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what’s
Photo by Julieta Cervantes
Photo by Shelby Hibbs
n i p e e bl inside: 10
ONE TO WATCH: JONAS MARTIN
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THE DEBUT OF DAUZAT ST. MARIE
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5 QUESTIONS WITH HANNAH NEW
Known mostly for being a part of indie rock band Goodnight Ned, Jonas Martin has released his debut solo album, “Chokecherry Jam” and enlisted some of Dallas’ best to make it happen.
L.A.-based artists Mat Dauzat and Heather St. Marie, better known as Dauzat St. Marie, talk about their EP “Falling Again,” being a part of the “SAW” movie franchise and breaking through in the L.A. music scene.
To say British-born actress Hannah New had a huge 2014 would be an understatement. We have 5 questions for the “Black Sails” and “Maleficent” star about being a part of a world of pirates & how that has stretched her as an actress.
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DOUGLAS DUNN & DANCERS
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A CONVERSATION WITH MUSIC ICON GLORIA GAYNOR
Dunn talked with BLEEP as he prepared Aidos, a new work that features dancing by Dunn himself and his dancers that debuts at BAM this month.
In 1978, the B-Side track from the single “Substitute” became one of the biggest songs in the history of music. “I Will Survive” became an instant anthem that has endured for more than three decades thanks to Gloria Gaynor belting out those famous words. We ask about her book “We Will Survive: True Stories Of Encouragement, Inspiration, And The Power Of Song” and her enduring legacy.
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TM
BLEEP OUR. TEAM. RYAN BRINSON Editor-in-Chief
SARAH ROTKER Business & Audience Development Manager
Photo by Roberto Araujo
PABLO SALINAS Social Media Associate COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: Troy Word FEATURE EDITORS: Nathan Robins
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The star of Off-Broadway’s hit 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Alec Varcas is as dedicated in the gym as he is on the stage. We talk about falling in love with theatre, the nearing “50 Shades” film release and his fitness and training blog.
THE LEGACY OF MOTOWN The cast of the First National tour of Motown The Musical talks about carrying on the legacy of the music legends they embody 8-times-a-week all across the country.
Photo by Brent Dundore
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50 SHADES AND ALEC
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CONTRIBUTORS: Caleb Bollenbacher Rachael Mariboho Hatley Moore Laura Seitter Alex Wright FEATURE CONTRIBUTORS: Florian Hubertus WEB CONTENT: Sheena Wagaman All articles and photos are the property of the writers and artists. All rights reserved.
From the Editor This issue kicks off our fifth year of BLEEP. The whole point of BLEEP was to tell the stories of artists who are doing something substantive. Over the past five years, that has included some names you knew and some names you didn’t yet, but the focus has remained the same: tell good stories from good artists. While the focus of the magazine is the same, the theme of my personal 2015 is ‘change.’ As a 31 year old man approaching five years in New York, I understand the rhythm and the flow of this city, and how to both survive and thrive in it. It’d be very simple to rest in that rhythm, especially since it took so long to find, but I’m just not comfortable coasting. Coasting, to me, equals being stagnant, and there’s nothing worse than that. Coasting is something Gloria Gaynor could have done. She had one of the biggest hits of the disco era - one of the biggest hits in music history really - and she could have rested in that. Rather, she’s used the success of her song to, as she said, “push her into her purpose.” With the release of “We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song,” she is taking her legacy into her own hands and using it to encourage others. It’s going to be a big year at BLEEP and I’ve determined it will be a big year for me personally. With a refocused vision and an insatiable appetite to kick the shit out of anything in my way, I know it’s doable. That’s the attitude we’ve had for the past four years here and now, on the fifth anniversary of the launch of BLEEP, we are more driven than ever. What began as a group of friends just testing the waters on this whole “digital magazine thing” has blossomed into the coolest adventure I never knew I’d be on.
Ryan Brinson Editor-in-Chief BLEEP 5
BLEEPblips KIT premieres explosive anthem “No Mercy” Electro-rock project, KIT, is the brainchild of Kit Walters, a New York City-based artist, songwriter, and producer that some may know from his time as front man for progressive metal band Scapegoat or as the featured vocalist for the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance video game. KIT are kicking off 2015 in a huge way, with a new song and a new sound in their single, “No Mercy.” The aggressive blues-rock track, a departure from KIT’s more electro-infused “Through The Fire” EP (which came out in September 2014), is coursing with testosterone and a Sons Of Anarchy-esque swagger. It’s a perfect pairing with Kit Walter’s deep, gravely and powerful voice.
www.KitWaltersMusic.com
On The Town’s Samantha Sturm wins first annual Ensemblist of the Year Award Samantha Sturm (pictured at the left between The Ensemblist’s Nikka Graff Lanzarone & Mo Brady) won the first annual fan vote to become Ensemblist of the Year. Twitter fans rallied behind the Broadway starlet and made sure she took home the inaugural prize. The Ensemblist is an audio podcast featuring interviews with Broadway ensemble members: swings, replacements - the kind of artists that make Broadway tick. Make sure you subscribe and we look forward to seeing who takes the crown for 2015.
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Sia, Maddie and Shia create something artful in ‘Elastic Heart’ Much has been said about Sia’s music video for “Elastic Heart” which reunites her with dance phenom Maddie Ziegler, most of which has been about Maddie’s costar, Shia LeBeouf. Shia was made for this music video. The past few years of erratic behavior and the public perception of him as a live wire have provided an undeniable foundation for him to truly be free and interpret the song with reckless abandon. This isn’t the performance of an erratic and scattered performer. It’s a performance of a fearless storyteller who gave as much to this video as any of the Oscar contenders gave to their respective films this year. As much as the gimmick of Sia not showing her face in videos and in live performances is wearing incredibly thin, this is hopefully the second in a long series of videos in which Sia allows other performers to elevate the level of artistry, not only in her videos, but in music videos in general. “Chandelier” was far and away the best music video of 2014 and with “Elastic Heart,” she has set the bar so high for 2015, it will be a challenge for anyone to top it.
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REEL LIFE
by Alex Wright
The ‘Business’ of the Business Oh, 2015. Most twenty-somethings I know had a collective freak out at the end of the year. How am I still living paycheck to paycheck? Shouldn’t I fully understand insurance and how it works by now? Why don’t I know how to fold a fitted sheet? Shouldn’t these things have been transferred to me through osmosis? WHAT IS OSMOSIS? I DON”T REMEMBER! In honor of this time of the year where everyone freaks out about where they are in life and in their careers, I thought it was time to discuss the business side of show business. What a lot of people forget is that acting is a business. Talent does not equal business sense, and you need both of these factors if you want to make a living at your art. You are the CEO of your company, your product. If you’re lucky, you have a team of people who work for you and your company, but still, you are the CEO. You make the decisions. You make things happen. You also have to invest in your company, and trust me, it can be a hefty
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investment: acting classes, headshots sessions, headshot retouching, headshot printing, reels, casting websites, gym memberships, workshops. Acting can very easily fling you into debt, so it’s crucial as an actor to understand how to make and save money in this business; not only will it help you keep your apartment, it will help you keep your sanity. As soon as you realize what in this business is in your control, and similarly, what is not in your control, then you can save yourself a lot of headaches and heartaches. In order to make money, you need to book a job. Booking a job is about your ability to make money, and sometimes, that goes hand-in-hand with your amount of talent, but often times, talent plays a very small role. The question the casting department and the producers are asking is: Can this person sell tickets? Can this person get people to tune in and watch our show? Can this person make us money? Most of the time, this comes down to a person’s appearance. I might
be going out on a limb here, but I would say that Megan Fox works because she is gorgeous, not because her talent is worth the millions of dollars she is paid per movie. I’m not saying that talent can’t be what draws in the big bucks, but in the beginning, before you have had a chance to prove your talent and your worth, it all comes down to your type and how you look. Let’s break down the casting process a bit more: a casting director sends out a breakdown—a casting notice—for a role. The casting director will receive about two thousand submissions per part, depending on the role. For example, a role for someone who is my “type”—mid twenties, leading lady, brunette, Caucasian—will generate thousands of submissions because my “type” is the most saturated type in Los Angeles. So, after receiving thousands of submissions, the casting director will choose approximately twenty to thirty to audition. How do they cut the submissions from several thousand to a handful? This comes down to connections, credits, and whether or not you look the part. Keep in mind that the casting director’s job depends on the people they cast. Should they pass someone along to the producers who shows up late, or isn’t memorized, or behaves poorly on set, then that casting director could possibly lose favor with the rest of the production team. That is why connections and credits are so important. If a casting director sees on your resume that you have a lot of credits, then they can assume that you can handle yourself well on a set, and won’t, for example, harass the main talent at craft services or freeze in front of the camera. Similarly, if they bring you in to audition several times for different roles, and if you are prepared and memorized each time, then they can pass you on to the producers assuming that you will show up just as memorized and prepared to set. So now you might be wondering, how do I get credits if casting directors are looking for credits in order to cast me? Herein lies the truth of show business: the whole thing is a catch 22. In order to get an agent, you need credits. In order to get credits, you need an agent. In order to get an audition—or get in the room—you need to have relationships with casting directors, relationships
that are typically built by being in the audition room and proving yourself over and over again. In order to book a job, you need credits. In order to get credits, you need to book a job. Dizzying, isn’t it? As one of my teachers said: this business is impossible to break into, and there are a million ways to do it. The theater union, Equity, requires theaters to do open calls, and while the casting directors might already have people in mind to fill the roles, open calls are still an excellent way to build those important relationships. I’ve been called in for other projects by casting directors that I met through an open call, so never underestimate the power of a casting director’s filing system! Casting director workshops and agency showcases through universities, masters programs, and theater groups can also be promising, but it is always important to filter out the legitimate workshops from the scams. Building up your reel and resume through student films and short films—which typically take selfsubmissions through casting websites—help to create bonds with future filmmakers and writers. Lastly, create your own work! You are, after all, the expert on your acting strengths, so create material that promotes yourself and your talents in the best and biggest way possible. All of this is enough to drive a person crazy, and often times, it does. Show business and acting aren’t for everyone; you have to grow a tough hide in an art form that is constantly requiring you to be open and vulnerable. But that is also where the secret to happiness in this business lies: you must separate the business from the art. Your joy in the art cannot be diminished by your frustration of the business. Allow your art to always remain an area of honesty, openness, hope, and naïve ambition. Let the business be an area of dogged determination, risk-taking, and perseverance. You can’t control if you are cast, or if you get famous, or if you look the part, but you can control when you act. No one can stop you from acting. No one can stop you from creating. So, happy 2015, happy creating, and good luck with that fitted sheet.
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one to watch Known mostly for being a part of indie rock band Goodnight Ned, Jonas Martin has released his debut solo album, “Chokecherry Jam” and enlisted some of Dallas’ best to make it happen.
He is certainly one to watch.
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Photos by Will Von Bolton
This is your debut solo album. What was the impetus for doing a solo project? Mainly, just the volume of songs I had written. When you have the means to do what you love, which for me is writing and recording songs, I think you should do it as much as possible. Who knows how long you have. What was the most challenging part of making the album? Honestly, the only challenge (and I really mean the ONLY challenge) was having enough money to do everything I wanted. For a small-time DIY recording artist like me, that’s usually a challenge that is impossible to overcome. We work with what we have. Fortunately for me, I managed to get a lot of bang for my buck when it came to the people involved. When you have such amazingly talented and tenacious people working with you, everything just falls into place. Jason Burt, Nick Jay, Wade Cofer, Nate Wedan and Jon Knudson are a group of music-makers that are the best at what they do. And they all kind of seem to do everything. I should also probably mention that guy, Brian Lucey. Describe ‘Chokecherry Jam” in five words. THIS ALBUM IS TRULY ME. What are you trying to say with your songs/your music? My music is simply an expression of myself. So, I guess I’m saying... “This is me. Hope you can relate!” I suppose if my words could make a person sit and think about something a little differently for a moment, regardless of whether their feelings were good or bad, I would view that as an achievement. But in the end, it’s all about me and my view on the world. What’s next for you? I think I’m about to cook some spaghetti. After that, I’ll probably work on writing another song. Where can we find out more? My website, www.jonasmartinmusic.com. Facebook, YouTube, find me on Twitter and Instagram @_omgitsjonas_
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THE MEN OF
SPRING TV
by Ryan Brinson
Joshua Sasse - ABC’s “Galavant” “Galavant” is the show no one knew would be a hit. The Spamalot meets “A Knights Tale” hybrid stars Joshua Sasse and the love-scorned hero on a path to win back his princess. Sasse is every bit the dashing hero, while also showing he’s got the singing and dancing chops to be a leading man on the stage. The show is funny and the songs are well-written, providing Sasse the perfect platform to be great. I wish this show was on for longer, but who knows, maybe “Galavant” will have a life on stage after its time on TV. Colton Haynes - CW’s “Arrow” The CW used to be known for “Gossip Girl” and “America’s Next Top Model” and not much else. But thanks to runaway hits like “Arrow,” the CW has become a network full of vibrant shows, diverse casts and the type of superhero action ABC wishes “Agents of S.H.I.E.LD.” could have. In the pantheon of action stars on the network, Colton Haynes has emerged as a multi-talented actor, who happens to look perfect in Diesel ads, and whose millions of social media followers hang on his every word. He’s become the one to watch on “Arrow” and he’s on an upward trajectory that we will hopefully be watching for a long time. Jussie Smollett - FOX’s “Empire” FOX’s newest hit, “Empire,” features some heavy hitting names from movies and music, but with all of that star power on your screen, it’s impossible to take your eyes off of Jussie Smollett. Not only is his storyline, a gay son among a hip hop family and culture, the most grounded and the most engaging of the show’s story lines, but he is a mesmerizing performer, actor and singer. He’s brought a level of honesty to a character that could have easily been a stereotype, and in the process, he’s made us superfans. Julian Morris - FOX’s “New Girl” When “New Girl” started, there was a Ross and Rachel vibe to Nick and Jess and we couldn’t be happier that’s over because it’s brought Julian Morris into the spotlight, playing Zoey Deschanel’s boyfriend. In a show where all of the men are outrageous, outspoken and moderately out of their minds, Morris has carved a niche for himself as the boyfriend everyone wishes they had. Frankie J. Alvarez - HBO’s “Looking” The show “Looking” prides itself on being a modern, realistic interpretation of gay life in San Francisco, and in that, Frankie J. Alvarez shines brightest. His Agustín becomes a complex character who makes decisions that are, perhaps, unexpected and he provides a stark contrast to the other men on the show. With stories like this, it can become easy to rest in the known stereotypes to carry your character and the plot onward, but Alvarez brings a down-to-Earth presence to Agustín and the entire show is better for it. Toby Stephens - STARZ’s “Black Sails” “Black Sails” slid under the radar during its first season - but with the return of the swashbuckling pirates in season two, Flint is back and more captivating than ever. In a series as ambitious as “Black Sails,” it would be easy for the details of the characters to get lost on the grandeur of the high seas, but Toby Stephens is able to bring out Flint’s commanding personality but also infusing a nuanced gentleness that makes him more interesting than an archetypal pirate. Be careful. Once you’ve started watching Stephens in “Black Sails,” you won’t want to stop.
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the intersection by
caleb bollenbacher
The Oscar “Score” Card In a lot of ways, 2014 was a disappointment at the movies. Box office numbers were down across the board, and while there were plenty of welcome surprises (Chris Pratt vehicles “The Lego Movie” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” come readily to mind), the prevailing story seems to have been the duds. Oh, the duds. There was “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” which took a promisingly rebooted franchise with a captivating cast and ran it all off the rails. “The Hobbit” finale, which made plenty of money but was reviewed almost unanimously as “adequate” – a major fall for a franchise that boasts the most decorated movie of all time in “Return of the King.” “The Interview” took up plenty of space in the trending headlines, but wheezed its way to a loss of tens of millions of dollars when audiences realized that freedom meant they didn’t have to see another weak script from Seth Rogen (this writer barely made it to the two minute mark before exercising his freedom to call it quits).
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But then there’s the cream of the crop. With all of the criticism of this year’s Hollywood offerings, it would be easy to look past the Best Picture nominees and write them off as big fish in a little pond. Hardly the case. This year marks a significant uptake in overall quality compared to the last Oscars, and an exciting display of diversity in style. Each offers something different: strong performances (“American Sniper,” “Theory of Everything”), innovative filmmaking (“Boyhood,” “Birdman”), and striking visual style (“Grand Budapest Hotel”). What really sets them apart, though, is the completeness of these films. My major complaint with a lot of the leading contenders last year was that they lacked the fullness of dimension. They were excellent films, sure, but many were carried by phenomenal performances rather than being wholly worthy of that “Best” designation. And then there was “Gravity,” which boasted the best visuals in years and little else. This year, we’re getting more of the big picture in the Best Picture race; movies with greater scope, more
daring, and more dimension. Every cylinder is firing, from the acting to the visual components, to the soul-searching through storytelling. But what really drew my attention was the music. The best of the best this year were all defined by the way music drove them, and each one did so in a different way: “Birdman” rides the coattails of a frantic drumbeat from start to finish. The urgency of the percussion drives the narrative and its active camera on from scene to scene, pushing the viewer on, nudging them forward to see what the director wants, and doing so in a way that is dominant while toeing the line just before distraction. The immersive nature of “Birdman,” whose greatest strength is in bringing the viewer into a surreal sense of reality, is aided greatly by a barrage of beats that wouldn’t be out of place on any street corner or train platform. By incorporating something so ordinary at every turn, “Birdman” completes the illusion of immersion with finality. “Boyhood” is the only one of the nominees that makes prevalent use of pop music, and does so in an absolutely masterful way. The crowning achievement of Richard Linklater’s masterpiece is the unheard of manner in which it was shot, over the course of a dozen years. Cramming twelve years of life, a boy’s entire childhood, into a single movie (even a lengthy one) is quite the accomplishment, and under less practiced hands it could be a train wreck at breakneck speed. What prevents that from happening is the musical cues, the way Linklater tabs each leap in time with a song. It’s done in a subtle way, without resorting to the most obvious chart toppers of a given year, but the songs are chosen so carefully that they mark the passing of time perfectly. With each era comes a song, and that music says more than any words could. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is classic Wes Anderson, with the music acting as the perfect complement to a visual world that is so like our own while being decidedly other. Alexandre Desplat’s use of antiquated instruments and styles places the viewer soundly
in a place of the director’s choosing. It’s both alien and familiar, just as it should be in such a distinctive film. Desplat’s other score, for “The Imitation Game,” is much more traditional, guiding the listener through history and emotion with a steady hand, though it is upstaged by the similar method employed by Jóhann Jóhannsson in “The Theory of Everything.” That film, more than perhaps any other nominee, had music that moved me along with it. It was the perfect dance to take the emotions being conveyed on screen and bring them home to the audience’s gut, exactly like a good score should. And then there’s “Whiplash,” which in this discussion might be the biggest surprise. “Whiplash” is the one film here that is actually about music. The entire story hinges on a drummer’s need to be recognized musically, to be one of the greats. So it would come as no surprise that there’s plenty of music in it. But what is most striking about the “Whiplash” soundtrack…is the silence. Sure, there’s plenty of music, but it all exists organically, within the context of practice, performance, or study. Outside of that, there is overwhelming silence, and that’s what makes the movie stand out. The silence, standing next to the significance of the music, is what sets the mood and tone of the movie. It’s what makes the music need to be heard. Music has been a vital part of storytelling for hundreds of years, but in this day and age it’s often overshadowed. This year was a great reminder that that shouldn’t be the case, that all our senses should be engaged in a good story. We may tell stories with words and actions, but music tells its own story. And it’s one I want to listen to.
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Dauzat S LOS ANGELES BASED ARTISTS MAT DAUZAT AND HEATHER ST. MARIE, BETTER KNOWN AS DAUZAT ST. MARIE, TALK ABOUT THEIR EP “FALLING AGAIN,” BEING A PART OF THE “SAW” MOVIE FRANCHISE AND BREAKING THROUGH IN THE L.A. MUSIC SCENE. 16 BLEEP
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How did Dauzat St. Marie come to be? Heather: Dauzat St. Marie has been bubbling beneath the surface for some time now, but I’d say the defining moment is when we played our first show together as “Dauzat St. Marie” at the world-famous Hotel Cafe in Hollywood in January of last year. Mat and I got our start working together as a duo before we were finally able to put our rock band Hydrovibe together, so we’ve operated as a duo for quite a while. Our objective in those days was to only work as a duo until we could put the band together…. we never really considered it a career path at the time. In all the years of working with Hydrovibe, Mat and I had always talked of doing a duo side project to challenge ourselves musically in a very different way than the rock band. We wrote material in-between Hydrovibe work over the years and accumulated a nice repertoire of songs for our project. We always made great plans to launch the project, but Hydrovibe work or work with other artists always seemed to get in the way. Finally, one of Mat’s artists he wrote and produced an album for was having her CD release in Hollywood in January of 2014 and offered us the main support slot - an opportunity
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we knew we couldn’t pass up. We accepted and announced the debut of our new duo Dauzat St. Marie. Immediately thereafter we began getting requests to book festivals and tours; and found ourselves quite busy on the road and in the studio in 2014! What did your experience with “Saw III” teach you? Mat: Our experience with “SAW III” taught us how to tap into an inner strength we had no idea we even possessed. Actually, that’s what our song, “Killer Inside,” from the movie is all about. Without going into great detail, Heather and I had made a hasty choice or two when it came to personnel revolving around our band Hydrovibe when we first moved out to Los Angeles. We both came from small towns in Louisiana, so when we got to L.A. we were kinda freaking out about the stupendous cost of living out here. Because of that sticker shock, we made a few rash decisions in the name of what we thought at the time would be quick forward progress. That rarely works out well… which was the case for us in late 2005. We pretty much found ourselves with no band, no management, and no label… all in the course of about a week.
After momentarily wallowing in that devastation, we dusted ourselves off and completely reinvested ourselves in this musical dream. We had hit a wall and the choices were to go all in or go home. It was during this extreme low point where we discovered an overwhelming inner strength and desire to persevere. We hit the ground running - writing new music and auditioning band members in Los Angeles. It was during that time that the “SAW” franchise people approached us about writing a song to be considered for their upcoming “SAW III.” They gave us a confidential insight into the transformation of actress Shawnee Smith’s character Amanda from victim to killer. We adapted our recent experience and applied it to Amanda’s transformation… hence “waking up the Killer Inside”. The fact that our song was not only included in the movie, but was also in the “SAW III” Soundtrack, and our music video was the special feature on the “SAW III: Director’s Cut” DVD and the “SAW TRILOGY BOX SET” is a testament to the old adage “perseverance pays off.” It was huge for our band Hydrovibe, and paved the path for success that Dauzat St. Marie is currently traveling today. What was the driving force behind “Falling Again?” Why is this record special? Heather: The record is special because it has been a long time coming! As I mentioned earlier, Dauzat St. Marie has been brewing just beneath the surface for years, and we are ecstatic that our duo and this EP are finally having their debut. The driving force behind “Falling Again” has been our passion for song writing. We have always written a lot of music, for both our own endeavors and for other artists’ as well. We quickly discovered that we’d need an outlet for these new singer/songwriter style songs, so we’ve been adding material to the Dauzat St. Marie repertoire for several years now. The collection of songs on “Falling Again” are what we feel to be some of our most inspired and strongest songs we’ve ever written. Who inspired you to be musicians initially? Heather: My mother had a great record and tape collection that I used to love to dig through - The Beatles, King Crimson, Rush. I think I knew how to sing most Beatles songs by the time I was 3 or 4 years old with my mom singing harmonies. I guess she was preparing me for singing with Mat later on.
Mat: I have brothers that are ten and eleven years older than me, so I grew up listening to their records and gaining a solid musical foundation at a very early age. That had me drawing influences from classic rock heavyweights such as Boston, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Rush, etc. What/who continues to inspire you today? Heather: The fans definitely inspire me. We’ve chosen the more fulfilling but more challenging DIY path for our careers as musicians. For me, I get the creative freedom of writing and singing what I choose, so it’s always a huge payoff for me when people tell me that they really relate to the lyrical content. There are times when people tell me that our songs (both Hydrovibe and Dauzat St. Marie songs) have changed their lives; that’s priceless! It’s what keeps me going, what keeps me writing, and what keeps me singing these songs night after night as if it’s the first time I’ve ever performed them. Mat: The road inspires me. You draw from what you know, right? WE KNOW THE ROAD! We’ve always kept personal relationships with fans all over the world, and they serve as a constant source of inspiration to us. Whether making new memories with them on the road, or through hearing their life stories of personal conflict and triumph, we are always inspired. Their undying support of our endeavors ALONE inspires us to continue forward in this crazy world of music! What’s next for you? Mat: We will definitely be doing a whole lot of touring this year to support “Falling Again” starting around March. We also plan to begin recording music in between all our tours for another CD release later this year. It’s going to be a busy year for Dauzat St. Marie! Head over to www.dauzatstmarie.com for more on the band!
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My Take
by Laura Seitter
The Imitation of Everything “Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” This line, from the Oscar-nominated film “The Imitation Game,” could be construed as something of a slogan for the vast majority of this year’s crop of pictures. Throughout the 2014 parade of historical biopics, viewers have sampled quite the selection of inspiring stories of men overcoming adversity, disability or danger. It’s a bit of a shame, though, that the filmmakers behind these films seem to imagine so little of their own audience. Awards season inevitably yields at least one biographical feature, dramatized enough to be entertaining, but still rooted in reality. 2014 saw an unprecedented slew of biopics, displaying men such as Alan Turing, Stephen Hawking, Martin Luther King, Jr., Chris Kyle, Louis Zamperini, and a whole host of others. Almost as soon as they debuted, these films were examined, scrutinized for historical inaccuracy, and criticized for deviating from absolute fact. It doesn’t make sense to condemn a picture for taking the necessary liberties to adapt a story.
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Transitioning true life to film requires certain devices like composite characters, compressed timelines and the occasional thrilling car chase. The mistake that can truly damn a great biopic is to compromise the emotional impact of the story either by saturating the audience with void sentimentality, or by shielding the audience from difficult truths. If a story is worth telling on film, then it should already carry significance or emotional resonance. At some point, the audience has to be trusted to derive the meaning and value of the picture without being herded into some semblance of resolution. “The Imitation Game” immortalizes the success of Alan Turing, who invented one of the first computing devices and broke the German Enigma codes to turn the tide of WWII, but suffered a legacy of indignity because of his homosexuality. The film boasts striking score by Alexander Desplat, handsome production design and a truly remarkable performance from Benedict Cumberbatch. The error of the film is in writer Graham Moore’s adaptation of Turing’s life, which ultimately blocks viewers from grasping
the full extent of his accomplishments or his struggles. The exposition of the film comprises mostly of a tragically misunderstood Turing, tinkering away at an inexplicable mess of machine while his colleagues try in vain to connect with either his method or his motive. As viewers, we are left in a similar muddle, because “The Imitation Game” never even attempts to explain how Turing’s “computer” is supposed to work. A single, simple scene to illuminate the machine’s purpose – a viewer’s own “Eureka!” moment - could have solidified the audience’s trust. Instead (much like the Turing character) the filmmakers seemed to deem viewers too dim to understand such high concepts, and we are thus alienated. The same could be said about the presentation of Turing’s sexuality. It is really only through a clumsy series of flashbacks and flash-forwards that viewers get any insight into his hidden self,
which somewhat lessens the emotional punch of the mathematician’s tragic end. The third act of “The Imitation Game” might have been a chance to reveal Turing as a relatable human being, rather than just a puzzle. Instead, we are treated to a contrived and implausible plotline about the Bletchley team using statistics to measure casualties and, apparently, ethics. Another of 2014’s biopics was curiously similar in nature; it, too, depicted the life of a celebrated British scientist, torn between love and intellect. “The Theory of Everything” tells the story of Stephen Hawking and his marriage to Jane Wilde, their struggle to cope with Hawking’s degenerative ALS, and his essential advances in the fields of cosmology and physics. Again, this film contains some of the best performances of the year, with Eddie Redmayne’s Oscar-worthy portrayal of Stephen Hawking and Felicity Jones as Jane. The picture is elevated by an extraordinary score and strikingly beautiful design, much like “The Imitation Game.” However, the flaw in “The Theory of Everything” is not that it shelters its audience, but rather that it oversaturates with romanticism and heartache. Truly, there is nothing easy or light about Jane and Stephen’s story. Beginning with a meetcute that explores the pitfalls of Theism, to their painful managing of Stephen’s disease, there are some wrenching setbacks and beautiful moments of devotion. Altogether, though, The Theory of Everything is a bit formulaic. Even with no knowledge of Hawking’s work or of his personal life, there is an inevitable progression of a marriage plagued by such overwhelming hardship. But Stephen and Jane are unfailingly patient – almost to their own discredit. It is as if the filmmakers couldn’t even bring themselves to vilify their characters by showing weakness or transgression. Every narrative hurdle is presented as a circumstance instead of a choice, and Stephen and Jane are both excused for their respective infidelities. There is a certain catharsis to the biopic genre, as these films allow viewers to personally relate to a notable historical figure, understanding their drive and emotion. But if that emotion is forced or somehow misplaced, is it as poignant? Like most historical films, both “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything” end with postscript subtitles, in an attempt to bring closure to the story. As those little white words fade away from the screen, though, it’s hard to feel closure when I didn’t ever feel like I really knew the man at all.
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Hannah New
© 2015 Starz Entertainment, LLC For Black Sails Season 2
five questions with
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star of “Black Sails” on STARZ
To say British-born actress Hannah New had a huge 2014 would be an understatement. “Black Sails,” the STARZ drama set on the high seas, debuted in January and became a hit. Then before filming began on the second season, she starred as Queen Leila, Aurora’s mother in the Disney mega hit “Maleficent.” With “Black Sails” renewed for a third season, she talks about being a part of a world of pirates and how that has stretched her as an actress. You play a take-no-prisoner kind of gal on “Black Sails.” How does it feel to be an empowered woman in a world full of pirates? It’s a lot of responsibility. I think what’s awesome about playing Eleanor is that she’s a strong young woman who’s been left on her own, but she’s lost people in her life and what I love about how they’ve written Eleanor is that she’s powerful but she’s also vulnerable. She’s irrational sometimes, she makes quick decisions but they haven’t given me me a complete ball breaker. They’ve given me a 360 degree picture of a woman in a man’s world. Especially in season 2, you see what happens when she comes under threat. it’s a layered and complex woman I get to play. How has this role stretched you as an actress? A lot. I’ve learned an incredible amount by being on this project. I never really imagined I’d be offered a woman who was so incredibly strong. But I’ve always wanted that. I remember being at drama school and someone saying “You’re young and blonde and you’ll be cast as the princess or the wife,” and I said, “There’s no way i want to be doing that.” Even though I have played a Disney princess, it’s a woman who has power and influence in her situation. When I get told i can’t do something, I think, “I damn well can!” And knowing now how playing these women have stretched me, that’s why I needed to do it and stretch myself. What’s your favorite aspect of being a part of the “Black Sails” team? So many things blow my mind but to answer that I have to go back to what really made me want to be an actress. I’ve always been really interested in history and culture and with this show, it’s time travel every day to go to work, dress up and live in a world that’s so different from my own. I remember thinking at a young age that I’d love
to do something that took me back in history. When I arrived on set, I couldn’t believe it. The set is so huge. I’ve done other period pieces but those were sets or on sound stages. This is a huge homogeneous world that’s been built and you feel like you’re living in it. You traded in your pirate duds for a princess gown in one of 2014’s biggest films, “Maleficent.” How did it feel to have a break from the swashbuckling? it was wonderful. For me, playing a Disney princess is a different combination of different dreams. For starters, working at Pinewood Studios was a dream, it being the home of 007. Being on a film that was on the scale of that production, it feeds into all the dreams I had about being apart of something big. What’s next for you? Between seasons, I shot an independent thriller that should be coming out late this year or the beginning of next year. It’s made by the people who made “The Blair Witch Project” and it’s completely different than what I’ve done before. It’s an intimate portrayal of this young woman who has her life completely invaded. Most of the film, she isn’t the victim which is what’s different about it. You’re seeing a woman piece her life together, seeing that something doesn’t fit and trying to figure out what exactly is wrong. Coming back to “Black Sails” after that, I felt refreshed that I got to indulge myself as an actress. In playing a young American woman, I was transporting myself into a culture and an upbringing different than my own, which again, was the reason I became an actress.
For more on Hannah, follow her at www.twitter.com/hannahnewuk and be sure to watch “Black Sails” on STARZ, Saturdays at 9pm. BLEEP 23
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douglas dunn Douglas Dunn has been dancing and creating dances for forty-three years. Collaboration is key with Dunn and he continues to collaborate with poets, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers and playwrights to offer multifaceted theatrical experiences. A teacher of Technique and of Open Structures, with a long tenure at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Dunn talked with BLEEP as he prepared Aidos, a new work, that features dancing by Dunn himself and his dancers at BAM.
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What inspired you to dance? My dancing is a reaction to the alwayslooming triviality of daily living. Nothing is more important than the opportunity to arrive at useless, beautiful gestures that celebrate transient human presence, the meaning of which, if any, is inscrutable. When you’re putting a dance/piece together, how do you choose your dancers? S/he must love to dance; be down-toearth-coordinated and at the same time classically elegant; able to jump and to show clean-lined stillness in the air; eager to try new moves on the ground. You’ve had such a long and fruitful career. What sets Aidos apart from your other works? The music. It’s daring to take on the richness and complexity of Bach’s Cello Suites. In awe, I’m striving for his approval, and to be equally inventive. What keeps you dancing? My mission is to develop playful choreographic structures within which the dancer’s singular, un-acted character is given room to radiate. There is no end to this study, only the day-to-day challenge to go deeper. What’s next for you? It’s on my mind to try to provide more opportunities for the dancers to perform, and to generate greater wage security. To do so would require beating the bushes for more support than I’m used to. Wish me luck. Douglas Dunn & Dancers presents the World Premiere of Aidos at Brooklyn Academy of Music, BAM Fisher, 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, NY, from February 11-15, 2015. Performances: Wed-Sat at 8pm, Sat & Sun at 3pm. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1040421, by phone at (866) 620-7509 or in person at the BAM box office during the week of the show from noon to show time.
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gloria gaynor In 1978, the B-Side track from the single “Substitute” became one of the biggest songs in the history of music. “I Will Survive” became an instant anthem that has endured for more than three decades thanks to Gloria Gaynor belting out those famous words. While Gaynor had hits with “I Am What I Am” and “Never Say Goodbye,” her name has become synonymous with the feel good anthem about empowerment that reigns as the only song to have ever won the Grammy for Best Disco Recording, beating out the likes of Earth, Wind and Fire, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart and Michael Jackson. She’s once again nominated for a Grammy, this year for Best Spoken Word Album for her book “We Will Survive: True Stories Of Encouragement, Inspiration, And The Power Of Song.” I talked with the music icon about her enduring legacy, the reason for the book and what’s next. 32 BLEEP
Photos by Troy Word Make up by Billy B
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Your hit, “I Will Survive,” has done just that, survived the test of time and trend. It’s still one of the most recognized songs in all of recorded music. 35 years later, you’re still resonating. It’s amazing and makes me feel wonderful. It took me so long to recognize that this song was spearheading my purpose in life. I’m a Christian and one day when I was in prayer about my purpose, God said “Are you stupid?” (laughs) This song has meant so much and changed so many people’s lives. It’s added such meaning and purpose to my life and I’m so thankful. Aretha Franklin just released a version of the song on her album, “Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics.” How does it feel to be considered one of the great divas? Coming from her, it feels awesome. She, like I, don’t think of a diva as someone who is above everyone and who is difficult. We consider a diva to be an accomplished artist. It’s really awesome for her to put me in that category with her. What was the impetus to taking the stories you were hearing form fans and turning them into a literary collection that would become “We Will Survive?” It’s occurred to me that every time I hear these stories, it encourages me, so I knew they would encourage others. What could be more inspiring and encouraging than hearing these stories of how people overcame and made it through? So that’s why it’s in a book. What surprised you the most when you were putting together “We Will Survive?” The choosing of what stories should be included. There were so many heart-rendering stories that we had to come up with a criteria on basis of which stories would be the most relatable to the reader, which were most uplifting and which were most encouraging. You’re once again a Grammy nominee! How does that feel? It’s been a long time coming! I’m very happy about it. I like that it’s not even music, it’s just my voice. I feel the responsibility to convey how these storytellers felt. To be nominated, it feels amazing. Your songs have had an enduring appeal that artists dream of. What do you want your legacy
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to be? What I wanted through my music, was to be able to inspire people to be their personal best. Beyond that, I want people to choose Christ as their Lord and Savior. That’s what I want my legacy to be. You’ve had the biggest hit in the world, you’ve done TV, you’ve done Broadway - what’s next for you? I’m working on new music, Christian music. I want to spread hope with music. I write a lot and I’m looking to work with other creative artists on these songs. The songs should do musically what the Bible does literarily. It should inspire, uplift, admonish, teach, bring joy and peace. If they’re not doing that, then they’re purposeless. I want to draw people to a message that lingers.
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V A R ALEC C A S The star of Off-Broadway’s hit 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Alec Varcas is as dedicated in the gym as he is on the stage. We talk with the performer about falling in love with theatre, the nearing “50 Shades” film release and his fitness and training blog.
Photos by Roberto Araujo
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Where are you from? When did you move to NYC? I am originally from Connecticut. I grew up there my entire life and even went to college there. I moved to New York at the beginning of 2014 when we started rehearsals for 50 Shades! The Musical Parody. What was the catalyst for you becoming an actor? When I was 5 years old, I got to be the lead in my Kindergarten play. I played Freddy the Frog in Once Upon a Lily Pad. When my mom saw me performing, she could tell that I loved to be on stage. She put me into tap dancing classes when I was 6 years old, even though I didn’t want to go, because she knew after seeing me dance around the house and reenacting scenes from Grease, I would love to start learning how to dance. As I got older, I just got more into performing. I always tried to do the school musicals, I joined the chorus, and I even started dancing competitively. Once I graduated high school, I ended up going to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut for Marketing. I knew I still wanted to perform, but I also had an interest in business and advertising. Although very concentrated in school, I decided to start commuting from home so that I could do community theatre on the side. I would go to my internship in the morning, then go to class, then to work at a dance studio and teach, and then to a rehearsal for a community theatre show I was doing at night. It was draining, but I loved it! Once I graduated college, I thought it was time to buckle down and get a “real job.” After seeing me in a community production of Hairspray, someone convinced me to go to New York and audition for Hairspray at Westchester Broadway Theatre, and on a whim I went. I did not
expect anything to come from it, but from that audition I ended up booking Legally Blonde at Westchester Broadway Theatre. From then on, I was hooked and knew I wanted to keep doing this as a career. I have been able to do shows like George M!, the Spamalot National Tour, and now the Off-Broadway Production of 50 Shades! The Musical Parody. It has been quite the ride but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. As a part of the long-running 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, are you seeing an increase in fandom as the film version of the popular book nears? I will say that we have had some pretty great audiences for a while now. I think the word of mouth is getting out about the show and people are coming to have a great time and a good laugh on their night off. With the movie coming out, we are hoping to intrigue even more people to come see the show. At this point, almost everybody has at least heard of “50 Shades of Grey” and now with the movie coming out, it will give people one more reason to come see our parody. What’s your favorite part of the show? Without giving too much away, I have a short scene in the audience. There isn’t much audience participation in the show, but just being in the middle of the audience and seeing people laugh and having a good time up close and personal is a great feeling. We like to surprise our audiences, and this scene is definitely just that... surprising. Parody comedies are challenging shows to do. How have you been able to maintain enough of the source material for fans but still remain that it’s a comedic caricature? One thing I like to tell everyone before they
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come to see the show is that it is for everyone (over 18 years old). You do not have to read the book before coming to see the show because the content is pretty self-explanatory. With that said, the book fans will understand a lot of the smaller jokes we make. There are lines taken directly from the book that we say out loud. We reference a lot of the events that happen in the book, but probably in more creative and outlandish ways than you would expect. Tell me about www.corestrengthblog.com. At what point did you decide to take your personal fitness process and start sharing it with others? I started working out a few years ago and I luckily was able to get hooked pretty quickly. I was making a lot or personal progress and people started asking a lot of questions of how they could start making their own progress. I loved giving people advice, but it was getting very tedious writing the same things over and over again, so I just decided to make a blog. On the blog, people can see what workouts I do, what food I eat, and what advice I can give. I try to update it once or twice a week with new information so people can keep trying new things in their diet and exercise programs. From the outside, it would seem your body is close to perfect. What keeps your driven and making new fitness goals? Wow, thank you. I would not say my body is perfect. I have definitely worked hard to get where I am today, but I think there is always room for improvement. Recently I have been working out with my really good friend Ramin Karimloo from Broadway’s Les Miserables. Both of us have fitness goals of getting stronger, bigger, and leaner. We work really well together
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and push each other to reach our fitness goals. Having a gym partner helps me stay motivated and really test my limits. What’s next for you? Right now I am enjoying my time with 50 Shades! The Musical Parody and seeing where life takes me. I would love to start working on more TV and film projects in the near future and I still have that dream to step onto that big Broadway stage and perform for a sold out house. I just keep making bigger dreams and keep reaching toward them, and until I can’t dream anymore, I will still keep working to reach every goal I set. Who/what inspires you as an actor and as a man? There are so many people that inspire me in my everyday life that it is hard to pick just one or two. Hugh Jackman is the one person I have said I have looked up to for a long time now. He is very talented, he does theatre and movies, he makes fitness an important part of his life, and he is an all-around nice guy. That is exactly what I want to do and be. Other people who inspire me are my friends and family who show me that creativity is all round us, love is limitless, and growth is what we should always be striving for. I see people performing on stage and just want to join them, learn from them. We all can learn and grow from the people around us. Inspiration is everywhere, we just have to open our minds and allow ourselves to soak it all in. Head over to www.corestrengthblog.com to follow Alec’s progress and get your tickets to 50 Shades! The Parody Musical today!
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While in Minneapolis, company members from MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, under the direction of cast member Christian Dante White, worked with celebrity photographer Brent Dundore to capture the essence of the Motown artists they portray every night onstage in a high fashion shoot. “We are so fortunate to bring this amazing show around the country each week. I wanted to capture the beauty of the cast influenced by the style of Motown in a contemporary setting,” says Christian Dante White. “Each night we embody these characters and we hope these photos will serve as another way to celebrate the legends & artists.” JENNIE HARNEY,PATRICE COVINGTON, & MARTINA SIKES
“I never try to think of it as ‘filling Martha Vandella’s shoes.’ I consider it more like having her and the other’s that blazed this trail holding my hand each night. We have the big responsibility to take people on a vividly colored trip down memory lane each night. So, we need the beautiful spirits of the Motown legends. Doing this show is iconic and it’s a blessing!” -Patrice Covington
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THE WOMEN OF THE FIRST NATIONAL TOUR OF MOTOWN
“The women of Motown the Musical 1st National tour are proud and honored to be continuing the legacy of some of the extraordinary female Motown artists. Playing Florence Ballard of the Supremes has given me an opportunity to honor her life, her talent and her story, not only for me but for her family. This is our history and these are our trailblazers. ‘No Town Like Motown!’” -Krisha Marcano
(opposite page) CHRISTIAN DANTE WHITE,LATRISA A. HARPER, ELIJAH AHMAD LEWIS, & MARCUS PAUL JAMES
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“Caring the legacy of these great artists is a huge responsibility. It’s amazing to have the opportunity to embody these iconic figures, while they are alive and able to experience our work. This show is amazing, the music is timeless and the history will be forever lived through us!” -Elijah Ahmad Lewis
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NIC ROWE, JARVIS B.MANNING JR., ROD HARRELSON,JENNIE HARNEY, LATRISA A. HARPER, GALEN WILLIAMS, & DEVON GOFFMAN
“If all I do in my life is soothe someone’s spirit with a song, then let me do that and I’m happy.” -Gladys Knight Latrisa A. Harper’s favorite quote
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MARCUS PAUL JAMES, RAMONE OWENS, ROBERT HARTWELL, MARQ MOSS, & ROD HARRELSON
“The men we portray nightly invented swag in a time where we were swinging from trees. We have such a responsibility in telling their story and carrying this legacy on. It’s a supreme honor.” - Robert Hartwell
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NIC ROWE, MARQ MOSS, RASHAD NAYLOR, JARVIS MANNING & ROBERT HARTWELL
“It’s been such an honor and privilege to be able to portray some of the most bombastic artist on the Motown label. Jackie Wilson, Billy Gordon of the Contours, and Rick James all grew to fame over several different decades, yet I get step into each of their shoes every night. It’s one thing to watch an audience applaud and cheer during the finale, but to constantly see this timeless music touch people over and over again really makes you realize just how special Motown is. It was revolutionary in its heyday, and has become iconic since. Even within the current gust of music today, that classic Motown sound is still what newer artist are imitating.” -Rashad Naylor
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FULL COMPANY OF THE FIRST NATIONAL-JARVIS TOUR OF MOTOWN
“The thing I most admire about the performers of color from this period (1950’s-1970’s) and most certainly the earlier days (1900’s-1940’s), is that they were always focused on presenting their absolute BEST. It baffles me how dignified and proud they were, while staring in the eye of danger. Because of them, I have a responsibility to strive for my BEST!” 54 BLEEP -Jarvis Manning Jr.
“Stepping into these roles of legendary people is rewarding and challenging. Knowing you have huge shoes to fill of trail blazers and people even your parents admire leaves the slight anxiety I need to never get comfortable. I love the story and the music of Motown.. the tenacity, raw passion and talent they had is something I aspire to have for not just this show but my entire career. I am grateful to be a part of this historical show� BLEEP 55 -Martina Sykes
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