#metropolisart

[filmhabits]

Metropolis

Art by Cristian Eres || IG

[mindofatraveler]

Hong Kong street art. It was very surprising to see this urban decor while walking around the Hong Kong city center. In this area is very common to see very small green areas in between huge buildings. The available space is not much and the urban development department need to get smart. . . . . . #mindofatraveler_ #hongkong🇭🇰 #hongkongcity #hongkongurbanart #cityart #urbanphotography #urbandecor #urbanstatue #citydecor #citystatues #urbanartstyle #artcity #urbanartphotography #cityartphotography #hkcityart #metropolisart #gardenstatue #citytravel #cityscape (at Central, Hong Kong) https://www.instagram.com/p/COFkTQFhXfQ/?igshid=cz03ol2mc8z3

[monicalanum2014-blog]

I purchased my tickets for the last three performances of the theater challenge all at the same time, and lined up the dates on my calendar - check! check! check! - to make sure I made the deadline.  (We started the challenge last September 1st, so with the calendar turning to mid-August it was time to get serious.)   The minute I saw the confirmations for those final tickets, it all started to seem like this might happening too fast.  Uh oh. 

Beehive was just what the doctor ordered to dispel those gloomy thoughts.  It was pure fun!  The cast featured six women - amazing voices ! - who sang a collection of songs from the 1960s, starting with girl groups early in the decade and progressing all the way to Janis Joplin. The audience tapped our toes and clapped our hands and sang along.  (Gosh!  What an incredible period of music!) The costumes also reflected the changing fashions of the times.  They were wonderfully retro-cool and highlighted how fashion was an important part of self-expression as this generation of women grew up and began to claim their own voice. 

As an aside, I happened to see Beehive the weekend after Aretha Franklin passed away.  The part of the show that featured her music was especially poignant and beautifully done.  What an incredible talent and creative force.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the house as her songs were sung.  I certainly needed more than one tissue. 

Although it was a revue rather than a play with a scripted narrative, Beehive still managed to impress me with powerful themes.  Together, the progression of the music and styles revealed the extraordinary evolution of women and the women's rights movement over an incredibly short time period - from women singing as groups, largely reflecting the expectations of history and conservative society, to women as independent soloists, making their own styles and rules, singing anthems that were raw and real. 

I was born in the mid-1960s and remember only a child's impressions of the feminist movement - my mother went back to work after my sister was born, Mary Tyler Moore was my favorite TV show, and we learned about the Equal Rights Amendment in social studies class.  That's about it.  Watching and singing along to Beehive, enjoying what appeared to be a fun confection of a musical, I found myself thinking about women's issues today and realizing we haven't made nearly enough progress in the 50 years since.  The women of the 1960s forged an impressive trail in a period of 10 years, and we haven't fought hard enough to push farther. 

It's time for me to spend a lot more time thinking about that.  And deciding exactly what I plan to do about it from my corner.

[monicalanum2014-blog]

I live in the suburbs but usually head into the city for theater events. This was an opportunity to see a show closer to home and check out a smaller venue in the regional theater community. Sondheim is, of course, a proven crowd pleaser and as fun as it gets. The cast in this production delivered terrific vocals and performances that recreated the beloved Broadway classic. The second act was particularly well done, with clever updates to costuming and staging. Metropolis Arts itself is a beautiful facility. I’m glad to have found a gem in my own backyard!