemplating going. It's also a melodrama, something I hadn't known to expect, and a musical, which I did know about beforehand. So expect musical numbers, corny jokes, meta humor and a lot

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-82612853997023446232008-10-24T20:33:00.000-07:002008-10-31T14:00:52.867-07:00

OctoberOct. 25: Boise Contemporary Theater presents God's Ear at the theater at 854 Fulton St. in Boise. A couple struggles to find themselves and each other in the wake of a family tragedy in this show that includes appearances from the Tooth Fairy, G.I. Joe and a transvestite flight attendant. Show times are 2:00 and 8:00. Oct. 25: Stage Coach Theatre presents Dark Rituals, a thriller about an

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-39200775677454867872008-10-24T15:58:00.000-07:002008-10-24T17:23:21.774-07:00

I got two broad impressions from seeing Dark Rituals at Stagecoach Theatre. One was that the show's many plot twists keep it pretty entertaining and are pulled off fairly well; the other is that there isn't a single sympathetic character in the play. I'm going to focus on the characters, since to talk about the plot twists would be to ruin them, but that's not to say that the show isn't worth

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-63960147055098708182008-10-23T16:11:00.000-07:002008-10-23T16:57:17.280-07:00

By now, regular readers will probably note by my overuse of words like "whimsical" and my tendency to be drawn to plays with names like "Psycho Beach Party" that I like offbeat productions. So I thought I was all set with God's Ear at Boise Contemporary Theater."Jenny Schwartz has launched her career with a breathtaking new play about loss, love and language," BCT's description reads. "At the

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-2417356920732731452008-10-11T18:29:00.000-07:002011-08-08T23:17:16.073-07:00

A couple weeks ago I decided to visit a few local artists in their studios for BOSCO, the Boise Open Studios Collective Organization. I went to the opening reception that Thursday in the Idaho State Historical Museum, where they had a sample of each artists' work so you could get an idea of what you might see if you went to their studio. I sketched a few of the pieces there and picked out a few

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-88841628474211493432008-10-10T16:39:00.001-07:002008-10-10T22:36:44.679-07:00

The artist behind the red cat balloon I've done my best to capture here goes by the name "Paste Eater." I kid you not. This fantastical piece was one of his two most prominent paintings at the Visual Arts Collective (I assume it's a he -- not that the act of paste-eating is gender-specific). The other, a huge square painting with two separate skinny panels at the sides continuing the picture,

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-72763998842892830942008-10-10T14:11:00.000-07:002008-10-10T19:27:10.847-07:00

OctoberOct. 10-11: CAN-ACT presents Something's Afoot, a musical murder-mystery spoof about 10 people stranded at an isolated English country estate and who are killed off one by one in mysterious and amusing ways, at its new location at 214 Seventh Ave., Caldwell. Show times are 8:00; tickets for the show include a wine, cheese and chocolate tasting. Oct. 10-12: Boise State Department of Theatre

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-14837679049680501632008-10-06T11:09:00.000-07:002008-10-06T12:04:36.369-07:00

I made some Boise Arts Wordles at wordle.net:

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-84242758142795402872008-10-03T14:22:00.000-07:002008-10-03T16:15:29.260-07:00

It's a pretty dark version of the Peanuts gang.Snoopy mauled Woodstock and had to be put down. Lucy was put in a mental institution for lighting the Little Red-Haired Girl's hair on fire. Linus smokes pot. Pigpen is a bully. Sally's a Wiccan, or at least she is this week. Peppermint Patty and Marcie pour booze into their milk cartons so they won't get caught drinking during school.And what about

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-72544933886259980372008-09-27T16:08:00.000-07:002008-09-27T16:32:52.828-07:00

I'm going to keep my comments about the Idaho Shakespeare Festival's production of Greater Tuna relatively brief, because I reviewed Stagecoach Theater's production of it earlier this summer and I don't really think it's fair to invite comparison. Idaho Shakespeare Festival has a much larger budget for costumes and sets, so the production values were certainly greater. Moreover, Joe Golden and

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-24653359484198685232008-09-26T15:16:00.000-07:002008-09-26T16:10:20.483-07:00

Last week I went to the Visual Arts Collective to see East Indian Follies' production of Final Solutions, about the aftermath of the Partition of India and Pakistan and the strife between Hindus and Muslims in India afterwards. I really wanted to like the play; I saw a production by East Indian Follies once before at a Community Theater Association of Idaho event that I really enjoyed. Sadly, I

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-67361766075268567242008-09-24T15:36:00.000-07:002008-09-24T15:49:30.233-07:00

September Sept. 24-27: The Idaho Shakespeare Festival presents Greater Tuna, a satirical comedy about small-town morals and mores starring two men in 20 roles, at 7:30 at the amphitheater on Warm Springs in Boise. Sept. 25-27: Music Theatre of Idaho presents I Remember Mama, a musical about a Norwegian family's survival in the New World, at 7:30 at the Nampa Civic Center. Sept. 25, 27 and 28:

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-43459686883493893472008-09-19T13:27:00.000-07:002008-09-19T15:17:00.378-07:00

Tonight and Saturday are the last two nights you'll get to see Plaza Suite at Boise Little Theater, so please, do yourself a favor and go.The script consists of three vignettes, all of which take place in the same suite at the Plaza Hotel. Each scene is its own carefully crafted story, and the cast members tell them superbly.Instead of saving the fireworks for the grand finale, Plaza Suite starts

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-60642231038771230612008-09-12T16:46:00.000-07:002008-09-24T15:36:17.372-07:00

SeptemberSept. 12-13: The Boise Philharmonic will perform music by Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Corigliano with guest violinist Rachel Barton Pine at 8:00 Sept. 12 at Northwest Nazarene University's Swayne Auditorium in Nampa and 8:15 Sept. 13 at Boise State University's Morrison Center. Now through Sept. 13: Stage Coach Theatre presents Kitchen Witches, a comedy about two cooking show hostesses who

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-64364132576091896492008-09-11T15:15:00.000-07:002008-09-11T15:17:05.202-07:00

The Woman of Steel Gallery is a little like the Lisk Gallery in that it's dedicated mainly to displaying the art of the gallery's owner, Irene Deely, so while the pieces themselves are dynamic, they don't always vary a lot from visit to visit. In fact, the sculpture I've sketched above -- of a steel mermaid with what look like old-fashioned car grilles for the chest and arms or wings, and hair

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-65153947107779130772008-09-05T15:01:00.000-07:002008-09-05T16:19:51.335-07:00

Sept. 5-7: Art in the Park will have 265 artist booths in Julia Davis Park from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.Sept. 5-7: Laughing Stock Theatre Co. is performing The Compleat Works of Wllm Shakspr (abridged) at 6:00 at the Sun Valley Festival field, beside Our Lady of the Snows Church on Sun Valley Road. Sept. 5: Boise Little Theater opens Neil Simon's Plaza Suite

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-41398350404571215332008-08-29T14:03:00.001-07:002008-08-29T14:26:03.895-07:00

This has nothing whatever to do with the arts in Boise, but I thought it was interesting:The Omnivore's Hundred1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.1. Venison2. Nettle

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-77945858232168279782008-08-28T16:06:00.000-07:002008-09-05T16:37:18.203-07:00

Tonight is preview night for Kitchen Witches, and I have to admit to being a little panicked. Our actors seem to be doing well -- there may be a few slightly rough patches in the dialogue, but overall, they're doing really well. In fact, when we told them they couldn't call for lines any more and I finally got to get my nose out of the book and look at what they were doing again, I found myself

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-68789775963949754222008-08-21T22:07:00.000-07:002009-05-05T10:59:35.465-07:00

I've been to Visual Arts Collective before, when it was on Grove Street (it's on Osage now, just off Chinden behind the Woman of Steel Gallery). I remember ... lots of sculptures with gas masks. So when I went to watch Boys' Life there a couple weeks ago and look at some of the exhibits at the same time, I knew to expect some unusual pieces.I was not, however, prepared for a detailed,

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-60602923464363729282008-08-15T19:57:00.000-07:002008-08-15T21:12:10.897-07:00

AugustNow through Aug. 21: Starlight Mountain Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, a love story about a cowboy and a farm girl, at Starlight Amphitheater in Garden Valley. Show dates are Aug. 18 and 21. Times are 8:00. Now through Aug. 22: Starlight Mountain Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at Starlight Amphitheater in Garden Valley. Show dates are Aug. 16,

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-63041229466467289802008-08-07T12:17:00.000-07:002008-08-07T13:07:07.081-07:00

Boys' Life is basically a show about boys behaving badly. There's not a lot to be said about the plot: one guy cheats on his girlfriend, then marries her; one guy is married, but plans an affair; one guy falls desperately in love with a woman who isn't interested in him. What carries it are the characters. They are well-drawn and well-acted. The best is easily Jack (the married man trying to have

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-32631360230140053852008-08-07T11:47:00.000-07:002008-08-07T12:15:10.701-07:00

Don't forget -- First Thursday is tonight, and the True West Cinema Festival starts tonight and goes on through Aug. 10 at the Flicks. Pick up a copy of the Boise Weekly for info on both events.Some of the interesting-sounding exhibits include:"Masked: Faces of the Soul," an exhibit of burned and carved gourd masks at Art Source Gallery on 1015 W. Main.Glass-blowing demonstrations at Boise Art

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-81839252422719685802008-08-01T19:24:00.000-07:002008-08-01T19:46:16.044-07:00

Aug. 2: Closing night of Company of Fools' production of Violet, a coming of age story about a girl growing up in the Deep South during the early Civil Rights Movement who goes on a journey of self-discovery, at 8:00 at Liberty Theatre on Main Street in Hailey. Aug. 3: Closing matinee of Company of Fools' production of Noises Off, a farce about a theater production gone haywire, with 17 false

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081406377368952724.post-89825387416777247752008-07-29T21:32:00.000-07:002008-08-01T13:05:28.559-07:00

We've been in rehearsals for Kitchen Witches for several weeks now, and I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. We had some very strong actors and actresses turn out for auditions, and we could have cast the show several different ways.We ended up choosing two seasoned actresses, Barbara Beautrow and Elizabeth Greeley, as Dolly and Isobel, our two rival, bickering, trash-talking cooking

Lora V.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16303559223926370932noreply@blogger.com0