THE BEAT: A Review of Calebjustcaleb's CORRUPTED HARDDRIVE 2

By Kyle Petersen

Caleb Brown is a genuinely good frontman for the pop-punk/metalcore group Aim High. He’s got a convincingly nasal delivery, an acute sense of melody, and a compelling ability to create emotional cathartic lyrical moments. And the band is surprisingly suited to his more unorthodox influences, shifting from big pop-rock smarts to drum machine grooves or screamo excess as the muse calls for.

That being said, Brown as a solo artist (aka Calebjustcaleb) is perhaps an even more compelling figure. Since the rise of Lil Peep around 2017, there’s been a steadily more-accepted merging of emo-punk influences into contemporary hip-hop, running the gamut from the Soundcloud rap of Juice WRLD to the full pop-punk turn of Kenny Hoopla and Machine Gun Kelly. But there is not a more authentic occupier of this intersection of sounds than the emcee, singer and guitarist who fiercely calls the Rosewood neighborhood of Columbia home.

That creative spark is rife throughout the work of Aim High, but it becomes even sharper and exploratory in his solo releases. Last year’s EP Corrupt Harddrive EP is a prime example, a four-song release that used the building blocks of both pop-punk and alternative R&B almost interchangeably. His latest, Corrupt Harddrive 2, ups the ante by demonstrating all of the ways he’s capable of traversing the porous border between genres while showcasing his formidable rap skills. 

From the pounding bruiser of an opener, “ENDLESS.corrupt.001,” Calebjustcaleb just feels like he’s on. While there’s also a touch of genuine emo to his efforts, his power here comes in how effortlessly he evinces the swagger of an MC who knows he has the bars to go toe to toe with anyone. On the second track, the lavishly named “Spacecoup Moshpit,” his full vision comes into focus, bouncing with delirious ab-libs and a sauntering flow over a Migos-style track seared with monster guitar riffs.

And even though you might expect some of the purer pop impulses to be the natural crossover points, Brown is trickier than that. His work both here and in Aim High shows a range that extends to metalcore and screamo on the rock side, and then alternative R&B and drill. But what’s most striking is how his persona is so fully realized as a composite of all of these influences. On “ADA,” for example, there’s a section of masterful wordplay that doubles as a character sketch: “Is he a psycho or psychedelic?/Got a good hood, I’m hella threaded/at the skate park, yeah I’m hella shredded/on an elevator or elevated/lived in the South my whole life, but I swear to god I ain’t ever sweated.

It’s hard not to get caught up in this music, both because of how much it feels like a nudge forward in the zeitgeist and how much command Brown has over the musical world he has created. Although on social media he referred to these as “old, unfinished songs” when he released them a few weeks ago, that dismissal feels more indicative of how artistically poised he is in this moment.

Listen to the EP →

Read 5 Questions with Caleb Brown (aka Calebjustcaleb) →

The Beat is compiled weekly by Jasper Music Editor Kevin Oliver and will frequently include input from Jasper writers Kyle Petersen and Emily Moffitt in addition to Kevin's own regular contributions.

Supper Table Spotlight: Kirkland Smith’s Portraits

Kirkland Thomas Smith is a self-employed artist who specializes in many mediums and creates stunning portraits. Born in Charleston, SC, and currently living in Columbia, Smith received her BA in Studio Art at the University of South Carolina. She is currently a resident artist at Stormwater Studios.

Smith’s artwork is influenced by everything that surrounds her: the books that she reads, the music that she listens to, the lectures and sermons that she hears and the conversations that she has in encounters with friends and strangers. She takes notice of the way in which light falls on an object, allowing us to see the beauty of the form. These passions of hers are a trend throughout her work.

Smith has used her passions to take on a specifically important role in the Supper Table – she has created hand-drawn charcoal portraits for each of the 12 featured women represented at the table. Each of these portraits, as Smith says, represents the women at an early point in their lives when they just started to “break the glass ceilings and really be inspirations for the women that followed them.”

For Smith, one of the most special parts of this project is how many amazing women are involved. Not only are each of the 12 featured women unique and “walking different paths” in their lives, but every artists’ hands involved in this project are those of female creators.

Smith is passionate about all art forms, believing that they play a vital role in not only educating but in humanizing and connecting with each other in our communities. She believes that art helps us make sense of this complex world that we live in, and it’s clear that these portraits resonate this belief.

Want a copy of these portraits? Right now, you have two opportunities to own copies of these remarkable art works. On our Kickstarter campaign, at two of our premium levels, your donations will not only help fund our project and go directly to artists like Kirkland, but you will receive copies of these portraits for yourself.

At the $5,000 level, you will receive a copy of all 12 portraits, of which only 5 copies are being made – ever. These portraits would look absolutely stunning and empowering on any home or office wall.

At the $1,000 level, you will receive one copy of the woman of your choice’s portrait, but that’s not all. You will also have a plaque bearing your name placed with the place-setting representing said woman at our installation, four tickets to opening night, our book Setting the Supper Table, and a t-shirt/tote bag bearing art about and a quote from Eartha Kitt.

The Kickstarter only has 12 days left, and once these portraits are gone, they’re gone, so if you’re interested, head over to the campaign page and make your donation. Smith herself just made a video about these portraits as our newest update, which you can check out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thejasperproject/the-supper-table/posts/2569961

Anastasia & Friends Gallery to Celebrate “Last First” Thursday

After spending a decade bringing life, love, and art to Columbia’s Main Street, local gallery Anastasia & Friends will close its doors this month.

Nearly 10 years ago, Anastasia Chernoff, local sculptor and art collector, had the idea to start an art gallery in the lobby of the Free Times building, and with that, Anastasia & Friends was born. Chernoff started the gallery as a way to bring the art community together on Main Street, and this goal continued through her six years running the gallery until well after her death.

Bohumila Augustinova, who has run and managed the gallery since Chernoff first became ill almost four years ago, recalls her as being the kind of person who welcomed anyone into her life as a close friend within moments of meeting them. “She never met a stranger,” Augustinova said, “You met her and felt like you had known her your whole life.”

For Chernoff then and for Augustinova now, the gallery has been an opportunity for both established and new artists to show their work. “One of my prides,” Augustinova stated, “has been to show off artists who have never had a solo show before.” Overall, the goal of the studio has never been to be pretentious with their art but to show that all art is important.

Largely in part to its inclusive approach to art celebration, when Anastasia & Friends initially opened it was one of the main stops that made First Thursday such a prominent event. Now, close to a decade later, Anastasia & Friends closes its run with that same tentpole status for the monthly arts crawl.

Augustinova remembers that one of the first art exhibits Chernoff ran was called “Funny Art,” which echoed the fun and laughter Chernoff brought to everything she did.

Chernoff (right) with a friend at one of their First Thursday art openings.

Chernoff ran the gallery with this positive attitude until her health declined, and she had to step down. Chernoff asked Augustinova, both her friend and an artist who had an exhibition at the gallery just before she became ill, to take over. Augustinova fondly remembers the press letter Chernoff released when announcing she would take over the gallery: “I cried when I read it, and every time I see it in my memories, I cry again.”

In that letter, Chernoff calls the art openings at Anastasia & Friends “reunions, filled with old and new friends gathered to see and talk about the latest exhibition and their lives.” For Chernoff, the most important aspect of the gallery was that it promoted a family, and, in that, she succeeded.

Chernoff (center) during an event Augustinova fondly remembers: a Halloween-themed black light party

Many people have been supporting Augustinova with this family in the past years. Diane Hare has been fondly named “Wine Goddess” for supplying the beverages at First Thursday events; other friends of the studio include John Allen, Grayson Goodman, and Lee Ann Kornegay, to name just a few.

Now, Augustinova and those at the gallery want to celebrate this last first Thursday, aptly titled “Last First,” by bringing together as many artists as possible who have participated in shows at Anastasia & Friends in the past. This event, sponsored by Free Times, Michael Anastasion, and Terri Mac, will be the last big hurrah for the gallery.

Featured artists include, but are not limited to, Kathryn Van Aernum, Laura Garner Hine, Michael Krajewski, Eileen Blyth, Wayne Thornley, Susan Lenz, and Matthew Kramer. In addition to the artists, there will be live performances by Caroline Lewis Jones, Joseph Daniels, music by Preach Jacobs, and an auction of a portrait of Anastasia. Drink & food will be provided.

A complete list of both people who support the gallery and of participating artists would be hard to name, and this is mainly because of all the people Anastasia touched over her years supporting the arts in Columbia. Augustinova remembers Chernoff as, “a light; a ray of sunshine on rainy days.” Her tendrils reach out to all, and they still remain, almost three years after her death.

All good things must come to an end, however, and change is an inevitable part of life. As Free Times moves to their new building, the gallery has chosen to close this chapter of its life. Augustinova does not plan to let the name Anastasia & Friends die, though. The legacy of the gallery will live on through different shows and events she will do in name of the studio.

Anastasia Chernoff (center left), with Jennifer Hill (left) Jasper Executive Director Cindi Boiter (center right) and Kaitin Ohlinger (right).

However, the biggest legacy that will live on is in all of the people the gallery touched, and made family, over its run. In these 10 years, even after Chernoff’s death, the message that art binds us to one another will live on in all the people who were part of Anastasia & Friends. Whether you helped work with the gallery, presented work in an exhibition, or just stopped by on a First Thursday to peek at the art, Anastasia’s spirit continues within you. We hold the light and love that this gallery and its people put forth, and it is up to us to spread that light even after the gallery closes its doors.

If you want to celebrate the love, community, and light that is Anastasia & Friends for a final First Thursday event, come out to Last First, this Thursday the 6th at 6:00 p.m. You can find more information on their Facebook event page.

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre’s Sweat Takes a Steely Look at a Series of Lives in Free Fall

By: Theatre Editor Frank Thompson

“You load sixteen tons, and what do you get?

Another day older and deeper in debt.

St. Peter, don't you call me ‘cause I can't go.

I owe my soul to the company store…”

-From the song “Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford

Life in Reading, Pennsylvania is anything but easy for the working-class folks at the turn of the millennium so carefully given life in playwright Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, currently running at Trustus Theatre through June 1. Wages are low, addiction plagues the community, and the local steel mill isn't supporting a living wage economy the way it once did. One of the few businesses that manages to survive is a dingy but welcoming dive bar, where the increasingly desperate mill workers come to drown their sorrows and celebrate their few-and-far-between successes.

Bartender Stan (Steve Harley) is a cynical but kindly sort, giving the impression of a man aged beyond his years through extensive post-graduate work at the School of Hard Knocks, while barback Oscar (Samuel Traquina) does his best to keep the shabby furnishings in shape. Stan serves as both host and blue-collar sage to his scrappy regulars Jessie, (Christine Hellman) Tracey (Dewey Scott-Wiley), and Cynthia (Lonetta Thompson). Despite their hard-drinking ways, the trio of women always make it on time to their jobs at the mill, where Dickensian working conditions and uncaring management make every day more grueling than its predecessor. Nonetheless, there's always a cold one and a kind word to be found at the tavern as soon as the shift is over.

These are hardscrabble folks, but despite their woes, birthdays are celebrated, laughter shared, and troubles temporarily anesthetized beneath the neon beer signs. Conflict arises when Cynthia's n'ere-do-well ex-husband Brucie (Darion McCloud) stops in to try and rekindle their romance, or at least cadge a couple of bucks for another drink, but the ladies handle him easily, giving the impression that his act is as old and shopworn as the work clothes on their backs. What the trio is unable to weather, however, is the slight elevation in rank of one of their own. Once Cynthia becomes the union representative, her air-conditioned office and business outfits drive a wedge between herself and Tracey, with Jessie caught between them. Wages and benefits are cut, hours increase, and the already beleaguered workers find themselves inching ever closer to indentured servitude while Cynthia tries unsuccessfully to change the hearts and minds of upper management.

Jason (Patrick Dodds) and Chris (De'on Turner) are the sons of Tracey and Cynthia, respectively, and find themselves trapped in the same dead-end jobs as their mothers, yet dream of better lives. In a nutshell, the rich get richer and the poor get not only poorer, but more hopeless. Opioid addiction, alcoholism, and an increasingly splintered circle of trust separate the group into warring factions, with more than a few shifts in alliances and sympathies as circumstances devolve. Through the use of a framing device centering around parole officer Evan (Samuel McWhite), we realize that Jason and Chris have spent eight years in prison following the show's central story. Their friendship has not survived, leaving Chris psychologically exhausted but determined to improve his life, while Jason's pain has manifested in white supremacy and barely-contained rage. By the conclusion, everyone is alive, but no one is unbroken. There is a vaguely happy ending for one or two characters, but not without a steep price. I won't spoil the twist(s), but will say that, just when you think you've figured out how things will end, you realize how quickly things can turn.

Director Erin Wilson has assembled a cast of heavy-hitters, and there isn't a weak link among them. The sense of ensemble is tangible, and it's clear that each actor supports his/her character through a studied understanding of the rest of the group, as well as the piece as a whole. There's a steady rhythm to the story’s pacing and progression, which churns as reliably as the oft-referenced machines on the mill floor, and the performances work in harmony with that understanding, gracefully doing justice to the Pulitzer-winning script.

The fact that there are no “standout" acting turns is actually a great compliment to Wilson and the artists under her direction. The stark reality of Sweat is the product of a skilled and well-trained team of professionals who never flinch at the sharp edges of their characters’ experiences or attempt to stand out in a production woven as a firm tapestry. As I remarked to a friend at last Thursday's performance, this show is not only a gripping story, but also a de facto master class in acting.

Chet Longley's scenic design captures the essence of every grungy watering hole the audience member has ever encountered. From the ragged jukebox to the mismatched and well-worn furnishings, the barroom which serves as the primary locale, creates a sense of creeping decay which mirrors the declining quality of life in a town which has gone from boom to near-bust in less than two generations. A few incidental scenes are indicated through the simple but effective use of two sliding panels and a forced-perspective back alley, and the bar's final scene of gentrification is a bit shinier, but nonetheless conveys a final blow to anything resembling a place of comfort for the poor of Reading's increasingly stratified population. The show's final revelation is all the more gut-wrenching against the backdrop of what looks like renewal and restored hope.

There are only three chances left to see this masterful example of the artists' craft, and anyone seeking a distinguished modern tragedy presented by those who have perfected it should make sure not to miss it. Though not without comic relief, Sweat is unbending in its depiction of the travails of those on society's economic underside, as fiery as the steel mill inferno the title alludes to.

Frank Thompson is proud to serve as Theatre Editor for JASPER.

My Time as a Jasper Intern by Christina Xan

I met Jasper Project’s Executive Director Cindi Boiter for the first time at Jasper’s Syzygy, an arts event which premiered original plays and poetry about 2017’s solar eclipse. At the time, I knew nothing of Jasper. I was just there to support my playwrighting professor & friend, Jon Tuttle, who enthusiastically introduced me to Cindi after the plays.

Cindi had no reason to think I was anything special, but she welcomed me immediately with open arms, setting up a coffee date and sending me home with some copies of Jasper Magazine. Over coffee shortly after, she introduced me to the basics of Jasper and what the art community in Columbia looked like, encouraging me to send her some of my work. I was so in awe that this person was welcoming me with bright eyes when she barely knew me. As a poet, playwright, and lover of the arts, I wanted to be a part of this world, but as a self-doubting new graduate student in the area, I shied away from it.

Even though I never responded or went to an another arts event in my first year in Cola, Cindi invited me to the many art & literary events Jasper was a part of, and every time, I made mental plans to go, but never did. My first year of grad school, I threw myself into studies, and while I loved my little community of fellow students, I felt something missing. I felt that urge to be part of the arts. When I saw Cindi post a need for interns for the 2018-2019 year, I felt the tug towards it, and messaged her about it. Soon after, Cindi set up a meeting time, and we chatted, and before it even started, the conversation felt like home, and that was it.

It’s hard to actually encapsulate in any amount of words how much I love being a part of Jasper. I can anticipate skeptics saying, “Of course she’s going to say good things about what it means to be a Jasper intern, on the Jasper blog.” And to that, I’d like to give you the phone numbers of anyone in my cohort or family to whom I am constantly raving about Jasper being the best part of my 1,000 jobs. What you get to do for Jasper is unlike what you get to do anywhere else.

The main activity I did upon starting as a Jasper intern was writing articles, which may not sound like the most exciting thing, but the people I have interviewed I have made lasting connections with. I’ve had interviews where the other person and I have ended up sitting at a coffeeshop for three to four hours after the interview because we’ve enjoyed each other’s company so much.

Xan with author Dorothy Allison at the Deckle Edge Literary Festival

Along these same lines, every event I attended as an intern brought this same opportunity to meet new wonderful people. Each event I participated in, I was inundated with awe at how loving, humble, and talented our artists and creators are. Everyone I met was so excited to not only be part of this community but to bring me into the community.

That’s always how I’ve countered what people have seen as the biggest negative when I tell them about being an intern – not being paid. It’s true. I’ve never brought home a penny from interning with Jasper, but I’ve never seen that as a negative. No one on the board brings home money; everyone who is part of Jasper does it because they love the arts, because they believe the artists in the Midlands are special and deserve to be noticed. We work for them not for ourselves, and knowing they are seen and loved is enough payment. As an intern, especially, I went in wanting a sense of community and place, and not just as an artist but as a human being. I’ve found that.

There is no price tag on meeting an artist and connecting and quickly becoming friends that meet regularly for coffee or exchange books with each other. There is no price tag on walking into an event and immediately being welcomed by warm smiles and hugs from people who are genuinely excited to have your presence there. There is no price tag on family. I’ve been paid in love to last a lifetime.

That’s why, this internship is not the end for me and Jasper. I have been so lucky to be asked to stay on with Jasper and have chosen to be a part of this community as long as I can. I get to be the Assistant Project Manager for The Supper Table, which became a project close to my heart the moment I heard of it. In the fall, I get to join the Board myself and become even more involved in the process of Jasper. Our new Tiny Gallery Series has become my own baby, and I already am thinking of new projects I’d like to see come to fruition.

Xan with visual artist Keith Tolen at the Tiny Gallery series

Anything else I could say would just be repeating what I’ve been saying, so honestly, just know that I love it here. I love all the little things like writing articles, writing for the magazine, interviewing artists, attending events, running events, etc. But really, I love the community. I love my Jasper family. I love all the people we touch, the people they touch, the tendrils we have that sweep across our world and make a change. I look around at what I’ve been able to do and what I’m able to be a part of, and I’m just humbled and grateful and glad.

I’ll end by saying that if you’ve ever thought about being a part of the Jasper family, I can only encourage it and promise that open arms will be waiting for you, and I’ll be first in line.

Colacana Rising: Two Columbia-area Americana outfits, The Runout and The Witness Marks, drop debut albums this week

There's always been a consistently robust roots music scene in Columbia, but it's rare to have two acts drop their first albums on the same day. But that's what the Jeff Gregory-fronted group The Runout and Ethan Fogus' The Witness Marks are doing this Friday.

Both singer/songwriters are familiar faces and cheerleaders on the scene, which brings a celebratory note to the fact that each is dropping a fully-realized statement with the help of their various bandmates.

The Runout, which will play an album release show this Thursday at the New Brookland Tavern (Cayla Fralick opens; Charleston's Human Resources headlines), specializes in sensitive, acoustic guitar-led folk-rock that usually starts with something close to the hush melodic lyricism of The Milk Carton Kids before winding its way into more rollicking alt-country territory by song's end.

The advance singles from their project "Mama Put the Record On" and "Reach for You," showcase these dynamic swings and the rustic etherealism that has become the group's calling card. The former swings with the purpose of a solo Tom Petty track, replete with an assured harmonica and soulful chorus, while the latter rides a country shuffle and a wave of sepia-tinged nostalgia for maximum dividends.

Mama Put the Record On by The Runout, released 12 April 2019 1. Mama put the record on 2.

The Witness Marks, the band Fogus assembled followed a few years working under his own name, brings a similar palette but more emotionally confrontational style to their roots-rock travails. Fogus can often deliver a lyric with the quivering intensity of Conor Oberst, something accentuated by the lolloping storytelling style of his songs and the lush, overflowing instrumentation which provides so much color and verve.

On the single “You’re Lying,” which premieres here, that instrumentation takes the form of surging organ and elegiac piano (dedicated to former bandmate and Can’t Kids frontman Adam Cullum, who past away last year), as Fogus delivers a drawling, Stones-meets-Dylan country-rocker kiss-off.    

The Witness Marks will celebrate their debut at The White Mule this Friday, May 24 (Post-Timey String Band and flower shopping open).  Follow the Marks (FB, IG) and RO (FB, IG) on social media and be on the lookout for their albums dropping across various outlets this Friday.

Video Premiere: Admiral Radio's Debut "Two Star Motel"

Admiral Radio, the duo of singer/songwriters Becca Smith and Coty Hoover, are one of those classically-minded Americana duos that use a hushed atmosphere to create entire sonic worlds with just two gorgeous voices and finely picked instruments.

The two met as undergrads at College of Charleston, where Smith built up an early rep with an assured set of tunes and a polished solo debut, 2018’s I-26. That album’s lush arrangements swung from folk plaintiveness to classic country swing, but, as Admiral Radio, Hoover and Smith dial in more specifically to the kind of minimalist perfection that duos from The Civil Wars and Gillian and Dave Rawlings to Shovels & Rope and the everybodyfields have proven has a real and timeless staying power.

Jasper is happy to premiere their debut single and video for “Two Star Motel.” Shot by the Columbia production company Apollo’s Bow, the video plays straightforwardly with the narrative of the song with long, sweeping shots of the duo singing and picking around a room mic along a dirt road. It’s a simple premise, but it matches the simple joy of the tune—and this duo—to a T. -KP

REVIEW: OnStage Productions Reaches New Heights With Heathers by Frank Thompson

By: Frank Thompson

OnStage Productions’ decision to tackle an all-teenage rendition of Heathers: The Musical (High School Edition) was a bold move.

Those who recall the 1989 film featuring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater will no doubt wonder how “watered down” the high school version is, compared to the original big-screen story, which tackled some pretty adult themes and situations. The answer is “not much.” A few of the more salacious scenes are referenced as offstage action, the violence is slightly less graphic, and what is arguably the film’s most (in)famous line regarding a chainsaw is suggested rather than repeated verbatim. Beyond that, the show stays largely faithful to the source material.

OnStage Executive Director Robert Harrelson and Director David LaTorre bring the audience an unflinching production in line with Harrelson’s laudable commitment to presenting material exactly as written. If you’re easily offended, or squeamish about seeing teenagers performing a stylized-yet-realistic show that includes suggestive, abusive, and occasionally shocking material, you may want to pass on this one, but you’ll miss a gem full of the next generation of Midlands theatrical talent.

This isn’t as innocent as Bye Bye Birdie, or sweetly cute-naughty in the style of Grease or Hairspray, but it isn’t supposed to be. It’s a well-penned stage version of a classic, albeit dark, coming-of-age movie and when performed by such a talented cast, it can legitimately compete with much of what’s on offer from the various theatre companies featuring adult casts.
Rachael Sprankle shines in her first feature role as Heather Chandler, the saucy, take-no-prisoners leader of the school’s most popular clique. (If you haven’t seen the film, all three members of this power trio share the first name of Heather.) Sprankle’s stage presence is commanding, and her voice perfectly suited for the 80s-esque score. The darkness of the story begins fairly early on with her death and continues with her presence as a ghost surrounding her friends and enemies. Sprankle brings a slightly detached, ethereal quality to the afterlife identity while never losing her alpha-female edge established in the early scenes. Her transition is subtle, yet tangible, and introduces a layer of meta-reality which subsequent “ghost” characters sustain. Her fellow Heathers, Heather McNamara (Ivy Munnerlyn) and Heather Duke (Harper Kirk), are the teenage equivalents of Darth Vader to Heather Chandler’s Emperor Palpatine. They enjoy tremendous influence and social power over their peers, yet still play second fiddle to the superior who occasionally keeps them in check.

Kirk, who also co-choreographs the show with Katie Edelson, exudes a convincingly menacing presence as she bides her time, clearly waiting for the opportunity to assert herself as the group’s leader. When she finally so does, it’s one of the production’s most chilling moments by merely putting her hair in a scrunchie. Munnerlyn’s Heather McNamara positively drips attitude and privilege but is given less attention in the first act than Sprankle and Kirk. I was on the verge of feeling like her character got shortchanged until she burst into song in Act II, revealing her to be the most textured and conflicted member of the group. Munnerlyn unapologetically embraces the intensity of her big moment, showcasing an impressive voice and unexpected fragility.

The show’s creepily romantic love story between the Heathers’ Eliza Doolittle-esque protégé, Veronica (Caroline Quinn), and her brooding loner lover, J.D. (Paul Smith), drives the plot, and both Quinn and Smith are at at the top of their respective games. Veronica, a semi-nerdy nobody when the show begins, quickly gains popularity under the Heathers’ malevolent tutelage. Though still too young to drive or vote, Quinn is already a seasoned stage veteran with several professional credits on her resume, and it shows. Veronica is the show’s most complex role, and Quinn creates a clear character arc as we gradually realize the events are seen from her point of view. With what is arguably the strongest voice in a show full of outstanding vocalists, she captures Veronica’s fragility and uncertainty with an almost childlike softness while still belting out powerful show-stoppers with aplomb. Smith’s J.D. is equally compelling as the ethical relativist foil to Veronica’s by-the-book absolutist. Complete with black trench coat and tousled hair, J.D. is eerily reminiscent of the all-too-familiar troubled teenage school shooters of the Columbine tragedy, down to his fascination with firearms and twisted sense of justice. Smith manages to sustain a sympathetic character while embodying a figure of nihilistic menace, playing an antihero whose diabolical acts are unsettlingly presented as almost justifiable.

There isn’t a weak link in the show, but several standouts deserve mention. As Ram and Kurt, the bullying, predatory football stars, Cameron Eubanks and Tucker Privette exude menace and danger, especially in their scene with Quinn, where the two characters come dangerously close to succeeding in an attempted sexual assault on Veronica. (In all fairness, while gripping, this scene should probably come with a trigger warning for its realism.) As the show’s “fat and ugly” girl, Martha Dumptruck, Katie Edelson (who is neither fat nor ugly, yet effectively portrays someone convinced by her peers that she is both) provides several heart-wrenching moments of pathos, capped by a second act power ballad that literally brought the opening night audience to its feet. Alongside Jeymerson Lopez’s delightfully befuddled Principal Gowan, Lexi Peake introduces some welcome comic relief as the New-Agey teacher Mrs. Fleming, and Michael Rego is superbly distasteful as J.D.’s bullying father. The rest of the cast features multiple talented up-and-comers who are fully committed to creating and sustaining three-dimensional characters with personalities and backstories, making even the smallest of roles memorable.

The production’s drawbacks are few, but I would be remiss to exclude them even if they hardly diminish the excellence onstage. A couple of the soloists are a bit difficult to hear, and several lines of dialogue could do with more projection, as well. The set, while appropriately macabre, is slightly out of sync with the neon-hued 1980s fashions. (To be fair, it serves double duty with Love Bites, a vampire-based comedy running in rep with Heathers, and its grey brick motif likely works perfectly for a campy Hammer Films-style Transylvanian setting.)

Heathers is a marvelous showcase for the rising stars of the Columbia area, and an impressive achievement for OnStage Productions, which reaches a new level of quality with each show.

The show runs through this weekend. Call 803-351-6751 for resevations.

Frank Thompson is proud to serve as JASPER’s Theatre Editor.

Preview: The Jasper Artist of the Year Awards Celebration and Salon on Friday, January 18

By: Christina Xan

This Friday evening from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., The Jasper Project will award four South Carolina artists during an intimate ceremony at Historic Columbia’s beautiful Seibel’s House.

The Jasper Artist of the Year awards, or JAYs, are one of the major highlights in the South Carolina art community where The Jasper Project is able to recognize the hard-working talent our community has to offer.

This can’t miss event is only $15. For this price, attendees get to snack heavily from a delicious menu created by Chef Joe Turkaly; drink from an open beer and wine bar, partake in a silent auction, and experience intimate performances, readings, and presentations by our talented JAY finalists, all in a lovely historic setting. 

We will have music from our honored JAY finalists Zach Seibert, Marcum Core (aka MidiMarc), and Marina Alexandra with Tony Lee, poetry from Libby Bernardin and Monifa Lemons, some entertaining words from theatre artist Darion McCloud Storyteller, and a special exhibition by visual artists Andy White, Flavia Isabella Lovatelli, and Trahern Cook. This special evening will allow artists and arts lovers the opportunity to learn about one another's creative processes and inspirations. More about our nominated artists, most of whom you will hear from, is provided below. 

Our nominated literary artists are poet Tim Conroy, whose most recent literary accomplishments include his first collection of poetry, Theologies of Terrain, being published by Muddy Ford Press and edited by Ed Madden as part of the Laureate Series late in the summer 2017; poet Libby Bernardin, who is a life member of the Board of Governors of the SC Academy of Authors and a member of the Poetry Society of SC and the NC Poetry Society; and poet Monifa Lemons, who has been featured in Jasper Magazine, has been a Judge for State Library Poetry Contest for teens, and has been published in Sinister Wisdom.

Our nominated visual artists are Flavai Lovatelli, a member of the Operation Bedroll Steering Committee for Columbia’s Homeless project, which organizes and teaches the community to create plarn (plastic yarn) out of recycled shopping bags and crotchet bedrolls; Trahern Cook, a plein air artist who has become a part of the Columbia area arts events landscape by setting up his easel, popping on his porkpie hat, and painting the life of the city; and Andy White, whose sculpture “Call It In” was awarded First Place in the 3D category at the Rosewood Art and Music Festival and whose sculpture “The First Owl” won first place in the professional sculpture division at the South Carolina State Fair.

Our nominated theatre artists are Michael Hazin, who performed in Rock of Ages in July 2017, in the title role in Evil Dead The Musical in October 2017, and is currently rehearsing for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime; Darion McCloud, who played MacDuff in the SC Shakespeare Company’s production of MacBeth in Finlay Park and co-wrote, directed, acted in, and designed a one man show called Fireflies: A Dave the Potter Story; and Christine Hellman, Resident Acting Coach for Workshop Theatre from the Summer 2017 to present who served as the co-playwright and actor for Misery Is Optional – Recollections of Recovery, winning the Harbison incubator grant in February of 2018.

Lastly, our nominated musicians are Marina Alexandra who over the last 15 months has been invited to perform concerts at: the Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities, Furman University, the Public Library (at Sandhills), the National Flute Convention (DC), Ohio International Guitar Festival, and others; Marcum Core, a Jasper featured artist who released 3 EPs in his Prolific Series and produced the entirety of FatRat da Czar’s Ethx and, on Oct 27, played for the Seuss Slam, served as the host and background music production for the readers, and in November opened for EZ Shakes and King Vulture with a live beat set); and finally, Zach Seibert, who formed EZ Shakes as a duo the summer of 2017 and released a self-titled EP in August 2017 then went on to expand to a full band that has since released their debut full-length album, the critically acclaimed The Wolf, and performed in a number of local and regional shows and festivals.

Apart from mingling with and witnessing the talents of these wonderful artists, The Jasper Project is curating a small silent auction. There will be items available from local artists and local restaurants going on throughout the evening.

In addition to regular entry, there will be a VIP Reception for 12 special patrons that starts at 6:00 p.m. and includes the opportunity to speak privately and be photographed with our JAY Finalists, special hors d'oeuvres, and Jasper's great appreciation for your help in sponsoring this event.

Space for the event is very limited – only 70 regularly priced tickets ($15) and 12 VIP ($40) will be sold, so go ahead and snag your tickets now!

We hope to see you this Friday at the Seibel’s House @ 1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC. Tickets are available at the following link: https://jays.brownpapertickets.com.

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for more updates on local artists and events!

Jasper Project Executive Director Cindi Boiter and Denise Gadson Receive the Richland Library Friends and Foundation’s 2018 Awards

By: Christina Xan

The Jasper Project is happy to share that the Richland Library Friends and Foundation is honoring two South Carolina women and their dedication to our community.

The Richland Library Friends and Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support Richland Library by raising awareness and financial support. Each year they recognize individuals who have supported literacy in Columbia.

This year, the two awards will acknowledge the achievements of women in Richland County who have contributed to our literary community and local libraries in their own unique ways. First, receiving the Lucy Hampton Bostick Award, is our own Cindi Boiter, and second, receiving the Ethel Bolden Minority Scholarship, is Denise Gadson.

According to the Richland Library, “the Lucy Hampton Bostick Award offers a custom, hand-blown glass award and cash honorarium while recognizing a South Carolina author, someone who has written a significant literary work on South Carolina, or someone in the Midlands who has significantly advanced the interest in books or libraries.” This award is named after a long-time head librarian in Richland County and former Richland Library director (1928-1968) who is “credited with fostering interest in Southern literature and history, improving cultural life in Columbia, and promoting library appreciation throughout the state.”

Cindi Boiter has been chosen to receive the award this year as a fierce advocate of the literary arts. Boiter was a freelance writer for 20 years and has published a book of award-winning stories. After teaching Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina for a number of years, she went on to become the founder of The Jasper Project and Jasper Magazine, of which she is the Editor-in-Chief.

Likewise, the Ethel Bolden Minority Scholarship provides $3,500 in financial support for students from “underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, who are working toward the completion of a Master of Library and Information Science degree at the University of South Carolina.” This scholarship was created in 2010 and named after Bolden to recognize her years of service to the Richland County community and its libraries.

Denise Gadson has been chosen for this award this year for her continual passion for reading and for helping others, both children and adults, on their journey towards gaining that same passion as well. Gadson is the author of children’s book Penelope's World Famous Cookies and is currently seeking to further her education along in order to continue aiding others in their quest for knowledge.

The Richland Library Friends and Foundation has plans to formally recognize these wonderful women during a reception in 2019 (date TBA).

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REVIEW: Toro y Moi @ The Senate, 11/17/2018

By: Kyle Petersen; Photos by: Bree Burchfield

Toro y Moi performing at The Senate, November 2018. PC: Bree Burchfield

More than most, Toro y Moi is a musical act that reinvents itself with every album cycle. Since the pre-Causers of This days when Chaz Bundick (Chaz Bear?) played shows half behind a DIY laptop and keyboard combination as a chillwave progenitor to the almost-jammy guitar pop of 2015’s What For?,  the Toro y Moi project has constantly tested its own boundaries, trying on various permutations of dance-centric indie rock, funk and pop as if flipping through an exceptionally-curated record collection.

Bundick, a Columbia native who led the sharp indie rock quartet The Heist & the Accomplice in his college days at USC, adapted his live band to each of the singular aesthetic visions of his recordings each time he flipped the dial, adding drummer Andy Woodward and bassist Patrick Jeffords and then, later on, guitarist Jordan Blackmon and then keyboardist Anthony Ferraro to the proceedings. That core nucleus carried him far, even through the beats-oriented pop of 2013’s Anything in Return, but at a certain point it felt like the touring version of the band stood resolutely apart from the studio creations, and that Bundick was pretty fine with that.

Then came last year’s Boo Boo, a moody pop affair that showed traces of The Weeknd-style R&B and the grimy grandeur of some of Toro’s hip-hop production on the side. As ambient and inscrutable as that album could get, it was among the most consciously pop the project had yet leaned. Too, it was difficult to imagine the live band translating many of these songs to the stage. That Bundick didn’t tour on the effort seemed right and would ultimately prove prescient.

This Columbia show was the final date on the first string of non-DJ sets Toro y Moi had played since Boo Boo and comes in conjunction with the release of an advance single, “Freelance,” ahead of a full-length in early 2019. And it’s clear we’re getting a very different Toro experience going forward. Now performing without Blackmon and with Jeffords on synths as much as bass, Bundick is stepping fully into the frontman role, often drifting decisively away from the keys to roam the stage and lean into the considerable power of his vocal hooks rather than laying low in the groove. It’s a move he could have made at arguably any point in his career thus far, but it fits the new material particularly well, placing him in the lineage of artists like Frank Ocean and Sampha whose auteur styles and left-field melding of pop and R&B manage to command large audiences.

PC: Bree Burchfield

Venturing through much of Boo Boo and new material from the forthcoming album amid a smattering of older tunes that fit the new direction, Bundick was as confident as a performer as I can ever remember seeing him. Even amid the most sweaty, dancefloor-ready vamps of the past, there’s always been something fundamentally bedroom producer about him, that felt like a masterful musician reimagining the music swimming around in his brain while saddled in front of the computer screen.

And that’s probably still who he is at heart but, for the first time, it’s possible to imagine that quiet, bespectacled oddball from around the way as the most unlikely thing of all—not just a nationally renowned indie artist, but a genuine pop star.

This might be some hell of a new record.

From The Inside Looking Out: A First Account On Manifest Closing

An Essay by: Tricia Callahan

When I moved to Columbia back in 2014 I was a hopeful little 20-something looking for that city writing gig.That was when I first took a job at Manifest thinking it would be the perfect compliment to my creative pursuits.

Eventually outside pressures squeezed and I felt my self worth was directly correlated with my pay stub and decided to see if the grass was greener. It wasn't.

After a series of unfortunate occupations I found myself dying to work at Manifest again and after months of convincing I was welcomed back. Some customers remembered me, some didn’t, but I was happy to reintroduce myself.

To some, Manifest may have lost its charm after Trans World Entertainment bought them out over a decade ago. Some have even disparagingly called it a; “rock-n-roll flea market.” But what the hell, exactly, is wrong with that.

Of course, I would be remiss if I said things were exactly the same as they were back in the halcyon days when Manifest opened its doors back in 1985. The entire music industry climate was starkly different. Over the years, from Napster and Limewire to Spotify and Soundcloud. The importance of physical retail locations for music has rapidly declined as the ease of obtaining music online became ever-cheaper and easier.

Despite this, I found myself a part of a misfit 7 person record store staff in 2018. A real anomaly, and one that I am quite proud of. I felt like Liv Tyler in Empire Records.

Much to the chagrin of my parents, I’ve spent the better part of a year surrounded by my one true passion: music. Whether writing album reviews for the Free Times or helping folks find their new favorite albums, I have been as close to being a rock star as I’ll ever be. To know that we are closing our doors now has weighed on me so much heavier than I anticipated.

There is the looming potential of an office job that is cringe worthy even if only for the dress code. Working at Manifest you were able to express yourself in any way. You got a mohawk? Great. You wanna wear sweatpants? Fantastic. The relaxed attitude rubbed off on interactions with the customers that would range from professional and friendly to life stories. We had a bunch of regulars that I am sincerely going to miss.

Whether it’s my coworker Joey, who has worked in record stores since the days of Sounds Familiar and is a walking music encyclopedia;-Seth & Tony, the residential metal heads, Greg the manager who always starts the day off with nickel tour, Steve who is one of the hardest workers I know or Taylor adding to the stores girl power with myself.

It is hard to say if I’ll ever hang with these guys again but much like graduation we will have to step on.

Whether you loved or hated the metamorphosis of Manifest over the years, the truth is all the opinions in the world won’t offer the nostalgia chasers, collectors, lower income and the elderly what they have come to love about Manifest: our wide selection of quality CDs, movies, and vinyl, all of which you could reach out, touch, and take home the same day.

Jasper’s Tiny Gallery Series Returns with Columbia’s Own, Thomas the Younger

 by: Christina Xan

Last month, The Jasper Project presented the first installment of its new Tiny Gallery series. With the help of the Columbia community, the inaugural event was a success. Continuing on this series will be local artist, writer, and creator, Thomas the Younger, aka Thomas Washington.

I was fortunate enough to meet with Washington this past Tuesday and experience his person as he shared with me details about his art and life and all the ways those two overlap.

Washington grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts where he says everything creatively sparked in him at the age of four. “Before four I had those foundational memories, like my first memory of my grandmother’s spiral staircase or my younger brother who peed on everyone,” he paused, and we laughed, “But after four my mind just woke up.”

Washington shared with me how after four he started consuming all the art and literature he could find, whether it was the Bible, stories, or the dictionary. As for how he started his art, specifically, he began by copying his father.

“I watched my father drawing one day while he was on the phone, and I saw this image come out of his pen, and I thought that was crazy,” Washington said, “When he was done, I took it and began to copy it over and over again until I felt I was closest to what he had done. That’s why I call myself Thomas the Younger.”

This experience didn’t just affect how he started his art, but it has influenced how he approaches creating every time he nears a canvas. “When I started copying my father’s art, I never thought that I could draw with something else, so I just drew with the same pen until it ran out, and even when it ran out, I drew with that same make and model,” Washington continued. “Through that, I learned something: even mistakes can be employed. If I made a mistake, I’d turn the painting right and turn it into something else.”

Approaching his art and literature in that way allows Washington to never be boxed in by specific conventions or genres. “I don’t limit myself to a genre because I just want to tell the story of people, whatever that means or needs,” he explains. “I believe there’s a story that all my art and literature is part of. It spans many worlds and contains all the genres you can imagine, because I love them all.”

Exploring a plethora of methods and genres not only allows Washington to create with limitless possibilities but to reach people in unique ways. “Yesterday someone came up to me while I was painting outside to ask for a cigarette, but after walking away, he came back and started talking to me,” Washington recounts. “After a bit, I went in the house, and, when I came back out, he was staring at my painting with an entirely new energy. He had walked around it, moved it, looked at all the angles.”

Washington proceeded to tell me how this young man shared with him how his painting made him feel something he couldn’t explain, and then he began opening up to Washington about the details of his childhood. Seeing this piece of art gave the young man an opportunity to connect with himself in a way he may not have otherwise been able to, a testament to the power of art itself. Washington says he “felt honored with how much he shared with me. He shared with me the core material of what makes him him.”

Humbly, he continued to say that when he finally came back to the house, he was visibly shaken. “My girl asked me what was wrong, and when I told her, she said that’s why they call you Shaman, because you can pull this out of people; you make their doors open, and their stories begin to flow.”

It’s all but impossible for a human being who feels the passion of all forms of creating so deeply to pinpoint what specifically their art is like. To do so would be to box it inside language. However, Washington knows what is important about it. “Every time we create, we are really expressing a part of ourselves, even if we think we’re hiding it behind someone or something nothing like ourselves,” he asserts. “It’s that way when I paint – I’m really painting me or some aspect of me or something I’m trying to express.”

His passion for creating parallels what he is passionate about in his life, both as a human and a humanitarian. “I consider myself an Afro-futurist, by default, really. My favorite subject is African-American women. Stoicism manifests itself so heavily in the African American community in general, through toughing it out or being tough, and women are as tough inside as others may project on the outside,” Washington elaborates. “It’s infinite. I try to not idealize it when I paint them; I just try to show their truth.”

Of course, this is not the only subject Washington paints or writes about. It is simply one of the many. His art can be colorful or black and white, can show people or monsters, can be chaotic or simple. In a more honest analysis: it is all of these at once. Regardless of what he will paint for this event, it’s of great importance to him as “This is part of my emergence.”

So, as for what to expect, really, it’s anything. It’s a convergence of the above, a reflection of the self, a reflection of the world. It is none of this, yet it is also all.

Confused? Good. That means you’re thinking. It means you’re curious.

To find some answers or better yet, more questions, come see Washington’s exhibit this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Tapp’s Art Center, Studio 7.

If you want to check out some of Washington’s past and current work, pop over to his website at: www.thomastheyounger.com

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for more updates on local artists and events!

Rosewood Art and Music Festival: The Celebration of SC Art and Artist Through a One-Day Festival

By: Jasper Intern Hallie Hayes

David Britt, the event director for the Rosewood Art and Music Festival (RAMF), describes this art festival as “a one-day, micro-urban festival that was conceived as a way to showcase South Carolina’s talented emerging artists and to help elevate the cultural scene in Columbia.”  The festival celebrates the arts locally in Columbia, SC, and it is an event that any who take pride in SCs local arts, along with simple fun, must experience.

RAMF is an annual fun-for-all festival that takes place in the Rosewood area of the city. Now in its eighth year, the festival will held this Saturday, September 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Parking will be available at Rosewood Baptist Church any time after 12:00 p.m. and admission to the festival free.

Not only does this event support SC art, but it supports the artists who create the magic we have the opportunity to experience, as well.

“Every art purchase made will help support a hard-working, independent SC artist,” Britt explains, “and helps them continue to develop their craft.”

The visual artists showing at RAMF are assembled by Alexandra White, also known as “Abstract Alexandra.” White makes the event a pleasant experience for those involved, making sure that they are met with proper expectations.

“She is the one who curates all of the artists and does a ton of work to make our festival a professional experience for all involved,” the event director says on White. “Her vision and eye for talent have been crucial to elevating the festival’s growth and making the event a great venue for our SC artists to get some of the recognition that they are very deserving of.”

The festival has hosted poets at the event in the past, but this year it will be hosting its first poetry competition where cash prizes will be awarded. The poets entered into the competition have been organized by Stephanie Suell. 

“Stephanie Suell has done a great job organizing the poets this year,” Britt states.  Attendees of the festival will have the opportunity to hear this year’s poets read their poetry in between band sets.

As seen in the title of the festival, music is also a large part of the event.  RAMF will showcase different artist and genres throughout Saturday, giving each band their own set time located on one of two stages.

“We have a completely new line up of music artist this year with some of Columbia’s best up and coming bands,” Britt says on this year’s lineup.

 You can find the lineup of musicians and poets for the day below.

The Rosewood Art and Music Festival works hard to make this event a pleasant experience for all attendees, and to simply celebrate the gifted artists that Columbia is lucky to call members of the community, all free of charge.

“I would want people to know that we have been working hard to produce a great event,” Britt explains,” the artists have been working hard to produce great art and I think anyone who attends will be glad they did.”

Find the lineup for this year’s Rosewood Art and Music Festival below:

—

CALLIOPE STAGE

12:00 - 1:00 pm - Slim Pickens
1:00 pm - Poetry - Marie Grady
1:30 - 2:30 pm - Autocorrect
2:30 pm - Poetry - John Starino
3:00 - 4:00 pm - Daddy Lion
4:00 pm - Poetry - Patrice Pino
4:30 - 5:30 pm - The Dead Swells
5:30 pm - Poetry - Colette Jones
6:00 - 7:00 pm - Ashes of Old Ways

APOLLO STAGE

11:30 - 12:30 pm - Julia Beckham Duo
12:30 pm- Poetry - Alfonso Ross
1:00 - 2:00 pm - McKenzie Butler Band
2:00 pm - Poetry - William Hilliard, Jamez Tisdale
2:30 - 3:30 pm - The Runout
3:30 pm - Poetry - Tribal Raine
4:00 - 5:00 pm - Husband
5:00 pm - Poetry - Patricia Marvin
5:30 - 6:30 pm - Alien Carnival
6:30 pm - Poetry - Constance Johnson

Can I Get A Witness?: 5 Questions with Ethan Fogus

Singer/songwriter (and, with this new issue, now-Jasper staff writer) Ethan Fogus has been playing his songs for years in Columbia, but has only recently switched from solo to a full band endeavor with The Witness Marks. A classic roots-rocker with a penchant for big melodies and drawling, tumbling storytelling, his songs find themselves filled in and fleshed out with the sympathetic ear of his new backing band whether providing a country-rock lope or a crashing, punk-tinged Southern sprawl.

The Witness Marks will be joining us on Thursday night for the release of the Fall 2018 issue of Jasper at Stormwater studios (event link here), so we thought we’d ask Ethan 5 questions about his music, new band, and the Columbia scene.

So tell us about how and why you formed The Witness Marks. I know you were doing the solo thing for a while there too.

I got tired of being a first-name-last-name group. It's hard to ask people to play in a band that’s just you. I got over the me-ness of the music and let go of my ego. 

Also I’m an introverted person, so coining a superhero name gave me permission to have fun. I don’t have to feel like I’m up front in the same way. I want to play music and I want the people I play music with to be a unit. It’s more fun for me to be in a band. 

How much has the sound of the band developed over time? What direction do you see for the band going forward?

Overtime we’ve become tighter. We have a better sense of each other’s intuition, and we trust each other more. I think we lean more rock and roll than folk nowadays. 

We’ve got a few songs we cooked up with Zac Thomas that we’ll be pushing out soon. 

You seem really attuned to more classic folk-rock modes of songwriting--Dylan, Cash, etc. How much do you look for inspiration in that older generation, how much do you look towards more contemporary performers?

I do love Dylan and Cash but nostalgia-sentiment alone doesn't appeal to me. I’m not the type of person who thinks that music used to be better in the good ol' days. Music now is pretty good, and I love all types of songwriting. Current favorites include Caroline Spence and Phoebe Bridgers. But I believe in listening widely and learning from all genres and time periods of music. I love music and don’t put parameters on what I like and don’t like. 

What's your favorite song to play live? Why?

That’s tough. I like our new songs a lot. But “The Other Way” and “Bloodoath” are just a darn hoot to play live. “The Other Way” is this really punchy punk rock song that segues into “Bloodoath,” which is a super moody and dynamic song. I like it cause it’s a band arrangement. It’s loud. It’s disrespectful. 

Who are your favorite songwriters in the Midlands?

Kelley McLachlan — she writes beautiful songs with poignant lyrics and inventive arrangements. 

Mario McClean —  every time I see Mario play I get goosebumps. He’s a great pianist and a wonderful lyricist. 

Jeff Gregory of The Runout — he’s an attention-to-detail songwriter. Check out a solo show he did for the Columbia Beet recently. Wowza. 

Review: The Book of Mormon, presented by Broadway in Columbia

By: Kyle Petersen

First off--yes, it was vulgar. And crass. And, at times, even problematic. But, above all, it was great theater.

The Book of Mormon‘s reputation in many ways precedes itself. The musical has had a long critically and commercially successful run on Broadway since its 2011 debut, earning 9 Tony Awards and a Grammy win for the cast recording while expanding to the West End in London and getting two national tours of the show that has led it to gross over $500 million in ticket sales.

Too, the fact that it was written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone has also received plenty of attention. The duo is known for their irreverent send-up satires that are always willing to cross lines and push buttons in the service of humor on the edges that takes cheeky aim at targets large and small. Viewers familiar with their long-running animated comedy or other projects like the all-puppet feature film Team America: World Police will no doubt be prepared (and perhaps even a little immune to) the raunch factor of the musical, while others in the audience at the Koger Center were pretty appalled by the amount of scatological punch lines and beyond-PC language featured in some of the effortlessly catchy tunes that make up the bulk of the show.

Still, the vulgarity was almost beside the point. What surprises most about The Book of Mormon is just how seamlessly good the songs are (credit largely goes to the third writer, Robin Lopez, of Avenue Q fame) and how tight the plot construction and comedy are across its run-time. Using a mix of cartoon hysterics, SNL-style spoofing and genuine musical tropes and beats, the musical tells the story of two Mormon missionaries, Elder Price (Kevin Clay) and Elder Cunningham (Conner Peirson), who are a classic odd couple team with Price playing the winsome community favorite and Cunningham the schlubby weirdo-sidekick. Price longs to be sent to Orlando for their mission, but he and Cunningham are instead sent to a village in Uganda where subsequent hijinks ensue with characters like the comically menacing General Butt-Fucking Naked (Corey Jones) and the closeted chapter leader Elder McKinley (Andy Huntington Jones) evolve the duo’s story.

Interwoven alongside the main plot is satirical retellings of the founding mythology of the Mormon church. And it’s here where you might think the musical is on the thinnest ice, but it’s not as bluntly mocking as you might expect. Yes, it has repeated fun with the absurdities of transporting a Middle Eastern religion into the Americas (and conveniently in the church founder’s backyard), but most of the humor takes broad aim at the mythologies that all religions require rather than those specific to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS). And, perhaps even more tellingly, the musical never actually becomes a consummate rejection of religion, just a chronicler of its absurdities. This is why the Ugandan setting works so well for the story’s end--it both allows the missionaries an audience bewildered by their outrageous claims but not indifferent to the need for some sort of salvation. The fact that the writers allow the villagers to embrace a (admittedly bastardized) version of the religion peppered with pop culture mythology additions added by Cunningham is not only telling but essential to the musical’s larger message about religion—silly and mutable, sure, but also somewhat intrinsic for organizing the human experience.

That surprisingly middle ground has made the LDS relatively friendly to the production—they’ve reportedly bought advertisements in the Broadway production’s program, and missionaries were outside the Koger Center chatting attendees up about the show and their past experiences with Mormonism.

Less assured in its politics is the broad and indiscriminate use of African stereotypes and caricatures that more or less serves as a backdrop for the musical’s engagement with religion. While they might deserve some degree of creative license given the satirical nature of the proceedings, it still rings a little harsh that the villagers are the butt of so many jokes, even if it is delivered with a winking self-awareness. That the main ensemble is ten white men who get the bulk of the spotlight just adds additional fuel to the fire.

What’s worse on that front is probably the character of Nabalungi (played with innocent grace by Kayla Pecchioni), the daughter of Mafala, the village resident who serves as a guide to the missionaries. Nabalungi serves as a love interest for Cunningham and as an eager vessel for the proselytizing ways of the missionaries, and neither motivation is particularly well-explained given the villages established indifference to missionaries of all stripes prior to Price and Cunningham’s arrival. That the lone major black character becomes a convenient agent of the white missionaries without the even token development given to Price and Cunningham feels like an unforced error, particularly in light of the colonialist tropes that are being reenacted in the satire.

Despite these quibbles, the show excels in so many small, sly moments that it’s well-worth engaging with critically. From its exploration of the narcissistic motivations at the heart of so much missionary work in Price to Cunningham’s fluid relationship with religion, truth and popular culture, there’s plenty to unpack with these two characters, particularly given the latter’s success and the former’s emotional angst in Act 2. Clay and Pierson are both more than up to the task, each embodying the same spirit brought by Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad in the original production. The ensemble as a whole is uniformly strong, with fabulous voices and various tertiary characters proving to be every bit the equal of the leads.

As for the staging itself, the giant stained glass outline made a dramatic impact during the opening number, and the clever design allowed the backdrop to be peeled back numerous times for both the Uganda set and a brief-but-dramatic fiery depiction of hell with aplomb. The amount of classic dance numbers had a self-referential vibe that almost felt like a Family Guy episode, but with a real joy and sincerity that makes it easy to see why the production was generally beloved by traditional musical fanatics. The “orchestra” for the show, led by keyboardist Andrew Graham, brought to life a giant-sized score with just a small quintet of performers using a variety of programming tricks and rock bombast to win the day.

And, as I mentioned briefly at the beginning, it’s easy when talking about the musical to omit just how great the musical numbers are here (and why the Grammy win is hardly a surprise). Big ensemble numbers like the opening “Hello!” training montage and the winking, necessary colonialist reveal of “I Am Africa” showcased the 10 Mormon missionaries as powerful vocalists and seasoned performers, while the Ugandan-oriented set pieces like the vulgar-apex “Hasa Diga Eebowai” and the hilarious, bombshell laden mis-telling of Mormon mythology “Joseph Smith American Moses” are storytelling and comedic highlights that, while still somewhat guilty of the problems mentioned earlier, are nonetheless fascinating, sharply constructed tunes full of real zingers and insight.

In short, it’s a night of great songs, laughs, and intellectual challenges. Not bad for for a bunch of potty-mouthed cartoonists, eh?

The Book of Mormon is currently at the Koger Center for the Arts through May 20. Head to kogercenterforthearts.com for times and ticket information.

Saying Goodbye: Life and Dance with CCB Prima Ballerina Regina Willoughby, Who Gives Her Retirement Performance This Saturday

Next Halloween might find Ballerina Regina Willoughby in a brand new role: handing out candy to trick-or-treaters instead of frightening Columbia’s audience as Lucy, a vampire in Columbia City Ballet’s annual production of Dracula: Ballet with a Bite. In a recent interview, I asked her about balancing family and holidays, even Christmastime, which in the ballet world is synonymous with Nutcracker season.  

“We were never really big on Santa,” she said. “We gave gifts and did a tree. It was a mad dash during the last week.” For years, Regina relied on her biggest fan: her husband Jason, who works in law enforcement and is currently teaching at the criminal justice academy. Their two daughters are now in college (though one also dances in the company as an apprentice). Regina remembers Jason escorting his girls dressed in homemade Halloween costumes. One year there was Tomb Raider Lara Croft.  Another year, Pippy Longstocking. Once Jason had to call from the hospital when a daughter had appendicitis. Regina never missed a show.

This coming year will be different. Regina retires after Saturday’s two performances of Cleopatra. The shows are at 1:30 PM and 5:30 PM Saturday, March 24, 2018. Plenty of family will be in attendance, including a few aunts, uncles, and cousins coming from Texas and Colorado. Some have never seen Regina dance. 

We talked about how exciting this weekend will be but also about special moments in her career and her future plans. 

Regina favorite ballet costume was worn portraying Titania from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She felt regal in its flowing green chiffon. She’s not a big fan of the classic short tutu, though she owns one. It was especially made for her to dance as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Costumes aside, Regina’s best day on the job was the lead in Romeo and Juliet. To describe her magical time in this tragic role, Regina said, “The music started and I blinked my eyes and the curtain went down. The music carried me throughout.”

Dancing enchanted roles for so many years came with sacrifices. Too many friends got married at weddings she couldn’t attend. There was little time for gardening and travel. Regina is looking forward to these things, but also to skydiving and snow-skiing, risky activities that might have jeopardized her career. She has already signed up for summer sailing lessons. Yet, the biggest change can be summed up in a single word: Saturday. The life of a professional ballet dancer at Columbia City Ballet generally includes Saturday rehearsals from 11 – 7. 

Of course, Regina isn’t giving up on dance. She opened a dance studio ten years ago and will continue teaching most evenings. She hopes to find more performing opportunities for her students and will consider character roles for herself, parts that don’t require pointe shoes. She will also have more time to reconnect with dancers and friends who have retired before her. I reached out to some and asked for well wishes and fond memories. The responses are below and in the comments.

“Regina is the epitome of beauty and strength. She completely immersed herself into each role she danced. It was so inspiring to work with her every day. A wonderful example of a Prima Ballerina.”  Laura Lunde, Ballet Tucson

“Regina is an absolute professional on stage and in the studio. She possesses a certain level of integrity and warmth that every dancer in the studio couldn't help but admire.” Emily Carrico, Atlanta Ballet

“It was a pleasure sharing the stage with Regina for several years! Notably our performance of Cleopatra was an unforgettable process and I am honored that I had that awesome opportunity early in my career. Love you dearly and I wish you the best in your retirement! Love, William Moore Jr.”  Former soloist with both Columbia Classical and City Ballets and former dancer with Rochester City Ballet

“I had the amazing privilege of working with Regina Willoughby in 2011 when we performed as guest artists for Carlos Agudelo at Ballet Spartanburg. It was an opportunity to not only witness Regina's incredible physicality and work ethic but her humbleness, joy, kindness, and enthusiasm in the studio and on stage. Working with Regina pushed me artistically and inspired me greatly at that time. I felt I needed to work much harder to achieve what she did/does so effortlessly. Regina embodies movement and delivers exquisite soul-filled performances. Since that time I have not worked with a more open, generous and pure spirit. Thank you Regina for all of your years and investment. Our time together was truly memorable.” Carolyn Bolton, Rambert Dance Company, London England

“If there’s anything I can say about Regina is that her talent it’s only matched by her wonderful and kind and loving personality. The last time I danced with her, I asked her to join me for a Nutcracker guesting appearance in Florida. We had absolutely amazing time. She’s incredible in every way and a beautiful person in and out.” Norbert Nirewicz, freelance dancer
 

REVIEW: Columbia City Ballet's Body & Movement - by Susan Lenz

To Each Their Own: Body & Movement Explored

Yesterday morning I sat at my laptop and composed a glowing review of Columbia Classical Ballet’s one-night-only production of Don Quixote. I knew that just twenty-four hours later, I would be putting words together in another dance review, one for Columbia City Ballet’s Body & Movement Explored. I attended Saturday’s show, the second in a two-night engagement at Columbia Music Festival Association’s black box theater on Pulaski Street. I went hoping the dancing would be as wonderful as the evening before. After all, it is far easier to write compliments than it is to write critical comments.

For the most part, I was not disappointed. More importantly, I learned a lot. Some of what I learned was about the creative ideas at work in a choreographer’s mind. There was a casual but informative talk-back session after the dancing. I also learned that my opinions might be 180 degrees apart from other knowledgeable dance fans, but that doesn’t mean any of us are more wrong (or right!) than the other.

What do I mean by that? Well, I ran into a friend who had also seen Don Quixote the night before. Unlike me, though, my friend found the entire performance boring and lackluster, not at all of the quality they expected from a professional company. We exchanged our impressions. Both of us acknowledged valid points from one another. Neither mind was changed, but it was certainly an engaging and worthwhile conversation.

Body & Movement Explored was an evening that easily showcased works one might totally love or absolutely hate. The person sitting next to you could easily hate the one you loved and loved the one you hated. As for me, I really disliked Philip Ingrassia’s Together Apart. In the talkback session, Philip announced that not only was this the third reiteration of the piece, but that he was greatly satisfied with where it was at and how intended to expand the piece into a full, fifteen-minute number. I was also not a fan of Stephanie Wilkins’ Ache. The three couples often looked awkward in movements that otherwise suggested the intention should have been flowing ease. To me, more rehearsal time was needed.

I found Martin Skocelas-Hunter’s In Good Company boring enough that my mind wandered. His concept was obvious. A group of four women danced side by side, doing the same steps as if an amateur recital. This was followed by four men doing exactly the same thing. The audience was to consider the difference in interpretation between men and women given the same choreography. As my mind wandered, I could almost see how this concept could be translated into a first-rate contemporary art film. What at first I found unexciting became ripe with possibilities. This is why evenings exploring body and movement are so important; Without a stage on which to experiment, choreographers work in the dark.

Though I’ve mentioned works I didn’t particularly enjoy, more than half the fourteen works presented were quite entertaining. This includes Good Eats, a tap-dancing duet choreographed and performed by Jordan Hawkins and Claire Richards to the live music by composer/trumpeter Mark Rapp and drummer Brendan Bull. The music was the title track to Rapp’s 2011 release paying homage to legendary saxophonist Lou Donaldson and the performance let the room know why Rapp was recently designated the Jazz Ambassador of Columbia and the State of South Carolina by the SC House of Representatives.

Both of Rachel Leonard’s works were wonderful to watch and showed a wide range of expressiveness. If I had known beforehand, I would have been predisposed to this opinion. Why? Well, Rachel Leonard is one of two founders of Surfscape Dance Troupe, a professional contemporary company in Volusia County, Florida. I saw them perform at the Joan James Harris Theater at the Atlantic Center for the Arts before their 2014 tour to Sadler’s Wells in England.  It wasn’t until the talkback session that my memories seemed to coincide with William Starrett’s story of meeting Rachel Leonard, as well as her story of going to Paris after her company’s performance in England. The first half of the program ended with Café de Courtieser L’Ecart, Leonard’s playful recollection of her trip. It was grand!

Yet the most intriguing number of the night for me was Amanda Summey’s Rock, Paper, Scissors, “Gun Emoji” set to Mendelssohn’s Movement in G Minor for Nicole Carrion, Jordan Hawkins, and Colin Jacobs. This was a work that ought to be further explored, expanded, and performed. The piece powerfully illustrated how differences of opinion can lead to intractable, unresolved tensions, not unlike the varying impressions left on audience members after any dance occasion

Miranda Bailey’s duet for Bonnie-Boiter Jolley and Maurice Johnson was ethereal. Unfortunately, Bailey finale, Origin of Love, would have benefited from a larger space. Still, it was so exciting to see dancers smiling, full of energy, and showing off spins and leaps as if cast in a Broadway musical about a high school performing arts school. Perhaps nothing from the evening will go on to fame, but being in the audience was fun and the ensuing conversations were stimulating. I hope my impressions initiate an interest in local dance, whether one agrees with me or not! We are all entitled to our own opinions and the community will grow if we share, explore, and learn from one another.

Full Disclosure: Jasper Magazine's former Dance Editor, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, is a soloist with the Columbia City Ballet. 

Something for Everyone: USC Dance Company's Fall Concert Review

by: Susan Lenz

Waiting for the curtain to rise in the Koger Center on Thursday, November 16th meant looking around an audience full of USC dance appreciation students consulting their programs and scribbling in their notebooks before Artistic Director Susan Anderson announced a fund-raising drive and a student scholarship award. She didn't have to make an announcement about cell phone and LED devices. This audience already knew performance etiquette. They probably also knew that the program was going to be an exercise in comparisons. The four works presented were all so different from one another.

The diversity began with George Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht Ballet. Not every ballet company can present a Balanchine work. It's strictly copyrighted and can only be performed by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust. Former New York City Ballet soloist Stacey Calvert meets their exacting standards and did an excellent job of staging the work, a piece which sends twenty-four women soaring across the stage in the wild abandonment to be expected from a night straight out of medieval German folklore. “Walpurgis Night” is the witch Sabbath on the eve of May Day. Senior dance performance major Lydia Sanders was beautifully partnered with guest dancer Bo Busby, a principal dancer with Columbia City Ballet. 

The quick pace and flowing locks of hair gave way to a darkened, foreboding stage with three columns of black curtains in the premiere of Resilience, choreographed by guest artist Miriam Barbosa. Unfortunately, this minimal but visually impressive set was not effectively used as it could have been, and the dancers did not fully embrace the visceral contractions and releases expected when viewing work strongly associated with Martha Graham techniques.

Black Gazing, however, lived up to the iconic songs and music of Nina Simone.  Choreographed by Thaddeus Davis with his own cast of dancers, the work was utterly compelling as the dancers comfortably expressed both beauty and pain, as well as chronicling changing relationships. The projected visual images would have been more effective, though, if the bright bulb hadn't been aimed directly in my eyes.

The evening ended with Suite of Old American Dances choreographed by Heather Stokes and accompanied by the USC Symphonic Winds under the direction of Cormac Cannon.  It is always a treat to witness the collaboration of dancers and live musicians, especially when the melodies are so upbeat and delightful. A romantic interlude between two of the performers meandered through popular 1920s-era dances, including ragtime, the cake walk, a western one-step, the schottische, and a dreamy waltz. The cast looked very happy throughout and the applause showed just how much the audience approved.

When leaving the auditorium, I asked a dance appreciation student if she enjoyed the class and the evening's show. Her answer was totally positive. It is clear that Susan Anderson and the USC Dance program are bringing a high level of performance to Columbia.  While it is too late to see the Fall Concert, it is not too late to experience the diversity and quality of these upcoming USC Dance opportunities:

December 5 - 8 Student Choreography Showcase at Drayton Hall Theatre

February 21 - 24 USC Dance Company's Spring Concert at Drayton Hall Theatre

March 2 - 4 The Bernstein Mass at the Koger Center

April 15 Ballet Starts of New York Gala Performance at the Koger Center

April 27 - 28 Student Choreography Showcase at Drayton Hall Theatre

May 18 - 19 USC Dance Conservatory Spring Concert at Drayton Hall Theatre

For more information on these upcoming events and the USC Dance Program, please visit .

Song Premiere: The Witness Marks - "We're in This Together"

"We're in This Together," the first effort from singer/songwriter Ethan Fogus' new band The Witness Marks (featuring members of The Boomtown Waifs and The Restoration), is a sardonic protest song with a Dylan affectation that gets its thematic heft from the sweeping indie-folk arrangement that recalls Bright Eyes circa-I'm Wide Awake, Its Morning. Lyrically the song swings hard at the current President's privileged obliviousness, crass misogyny, bellicose rhetoric, and racial resentment politics with a droll eye, but it's tied to a stately melody and a funeral hymnal poignancy brought about from the tumbling blend of fiddle and piano that carry the tune along. And when the rhythm section drops out on the spare, lilting bridge, the electric energy running through the tune becomes unnervingly clear. -Kyle Petersen