Come Chill in the "Shade"

As people who have followed the Naked July Festival in past years already know, informal special events are a part of the annual celebration. This year is no exception, and the artistic directors at National Pastime Theater have planned a special evening filled with music, performance pieces, and live figure painting and body painting sessions. They are calling the evening event “Shades,” and it is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm on Sunday, August 5. Admission cost for the entire evening is $10, and people who hold Festival Passes for 2012 are admitted free of charge.

Music Offerings
Three different musical stylings will be on stage throughout the evening. Elle Casazza, a talented vocalist who recently performed on the NPT stage as a part of the Beast Women ensemble, returns to entertain the audience with some beautiful original solo pieces in the folk/blues/pop tradition. Also on tap are swing jazz selections by Michael O’Toole, one of the stars of References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, along with Rick Veras on the violin. The musical lineup for the evening also includes the Brian Murray Exponential Sound System with viola collaboration by Johanna.

Performance Pieces

Whether you have already seen the two headline shows in the Naked July 2012 lineup or are planning to see them in the final weekend on August 10 or 11, you will be treated to some highlights of each show. References to Salvador Dali Make me Hot is a boldly creative version of the classic tale by Jose Rivera, and The Living Canvas: Eureka is the latest installment of the amazing multimedia experience created by Pete Guither. Come see nude performers moving in a kaleidoscope of projected images on stage—you might have a chance to experience it for yourself.

Figure Drawing
This special evening will also feature live figure painting sessions with nude models and local artists under the direction of Gary Schirmer, the same artist who is the curator of the Naked July gallery. You might even have the chance to see some body painting demonstrations and have a chance to be a model yourself if you are interested.

All this and wonder-comic Caitlin Bergh and some additional surprises await you on Sunday, August 5. Come enjoy the performances and pizza, and feel free to Bring Your Own Bottle so that you can enjoy the libation of your choice. The Naked July Festival is drawing to a close in the coming week, so this will be one of your last chances to participate in this great summer festival. See you at National Pastime Theater.