Naked People 2013

If you are looking for something new and inspiring to do on a Friday night in the heart of the Uptown neighborhood, why not make your way over to the National Pastime Theater in the historic Preston Bradley Center to take part in a special program titled Naked People 2013. Gary Schirmer will moderate this special art event that runs from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm on Friday, July 12, and he will showcase many examples of his outstanding nude figure drawings as well as conduct some short demonstrations on figure drawing techniques. The best news is that this is a free event and it is also a BYOB affair. Just stop on by with your favorite beverage and enjoy the casual atmosphere and fine art.

The chances are good that you will enjoy Naked People 2013 so much that you will want to purchase a ticket for the event that follows—Le Chat Noir. Gary Schirmer will continue to lead informal drawing sessions with a variety of nude models. Ticket holders can choose to sit back and watch the activities, but most choose to walk around the studio space to observe the models more closely or take up pastels or pencils themselves to sketch the models. Some even choose to experience what it is like to be a figure model and pose for friends or others in the studio. You can buy tickets at the door or purchase them online using the Brown Paper Tickets web site. 

Vaudezilla: Urban Jungle
Once you are settled in for these Naked July events, you may want to stay on even longer to see the bold and entertaining burlesque show called Urban Jungle performed by the talented members of the Vaudezilla ensemble. Where else can you find beautiful people dressed in NASA space suits, clowns, fan dancers, belly dancers, and other amazing performers all wearing little or nothing in the spirit of Naked July. There are only three Vaudezilla performances left this summer (July 12, 19, and 26), so be sure to get your tickets now before the show closes at the end of the month. More details are available at the Naked July web site. Thanks to Cozzie and Pea Photography for graciously sharing these images of the Vaudezilla performers!

Kill Your Boyfriends
As noted in a previous story, a powerful and intense new drama titled Kill Your Boyfriends opened last Saturday and performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday through the end of the month.  The script is taken from selected passages from several noted writers and poets, but it is the erotic and athletic dance numbers that really heat up the stage. The show marks the second year that Pride Films and Plays has collaborated with National Pastime Theater as part of the Naked July Festival, and the bold and fearless performances by all of the actors mesh perfectly with the spirit of the Naked July concept.

The Living Canvas: For the People
Finally, there are two more chances to see The Living Canvas: For the People. Pete Guither’s captivating multimedia experience has been a favorite at Naked July for the past several years, and once again, audience members have the chance to see a talented ensemble of nude performers move through colorful projected patterns and textures as their bodies are transformed into human canvases.

As in past years, there are opportunities for audience participation at the end of each show, and ticket holders have a unique opportunity this summer to join the cast for a workshop on the day of the show, participate in the collaborative process of developing new performance pieces, and even take the stage during the evening show if they wish. Be sure to visit the Naked July web site for more information about The Living Canvas.

Summer is heating up, and as the artistic team at the National Pastime Theater like to remind us, that is when the clothing starts to fall during the Naked July Festival. There is no other event like this on Chicago stages, and since all of the events are BYOB, it is a great chance to relax with your favorite beverages and be inspired by the beauty of the human body. Don’t miss Salon des Naked July: Art Stripped Down this summer.