Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

The Readers’ Theatre presents New Plays

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In the month of February a new program kicks off to introduce new playwrights to the community in Savannah. The new monthly recurring program is called Readers’ Theatre and takes place on the third Saturday of every month from 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm at S.P.A.C.E in Savannah. During the event a reading of a new play will take place followed by a discussion. The Readers’ Theatre is a free event open to the public.

On Saturday February 21st, a play by Ina Williams called The McCullogh Boys will be read. Writers interested in future readings are welcome to submit their plays.

Scripts must be submitted one month prior to the date for which they will be considered.  Interested writers should email scripts to Ellie Pyle, Performing Arts Coordinator, at Elizabeth_pyle@savannahga.gov or call (912) 651-6783 for information.  Individuals who would like to volunteer as readers should email a resume, headshot and availability to Pyle.

The Black Box at S.P.A.C.E. is located at 9 W. Henry St.  For information, contact 912-651-6783 or visit www.savannahga.gov/arts.

Peter Max in Jacksonville

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Jacksonville, FL (February 1, 2009) — World-renowned artist Peter Max (www.petermax.com) returns to Avondale’s R. Roberts Gallery with his latest exhibit, making two special appearances—Saturday, March 7th, 6-9 PM and Sunday, March 8th, Noon-3 PM. Artwork is available for acquisition and each appearance is open to the public.

Max’s latest retrospective features over 100 pieces of his art, including original paintings, drawings, and limited-edition prints. The subject matter of the work ranges from his famous iconic paintings such as the “Statue of Liberty” and “Flag with Heart,” to his well-known “Cosmic” images. Some of his newer works, such as his piece commemorating Yankee Stadium and his portrait of President Barack Obama, will be included in the exhibit.

Since the late 1960s, Peter Max’s work has been an artistic symbol of American pop culture. His images form a scrapbook illustrating 40 years of Americana. Max’s imagination and vision can be found in over 100 museums and galleries throughout the world and on a variety of canvases, including the Berlin Wall and a Boeing 777 jumbo jet, currently in use by Continental Airlines. Max has painted portraits of numerous world leaders, including the last six U.S. Presidents, the Dalai Lama, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He has also been designated Official Artist of numerous international events, including six Grammy Award broadcasts, three World Fairs, and six Super Bowls.

“We’re thrilled to bring Peter Max and his amazing work back to Jacksonville, where he has been so warmly welcomed in the past,” said Gallery owner, Jennifer R. Jones. “We expect another enthusiastic turn out for this event, especially because the artist will be offering a 12” x 16” signed and individually dedicated ‘LOVE’ poster with each purchase of his work. Buyers will have the opportunity to meet Peter and have their purchase personally signed.”

RSVP’s are requested to attend Peter Max’s appearances. The public is also invited to attend a special “uncrating party” at the Gallery on Friday, February 28th. Appointments to preview the art in the exhibit can be made beginning March 1st. To RSVP or make an appointment for a preview, call the Gallery at (904) 388-1188.

For almost 20 years, R. Roberts Gallery has been one of Florida’s most prominent purveyors of fine art. As cited by the New York Times, “although it is a neighborhood gallery, clients also come from all over the nation and abroad because of the gallery’s reputation for excellence, its extensive selection of art, its superior custom framing, restoration, personal on-site art and framing consultation and portraiture services.” Featuring original paintings, sculpture and limited edition fine art prints in styles ranging from contemporary to traditional masterworks; the Gallery represents acclaimed American and international artists. R. Roberts Gallery is located at 3606 St. Johns Avenue. Hours are Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 6pm, Saturday, 10am – 4pm and Sunday 11am – 3pm. For more information, call 904-388-1188 or visit www.rrobertsgallery.com

Jewish Film Festival – Savannah, Georgia

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The 2009 Joan and Murray Gefen Memorial Savannah Jewish Film Festival will be held from February 25-March 8, 2009.

Bye Bye Braverman
February 25, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm
Co-sponsored with The Psychotronic Film Society

When idealistic author Leslie Braverman, 41, dies suddenly from a heart attack, his four best friends decide to attend his funeral together. The centerpiece of this almost forgotten classic comedy is a discussion about philosophical observations of death relative to the merits of a classic comic book.

Comedy, 1968, 94 minutes. Starring George Segal, Jack Warden. English.

Toots
February 26, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 1:30 pm; March 6, 10:00 am

Toots Shor was a well known saloonkeeper in New York from 1940 to 1959, and his midtown Manhattan bar was the place to be seen. His granddaughter, documentary filmmaker Kristi Jacobson, takes us on tour of her famous grandfather’s world.

Documentary, Unrated, 2007, 85 minutes. English.

The Case for Israel: Democracy’s Outpost
February 26, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm; March 6, 12:00 pm

A point-by-point defense of the Jewish State, led by Dr. Alan Dershowitz. Utilizing archival footage and compelling interviews with top experts, the film presents a stirring rebuttal to growing criticism from the media and academic and international communities. Nearly thirty commentators lend their points of view, including: former Israeli Prime Ministers Barak, Netanyahu and Peres.

Documentary, Unrated, 2008, 77 minutes. English.

Praying with Lior
Festival Grand Opening, February 28, 2009, Trustees Theatre, 8:30 pm.

A touching documentary about a special boy with Down syndrome during the months leading up to his much-awaited Bar Mitzvah.

Winner of the National Media Award of the National Down Syndrome Congress and Audience Awards for Best Documentary at the Seattle, Vancouver, San Diego & Washington Jewish Film Festivals.

Documentary, 2007, 87 minutes. English.

Encounter Point
March 1, 2009. Trustees Theatre, 3:00 pm.

This award-winning documentary depicts different families that have been affected on all sides by the violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Director Ronit Avni will give a Q&A afterwards.

Documentary, 2006, 89 minutes. Arabic, Hebrew, English subtitles.

Song of David
March 2, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm; March 6, 2:00 pm

A sixteen year old soul-searching yeshiva student is studying to become a rabbi. Alienated by social boundaries, he reaches out to the broader world. He becomes obsessed with hip-hop music, wherein he discovers artistic freedom and honest self expression. He then must choose between diverging worlds.

Documentary short, 2007, 20 min. English.

Yippee
March 2, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance 8:00 pm; March 6, 2:30 pm.

Famous American Jewish film director Paul Mazursky follows an annual Chassidic pilgrimage to Uman, Ukraine on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, for his first documentary. Mazursky, a proclaimed secular Jew, wants to understand why so many people feel connected to Uman and returns with this humorous examination of a “journey to Jewish joy.”

Documentary, 2006, 74 minutes. English.

Powder and the Glory
March 3, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 2:00 pm

Join us for tea and the story of two of the first highly successful women entrepreneurs in America, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. One hundred years ago these women immigrated to the United States and created what is today the $150 billion global health and beauty industry.

Documentary, 2007, 96 minutes. English.

First Basket
March 3, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm; March 5, 1:30 pm

David Vyorst explores the impact that basketball had on modern Jewish history, as well as the profound influence that unsung Jewish pioneers had on the evolution of the sport. Bob Weinhauer, former head coach of the University of Pennsylvania and assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves will introduce the March 3rd screening.

Documentary, 2008, 86 minutes. English

Advice and Dissent
March 4, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 2:00 pm.

A frustrated businessman, Jeffery Goldman (John Pankow) tries to end his hopeless marriage to his wife, Ellen (Rebecca Pidgeon) by asking his local Rabbi (Eli Wallach) to place a curse on her.

Comedy, 2002, 21 minutes. English.

The Schwartz Dynasty
March 4, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 2:30 pm

The tale of two women, joined together by their common struggle to determine their own destiny, in a small town torn apart by religious extremism, petty power struggles, and bigotry

Comedy, 2005, 99 min. Hebrew with English subtitles.

Surfwise
March 4, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm

Co-sponsored with The Psychotronic Film Society

Surfer and doctor, Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz decided in the 1950s to leave success behind, heading for a life on the beach, taking with him his wife and nine children (he wanted to “repopulate the world with Jews”). The New York Times calls Surfwise a “wonderfully engaging look at love and family and the relentless pursuit of happiness, personal meaning and perfect waves.”

Documentary, 2007, 93 minutes, English. Rated R for sexual content and language.

Black over White
March 5, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm

Director Tomer Heymann followed the famous Israeli music group, The Idan Raichel Project, on their 2006 concert tour to Ethiopia. Enjoy the exotic scenery and groove to the different and exciting world music that will have you dancing in your seats as the most popular Israeli group travels through uncharted territory.

Documentary, 2007, 54 minutes. English subtitles; Hebrew and Amharic dialogue. Some strong language and adult content.

888-Go-Kosher
March 7, 2009 at the Westin Hotel, 7:30 pm

Who knew there was such a thing as a rapid-response kitchen koshering service? This short documentary follows a day in the life of Rabbi Sholtiel Lebovic as he helps NYC clients go kosher from scratch as he arrives at the scene with his energetic team.

Documentary, 2007, 11 minutes. English.

Circumcise Me
March 7, 2009 at the Westin Hotel, 7:30 pm

“Is it hot in here, or am I the only one dressed for Poland in the 17th century?” Yisrael Campbell (Born Chris Campbell) converted to Judaism not once, but three times – Reform, Conservative and Orthodox – each one requiring a circumcision. Ouch!

Docu-comedy, 2008, 48 minutes. English.

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women
March 7, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 8:00 pm.

Directed by Rachel Talbot and produced by Jewish Women’s Archive, this is a tribute to Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Wendy Wasserstein and Gilda Radner.

Documentary, 2007, 85 minutes. English.

Sixty Six
March 8, 2009, Victory Theatre, 4:00 pm.

It is the summer of 1966, and England is about to be consumed by World Cup Fever. For 12 year-old Bernie though, the biggest day of his life is looming: his Bar Mitzvah — the day he becomes a man. The Cup Final is scheduled to take place on the same day

Comedy, 2006, 93 minutes. English, PG-13 due to some suggestive language and some mild adult content. Starring Helena Bonham Carter..

One Day You’ll Understand
March 8, 2009, Jewish Educational Alliance, 7:30 pm

Veteran French actress Jeanne Moreau stars in this dignified French film helmed by rising Israeli director Amos Gitai. As the trial of Gestapo head Klaus Barbie plays out in 1987, businessman Victor Bastien (Hippolyte Girardot) finds himself distracted from his work and increasingly obsessed with piecing together his family’s history.

Drama, 2008, 90 minutes. French with English subtitles.

For more information, please go to www.savj.org, or contact Programming Associate Benjamin Kweskin (ben@savj.org or 355.8111).
Savannah Jewish Film Festival

PULSE: Art and Technology Festival – Savannah, GA

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The festival takes place at Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, Georgia on January 21-31. This year the Telfair’s Technology and Art Week is growing and becomes a festival with programs exploring topics from video art and electronics to robotics. The programs include a lecture by artist Elizabeth King, whose exhibition at the Jepson Center includes meticulously crafted figurative sculptures and stop-frame film animations.

New installations will also be on display in the Jepson Center’s TAG and Morrison Galleries. Artist YoungHyun Chung’s Digital Wheel Art gives people in wheelchairs the opportunity to make virtual paintings on a large video screen.  There is also a sound installation in the Eckburg Atrium by Matthew Akers, an presentation of a sculptural video installation by Allesandro Imperato and Kelley McClung, and video installations by Chito Lapena and Kenneth Huff. The festival also presents a unusual  duet between a human and a robotic musician presented by the group LEMUR (the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots).

The festival ends with a Family Day with demonstrations by  guest artists and a musical performance by Beatrix JAR. The group will lead a workshop and present a concert using “circuit bent” electronic toys.

PULSE: Art and Technology Festival events are offered free of charge, with funding provided by the City of Savannah. All programs take place at the Jepson Center for the Arts unless otherwise indicated. Reservations for workshops are required; call 790-8821.

For more information, visit www.telfair.org

New Mariza Brings a Smile to the World

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A Genre Reborn and a Singer Transformed:A New Mariza Brings a Smile to the World

Portugal’s voice of fado was born in Mozambique and grew up in her family’s fado house… singing songs at such a young age that her father drew pictures so that Mariza could understand the intense emotions… sadness, longing, the pain of love, the agony of love lost.

mariza“Fado” means fate, and little did anyone know at the time that Mariza’s was to bring the national treasure of Portugal to the world’s ears. She is the reigning Queen of Fado… with multiple Grammy nominations, a BBC World Music Awards honoree as Best European Act, and a new album and extensive North American tour. Mariza comes to the Lucas Theatre in Savannah on March 21s, 2009.

Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” was never supposed to end up on the latest album by Portugal’s musical grande dame. Mariza , a fado powerhouse, and Brazilian pianist Ivan Lins were just clowning around, having some fun with the sweet song that’s been covered by everybody from Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross to Judy Garland and even Michael Jackson. That is, until they realized producer Javier Limón had been secretly recording them. When she looked up and saw tears in his eyes, she wondered what she had done. “I thought we broke something, I thought we did something wrong!” she exclaims. Sung with the kind of beautiful melancholy that only a fadista can bring, it instead ends up as a bonus track on the North American release of Terra (Four Quarters Entertainment / World Connection), a musical proclamation that Mariza has come into her own. Terra will be released Stateside on January 27, 2009, to coincide with an extensive three-month 47 city tour of North America.
Mariza calls “Smile” a gift, a “present for the kindness people have given to me through all this time, trying to understand me. It’s my way of saying ‘Thank you’.” And audiences have certainly enjoyed watching her transform. If her debut album Fado em Mim was an effort to establish her knowledge of the fado tradition, having grown up in her father’s fado house in Lisbon, her second release Fado Curvo allowed her to put her own stamp on the tradition while demonstrating that there are more ways than one to move artistically from point A to point B. Her next release, Transparente, a more intimate, classically-inspired take on fado, expressed Mariza as a more experienced and sophisticated artist.
Since then Mariza has continued to wow audiences with her powerful talent as a live performer, recording the album Concerto Em Lisboa to a hometown audience of several thousand right next to that most visual icon of fado-the sea. She has also traveled the world, selling out concert halls, from Carnegie Hall and Disney Concert Hall to London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, and winning awards, including a BBC World Music Award and 2008 Latin Grammy nomination.

Now a mature performer, Mariza’s Terra showcases the new voice of Portugal, a voice comfortable enough with Portuguese music to have some fun with it. On the one hand, Terra is firmly planted in tradition; tracks like “Já Me Deixou” and “Rosa Branca” rejuvenate well-worn, beloved songs of the past, and “Recurso” demonstrates her lifelong commitment to fado, having discovered this hand-written, never-published poem by David Mourão-Ferreira in a fado museum.

On the other hand, nourished by her traditional roots, Mariza branches out in new directions. The first clue of this was her choice of Javier Limón, a Grammy-nominated Spanish flamenco guitarist/producer (known for his work with Paco de Lucia, Bebo & Cigala, and Buika), as producer for Terra . At first leery of having somebody with such a different musical background working with her on her new album, Mariza invited him to Portugal to play in a taverna. It was then that it hit her: “Right then I knew he was the right one for this. With him, everything was music, for music.”

Collaboration with other musicians yielded musical fruits on the tracks of Terra as well. “Fronteira,” a lively song discussing the real and imagined borders between Portugal and Spain, features a folkloric Portuguese rhythm from the north that is made to sound gently Cuban through the playing of Chucho Valdes, the Cuban pianist and bandleader more known for his jazz stylings, and with a battery of Portuguese percussion played by Spanish master El Piraña. “Alma de Vento” was created in the highly unconventional manner of having a guitar line first sent to her by Dominic Miller, an Argentinian-born, London-raised musician who now plays with Sting, around which she had to find the right lyrics.

Perhaps the most memorable musical melding on the album happens in the morna “Beijo de Saudade.” The poem was written in misery in 1958 by one of the greatest Cape Verdean poets, B.leza, who had married a fado star, moved to Portugal, and found himself dying in a hospital bed where he saw the sea-and his tiny, faraway home island-through the window.

Joining her on the track is Tito Paris, a Cape Verdean icon, living in Lisbon who has worked before with Mariza and Cesaria Evora, among others, and who blends African influences into the Portuguese musical landscape. Half Mozambican herself, Mariza finds the collaboration on Terra deeply personal as well, saying that “Tito is putting the African part that is missing in me, and I’m putting the Portuguese part that is missing in him.” Along with an elegant muted trumpet, the track is loaded with enough fado-worthy longing to create a timeless masterpiece.

Iberian splendor is captured in the track “Pequenas Verdades,” a sweet tune written for Mariza by Limón himself. Wanting to retain the original Spanish flavor, they brought in Concha Buika-known simply as Buika-a meteorically rising Afro-Spanish flamenco singer.

It’s easy to put a star like Mariza into a musical box. Fado, the beguiling music that helped catapult her onto the global soundscape also taunts her like a jealous lover never wanting to be neglected for too long, a curious and passionate relationship she recounts on the track “Mihn’Alma.” Yet the transformed Mariza firmly stands her ground. With a new musical family surrounding her and the voice of experience and tradition behind her, she reaches out to give Portugal a new sound.


March 21st 2009, Saturday in Savannah, GA
Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn Street
Tickets: $20.00 – $65.00, Show: 8:30 PM
Ticket information: (912)234-3378
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