by Kayla Dorvel
During the summer in Arizona, the spot to go is the movies.
Inside an air conditioned (very important), large, dark box, I can be
transported to another world. The technological advances of today have made new
universes and have let us travel to the fictional and the places we wish
existed. Movies are convincing story lines, parallel to our own lives in
viewing.
In my opinion, Boyhood
is the film of the summer, if not the decade. It’s a film shot over 12 years –
an incredible idea, and even more incredible to pull off and do well. If I had a day to dedicate to watch one film
over and over again, it would be this one. Richard Linklater, the director who
rose to fame with Slacker and Dazed & Confused, just made film
history with Boyhood. Not only was it
a huge risk (people could have dropped out or become completely different
people by the end), but it was also a success, and has such changed the way the
viewer looks at the relationship between time and production. Boyhood follows Mason, a boy growing up
in Texas. Linklater employed Ellar Coltrane at age six and followed him until
age eighteen for the film. It’s a heartwarming, relatable classic. Here is the
trailer, if you’re up for a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys-mbHXyWX4
Because most movie sets are in the real world, it’s more
believable that it could possibly be reality. As a continual concert goer, the
artist will make it or break it for me when I see them live. I saw Phantogram,
an indie pop band, when they came to Tempe’s Marquee Theater in April, and they
blew my socks off. The couple had so much energy in their live act that it
moved the crowd. I could feel the energy from their voices and their excitement
for performing. It’s a mirror effect; the artist is excited to perform,
therefore, the audience is excited to hear them play. Because of their show,
Phantogram has gained respect in my book, and when I listen to their albums, I
will always think of that concert and how good it was.
Even though acting in theater and movies is a little
different, the same concept applies to live performance. It moves the crowd. Live performance has something that movies
never will. In live performance we can breathe the same air in the same room as
the performers. That aspect alone is worth so much more than a movie ticket
because it doesn’t take us out of reality; it brings the reality of the action
to us, the audience. Human interaction is vital to the survival of live theater. Every live performance is different; movies
are the exact same thing over and over and over. There are retakes in movies, while
in theater there aren’t. It matters that I see the emotion in real time in the
theater, rather than 6 months later after post production. I can see a movie during
the month long run at my local cinema; an amazing show will only come to town
for a couple of nights to my premiere theater destination (ahem, Mesa Arts
Center, ahem).
The shows that I am most excited
to see this season at the MAC would include Mayda Del Valle, Paula Poundstone’s
NYE show and Potted Potter. Mayda Del Valle’s talent and perspective is what
puts her at the top of her game; she’s been put on Oprah’s ‘O Power List’ and Smithsonian Magazine listed her on the
‘Americas Best Innovators in the Arts and Sciences’ list. Del Valle takes a lot
from her experiences as a Latina female growing up on Chicago’s South Side.
Anyone who listens to NPR would recognize Paula Poundstone’s voice from Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me… and now she’s
coming to town so we can laugh with her in person! As a Harry Potter fanatic, I
am probably the most excited for Potted
Potter – the live reenactment of all the Harry Potter books in one show! I
couldn’t ask for a better concept for a performance.
Here are links to my top three picks for shows this season:
An Evening with Paula Poundstone - http://www.mesaartscenter.com/index.php/shows/performing-live/paulapoundstone
