Vox Magazine 10.22.15

V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 . 2 2 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

He’s with the band

Jonny Lang lives the classic rock ‘n’ roll story PAGE 6

Glam rocker

Costume designers offer a backstage pass to Hedwig’s looks PAGE 15

Play like a girl

Hard-hitting rugby star talks about life as a Black Sheep PAGE 19

CITIZEN JANE IS BREAKING THE MOLD The annual fest shines a spotlight on women filmmakers as the world takes notice

This week

Online

OCTOBER 22, 2015 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 41 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN 320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714

COUPLE’S COSTUMES Don’t be that couple. Try these get-ups we’ve dubbed less awful than the typical Barbie and Ken pairing guaranteed to make an appearance at this year’s Halloween party.

Feature Grab your tickets and get ready for a weekend of feminism and film. The Citizen Jane Film Festival is coming to the silver screens this weekend and paving the way for women in the industry. PAGE 7 NEWS & INSIGHT Just in time for Halloween, take a haunted jaunt to two of mid-Missouri’s creepiest attractions. PAGE 4

GAMES ON THE GO Find out which portable gaming platform can help you reach the next level while you wait for your pizza at Shakespeare’s.

Costume designers offer a backstage pass to Hedwig’s looks PAGE 15

Play like a girl

Hard-hitting rugby star talks about life as a Black Sheep PAGE 19

CITIZEN JANE IS BREAKING THE MOLD The annual fest shines a spotlight on women filmmakers as the world takes notice

We’re social.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH VOX? DOWNLOAD THE IPAD APP FROM THE EDITOR

ARTS Go behind the scenes with the costume team of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and learn the secrets behind the booty shorts and the big hair. PAGE 15 One person’s cast-off is another person’s art supplies.

Kansas sculptor Amy Santoferraro’s new exhibit comes to the Greg Hardwick Gallery. PAGE 16

COVER DESIGN: JASON BREDEHOEFT COVER PHOTO: JUSTIN L. STEWART

ELIZA SMITH

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Feminism” can be a loaded term. I only recently started identifying as a feminist, having been the type to assume “we were past all that” — which is to say, I believed women had successfully broken through the glass ceiling and moved on with their lives.

Of course, my narrow perspective considered only women like me while excluding the realities of many others. It wasn’t until college that I learned the broader statistics did not support my naivety. And so I declared myself, finally, a feminist.

With our Citizen Jane coverage on my mind this week, I felt pulled to turn to one of my favorite voices, Roxane Gay. She often writes about women and entertainment, and in the introduction of her book of essays, Bad Feminist, she touches on the unbalanced representation of women in film: “Movies, more often than not, tell the stories of men as if men’s stories are the only stories that matter. … Rarely do women get to be the center of attention. Rarely do our stories get to matter.”

I would love to invite Gay to the Citizen Jane Film Festival.

It’s a weekend when women are unapologetically the center of attention, not only for their starring roles but for their storytelling and directing talents in an industry predominantly run by men.

The Citizen Jane Institute at Stephens College works year-round to support young filmmakers and ensure there is a place for women in cinema. Their task is not an easy one, but we can do our part by joining the dialogue and carrying these stories with us. Because feminist or not, everyone’s story matters.

VOX STAFF Editor: Eliza Smith Deputy Editor: Bryan Bumgardner Managing Editor: Haley Pitto Creative Director: Tracee Tibbitts Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Ben Kothe, Madison Alcedo Photo Editor: Alex Menz iPad Art Director: Morgan Purdy VoxTalk Editor: Ciera Velarde Multimedia Editor: Haley Reed iPad Assistant Art Director: Megan Bedford Calendar Editor: Carson Kohler News & Insight Editors: Sarah Dettmer, Adrienne Donica, Kendyl Kearly The Scene Editors: Veronica DeStefano, Abby Kass, Casey Nighbor Music Editors: Scott Germanetti, Rebecca McGee, Sara Trimble Arts & Books Editors: Christine Jackson, Hannah Pederson Contributing Writers: Paul Albani-Burgio, Madison Feller, Niki Kottmann, Bayli Martin, Patrick McKenna, Cassa Niedringhaus, Molly Olmstead, Annie Rees, Dan Roe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Reporting Beat Leader & Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISSOURIAN; LAURA D’ALESSANDRO/FLICKR

Dead Bed Bad frontman John Fredricks says the band continues to perform locally despite the challenging indie-rock scene in Columbia. PAGE 6

for the Gutenberg Bible. The photo showed The Acts of the Apostles instead.

PAGE 6

Glam rocker

Calling all bibliophiles. Forget Facebook and Twitter; connect with fellow book-lovers on an underrated social network.

Jonny Lang’s talent got him through doors his ID couldn’t.

At just 14 years old, Lang joined his guitar mentor’s band and headlined for them. PAGE 6

CORRECTION: The Oct. 15 issue ran the incorrect photo

He’s with the band

Jonny Lang lives the classic rock ‘n’ roll story

GOODREADS

After 13 years, owners of Katfish Katy’s campground are trying to sell. The tides are turning for this Columbia icon.

PAGE 5

MUSIC

V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 . 2 2 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

Radar

Vox’s take on the talk of the week

THE FUTURE IS NOW

WHAT THE CLUCK

Oct. 21, 2015, was the day Marty McFly and “Doc” Brown visited the future in Back to the Future Part II. But how does life in the movie stack up against reality?

Prediction: Flying cars Reality: Self-driving Google cars Prediction: Hoverboards Reality: Personal Segways (thanks J-Biebs) Prediction: Extremely high prevalence of fax machines for communication Reality: iPhone 6s

Betty the Tweeting Chicken has taken over Chicken Treat's Twitter.

The Australian company is giving her full access to its social media account until she tweets a five-letter word. Until then, we’ll be left to decipher these masterpieces:

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA; KELSIE SCHRADER; MARLEE ELLISON; ROTTEN TOMATOES/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS; CHICKEN TREATS; THE ASSOCIATED PRESS; JOHN HAPPEL

Prediction: The Cubs win the World Series Reality: Well, we know they made it to the National League Championship Series.

HASHTAG OF THE WEEK

Silence sometimes speaks volumes.

Frustrated individuals are taking to Twitter to voice their concerns over UM System President Tim Wolfe’s lack of response to the Homecoming protest and are calling for action with the hashtag #WolfeShould.

SET FIRE TO THE INTERNET

Adele teased a new song from her expected Nov. 20 album during an X Factor UK commercial break. If she can make us cry with a 30-second clip, how many Kleenex will we need for the whole album?

VOX ASKS COLUMBIANS

What is your favorite film genre?

NICKIE DAVIS, 31 “My favorite film genre is thrillers just because it captures my attention more. It’s able to take me out of my daily thought process and make me focus on something else.”

PUT IT IN WRITING

“Until we have seen a contractually binding plan to secure permanent, quality, subsidized healthcare for all graduate workers, the Chancellor's words remain an empty promise.”

— The Forum for Graduate Rights’ response to Chancellor Loftin’s announcement last week that the university would cover health insurance premiums

MICHAEL LINDQUIST, 21 “I would say suspense, drama.

I like all of the action, like in the Batman series or Inception: movies that make you think and movies you may not get the first time that you have to watch a second time to get the point.”

BRENNA NAUFEL, 39 “I like whatever you would call a Lord of the Rings type. Epic.

You know, kind of using your imagination in different ways, but also something that might pull at your heartstrings a little bit.”

NETFLIX AND CHILTON

might be coming back to life with a

four-part mini series on Netflix written by Amy ShermanPalladino, TVLine reports. Although Netflix and Warner Bros. have yet to comment, we can only hope for a Luke

KELSIE WILKINS, 18 “I’d say romantic comedies. I’m a hopeless romantic, so when it comes to watching movies, I can live through the people in the movie.”

and Lorelai wedding, endless amounts of coffee and junk food and a moving tribute to Richard Gilmore.

Written by: Veronica DeStefano, Sarah Dettmer, Marlee Ellison, Abby Kass, Kelsie Schrader 10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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NEWS & INSIGHT

Figures in the dark

Crunching the numbers (and some brains) at Columbia’s haunted attractions

BY MADELYNE MAAG PHOTOS BY KAYLA WOLF Halloween has a more bone-chilling edge than the fun and frills of candy corn and costume parties.

Nightmares come to life at two frightening local attractions.

Just minutes north of downtown on Rogers St. is the surreal world known as Necroplanet. The main attraction is called Necropolis, and it is filled with a variety of terrors. Visitors make their ways through themed rooms such as a clown maze, a virtual swamp and a room filled with sinister antique-style dolls. Next door is The Pit, a separate, post-apocalyptic haunted house infested with insatiable cannibals.

The terror doesn’t end there. Situated three miles

west of Columbia is FearFest. For the last 13 years, one of FearFest’s haunted houses called Tormented has been scaring hundreds of willing victims every season.

Freakshow experiments inhabit the halls of the house.

FearFest’s Zombie Safari is an outdoor attraction that lets visitors arm themselves with paintball guns to shoot the undead.

Halloween is just around the corner, and both attractions are well prepared for several nights of horror. FearFest manager Jenn Rogers and Necroplanet manager Rachelle Miller helped calculate some haunting figures that will help guide you on your journey through the finest scares in Columbia.

MEASURING UP: NECROPLANET VS. FEARFEST Necroplanet Seasons open The time it takes to plan and assemble the attraction

9

10

500

800–900

30

20–30

5–7

18–20

seconds

Number of zombies

months

2–30

Average time for an actor to put on makeup and a costume

minutes

seconds

minutes

And 4–5 zombie clowns

starved zombies

20–30

30–45

3

4–5

ZOMBIE CLOWNS

JAMES MICHAEL

Amount of time to make it out alive

minutes

Amount of fake blood used per season to add a gorey edge to actors’ makeup Monster(s) to be feared the most

13

30–60

Number of people who bail out early

Necropolis is an interactive walk of terror through rooms of deranged clowns, twisted zombies and uncontrollable lunatics.

Thrill-seekers must find their ways through twisting mazes as the monsters tease and taunt the easily spooked.

11 months

How long it takes to hear the first scream

Fearfest

liters

minutes

liters

Because one A slender, demonic or the other is man who loves to only moderately torment trapped terrifying by itself guests in his barn

Necroplanet Above: Staff members at Necroplanet spend nine months preparing for Halloween season. More than 55 gallons of fake blood are used to make the space even more grotesque. Actors hide behind false panels, waiting for the perfect moment to pop out and scare visitors.

Left: Be wary of the leaders in Necropolis. Frightful guides lead patrons from scare to scare and explain their back-stories between cackling laughter and unnerving bouts of insanity. No one can be trusted — not even your fellow thrill-seekers whose piercing screams and defensive elbows can be just as dangerous as the creatures inside.

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1207 Rogers St.; Friday–Sunday, through Nov. 1, open 8 p.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays; 8–11 p.m., Sundays $15, Necropolis $10, The Pit $20, Necropolis + The Pit

Fearfest Exit 121 off I-70; Thursday–Saturday, through Oct. 31, open 8–11 p.m., Thursdays; 8 p.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays $20, Tormented $20, Zombie Safari $25, Tormented + Zombie Safari $35, VIP pass for Tormented + Zombie Safari

NEWS & INSIGHT

Float on

Iconic Katfish Katy’s waits for the right buyer

BY DAVID SEAMAN PHOTO BY LEAH GALLO

People gather to commemorate Lewis and Clark’s campsite near Katfish Katy’s at The Huntsdale Rendezvous & River Festival’s catfish dinner. The historic area has brought cyclists, runners and Columbia residents together for more than 13 years.

Linda Lou Brown knows she can’t keep Katfish Katy’s forever, but it has been a good 13 years. She’s waiting for the right buyer to take over the iconic stop along the Katy Trail.

Linda Lou and her husband, Robert Brown, are hoping to get $2 million for the approximately 165 acres that house a campground and boat ramp on the Missouri River and a general store near the trail.

When the Browns bought the property in 1994, they didn’t think they’d have to sell it. “If 2008 hadn’t happened, we might not have had to do this,” she says. “There was a lot of flooding, and we weren’t able to plant much. We lost a lot of money, but that’s the way life is: little pauses here and there.”

The couple isn’t in a rush to sell their beloved property, but they are ready to move on. Brown says she loves the area but would sell Katfish Katy’s tomorrow if the right owner came along.

The Browns applied for a permit to build Katfish Katy’s in 2002 to meet cyclists’ need for a place to stop along the Katy Trail. They began building a general store to provide snacks and restrooms as well as a boat tramp and trailer to sell bait for fishermen.

By Labor Day, Katfish Katy’s was open for business. It became a hit among

travelers cruising down the Katy Trail and as an event space for local groups.

The couple wants a buyer who will either maintain or improve the existing structures. “I just think it’s really beautiful,” Brown says. “Frankly, that’s why people come here because it’s got a lot of natural, scenic beauty. They come here to watch the sunset and picnic and fish and camp.”

Brown says she’s ready to enjoy her golden years. It takes a lot of work to maintain the amenities. Grass is creeping onto the boat ramp that once lured many people to the location.

“It’s going to be too much for us to do forever,” she says. “It’s mostly old age and health that are getting us.”

Laura and Zac Cutler currently lease the storefront and are glad the Browns aren’t rushing to sell. Although she is a certified public accountant and he works in customer service at Socket during the week, they enjoy running the store on the weekends. They know they might not be able to lease the store from new owners.

Cutler says she doesn’t think of running the store as work and hopes they’ll be able to stick around.

The Browns are ready to retire and hope a good buyer will come along soon.

“We’re in limbo now, waiting for the right offer,” she says.

FOR SALE BY OWNER Acreage:

Asking price:

History:

Rivers it touches:

About 165 acres, from Terrapin Creek to Grocery Branch

$2 million, which includes all of the land

Land bought in 1994, officially opened in 2002

Missouri River, Terrapin Creek, Grocery Branch stream

10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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MUSIC

SEE THIS: JONNY LANG From an early age, musician shares the stage with legends

MISSOURI THEATRE 7 p.m., Thursday, $47-77; 882-3781 concertseries.org

BY KAHLIE KILCHER If musician Jonny Lang had followed the lead of most of the men in his family, he would’ve been a farmer. A life like that wasn’t out of the ordinary in his hometown of Fargo, North Dakota. But Lang, 34, broke away to become a rock star and eventually share the stage with legends such as The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Aerosmith and Sting.

His parents played a big role in his breakthrough.

Lang remembers the extensive record collection they had in the house. “My parents listened to tons of Motown music, which I think, for (North Dakota), is pretty unique,” Lang says.

But his passion really started when his dad took him to see the Bad Medicine Blues Band for his first live concert. His dad was friends with the band, which happened to be one of the only blues bands in the area.

At 12 years old, Lang remembers being inspired by the group’s guitarist, Ted Larsen. Because of his dad’s connections, Lang’s interest quickly turned into guitar lessons with Larsen.

Larsen and the band were impressed with Lang’s quick progress. After they found out he could sing, too,

he dropped out of school to follow the group to Minneapolis. There, they released the band’s first album, Smokin’. Within the next two years, Lang signed to A&M Records as a solo artist and released his first studio album, Lie to Me. Since then, Lang has released four more studio albums and won a Grammy in 2007 for Turn Around.

Throughout the past couple of years, he has also played in the Experience Hendrix Tour.

Lang draws inspiration from a deep well of artists. But when it comes to favorites, Lang stays modest amid all the he says he could put on a James Taylor record at any moment of the day. fame. “My only goal professionally is to try to make music that people can they asked him to try out for the band. His unusually relate to in some way,” he says. mature and gravelly voice got him the gig as lead singer.

As his success grows, Lang remembers where it all “He sounded more like a 40-year-old blues veteran than started in that small North Dakota town. A 1962 Fender a North Dakota farm boy,” Amy Hagberg writes on Stratocaster Reissue guitar he got for his 13th birthday LivingLightNews.org. still sits in his living room and serves as a reminder of From then on, Lang headlined for the band at many venues that required an ID to get into. When he was 14, his humble beginnings.

New tastes and a changing scene Blues-rocker keeps performing despite local challenges

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF JONNY LANG; HALEY REED

BY MARLEE ELLISON John Frederick has the sharp air of an all-American rocker. There’s no mistaking it — the lengthy, brunette hair and leather jacket single him out.

Frederick is a virtuoso and the linchpin behind Columbia’s blues-rock outfit Dead Bed Bad, but his passion doesn’t come without tribulation. He says that the group would have better luck in a town with a more substantial indie-rock following, but time and financial constraints keep them rooted in Columbia. “Playing locally is a lot cheaper,” he says. “It helps with the schedule, too, because we all have day jobs.”

It’s tough to gain traction alongside a smorgasbord of other local bands.

However, Frederick stopped playing for notoriety and fame a long time ago and decided to churn out at least five albums before he calls it quits. “I can say when I’m on my deathbed that I tried,” he says.

Frederick cycles through musicians who accompany him during performances; right now, it’s MU students Aaron Mankin on drums and Hunter O’Donnell on bass. Despite this change up of members, Frederick’s stage presence remains unchanged. When the 6

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 10.22.15

John Frederick and the band recorded all of their albums at his studio, The Meth Lab.

music is serene, his vocals lull along with the melody. But on thundering tracks about love lost, his voice flares.

Frederick wrote, recorded and released three albums in a mere two and a half years. He’s influenced by musicians such as Jack White and classic crooners such as Tom Waits. The music doesn’t stray too far from these all-American starting points. It’s a bluesy-funk that delves into other genres; it’s exploratory but not overbearing. “He has his very own sound,” close friend and former bandmate Brent Maness says.

There’s pressure to sound more mainstream for first-time listeners, something Frederick struggles with.

“You’re sort of cheating yourself and cheating music and cheating everybody when you do that,” he says. To him, a band’s chances of making it are dismal unless it sounds like Dan Auerbach with a glaze of sunny radio pop.

Despite this, the group packs up its equipment after each show and carries on. Few local bands will make it big, but Frederick says this band will never compromise its style.

Listen to DBB members Frederick and Dana Johnson’s live Vox Session at VoxMagazine.com.

WHERE TO SEE DEAD BED BAD THE BRIDGE 8 p.m., Friday, $5; $8, minors 442-9645 thebridgecolumbia.com CAFÉ BERLIN 8 p.m., Sunday, $5; 441-0400 cafeberlin.com

Musical Résumé Love Burns the Man (2015) The title track “Love Burns the Man” meanders at a slower pace, with Frederick’s yearning, weary vocals striking a melancholic chord. The tracks are pensive and accessible, lacking fiery keyboard organ and frenzied vocals.

Fire & Water (2013) Frederick’s first release moves fluidly, experimenting with different musical styles. The keyboard organ and background of bright, female vocals by Lexi Schmidt adds a hymnal quality to the music. Tracks transition easily through folk, sensual soul and psychedelia.

A Wasted Life of Dancing Mice & Pretty Lights (2013) This album is rooted in bluesrock and soul. Tracks like “Dirt Devil”are accompanied by falsetto vocals and soulful interludes. It’s a high-energy album, and Frederick’s howling vocals and gritty guitar are reminiscent of Jack White’s work with The Dead Weather.

At the eighth annual Citizen Jane Film Festival, women are shattering norms

T

he Jane Does of America represent unknown and nameless women. But at the Citizen Jane Film Festival, the moniker takes on new meaning. It becomes one of visibility and ownership.

This weekend in Columbia, filmmakers and festivalgoers will be part of a larger discussion about storytelling and women in the film industry. It’s a conversation that’s already happening in major geographic hubs. In New York, Meryl Streep is funding The Writers Lab, which is designed to support female screenwriters older than 40.

In Los Angeles, actors such as Reese Witherspoon and Lena Dunham are insisting they be asked questions of substance on the red carpet using the hashtag #AskHerMore.

The dialogue is also rumbling at Citizen Jane, and the reverberations can be felt across the country. This year the fest’s programming board received a record number of film submissions with 927 entries, compared to 401 last year.

In September, Citizen Jane was named one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world by MovieMaker Magazine.

The momentum is strong enough that even a major leadership change

could not slow the fest. Three weeks ago, Paula Elias stepped down from her position as the executive director of Stephens College’s Citizen Jane Institute, which runs the festival in addition to a filmmaking camp, lecture series and the Citizen Jane Summit. She declines to publicly explain her sudden departure, but says she supports the mission of Citizen Jane.

Although Elias remains a consultant for the rest of the fest, her absence is felt. “Paula, for me, was the heart of the festival,” says Linda Pattie, the interim director. “She’s been a real inspiration to a lot of young women here who have been involved with the festival.”

These women, most of them students at Stephens, are an integral part of Citizen Jane. Kirsten Izzett, a Stephens senior majoring in film, and social media coordinator LeeAnne Lowry developed this year’s theme, #CJFFInteract, which they hope will bridge the gap between filmmakers and festgoers. “(It’s) the idea that if we interact with our community and all move forward, more women in the industry can thrive,” Izzett says. “We’re all there to watch movies; we (all) want to move forward.”

— By Madison Feller

CITIZEN JANE BOX OFFICE Locations: Columbia Foyer at Stephens College, 1405 E. Broadway; Missouri Theatre, 203 S. Ninth St. (from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on Friday only) Hours: Thursday, 3–8 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost: $100 for Insane Jane pass (includes access to all films and events), $60 for Plain Jane pass (includes access to all films), $10; $8, student and seniors opening night film, $8; $6, students and seniors other films Call: 289-3815 Online: citizenjanefilmfestival.org

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN L. STEWART

CITIZEN JANE

WATCH LIST Columbia film experts recommend their top flicks

By Jacob Scholl With 13 feature-length films and 69 shorts at this year’s fest, navigating the schedule might seem daunting. Vox brought in four local filmmakers to give the insider’s scoop on what to put on your must-see list.

MEET THE EXPERTS Katina Bitsicas is an assistant teaching professor in MU’s Digital Storytelling Program.

She’s also a video artist whose work incorporates photography and performance. It has been shown in art galleries across the U.S. and around the world.

Frame by Frame

This documentary follows Afghan photojournalists during the Taliban’s regime, which outlawed photography.

Kerri Yost: (It’s) a very well-made movie that premiered at South By Southwest. This is a great example of why documentary journalism is so important.

David Wilson: It’s a strong film, and the co-director (Mo Scarpelli) used to live in Columbia. It’s cool to see a j-school graduate and how far we can go.

Friday, 7:30 p.m., Missouri Theatre

Imba Means Sing

David Wilson is the co-founder of the True/ False Film Fest and helped establish Ragtag Cinema. The Columbia native has directed one feature-length film and four shorts.

The Invitation

Kerri Yost is the founder and programming director of Citizen Jane.

The associate professor of digital filmmaking at Stephens co-directed the Emmy-nominated feature film Neither Here Nor There about Bosnian refugees in Missouri.

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10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

Will becomes suspicious during a dinner party at his exwife’s house in the Hollywood Hills. Is he paranoid or is something sinister brewing?

Thompson: This is a fresh look at something that’s been done a lot. I don’t want to give tons away, but having a fresh perspective and bringing that to any genre is unique. I’m curious to see how the cinematography is handled. How that’s done tells so much about how it affects (and) scares you.

Katina Bitsicas: I really want to see The Invitation

The Midnight Swim

When their mother goes missing near a presumably haunted lake, three half-sisters come home to investigate what happened.

Bitsicas: This film seems very interesting because the actual character is a documentary filmmaker, so you’re almost watching the film through a filmmaker’s perspective. I like it when films make me think. It’s nice to try and untangle the puzzle a bit, and hopefully this film will do (that).

Yost: This film reminds me a lot of a David Lynchtype thriller. It’s really eerie and compelling to watch.

Saturday, 5:15 p.m., Warehouse Theatre; Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Macklanburg Playhouse

Shorts 4: The Mix Tape

These eight awardwinning shorts pair innovative storytelling with a bit of everything from fiction, documentary film to animation.

Thompson: A lot of people overlook short films. This block is organized like a visual mix tape. It flows beautifully and carefully from film to film. I can’t push it enough, but take a chance on a short block.

Saturday, 5 p.m., Charters Auditorium

A Woman Like Me

Director Alex Sichel and her fictional alter ego, Anna Seashell attempt to understand their breast cancer diagnoses in this hybrid documentary.

Thompson: It’s uplifting, funny and personal. It talks about something extremely sad and brings it to the forefront. That’s something that might surprise (audiences).

Yost: It’s a really creative documentary and fiction hybrid, but it’s a special, life-affirming film.

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon, Macklanburg Playhouse

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF KATINA BITSICAS; CHASE THOMPSON; DAVID WILSON; LAUREN KASTNER; CITIZEN JANE FILM FESTIVAL

Chase Thompson is the special programs coordinator for Citizen Jane. In addition to being an assistant professor of digital filmmaking at Stephens College, he’s also directed several documentaries and short films that have shown around the world.

Explore the lives of a few young members from the Grammynominated African Children’s Choir as they leave the slums of Uganda to sing around the world.

Chase Thompson: Music and the moving image are such a perfect marriage. When you’re able to line up music and this documentary footage together, there are moments that just punch you. Everyone loves a good music documentary. Just look at 20 Feet From Stardom and Searching for Sugar Man (that were) backto-back voted best documentaries at the Academy Awards. I think there is an affinity for them. It’s a story we haven’t heard yet.

Yost: The outreach for this film has been great.

The African Children’s Choir actually performed in Columbia recently, so there are a lot of people looking forward to watching this.

Saturday, noon, Macklanburg Playhouse; Sunday, 5:15 p.m., Charters Auditorium

(because of) director Karyn Kusama. She was criticized for her film, Jennifer’s Body. Even though it was a bit campy, I still felt it had its merits. I’m curious to see what she does with a more serious thriller-horror film.

Friday, 10:30 p.m., Warehouse Theatre; Saturday, 2:45 p.m., The Blue Note

CITIZEN JANE

PLOT POINTS Customize your can’t-miss list

By Taylor Grace Ostrowski Vox teamed up with Citizen Jane Programming Director Kerri Yost to guide you through this year’s lineup. The matrix maps the films using four categories: uplifting, dramatic, artistic and mainstream.

Shorts 1: Family Fun Films

REEL TALK Visit VoxMagazine.com to read film reviews throughout the weekend.

UPLIFTING

It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong

From This Day Forward

As she prepares for her wedding, director Sharon Shattuck revisits how her father's transgender transition affected the family and her parents’ enduring marriage.

This mix of live-action and animated films will bring back the joy of Saturday morning cartoons. Recommended for viewers 7 and up.

On her first visit to Hong Kong, a Chinese-American woman meets an American man living abroad. The night’s activities push the boundaries of their platonic friendship.

Imba Means Sing

From the slums of Uganda, members of the Grammynominated African Children’s Choir tour the world in search of a better life.

Brand: A Second Coming

Actor and comedian Russell Brand is on a mission to start a revolution of consciousness and fight the world of consumerism.

Shorts 4: The Mix Tape

These films includes works of drama, comedy and canine freestyling (it’s a thing).

Shorts 6: Ms.ouri Made

These films, such as the dramatic Once Crazy and the surreal animation of I Was A Teenage Girl, Apparently, capture the essence of Missouri.

A Woman Like Me

A complicated love triangle forms when friends Gene and Titty journey to find the beautiful and introverted Ginger, whom Titty met online.

Unexpected

High school teacher Samantha forms an unlikely friendship with one of her students as they both navigate the bumps of pregnancy.

Ayanda

In this award-winning narrative set in Johannesburg, Ayanda is on a quest to reopen her late father’s auto repair shop.

Shorts 2: Dance + Film This collection of narrative and experimental short films explores the intricate world of dance and shows how the body works in harmony with the world.

MAINSTREAM

ARTISTIC

Funny Bunny

This documentarynarrative hybrid follows co-director Alex Sichel and her fictional counterpart Anna Seashell as the two simultaneously battle breast cancer.

Shorts 5: About Love

Sick of stereotypical happilyever-afters? These seven shorts examine relationships to show just how complicated and imperfect romance can be.

Shorts 7: The Secret Lives of Girls

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITIZEN JANE FILM FESTIVAL

These 13 films showcase the inner monologues of teenage girls and demonstrate the fresh perspective that comes from youthful curiosity.

Recommended for viewers 12 and up.

Shorts 3: Emerging Voices

Maiko: Dancing Child

The prima ballerina in the Norwegian National Ballet is at the peak of her career, but will her desire to start a family derail her success?

Enter the minds of seven young female artists through their dramatic and original short films.

Four-Way Stop

As Allen tries to improve his bleak future, the inner-city teen questions how racism affects the American Dream.

The Invitation The Midnight Swim

In this award-winning psychodrama, three half-sisters return home after their mother goes missing in a nearby lake.

Frame by Frame

This documentary follows four Afghan photographers trying to rebuild the free press in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.

In this psychological thriller, Will is invited to his ex-wife's dinner party in a glamorous Hollywood mansion, but he can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.

DRAMATIC 10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

9

CITIZEN JANE

OFF SCRIPT Director LeeAnne Lowry talks shorts and breaking into the film industry

By Witt Wells Even the best-laid plans can go awry when directing a film. LeeAnne Lowry, a 2015 graduate of Stephens College, had plenty of these moments while filming her psychological thriller, Once Crazy. When she found out on the day of the shoot that she couldn’t film at the Missouri State Penitentiary, she had to move locations to a basement at Stephens. Sometimes, the bumps in the road were a little weirder, like when her lead actor started barking like a dog without any direction to do so.

Directors just have to roll with it.

Once Crazy, which began as Lowry’s capstone project and was finalized in May, will premiere as part of the Ms.ouri Made shorts collection. “I don’t think there’s a lot of films about people who live in solitary confinement made by someone who is in their 20s and a woman,” says Haley Padilla, the film’s producer and a fellow Stephens alumna. The duo is working on another short film and has volunteered for the fest since 2011. Now, for the first time, they’ll attend Citizen Jane as filmmakers.

Tell us about one of the unexpected incidents that happened during the filming of Once Crazy.

We had this montage sequence where our actor, Santiago Vasquez, was supposed to do mundane things to show time passing. (Instead) he went into this routine where he danced and rolled on the floor. He pretended to shower; he did different characters. We all just sat there for 15 minutes and watched. It was very odd but very fitting.

What do you hope people glean from the film?

For me, it is about relationship and human connection.

I'd love for people to interpret my film in a way that is meaningful to them. One of my favorite things about being a filmmaker is hearing interpretations that are even better than what I intended. When a film creates meaning beyond your intentions, you've made something bigger than yourself. That's pretty neat.

What does the film contribute to the industry?

A lot of people are doing prison stuff right now, but I think we did it without romanticizing. (The film) represents the fact that women can and do make films that are typically considered “men’s” films — gritty, psychological and dark. I know few women who make the sappy, light films that society expects from them.

How do short films fit into Citizen Jane?

Short films are a vital part of any festival. These are the films that aren’t going to come out on Netflix. They are also a stepping-stone for filmmakers. Nearly every bigshot director had to start in shorts. They represent topnotch storytelling. There is no way to get into the festival without a quality story, and short filmmakers know how to condense that into 10 minutes.

What advice do you have for young filmmakers?

You’re not going to move forward unless you’re increasingly seen as a professional. For Once Crazy we paid our composer a normal composer salary. I think it’s going to end up being a good thing for us because we’re going to be taken seriously as a film by that person or anyone they talk to.

Shorts 6: Ms.ouri Made Sunday, 2:30 p.m., The Blue Note

RE-FRAMING THE SCENE Stephens College puts women in the director’s chair

By Paul Albani-Burgio and Alex Leininger

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VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 10.22.15

of empowering female filmmakers through the Citizen Jane Institute and its Digital Film Department.

Since Hollywood’s early days, some women have watched their male counterparts dominate.

Female filmmakers have always existed, but the history books don’t reflect their involvement, says Kerri Yost, Citizen Jane founder and programming director.

“There have always been women filmmakers, but it’s not been easy because there’s been very little support,” she says. “It’s a problem because film is such a powerful medium and creates so much of how our culture sees itself.”

How young filmmakers perceive themselves can be crucial to their future success. “I think the students here gain self-esteem and confidence, so when they go out in the real world, they are much more prepared,” says Steph Borklund, an assistant professor at Stephens.

Kathy Nguyen, a Stephens junior studying digital film, says the way her peers think about

the lack of representation of women in the film industry evolves during their time on campus.

“The younger students start out a bit naive in that they think the forces that bar women from succeeding won’t interfere with their own progress if they just work hard,” Nguyen says.

“The reality is women have to work so much harder to get anywhere in the industry, and their work has to be so much better.”

Nguyen points to the 2014 Black List, which surveyed more than 250 film executives to determine the top 70 most-liked screenplays. Nine screenplays from the list were written by women.

An increase in female filmmakers comes with the possibility of more attention to women’s issues on screen. However, Chase Thompson, an assistant professor in Stephens’ Digital Film Department, says most students aren’t preoccupied with gender in their filmmaking. “I don’t want them to want to make a good film for a girl,” he says. “I want them to make a good film for everyone.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEEANNE LOWRY

Stephens College associate professor Kate Berneking Kogut’s first short film, Nooner, premiered at the 2014 Beloit International Film Festival in Wisconsin, but the milestone isn’t the only thing Kogut vividly remembers from the festival.

Kogut and her husband, John Kogut, who acted in Nooner, were both wearing filmmaker ID tags while on the way to see films. “We stepped into an elevator, and this guy turned to my husband and asked him what film he had here, just assuming he was the (only) filmmaker,” Kogut says. “The assumption was very interesting because, you know, I was (also a) filmmaker.”

Just like that, Kogut was reminded of the stereotype that only men direct movies. Last year, women represented 7 percent of directors for the top 250 grossing films. Through June of this year, that number is 18 percent for independent films and 29 percent for documentaries, according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. Locally, Stephens is on the front lines

CITIZEN JANE

‘WHY I LOVE CITIZEN JANE’ Community and culture fuel the crew behind the fest

By Mackenzie Pendergrass

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BARBIE BANKS; CAROL ESTEY; ERIKA ADAIR

Months before the Citizen Jane Film Festival begins, the folks behind the scenes are diligently putting the giant cogs of the fest in motion. It takes a remarkable amount of teamwork to bring filmmakers from across the globe to Columbia, and it couldn’t be done without the work of nearly 200 volunteers who operate venues, drive directors around town and organize events panels.

Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, some with years of experience and others new to the scene, but they all have one thing in common: their love for film, specifically films made by women in an industry dominated by men.

Carol Estey Acting instructor, Talking Horse Productions Volunteer since 2009

Barbie Banks Director of adult education, Columbia Adult Learning Center Volunteer since 2011

Why should someone come to the festival?

It’s important because it’s about women filmmakers.

The percentage of filmmakers who are women is very low. It’s a tough, tough field to get into. Being able to see what women are doing, to immerse yourself in that experience for a weekend, really gives you a stronger idea of what that means. How is film affecting our culture?

Who are we today? What are we saying?

And to have a woman’s voice, in a sense, is kind of remarkable. I always come out of it having some really eye-opening experiences.

What strengths do women bring to filmmaking?

All film and entertainment has the opportunity to bring empathy into people’s lives, and women tend to understand that better. Their films bring up those emotions more clearly to people.

Also there are perspectives that men can’t understand that a woman experiences. It’s important to have film festivals that give them that opportunity. We work with a lot of young people, so they’re breeding it from the very beginning that you shouldn’t be excluded from this industry.

You can be at the table.

Which festival events are you looking forward to attending?

I love Julia Reichert’s From the Archives.

The archival films are fascinating because they go back into women’s filmmaking history. I also love that there are young filmmakers included, and we get to see what they’re doing. I love how many choices there are.

What types of films interest you?

I like shorts because you get to see a whole bunch of snippets in one setting.

And I find it interesting because women don’t have the access to funding that men do. But they can sometimes make a short and prove “I can do this,” and they’ll get more funding to get a feature-length.

Shorts offer exposure to women that they don’t always get and offer people in our community the opportunity to come see films by women.

How has working with Citizen Jane influenced how you see the world?

Anytime you step into a big project like (Citizen Jane) and everybody works together toward something, that gives you faith and hope. Meeting the filmmakers and hearing them talk about their process is inspiring. I’ve learned so much about how women filmmakers stand in the world and how they’re progressing and what it takes.

How has working with Citizen Jane influenced how you see the world?

It’s definitely solidified my views on feminism. They also bring in male speakers, and I really like when I see a male, and we have these same views, and I think, “Oh wait, that’s not a bad gender.” There are men who are working toward the same things that I am working toward. It also made me more aware of being a feminist leader and bringing some of those values into the other organizations I work for.

Erika Adair Art director and special events coordinator, Citizen Jane Film Festival Volunteer from 2009–2012 Why did you decide to get involved with Citizen Jane?

It was one of the main reasons I chose Stephens as the school I wanted to attend for film. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with film, and I thought that maybe working with festivals would be something I would be interested in.

I think it’s really important for female filmmakers to have an outlet for their work. Columbia is kind of the perfect area where you can interact closely with the community and the filmmakers.

In what ways do the elements of the festival motivate you to stay involved behind the scenes?

As a female filmmaker, I think it’s really incredible to have had the experiences working really closely with an amazing group of people. That really inspires me and motivates me to be more active in my field of study. For me, it’s not really a job. I also love to get the community more involved and knowledgeable about what we are trying to do here and why it matters.

How has working with Citizen Jane influenced how you see the world?

I’m so appreciative of what we are doing and what we are building, and I’m constantly reminded that this is much bigger than we think it is. It’s really heartwarming to see how many people have been so open and willing to support and give to the festival to make sure it’s something incredible year after year.

It really takes people from all walks of life to make this happen. It’s sharing experiences with others and having an outlet to do something you’re passionate about.

10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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CITIZEN JANE

FILM’S GENDER GAP BY THE NUMBERS

By Matt Greenfield

1.9 11.2

Women

18.9

Men

98.1

88.8

81.1

Directors

Writers

Producers

Gender ratio of the 1,326 directors, writers and producers across the top 100 films of 2014 100 90

July 2008–June 2009

80 70 60

July 2011–June 2012

50 40 30 20

23

23

29

22

23

22

24

19

33

33

31

33

10 0

July 2014–June 2015 Female writers

Female directors

Female producers

TAKE AN INTERMISSION Don’t miss these four off-screen events

By Matt Greenfield Citizen Jane Summit

Join the hosts of the She Does podcast for a discussion about the representation of women in cinema. The show, created and hosted by Elaine Sheldon and Sarah Ginsburg, focuses on women in the media, and it brings the audience deeper into a guest’s life each episode. The live broadcast will delve into storytelling on the silver screen with Alison Bagnall, Catherine Dudley-Rose and Mo Scarpelli, who all have films showing at the fest.

When: Thursday, 5:30–7 p.m.

Location: Historic Senior Hall, 100 Waugh St. Cost: Free

Citizen Jane Film School

Attend a collection of panels and workshops featuring the festival’s filmmakers, and discover every facet of the independent film industry.

When: Friday, 12–4:30 p.m.

Location: Columbia Access Television, 1405 E. Broadway Cost: Free

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 10.22.15

Opening Night Public Reception

Join other festivalgoers for drinks and appetizers prior to the opening film, Frame by Frame. Relax with beer from Logboat Brewing Company and prepare for three days of films.

When: Friday, 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Location: Missouri Theatre, 203 S. Ninth St. Cost: $10; $8, student or senior; free with a ticket to Frame by Frame

Interact Dance Party

After a long day of holding still watching movies, get out to the dance party. Videology! will provide creative music videos while attendees dance the night away.

When: Saturday, 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Location: The Blue Note, 17 N. Ninth St. Cost: $5; free, Insane Jane pass holders

SOURCES: CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN IN TELEVISION AND FILM, MEDIA, DIVERSITY, & SOCIAL CHANGE INITIATIVE, USC ANNENBERG

Percent of women with key roles in films shown at high-profile U.S. festivals

12

July 2013–June 2014

CITIZEN JANE

IN FOCUS An MU graduate filmmaker reframes trials of Afghan photojournalists

By Witt Wells Each Citizen Jane Film Festival is a celebration of cinematic storytelling by artists and journalists alike. This year’s opening night film is a powerful documentary about people fighting for their right to tell stories internationally.

Frame by Frame follows four Afghan photojournalists as they try to form a new picture of their war-torn country and deal with demons left over from the time of the Taliban’s rule. Co-director Mo Scarpelli, who graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism, has filmed and reported around the world. Frame by Frame is her first feature-length film, co-directed with filmmaker Alexandria Bombach.

Scarpelli’s journalism background led her to dig deeper into the lives of Afghan citizens.

The portrayal of people in foreign countries is usually oversimplified, she says, and she had

a hunch the people of Afghanistan had another story to tell.

After five years of forced silence, Afghan journalists still struggle to share their work freely. “Everybody in Afghanistan just walks that tension of ‘Where can I be free as a normal human, and where do I need to be on edge?’”

Scarpelli says. “They always have that tension.”

The team felt a heavy responsibility while tackling such a complex and often misunderstood story, Scarpelli says. The filmmakers’ hard work has paid off, though.

Frame by Frame premiered at South by Southwest earlier this year and has already won multiple awards.

“The film is realizing the side of Afghanistan that we really don’t get to see,” she says. “But also it’s a human story. It’s about four human

Frame by Frame Friday, 7:30 p.m., Missouri Theatre

Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli directed this year’s opening night film, Frame by Frame. The film has won nine awards at independent film festivals.

beings and what it means to live in an uncertain time and place.”

THE ART OF SCORE Music evokes emotion when voices fall silent

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MO SCARPELLI; AYO KEPHER-MAAT

By Mike Tish Billowing smoke, blaster fire and blaring trumpets introduce Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Black boots pound as he marches past dead rebel soldiers. The music briefly subsides, and the audience is left listening to Vader’s heavy breathing. Without a spoken word, the viewer understands that Vader is the villain.

In director Kris Swanberg’s Unexpected, the music achieves the same end, albeit in less extravagant fashion.

Composer Keegan DeWitt created an accompaniment reliant on gentle acoustic guitar riffs and improvised piano melodies to capture the emotional roller coaster the characters ride.

DeWitt’s commitment to improvisation has helped make him a well-known composer in the independent film scene. In the past decade he scored six films that have shown at the Sundance Film Festival, including Listen Up Philip (2014) and This is Martin Bonner (2013).

Directors take different paths when requesting a score from him. Some directors push for exactly what they want while others allow DeWitt to take their direction and expand it into something more original, which he prefers. For Swanberg’s film, she gave DeWitt some creative freedom.

“I sent a couple of ideas, and then we started to get excited about a direction,” DeWitt says. “As they started to cut, I started to work a little more specifically.”

After Swanberg offered her ideas for the music, DeWitt got to work. Inspiration might come in the form of previously shot scenes or, as was the case with Unexpected, verbal discussion with the director. When Swanberg reached out to DeWitt, they talked about the film and what they aimed to achieve.

Unexpected follows Samantha (Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother), an inner-city high school teacher who finds out she is pregnant. Shortly after her discovery, Sam realizes Jasmine, a senior and star student, is also pregnant. This realistic comedy displays the importance

of friendships in the face of unanticipated hardship.

“Creating things musically is seeing words on a page or seeing something in the first cut of a film,” DeWitt says. He compares it to the sensation of “blurring your eyes for a second, just closing your eyes enough so that it (blends) together.” In these moments DeWitt is able to unveil melodies lurking at the fringes of a scene.

The blurring effect he hints at is seen in Unexpected.

Teacher and student are brought together during a touching moment in the park as Throughout the film, DeWitt uses Jasmine feels Samantha’s (Cobie Smulders) baby kicking in Unexpected. reverberated bells — recordings optimistic guitar pattern that opened the film kicks in. of the echoed sound bells give The scene is charming. More importantly, it off — to fade in and out of scenes. The film begins represents Swanberg’s ability to capture some of the with this kind of sound and leads to a light string of more humanizing and relatable moments from everyday guitar notes. The music focuses the atmosphere as life and insert them in her film. DeWitt’s composition the melody arrives via piano. After only a few phrases, matches that talent. His capacity for perceiving the audiences perceive emotion that would take an entire nonverbal emotions evoked in films is essential to conversation to convey. creating a score capable of conveying those feelings. That Co-writers Swanberg and Megan Mercier hoped to capacity is part of what caught Swanberg’s eye. draw laughter from the characters’ wit. The morning “I was a big fan of Keegan’s work,” Swanberg says, after Sam informs her live-in boyfriend, John (Anders “I kind of knew what his capabilities were and where his Holm, Workaholics), of her pregnancy, he is making artistic bank was.” breakfast for the two of them. As the scene progresses, Swanberg and DeWitt’s teamwork in this film did soft chords and incomprehensible singing is audible in not lead to a traditional Hollywood score with a booming the background. He hands her a plate of pancakes with a orchestra accenting every scene. But it captured the best wedding ring on it. essence of how a score can help to enhance a film’s ability “I don’t want you to propose to me just because I’m to convey emotion. pregnant,” Samantha says.

“I don’t want you to say, ‘yes’ just because I gave you Unexpected pancakes,” John replies.

Saturday, 10 a.m.; Sunday 5:15 p.m., Warehouse Theatre After Sam accepts the proposal, the familiar, 10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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MOVIE REVIEWS Read up on all the Citizen Jane films VoxMagazine.com

ARTS

Hair, flair and bare

The team behind the costumes reveal Hedwig’s most iconic looks

BY NIKI KOTTMANN

At first glance, it looks like a blanket. Hedwig’s iconic denim cape engulfs its simple wooden hanger and demands attention among the sea of shiny leather boots, black studded rocker belts and bold, red plaid skirts.

The cape is one of many costume pieces meant for the two actors playing Hedwig in the MU Department of Theatre’s latest production, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The show centers on a genderqueer rock star from East Berlin who undergoes a meaningful transformation, manifested in her various exuberant looks.

The costume design team, made up of Mary Frances Hodson, Kerri Packard and Jon Drtina, has worked hard to dress two male actors as Hedwig and a female actor as Hedwig’s husband and bandmate, Yitzhak.

The task came with unique challenges. The team had trouble finding women’s shoes that would fit male actors and creating a costume that would hide the feminine features of a female actor. But they’ve risen to the occasion and put their own spin on the Broadway favorite.

“It’s very different, and it’s not a copy of what’s happened before, either in the movie or on stage,” Drtina says.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Corner Playhouse Oct. 22–24 and 29–31; 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Nov. 1, 2 p.m.

882-3781 concertseries.org

WESTERN OUTFIT

Jacket

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JON DRTINA

When director Chris Oliver decided he wanted to create an original Western look for Hedwig, Packard mentioned she owned a black leather fringe jacket.

The team was able to base the rest of the outfit around the jacket and save some money in the process.

Red boots

The design won’t be revealed until opening night, but it took about 20 pairs of jeans and three days of cutting, sewing and geometry to piece together Hedwig’s trademark cape. “This cape might end up on a wall somewhere,” Hodson says.

DENIM OUTFIT Farrah Fawcett wig

Hedwig’s hair is just as recognizable as her wardrobe, so Packard says finding the perfect wig was crucial. Unable to afford the many styles worn by Broadway actors, the costume team decided on three: the Farrah Fawcett-like ‘do Hedwig is known for, a short, blonde wig and a natural, no-wig look at the end.

Knee-high illusion

Hodson and Packard ran into problems with knee-high boots because there are so many quick changes in the show.

During their research of punk bands like the Ramones, they found a solution. “We’re using leg warmers with a shorter boot just to give a kind of thigh-high boot look, but with something that can come off easily and fast,” Packard says.

Shorts

Fringe skirt

The team had to modify Hedwig’s skirt into a wrap skirt so the actors can pull it off during their on-stage quick change. “We’re going to help him by splitting it down the back,” Hodson says.

“We’ll have a zipper, but it’ll be overlapped with velcro.”

Drtina says these boots sat in the costume closet for around 20 years, probably since the last time the department performed Oklahoma!. For Hedwig, they were painted bright red for a more vibrant look.

Packard then took a gold glitter pen to the boots and added details to make them pop.

Cape

Fishnets

Perhaps Hedwig’s second most iconic attire is her patriotic jean shorts, notable for the hand-painted American flag in the front and a handprint on each back pocket.

TOMMY OUTFIT

This last look exemplifies Hedwig’s transformation.

The fishnets will be worn throughout the show, but for this outfit they’ll feature a garter that’s attached to the shorts. “When the character strips off all the rest and is just down to the Tommy character, there’s still part of the Hedwig character left,” Drtina says.

Au natural hair

Actor Keaton Kruser recently cut his hair to make the transition to the natural final look easier. “I’ve never had a particular attachment to my hair because when you’re in shows, you’re kind of at the will of your directors,” Kruser says.

Booty shorts

The “booty shorts,” as Packard and Hodson call them, are actually a pair of spandex swim trunks that Drtina found while scouring the Internet for something with a little shine that hugged the body.

10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

15

ARTS

Collector’s pieces

High-quality, affordable, confidential health care in

Kansas sculptor Amy Santoferraro brings her quirky art to Columbia BY TATUM FRIEDRICH

Columbia STD testing, birth control, emergency contraception, and more Call: (573) 443-0427 or visit: www.PPKM.org

FREE PREGNANCY TESTING through September and October!

Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri

A modern romantic comedy about a marriage and a dog.

A I V L SY

Artists can base their creations on any inspired idea; Amy Santoferraro bases hers on thrift shop souvenirs. She crafts a wide range of works out of the eclectic objects she has gathered over the years.

Santoferraro, an assistant professor of ceramics at Kansas State University, creates pieces that are patchworks of eyecatching items from all kinds of corner shops, thrifting adventures and momand-pop stores.

Someone’s discarded plastic bluebird or a teapot from the local antique joint can be added to a work or the inspiration for a whole new art piece. No matter how they come together, her pieces always begin with the discovery of a curious object.

For Santoferraro, collecting is fascinating and has been a lifelong hobby.

As a child, she began secretly collecting the packets of silica that come in shoeboxes (the ones that often read: “Throw away.

Do not eat.”). Today, she expresses the relationship between collector and beloved collections through her art.

“I think that sort of mentality of looking at things as a bonus or unexpected has kept with me for a very long time,” Santoferraro says.

Between her concept and the finished product, Santoferraro’s pieces go through multiple iterations. She describes the process of making her kilned pieces as “a trial by fire, quite literally.”

Santoferraro’s upcoming exhibit, “Playgrown,” at Greg Hardwick Gallery, was first intended to showcase multiple pieces in a single series. However, she decided to join them all together into one entity for this exhibition.

Santoferraro decided on the name “Playgrown” for her latest exhibit. She says it’s about playing grown-up.

Bo Bedelion, director of Greg Hardwick Art Gallery, has known Santoferraro for a few years and is looking forward to seeing how her show will come together this time.

“I’ve always enjoyed her work,” he says. “Her previous bodies of work have been quite diverse, and I’m excited to see what this one is going to be all about.”

Playgrown Greg Hardwick Gallery Oct. 26–Nov. 20 Reception Oct. 22 at Columbia College Brown Hall 202 875-8700

Some highlights from past exhibitions:

By A.R. Gurney NOVEMBER: 5-8

1800 Nelwood Drive Columbia, MO www.cectheatre.org

12-15

19-22

|

2015

“Pennies”

“Bricks”

“Dramatic literature is stuffed with memorable love scenes, but none is as immediately delicious and dizzy as the one that begins the redeeming affair in A.R. Gurney’s new comedy, SYLVIA…” —NY Times.

This season brought to you by:

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VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 10.22.15

This piece is from a series called BaskeTREE, featuring artificial flowers paired with baskets.

Santoferraro created her Blue/White Ware sculpture series while she was living in Rome.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMY SANTOFERRARO

$ Adults 12 Students $10 Seniors $10

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THIS WEEK IN COLUMBIA

The to-do list ARTS & CULTURE Meet the Author of The Muralist’s Ghost

Local author Karen Mocker Dabson will discuss her debut novel, The Muralist’s Ghost. As Croatian muralist Maxo Vanka paints in a small church near Pittsburgh, a ghost appears to him. Danger and mysteries reveal themselves as Vanka attempts to learn the secrets of the specter. Thursday, 7–8 p.m., Daniel Boone Regional Library, Free, 443-3161

Doug T Comic Hypnotist

Doug T got his start as a finalist on The Bob and Tom Show for his impersonations in the Frank Caliendo competition. Now, he’s coming to Columbia with his combination of hypnosis, comedy and impressions.

Thursday, 9 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Déjà Vu Comedy Club, $9–10, 443-3216

Fright Night Double Feature

KOPN 89.5fm...Where Else?

Alcohol Responsibility Month Walk

Help celebrate Alcohol Responsibility Month with MU’s big finale: the Alcohol Responsibility Month Walk. Free food and T-shirts for the first 800 attendees. Friday, noon to 6 p.m., Stankowski Field, Free, 882-4634

The Voice: Mid-Missouri

The Voluntary Action Center is hosting a karaoke competition to raise money for low-income families. A $20 donation buys pizza and two drink tickets. Friday, 6–9 p.m., Museao Building, $20 donation, 874-2273

Columbia Farmers Market

Help support mid-Missouri farms by buying fresh produce, meat and eggs. Fill your basket and your bellies while listening to live music as you peruse the goods.

Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), Free, 823-6889

Get in the Halloween spirit with a double feature of Hocus Pocus and Friday the 13th presented by the University Concert Series. First, catch the Sanderson sisters as they are resurrected on Halloween night, and then stick around for a real scare with Jason Voorhees. Saturday, 6:30 and 9 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $10 one film; $15, both, 882-3781

Mutts Needing Mummies

Mary Collins Barile’s The Haunted Boonslick: Ghosts, Ghouls and Monsters of Missouri’s Heartland

Rocheport Fall Colors Trail Ride

In the spirit of the spookiest time of year, local author Mary Collins Barile will sign copies of The Haunted Boonslick: Ghosts, Ghouls and Monsters of Missouri’s Heartland, her book about the haunted areas of mid-Missouri. Sunday, 2–4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, Free, 445-4080

National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China All the way from Beijing, see China’s national acrobatics team flip and fly through the air. This group’s flexible feats are sure to amaze just as they did in the 2008 Olympics. Tuesday, 7 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $26-36, adults; $13-31, youth, 882-3781

CIVIC Pawject Runway

Who doesn’t love a dressed up canine?

Missouri’s chapter of Dogs Deserve Better is throwing its signature event to raise money for the organization’s rescue efforts.

Attendees will receive a swag bag and can participate in a silent auction with goodies for both humans and their pets. Pick up tickets at either Lizzi & Rocco’s location.

Thursday, 6:30–8 p.m., Maplewood Barn Theatre, $25, 239-213-8174

Halloween will be a lot less spooky with a furry friend. The Central Missouri Humane Society is hosting an adoption event at Lizzi & Rocco’s with a few of its dogs and kittens. It will also provide $5 nail trims.

Saturday, 12–4 p.m., Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market on Nifong, adoption fees vary, 443-7387

Monday thru Friday National Programming Line-up...

Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman 8-9am and Noon-1pm

The Diane Rehm Show 9-11am

Fresh Air with Terry Gross 11am-Noon On your radio dial at 89.5 fm or live streaming at kopn.org

Follow the Missouri River to Rocheport on this 26-mile round-trip bike ride, and enjoy the fall scenery on the trail. Helmets are required, and tire-patch kits are suggested.

Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jay Dix Station, Free, 874-7460

Race4 Domestic Violence Prevention 5K

Raise funds to support Domestic Violence Awareness Month while taking in the fresh fall air. All proceeds of this 5K walk/run go to helping True North, a women’s shelter in Columbia. Sunday, 12 p.m. registration; 1 p.m. race, Cosmo Park, $25 registration; Free, children 12 & under, 816-728-0746

Spooktacular

Experience the best Halloween has to offer with a party hosted by MSA/GPC and Mizzou After Dark. Scream through a haunted house, predict your future with fortune tellers and try your hand at the Great Pumpkin Carving. Plenty of Halloween treats will be available to enjoy.

Wednesday, 7 p.m., MU Student Center, $5; Free, MU students, 884-0729

FOOD & DRINK Pumpkin Bash

Join Craft Beer Cellar and Rock Bridge Brewery for this fall tap takeover. Rock Bridge is serving up a slew of pumpkin 10.22.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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beers at the cellar. Friday, 6 p.m., Craft Beer Cellar, Free, 449-0242

55th Annual Fall Festival and Chili Supper

Mark your calendars for a night full of delicious food and fun. Bring the whole family for dinner, games and prizes. Along with chili, there will be walking tacos, ice cream, a country store, silent auction and raffles. Saturday, 4– 8 p.m., Midway Heights Elementary School, $5, 864-5077

MUSIC Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear

The closely knit dynamic duo of Madisen Ward and Mama Bear is quite evident.

That’s because Mama Bear is actually his mom. This mother-son duo from Independence started playing together in their home, and now they’re performing at small venues around the state. Thursday, 7 p.m. doors; 7:30 p.m. show, Rose Music Hall, $12 in advance; $14 day of, 875-0588

Josh Abbott Band

This red dirt, Texas country band was one master’s degree away from never forming.

In 2006, Josh Abbott put his schooling on pause to pursue his love for music and start the band. Now, the group is in the midst of a North American tour and weeks away from its fourth studio album, Front Row Seat. Thursday, 7 p.m. doors; 8 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $16 in advance; $18 day of, 874-1944

Fall Jamtacular

Four midwest bands join forces to perform a full setlist of beats underneath a Frankenstein-themed light show. Tickets are cheap, and the night is sure to be a jam. Friday, 7 p.m. doors; 8 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $6, 874-1944

The Woodsmiths

This modern riverbilly jam band is stopping

by Cooper’s Landing before heading out on its tour of the southwest. Saturday, 2–5 p.m., Cooper’s Landing, Free, 657-2544

VoxTalk Find out what’s happening in Columbia.

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VOXMAGAZINE.COM |10.22.15

Bruce Poe Band

Celebrate the end of the Missouri River cleanup with the light rock sound of Bruce Poe Band. Saturday, 6-9 p.m., Cooper’s Landing, Free, 657-2544

Those Manic Seas

Rock the night away with headliner Those Manic Seas. Local indie rock groups Dead Bed Bad and Lab C are opening. Sunday, 8 p.m., Café Berlin, $5, 441-0400

Tritonal

“Tritonians” and Columbians alike will enjoy the booming electric-house music from this DJ duo. Since Texans Chad Cisneros and Dave Reed formed in 2008, they have released a variety of enhanced recordings and remixes. Who said a Tuesday night isn’t the perfect time for a dance party? Tuesday, 9 p.m., The Blue Note, $20 in advance; $25 day of, 874-1944

Emancipator

Doug Appling, better known as Emancipator, started producing electronic music in Portland, but his tours take him around the world. On his live performances, a violinist often accompaines him, which adds an interesting live element to his integrated mashups. Wednesday, 9 p.m., The Blue Note, $16 in advance; $18 day of, 874-1944

SCREEN The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (NR) This documentary tells the rise and fall of the extremely controversial Black Panther Party in the 20th century.

RT RUNTIME = 1:53

Burnt

(NR) Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) destroyed his career with drugs and immature behavior. He eventually cleans up his act and moves to London, determined to redeem himself by opening a restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars. F, R RUNTIME = 1:40

Jem and the Hologram

(PG) Jerrica (Aubrey Peeples) goes from underground video sensation to international superstar when she forms the group Jem and the Holograms with her three younger sisters.

F, R RUNTIME = 1:58

Learning to Drive

(R) A newly single book critic (Patricia Clarkson) wants to learn to drive. She starts taking driving lessons from a Sikh man (Ben Kingsley) with love troubles of his own, and in each other they find strength and courage. RT RUNTIME = 1:30

The Last Witch Hunter (PG-13)

Witch hunter, Vin Diesel, kills the witch queen and becomes immortal. When she returns to seek revenge, he is the only one that can save the human race. F, R RUNTIME = 1:46

Rock the Kasbah (R)

Music manager Richie Lanz (Bill Murray) discovers a teenage girl with an extraordinary voice while on a music tour in Afghanistan and takes her to Kabul to compete on “Afghan Star,” Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol.”

F, R RUNTIME = 1:46

Still playing

Bridge of Spies(PG-13) F, R Crimson Peak (R) F, R Goosebumps (PG) F, R Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG) F, R The Intern (PG-13) F, R The Martian (PG-13) F, R Pan (PG) R Steve Jobs (R) F, R The Visit (PG-13) R Woodlawn (PG) R

Theaters F = Forum R = Regal

RT = Ragtag = available in 3D

Q&A A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTINA HOLZHAUSER Camaraderie and beating the crap out of each other are at the heart of women’s rugby

BY JENNA FEAR PHOTO BY ELLISE VERHEYEN

Christina Holzhauser is an activities director at a nursing home, part-time English instructor at MU, writer, mother of a 5-year-old boy — and has a list of injuries that would make anyone wince. But the broken nose, torn shoulder cartilage, ankle sprain and torn radial collateral ligament in her thumb are all the unfortunate results of a worthwhile game.

Hitting hard and playing rough with the Columbia Rugby Football Club’s women’s team, the Black Sheep, is where Holzhauser found an outlet for her competitive athleticism.

Although Holzhauser jumps into the rough and tumble with the best of them, Black Sheep member Leigh Walker says the team calls her “Grandma” because she’s been playing for so long. She also helps the girls keep their cool on the field. “When things start to get heated on the pitch, she is this playfully sarcastic force that reminds everyone we play for the fun of it,” Walker says. “I think people really respect her on and off the field.”

When the Mizzou Women’s Rugby Club changed its rules in 2009 to prohibit non-student members from competing, a few players, including Holzhauser, were left without a home. This gave them fodder for their name, and the five stray players started a team.

Black Sheep is in Division II of the Heart of America Rugby Football Union, which includes some college teams. The team started the season in September with a 57-7 triumph over Kansas State.

Holzhauser talks about her sport with her classes when the season rolls around. Students question the authenticity of her rugby team, assuming it’s powderpuff or a “lingerie” league. But Black Sheep play classic rugby, not a watered down version.

What is the best part about being a Black Sheep?

Having a team to support you — and not just on the field. My son was born four months premature, and I sent out a call to (my teammates) from the hospital.

“Bring booze; bring Taco Bell!” And they all showed up. It feels like a family. Even when I try to quit because it hurts, I just can’t because they’re still my people. There’s a real sense of some strange bonding that happens. When you play another team, it’s customary to have a social afterward. So you might beat the crap out of each other for 80 minutes, but as soon as the whistle blows, you share a beverage and say: “Hey, that was really nice when you hit me earlier. What a great tackle. You annihilated me.”

Why did you start playing rugby?

I got into it in college in Houston because a coworker played and told me about it. I always wanted to play football, but my high school was so small we didn’t have football until senior year. But I was trying to get a softball scholarship, so I didn’t want to be bothered with that. I’ve always wanted to hit someone. So I went to practice, and the rest is history.

Have most of the women on the team played rugby before joining?

Generally, no. But you get a lot of soccer, softball, basketball players and swimmers. I’ve also played with people who were cheerleaders and gymnasts.

Maybe people wouldn’t picture a cheerleader becoming a rugby player, but those are some of the toughest women I’ve (played with). I don’t know if they’ve bottled up the aggression for so long, but they hit the hardest.

How do people get involved with the team?

We’ve been known to just approach people who look like they might be interested in some sort of athletic thing. We’ll track people down on the Katy Trail, chase after and scare them. We’ve put fliers up before, but I think we do it best by word of mouth. We’re a growing team.

How is rugby different from other sports?

There’s a really awesome camaraderie. I don’t know if that’s because it’s an unusual sport in the States, so if you play it you’re like in a secret club. Anywhere you go, if you see a rugby jersey or any sort of rugby apparel you say, “Hey! I play!” And they say, “What position?” And you’re immediately friends. I think rugby is probably the way I’ve formed or had my friend group since I was 18. It’s also the only sport I’ve played where I’ve felt that on the women’s side, we play with the same-sized ball, the same-sized field as the men. And generally, from male rugby players, I feel just as much respect because it’s not “lady rugby.” It’s just rugby.

What do you get from playing rugby that you can’t find anywhere else?

A physical release. It’s like my yoga or meditation.

I think you have to get lost in the game. Because there’s something about feeling like you’re in a car wreck, and then the next day, I feel so relaxed and calm. I think that’s just the feeling of being so full of adrenaline for two hours, just hitting people and getting hit. Then your body goes back to its normal state. It feels euphoric almost because it’s not stressed out anymore.

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V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 . 0 8 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

SCHOOLS THAT CHURN OUT NFL DRAFT PICKS

TALLYING CHICK-FIL-A RESTAURANTS

SEC

COMPARING THE MEN IN CHARGE

THROWDOWN IN A CONFERENCE KNOWN FOR DOMINATION, HOW DOES MIZZOU STACK UP? VOX BREAKS DOWN THE NUMBERS ON FIERCEST MASCOTS, WAL-MART SHOPPING HABITS AND, OH YEAH, FOOTBALL.

$$$ $ $$ $$$

WHAT STUDENTS SHELL OUT TO SNAG SEASON TICKETS

GUESS WHICH MASCOT REIGNS SUPREME

IT’S VOX WITHOUT THE NEWSPRINT MUSIC. DINING. NEWS. MOVIES. EVENTS.