Epoch Arts 4-1-2016

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

C1 April 1–7, 2016

Artist Elizabeth Beard

Elizabeth Beard at Grand Central Atelier on March 10.

on Reconnecting With Beauty A G L I M P S E I N T O T H E AT E L I E R A R T WO R L D

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By Milene Fernandez | Epoch Times Staff

EW YORK—She thinks of paintings in layers. Beyond the first thin layer of broad brushstrokes, the second more opaque layer of revealing forms, and the third layer of subtle embellishments, there are deeper layers beyond the visual. Elizabeth Beard believes the depth of meaning that comes through a painting, whether intentional or not, is a reflection of the artist.

Learning to draw and paint became a parallel to learning how to live healthy—just slowing down and breathing, being careful and honest.

Elizabeth Beard

“Painting has always been parallel to my human experience. … The more clarity I get in my life, the more clear my paintings become,” she said in her studio space at Grand Central Atelier, where she works as an artist in residence.

She has been looking in the mirror, intently contemplating and rediscovering herself, while working on the second layer of her self-portrait.

An iconic endeavor for many artists, usually at the onset of their careers, Beard said the definitive factor of painting a self-portrait is having a free model. She laughed at the simple, practicality of her point.

“I am essentially looking into a mirror, but when I look at the painting, I imagine that I’m observing the world thinking, ‘What’s going on?’” she said, laughing about her bewilderment.

See Reconnecting on C2

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH BEARD

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

Artist Elizabeth Beard on Reconnecting With Beauty

SEE HER PAINTINGS at Eleventh Street Arts gallery, April 15–June 3.

A G L I M P S E I N T O T H E A T E L I E R A R T WO R L D Reconnecting continued from C1 Although she was speaking about a self-portrait, her demeanor relayed a sense of selflessness. Her generosity of spirit hinted that here is someone who’s been through a lot, who has been able to overcome it, and who can now be more genuine and really open.

With a Gentle and Confident Spirit The gestures of her hands in her self-portrait especially stood out.

There’s so much to be said about why our culture needs beauty.

Elizabeth Beard

ADVERTISEMENT PHOTO COURTESY LI CHUNMEI

Li Chunmei, a renowned Chinese opera singer, performs on stage. Ms. Li has receive the highest honors in Chinese opera during her 20 years career on China’s version of Broadway. She now has her sights set on conquering the hearts of American opera lovers.

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Ms. Li has already performed in Germany and Greece during a tour that was broadcast on Chinese national television.

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Li Chunmei, a renowned Chinese opera singer.

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“That was something I was kind of shy about because I wanted it to be in a really subtle form, of showing worship,” she said. Beard has been developing her vision inspired by her Christian beliefs.

“I feel like I have to be so careful when I talk about my faith in the context of my paintings because it’s such a journey, even for me.

It’s personal and I certainly don’t have all the answers, but it is central to who I am,” she said.

When she finished her studies at Grand Central Atelier two years ago she was commissioned to paint a multifigure narrative painting for the C.S. Lewis Institute in Ohio, where it’s currently displayed.

She painted the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the same scene from the story that Rembrandt depicted of the father receiving the broken and repentant son. Beard was inspired when she saw Rembrandt’s painting in The Hermitage Museum in Russia seven years ago. “I remember the way he had the father embracing the son was so natural and loving,” she said. “I think that story is really applicable to everybody’s life,” she said.

Calibrating a Balance Beard grew up frequenting The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, a small city in northeastern Ohio. Works on display there by painters of the Boston School tradition inspired her. As a child she enjoyed drawing and painting and wanted to do something that she could be really good at, but at the time she was not aware that any kind of classical training existed.

“I came from a very frantic background, where a million things where always going on at once,” Beard said and revealed how she had struggled with her health and general well being.

After finishing her bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree in studio art, she left Ohio on the spur of the moment and drove to New Hampshire to study with a Boston School artist, Paul Ingbretson. She did seek help to improve her health while she was there, but she also said, “I think it was more of a spiritual battle.”

Discovering painting with Ingbretson was not only inspiring for her, but also healing.

“I would just listen to him talk about poetry, philosophy, sunsets, and beauty—but not in a cheesy way, in an honest way. I started to want to create things that are beautiful. I reconnected in trying to figure out how we are supposed to be as humans. From my perspective, if we were created, we must be created for some sort of purpose.

“Learning to draw and paint became a parallel to learning how to live healthy—just slowing down and breathing, being careful and honest,” she said.

From there she studied at the Academy of Realist Art in Boston for a short stint. Eventually she discovered Grand Central Atelier, where she felt she could hone her skills with more dedication. Moving to New York was scary and challenging for her, but ironically it became a place where she could also slow down. Feeling bombarded by a much wider variety of perspectives and opinions in New York compelled her to become more moderate with regard to her religion, but her faith became stronger.

Elizabeth Beard paints her self-portrait (left) and talks about her life and work (right) at Grand Central Atelier on March 10.

(Top) “Younger Sister,” 2016,

by Elizabeth Beard.

Oil on canvas.

Painting for Life Looking at her self-portrait, Beard said she was playing with the idea of her left hand either holding a paintbrush or a lily, maybe upsidedown. The lily can symbolize femininity, birth, devotion, and purity.

“My hands are my favorite part of me, so I wanted the hands to play a really expressive, very dominant role,” she said confidently.

Her self-portrait will be part of a series of at least two narrative figurative paintings that she started working on during her six-week residency in Castel del Piano, a small town in Tuscany, Italy, last summer. That is where her selfportrait originated, with a drawing. “Going there was so good for the soul,” she said. She loved the air, the landscape, and the charm of the architecture that fit so harmoniously with nature.

The largest painting in the series also relates to the parable of the prodigal son, but the central figure is a nude woman sitting on a stool, looking at a green dress on the ground, in front of a bale of hay in a Tuscan landscape.

Beard explained that the hay bale is supposed to represent everything in the woman’s life.

“I wanted it to show that it was all important.

She’s in this time in her life when she’s also trying to figure things out. She’s hiding and vulnerable, and there’s this huge world of a landscape behind her,” Beard said.

To recreate parts of the Tuscan scene in her studio space, Beard attached hay to cardboard, placed some tulips in a vase and a green dress on the floor. Like all of the artists and students at Grand Central Atelier, who use the traditional techniques of the old masters, Beard paints from life and from sketches. The model also flew to Italy and to New York from Atlanta for Beard to paint her.

Beard finds some people’s responses to her work baffling. “This is kind of funny but sometimes I get a response like, ‘As somebody who is a Christian, why would you paint nudes?’ which to me sounds kind of silly,” she said. For artists continuing to create work in the lineage of the old masters, the nude figure is very important.

“It brings us back to the Greeks and Romans, and it’s our investigation. It’s just like how we want to understand the flowers that we are painting, we want to understand the figures that we are painting, and we want to know it really well—whether it’s studying anatomy or understanding generalized forms,” she said.

Having reached a healthy balance in her life, feeling good about being good to herself, Beard also recalibrated her understanding of beauty and the importance of exalting the human figure from youth to old age.

“We are all human, we are all going to die one day, and I want to paint humans that are having a real human experience. … Making an incredibly beautiful painting because there is beauty in the world is a good enough reason to do it, and there’s so much to be said about why our culture needs that,” Beard said.

Beard will show her paintings at a group show at Eleventh Street Arts in Long Island City, opening on April 15. ”This Is New York” is a feature series that delves into the lives of inspiring individuals in New York City. See all our TINYs here: epochtim.es/TINY or follow @milenefernandez on Twitter.

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts COURTESY OF ROBERT RICKOVER

COURTESY OF LORI SCHIFF

LARA SAVILLE DAHL

Robert Rickover uses the Alexander Technique to help a flute player.

Alexander Technique for Musicians

Lori Schiff in an Alexander Technique session at The Juilliard School.

The power of changing habits

By Kremena Krumova | Epoch Times Staff Often musicians overreact to the musical intentions of a composer, or to conductors and teachers attempting to get specific results. In soft passages, perhaps players restrain themselves with muscular tension instead of maintaining ease in their bodies and using the techniques required by their instruments. Over time, these kinds of overreactions can develop into habits of misuse, and layers of tension may cause players frustration and even injuries.

At these times, musicians turn to Lorri Schiff, full time professor of the Alexander Technique at The Juilliard School.

The Alexander Technique is an educational method developed in the 1890s by Australian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander, who, while trying to recover his own voice when doctors could not help him, found the reason for his problem was excessive tension in his neck and body. He also discovered that when he changed his mental and physical habits, the problem disappeared.

“If musicians wish to change the way they play, thinking in the activity of playing and regulating how they use their whole body is absolutely essential,” wrote Schiff.

For example, a violinist lifts the violin and bow to play and often does not think much about this automatic action. But this action may be using much more effort than is required. It may be a part of a total pattern of movement where, perhaps, the person leans a bit into the lower back while rolling down a bit in the thoracic and upper parts of the spine, so as to compress the neck.

These reactions cause a series of imbalances in the body that then can cause a series of com-

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Robert Rickover, Alexander Technique instructor

pensations in order to meet the requirements of playing the violin, Schiff explained.

But if the violinist follows Alexander Technique, he would pause before lifting the instrument. He would allow the body to rebalance through releasing excess tension in the neck and back and then direct the actions of lifting the instruments in such a way that the movements would become more efficient and unhampered by imbalances.

“It is a constant mind-body awareness and direction of the self. The body is an instrument and Alexander Technique is a method for using it well,” Schiff said.

Know Your Body, Do Less The lack of knowledge about the connection between mind and body, as well as how the body works, is a major reason many musicians end their career or feel physical discomfort, said Robert Rickover, a teacher of Alexander Technique in Lincoln, Nebraska.

For example, a lot of people think that their elbow is a hinged joint, like a door, but if you explore it, you’ll notice your forearm can rotate 180 degrees, which one cannot do with a door, Rickover explained.

So if string players have such an idea, then they’re going to severely restrict movement possibilities in their bowing arms, and they’re going to bow with more strain.

“If a musician practices 7-8 hours a day with that same basic movement, his arm can freeze up. He can stop being able to play that instrument,” Rickover said.

Any division between how one thinks a joint works or where it is located, and how it actually works and where it is actually located, will set up a battle in the body and lead to extra tension.

Greatest Poems Ever Written PA R T 5 O F 10

By Evan Mantyk

n this series we look at the ten greatest poems originally written in the English language, one by one. It is presented from least greatest (No. 10) to greatest greatest (No. 1), and each poem is followed by a brief analysis.

PD-ART

William Blake.

If a musician practices 7-8 hours a day with that same basic movement, his arm can freeze up.

Laura Medisky working with an oboist in Alexander Technique’s monkey position.

Analysis of the Poem This poem contemplates a question arising from the idea of creation by an intelligent creator. The question is this: If there is a loving, compassionate God or gods who created human beings and whose great powers exceed the comprehension of human beings, as many major religions hold, then why would such a powerful being allow evil into the world?

Evil here is represented by a tiger that might, should you be strolling in the Indian or African wild in the 1700s, have leapt out and killed you. What would have created such a dangerous and evil creature? How could it possibly be the same divine blacksmith who created a cute, harmless, fluffy lamb or who created Jesus, also known as the “Lamb of God” (which the devoutly Christian Blake was probably also referring to here).

To put it another way, why would such a divine blacksmith create beautiful, innocent children and then also allow such children to be slaughtered. The battery of questions brings this mystery to life with lavish intensity.

Does Blake offer an answer to this question of evil from a good God? It would seem not on the surface. But this wouldn’t be a great poem if it were really that openended. The answer comes in the way that

Rickover also points out that most people have the idea that if something is wrong, they have to fix it by doing something else. With the Alexander Technique, on the other hand, you have to figure out what is causing the problem and learn how to stop doing it.

“The biggest challenge for people learning the Alexander Technique is trusting that all it takes is a light thought to change a physical pattern,” Rickover said.

Habits Should Not Get Us ‘Stuck in a Rut’ For Laura Medisky, oboist and Alexander Technique teacher in Madison, Wisconsin, learning the method was a life changing experience. She admits to being a great success story. As a young music student, she had debilitating and career-threatening pain, but is now a professional musician with a terminal degree, thanks to the Alexander Technique.

She understands that changing habits might be disconcerting and even disorienting to a musician who has done something the same way for a long time.

“I emphasize that these habits can be flexible and should create opportunities in our playing rather than get us stuck in a rut.

“I remind them that it is an exercise in awareness and developing their kinesthetic sense, not finding the ‘right’ way to play.”

Medisky also invites students to use verbs such as “notice,” “explore,” and “allow” when approaching their instruments. By advising students to pause, think, redirect, and execute, she is asking them to inhibit habitual patterns and create new ones.

“The biggest power of Alexander Technique lies in habit changing,” wrote Medisky.

Blake explains the question.

Blake’s language peels away the mundane world and offers a look at the super-reality that poets are privy to. We fly about in “forests of the night” through “distant deeps or skies,” looking for where the fire in the tiger’s eye was taken from by the Creator. This is the reality of expanded time, space, and perception that Blake so clearly elucidates elsewhere with the lines “To see a world in a grain of sand / And a heaven in a wild flower, / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, / And eternity in an hour” (“Auguries of Innocence”). This indirectly tells us that the reality we ordinarily know and perceive is really insufficient, shallow, and deceptive.

Where we perceive the injustice of the wild tiger, something else entirely may be transpiring. What we ordinarily take for truth may really be far from it: a thought that is scary, yet also sublime or beautiful—like the beautiful and fearsome tiger. Thus, this poem is great because it concisely and compellingly presents a question that still plagues humanity today, as well as a key clue to the answer.

William Blake was an English poet of the early Romantic period. He was also a skilled engraver and artist. Although against organized religion, he was passionately Christian and frequently had visions, which, combined with the spiritual nature of his poetry and art, led to his often being thought of as a lunatic.

Full list of poems: ept.ms/GreatestPoems

6. ‘The Tiger’

By William Blake (1757–1827)) Tiger Tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain, In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp, Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

When the stars threw down their spears And water’d heaven with their tears: Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tiger Tiger burning bright,

To contact the Society of Classical Poets, write to Submissions@ClassicalPoets.org

In the forests of the night:

Evan Mantyk is president of the Society of Classical Poets and a high school English teacher in upstate New York.

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

What immortal hand or eye,

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts DOUG HAMILTON

DOUG HAMILTON

Theater Review The play pulls no punches at the end.

Self-Centered Celebrities and Their Sustaining Culture

By Judd Hollander

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EW YORK—It’s not enough to say you want to change your life. You have to actually mean it. Not treating people as things to be used and discarded is a good first step in that process. It is a point driven home in Kenneth Lonergan’s comedic drama “Hold On To Me Darling,” presented by the Atlantic Theater Company.

Strings McCrane (Timothy Olyphant) of Beaumont, Tennessee, is a megastar, a country and western singer with mainstream appeal and a burgeoning film career. Strings, who often channels Elvis Presley with traces of a bad-boy attitude and the appropriate Southern twang, is also a darling of the tabloids due to his various romances and prima donna behavior.

Currently he’s in the middle of shooting his latest movie and about to go on tour to promote his upcoming album. But String’s life comes to an abrupt halt with the unexpected death of his mother, who never approved of her son’s career or his choices of female companionship.

Strings’s halfhearted attempts to reconnect with Mama, as she’s referred to, had all come to naught. It had been one of those things he simply put off, always figuring he’d have time to deal with it in the future.

Sitting in a Kansas City hotel room, Strings is determined to become the man his mama always wanted him to be. He finds he desperately needs someone real to talk to. His companions during this long night of self-recrimination are Jimmy (Keith Nobbs), his perennial “yes” man and gofer; and Nancy (Jenn Lyon), the hotel massage therapist who strikes up a friendship with the star.

Initially a story of a man looking into the abyss that is his life, “Hold On To Me Darling” soon becomes something else. It is also a bit-

It is a biting satire of selfcentered celebrities and the culture that allows them to flourish.

‘Hold On To Me Darling’ Linda Gross Theater 336 W. 20th St. Tickets 866-811-4111 or AtlanticTheater.org Running Time 2 hours, 45 minutes (one intermission) Closes April 17

ing satire of self-centered celebrities and the culture that allows them to flourish.

Strings is probably the most egocentric personality to grace the stage since the character Jacob Sterling sang in “What’s That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling.” He makes his mother’s death all about his own needs without taking into account anyone else his wounded psyche draws into the mix.

After baring his soul to Nancy—at least as far as he’s capable of doing—Strings heads home to Tennessee for the funeral. He stays with his older brother, Duke (C.J. Wilson), and finds another kindred spirit in Essie (Adelaide Clemens), his second cousin, twice removed.

Essie has written to Strings several times about the changes in her own life—letters that Strings claims he never received. This is an example of how little time Strings had for family before he himself needed them.

Drawing on numerous elements from the 1958 film “Sing Boy Sing,” “Hold On To Me Darling” also shows the dangers of putting people on a pedestal. Strings’s mama is all too soon revealed to be an unpleasant woman, more than a little interfering, and not at all on good terms with some of the former men in her life. Just like Strings, she was a hard person to be with.

Despite how laudable Strings’s effort to change his life may be, he’s not always realistic. As the play clearly shows, it’s not all that easy to walk away from the kind of celebrity status Strings has attained.

Simply abandoning his career and running the local feed store doesn’t take some factors into account. So many depend on his status for their own financial well-being. The hordes of screaming fans won’t simply go away just because he wants them to and no longer has any use for them.

Our country guards and follows celebrities

of choice with nearly a religious fervor. When a celebrity acts in a way contrary to what is expected—from doing a movie that plays against type to ending a celebrity relationship—fans may be quite unforgiving.

No one doubts Strings has worked terribly hard for his success, and no one begrudges him the amount of money he’s made because of it. But his need for everything to center around him—from the death of his mama to ensuring his brother has call waiting—ultimately drives away those he needs most. Or alternatively, makes them stay in the hopes of getting some scraps from the Strings McCrane gravy train.

The actors all do a fine job. Olyphant in particular comes off as the sort of fellow you really want to root for, but he continually shows he’s nowhere near ready for the responsibility of starting over.

Wilson gets some of the best laugh lines as Duke, a hardworking sort who just wants to provide for his family and maybe have a stronger relationship with his brother.

Lyon and Clemens both work well as the women in Strings’s life—explaining more would be giving away too much of the plot.

The same goes for Jonathan Hogan as Mitch, who has a small but pivotal role in the story.

Nobbs does well as the perennial hanger-on Jimmy. (In actuality, Lonergan could probably write another play just about the character Nobbs portrays and how he put his own life on hold to be at Strings’s beck and call.)

Softened with humor as it may be, the play pulls no punches at the end when it shows who holds the ultimate responsibility for the life a person has led, and the life they someday hope to lead.

It’s a compelling tale satisfactorily told.

JOAN MARCUS

Theater Review

Facing Forces More Powerful Than Humanity NEW YORK—Press notes point out that “Head of Passes” is “a contemporary parable inspired by the Book of Job.” As written by playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney (winner of numerous theatrical and literary awards, including the coveted MacArthur “Genius” Grant), the work is tremendously complex.

The play title refers to the area where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. The action of the play takes place in a home near this point. The house, once respectable if not elegant, has fallen into severe disrepair. But its remnants remain, under the stewardship of the owner, Shelah (Phylicia Rashad), who refuses to leave it.

Her servants, Creaker (John Earl Jelks) and his son Crier (Kyle Beltran), live on the premises; her grown children, sons Aubrey (Francois Battiste) and Spencer (J. Bernard Calloway), and daughter Cookie (Alana Arenas), live elsewhere.

It’s important to note that Cookie is not Shelah’s birth child. Cookie was brought home unexpectedly as an infant by Shelah’s now deceased husband, Big Aubrey, who ordered Shelah to raise her as her own.

Shelah, though having nothing good to say about Big Aubrey, rose to the occasion and

loved Cookie as if she were her natural child.

The present action represents a special occasion: It is Shelah’s birthday, and she is to be honored with a surprise party. This is an event that brings family, close friend Mae (Arnetia Walker), and Shelah’s longtime doctor, Dr. Anderson (Robert Joy), to the house.

However, the doctor’s presence is partly for medical concerns, as Shelah is suffering from a serious illness—replete with a fierce cough and the spitting of blood. Dr. Anderson fears for her survival.

This evening is particularly dangerous as a powerful rainstorm has been pounding the area, and the house, with a roof that needed mending long before, is becoming strained beyond its strength. In fact, rain is leaking into the house; buckets have been placed to catch the water, and there are hints of things getting worse, much worse.

The father/son relationship of Creaker and Crier is somewhat strained, but on a mild household level of whether or not the potato salad will keep long enough to serve to Cookie, who may or may not attend the festivities.

Shelah’s sons display mild conflicts.

But Cookie, who finally arrives, appears under stress. She has left her two little boys at home in the one room they all live in. She admits she is in a bad way financially and asks

Rashad executes a tour-de-force performance.

‘Head of Passes’ The Public Theater (Newman Theater) 425 Lafayette St. Tickets 212-967-7555 or PublicTheater.org Running Time 2 hours (one intermission) Closes April 24

(Right) Strings McCrane (Timothy Olyphant) is a megastar, a country and western singer with mainstream appeal and a burgeoning film career.

Judd Hollander is a member of the Drama Desk and a reviewer for Stagebuzz.com

JOAN MARCUS

By Diana Barth

(Left) (L–R) Jimmy (Keith Nobbs) is a “yes” man and gofer to country music star Strings McCrane (Timothy Olyphant); and Nancy (Jenn Lyon) is the star’s latest conquest.

Shelah for money. When Shelah invites Cookie to find her purse in the upstairs bedroom and help herself to its contents, a peculiar incident takes place, which leads to a series of events that is akin to those in the direst of tragedies, almost like a Greek tragedy in scope.

Throughout all her tribulations, Shelah repeatedly calls upon God, whom she refers to as Father. The play’s final, very long monologue gives Phylicia Rashad, alone on stage, the opportunity to display a power and breadth of emotion not often found in American writing. Rashad makes the most of this opportunity and executes a tour-de-force performance.

Director Tina Landau rises to the occasion in conveying the play’s depth and importance.

G.W. Mercier deserves particular attention for his extraordinary set, which, when required, demonstrates a house devastated by a storm, including falling planks and indications of a flooded living room.

His efforts are enhanced by Jeff Croiter’s lighting design. Sound is by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen, costumes by Toni-Leslie James, and wig and hair design by RobertCharles Vallance.

Diana Barth writes for various publications including her own New Millennium. She may be contacted at DiaBarth@juno.com

(Left) Phylicia Rashad and Kyle Beltran in "Head of Passes," written by Tarell Alvin McCraney.

(Right) Alana Arenas (L) and Phylicia Rashad play an adopted daughter and her mother in “Head of Passes.”

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts STARZ

Film Review

‘One More Time’

Very Watchable Walken Wackiness

By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff “One More Time,” a fleetingly hilarious, fun little film about family, starring Christopher Walken and Johnny Depp’s wife, Amber Heard, will most likely go under the multiplex radar and become a Duane Reade Red Box/Netflix perennial, although it’s better than most of what shows up in a Red Box. Walken, that curious individual ... his passing strange syntax, inflections, ticks, hidden talents (dancing), and fright hair were so ripe for mimicry (and yet you must have true acting talent to pull off a spot-on Walken impression) that he had a career second wind from the publicity windfall of Jay Mohr, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollack and Bradley Cooper’s Walken impressions.

And whereas certain actors (cough—William Shatner, John Malkovitch—cough) could never crawl back out of the tarpit of self-parody they fell into, Christopher Walken can, when the spirit moves him. He enjoys his weirdness, he owns it, he sends it up—he did a whole skit on SNL where all the cast members played his family members, united in Walken-ese.

But he’s a pro, and can back off his weirdness just enough, like in this little movie we’re discussing—it’s still rampant mind you—but you can definitely go, “Ha! That’s actually funny without wholly wallowing in Walken’s wackiness.”

Family Feuds He’s Paul Lombard; a Sinatra-era crooner fixin’ to make a comeback. Gonna open for the Flaming Lips, he is. Daughter Jude (Amber Heard), also a singer-songwriter and erstwhile punkrocker (still sporting pink hair), tells him Flaming Lips fans are not Paul Lombard fans; it’s clearly an ironic hipster goof of a gig, and the joke’s on him.

She’s visiting dad (whom she refuses to call anything but Paul, to his tremendous irritation) at his Hamptons digs, because she’s facing eviction with no employment.

Jude blames all her troubles on Paul’s philandering ways, which are prodigious, and which sins-of-the-father she inherited— she being the addict and her little sister Corinne (Kelli Garner) the no-talent goodygoody. He thinks they’re both batty. Not his exact words.

They are, in fact, both spoiled, but then, so is he, hilariously complaining he doesn’t live in the classy Hamptons, and staying up late editing Wikipedia so it says he’s not “one of the original crooners” but, in fact, the “greatest crooner of all time.”

And while the Lombard fame and fortune may be higher than most who watch this movie, it all feels very real and lived-in, if not cozy. Very identifiable.

Father-Daughter As mentioned, dad’s attempting to get his star to shine again, daughter needs to step up careerwise, he lectures, she resents it. She plays open mic nights, he leaves his Rolls Royce parked outside the local motel in plain sight, she calls him on his incorrigible trysting—they fall out.

She catches his Flaming Lips gig, calls him a dancing monkey whom the kids laugh at, and, in the movie’s realest moment, he says, “I know. You think I don’t know that? Who cares?” Like Joan Rivers, Paul’s an unapologetic, true creature of showbiz.

As is Christopher Walken himself. It took forever for the world to catch on to the fact that eccentric-is-too-mild-a-word-Walken is a classic Broadway singer-dancer.

Nuggets of Walken-speak When his daughter flounces out of the room, feeling insulted, and he says, “Stay!” which sounds exactly like when Kevin Pollack mimicked the time he encountered Walken, standing by himself in a parking lot outside a Hollywood party, who said (to no one in particular) “Stranded!” As only Walken can.

And Yet It’s the Ensemble The family scenes are comfortable and naturalistic like an old shoe; the cast (along with

Amber Heard and Christopher Walken in the movie “One More Time.”

The family scenes are comfortable and naturalistic like an old shoe.

LARRY BUSACCA/GETTY IMAGES

Walken owns his weirdness, holding it back from veering into self-parody.

‘One More Time’ Director Robert Edwards Starring Christopher Walken, Amber Heard, Kelli Garner, Hamish Linklater, Ann Magnuson, Oliver Platt Running Time 1 hour, 38 minutes Unrated Release Date April 8

Hamish Linklater as Jude’s brother-in-law and Ann Magnuson as Paul’s fourth wife) achieves an uncommon level of realism, rarely seen in movie dinner-table chit-chat.

Oliver Platt as Paul’s agent gets endless mileage of Jude’s name: “‘Hey Jude.’ Ha! It never gets old.” And when Paul wants to sing a song and Jude objects, it’s, “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.”

And when she refuses to sing along, it’s, “Take

a sad song, and make it better.” Paul approves.

McCartney that is.

The actor homework of establishing history and specifics (for which Walken is known to have painstaking integrity) pays off, rendering the cross-talking, multiple conversations as little understated, actor-ly works of high craft. This family feels very family-ish. And they don’t even speak Walken-ese.

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts S I BY L L E ’ S S T Y L E D I A RY

SHEILA ROSENBLUM

ROB RICH/SOCIETYALLURE.COM

on Living in Style From Manhattan to the Race Track

By Sibylle Eschapasse

T

his week’s style diary is about Sheila Rosenblum, the sole owner of Lady Sheila Stable, and chief investor and manager of Lady Sheila Stable Two and Triumphant Trio, an all-female ownership syndicate. This longtime resident of Manhattan came to the world of thoroughbreds and racing after a successful career in modeling for Wilhelmina and Ford, and training as a ballet dancer as an alum of the Royal Ballet School in London and the School of American Ballet.

She encountered increasing success in the racing industry since becoming an owner in 2010. One of her horses, La Verdad, is now even part of the Millionaire Ranks pushing her earnings past the $1 million mark. She recently had the great luck to purchase American Pharoah’s half brother, which she had Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza name ChampionoftheNile. She lives a life mostly spent between Manhattan and the horse track, always in style!

Sibylle Eschapasse: Describe your style? If a close friend were to describe your personality in three words, what would they be?

Sheila Rosenblum: My style is definitely something I’d call eclectic classic. Downplayed elegance with fabulous accessories, really. I’m a dress girl. I love seeing women in dresses and love it when they show some leg in a nice heel.

But then I also love jeans and a shirt and blazer paired with some great boots. So the classics, really, mixed up with a twist of modern and eclectic. That really defines my personality, too, I think.

Look at your body type, be honest with yourself, and like the great Johnny Mercer once wrote: accentuate the positive!

Sheila Rosenblum

Style is knowing what works and doesn’t work for you, says Sheila Rosenblum.

Ms. Eschapasse: If a close friend were to describe your personality in three words, what would they be?

Ms. Rosenblum: Passionate, determined, and exuberant.

Ms. Eschapasse: How did your style evolve since you were a teenager?

Ms. Rosenblum: I suppose the different phases of my life so far have dictated the style. I was a bohemian dancer and model, then I evolved into a more refined mom and wife, and now I love getting dressed up and doing something meaningful for myself.

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Ms. Eschapasse: What is the wildest thing you ever wore?

Ms. Rosenblum: Glad I only have to mention one! Back in the early 1980s, I shot a campaign for three days. They wanted someone with very blue eyes like Lynda Carter, so they booked me and I wore a Wonder Woman costume—leather boots, vinyl halter, utility belt, tiara … the whole shebang! That definitely beats the Cleopatra getup I once donned for another shoot.

Ms. Eschapasse: How do you dress on workdays versus weekends?

Ms. Rosenblum: You will always find me in jeans and a blazer on any given day. And, like I said before, for the weekend, I’m very much a girl who loves dresses. With a great heel.

Ms. Eschapasse: What are three accessories you can’t live without? And what’s one item that makes you instantly more confident?

Ms. Rosenblum: This one’s easy: a great bag, great shoes, and earrings. I never go out without earrings. It’s such an easy way to elevate everything.

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Ms. Eschapasse: What is one purchase you’re most proud of? What would you pay a lot of money for, and what would you never pay much money for?

Ms. Rosenblum: A timeless Chanel jacket.

It’s blue, it’s classic, it’s perfect, and I love it!

It’s what you would pay a lot of money for. It’s a wonderful, well-made outfit by one of my favorite designers.

Ms. Eschapasse: And what would you never pay much money for?

Ms. Rosenblum: Trendy stuff. I would never pay much money for that … it doesn’t matter to me.

Ms. Eschapasse: When you go on the red carpet, how do you want your outfit to make you feel?

Ms. Rosenblum: Feminine, sexy, and chic. But I like that for anywhere I go, not just a red carpet.

Wouldn’t you want to walk into the kitchen feeling feminine, sexy, and chic? [laughs] No??

Ms. Eschapasse: Which designers can achieve that?

Ms. Rosenblum: I would say Chanel, Dior, Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta, and Elie Saab. I really like some of Mugler’s newer stuff. It’s very provocative, but in a tasteful way, which certainly catches my eye.

Ms. Eschapasse: What do you think of how others dress, and what’s your advice to people who would like to develop their personal style?

Ms. Rosenblum: Oh boy, that’s a sensitive topic around these parts! I would say, look, ladies: Look at your body type, be honest with yourself, and like the great Johnny Mercer once wrote: accentuate the positive!

Ms. Eschapasse: What’s one item that makes you instantly more confident?

Ms. Rosenblum: A great pair of shoes. I forgot which actress once said that she associated shoes with a certain role she was playing. I thought, “What a concept!” I realized that I live by that same philosophy to some degree. I’ve been known to go to the races in heels and there’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with that! I love heels, and though they may not always be the conventional—or the most comfortable—it’s my thing and they empower me to do what I want to do.

Sheila’s Favorites

Ms. Eschapasse: Who have been your greatest fashion influences?

Ms. Rosenblum: No question: Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. It may be cliché, but they both just hit every mark, and so effortlessly and beautifully. They have incredible taste and incredible presence. Those were two girls who definitely always wore the clothes rather than the clothes wearing them.

Favorite movie: Oh I love “The Red Shoes!”

Moira Shearer was such an influence on me in that movie when I was a little girl. It’s a fabulous movie that doesn’t get enough attention, I’m afraid. Two other favorites are “Gone with the Wind” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” of course!

Ms. Eschapasse: Who have been your greatest fashion influences? Who is your style icon?

Ms. Rosenblum: Of those two, Audrey Hepburn. No one can do a cute dress and an updo like Audrey did.

Favorite quote: Maya Angelou truly stirred my soul when I read this quote of hers: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some humor, and some style.”

Ms. Eschapasse: What does having style mean to you? In other words, please define style.

Ms. Rosenblum: It’s really fairly simple, come to think of it: You know what looks good on you. Not focused on being trendy, but get to know your strengths and weaknesses, accentuate those strengths. I know some things will and some won’t work for me, and I rarely find a trend interesting enough to throw myself into it.

Favorite color: Blue!

Favorite perfume: Vetiver by Guerlain.

Favorite restaurant: Nobu, Cipriani, Le Cirque, and for lunch, Le Bilboquet.

Favorite drink: Cabernet Sauvignon. Simple, classic, delicious.

Favorite book: Paula McLain’s “Circling the Sun” and Gregory David Roberts’s “Shantaram.”

They’re both so brilliant.

Sibylle’s “Style Diary” is a column that explores style from the perspective of choices, and what that means for different people, with personal advice from some of the most stylish people in New York.

Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and now lives in Manhattan. She is a journalist and a contributing writer to various publications. Sibylle is also the author of a children’s book, “Argy Boy!: A New York Dog Tale.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts LISA MARIE MAZZUCCO

SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES

YoYo Ma & Emanuel Ax April 15 at 8 p.m.

Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall The five sonatas that Beethoven wrote for cello and piano are the earliest works of significance that pair the two instruments and offer insights into the development of his musical language.

Limited availability, 212-247-7800.

CarnegieHall.org

THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Isabel Leonard at National Opera Center April 7 at 7 p.m.

The National Opera Center, 330 Seventh Ave. An exclusive opportunity to be part of an intimate conversation led by OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca with acclaimed mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as she shares stories from her career and discusses her interests and influences. $25 general, $10 for members.

OperaAmerica.org Tribeca Film Festival April 13–24 Various locations The 2016 Tribeca Film Festival includes conversations this year with successful filmmakers, artists, and executives including J.J. Abrams, Andrea Arnold, Anthony Bourdain, Francis Ford Coppola, Katie Couric, Alfonso Cuarón, Jodie Foster, Ricky Gervais, Catherine Hardwicke, Donna Karan, Baz Luhrmann, Patti Smith, Joss Whedon, Olivia Wilde, Samantha Bee, and more. $10–$40 for individual tickets.

TribecaFilm.com

NEW ELSEWHERE Beneath the Sea April 1–3 Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus, N.J. America’s largest consumer scuba and dive travel show. $5–120. BeneathTheSea.org Neighborhood Concert: Decoda April 3 at 2 p.m.

National Sawdust, 80 North Sixth St., Brooklyn Chamber music ensemble Decoda is made up of virtuoso musicians, entrepreneurs, and passionate advocates for the arts. Free. NationalSawdust.org Branching Communities Together: 4th Annual Sustainable Living Empowerment Conference April 23 Saint Peter’s University, 2641 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, N.J. This intimate, communitydriven conference is meant to move people in a way to want to be the change that they would like to see in the world. It is also an opportunity for organizers and grassroots organizations to come together under one roof, share ideas, and move their respective mission(s) forward.

Free, registration required.

SASGLocal.com

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN

VISUAL ARTS

Macy’s Flower Show Through April 3 Herald Square A stunning celebration of our country’s vast and varied landscapes—from purple mountain majesties and across the wilderness. Free. Social.

Macys.com/flowershow

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Taisho Era Screens and Contemporary Lacquers Through April 15 Erik Thomsen Gallery, 23 E. 67th St. A pair of circa 1700 six-

panel screens, Stations along the Tokaido Road. An early example of the subject, the screens show a series of sites along the road between Kyoto, long the Imperial capital of Japan, and Edo, present day Tokyo. ErikThomsen.com Northern Dynasties, Early Chinese Buddhist Sculpture Through April 23 Throckmorton Fine Art, 145 E. 57th St., Third Floor An exhibit of 30early Chinese Buddhist sculptures with a focus on works from China’s Northern Dynasties, including Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Northern Qi, dating from 386 to 577 A.D. ThrockMorton-NYC.comg

PERFORMING ARTS

Written by Jane Austen, adapted for the stage by Kate Hamill, directed by Eric Tucker. $69–$89.

Bedlam.org L’Elisir d’Amore Through April 7 Metropolitan Opera Everyone in the village loves the spry Adina and the slowbut-likeable Nemorino—but when will they admit their love for each other? Soprano Aleksandra Kurzak and tenor Vittorio Grigolo bring their magnetism to the two lead roles, with the renowned Alessandro Corbelli as the loveable con man who sells the “magic elixir” of love.

Enrique Mazzola conducts Bartlett Sher’s vibrant production.

From $25.

MetOpera.org

NEW IN MANHATTAN

ONGOING ELSEWHERE

Simon Boccanegra April 1–16 30 Lincoln Center Plaza The legendary pair of James Levine and Plácido Domingo have defined Verdi’s art for more than four decades. They demonstrate their mastery with this remarkable character study of the wise Doge forced to confront his past. The spectacular cast includes tenor Joseph Calleja and another legend, bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Boccanegra’s rival, Fiesco. From $27.

MetOpera.org

La Bohème Through May 5 Metropolitan Opera Puccini’s unforgettable tale of love, youth, and tragic loss returns in Franco Zeffirelli’s classic production, perhaps his most beloved staging of all.

From $25. MetOpera.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Sense & Sensibility Through April 17 Gym at Judson, 243 Thompson St.

Richard II Through April 29 BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St. Richard II: ruler by divine right, undone through bumbling mortal wrongs.

Director Gregory Doran leads the Royal Shakespeare Company in this masterful take on Shakespeare’s incisive study of squandered sovereignty, the first chapter in the epic cycle King and Country. $30–$125.

BAM.org

Henry IV Part I Through April 30 BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St. War is imminent. Guilt weighs heavily on the newly crowned King Henry (Jasper Britton) after offing his rival King Richard.

And Prince Hal (Alex Hassell) is carousing with ne’er-dowells at the tavern. So begins “Henry IV Part I,” continuing the Royal Shakespeare Company’s sweeping cycle King and Country, directed by Gregory Doran. $30–$125. BAM.org Henry IV Part II Through April 30 BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St. Henry IV’s army has suppressed the rebel uprising. But the king has fallen ill, Prince Hal (Alex Hassell) has fallen in again with the corrupting influences of Falstaff (Antony Sher), and a second uprising looms as “Henry IV Part II begins,” continuing the Royal Shakespeare Company’s sweeping cycle King and Country, directed by Gregory Doran. $30–$125. BAM.org Henry V Through May 1 BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St. Reckless youth morphs into kingly ambition as the oncewayward Prince Hal takes full command of the crown. In the Royal Shakespeare Company’s culminating chapter of King and Country, Alex Hassell (“The Caretaker,” 2012 Winter/Spring) reprises his role from “Henry IV,” bringing infinite nuance and humanity to the mettleproving sovereign: wrenching self-scrutiny on the eve of battle, tongue-tied ineptitude in the face of love, lingering guilt in the wake of fatherly sin. $30–$125.

BAM.org

MUSIC NEW IN MANHATTAN Orchestra Underground: Eastern Wind April 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall The orchestra’s adventurous Orchestra Underground concerts are exciting explorations of what’s new and daring. This program features music by young composers inspired by Eastern culture, including a work by Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, with the composer singing and playing the ud. $43–$50.

CarnegieHall.org Ines Trickovic, Jazz Vocalist, and Friends April 6 at 8 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Ines Trickovic, a Croatian jazz singer based in Macau, joins forces with young jazz artists Brian Girley, Julian Shore, Gilad Hekselman, Marion Ross III, Shin Sakaino, and Marcus Gilmore. $50. CarnegieHall.org Bridge to Beethoven April 7 at 8 p.m.

92nd St. Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall, 1395 Lexington Ave. Violinist Jennifer Koh is joined by pianist Shai Wosner in the first concert of 92Y’s Bridge to Beethoven series, which connects the master with contemporary composers. $25. 92Y.org

Dear Readers If you have an event to suggest, please send details to NYC_Arts@ EpochTimes.com in the format you see here.

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April 1–7, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts AMATA

Famous for its silk, cotton, and exotic leathers like stingray.

COURTESY OF BIFF & BIL 2016

ARTTY EXOTIC

THAILAND Fashion Gateway of Asia

By Emel Akan | Epoch Times Staff

T

Pilan Dhammongkol, owner, Thanapaisal

Thai brand Iconic designs and produces clothes for young women.

Young Brands Thai designer Pruetthida Srisuntisuk is passionate about quality leathers, fine craftsmanship, and premium materials. In 2010, she founded the local Thai brand ARTTY Exotic, which designs and produces leather goods like shoes and bags.

Her family has been in the leather tanning business since 1960, which is great support for her brand. She procures her materials mostly from Thailand, Europe, and Japan.

Pruetthida showcased her latest collection, “The Art of Geometric Leathers,” which illustrates a combination of geometric art and highquality fine leather.

Thai brands that specialize in high-quality yet affordable clothing are particularly appealing to international buyers. Iconic, which sells

40 percent of its products internationally, is one of them.

Founded in 2012, Iconic designs and produces clothes for young women. Blended tribal heritage, original designs, original textile design technique, a twist of modern bohemian, affordable pricing, and a younger look are features that make the Iconic brand unique.

Thailand Gears Up to Become a Regional Hub Thailand enjoys a strategic location and serves as a gateway to the heart of Asia. The country offers convenient trade with China, India, and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Thailand is the second-largest economy in ASEAN and a major player in the regional value chain for key manufacturing industries, including textiles.

Thailand is an export-oriented economy with exports accounting for around 65 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To promote exports, the Ministry of Commerce developed six-year international trade strategies.

One of the government’s strategies is to promote Thailand as the regional hub of ASEAN in terms of trade and investment, said Somdet Susomboon, assistant director-general of DITP. ASEAN, with a population of more than 600 million people and a GDP growth of 6 percent, is a highly attractive market for Thai industries like textiles.

Another strategy implemented by the Thai government is to improve the competitiveness of the local private sector. According to the presentation provided by Somdet, over 2.6 million small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand account for 90 percent of all businesses in the country, though they contribute only 30 percent of the country’s overall exports.

The Thai textile industry is expected to grow further in coming years with significant private sector technology investments and government policies to improve textile production, designing skills, and supply chain management.

Malee Choklumlerd (4th L), director– general, Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, during the the 34th Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair on March 9.

COURTESY OF BIFF & BIL 2016 COURTESY OF BIFF & BIL 2016

World-Famous Thai Silk Thai silk is famous for its quality, unique designs, and affordability. One of the notable Thai brands at the Bangkok fair was Greenville Silk, which produces innovative silk fabrics and silk products. The company is owned by Thanapaisal R.O.P., which is a family-owned business with over 100 years of experience in cotton and silk production.

“I had a dream of exporting Thai silk to other countries. And that dream came true 10 years ago when I first started to export to Japan,” said Pilan Dhammongkol, the owner of Thanapaisal. He is the third generation of his family’s textile business.

Pilan praised the government-spon-

I had a dream of exporting Thai silk to other countries.

And that dream came true.

COURTESY OF ICONIC

hailand is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world and beloved for its delicious cuisine, tropical weather, and beautiful beaches. However, Thailand’s strengths go beyond being an attractive tourist destination. It has become a gateway for the fashion industry thanks to its global reputation for fashion design and production.

Thailand hosted the 34th Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair (BIFF & BIL 2016) from March 9 to 13. Malee Choklumlerd, director-general of the DITP (Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce), organized the event, and said the fair shows the great potential of Thailand’s fashion industry.

“It proves we are ready to be a fashion platform and trend leader,” said Malee. Thai designers and manufacturers have received good responses from both local and international buyers from China, Japan, Korea, and Europe, according to DITP. Thailand, famous for its silk and cotton, has recently diversified into production of synthetic fibers and filaments. Thailand’s textile industry has a complete supply chain from the production of fibers, fabrics, and textiles to apparel, and home and industrial textiles.

Thailand also has an extensive tanning industry, producing traditional and exotic leathers such as crocodile, snake, and stingray skins. These leathers are used in the production of high-quality shoes, bags, and accessories.

The theme of the fair this year was “Catching the Creative Spirit,” with a focus on creativity, design, and quality. Some Thai designers and fashion brands are already well-known internationally. Their international success is a result of great talent and inner spirit, as well as strong support from local suppliers, manufacturers, and labor forces.

DITP encourages more brands to break into the global fashion scene, and the fair in Bangkok is a great platform to do that. More than 500 companies attended the fair in Bangkok this year to showcase their products and services.

sored programs that aimed to advance the Thai textile and garment industries. The government hired a team of Italian fashion consultants who specialize in weaving, designing, dyeing, and finishing to advise Thai textile companies. Pilan was one of the entrepreneurs who was inspired by these Italian experts. He started to focus more on the quality of the fabric to differentiate his brand.

“Italians do not focus on mass production, they focus on creativity. They take care of the fabric and they make it really soft. When you wear it, you feel the difference. In technical terms, we call it mechanical finishing. I call it massaging the fabric,” said Pilan.

To create a sustainable business, he thinks it is important to make a difference as well. He is focused more on teaching and helping others than on making money. “Most businessmen are focused on self-interest and money, but I like to help others and be useful. This makes me happy,” he said.

He traveled to North and Northeast Thailand to collaborate with textile craftsmen and small-business owners. He taught them how to dye and design materials. “It is a learning process. I learned a lot from them as well. We work together. We can sell fabrics with a new design and new materials three times higher than normal price,” said Pilan.

Thailand hosted the 34th Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair (BIFF & BIL 2016).

More than 500 companies showcased their products at the fair held between March 9 and 13, in Bangkok.