White Rock Cafe
Where the hungry eat to chow down. We loved the breakfasts the Hyatt laid on. Buffet or off-the-menu, it was all good. Especially all that bacon I wasn't supposed to have but did. The Salmon Benedict was particularly good the first time I had it -- Salmon lightly toasted and just "perfect." The chef in training must have made it the next time, 'cuz he/she forgot to toast it. If this was an accident the first time - you guys should do that "accident" all the time. The decor was one of those things where you'd think NO two patterns - in the place would match. But somehow it all did. My friend Christine and I decided "Ah, this is why designers get 'the big bucks' because if we tried to pull that together it would be more like: "Welcome to my nightmare." Or daymare, as the case may be. At any rate, I enjoyed the "white rock" pillars and brickwork this place had. All I could think of as a California girl was "I hope I'm not in this thing if one hits." We don't see much interior (or exterior) brickwork where I am from. For darn good reasons. This clip is 24 seconds.
Showing posts with label Wichita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wichita. Show all posts
Saturday, August 4, 2007
How do we Rate?
Fireworks galore After the last show Sunday night, we were both sad to be leaving Wichita after what was such a short visit. You anticipate these theatre breaks for months, and then it seems like it was all over in minutes. There was one final kicker though. We decided to order room service, and as we were waiting for it, a fireworks display started up about 10:30 that night. (Lucky show time had been at 7 rather than 8 that night, otherwise, we'd have missed it.) My little Vivitar that takes film clips has come through for me like a champ, best $100 bucks I ever spent. I got almost the whole thing, but the whole show was a little longer than 10 minutes. For purposes here I uploaded the final two minutes. My voice is the louder one. Wichita was no end of fun.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Damn Yankees - son of Redux
I would be remiss if I did not remark on the wonderful costumes George Mitchell designed for Music Theatre of Wichita's production of Damn Yankees. For anyone not in the know, theatre costumes are "built." If you've ever been in a costume shop, you'd know why. Believe me the buttons and zippers et al are constructed in such a way that you know "they ain't comin' off easily." Costumes, particularly for the principals, are made to measure for that specific actor. [Oftentimes, depending on budget, costumes are hand tailored for the rest of the cast too.] Many hours can go in to building a single costume.
Also a delight to the eye was the choreography by John MacInnis. It's very hard to have a large cast with short rehearsal time learn sometimes complicated choreography in 10 days "ready for stage." But it's amazing how quickly this can come together. Dance numbers often times are not completely jelled by the first performance, but you can see it getting better with each performance. It's almost criminal the runs are so short.
Here are some links to give you the idea. [I've done links to be safe on copywrited material - and I know linking to the MTW website will be "safe."]
Shoeless Joe From Hannibal Mo number
That's Karen Robu, who played Gloria. Her real life husband played Van Buren, the manager. The guys are in the uniforms of the Washington Senators. [A notoriously bad team in the 50s, when this musical is set.]
These next two comic characters have great costumes throughout - NO part is a "small part" and these two played it to the hilt. I particularly love the watermelon pattern of the dress on the left. So help me, I want cushions made out of that material. Fans: Doris (Patty Reeder) and Sister (Betty O.)
There's nothing like a good go to hell plaid with orange/red shirt. And yes, the devil is rather handy with fire.
It is not easy designing costumes for Lola. The character should be playful, and sexy in a way that is non-threatening - she has a lot of silly things to do and say -- but yet she can not be percieved as foolish. Bad costumes (as I have seen in the past for this character) can make the performer seem silly and ineffective -- or if not that, the performer has to work uphill to overcome it. George Mitchell outdid himself designing Lola's costumes. JoAnn M Hunter played Lola, and a finer performance of the part I could not imagine. She was just perfect in every conceivable way. Notice the detail of the feathers on the hat reminiscent of devil's horns. The hot pink to remind you of where she comes from, and also the fripperies of the gathering and flounces that fall from the tight waisted jacket. Lola is Applegate's "associate" - she's sold her soul because she was tired of being "the ugliest woman in Providence, Rhode Island." JoAnn is a choreographer herself, and was the assistant choreographer for CURTAINS.
This next link has Joe Hardy (Chris Peluso), Sister (Betty O.), Meg Boyd (Alma Cuervo), and Doris (Patty Reeder.) Joe is homesick for his wife, and pretends to be a fellow in need of a room to rent. I like this grouping, because it illustrates the attention to period detail - as modified for stage.
Joe has on a shirt with a plaid front facing with zipper down the the top, and chinos - a look that was not uncommon for young men in the 1950s. Sister has on a white shirt and purple skirt. Now the shapes and patterns and colors are what they would have been in the 50s -- but Sister's skirt is made out of a heavy purple quilting -- something she wouldn't have worn on the "street" in "real life." But the material works particularly well on stage giving the full skirt body and pizazz. Great read. Meg's reddish pink is a great example of what a working class to middle class woman would have worn in the 50s. The big buttons and pockets are all in the right places, and the pockets and flaps spot on. Her hair is set "just so." My friend, Christine, remarked after the show how like her own mother Meg reminder her. And I must say, upon reflection, she certainly reminds me of photos of my mother and my aunts taken during the 50s. Doris's floral print was very popular, as were the white yokes Doris and Sister have on.
Sister and Doris are gushing over Joe, whom they have recognized as the "greatest ballplayer ever."
In this photo, we can see Meg's dress a little better, as well as Joe's shirt. And of course Applegate (James Brennan) has many guises, and as it happens, accents.
Now, we come to Lola's seduction scene. The trickiest costume of all. This is essentially a comic strip number. Lola must look playful and vampish, but never make you dislike her. You are to feel Joe's discomfort (he is faithful to his wife, after all, and misses her.) But you as an audience number must NOT feel the least bit uncomfortable. A tough task for a costume designer. And as the costume designer you have to support the show and resist the temptation to go "too far." People have brought their children, mind! The costume has a jacket (missing at this point) - the full dress look, the dress part below the waist gone, the gloves get stripped off one by one and finally the drawers are gone too - leaving her in stockings and "bathing suit." But quite a fancy one. I love the tassles on the undergarments. Great detail. Those extra few bucks spend in the notions department were much appreciated to people who notice things like that.
Also, notice in this last photo, that she does have flesh colored shoulder straps. The audience doesn't pick them up from afar -- but here's where "designing something for the stage" comes in. Those elastic bands are going to keep all of Lola's assets in a "safe place." In other words, no "costume malfunction" a la Janet Jackson. -- And relax, PG Audience, Joe resists. Much to Applegate's disgust - who apes Lola's performance after Joe leaves. Nice touch on the red socks!
The mambo number to end the first act was quite fun. We couldn't decide which male dancer was the better of the two -- well, we eventually gave it to one of the guys on the basis of more precise Fosselike handflicks -- but just by a hair. It was like trying to decide which of the Tarleton twins you thought was more handsome.
The "hell scene" costumes in the middle of act 2 were quite fun. I love Lola's Purple/black ensemble, as well as Applegate's velvet dressing gown with the gold "A" -- which he was able to later effectively whip off cape like for his big "Good Old Days" solo. Notice Lola was always in a complementary palette of red/pink/purple -- for instance, she's not going to suddenly show up in chartreuse, or brown.
One can never have too many "go to hell" jackets, either. Some people find it shocking.
More 1950s costumes from the commissioner's hearing scene. I love the detail of the pointed white cuffs on the ladies short sleeve dresses.
The "Two Lost Souls" number was a joy to watch. It's a classic "beatnik" style -- very much in the period. This is an example where the costumer helps the audience and gives them a laugh. At the start of the number, everyone is paired up boy/girl in complementary costumes/colors -- however, there are two nerd kids who are not paired up -- all lost in the mix of the "kewl couples." You just know by THEIR costumes, they are going to end up together. And of course, they are brought together center stage. Love their striped shirts, plaid pants and yellow sneakers. Perfect. Nerds wouldn't even wear something this nerdy in real life (at least not all of these pieces at once) -- but it works great on stage. Nerds are at the far left of this photo.
Here's Lola's hot red number -- Applegate is disgusted by her admission that she's in love with Joe. Applegate gets even (temporarily) by turning her back into the "ugliest woman in Providence, Rhode Island." Yes, that's
"Lola" -- now with a hunchback, fright wig, big nose, and washed out pink. See what happens when you prevent Applegate from affecting the outcome of the game by giving him 4 sleeping pills? I also like the pedal pushers on the girl to our right of Applegate. Very 50s. It doesn't happen by accident!
All's well in the end though, Joe (Charles Parker) goes back to his Meg, despite a final appeal by Applegate and Lola.
I suppose there's always a "next victim" to be contemplated. So many people wouldn't go to the devil if he wasn't so darned attractive to begin with!
Also a delight to the eye was the choreography by John MacInnis. It's very hard to have a large cast with short rehearsal time learn sometimes complicated choreography in 10 days "ready for stage." But it's amazing how quickly this can come together. Dance numbers often times are not completely jelled by the first performance, but you can see it getting better with each performance. It's almost criminal the runs are so short.
Here are some links to give you the idea. [I've done links to be safe on copywrited material - and I know linking to the MTW website will be "safe."]
Shoeless Joe From Hannibal Mo number
That's Karen Robu, who played Gloria. Her real life husband played Van Buren, the manager. The guys are in the uniforms of the Washington Senators. [A notoriously bad team in the 50s, when this musical is set.]
These next two comic characters have great costumes throughout - NO part is a "small part" and these two played it to the hilt. I particularly love the watermelon pattern of the dress on the left. So help me, I want cushions made out of that material. Fans: Doris (Patty Reeder) and Sister (Betty O.)
There's nothing like a good go to hell plaid with orange/red shirt. And yes, the devil is rather handy with fire.
It is not easy designing costumes for Lola. The character should be playful, and sexy in a way that is non-threatening - she has a lot of silly things to do and say -- but yet she can not be percieved as foolish. Bad costumes (as I have seen in the past for this character) can make the performer seem silly and ineffective -- or if not that, the performer has to work uphill to overcome it. George Mitchell outdid himself designing Lola's costumes. JoAnn M Hunter played Lola, and a finer performance of the part I could not imagine. She was just perfect in every conceivable way. Notice the detail of the feathers on the hat reminiscent of devil's horns. The hot pink to remind you of where she comes from, and also the fripperies of the gathering and flounces that fall from the tight waisted jacket. Lola is Applegate's "associate" - she's sold her soul because she was tired of being "the ugliest woman in Providence, Rhode Island." JoAnn is a choreographer herself, and was the assistant choreographer for CURTAINS.
This next link has Joe Hardy (Chris Peluso), Sister (Betty O.), Meg Boyd (Alma Cuervo), and Doris (Patty Reeder.) Joe is homesick for his wife, and pretends to be a fellow in need of a room to rent. I like this grouping, because it illustrates the attention to period detail - as modified for stage.
Joe has on a shirt with a plaid front facing with zipper down the the top, and chinos - a look that was not uncommon for young men in the 1950s. Sister has on a white shirt and purple skirt. Now the shapes and patterns and colors are what they would have been in the 50s -- but Sister's skirt is made out of a heavy purple quilting -- something she wouldn't have worn on the "street" in "real life." But the material works particularly well on stage giving the full skirt body and pizazz. Great read. Meg's reddish pink is a great example of what a working class to middle class woman would have worn in the 50s. The big buttons and pockets are all in the right places, and the pockets and flaps spot on. Her hair is set "just so." My friend, Christine, remarked after the show how like her own mother Meg reminder her. And I must say, upon reflection, she certainly reminds me of photos of my mother and my aunts taken during the 50s. Doris's floral print was very popular, as were the white yokes Doris and Sister have on.
Sister and Doris are gushing over Joe, whom they have recognized as the "greatest ballplayer ever."
In this photo, we can see Meg's dress a little better, as well as Joe's shirt. And of course Applegate (James Brennan) has many guises, and as it happens, accents.
Now, we come to Lola's seduction scene. The trickiest costume of all. This is essentially a comic strip number. Lola must look playful and vampish, but never make you dislike her. You are to feel Joe's discomfort (he is faithful to his wife, after all, and misses her.) But you as an audience number must NOT feel the least bit uncomfortable. A tough task for a costume designer. And as the costume designer you have to support the show and resist the temptation to go "too far." People have brought their children, mind! The costume has a jacket (missing at this point) - the full dress look, the dress part below the waist gone, the gloves get stripped off one by one and finally the drawers are gone too - leaving her in stockings and "bathing suit." But quite a fancy one. I love the tassles on the undergarments. Great detail. Those extra few bucks spend in the notions department were much appreciated to people who notice things like that.
Also, notice in this last photo, that she does have flesh colored shoulder straps. The audience doesn't pick them up from afar -- but here's where "designing something for the stage" comes in. Those elastic bands are going to keep all of Lola's assets in a "safe place." In other words, no "costume malfunction" a la Janet Jackson. -- And relax, PG Audience, Joe resists. Much to Applegate's disgust - who apes Lola's performance after Joe leaves. Nice touch on the red socks!
The mambo number to end the first act was quite fun. We couldn't decide which male dancer was the better of the two -- well, we eventually gave it to one of the guys on the basis of more precise Fosselike handflicks -- but just by a hair. It was like trying to decide which of the Tarleton twins you thought was more handsome.
The "hell scene" costumes in the middle of act 2 were quite fun. I love Lola's Purple/black ensemble, as well as Applegate's velvet dressing gown with the gold "A" -- which he was able to later effectively whip off cape like for his big "Good Old Days" solo. Notice Lola was always in a complementary palette of red/pink/purple -- for instance, she's not going to suddenly show up in chartreuse, or brown.
One can never have too many "go to hell" jackets, either. Some people find it shocking.
More 1950s costumes from the commissioner's hearing scene. I love the detail of the pointed white cuffs on the ladies short sleeve dresses.
The "Two Lost Souls" number was a joy to watch. It's a classic "beatnik" style -- very much in the period. This is an example where the costumer helps the audience and gives them a laugh. At the start of the number, everyone is paired up boy/girl in complementary costumes/colors -- however, there are two nerd kids who are not paired up -- all lost in the mix of the "kewl couples." You just know by THEIR costumes, they are going to end up together. And of course, they are brought together center stage. Love their striped shirts, plaid pants and yellow sneakers. Perfect. Nerds wouldn't even wear something this nerdy in real life (at least not all of these pieces at once) -- but it works great on stage. Nerds are at the far left of this photo.
Here's Lola's hot red number -- Applegate is disgusted by her admission that she's in love with Joe. Applegate gets even (temporarily) by turning her back into the "ugliest woman in Providence, Rhode Island." Yes, that's
"Lola" -- now with a hunchback, fright wig, big nose, and washed out pink. See what happens when you prevent Applegate from affecting the outcome of the game by giving him 4 sleeping pills? I also like the pedal pushers on the girl to our right of Applegate. Very 50s. It doesn't happen by accident!
All's well in the end though, Joe (Charles Parker) goes back to his Meg, despite a final appeal by Applegate and Lola.
I suppose there's always a "next victim" to be contemplated. So many people wouldn't go to the devil if he wasn't so darned attractive to begin with!
Damn Yankees - redux
Sometimes there are exchanges in a musical which just tickle you
Here is a favorite of mine from Damn Yankees: A handshake agreement has been made between Applegate (aka Beelzebub) and Joe that Joe will be able to become the world's best baseball player, so that the Yankees may be beaten in the American Leagure race by the Washington Senators. (Washington: [was always] First in War, First in the Hearts of His Ccountrymen, and Last in the American League.] Joe wants a "Get out clause" and he has the devil's word that he doesn't have to sell his soul if he backs out by Midnight of Sept. 24th.
See here for handshake
Applegate: It's a deal.
Joe: That's all?
Applegate: Sure. What did you expect? Sign your name in blood or some phoney stunt like that?
[Unbeknownst to Joe, the season doesn't end until Sept. 25th that year!]
Here is a favorite of mine from Damn Yankees: A handshake agreement has been made between Applegate (aka Beelzebub) and Joe that Joe will be able to become the world's best baseball player, so that the Yankees may be beaten in the American Leagure race by the Washington Senators. (Washington: [was always] First in War, First in the Hearts of His Ccountrymen, and Last in the American League.] Joe wants a "Get out clause" and he has the devil's word that he doesn't have to sell his soul if he backs out by Midnight of Sept. 24th.
See here for handshake
Applegate: It's a deal.
Joe: That's all?
Applegate: Sure. What did you expect? Sign your name in blood or some phoney stunt like that?
[Unbeknownst to Joe, the season doesn't end until Sept. 25th that year!]
Six Degrees
Please pray for PFC Patrick J. Martin USMC, and all these guys, for a safe return home from the War. I'm a cradle Catholic. But sometimes it even slips my mind that "Catholic" means universal. Most of us have heard about "Six Degrees of Separation." i.e. Any two given people on the planet are more than likely not to be connected through knowing at most six people in a chain. I.E. We both know the same person - that's "one degree" of separation. I know Sparky Jones, so do you. Sparky is the "one degree." Or I know Sparky, who knows Suzie, who knows you. Two degrees between me and you. The trick is to figure out WHICH people separate you. I've always figured that any two Catholics pretty much qualify for this or anyone who knows a Catholic. You probably know your priest, your priest knows your bishop (who has to do an ad limina every so often, so he's met the pope) and down the chain back to you. Pope JPII through his many years of office was the lynchpin for this. And of course, add all the people you know to this chain. Some links can be cut. I may know the bishop who may know your bishop who may know you directly. TWO degrees of separation. Cool.Okay, got that?
St. Mary's Cathe-dral. Now here's where it all comes to-
gether. I was visiting the Cathedral in Wichita for Sunday Mass. Afterwards I stopped in front of the tabernacle for a bit to pray. Right next to it, was a nice poster of all the servicemen from that parish (or friends/family members of people in that parish.) I saw a couple go up to the poster and hold hands for a few minutes, and when they came back I asked "a relative?" They said "Yes, our son." I inquired as to his name so I could pray for him as "I'm from San Diego, and our parish has a lot of active serving members." They said "That's our hometown too. We just moved here last year." I said "What was your parish?" And they said "Santa Sophia." I said "Ah, then you must have known Father Prendergast, who was there a long time, before he was pastor at the San Diego Mission." Indeed they did know him. I knew him from back in the 1970s, when he was at my parish in Old Town. He has come back to the parish to live "in residence" following his recent retirement. Small world. Of course I will pray for PFC Martin, who is currently stationed in Fallujah, Iraq, and the others. Sometimes it's nice seeing the meaning of the word in literal action.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
On the Atcheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe
Osha
schomsa
Believe it or not, before the personal injury lawyers stalked the earth, we were a hearty race. Back in the day, it was assumed you had a head on your shoulders and could think. i.e. "if I want to work in a dangerous job - I should be careful." Now somewhere in the middle there should be a trade off of "I should have common sense not to stick my hand in a hot fire." and "How can we cut every corner to maximize the bottom line and the hell with whether or not an employee loses an arm in the process."
I don't know if we'll ever find it.
(Video is 22 seconds long -- Taken at the Wichita Museum of Transportation.)
schomsa
Believe it or not, before the personal injury lawyers stalked the earth, we were a hearty race. Back in the day, it was assumed you had a head on your shoulders and could think. i.e. "if I want to work in a dangerous job - I should be careful." Now somewhere in the middle there should be a trade off of "I should have common sense not to stick my hand in a hot fire." and "How can we cut every corner to maximize the bottom line and the hell with whether or not an employee loses an arm in the process."
I don't know if we'll ever find it.
(Video is 22 seconds long -- Taken at the Wichita Museum of Transportation.)
Only We Would Have Gotten Busted
Waterfall Cascade This waterfall(*) is just south of the Hyatt where we stayed. It is very near the river, and also across from Wichita's minor league ballpark. We were sorely tempted to take our shoes off and wade in the shallow water. But we assumed the "death to you if you go in here ... private property ... keep the hell out" plaques really meant business. Not so much that they were concerned with you slipping and getting your ass wet. More like "If you slip, hurt your ass and try to sue us, we warned you to stay out." Later that evening, as we were getting ready for the show, from high atop the tenth floor we saw local youths taking the ease which we had foregone. They weren't even good hippies, as they were all fully clothed, sans footgear. Wassamatter with kids today?
(* This clip is very short, so even if you are burdened with dial-up, it's less than 15 seconds.)
(* This clip is very short, so even if you are burdened with dial-up, it's less than 15 seconds.)
Only on Vacation...
would you see a sign like this. We'd been out doing laundry (bring extra shirts if you go to Wichita in summertime, it's H*U*M*I*D, with a capital "W".) This shop was in a strip mall. Now, I don't know about you, but where I live we don't normally see a place where you can buy caskets nearby a place where you do grocery shopping, get flipflops at a drugstore, or chow down on fast food, etc. It wasn't so much the "caskets" that intrigued us - but speculating on whatever the "& more" might be! Now some places have interesting vertical markets. Maybe "Bungee Cords and Caskets." OR "Caskets and Wedding Gowns." Was the "& More" to indicate that they could do urns, rent-a-minister and the like? I dunno. It was just more fun to speculate, than to actually find out. My vote is for "Caskets & Hawaiian Shaved Ice." People can associate being "iced" in any number of ways. Thank you Wichita, for this unique experience.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Is there ever a time when all your clothes are clean?
We haven't come far from beating on rocks. Especially before going on vacation? I fly out of hell-A two days from now, and naturally not a stitch of clothing is clean. It must be a law of nature or something. I've finally learned that washer/dryer at home or not...the best thing to do is bag it all and take it to the laundromat, and use 5 machines at once. You almost...almost...resent not being able to stand around in public and throw the last bit of clothing you have on your person in the washer right then and there. I suppose you could always hide behind a big newspaper...just for the sole satisfaction of washing everything. Some jobs never end.Well, I'm off in a bit to do all that and need to make sure all my bills are paid before I take off...and see if I can find a cheap hotel stay on hotels.com for a room close to the airport, that doesn't cost me what a night's stay at the Taj Mahal would be.
Tomorrow I want to decide if I can get by with one small carry on bag plus laptop. Can I get by without checking the bag? OR are they going to TOTALLY trip when I bring extra batteries and a battery charger AND heavens, mercy Maude, contact lens solution in a quantity larger than 3.5 ounces?
I look at those 1930s ads of the airhostesses showing passengers their sleeping bunks on the plane, but somehow, I don't think we're ever going to get back to that. I'd be just grateful if they wouldn't make us take our damn shoes off.. "Do I LOOK like Richard R.?" is something one can think, but no longer say. Thanks, dude, thanks to you, I hate everyone that even LOOKS like you! I wish the passengers had beaten the pulp out of you. Okay, in addition to that patronus I mentioned on that last blog, I also want to be able to apparate and disapparate - with as many damn batteries and electronic gear and cosmetic do dads that I please.
(originally posted July 24, 2007 at My Telegraph)
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