Don't Miss Your Chance to Be a Living Canvas!

The Living Canvas returns to Naked July in 2013 with a new format and a name that suggests the true intent of this year’s offering: “For the People.” For the first time, Pete Guither and his talented artistic team have invited people who have purchased tickets to any of the shows this summer to attend a workshop during the day at no additional charge, collaborate with the ensemble as they prepare the evening show, and even join some veteran cast members as performers in some of the pieces. Audience participation has always been an important part of all Living Canvas shows, but this is a unique new opportunity for much greater involvement that is not to be missed!

Warming Up and Improvising
Each Saturday morning, the workshop begins at 10:00 am as veteran cast members and ticket holders who have requested admission meet for introductions and some warm-up activities. Workshop participants are encouraged to join all activities as they wish, but they may also choose to sit out if they prefer and simply observe the process. The warm-ups are designed to help the performers loosen up physically, but this session also includes some improvisational exercises to help foster an environment of collaboration in which all ideas and movements may eventually become the foundations for performance pieces. Director Lisa Adams and Artistic Director Pete Guither watch these improvisational exercises carefully as they assess the ways that the performers interact with each other. This entire session is informal and spirited, and the emphasis is on relaxation and bonding.

Individual Performance Segments are Developed
One of the intriguing qualities of Living Canvas 2013: For the People is the fact that each show will be unique. There will be different performers and different performance pieces offered each night, and many of the pieces will be completely new and original—the products of the workshops held during the day of each show. The process is fascinating to watch. Since music is integral to most every performance piece, the cast members start by listening to a musical selection for the express purpose of imagining the kinds of movements, characters, and projected images that best fit the tone and the content of the music. Cast members discuss ideas and then begin to bring their characters to life as they walk through a first “draft” of the performance piece. Lisa Adams and Pete Guither are masterful as they watch the cast members develop their roles, and they offer suggestions that help to tie the movements on stage together and help the performers to evoke all of the energy and emotion that each piece demands. Adams and Guither also do an amazing job of seamless integrating all workshop participants into the performances and find the best spots for those people who have no previous Living Canvas experience. In all, it is a collaborative and creative effort that involves every person in the process.

Final Preparations and the “Undress” Rehearsal
Throughout most of the day, the performers rehearse in comfortable clothes as they develop and refine each segment of the show. During this time, Pete Guither begins to draw from his incredible library of digital images and projects some of them on the stage so that the performers can begin to get a sense of the visual elements and make suggestions for additional patterns or textures. By the time the workshop draws to a close, Guither has assembled enough images to stage a final rehearsal, the first chance to see what the projections will look like on the nude performers in what they jokingly refer to as the “undress rehearsal.” The lights go down, the performers undress, and within minutes, they are “playing in the lights” as they make final revisions on each segment of the show. This may sound daunting to some people, but since the rehearsals have all been predicated on the notions of support and trust and acceptance, the performers all agree that undressing and performing nude is not at all intimidating. To the contrary, they all agree that the experience provides a joyful sense of physical and emotional freedom that is unlike anything they have ever done in their lives.

Preparing the Digital Images
After the performers break for dinner and some rest before the evening show, Pete Guither now faces the rather formidable task of selecting and editing the final digital images for each segment of the show, organizing them to match the movements of the performers and the content of the music, and then preparing a slideshow to project the images on stage. Most images are projected from a stationary LCD projector at the rear of the auditorium, but some will come from small hand-held projectors that create special lighting scenarios that are much closer to the performers. In other pieces, the performers are illuminated only by subdued stage lighting that creates artistic light and shadow effects.

Don’t Miss this Unique Opportunity
There are three remaining Living Canvas shows (July 6, 13, and 20) and therefore only three remaining opportunities to immerse yourself in the Living Canvas experience. It’s easy to be a part of the fun. Just click here to purchase a ticket for any of the shows and wait for the prompt that lets you request a spot in the workshop. If you don’t see that prompt on the screen, just send a quick message to this e-mail address and include your ticket confirmation number: njsummerfestival@gmail.com. For even more fun, why not sign up with some good friends or significant other?  That way, you can share this unique opportunity together.

Whether you have an interest in attending a workshop or simply want to come and enjoy the final performances each Saturday evening, you only have three more opportunities. Tickets for Living Canvas shows often sell quickly,  so be sure to reserve your seats for an experience that is visually stimulating and thought-provoking.

Vaudezilla Will Sizzle on the NPT Stage

The main stage at the National Pastime Theater is going to sizzle this Friday night when the highly acclaimed Chicago burlesque troupe known as Vaudezilla steps into the spotlight for the most daring and provocative show they have ever done. This new and original show created just for Naked July is called Urban Jungle, and it is a fast-paced journey into the hot world of the Windy City at night. In this stunning combination of burlesque and performance art, the talented and fearless Vaudezilla performers take us on an adventure filled with missed connections, public transportation foibles, and unforgettable experiences that befall a starving artist in the big city.

An Incredible and Unique Experience

Red Hot Annie is the director and producer of Urban Jungle, and she has given us a rare glimpse behind-the-scenes as she works with her cast on this bold new production. After a recent rehearsal, she reflected, “Last night, as I sat back and took in most of the 60 minute show,  I found myself so enveloped in the process each performer was using to build their act that afterward, I had to marvel at how incredible the universe is that each of these unique performers with their own special experiences, training, and vision had found their way into my studio to build something like this, and how lucky I am that I get to touch their lives in some way.” It is clear from her words that Urban Jungle is a special show—one that will take each performer to new heights and challenge each cast member to re-define the concept of burlesque with daring new performances. The full text of Red Hot Annie’s reflection on this experience as director can be found on her web site.

Help Vaudezilla Get Some New Mirrors
In addition to supporting these great Chicago burlesque performers by coming out to see their shows during the Naked July Festival, you can also help them in an important campaign they are now running to purchase new mirrors for their studio space where they rehearse and offer workshops.  They have posted a creative and satirical video on their web site to explain the need for these new mirrors, and their invitation to help includes this written explanation as well—“Because the primary goal of the space was (and is) to create a space where artists can flourish, we originally purchased the mirrors so the Vaudezilla ensemble would have something to reflect back their movement, so we could hone our movement & dance skills as necessary. Having more mirrors would allow us to not only fill our classes more effectively, but also build more extensive and developed group dance routines.” If you would like to contribute a little or a lot to this endeavor, just go to this secure web site and help the Vaudezilla cast members reach their goal!

There are five performances of the Urban Jungle scheduled for the next five Fridays at 10:00 pm. They highly recommend that you purchase tickets in advance to be sure that you have a seat—bring some friends and settle in for what is sure to be a sizzling and provocative evening of entertainment. Click here to go directly to the secure Brown Paper Tickets online site.

Immerse Yourself in the "Le Chat Noir" Experience

Unlike some of the other offerings at the National Pastime Theater during Naked July 2013, Le Chat Noir is not a performance, but rather, an interactive art experience in which patrons can immerse themselves at any level they find comfortable. It is an open and inviting art salon in the Toulouse-Lautrec tradition that includes a nude figure drawing seminar, live music, and full audience participation if desired—all in an enjoyable, safe, and relaxing atmosphere in the historic National Pastime main performance space. It is a celebration of the beauty of the nude human form and, in that sense, it is the perfect embodiment of the spirit and the mission of the Naked July Festival.

A Relaxing and Inspiring Evening
There will be five Le Chat Noir sessions offered on Fridays at 8:00 pm during the Naked July Festival, and even though the format will be the same each night, each session will be different as new models and musical performances are featured. The event is BYOB, so bring your favorite beverages and get ready for a relaxing evening. Art supplies and easels will be provided for those who want to try their hand at sketching nude figure models, but audience members are also free to just walk around the space and observe the artists and models as they work. Expert figure artist Gary Schirmer will moderate the sessions and offer quick lessons and demonstrations for those who want to learn more about sketching the nude human form. 

Audience Participation
Veteran Naked July patrons who attended the popular “Shades” event last August will recognize the format of Le Chat Noir immediately since this year’s offering is designed to emulate that event that inspired so many patrons to become a part of the experience. As noted above, all patrons are free to sketch any of the available models, but they are also free to pose as figure models for their friends, spouses,  or others in the room. Due to the subdued lighting and live music, the environment is extremely relaxing and conducive to active participation—at last year’s event, many of the audience members experienced the simple joy of being a figure model for the first time in their lives. You may see artists sketching nude models or even nude artists sketching clothed models. The whole idea is to dissolve the barriers and invite patrons to completely immerse themselves in the artistic process or simply observe others creating art.

Gary Schirmer is a working artist and educator who has worked from the human form his entire artistic career. He experiments with multiple media such as chalk pastel, oil paint and oil pastel, ink and watercolor, and mixtures of those media. He combines portraiture and anatomical study with formal considerations of composition and surface treatment. He has been the curator of the Naked July fine art gallery in the theater lobby for the past several summers, and he has been actively involved with other aspects of the Naked July Festival during those years. Last year he painted the backdrop for one of the featured productions and did all of the bodypainting for several of the characters in that show.

Le Chat Noir is a unique experience that you will not want to miss. Many people admire paintings, sculptures, sketches, and fine art photographs featuring nude models, but few ever have the opportunity to observe or participate in the process of creating these works of art for themselves. The experience will be different every Friday night, so you may be tempted to come back more than once.

Tickets Are On Sale For Naked July 2013

Opening Night for Naked July 2013: Art Stripped Down is just a little over a week away, and the Naked July web site is filled with information about all of the shows and special events that are scheduled for this year’s festival. Along with brief descriptions of each show, the web site also contains links to the Brown Paper Tickets secure online ticketing service  to make it easy for you to purchase tickets for any or all of the shows that you want to see. Some performances are likely to sell out quickly, so it is best to order early to be assured of getting tickets this summer.

If you are planning to attend more than one of the Naked July 2013 performances, the best value is to purchase a Festival Pass since it gives you one paid admission to each of the different shows as well as full access to all of the special events that are scheduled during the festival. Just click here for more information and to purchase a 2013 Naked July Festival Pass.

Individual Show Tickets are Available
If you prefer to purchase tickets for individual shows this summer, here is a listing of all of the shows and show dates along with links to the online ticket service:

Le Chat Noir (Interactive Figure Study Salons)
Friday, June 28: 8:00 pm

Friday, July 5: 8:00 pm
Friday, July 12: 8:00 pm
Friday, July 19: 8:00 pm
Friday, July 26: 8:00 pm
Click here to purchase tickets for Le Chat Noir.

The Living Canvas

Saturday, June 29: 10:00 pm

Saturday, July 6: 10:00 pm
Saturday, July 13: 10:00 pm
Saturday, July 20: 10:00 pm
Click here to purchase tickets for The Living Canvas

Urban Jungle (Vaudezilla)

Friday, June 28: 10:00 pm

Friday, July 5: 10:00 pm
Friday, July 12: 10:00 pm
Friday, July 19: 10:00 pm
Friday, July 26: 10:00 pm
Click here to purchase tickets for Urban Jungle.

Kill Your Boyfriends (Pride Films and Plays)
Saturday, July 6: 8:00 pm
Sunday, July 7: 3:00 pm
Saturday, July 13: 8:00 pm
Sunday, July 14: 3:00 pm
Saturday, July 20: 8:00 pm
Sunday, July 21: 3:00 pm
Saturday, July 27: 8:00 pm
Sunday, July 28: 3:00 pm
Click here to purchase tickets for Kill Your Boyfriends.

Convenient Parking Near the Theater
Unlike many other Chicago theater venues that are located in areas where street parking is difficult to find, the National Pastime Theater location on Lawrence Avenue is just a short walk from the public parking garage at Weiss Memorial Hospital--4650 N. Clarendon Avenue. You may be able to find street parking along Lawrence Avenue, but if not, the clean and well-lit parking garage is a great option. When you get to the theater, just ask for a $5 parking voucher that will cover the full cost of parking for the whole evening.

There is no other theater event quite like the Naked July Festival at National Pastime Theater. The shows only run for a month, so you will have to act quickly if you want to see the many bold and daring performances that will heat up the NPT stage this summer. Don't miss Naked July 2013!

Vaudezilla Comes to Naked July!

As you make your preparations to attend Naked July 2013 at the National Pastime Theater, one show you will surely want to see is the fast-paced Urban Jungle that has been created specially for the NJ festival by the amazing and talented performers that make up the Vaudezilla ensemble. Throughout the show, you'll see the performers transform themselves from disconnected city dwellers into their inner spirit animals as you follow a variety of cabaret performers on a journey through missed connections, public transportation foibles, and other familiar aspects of the urban experience. It's a sexy, fun show about the ways we interact as city folk and the challenges of being a starving artist in the big city.

Vaudezilla is one of the premier vaudeville/burlesque ensembles in the Chicago area, and some of the performers have already graced the National Pastime stage in past Naked July performances. The performers include Vaudezilla's own Mister Junior, Lilly Rascal, Zara Estelle and Raven Gemini, and the show will also feature other variety performers including Noel Williams, Samantha Lee, & Moxie.  Special guest performers will include Po’ Chop as well as producer and director Red Hot Annie.

A recent photo of some of the talented Vaudezilla performers

Sizzling and Provocative Performances
When Red Hot Annie was asked how the Vaudezilla performance concept will mesh with the spirit of the Naked July Festival, she replied “I love the idea of using my body to create art - not just through dance or burlesque, but performance art and creating a piece that really resonates with people.  Vaudezilla likes to create sexy, funny, artful burlesque pieces that really showcase a concept, and a show like Naked July really allows us to push ourselves creatively.  The performers I've selected for this show are fearless creatives who will not be afraid to really interact and connect with the audience.  We are glad to be a part of Naked July because it pushes the envelope locally - it's nice to see more provocative performance in Chicago!”

Redefining the Burlesque Concept
Many readers have already attended the popular Vaudezilla shows over the past few years and are already familiar with the amazing and diverse talents of the ensemble members, but none of that will prepare them for what the bold Vaudezilla performers have planned for Naked July. As Red Hot Annie explained, “For most burlesque shows, a performer might go down to pasties/g-string, but would seldom, if ever, go completely nude.  I feel that because several of us will be daring to show the "Full Monty", we have the power to broaden the local definition of burlesque and really make a splash!  We're also hoping to make some additional appearances at other shows during the festival, so keep your eyes peeled.  We think our unique brand of curated, precision burlesque will really knock the socks (and anything else!) off our audience!”

We will have more information about Urban Jungle and the Vaudezilla performers in the weeks ahead, but we also invite you to explore the Vaudezilla web site to learn more about the ensemble members and notable past performances. There is also a huge library of video clips on the Vaudezilla Vimeo site. Join us this summer to see Vaudezilla in a bold and daring new style that you have never seen before!

The Living Canvas is Back with a Fresh New Format

Those people who have attended Naked July performances over the past four years are most likely aware of the Living Canvas performance concept that has been at the heart of the Naked July Festival since its inception. The concept is simple and the experience is nothing short of amazing—nude performers bathed in a colorful kaleidoscope of projected patterns and textures create thought-provoking vignettes and playful stories as they move through the projections on stage.

An Innovative New Living Canvas Format

In past years, the Living Canvas performances have often been based on a central unifying story or theme, but the new 2013 concept promises new levels of collaboration and a completely new performance each night. On four Saturday nights at National Pastime Theater (June 29, July 6, 13, and 20) at 10:00 pm, each performance will be the culmination of a collaborative workshop session conducted during that day. Patrons will have the opportunity to attend and participate in the workshops on the performance day and have input into that night's performance.

Great Opportunities for Audience Involvement
Here’s how it will work this summer. As soon as patrons purchase tickets for any of the Living Canvas performances, they will also be able to sign up to attend the workshop session during the day. The workshop will run from 10:00 am-1:00 pm and then resume after a lunch break for a second session from 2:00 pm-5:00 pm. Patrons will be able to witness the collaborative planning process, watch the performers develop the movements required for each vignette, view the rehearsal, and even suggest ideas or concepts that may be incorporated in the final performance. Since audience participation has always been an important part of the Living Canvas experience, patrons who have an interest in performing will also have the opportunity to join the cast members on stage and discover the simple joy of creating art by becoming a human canvas.

It is easy to be a part of the Living Canvas experience and play in the lights along with the cast members. Just purchase a ticket to one of the four performances and then send a message with your ticket confirmation number to njsummerfestival@gmail.com to indicate your wish to participate in the workshop. There are only a limited number of openings for participants, however, so you should purchase your tickets soon if you want to be assured of a spot.

Superb Opportunity for Local Actors and Performers
Pete Guither and the Living Canvas artistic team are always seeking new performers of all types to join the cast each week, and it is a great opportunity for any local performers who wish to explore new experiences, develop collaborative skills, and take their performing skills to new and possibly untested personal levels in a fun and non-threatening environment. Many previous cast members have indicated that their work with the Living Canvas was the first time that they had performed nude on stage and that the positive spirit of camaraderie and support helped them to become far more confident and dynamic in subsequent performing roles. Actors, dancers, storytellers, and people with other special performing skills are all invited to be a part of the Living Canvas cast this summer and, while movement experience is a plus, it is not required. If interested, take a look at images from past performances on the Living Canvas web site (http://www.thelivingcanvas.com) or send Pete Guither a message (pete@thelivingcanvas.com) to raise questions or inquire about opportunities to participate.

Living Canvas 2013 promises to be very entertaining, and since there will be a new show each week, be sure to make plans to come back several times to experience this unique and amazing performance concept.

Get Ready for Naked July 2013

The creative members of the artistic team at National Pastime Theater are putting the final pieces in place for the 5th annual Naked July Festival, and it is already clear from the preliminary press releases that this year’s event will be more diverse and original than ever before. The title of the 2013 fest is Salon des Naked July: Art stripped Down 2013, and each of the performance pieces and special events will focus on one central mission—“to reveal the human body as beautiful in every shape, size and color. By exposing these physical differences, audiences discover the innate similarities in all human bodies.”

The content and the focus of National Pastime’s Naked July Festival has evolved over its five-year history, and one of the most exciting and innovative aspects of the event is the effort to draw audience members into the experience and encourage them to be participants in the art and not merely passive observers. In past years, many audience members have come onstage during performances of The Living Canvas to experience the simple pleasure of being nude and moving through a kaleidoscope of projected colors and textures. At the culminating “Shades” event last August, audience members mingled with musicians, artists, and figure models during the evening, and many decided to try their hand at drawing or modeling. This is the essence of the Naked July concept—exploring the beauty of the human form and the many ways that this beauty is manifested in music, movement, performance, and art.

The program for Naked July 2013 is more diverse than it has ever been, and there will be even more opportunities for audience participation this summer. Gary Schirmer is back as art curator, and each Friday he will be moderating Le Chat Noir, a 90 minute salon that will feature artists and figure models in a comfortable setting in which audience members can interact with the artists, explore their own drawing and sketching skills, and even experience what it is like to be a figure model if they wish. Pete Guither is back with his popular Living Canvas in 2013, but with a fresh new format. Each performance will be different and all of the content will be developed and rehearsed in a workshop format the same day as the evening performance. All ticket holders will be invited to participate in the workshop process, observe the rehearsal, make suggestions, and even become a part of the cast if they wish. 

Other shows that are scheduled as part of the Naked July 2013 lineup are Kill Your Boyfriends, a play by Pride Films and Plays, and Urban Jungle, performances in the burlesque tradition done by cast members of Vaudezilla. Additional special events and film screenings are being planned, and more information about each of the Naked July shows and events will be available here in the weeks ahead. As the artistic team at National Pastime Theater promise, it is “like nothing you have ever seen.” Don’t miss Naked July 2013.