LaGMag Vol.1, Issue 3 by Isabelle Ament

Volume 1. Issue 3

Cover Art by Harlie Brindak

ISSUE 1 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS ART/EVENTS s

Bridge Art Fair 08’

Featured: Urara Muramatsu

LaGuardia Tee Shirt Artists

MUSIC 28 30

10 Featured: Michele Jang 14 Teenage Lontano

Album Reviews Featured: Kane Dulaney Balser

FUN 32

Slaying Dragons: The Three Great Dragons

16 Relay for Life 08’

IN THE LIFE OF 18 Where I Live: Curry Hill

Copy Editors Maria Plotkina Ariana King Jaime Sunwoo Benny Lam Paul Vergara Hilary Davies

MOVIES/THEATER

Louis Peralte Rio Nose Katrina Cortes Ren Santiago Amanda Sonnenschein Chloe Dietz Samantha Zeldin

Harlie Brindak (Cover) Mary Turgeon

21 22 23 24

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review Paranoid Park Review Iron Man Review At What Cost Art?: A Review of Sunday in the Park with George

FOOD

Layout Editors 26

Go! Go! Curry!

Mary Turgeon

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A R T

Events

BRIDGE ART FAIR O8’

by Jaime Sunwoo

Bridge Art Fair 08’, also held in Berlin, London, and Miami, premiered in New York City. To make each Bridge Art Fair unique and exciting, each exposition had its own focus. Bridge London spotlighted African art, Berlin focused on the galleries of Los Angeles, and Miami is highlighting Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Bridge New York focused on Asia. Here, the best of contemporary art from South Korea, China, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, and Singapore were exhibited.

Yuna Park, German Cafe, Oil on canvas 2008 Courtesy of Kwanhoon Projects

This year, the international, contemporary Bridge Art Fair was held on the Waterfront, locally known in the Chelsea gallery district as “The Tunnel.” Once a 23,000-square-foot railway tunnel and later converted into the famous Tunnel nightclub, the lofty space was as correspondingly innovative as the contemporary art work that it showcased. The Bridge Art Fair featured more than 50 international exhibitors from Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the United States, and more. Bridge New York was a success. Visitors varied from students looking for new inspiration, people coming for leisure, and prominent art collectors and connoisseurs. It was also a great opportunity for artists from different parts of 4 ISSUE 1 2007

the world to mingle, communicate, and learn new ideas being cultivated in the modern art world. Here are a few works from galleries that were showcased in this year’s Bridge Art Fair. To see more, go to http://www.bridgeartfair.com/ exhibitorlist_nyc.htm

Chen Yu, Untitled Series No. 17, Oil on Canvas 2006 Courtesy of Schoeni Art Gallery Lauren Kalman, Tongue Gilding, Digital print 2007 Courtesy of Sienna Gallery

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A R T

featured

“A Song.” It used to be like “A Magazine Girl Transformed.” Where did you get your idea for the artwork?

Urara Muramatsu

From a fashion magazine. You said that part of the girl’s hair is supposed to represent sheet music. Was that your idea, or was it like that in the original picture?

Grade: Sophomore Major: Art Reppin’ from: Chelsea, Manhattan What art classes are you currently taking in LaGuardia? Studio practice 4 and 3D. What are your motivations and inspirations? I guess “atmosphere”? The atmosphere of people or the atmosphere of landscapes, especially those that bring back memories or make me feel happy make me want to draw. What kind of art do you particularly enjoy? Modern art. What’s your favorite medium? Oil or watercolor. I’m really interested in oil right now. Courtesy of the artist.

What major are you interested in after you graduate? Are you thinking about applying for an art college? Fine arts. Of course! I really want to go to Cooper Union and paint.

Interviewed by Rio Nose

Which artists inspire you? Picasso is pretty good. I get inspired by a lot of famous artists, but I get inspired by movies a lot, like I really like Akira Kurosawa movies. Okay, now I’m going to ask you a few questions about your artwork being featured in the MoMa. What is the piece called?

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No, that was my idea. I had to do something with it, like change it in some way. Was there anything else you changed about the original picture to make it special? I didn’t draw the whole body, like I made it fade because I didn’t want to draw the whole body and I didn’t want to mess it up. I also made some kind of pink air coming out of her head so it looks like her thoughts are continuing. What does your father do? He imports clothing from all over the world to Japan. He has a store in France, Berlin, London, and Hong Kong. He also owns a few galleries in New York and Japan. Have you ever presented your artwork in one of his galleries? Yes, one in New York. But It wasn’t a formal gallery, it was a gallery where people can buy an artwork at a price that has $.99 at the end. Mine sold for $49.99. What was the piece of? It was a painting of a boy holding a big heart-shape cloud. Were you happy? ISSUE 1 2007

I was happy! People told me that the couple that bought it were tourists and they looked really happy.

LaGuardia

Tee Shirt Artists

own artwork, but I wouldn’t be here without my father. My father really likes my artwork, even if it’s crappy. One time he bought a hanger I made that’s in the shape of an alligator and he keeps it on his desk.

By Ren Santiago

Tomo Hamano

What about your mother? She was an illustrator before, and she’s really into anatomy right now so she wanted to take a class with me.

Tomo Hamano is a sophomore art major at LaGuardia. He’s tall and friendly and in love with the Japanese clothing them last year, when his brother brought home a screen from AP Printing. In the future he wants to be a designer. As of now, his shirts don’t have a theme: “I do it for fun,” he says with a smirk. So far he’s screen printed about four designs and

What do you look for in other people’s artwork? I look for the use of colors. I don’t really pay attention to techniques because I know they’d be good, but I want to see how they use their colors and what kind of colors they mix. I really learn from that.

them away to his friends for free, but he decided, but they may cost around $5 to $15. It depends on the design, really. Contact: tomohamano@yahoo.com

When did you start drawing? When I was in kindergarden. I was always trying to draw princesses. My friends and I would always go to the teacher and ask them to draw a princess for us so we could color them in, and sometimes we would trace the ones our teacher drew. One time, somebody told me that I was bad at drawing and I got so upset. That made me dislike art for a while. Nobody ever says that anymore though, I think I’m the only one that doesn’t like my own artwork. Do you have any good memories, or times that made you happy because of your artwork? Well this, that I’m being featured here, but also in my bathroom in Japan, my artwork ally likes it. It’s a drawing of my mom and my dad at a party. My dad has a tuxedo on and my mom has a dress on. My mom is trying to ask my dad to dance, but he’s being surrounded by a lot of women, but my dad is reaching out to my mother because he wants to dance with her. This picture is still hung up in our bathroom because my dad likes it a lot. 8 ISSUE 1 2007

Could you talk about your clothing style, because you’re really stylish and everybody likes what you wear every day? Well I like fashion because my dad is in the fashion industry, and my mom is really fashionable. I just grew up in a family like that. Does it take you a long time to dress in the morning? and I put it on. I used to be really interested in fashion. I thought I was gonna study fashion and become a designer, but right now I don’t really care. I’m not really interested. I like it, but I’m not that interested.

Benny Lam is a sophomore art major at LaGuardia. He was one of the few artists who’s bag design was chosen for the My Green New York contest made to replace plastic bags that contribute to pollution. He started making shirts for fun, but now he has geared this hobby to raise money for the school Film Maker’s club. Each of his shirts go for $10. So far, he’s made approximately ten original designs but also accepts commisions on custom designs. Contact: blam0492@yahoo.com

Benny Lam

Well my dad, he doesn’t do music, he doesn’t paint, but I still consider him an artist because of the way he thinks. I think anyone who thinks in a very unrealistic way but has some logic behind it and is willing to explain it to you is an artist. Actually, anybody who thinks is. I also think people who struggle in life are all artists. ISSUE 1 2007

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featured

Michele Jang Grade: Junior Major: Art Reppin’ from: College Point, Queens Interviewed by Maria Plotkina Maria Plotkina: What art classes are you taking at LaGuardia? Michele Jang: This semester, I’m taking advanced painting and realistic drawing. MP: What is your favorite academic class? of art. MP: What is your favorite medium? MJ: Oil. I only like oils and also oil pastels, because you can add them onto oil paintings. MP: Do you have a favorite artist? MJ: That’s hard… I like Gustav Klimt, Otto Dix, and also John Singer-Sargent. MP: Do you like visiting museums? MJ: Yes. MP: What inspires you?

Michele Jang, Lady With A Feather Hat, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist

MJ: More than the image itself, I like colors. If I see colors I like on my palette, I might add them into the painting even if I hadn’t been Michele Jang, Afroman, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist

Michele Jang, Brooklyn Bridge, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist

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your Michele Jang, Model Lily Cole, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist

planning on it. And, of course, fashion- that’s my main inspiration. MP: Do you think you’ll continue making art after LaGuardia? school. MP: What college are you planning to apply to? MJ: I’m applying to Parsons and London School of Fashion. MP: What inspired you to paint Lily Cole? MJ: I painted her because she looks very different, almost like an alien. Also, her red hair 12 ISSUE 1 2007

is very different from stereotypical beauty. Most people think of blonde hair, blue eyes, and a long face when they think of beauty. I wanted to show beauty in other forms. MP: How did you begin painting Afroman? MJ: This one has a long history. It started out as Dita Von Teese, and I’d been painting it for weeks. Then one day I just got so frustrated with it, and I took a huge brush and painted all over it. Then I started painting India Arie, and then I changed it into an expressionistic piece. I thought of color and dirt- almost like the bottom of a garbage can. Basically, I put whatever I wanted to put on it. I used used oil sticks. ISSUE 1 2007

A R T

Events

The barren Drill Hall of the Park Avspectators on the night of March 8, 2008. On this night, the debut of the eerie piece entitled “Teenage Lontano” was performed. The work was composed by the eclectic Marina Rosenfeld, a turntablist and musical artist, for the Whitney Museum Biennial Exhibition. The piece was performed by forty or so teenagers from the New York area clad with white earphones hooked up to iPods. The performers, some of whom were paired up, stood in alternating directions in a straight line in the middle of the large space with spotlights hanging overhead. The nearly half-hour piece of music consisted of an electronic score of computerized sounds from hanging speakers,

whistles, and trance-like drones from the singers. Each of the vocalists had a different score, so each person was singing something completely different from his or her neighbor. The mystery and beauty of this piece lies in its weirdness. This piece, which is technically a cover of György Ligeti’s orchestral work, “Lontano,” has an unusual feel to it. It is quite odd and haunting. The piece was inspired by people on the subway where each person is listening to his or her own music. Like in this piece, every singer was listening and mimicking something unique, but it all came together to make a spooky

Photography by Carlton Bright

by Paul Vergara

the air. Also, each singer had a white

line painted on his or her forehead that extended from the performer’s earphone up into oblivion. The line is supposed to signify the fact that music does not end at one’s ears, but rather it continues forever. To take the analysis further, the piece can be applied to life. Each person may be different, but together we all contribute to the world as a whole. Each of us may get lost in the world, and we think that nobody can hear our voice. But if you just listen very closely, you can hear each and every person as part of one big harmony. I know so much about this piece because I was one of the performers. I felt the piece while I was singing it

with the other couple dozen students who sang that night. Other LaGuardia students who participated in the piece include Krystine Hall, Samantha Gonzalez, Ethan Applegate, Jasmine Mendoza, Hilary Davies, and Aressa Coley. Videos of the piece are still being shown at the Whitney Museum’s Biennial Exhibition. The 2008 Biennial closed June 1. For more information, visit http://whitney.org/www/2008biennial/ You can also watch this Youtube video for a little snippet of what the piece is about (look for me at the eleventh second!): http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=MBk4NqPKD2I

Photography by Carlton Bright

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08’

RELAY FOR LIFE On Saturday, March 29, 2008, LaGuardia High School marked its third annual American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. With over 360 dedicated participants and 35 different teams, LaGuardia Arts succeeded in raising over $27,000. During the 12 hour event (from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.) many memorable events took place invocal student and breast cancer survivor, the special appearance by Polypman, an emotional Luminaria Ceremony, games of fear factor and musical chairs, a pie eating contest, scavenger hunts, and the PieA-Teacher-In-The-Face event, “Relay Idol” (which was judged by our Principal Bruno and Assistant Principal Stricklin), a fabulous fashion show of purple and white designed by Paul Vergara, and a closing lap to the song “Fame.” All the money raised during this event was donated to the American Cancer Society.

by Rio Nose

CELEBRATE. REMEMBER. FIGHT BACK.

Circling the gym was a track surrounded with little baggies containing glow lights and messages to survivors and those who have passed away due to cancer. For 12 hours, participants continued to walk and walk for these people. One of the greatest events was the Luminaria Ceremony. During this ceremony, every participant walked along the track for those they love who had or still have cancer. The lights of the gym were dimmed and there was not a single person who did not drop a tear.

Photography by Samantha Zeldin

Thanks so much to all donators, including Donna Steffen, Matthew Mendelson, Mia Fraboni, Samantha Zeldin, and Andrea DeVito. And to our top groups: The Awesome Possums, Blank Verse, THE APPLE POPS, Team Samantha, and Remy’s Team! Your support was greatly appreciated by the American Cancer Society, the survivors, and their friends and family.

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By Ariana King

Where I Live:

Just a short avenue away from the 28th street 6 train stop is a small strip of New York City heavily populated with Indian culture. From approximately 27th street to 29th street and Lexington Avenue is Curry Hill, nicknamed due to its proximity to Murray Hill. It is not a very large area, but it’s packed with Indian restaurants and shops, some being the best around. My culturally homogeneous strip of homeland is very randomly placed next to culturally mixed 3rd and Park Avenues. A random passerby confused in walking past a Subway sandwich shop, a Popeye’s, and a Ray’s Pizza, then be suddenly surrounded While the strip is rather small, an immense amount of restaurants pack into all the space possible. One of the more renowned places in Curry Hill is the quick Indian restaurant Curry in a Hurry, which in the opinion of some, is the best place to get Indian food for a moderate price. Walking into Curry in a

Hurry, you tend to see a line of people waiting to order, and a slightly caved in room with slightly dingy blue walls. Ignoring the depressed atmosphere, the freshly cooked meats and vegetables all smothered with sauce and looking extremely appealing, naan bread waiting to accompany the vegetables and meats, attention is pulled away from the lack of Feng Shui and

onto the food. More appealing on the other hand, is the fully carpeted, waiterequipped upstairs restaurant. Aside from Curry in a Hurry, walking down the strip shows you restaurant names like Curry Leaf, Haandi, Banana Leaf, Saravanaa Bhavan, Nasala Bollywood, Pongal, and, a slightly out of place French restaurant called La Petit Auberge, or in English, The Little Eggplant. A special thing about Curry Hill is that, when looking for a rare spice, it might be found in one of the shops there. Kalustyans is a specialty shop cramped with spices. Spices, canned goods from Asia, and a vahas an intense amount of in common however, is the strong scent of India. While not the most impressive of places, just on 27th in between Park and Lexington is a somewhat famous and good restaurant (or so New York magazine dubs) called Blue Smoke. It has no

Photography by Ariana King

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in House of D arena in Spiderman. For House of D in fact, an entire side of a building was covered with this large board that was basically the background setting. What used to be an apartment building wall became a few thrift shop stores that I almost accidentally tried to walk into. Once, in attempting to visit a nearby restaurant for a nice meal, my family and I were prohibited from entering the block at all because it was relevance to Indian food, but is renowned for having good solid American food. Right next to it is a newly built steakhouse called Primehouse, and across the street is a fancy restaurant Houstons; both are expensive and basically compete with each other. Extremely close to Curry Hill is Baruch College, Gramercy Park, Madison Square Park, and the Flatiron building. Madison Square Park is home to barbeque fests and the Shake Shack. The Shake Shack is famous for having the ‘best burgers in New York City,’ and for appearing in TV shows and movies. Apparently there is another similar Indian area downtown around 6th street, but the 28th street Curry Hill is arguably the and specialty stores make this location completely worth coming to. The overall safety of the neighborhood makes it seem somewhat boring and uneventful place, but it’s acA deli burnt to a crisp a few years back (but no one was hurt), a restaurant on 27th ment alerting oven issues, and an apartment building in between 26th and 27th recently 20

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had piles of black smoke billowing out its top. In the times shortly after September 11th, the armory on 26th street and the surrounding apartments were plastered with posters of lost people- it was sad and, to some extent awkward to see so many faces that were most likely gone forever every time I had to open the door to get home. On a lighter note, the neighborhood is also quite a hotspot for movies. The armory in particular has been a location in many movies such as the morgue in Men in Black, the prison

Coincidentally enough, a few months later the block with the restaurant showed up in I Am Legend, as Will Smith drove his car in pursuit of a deer. Lovely as the location is, the people living in the area are too. A neighbor of mine is the author of Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac with a huge black dog that lies on the lobby ping dog saliva all about the place. Recently, college students have begun to pervade the area. What used to be nice, aged people who, with much kindness started a conver(continued on page 52)

MOVIES

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA PRINCE CASPIAN

Review By Rio Nose

I have no idea where to start. The graphics, the sound effects, the music, everything about this movie left me speechless. Even the ending left me satisfied. When I saw Narnia appear behind the train in the first scene, I felt goosebumps all over my arm. I immediately thought to myself, "we're back". This movie successfully draws you into the world of Narnia, and director Andrew Adamson effectively evinces the original fantasy novel written by C.S. Lewis.

control of King Miraz. In this movie, we meet new characters who make the audience further involved with the intricate story. For instance, Prince Caspian (played by Ben Barnes). He joins the Pevensie siblings to defeat his evil uncle Miraz,

pian unite the creatures peace between the Narnians and the Telmarines. The movie's genre is Fantasy/Family/Adventure, but I think anyone with an imagination can enjoy it. The stunning re-appearance of Aslan (a wise talking lion), the

scenes, the beauti beautiful landscapes of New Zealand and Poland, and the effective music by Harry Gregson-Wil Gregson-Williams leaves its audi audience in awe as they return from Narnia to the real world. I'm personally fas fascinated by these kinds of fantasy movies, as long as they have good graphics and music like this one. Howev However, I've heard some comments saying In this, the secthat this movie is ond movie of The too childish, and Chronicles of Narthat older individu individunia series, we are als would not enjoy brought from WWIIit. I cannot com comera England to the pletely agree. I saw medieval yet familphoto courtesy of screenrant.com this movie with my iar land of Narnia, along with the Pevensie who stole the throne that family, and while my father siblings. One year ago, the was meant for Caspian. thought that it was pointfour siblings had become Other new Narnian char- less, my mother could not the kings and queens of acters include a kind dwarf stop saying how wonderNarnia during the Golden known as Trumpkin (played ful it was. You can’t know Age (now extinct). The four by Peter Dinklage), a bad- for sure unless you see it for yourself. You might be children soon discover that 1300 years have passed in and Reepicheep, a cou- sucked into the magical Narnian time. Narnia has rageous talking mouse. world of Narnia as well. King Peter Penvensie become a mass of ruins (played by William Moafter the invasion of Telmarines, and is now under the seley) and Prince Cas21 ISSUE 1 2007

MOVIES

Paranoid Park

Review by Katrina Cortes Starring:

courtesy of filmcatcher.com

This movie is about the guilt a sophomore named Alex feels after his tomfoolery causes the death of a security guard. Not knowing crime scene and destroys the evidence. Nevertheless, Alex is unable to rid himself of his guilt. What's the price of honesty? Throughout the movie, Alex struggles with his guilt and constantly wonders if he should be honest and tell the truth, or pretend it never happened. The situation only worsens when the security guard's death catches the attention of the police, who go to Alex's school to question students. Imagine you are in a place you've been dying 22

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Gabe Nevins as Alex Taylor Momsen as Jennifer Jake Miller as Jared Dan Liu as Detective Richard Lu Lauren McKinney as Macy Directed by Gus Van Sant

to go to for a long time. You arrive and you're amazed out of your mind. The people are as cool as you imagined they would be and the setting is as beautiful as you'd envisioned. It's like a dream come true! So of course, if one of those "cool kids" asked you to go somewhere with them you would. The same thing happened to Alex when he decided to go to Paranoid Park, a local skate park illegally built by skaters. There, Alex met a fellow skater who persuades Alex to go train hopping with him. As the train approaches the next station, a security guard notices Alex and his friend and begins to chase them and hit them with begins hitting back, the security guard falls upon the tracks and is sliced in half by an oncoming train. This movie seems to have been made solely for cinematographic purposes. The visuals which Gus Van Sant uses are very well placed and thought out. The scenery is beautiful and one can see that certain settings correspond with the character's feel-

ings. For example, while Alex narrates the story and is usually in his room, or sit sitting on a bench in a grass how Alex wants to get away from the bustle of his life, to concentrate on his problems. It is obvious that scenery and its charac characters took a lot of time and consideration as to which would make the best vi visual impact, rather than relying on the actors to get the movie's point across. Speaking of acting, I was disappointed by the acting abilities of the protagonists of this movie. None of them seemed natural, not even Gabe Nevins who played the main character, Alex. I was especially disappointed in Taylor Momsen. I had higher expectations for her since I have seen her act in the show Gossip Girls, but she let me down. This movie was based on a book by Blake Nelson. I thought that the plot was very well planned out, and intricate in its usage audience to pay attention, or else one would get lost among which scenes were Alex's memories and which were in the present time. In addition, Nelson also used Alex's narration of the whole book/movie to show the reader/audience the "other side of the story" which no one ever truly sees unless one is caught in a situation similar to Alex's. This story gives the audience a new perspective on the term "manslaughter."

IRON MAN Review by Ren Santiago

picture courtesy of screenrant.com

duced by Marvel, Iron Man, has so far rolled in over $185 million in the United States alone, and $350 million world wide. The adaptation begins with billionaire engineer and founder of Stark Industries, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who is kidnapped by a terrorist group that is actually a big fan of Stark Industries. Held in captivity and weakened due to an injury acquired during the kidnapping, the terrorists force him to rebuild his latest invention, a dangerous form of missile. He reluctantly agrees, but manages instead to create a high-tech suit of armor and escape. Upon his return home, he commits himself to improving his suit and using it to protect the world from evil. Gwyneth Paltrow portrays Tony’s patient and hard-working personal assistant, Pepper Pots, and Terrence Howard is a convincing Jim Rhodes, Stark’s personal pilot and closest plays Obadiah Stane, Stark’s business partner. Downey’s performance has been getting a lot of praise for being- unexpect-

edly riveting. The skirt-chasing genius’s quick tongue and outrageous lifestyle makes Tony Stark an utterly charming character, and is well-performed. The 126 minutes go by quicker than you would think with the excellent animation and -

matic scenes. Jon Favreau does an amazing job as di-

spoiler

Look forward to two Iron April 20, 2010). Downey also does a cameo as Stark in The Incredible Hulk. ISSUE 1 2007

THEATER

At What Cost Art?

A Review of Sunday in the Park with George Review by Amanda Hayley Sonnenschein The artist and the nature of creation are tricky subjects to tackle in the form of a musical. When the artist brings novelty and a fresh perspective to his genre, it can be unfairly rejected or foolishly embraced for reasons contingent on the moods and fashions of the times. Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, with the book by James Lapine, explores both of these aspects of artistry through a clever conceit of juxtaposing the 1880’s art world with that of the 1980’s art scene. The musical, in New York for a limited engagement at Studio 54, is produced by The Roundabout Theatre in association with the Menier Chocolate Factory. Director Sam Buntrock, recreating his Olivier Award winning production for the Broadway stage, inserts an additional wrinkle to these themes by framing the story of the two artists separated by a century with ingeniously imaginative and technologically creative 24

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P I C T U R E S C O U R T E S Y O F WWW.T H E A T E R . N Y T I M E S . C O M

special effects that both mimic and illustrate the artists’ respective visions. In this way the musical becomes an innovative work of visual art in its own right. Act I imagines the life of Georges Seurat during the period between 1884 and 1886 when he created his famous and controversial painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” The scenes switch from the artist’s studio to the park on the Seine River, where Seurat supposedly observed and captured his version of a cross-section of Parisian life as a study in pointillism. As the play envisions the process, the artist spends his Sundays sketching the people, animals, and nature before him with the intense fury of a man on a mission. His immersion into

his art leads to what he believes is a revelation that reinvents the very nature of painting. The eye and the mind become the palette upon which colors are mixed to produce a truer and richer blend. For the artist, points of color are all that are needed to suggest the image. Seurat is so absorbed in his own visions and obsessions that he neglects his mistress, faithful model, and muse, the aptly named Dot. The arc of this act follows the dissolution of their relationship and the completion of his much maligned masterpiece. Daniel Evans, as Georges, captures the rushed intensity and dismissive arrogance of an artist who cares for nothing but his work. As his mistress, Jenna Russell brings humor and passion to the uneducated but insightful Dot. Ms. Russell’s voice is rich and far-ranging, and the ac

tress has the rare ability to convey her character’s psychology and nuances cal pyrotechnics. Other strong performances come from Alexander Gemignani as the boatman, Mary Beth Peil as Seurat’s mother, and Anne L. Nathan as the mother’s nurse. The music and lyrics by Sondheim are in turns emphasis on ensemble medleys. The book by James Lapine, (who won a Pulitzer Prize with Mr. Sondheim for this show), is an imaginative take on movements of art that one tory books. However, in this production, the set by David Farley and the projection design by Timothy Bird are stars of equal footing. With computer imaging, splashes of color are swept across the blank canvas of the stage, set pieces and backdrops are rolled in as needed, and by the time we have been a part of the process of creating “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.”

“Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine ... have presented a thought-provoking, sometimes moving, always visually appealing study of these ideas...” What works so seamlessly in Act I is not matched by the sketchy counterpoint of Act II. One hundred years have passed and we are in a museum at the opening of a show in the avant-garde art scene. The celebrated artist is Seurat’s great-grandson, and he is assisted in his presentation by his grandmother, Marie, the aged infant from the end of Act I. The roles are played by the same actors who portrayed Georges and Dot. In fact all the actors who appeared in the ters in the modern scenes. Sondheim and Lapine pretentious claims of the 1980’s artists with their lightshow installations posing as sculpture and the importance placed on public relations over substance. It is an interesting argument, but it does not carry the dramatic impact of thwarted love or the pain of true

inspiration. Despite a hilarious turn as the elderly Marie by Jenna Russell, and more displays of technologically clever special effects, the second act seems a suto

the

beautifully

real-

The urges to create and make a mark on the world are the universal goals of artists in every century. Unfortunately, the struggle between personal vision and public acceptance often are at odds with one another and at odds with a personal life. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine along with their creative production designers from the Menier Chocolate Factory have presented a thought-provoking, sometimes moving, always visually appealing study of these ideas. That they have made a unique work of art in the process makes the trip to the theatre that much more compelling.

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RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT:

Go! Go! Curry!

273 W. 38th Street New York, NY 10018

by Ariana King

Price: The food is not overly expensive. If very you’re hungry, no more than $15 will be necessary.

Environment: The food is really the main highlight - the walls are rather interesting with their Matsui-obsessed nature, but the TV on the wall plays an unending loop of a promotional video concerning a chain of Go!Go!Curry in Japan. The shop is small, but not cramped. It is an easy place to go to alone, and it is somewhat comfortable to do so. I would not recommend bringing many people. There shouldn’t be a problem with the hygiene of the place, as it’s fairly clean and comfortable. GO!GO!CURRY is a rather interesting restaurant dedicated to Hideki Matsui, a Japanese baseball player for the New York Yankees (now newly married), that serves Japanese-style curry. It sits in a somewhat squished location in between 7th and 8th avenue on 38th Street, but is not easily ignored due to its bright yellow awning and the place. In addition to the neon yellow brightness, a television set plays in the front window, and the restaurant’s mascot is a gorilla. As eccentric as the outside appearance sounds, the inside meets it in eccentricity. The walls are plastered with baseball 26

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and Matsui-related memorabilia. Yet, this little shop is

Taste:

Taste of course is all personal preference, but I found the food absolutely delicious. The menu is really quite limited to curry and katsu dishes, none of which are vegetarian, but being so limited gives the restaurant the chance to these few dishes. Japanese curry differs greatly from Indian curry in many ways. Japanese curry tends to be more stew-like than its Indian counterpart in that it is thick, often mild-

* All scales are out of 5

Photograph by Rio Nose

Overall: I really think that the taste factor is the most important aspect of dining, and the taste facgest people try it out. The curry sauce, rice, and katsu are all delicious and worth eating again without hesitation, so I strongly suggest giving it a try despite the exotic sound of Japanese curry.

Courtesy of www.roboppy.net Photograph by Rio Nose

like meat and potatoes. This particular curry sauce does not have meat and potato bits in it, but instead, if meat is desired, one should order katsu. Katsu is easily summarized as breaded meat, either chicken or pork, which is especially good with curry sauce. The katsu in particular is really amazing here. The sauce was perfectly mild, thick, rich, and tasty. All dishes come in small, medium, large, and extra large, but a person up more easily then expected and is served with rice and cabbage. In other words, don’t underestimate when ordering from here. The bowl sizes mostly refer to the size of rice ordered. ISSUE 1 2007

MUSIC

ALBUM REVIEWS

Maybe it is their “still-under-the-mainstreamradar-status,” or maybe it is just their heavy resemblance to the sound of The Pixies and Sonic Youth. Whichever it is, Earliment, a Los Angelesbased indie band, delivers a solid album titled “Mentor Tormentor.” With the gentle harmonic vocal background as well as the several touches of rhythmic melody from the keyboard, Earlimart interlocks several contemporary sounds ranging from the crisp drum beats to the continuous piano melodies. The presentation of the record contrasts from some of the slower tracks such as “Bloody Nose,” “The Little Thing,” and “The World” to the more blood-pumping track such as “Everybody Knows Everybody.” Don’t be surprised to pick up some melancholy vibes as well as the often beautiful effort that is being put out. After all, Mentor Tormentor marks as another step away from the band’s early “punk” roots towards a more sophisticated, full sound.

“Mentor Tormentor” Earlimart Major Domo Records / Shout! Factory REVIEW BY BENNY LAM

“Brain Thrust Mastery” We Are Scientists Astralwerks REVIEW BY LOUIS PERALTE Courtesy of www.cduniverse.com

“Pretty. Odd.” Panic At The Disco Fueled By Ramen REVIEW BY HILARY DAVIES

Panic at The Disco has changed a lot since they released the surprise smash “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” in 2005. Aside from dropping the exclamation point from their name (I know, I was disappointed too), their sound has changed dramatically. They’re not teenagers anymore, and it shows in the content of their new by the Beatles, these songs are less wordy and more relaxed - purposeful, even. No role -- guitarist Ryan Ross sings lead vocals on “Behind the Sea” and Brendon Urie and Jon Walker switch instruments on “That Green Gentleman.” All in all, if you are looking for a repeat of the last album, you’re going to be disappointed.

Courtesy of www.cduniverse.com

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the chaotic electro-burlesque music and the image they had way back when. The album came out in stores on March 25, 2008 and is available to purchase now.

I’m a big fan of the last album by We Are Scientists, “With Love and Squalor (WAS).” The lyrics were self-deprecating, but the music didn’t show it. It was almost as though they were actively trying to hide the fact that they loathed themselves so much. It was what everybody needed--- The ability to hate themselves and be happy! However, with this new album, “Brain Thrust Mastery,” that charm is gone. It’s not hard for me to say that I’m a wee bit disappointed. All of the tracks on this album are downers. You can tell that they’re no longer having fun hating themselves. weapon of choice, synth. Every step you take in I wish that they had stuck to their guns: overdriven guitar, kickin’ drum beats and a powerful bass line to match. One good thing about this new album is Chris Cain’s bass playing. Songs like “Lethal Enforcer” and “Chick Lit” show off his

Courtesy of www.astore.amazon.co.uk

that at least these songs would be uplifting. This isn’t the case, however. You can just add them to the list of songs that make you want to curl up in a dark corner. Brain Thrust Mastery is satisfying, but that’s it. It’ll keep you going until the next album is released, but it doesn’t match the power of the preceding album. I’ll continue to think back to the good old days where there was no synth and Michael Tapper, We Are Scientist’s former drummer, rocked out on the drums. Now, excuse me while I go cry emo tears in a corner.

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MUSIC

FEATURED ences you? KANE

Kane Dulaney Balser Interviewed by Hilary Davies

From what I’ve seen of him, Kane Dulaney Balser is a cool, intelligent person who is genuinely nice. He’s a killer guitar player, and his music reminds me of all the cool parts of my childhood. He is a junior instrumental major who has played in many LaGuardia ensembles, notably the New Music Singers. On his music MySpace, he gives a nice little autobiography:

“I was born in St. Vincent’s Hospital somewhere in Manhattan. I spent three years of my life in Fort Green, and of other families to this pleasant little town. There are now many musicians growing up in Park Slope, and I began my musical experience in the band sTUNgUN. That band was a fun one, but we broke up due to different musical tastes. Now I’m doing lots of musical experiments. My main band is Dulaney Banks, with the great Banks Harris. But when I’m not playing with Banks, or my brother Luca (of Jet Lag) or any other singers/musicians, I go solo.” 30

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DULANEY

BALSER:

for example Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and nature. These are just things that help to clear my mind, because when my mind is clear, everything is real, therefore HD: How long have you been playing and what do you play? KDB: I’ve been playing guitar for almost 5 years. HD: I’ve heard you’re in this little band called Dulaney Banks. What’s the history of that? KDB: Dulaney Banks is a blues duo with me and this girl named Julia from my old school, and we started around 8th or 9th grade. We realized we both liked blues, and she sang and I played guitar, so now we play blues together. HD: Is this just a hobby or are you considering a music career in the future? KDB: It’s possible. HD: Do you think LaGuardia has helped in any way whatsoever? KDB: Yes. LaGuardia is help-

Photograph by Chloe Dietz

what I don’t want. Also I’ve met some great people at LaGuardia who inspire me.

HD: Thanks for your time. Is there anything else you want to mention before this interview closes to an end?

HD: Are there any shows coming up that people can go to? KDB: Not at the moment.

KDB: I’m looking for a drummer for a band, so if anyone’s interested let me know.

HD: How do you keep your hair so perfectly straight? KDB: I’m not sure. Maybe it’s my shampoo.

CONTACT KANE at kaneine@aol.com

or CHECK OUT HIS MUSIC at http://myspace.com/ kanedulaneybalser

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The Three Great Dragons

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by Mary Turgeon

To be continued... ISSUE 1 2007

CONTINUATIONS Where I Live: Curry Hill sation in the elevator that you nodded to ‘interestedly’ and ran out as quickly as the doors made their quiver and jerk open, has turned into a bleak minute of ‘yeah so I’ll see you at 6 right?’ from a college student over an expensive cell phone. On the bright side, the new change to a college neighborhood brings a newly built Pinkberry, a karaoke restaurant, and a bundle of random shops. In the nearby Japanese restaurant where my family goes, discounts and exemplary service are not unexpected, and one of the very nice waiters is forever named, ‘‘Mr. Thank you very much.’’ What might be as interesting as the neighborhood itself are the surrounding neighborhoods. Just the slightest bit lower down Lexington Avenue is Gramercy Park, the neighboring rich kid to Curry Hill’s average kid status. In fact, the park is just a gated up block in the middle of the road that marks the end of Lexington Avenue which can only be opened with a key. As bland as my neighborhood is, I’m sure I would resolutely hate leaving it. It’s small, only made up of restaurants, and the occasional spew of restaurant compost on the sidewalks

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can get a bit annoying, but if you can get used to that and if you have the patience to stray from the usual 1 train pattern, take the 6 instead and browse about through the 28th street area.