Updatin'

So, the Hazards of Love is going amazing. I feel incredibly privileged to be a part of this group of amazing performers and people. Here's some youtube-age if you are interested in what we have done with things...

When moving this post, I discovered that the old Hazards videos were gone. I don't know if Jill removed them because they were not the most current iteration of the show, but I loved those videos, they were a moment in time and a memory. I am sad, but no one can take away the pictures. See below...it was a beautiful show I was proud to be a part of....(added 4/21/15 when transferring)
 
Life is very busy work-wise for me, too. I have been doing event staffing/security stuff for Lawlor Events Center and UNR Football and Basketball, and that's been more fun than I thought it would be. This weekend will be a cold game, outside, during the day. It's supposed to snow. BUT, I bought these groovy new gloves that I can give a blow job to and they will warm my hands. I will let everyone know how that works out and might even follow-up with pics...

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to get to see, arguably, three of Tribal/Fusion Belly Dances most famous, talented, amazing artists. Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes and Mardi Love, who form The Indigo, brought Le Serpent Rouge to Reno. It ended up being a sold out show, which was very cool. I hope some promoters take that to heart and realize Reno can support such cool events =)

Here's the graphic:

It was a really, really good show and I have a new hero in Mardi Love. She was amazing. She wore this skirt that I wondered how it stayed on her body, but stay it did, she looked awesomely hot and she was very, very good. Here's a pic of her, taken by my friend Lisa Fisher:

Photo by Lisa Fisher

Truly a Goddess!

Here is one of my favorite "poses' if you will, from Hazards. This is Ms. Sharon, cradling Lindsy, who plays Margaret, but it's one of the things that struck me from the first time I saw the show run through. Beauty in motion!

Photo by Edward Hennessey

Even exhausted, I am so lucky to have my life. All these moments mean so much....life is amazing! This is a rough time of the year for me....as it gets closer to the time when my mom passed away. I can't believe it's been four years! I still miss her every single day, and I hope she would be proud of me, living this life.

For the rest of this week.....practice Thanksgiving, Football, more Hazards, dancing, and more more more beauty!

Peace!

The Decemberists...

So, I have this friend. She's a really awesome friend, and I've known her for over 30 years. We lost a lot of time in the middle there, but we spent some time together just yesterday and talked about how easy it was to talk to each other just because we both seem to "get" the same things =) This friends name is Jill, and she is producing a show that I agreed to stage manage for...

I won't pretend that I'd really heard of the Decemberists before she started talking about doing this show, but after seeing a rehearsal, I am excited about what this will be like. I am excited about working with Jill, and I think this show is going to be amazing. Here is the poster:

And here's the press-release-y information about the show:

Hazards of Love- A Tribute to the Decemberists.     Produced and Performed by  The Juxtaposeurs:  Jill Marlene and Company

The Hazards of Love is a Folk Rock Opera written by the incredibly diverse and virtuosic Indie band "The Decemberists" and it is being staged and performed live by some of Reno's premier musical and dance talent. Hazards of Love is an Mythical tale of two lovers who meet by chance through the veil that separates the mundane from the Magical. In a dark forest, called a Taiga, the heroine, Margaret, ventures beyond the safety of her village into the strange mystic woods where she happens upon a wounded creature. As she stops to help, the creature transforms into a man and they fall instantly in love. There is - as there always is in the darker fairy tales - a deadly twist. The lovers must face the jealous wrath of the great forest queen and the lust of the bold and remorseless villain.

The Show is staged with full ballet including aerial silks, classical and some modern movement. All music is live and features a wide variety of studio performers, professional musicians and a few extremely precocious youth. Part of proceeds will be given to the Reno High School Orchestra for instrument acquisition, repair and replacement.

Audiences are encouraged, should they so desire to dress in "old timey" or Steampunk attire... just for fun.

Directed and Produced by Jill Marlene, Musical Direction by Raymundo Silva and Chris Nelson, Choreography by Lindsy Roberts and Company.

November 12th, 13th 18th and 19th at 8 pm.~ Doors at 7
November 21st at 3 p.m. doors at 2 

All Performances at The Great Escape in the Sports West Plaza
Tickets are $10 and are available by calling 775-225-4421 At Prism Magic clothing and gifts or at the Melting Pot World Emporium

Cast:
Music~
Director, Producer, Voice of "The Queen"~ Jill Marlene
Musical Direction, Keyboards, Voice of "the Rake"~ Chris Nelson
Musical Direction, Recording Engineering and Bass Guitar- Raymundo Silva
Drums and Recording Engineering~ Tom Gordon
Guitar, Banjo, Co-production and Voice of "William"~ Gabriel Hiiton
Keyboards, Bass Clarinet, Creative Consultation and Vocals~ Kaitlin Oki 
Voice of "Margaret"~ Mary McNeill
Violin~ Bryan Macauliffe
Guitar, Mandolin and Banjo Instruction~ Doyle Wayne Stewart 
Electric Guitar~ Steve Widmer

Children (vocals and movement):
Charlotte~ Elaina Joy Snyder
Dawn~ Elsa Robison
Isaiah~ Ethan Robison

Cast (Movement)
All movement was largely choreographed by the cast under the supervision of Lindsy Roberts

Margaret~ Lindsy Roberts
William~ Nathan Robison
The Queen~ Erika Tauchen
The Rake~ Rory Dowd
THE FOREST~
Brave Legend
Lara St. John
Michael Enns
Kat Rosen
Sharon Neville
Teresa Moiola.

Stage Manager~ Danielle Gann-Lind

Post Performance entertainment~
12~ Mark Earnest,
13th~ the Electric Catfish
18th~ Michelle Pappas
19th~ Todd South
21st~ Gabe Hilton followed by the Grups.

It should be a good time.

You should come.

Really.

Peace.

AUTHENTIC Reno Celtic Celebration...

First, a little background information...a couple of years ago, I began reading these books. These books are about Celtic people in general, and Scottish Highlanders in particular. I am here to tell you, NOTHING has captivated my interest in a long time, like these books. The books are by Diana Gabaldon, and it is the Outlander series. Jaime and Claire are two of my hero's, and I can't wait to see what happens to them next! Hunky Highlander!

I have, at many times in my life been an absolutely avid reader, but I am one of those people that once I read a book, I cannot reread it. Until Diana's books. There is so much to them, and there is so much detail and HISTORY in them, that one cannot help but reread. The first time, you want to know what's happening in the STORY. Subsequent times show you what you missed. Not intentionally, but skimmed over because you were worried about WHAT CAME NEXT. These books are awesome! My geek-love for Diana reached unknown boundaries when I began to participate in an online forum she also frequents, the Books and Writers Community, originally through Compuserve, purchased by AOL, yadda yadda. I've interacted with Diana a few times, and she seems like a pretty cool person. Anyway, moving on...

I began to learn and absorb things about Celtic culture. I was raised by mom, my dad died about a month before I turned seven, so what little family traditions and such we grew up with, came from her. Her background is Hispanic and Native American, but there was NO NA influence in our lives. At the time my mom came of age, people with Native blood learned to be VERY ashamed of it.

What I never thought about until this couple of years ago, is that the other half of my heritage is IRISH! I am half Celt too! Hey, that's ME!! I think. We didn't keep in close contact with whatever was left of my dad's family, so I am not 100% sure, but my dad looks like an Irish guy. Red hair, never tanned, super white skin, and from stories told, he definitely handled the drinking gene. I began to get interested in Celtic things and learn what I could.

For the second year now, at the beginning of October, I spend a weekend getting some serious Geek on. Our local folks hold a Celtic Celebration, and last year was my first one, although I understand they've been doing it for awhile. This year, I got to see amazing things, and meet really cool people. One of the most AMAZING things I saw was HIGHLAND COOS!!

They were so cute! I wanted to take them home, but I don't think that would have been good. Although their pens were about the size of my backyard, I don't think they would have liked it much =)

Saturday, we had an awesome day! We met amazing people and it was BUSY! Sunday was just as amazing, but moreso because we had AUTHENTIC WEATHER:

Folks who know how seldom it rains in Reno know what a site this was! It was beautiful! To me, it made the celebration that much more special! I also got to meet an amazing and awesome Scottish couple from near Edinburra (Edinburgh). There son was giving some sort of talk, and his mom said "He's a good laddie". It was awesome. Then there was the Irish guy who walked up and said "Do ye take crrrrreeeedit cccaaarrrds?" None of the other folks working the front could understand him, and I did! So I got the pleasure of telling him where the ATM machine was, but he could have burrrrred at me all day and I would die a happy woman!

At one point, a small group of three young men strolled to the entrance gate, where I was working, one of them had a plaid on, bare legs and what looked like knee high Jack boots. The boots were playa-fied, so I said to him "Those boots look playa-fied". "Yep," he says, "In fact, this whole outfit was gotten for Burning Man". We laughed and I wished him an enjoyable time at the Festival.

The quote of the day came at the very end. A piper came down the hill, past the front gate and returned a little while later with some friends, who asked "We heard you were giving away free t-shirts. Is that true?" Well, we had discounted the t-shirts, but weren't giving them away, so we said so. A little while later, this same man drives towards the gate, ready to leave, and rolls down his car window to see if we are giving away t-shirts yet. He's driving a very nice, if slightly damp, newish BMW 5-series car. Hmmm. The guy in the kilt who was a burner and his friends were walking behind the guy in the Beemer and says "You're driving a BMW for Fuck's Sakes, pay the Five Dollars for a t-shirt".

I love my life.

Peace.